North of Boston Part 10

What was he standing still for in the bushes?"

"It's not so very late--it's only dark.

There's more in it than you're inclined to say.

Did he look like----?"

"He looked like anyone.

I'll never rest to-night unless I know.

Give me the lantern."

"You don't want the lantern."

She pushed past him and got it for herself.

"You're not to come," she said. "This is my business.

If the time's come to face it, I'm the one To put it the right way. He'd never dare-- Listen! He kicked a stone. Hear that, hear that!

He's coming towards us. Joel, go in--please.

Hark!--I don't hear him now. But please go in."

"In the first place you can't make me believe it's----"

"It is--or someone else he's sent to watch.

And now's the time to have it out with him While we know definitely where he is.

Let him get off and he'll be everywhere Around us, looking out of trees and bushes Till I sha'n't dare to set a foot outdoors.

And I can't stand it. Joel, let me go!"

"But it's nonsense to think he'd care enough."

"You mean you couldn't understand his caring.

Oh, but you see he hadn't had enough-- Joel, I won't--I won't--I promise you.

We mustn't say hard things. You mustn't either."

"I'll be the one, if anybody goes!

But you give him the advantage with this light.

What couldn't he do to us standing here!

And if to see was what he wanted, why He has seen all there was to see and gone."

He appeared to forget to keep his hold, But advanced with her as she crossed the gra.s.s.

"What do you want?" she cried to all the dark.

She stretched up tall to overlook the light That hung in both hands hot against her skirt.

"There's no one; so you're wrong," he said.

"There is.-- What do you want?" she cried, and then herself Was startled when an answer really came.

"Nothing." It came from well along the road.

She reached a hand to Joel for support: The smell of scorching woollen made her faint.

"What are you doing round this house at night?"

"Nothing." A pause: there seemed no more to say.

And then the voice again: "You seem afraid.

I saw by the way you whipped up the horse.

I'll just come forward in the lantern light And let you see."

"Yes, do.--Joel, go back!"

She stood her ground against the noisy steps That came on, but her body rocked a little.

"You see," the voice said.

"Oh." She looked and looked.

"You don't see--I've a child here by the hand."

"What's a child doing at this time of night----?"

"Out walking. Every child should have the memory Of at least one long-after-bedtime walk.

What, son?"

"Then I should think you'd try to find Somewhere to walk----"

"The highway as it happens-- We're stopping for the fortnight down at Dean's."

"But if that's all--Joel--you realize-- You won't think anything. You understand?

You understand that we have to be careful.

This is a very, very lonely place.

Joel!" She spoke as if she couldn't turn.

The swinging lantern lengthened to the ground, It touched, it struck it, clattered and went out.

The Self-seeker

"WILLIS, I didn't want you here to-day: The lawyer's coming for the company.

I'm going to sell my soul, or, rather, feet.

Five hundred dollars for the pair, you know."

"With you the feet have nearly been the soul; And if you're going to sell them to the devil, I want to see you do it. When's he coming?"

"I half suspect you knew, and came on purpose To try to help me drive a better bargain."

"Well, if it's true! Yours are no common feet.

The lawyer don't know what it is he's buying: So many miles you might have walked you won't walk.

You haven't run your forty orchids down.

What does he think?--How are the blessed feet?

The doctor's sure you're going to walk again?"

"He thinks I'll hobble. It's both legs and feet."

"They must be terrible--I mean to look at."

"I haven't dared to look at them uncovered.

Through the bed blankets I remind myself Of a starfish laid out with rigid points."

"The wonder is it hadn't been your head."

"It's hard to tell you how I managed it.

When I saw the shaft had me by the coat, I didn't try too long to pull away, Or fumble for my knife to cut away, I just embraced the shaft and rode it out-- Till Weiss shut off the water in the wheel-pit.

That's how I think I didn't lose my head.

But my legs got their knocks against the ceiling."

"Awful. Why didn't they throw off the belt Instead of going clear down in the wheel-pit?"

"They say some time was wasted on the belt-- Old streak of leather--doesn't love me much Because I make him spit fire at my knuckles, The way Ben Franklin used to make the kite-string.

That must be it. Some days he won't stay on.

That day a woman couldn't coax him off.

He's on his rounds now with his tail in his mouth s.n.a.t.c.hed right and left across the silver pulleys.

Everything goes the same without me there.

You can hear the small buzz saws whine, the big saw Caterwaul to the hills around the village As they both bite the wood. It's all our music.

One ought as a good villager to like it.

No doubt it has a sort of prosperous sound, And it's our life."

"Yes, when it's not our death."

"You make that sound as if it wasn't so With everything. What we live by we die by.

I wonder where my lawyer is. His train's in.

I want this over with; I'm hot and tired."

"You're getting ready to do something foolish."

"Watch for him, will you, Will? You let him in.

I'd rather Mrs. Corbin didn't know; I've boarded here so long, she thinks she owns me.

You're bad enough to manage without her."

"And I'm going to be worse instead of better.

You've got to tell me how far this is gone: Have you agreed to any price?"

"Five hundred.

Five hundred--five--five! One, two, three, four, five.

You needn't look at me."