a girl of the limberlost-第23章

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he　was　drinking　some　more；　and　he　ate　a　lot　of　it

almost　the　whole　thing；　and　it　made　him　sick　as　a　dog；　and

he　went　and　wasted　all　of　it。　　Then　he　got　drunk　some

more；　and　now　he's　asleep　again。　　We　didn't　get　hardly　none。〃



〃You　children　sit　on　the　steps　until　the　man　comes；〃

said　Sinton。　　〃I'll　send　you　some　things　to　eat　with　him。　

What's　your　name；　sonny？〃



〃Billy；〃　said　the　boy。



〃Well；　Billy；　I　guess　you　better　come　with　me。　　I'll　take

care　of　him；〃　Sinton　promised　the　others。　　He　reached　a

hand　to　Billy。



〃I　ain't　no　baby；　I'm　a　boy！〃　said　Billy；　as　he　shuffled

along　beside　Sinton；　taking　a　kick　at　every　movable　object

without　regard　to　his　battered　toes。



Once　they　passed　a　Great　Dane　dog　lolling　after　its　master；

and　Billy　ascended　Sinton　as　if　he　were　a　tree；　and

clung　to　him　with　trembling　hot　hands。



〃I　ain't　afraid　of　that　dog；〃　scoffed　Billy；　as　he　was

again　placed　on　the　walk；　〃but　onc't　he　took　me　for　a　rat

or　somepin'　and　his　teeth　cut　into　my　back。　　If　I'd　a　done

right；　I'd　a　took　the　law　on　him。〃



Sinton　looked　down　into　the　indignant　little　face。　　The　child

was　bright　enough；　he　had　a　good　head；　but　oh；　such　a　body！



〃I　'bout　got　enough　of　dogs；〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　used　to

like　'em；　but　I'm　getting　pretty　tired。　　You　ought　to　seen

the　lickin'　Jimmy　and　Belle　and　me　give　our　dog　when　we

caught　him；　for　taking　a　little　bird　she　gave　us。　　We　waited

'till　he　was　asleep　'nen　laid　a　board　on　him　and　all　of　us

jumped　on　it　to　onc't。　　You　could　a　heard　him　yell　a　mile。　

Belle　said　mebbe　we　could　squeeze　the　bird　out　of　him。　

But；　squeeze　nothing！　　He　was　holler　as　us；　and　that　bird

was　lost　long　'fore　it　got　to　his　stummick。　　It　was　ist　a

little　one；　anyway。　　Belle　said　it　wouldn't　'a'　made　a　bite

apiece　for　three　of　us　nohow；　and　the　dog　got　one　good　swaller。　

We　didn't　get　much　of　the　meat；　either。　　Pa　took　most

of　that。　　Seems　like　pas　and　dogs　gets　everything。〃



Billy　laughed　dolefully。　　Involuntarily　Wesley　Sinton

reached　his　hand。　　They　were　coming　into　the　business　part

of　Onabasha　and　the　streets　were　crowded。　　Billy　understood

it　to　mean　that　he　might　lose　his　companion　and　took　a　grip。　

That　little　hot　hand　clinging　tight　to　his；　the　sore　feet

recklessly　scouring　the　walk；　the　hungry　child　panting　for

breath　as　he　tried　to　keep　even；　the　brave　soul　jesting　in

the　face　of　hard　luck；　caught　Sinton　in　a　tender；　empty　spot。



〃Say；　son；〃　he　said。　　〃How　would　you　like　to　be

washed　clean；　and　have　all　the　supper　your　skin　could

hold；　and　sleep　in　a　good　bed？〃



〃Aw；　gee！〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　ain't　dead　yet！　　Them　things

is　in　heaven！　　Poor　folks　can't　have　them。　　Pa　said　so。〃



〃Well；　you　can　have　them　if　you　want　to　go　with　me　and

get　them；〃　promised　Sinton。



〃Honest？〃



〃Yes；　honest。〃



〃Crost　yer　heart？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Sinton。



〃Kin　I　take　some　to　Jimmy　and　Belle？〃



〃If　you'll　come　with　me　and　be　my　boy；　I'll　see　that　they

have　plenty。〃



〃What　will　pa　say？〃



〃Your　pa　is　in　that　kind　of　sleep　now　where　he　won't

wake　up；　Billy；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃I　am　pretty　sure　the　law

will　give　you　to　me；　if　you　want　to　come。〃



〃When　people　don't　ever　wake　up　they're　dead；〃

announced　Billy。　　〃Is　my　pa　dead？〃



〃Yes；　he　is；〃　answered　Sinton。



〃And　you'll　take　care　of　Jimmy　and　Belle；　too？〃



〃I　can't　adopt　all　three　of　you；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃I'll　take

you；　and　see　that　they　are　well　provided　for。　　Will　you　come？〃



〃Yep；　I'll　come；〃　said　Billy。　　〃Let's　eat；　first　thing　we　do。〃



〃All　right；〃　agreed　Sinton。　　〃Come　into　this　restaurant。〃　

He　lifted　Billy　to　the　lunch　counter　and　ordered　the　clerk

to　give　him　as　many　glasses　of　milk　as　he　wanted；　and　a　biscuit。　

〃I　think　there's　going　to　be　fried　chicken　when　we　get　home；

Billy；〃　he　said；　〃so　you　just　take　the　edge　off　now；　and　fill

up　later。〃



While　Billy　lunched　Sinton　called　up　the　different　departments

and　notified　the　proper　authorities　ending　with　the　Women's

Relief　Association。　　He　sent　a　basket　of　food　to　Belle　and　Jimmy；

bought　Billy　a　pair　of　trousers；　and　a　shirt；　and　went　to

bring　Elnora。



〃Why；　Uncle　Wesley！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃Where　did　you

find　Billy？〃



〃I've　adopted　him　for　the　time　being；　if　not　longer；〃

replied　Wesley　Sinton。



〃Where　did　you　get　him？〃



〃Well；　young　woman；〃　said　Wesley　Sinton；　〃Mr。　Brownlee

told　me　the　history　of　your　lunch　box。　　It　didn't

seem　so　funny　to　me　as　it　does　to　the　rest　of　them；　so　I

went　to　look　up　the　father　of　Billy's　family；　and　make　him

take　care　of　them；　or　allow　the　law　to　do　it　for　him。　

It　will　have　to　be　the　law。〃



〃He's　deader　than　anything！〃　broke　in　Billy。　　〃He　can't

ever　take　all　the　meat　any　more。〃



〃Billy！〃　gasped　Elnora。



〃Never　you　mind！〃　said　Sinton。　　〃A　child　doesn't　say

such　things　about　a　father　who　loved　and　raised　him　right。　

When　it　happens；　the　father　alone　is　to　blame。　　You　won't

hear　Billy　talk　like　that　about　me　when　I　cross　over。〃



〃You　don't　mean　you　are　going　to　take　him　to　keep！〃



〃I'll　soon　need　help；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Billy　will　come

in　just　about　right　ten　years　from　now；　and　if　I　raise　him

I'll　have　him　the　way　I　want　him。〃



〃But　Aunt　Margaret　doesn't　like　boys；〃　objected　Elnora。



〃Well；　she　likes　me；　and　I　used　to　be　a　boy。　　Anyway；　as

I　remember　she　has　had　her　way　about　everything　at　our

house　ever　since　we　were　married。　　I　am　going　to　please

myself　about　Billy。　　Hasn't　she　always　done　just　as　she

chose　so　far　as　you　know？　　Honest；　Elnora！〃



〃Honest！〃　replied　Elnora。　　〃You　are　beautiful　to　all　of

us；　Uncle　Wesley；　but　Aunt　Margaret　won't　like　Billy。　

She　won't　want　him　in　her　home。〃



〃In　our　home；〃　corrected　Wesley。



〃What　makes　you　want　him？〃　marvelled　Elnora。



〃God　only　knows；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃Billy　ain't　so　beautiful；

and　he　ain't　so　smart；　I　guess　it's　because　he's　so　human。　

My　heart　goes　out　to　him。〃



〃So　did　mine；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　love　him。　　I'd　rather

see　him　eat　my　lunch　than　have　it　myself　any　time。〃



〃What　makes　you　like　him？〃　asked　Wesley。



〃Why；　I　don't　know；〃　pondered　Elnora。　　〃He's　so　little；

he　needs　so　much；　he's　got　such　splendid　grit；　and

he's　perfectly　unselfish　with　his　brother　and　sister。　

But　we　must　wash　him　before　Aunt　Margaret　sees　him。　

I　wonder　if　mother〃



〃You　needn't　bother。　　I'm　going　to　take　him　home　the

way　he　is；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃I　want　Maggie　to　see　the

worst　of　it。〃



〃I'm　afraid〃　began　Elnora。



〃So　am　I；〃　said　Wesley；　〃but　I　won't　give　him　up。　

He's　taken　a　sort　of　grip　on　my　heart。　　I've　always

been　crazy　for　a　boy。　　Don't　let　him　hear　us。〃



〃Don't　let　him　be　killed！〃　cried　Elnora。　　During　their

talk　Billy　had　wandered　to　the　edge　of　the　walk　and

barely　escaped　the　wheels　of　a　passing　automobile　in　an

effort　to　catch　a　stray　kitten　that　seemed　in　danger。



Wesley　drew　Billy　back　to　the　walk；　and　held　his　hand　closely。　

〃Are　you　ready；　Elnora？〃



〃Yes；　you　were　gone　a　long　time；〃　she　said。



Wesley　glanced　at　a　package　she　carried。　　〃Have　to

have　another　book？〃　he　asked。



〃No；　I　bought　this　for　mother。　　I've　had　such　splendid

luck　selling　my　specimens；　I　didn't　feel　right　about　keeping

all　the　money　for　myself；　so　I　saved　enough　from　the

Indian　relics　to　get　a　few　things　I　wanted。　　I　would　have

liked　to　have　gotten　her　a　dress；　but　I　didn't　dare；　so　I

compromised　on　a　book。〃



〃What　did　you　select；　Elnora？〃　asked　Wesley　wonderingly。



〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　noticed　mother　always　seemed

interested　in　anything　Mark　Twain　wrote　in　the　newspapers；

and　I　thought　it　would　cheer　her　up　a　little；　so　I　just

got　his　‘Innocents　Abroad。'　　I　haven't　read　it　myself；

but　I've　seen　mention　made　of　it　all　my　life；　and　the

critics　say　it's　genuine　fun。〃



〃Good！〃　cried　Sinton。　　〃Good！　　You've　made　a

splendid　choice。　　It　will　take　her　mind　off　herself

a　lot。　　But　she　will　scold　you。〃