The One-Way Trail Part 15

"Ah, she's a good woman."

"Yes, she's more than that. She's as near an angel as human nature will let her be." Then Eve abruptly changed her tone, and it became almost appealing. "Tell me, Peter, what do you think could have happened to Elia? I mean, to shock him so. I've tried and tried, but I can't think--nor can Annie. You know all the boys, you go amongst them, you may have heard?"

But Peter was ready, and answered her with such simple sincerity that she could not question him further.

"I guess, Eve, if the boy has had any trouble, or shock, he'll tell you of it when he wakes--if he wants you to know. I don't reckon if I did know that I'd have a right to speak while he--he was asleep. I say--if I did know."

"I see." Then the girl smiled up into his face a little whimsically.

"You men have a curious code of honor in your dealings with each other. Quite different to us women."

Peter nodded.

"Yep," he said, "we haven't the same perspective."

The eastern horizon was lighting with a golden shadow and the sky-line was faintly silhouetted against it. It was the soft, effulgent light which heralded the full, rising moon. Eve watched it in silence for some moments. Peter followed the direction of her eyes while he went on speaking.

"When are you getting married, Eve?"

The question came hesitatingly.

"Then you know. Of course you know. You always seem to know, and yet you don't seem to nose about like Anthony Smallbones. I'm going to be married in two months."

The man's mild eyes were kept intently fixed on the lightening horizon.

"Two months," he said, pondering. "And Elia? What of him?"

The girl started. She turned on him, and her pretty eyes were wide with astonishment.

"It will make no difference," she said, with a sudden coldness she could not have accounted for. "What do you mean?"

Peter's great shoulders shrugged.

"Why, nothing," he said. "It kind of seemed a natural question."

The tone brought immediate contrition to the girl's warm heart. This man was always kind to her. It would have been difficult to remember a single week since she had lived in Barnriff which had not witnessed at least one small kindness from him. Her eyes wandered over her garden.

He had not long finished digging it over for her.

"Of course it was a natural question," she exclaimed, "only I--well, it doesn't seem to me as if there could be any question about Elia.

Wherever I am, he will be."

"Just so, just so. He'll still live with you--you and Will. Y'see, I was only thinking. If--if you wanted a home for him for a while, while you and Will were--honeymooning, now. Why, he'd be real welcome in my shack. He'd want for nothing, and I'd look after him same as--well, not perhaps as well as you could, but I'd do my best. Y'see, Eve, I like the boy. And, and his very weakness makes me want to help him.

You know he'd get good food. I'm rather particular about my food, and I cook it myself. He'd have eggs for breakfast, and good bacon, not sow-belly. And there's no hash in my shanty. The best meat Gay sells, and he could have all the canned truck he liked. Oh, I'd feed him well. And I've always got a few dollars for pocket money. Y'see, Eve, folks honeymooning don't want a third party around, even if he's a sick boy. I'd take it a real favor if you said 'yes,' I would, true. I can look after----"

The man felt one of her warm hands squeezing his arm with the tenderest pressure. There was a moisture in her eyes as she sought his, but she shook her head.

"Peter, Peter, I don't know where you come from, I don't know why you're here, unless it is to help us all to be better folks. I know why you want to take Elia off my hands. I know, and the matter has troubled me some. Elia doesn't like Will. I know that. But Elia is my care, he's more--he's my life. He will be with me as long as we both live, even--yes, even if I had to give Will up. I can't tell you, Peter, what my poor weakly brother is to me. If anything happened to him I think it would break my heart. And it seems so strange to me that everybody, that is everybody but Jim Thorpe and you, dislikes him. Even Will does a little, I--I'm afraid."

"Yes. You can't say how it is," Peter nodded. "But folks can't be blamed for their likes and dislikes. Maybe Will will get over it.

Y'see he's just a wild sort of Irish boy. He's just quicksilver. Yes, yes, he'll maybe grow to be as fond of the lad as you, Eve. But any time you find you'd like me to have him for a bit--I mean--sort of--two's company, you know--you'll just be making me a happy man--eh?"

It was a cheery voice behind him that caused his exclamation. Annie Gay stepped briskly up the path.

"Why, it's Peter!" she declared. "Now if it had been Will," she added slyly. "But there, young engaged girls think they're safe from scandalous tongues like mine. Going, Peter? I've just been down to the meat store and stolen an elegant bit of tripe. Now, if Eve's only sensible and got some onions, why there's a lunch fit for the President."

"Oh yes, I've got onions," Eve rea.s.sured her. Then she turned to the man. "Good-bye, Peter," she said, as he edged away, "and thank you----"

But Peter would have no thanks.

"No thanks, Eve, I'd take it a favor."

And he vanished in the darkness leaving Annie looking at Eve, who instantly began to explain as they went indoors.

"He thinks Elia will be in the way when Will and I are married," she said. "He wants to look after him. Isn't he kind?"

"Well?" Annie's merry eyes were deadly serious.

"Of course I couldn't think of it. I could never let him go. I----"

"Eve Marsham, you're a--fool, and now I've said it. Do you know why Peter wants----?"

She broke off in confusion. But she had successfully aroused Eve's curiosity.

"Well? Go on," she demanded.

But Annie shook a decided head.

"It don't matter. I was only thinking my own thoughts, and they began one way and finished another."

"How did they finish?" Annie's manner was quaintly amusing and Eve found herself smiling.

"I'd just called you a fool, an'--I'd forgot to include myself."

Nor could she be induced to speak further on the matter.

CHAPTER X

AN EVIL NIGHT

Peter lumbered heavily away from the house. He had known the futility of his request beforehand. Yet he had to make it even on the smallest chance. And now, more than ever, in spite of his disappointment, he saw how imperative it was that some one should stand by to help any one of these three. Old "saws" were not for him. The world-old advice to the would-be interferer might be for those of less thought, less tact. Besides, he had no intention of interfering. He only meant to "stand by." That was the key-note of his whole nature, his whole life.

And the night had revealed so much to him. His horizon was bounded by storm-clouds threatening unconscious lives. There they were banking, banking, low down, so as to be almost invisible, and he knew that they were only waiting a favoring breeze to mount up into the heavens into one vast black ma.s.s. And then the breaking of the storm. His calm brain was for once feverishly at work. Those three must somehow be herded to shelter; and he wondered how. His first play had proved abortive, and now he wondered.

It was his intention to return to his hut for the night, and he stood for a moment contemplating the dark village. His busy thoughts decided for him that there was nothing further to be done to-night. He told himself that opportunity must be his guide in the riddle with which he was confronted. He must rush nothing, and he felt, somehow, that the opportunity would come. He turned his eyes in the direction of his home, and as he was about to move off he became aware of a footstep crossing the market-place toward him. He waited. The sound came from the direction of the saloon, and, as he gazed that way, he saw the lights in the building go out one by one. The person approaching was one of the "boys" homeward bound.

He was half inclined to continue on his way and thus avoid the probably drunken man, but something held him, and a moment later he was glad when he saw the figure of Jim Thorpe loom up. As they came into view of each other Thorpe hesitated. Nor was it till he recognized the huge outline of Peter that he came close up.