Show X I HI 1 lf 8 8 BY MARTHA MARTA l Copyright c 1300 1 Williams by Martha McCulloch At last the e wagon was loaded The Thc trunk came cam in front for tor a seat seat The two feather beds were just behind it with the safe flat fat on top of them and tho th dro lea table blo snug against the tailboard Bedsteads chairs chair a a new cradle a and ana many b band bass bags bassand and bundles bundIe bundles built buit upon thIs foundation foundton a miscellaneous superstructure crazy cry looking yet held in place with wih al nl the plow ploW lines Ines Jimmy Dawson could mus muster muster muster ter terr Mrs r Dawson sat on the trunk her at attention attention tenton equally and fearfully divided d between the reins in her hand the baby upon her knees and the broody hen with wih her clutch of eggs in the basket batet at her feet feet The hen hn h n had be belonged belonged belonged longed to Little Litte Jim Im the boy who Wo had died the summer before She had stolen her nest but Mrs 1115 Dawson Dalson could not bear to leave her any more than to I send Mend her robbed of her eggs along with wih the other which went vent the thedas theda theda da das before Jimmy gulped hard as he turned the key in the lock The house was old and ramshackle ram hackle but he halt had h d been born bor in it and had thought to live lve and die there A tortoise shell shel cat c t game arne ame to rub against his hil legs mewing plaintively pl and looking up in his face lace He stopped and stroked the creature until it purred loudly and made as though it would spring Into his arms He drew back bak hastily saying No no Mittens You ou cant gor go It I does look mean to leave you but its is the worst sort o 0 luck to move cats and walnuts walnut The good oo Lord knows ny my luck is bad enough aready Superstitious eh Timmy Jimmy Im Im rath rathor or glad of it i I shall take Mittens Itens straight up to the house we need an another another other othe mouser Mr Abshire said com corn coming coming cornIng ing around the corner of at the house then ther with wih a n laugh slightly forced Maybe you ou wont sell sel Mittens that may be bad luck too but youl give this to Mrs Mr Dawson with wih my compliments ments for the baby He held out a a silver sIver dollar dolar Dawson made no motion moton to take it it He looked down mae at Abshire with wih eye until the man roan quailed Abshire was short stocky ruddy wih with close clipped reddish redish hair and beard Dawson lean leali dark muscular towered a head above him and ad had ha lank locks blowing all al over the collar cola of his hi rusty i coat i Keep your our money now youve got I it I Mr Abshire he said slowly at last I It I wont never neve be b named between us I again agin now Ive get gt my quittance In full But remember this I owe ye a aday aday aday ful day in harvest hanest Ill Il pay It some time timea a long day at that Abshire laughed Insolently You disappoint me Dawson he said I had thought you too much a man to sulk or whine over paying payIng an honest debt You thought right I aint Jimmy said sid clambering up beside besida beide his hi wife You know I know it i was your ur money I borrowed and you want In my place Certainly The house obstructs obstruct our view Abshire said sid Dawsons Da ns eyes blazed The first o 0 ous oUS us tS Dawsons got Kot the land from the In Injune juns june he said sid I wanted to pass pas It lon lonto on onto onto to children o 0 mine jest as it come to tome tome tome me me j jr Mrs r Dawson laid a hand on his arm He shook it off of but just ju t then the baby began to cry ery cr as though pinched wih with cold for all al the mothers cuddling Poor Por little mite mie he be mut muttered muttered tere touching the clumsy hooded head To think I must take te you five miles mUes in the teeth o 0 this wind and then Into a cold house hous He started up the mules and and soon had ha them trotting at a rate which threatened to wreck reck the towering load The baby cried cred fitfully though his wife ie it It had been did her best to hush it I ha ben he ailing aing all week He almost wished had pocketed al his pride and begged Ap Ab Abshire Abshire shire to let him wait wai his moving until the weather was milder But mild mid days are ar not plenty in midwinter least of ot all al when when the cold has lIa strengthened to a freezing new year He had stayed over the day da itself If he moved then he would be b moving until the next Christ Christmas mas and moving once onee was wa to his I nInd sufficient for a lifetime I l wish got us a place In the fall fal his wife wie said at at lat laM not re ye reproachfully but with a soft plaintive ness fleas 8 infinitely harder to bear Jimmy y sighed deeply Ho He cc d not tell tel the truth that he had I ble himself before Abshire hoping against hope to stay on in his hi home and in the end re redeem redeem redeem deem it Ellen would never have hac done that I She Elen was fiery fery proud for tor all al her soft ways wa whys we better beter turn tu in here at atthe atthe atthe the doctors he asked as the wagon wa on camo opposite a big bic gate gatei standing generously wide Mrs r Dawson shook I I her head Do you think tink theres time she asked Its past 12 1 now and ev everything everything Is to do when we get there ther 1 asleep still I wish the doc doctor doctor doctor tor tor The words ended In a scream She had uncovered the tiny tny face cautious cautiously ly jy y to lo find it H pinched pinch d antI and blue the little lips Ups gasping Dawson Dawon understood her inarticulate cry cr 4 turn of the wrist e the cr a cut ct of rhe he wip set them thim th m Into a n dead I run rn up the ragged raged drive driVe But nut It J was wis wasa wisa a limp Umi ard an d b dy that t M is s Dawson Dawson laid in Dr Whartons Wh arms The Lord gave cave the Lord Lor hath bath taken Jave away awn the tho kind doctor said sald r v ly Iy cradling calig the dead baby on one arm ar and with wih the other oter pushing its it distracted mother moter into a a seat a a the te fireside Mrs Wharton bent Mr Warn over her herand herand and put her arms about her sobbing in silent sympathy ars She had lost a baby just the te year ye before and w better better than to mock this grief gref with wih spoken comfort comfor I Dawson cowered miserably at the theother theother theother other side sid of the te fire fre through rough t a n leaden Then he be Ten got up and took his dead child in his arms ars saying as a he pressed his hi rough rugh cheek to its it waxen face And I 1 have hae got to t bury ur you little one all al by yourself Abshire owns the te graveyard he says he dont want ant any more marc Dawsons on his land alive alve or r dead dea Abshire is a a fiend or a a fool or I both Dr Wharton began but stop stopped stopped ped ved short staring at Mrs Mr Dawson She had risen her eyes dry and ad burning buring We must mut go Jim Im she said in a high harsh voice Give me the baby It Itis Itis Itis is so sound asleep it i must be well wel Something might catch the hen It I was wa little Jims Ims you know this apol q pt I f v t 1 7 4 c Q k tm J I 9 I 79 STOOD BACK OF OP HER EB HIS BI HER HE HAIR WITH WITE CLUMSY TENDERNESS to the Whartons Its sis Its the most we ve have got left of him Al Always A ALways ways when he lie fell feU asleep alep on the floor foor his bs pullet would go and perch on his shoulder and stay st quiet till tl he waked Jim im took his wife wiCe In his arms ars heed heedless heedles heedless less les of oC other eyes Ellen Elen he said Ellen Elen Wife WIe You you better stay sty here her with Wharton Ill wih Mrs Mr Il go on and see about things You must sta ste Dr said He sa sa that lie he poor creature was quite quie out ou of 1 Und MInd Rest Ret and quiet might bring her hei reason With infinite sympathy spat tC 10 pains she he was coaxed to swallow a sleeping I ping draft draft and sit si easily in the chimney corner hugging the dead child close clos to her breast breast To humor and ant soothe sooth her the hen was vas brought i m fn and arid set where she could touch the basket with her foot foot Jimmy stood back of other other her his big hands fondling her hair with wih clumsy tender tenderness tenderness ness nes Presently her head fell fel back her arms relaxed the little white whiteface face dropped so the te waning daylight touch touched touche touched ed e it It Ellen Elen did not stir sUr as Mrs rr Wharton arton took it away avay Youl let us bury bur it beside our little one she said to Jim Jimmy Jimmy im imm my m in a hushed whisper He ie Ie nodded apathetically His one thought now was Ellen Enen He was of a slow fond de devoted devoted voted nature lature He HI loved his wife much muchas mucha as a he had loved his home He had never loved anybody else He had chosen her in the cradle himself a n stout fellow 5 years old He could not conceive of life Ufe apart from her hr yet in the face of this awful awful fear he al almost almost almost most prayed that she might never wake Lord Lord Take Take her he rather n a to send her mad he supplicated I got a home to keep k ep her in lii iI Id ld have to put her away where folks fol might treat her mean Suddenly the thought tame came if he could take her back among the old familiar surroundings she would awake herself He lie looked out of the window His wagon still sti stood beside the yard ard gate the mules mues drooping their thir heads patiently and edging away away from the wind He le was wa alone with wih Ellen the Whartons had taken the te baby bab away to the back of the house He went with wih husty hasty quiet through the thedoor te tedoor thedoor door out to the wagon and threw off of the upper load Then he be got a blanket or two went ent back muffled Ellen Elen in them bore her out dead asleep and laid her gently genty on the tIe billowy feather featherbeds featherbeds beds In a minute the wagon was out outon outon outon on the road headed heaed for lor the te old home the mules going at the swift cheery cheer trot of beasts bast chilled and eager for forthe forte forthe the te comfort comfor of wonted stalls Jimmys mind was made up He would break in the door make male a afire afre afire fire fre and leave Ellen Elen beside it while he went to speak with Abshire After all Abshire must be human When he heard what had hap happened happened ped he would at least leat agree agee to let the Dawsons stay the year through trough working the lace ulace In shares Jimmy knew he could be a good tenant May Maybe Maybe foe be be by next Christmas ChrIstma Ellen Elen would be strong again agin It I might be e also Ab Abshire Abshire Abshire shire would relent so far fa as a to keep them on until they the themselves chose to togo togo togo go He must have somebody to work the land landi it was worthless without And Ill work for him ever I Idid IdId did Ad for Il myself Jimmy thought if it only hell leave to show hel The house stood around the te shoulder the head of the valley of the te hill hl at te aley through which the mill mi stream ran rn It I that had Siad ad was the fall fal In the stream strem tempted te Jimmy to his loss It I was wa in plain sight from from his house doOr dobr and he had thought thou ht ever since he was a mill mi boy My going ten miles mies wih with his grist gist what a pity It t was was the water power was not harnessed and und made to serve ere Its Us neighbors neighbor big bis new house stood some hundred yards yard higher up the std valley The Dawson homestead broad br d low aley rambling did shut it i away from at least half the tile down dow stream The valley opened out in broad smil smiling smI smilIng ing vistas below the little rocky rise rie on which it 1 was wa built buit By the road Jimmy was traveling you came almost upon the house be before before before fore you The he sun had left the valley but it was wa wa still full fuU of drear win winter winter In Inter ter daylight Jimmy shut hut his eyes a moment recalling how bow it i must look lookHe lookHe He knew kneir every ev rY aspect by b heart He had never been bec so much as q s fifty lUty miles mUes away from it It Hand in ia hand with wih El El awa h had rOn ev i o toe oj o oit hu It It bench and andl Jevel vel and eind nd URl hf slope of o sat t in his rough r ugh porch Jorch watching it gr TOW v green grden In or laugh gow g Into summer ummer leafage or rustle ruste with fat harvests haret in the red and rus sat wih time He Hc had ld watched through the rain rin and the te fine weather weater in th thE snow at dawn at a dark dark I There was wa no need to open his eyes until ha ho came caine ce to the gate The mules mule would keen ken the road adot of their own mo me besides he could drive there tere If it were black bc dark and himself himsel stone blind They must be b coming on to the big rock now The road r made a sharp shar turn tur there he drew a little on the te near ner nerrin rein rin and smiled smUel to feel the te wagon wagn swing without the least let jar ja Suddenly the mules snorted stopping in fn their tracks tack Jimmy was wa almost pitched upon UDon their backs backs As A he scrambled upright ht he h heard herd a crack crackling crackling ling hissing noise ahot ot red flare fare struck him with wih the sting of ot a lash lah He stared a minute uncomprehending then fell tel back moaning and covering his eyes Flames leaped licking dart darting dartIng darting ing from every ever window of his hi house houe The roof was wa smoking furiously In another anoter minute the fire fre would break breakthrough brek breakthrough through trough Men were kindling other fires frs In the outhouses te Abshire watched them his hi hands In his pockets a a faint gratified smile mie about his lips The mules backed b and trembled tremble and even reared a a little but Jimmy drove them relentlessly forward The rood road was so narrow he must drive into the te lot before he could turn tur Abshire stood at the te gate of it it He started at sight of Jimmy Left anything he heake asked ake I hope It was nothing of con consequence consequence consequence sequence You see Im Im about making maIng a clean clen sweep seep Pillars Pias of fire fr shot up p from the house hous painting all al the dull dul valley vaHey with their own scarlet glow They were so fierce the wind 3 could bend them even at at the tb and make malt of them flaming banners banner in n the sky The house was and burned with a n roar like that of a a hurricane It I roused El Ellens Ellens Elleas lens leas number r senses She struggled up to her knees looking wildly about her herthen herthen herthen then with a scream leaped leaDed to the ground grund and darted toward the te door shrieking My My y little baby Have you ou left it there to burn burg Jimmy Imm held beld her struggling and pant ing lug Tim Tilt baby died and she went out of her head h he said to Abshire dully duly I 1 fetched her back backI I thought it might help her herand and that maybe you youIt It was foolish and j perfectly use less said irritably See ee here Dawson D cant you understand You this house houseas houseas was in my way I determined to buy and burn it as a soon as I building You can cn elU find a one you yu have still some money Excuse my comin Mr Abshire Jimmy said lifting his wife wIe into the wagon 03 as a he spoke It I was foolish I Iou ought ou ht to to t you could not be made to see theres th res things thing in this world word money cant either buy or do doThe doThe doThe The roof tell fell fel in as he spoke send ing lug showers of sparks and flaming taming brands far around One of ot the brands fell fel upon pon Dawsons bare hand burning It i slightly Another struck Abshire on the cheek but glanced off of harmless Ellen Elen had grown gown quiet looking looking about her h r with frightened eyes e es She gazed at vacantly then said as though speaking to something unseen You say he he shall be burned yet and |