a girl of the limberlost-第25章

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as　he　followed。



〃You　are　going　to　keep　him　for　supper？〃　she　asked



〃Sure！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃That's　what　I　brought　him　for。　

It's　likely　he　never　had　a　good　square　meal　of　decent

food　in　his　life。　　He's　starved　to　the　bone。〃



Margaret　arose　deliberately；　removed　the　white　cloth

from　the　supper　table　and　substituted　an　old　red　one

she　used　to　wrap　the　bread。　　She　put　away　the　pretty

dishes　they　commonly　used　and　set　the　table　with　old

plates　for　pies　and　kitchen　utensils。　　But　she　fried　the

chicken；　and　was　generous　with　milk　and　honey；　snowy

bread；　gravy；　potatoes；　and　fruit。



Wesley　repainted　the　scratched　wheel。　　He　mended　the

fence；　with　Billy　holding　the　nails　and　handing　the　pickets。　

Then　he　filled　the　old　hole；　digged　a　new　one　and　set　the

hitching　post。



Billy　hopped　on　one　foot　at　his　task　of　holding　the　post

steady　as　the　earth　was　packed　around　it。　　There　was

not　the　shadow　of　a　trouble　on　his　little　freckled　face。



Sinton　threw　in　stones　and　pounded　the　earth　solid　around

the　post。　　The　sound　of　a　gulping　sob　attracted　him　to　Billy。　

The　tears　were　rolling　down　his　cheeks。　　〃If　I'd　a　knowed

you'd　have　to　get　down　in　a　hole；　and　work　so　hard　I

wouldn't　'a'　hit　the　horses；〃　he　said。



〃Never　you　mind；　Billy；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃You　will

know　next　time；　so　you　can　think　over　it；　and　make　up

your　mind　whether　you　really　want　to　before　you　strike。〃



Wesley　went　to　the　barn　to　put　away　the　tools。　　He

thought　Billy　was　at　his　heels；　but　the　boy　lagged　on

the　way。　　A　big　snowy　turkey　gobbler　resented　the　small

intruder　in　his　especial　preserves；　and　with　spread　tail

and　dragging　wings　came　toward　him　threateningly。　　If　that

turkey　gobbler　had　known　the　sort　of　things　with　which

Billy　was　accustomed　to　holding　his　own；　he　never　would

have　issued　the　challenge。　　Billy　accepted　instantly。　

He　danced　around　with　stiff　arms　at　his　sides　and　imitated

the　gobbler。　　Then　came　his　opportunity；　and　he　jumped

on　the　big　turkey's　back。　　Wesley　heard　Margaret's　scream

in　time　to　see　the　flying　leap　and　admire　its　dexterity。　

The　turkey　tucked　its　tail　and　scampered。　　Billy　slid　from

its　back　and　as　he　fell　he　clutched　wildly；　caught　the

folded　tail；　and　instinctively　clung　to　it。　　The　turkey

gave　one　scream　and　relaxed　its　muscles。　　Then　it　fled

in　disfigured　defeat　to　the　haystack。　　Billy　scrambled

to　his　feet　holding　the　tail；　while　his　eyes　were　bulging。



〃Why；　the　blasted　old　thing　came　off！〃　he　said　to

Wesley；　holding　out　the　tail　in　amazed　wonder。



The　man；　caught　suddenly；　forgot　everything　and　roared。　

Seeing　which；　Billy　thought　a　turkey　tail　of　no

account　and　flung　that　one　high　above　him　shouting　in

wild　childish　laughter；　when　the　feathers　scattered　and　fell。



Margaret；　watching；　began　to　cry。　　Wesley　had　gone　mad。　

For　the　first　time　in　her　married　life　she　wanted

to　tell　her　mother。　　When　Wesley　had　waited　until　he

was　so　hungry　he　could　wait　no　longer　he　invaded　the

kitchen　to　find　a　cooked　supper　baking　on　the　back　of　the

stove；　while　Margaret　with　red　eyes　nursed　a　pair　of

demoralized　white　kittens。



〃Is　supper　ready？〃　he　asked。



〃It　has　been　for　an　hour；〃　answered　Margaret。



〃Why　didn't　you　call　us？〃



That　〃us〃　had　too　much　comradeship　in　it。　　It　irritated　Margaret。



〃I　supposed　it　would　take　you　even　longer　than　this　to

fix　things　decent　again。　　As　for　my　turkey；　and　my　poor

little　kittens；　they　don't　matter。〃



〃I　am　mighty　sorry　about　them；　Margaret；　you　know　that。　

Billy　is　very　bright；　and　he　will　soon　learn〃



〃Soon　learn！〃　cried　Margaret。　　〃Wesley　Sinton；　you

don't　mean　to　say　that　you　think　of　keeping　that　creature

here　for　some　time？〃



〃No；　I　think　of　keeping　a　well…behaved　little　boy。〃



Margaret　set　the　supper　on　the　table。　　Seeing　the　old

red　cloth　Wesley　stared　in　amazement。　　Then　he　understood。　

Billy　capered　around　in　delight。



〃Ain't　that　pretty？〃　he　exulted。　　〃I　wish　Jimmy　and

Belle　could　see。　　We；　why　we　ist　eat　out　of　our　hands　or

off　a　old　dry　goods　box；　and　when　we　fix　up　a　lot；　we

have　newspaper。　　We　ain't　ever　had　a　nice　red　cloth　like　this。〃



Wesley　looked　straight　at　Margaret；　so　intently　that　she

turned　away；　her　face　flushing。　　He　stacked　the　dictionary

and　the　geography　of　the　world　on　a　chair；　and　lifted　Billy

beside　him。　　He　heaped　a　plate　generously；　cut　the　food；

put　a　fork　into　Billy's　little　fist；　and　made　him　eat　slowly

and　properly。　　Billy　did　his　best。　　Occasionally　greed

overcame　him；　and　he　used　his　left　hand　to　pop　a　bite　into

his　mouth　with　his　fingers。　　These　lapses　Wesley　patiently

overlooked；　and　went　on　with　his　general　instructions。　

Luckily　Billy　did　not　spill　anything　on　his　clothing　or

the　cloth。　　After　supper　Wesley　took　him　to　the　barn　while

he　finished　the　night　work。　　Then　he　went　and　sat　beside

Margaret　on　the　front　porch。　　Billy　appropriated　the

hammock；　and　swung　by　pulling　a　rope　tied　around　a　tree。　

The　very　energy　with　which　he　went　at　the　work　of

swinging　himself　appealed　to　Wesley。



〃Mercy；　but　he's　an　active　little　body；〃　he　said。　

〃There　isn't　a　lazy　bone　in　him。　　See　how　he　works

to　pay　for　his　fun。〃



〃There　goes　his　foot　through　it！〃　cried　Margaret。　

〃Wesley；　he　shall　not　ruin　my　hammock。〃



〃Of　course　he　shan't！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Wait；　Billy；　let

me　show　you。〃



Thereupon　he　explained　to　Billy　that　ladies　wearing

beautiful　white　dresses　sat　in　hammocks；　so　little　boys

must　not　put　their　dusty　feet　in　them。　　Billy　immediately

sat；　and　allowed　his　feet　to　swing。



〃Margaret；〃　said　Wesley　after　a　long　silence　on　the

porch；　〃isn't　it　true　that　if　Billy　had　been　a　half…starved

sore　cat；　dog；　or　animal　of　any　sort；　that　you　would　have

pitied；　and　helped　care　for　it；　and　been　glad　to　see　me　get

any　pleasure　out　of　it　I　could？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Margaret　coldly。



〃But　because　I　brought　a　child　with　an　immortal　soul；

there　is　no　welcome。〃



〃That　isn't　a　child；　it's　an　animal。〃



〃You　just　said　you　would　have　welcomed　an　animal。〃



〃Not　a　wild　one。　　I　meant　a　tame　beast。〃



〃Billy　is　not　a　beast！〃　said　Wesley　hotly。　　〃He　is　a

very　dear　little　boy。　　Margaret；　you've　always　done　the

church…going　and　Bible　reading　for　this　family。　　How　do

you　reconcile　that　‘Suffer　little　children　to　come　unto　Me'

with　the　way　you　are　treating　Billy？〃



Margaret　arose。　　〃I　haven't　treated　that　child。　　I　have

only　let　him　alone。　　I　can　barely　hold　myself。　　He　needs

the　hide　tanned　about　off　him！〃



〃If　you'd　cared　to　look　at　his　body；　you'd　know　that　you

couldn't　find　a　place　to　strike　without　cutting　into　a　raw

spot；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Besides；　Billy　has　not　done　a

thing　for　which　a　child　should　be　punished。　　He　is　only

full　of　life；　no　training；　and　with　a　boy's　love　of　mischief。　

He　did　abuse　your　kittens；　but　an　hour　before　I　saw　him

risk　his　life　to　save　one　from　being　run　over。　　He　minds

what　you　tell　him；　and　doesn't　do　anything　he　is　told　not　to。　

He　thinks　of　his　brother　and　sister　right　away　when

anything　pleases　him。　　He　took　that　stinging　medicine

with　the　grit　of　a　bulldog。　　He　is　just　a　bully　little　chap；

and　I　love　him。〃



〃Oh　good　heavens！〃　cried　Margaret；　going　into　the

house　as　she　spoke。



Sinton　sat　still。　　At　last　Billy　tired　of　the　swing；　came

to　him　and　leaned　his　slight　body　against　the　big　knee。



〃Am　I　going　to　sleep　here？〃　he　asked。



〃Sure　you　are！〃　said　Sinton。



Billy　swung　his　feet　as　he　laid　across　Wesley's　knee。

〃Come　on；〃　said　Wesley；　〃I　must　clean　you　up　for　bed。〃



〃You　have　to　be　just　awful　clean　here；〃　announced　Billy。　

〃I　like　to　be　clean；　you　feel　so　good；　after　the　hurt　is　over。〃



Sinton　registered　that　remark；　and　worked　with　especial

tenderness　as　he　redressed　the　ailing　places　and

washed　the　dust　from　Billy's　feet　and　hands。



〃Where　can　he　sleep？〃　he　asked　Margaret。



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　she　answered。