Part 78

“You are better,” she said, speaking first, and with uncertain voice.

“Yes. They have given me awdehs not to talk,” said the Southerner, smiling.

“Oh, yes. Please do not talk--not to-day.”

“No. Only this”--he looked at her, and saw her seem to shrink--“thank you for what you have done,” he said simply.

She took tenderly the hand he stretched to her; and upon these terms they set to work at cribbage. She won, and won again, and the third time laid down her cards and reproached him with playing in order to lose.

“No,” he said, and his eye wandered to the boxes. “But my thoughts get away from me. I’ll be strong enough to hold them on the cyards next time, I reckon.”

Many tones in his voice she had heard, but never the tone of sadness until to-day.

Then they played a little more, and she put away the board for this first time.

“You are going now?” he asked.

“When I have made this room look a little less forlorn. They haven’t wanted to meddle with my things, I suppose.” And Molly stooped once again among the chattels destined for Vermont. Out they came; again the bearskin was spread on the floor, various possessions and ornaments went back into their ancient niches, the shelves grew comfortable with books, and, last, some flowers were stood on the table.

“More like old times,” said the Virginian, but sadly.

“It’s too bad,” said Molly, “you had to be brought into such a looking place.”

“And your folks waiting for you,” said he.

“Oh, I’ll pay my visit later,” said Molly, putting the rug a trifle straighter.

“May I ask one thing?” pleaded the Virginian, and at the gentleness of his voice her face grew rosy, and she fixed her eyes on him with a sort of dread.

“Anything that I can answer,” said she.

“Oh, yes. Did I tell yu’ to quit me, and did yu’ load up my gun and stay? Was that a real business? I have been mixed up in my haid.”

“That was real,” said Molly. “What else was there to do?”

“Just nothing--for such as you!” he exclaimed. “My haid has been mighty crazy; and that little grandmother of yours yondeh, she--but I can’t just quite catch a-hold of these things”--he passed a hand over his forehead--“so many--or else one right along--well, it’s all foolishness!” he concluded, with something almost savage in his tone. And after she had gone from the cabin he lay very still, looking at the miniature on the wall.

He was in another sort of mood the next time, cribbage not interesting him in the least. “Your folks will be wondering about you,” said he.

“I don’t think they will mind which month I go to them,” said Molly. “Especially when they know the reason.”

“Don’t let me keep you, ma’am,” said he. Molly stared at him; but he pursued, with the same edge lurking in his slow words: “Though I’ll never forget. How could I forget any of all you have done--and been? If there had been none of this, why, I had enough to remember! But please don’t stay, ma’am. We’ll say I had a claim when yu’ found me pretty well dead, but I’m gettin’ well, yu’ see--right smart, too!”

“I can’t understand, indeed I can’t,” said Molly, “why you’re talking so!”

He seemed to have certain moods when he would address her as “ma’am,” and this she did not like, but could not prevent.

“Oh, a sick man is funny. And yu’ know I’m grateful to you.”

“Please say no more about that, or I shall go this afternoon. I don’t want to go. I am not ready. I think I had better read something now.”

“Why, yes. That’s cert’nly a good notion. Why, this is the best show you’ll ever get to give me education. Won’t yu’ please try that EMMA book now, ma’am? Listening to you will be different.” This was said with softness and humility.

Uncertain--as his gravity often left her--precisely what he meant by what he said, Molly proceeded with EMMA, slackly at first, but soon with the enthusiasm that Miss Austen invariably gave her. She held the volume and read away at it, commenting briefly, and then, finishing a chapter of the sprightly classic, found her pupil slumbering peacefully. There was no uncertainty about that.