"Harriet," said the old lady, wiping her damp hands on her ap.r.o.n, "Hettie has gone to work washing dishes in there like a house a-fire.
I declare she"s a big help; as soon as she comes about I feel rested, for I know she won"t leave a thing undone. What have you been saying to her? I never saw her so cheerful. She"s been runnin" on in the kitchen like a fifteen-year-old child. I declare I can"t keep from liking her. You must a-told her some"n about Toot Wambush."
"I did," admitted Harriet. "Mother, I"ve been standing in her way. I believe he likes her, and will marry her now that I have given him his last answer."
"Do you really, daughter?"
"Yes, I think he will--I"m almost sure of it, and I just had to tell her so, she looked so down-hearted."
Mrs. Floyd laid her hand on Harriet"s head and smiled.
"You deserve to be happy, too, daughter, and somehow I feel like you are going to be. Mr. Westerfelt is n.o.body"s fool; he knows you"re sweet and good, and--"
"I don"t want to talk about him, mother," Harriet said, firmly, as she rose. "I think we ought to keep Hettie a few days; she"d like to be near the post-office, I know."
"Well, the Lord knows I"m willing," consented Mrs. Floyd, as she followed her daughter to the kitchen.
Chapter XVII
Sue Dawson leaned on the front gate at the Bradleys".
"h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo! in thar!" she cried, in a shrill, piping voice.
No one replied. "I"m a good mind to go in anyway," she thought. "I reckon they hain"t got no bitin" dog." She raised the iron ring from the post and drew the sagging gate through the grooves worn in the pebbly ground and entered the yard. The front and back doors were open, and she could see a portion of the back yard through the hall.
No one seemed to be in the house. A young chicken had hopped up the back steps, crossed the entry, and was stalking about in the hall chirping hollowly, as if bewildered by its surroundings. Across the rear door a sudden gust of wind blew a wisp of smoke, and then it occurred to Mrs. Dawson that some one might be in the back yard. She drove the chicken before her as she stalked through the hall.
Martha Bradley was making soap. With her back to the house, she was stirring a boiling mixture of grease and lye in a large wash-pot.
Under the eaves of the kitchen stood an ash-hopper, from the bottom of which trickled a tiny amber stream.
"Howdy, Marthy?" said Mrs. Dawson, behind Mrs. Bradley"s back. "It was so still in the house, I "lowed you wus all dead an" buried."
Mrs. Bradley turned and dropped her paddle. "Why, ef it hain"t Mis"
Dawson, as I"m alive! Whar on earth are you bound fer?"
"Jest come over fer a day ur so," was the reply. "I thought some o"
stoppin" at the hotel, but, on second thought, I "lowed you an" Luke mought think strange ef I did, so heer I am."
"I"ve al"ays got room fer a old neighbor, an" you"d a-been lonely at the hotel. I"m glad you come, but--" Mrs. Bradley took up her paddle and began to stir the contents of the pot. "I reckon, I ortter tell you, plain, Mis" Dawson, that John Westerfelt is stayin" with us.
We"ve got plenty o" room fer you both, but I thought it mought not be exactly agreeable fer you."
A spiteful fire kindled in Mrs. Dawson"s eyes. "It mought upset _him_ a little speck, Marthy, but I hain"t done nothin" to be ashamed uv myse"f."
Mrs. Bradley went to the ash-hopper and filled a dipper with lye and poured it into the pot. Then she wiped her hands on her ap.r.o.n. "John Westerfelt"s had enough trouble to kill a ordinary man, Mis" Dawson,"
she said, "an" I"m his friend to the backbone; ef you"ve got any ill-will agin "im, don"t mention it to me. Besides, now would be a good time fer you to show Christian forbearance. He"s been thoughtless, but heer lately he is a changed man, an" I believe he"s tryin" his level best to do right in G.o.d"s sight. He"s had a peck o"
trouble in one way or another over heer, but, in addition to that, I"m mistaken ef he don"t suffer in secret day and night."
"You don"t say," cried Mrs. Dawson, eagerly. "I "lowed he wus cuttin"
a wide swath over heer."
"Never was a bigger mistake. He don"t visit a single gal in the place.
He neglects his business, an" spends most o" his time in the woods pretendin" to hunt, but he seldom fetches back a thing, and you know he used to be the best shot at the beef matches. Luke thinks his mind is turned a little bit. Luke happened to go "long the Shader Rock road t"other day an" seed John lyin" flat o" his back in the woods. He pa.s.sed "im twice inside of a hour, an" he hadn"t moved a peg. No healthy minded man don"t carry on that way, Mis" Dawson."
"Hain"t he a-settin" up to that hotel gal?" Mrs. Bradley turned towards the house with her guest. "No, he hain"t," she answered. "She nussed him when he wus down, an"--well, maybe she does kinder fancy _him_ a little--any natcherl girl would--I don"t say she _does_ nor _doesn"t_, but he hain"t been to see "er, to my knowledge, a single time, nur has never tuk her out to any o" the parties. No, thar"s nothin" twixt "em; she tried to git "im to come stay at the hotel when he wus sick atter the Whitecap outrage, an" I thought she acted a little for"ard then, but he refused an" come to us instead."
"You don"t say so; why, I heerd--"
"A body kin always heer more about a thing fur off than right whar it happens," concluded Mrs. Bradley. They were now in the sitting-room, and Mrs. Dawson took off her bonnet and shawl. Mrs. Bradley put some pieces of pine under the smouldering logs in the fireplace and swept the hearth.
That night when Westerfelt came home supper was on the table. He was surprised to see the visitor, but she did not notice him and he said nothing to her. The meal pa.s.sed awkwardly. Luke made an effort to keep up the conversation with her by asking about his friends in her neighborhood, but her replies were in a low tone and short, and he finally gave up the attempt.
Westerfelt rose from the table before any of the others and left the house. As he turned from the gate to go to the stable, he looked through the window and saw Mrs. Dawson move her chair to the fire. He paused and leaned against the fence. The firelight shone in the old woman"s face; it was sad and careworn. Somehow she reminded him of his mother, as she had looked a short time before she died. He started on slowly, but came back again to the same spot. Luke wiped his mouth on the corner of the table-cloth, rose from the table, and went out at the back door. Westerfelt heard his merry whistle at the barn. Mrs.
Bradley filled a large pan with dishes and took them into the kitchen.
Mrs. Dawson bent over the fire. Something in the curve of her back and the trembling way she held her hands to the blaze made him think again of his mother. He hesitated a moment, then, lifting the ring from the post, he pushed the gate open and went round the house and into the kitchen.
In a corner dimly lighted by a tallow-dip, and surrounded by pans, pots, and cooking utensils, Mrs. Bradley stood washing dishes. She turned when he entered.
"Why," she exclaimed, "I--I thought you"d gone; what are you comin" in the back way fer?"
"I"ve got something to say to--to her," he said, in a low tone. "I thought I"d ask you to stay out here for a minute--I won"t be long."
She said nothing for a moment, but looked at him strangely, as she slowly dried her hands on a dish-towel. Then she burst out impulsively:
"John Westerfelt, ef Luke wusn"t so particular "bout my conduct with men, I"d kiss you smack dab in the mouth an" hug you; no wonder women make fools of the"rse"ves about you. Ef anybody ever dares agin to say anything agin yore character to me, I"ll--"
She choked up, turned to the corner, and dived into her dishpan, and he saw only her back. He went into the next room. Mrs. Dawson"s dull glance was fixed on the coals under the logs. She started when she looked up and saw him behind her, and shrank from him in a pitiful blending of fright and questioning astonishment as he drew a chair near to hers and sat down.
"What do you want, man?" she asked, looking towards the kitchen door, as if she hoped Mrs. Bradley would appear.
"I want to talk to you, Mrs. Dawson," he said. "I don"t want you to hate me any longer. I am awfully sorry for you; I did you a big injury, but I didn"t do it on purpose. I did not dream it would end like it did. I have suffered over it night and day. It will stick to me the rest of my life."
The old woman was rapidly regaining her self-possession and with it her hatred of him; her eyes flashed in the firelight. The sad expression he had surprised on her face was gone.
"She"s in "er grave," she snarled. "Give "er back an" I"ll git down on my knees to you, as much as I hate you!"
"You know I"m helpless to undo what"s been done," he said, regretfully.
"Well, take yorese"f out"n my sight then. You"ve made a" ol" woman perfectly miserable; go on an" marry, an" be happy, ef you kin."
"I never expect to be that. I"ve repented of my conduct a thousand times. I have suffered as much as G.o.d ought to make a man suffer for a wrong deed."
"Not as much as me, an" I hain"t guilty o" no crime nuther."
"I"ve humbly begged your forgiveness. I can do no more." He rose slowly, despondently.
"Git out"n my sight, you vagabond!" Mrs. Dawson"s voice rose till the last word ended in a shriek.
Footsteps were heard in the kitchen, the door opened, and Mrs. Bradley strode in, her face aflame. Westerfelt stepped towards her and put his hands on her shoulders.