The Brown Mouse Part 16

interrogated Mrs. Bonner, as they moved away. "Ain't that your business and mine?"

Instead of desiring further knowledge of what they were discussing, Jim felt a dreadful disgust at the whole thing. Disgust at being the subject of gossip, at the horrible falsity of the picture he had been able to paint to the people of his objects and his ambitions, and especially at the desecration of Jennie by such misconstruction of her att.i.tude toward him officially and personally. Jennie was vexed at him, and wanted him to resign from his position. He firmly believed that she was surprised at finding herself convinced that he was ent.i.tled to a decision in the matter of his competency as a teacher. She was against him, he believed, and as for her being in love with him--to hear these women discuss it was intolerable.

He felt his face redden as at the hearing of some horrible indecency. He felt himself stripped naked, and he was hotly ashamed that Jennie should be a.s.sociated with him in the exposure. And while he was raging inwardly, paying the penalty of his new-found place in the public eye--a publicity to which he was not yet hardened--he heard other voices. Professor Withers, County Superintendent Jennie and Colonel Woodruff were making an inspection of the rural-school exhibit.

"I hear he has been having some trouble with his school board," the professor was saying.

"Yes," said Jennie, "he has."

"Wasn't there an effort made to remove him from his position?" asked the professor.

"Proceedings before me to revoke his certificate," replied Jennie.

"On what grounds?"

"Incompetency," answered Jennie. "I found that his pupils were really doing very well in the regular course of study--which he seems to be neglecting."

"I'm glad you supported him," said the professor. "I'm glad to find you helping him." "Really," protested Jennie, "I don't think myself--"

"What do you think of his notions?" asked the colonel.

"Very advanced," replied Professor Withers. "Where did he imbibe them all?"

"He's a Brown Mouse," said the colonel.

"I beg your pardon," said the puzzled professor. "I didn't quite understand. A--a--what?"

"One of papa's breeding jokes," said Jennie. "He means a phenomenon in heredity--perhaps a genius, you know."

"Ah, I see," replied the professor, "a Mendelian segregation, you mean?"

"Certainly," said the colonel. "The sort of mind that imbibes things from itself."

"Well, he's rather wonderful," declared the professor. "I had him to lunch to-day. He surprised me. I have invited him to make an address at Ames next winter during farmers' week."

"He?"

Jennie's tone showed her astonishment. Jim the underling. Jim the off ox.

Jim the thorn in the county superintendent's side. Jim the country teacher! It was stupefying.

"Oh, you musn't judge him by his looks," said the professor. "I really do hope he'll take some advice on the matter of clothes--put on a cravat and a different s.h.i.+rt and collar when he comes to Ames--but I have no doubt he will."

"He hasn't any other," said the colonel.

"Well, it won't signify, if he has the truth to tell us," said the professor.

"_Has_ he?" asked Jennie.

"Miss Woodruff," replied the professor earnestly, "he has something that looks toward truth, and something that we need. Just how far he will go, just what he will amount to, it is impossible to say. But something must be done for the rural schools--something along the lines he is trying to follow. He is a struggling soul, and he is worth helping. You won't make any mistake if you make the most of Mr. Irwin."

Jim slipped out of a side door and fled. As in the case of the conversation between Mrs. Bronson and Mrs. Bonner, he was unable to discern the favorable auspices in the showing of adverse things. He had not sensed Mrs. Bronson's half-concealed friendliness for him, though it was disagreeably plain to Mrs. Bonner. And now he neglected the colonel's evident support of him, and Professor Withers' praise, in Jennie's manifest surprise that old Jim had been accorded the recognition of a place on a college program, and the professor's criticism of his dress and general appearance.

It was unjust! What chance had he been given to discover what it was fas.h.i.+onable to wear, even if he had had the money to buy such clothes as other young men possessed? He would never go near Ames! He would stay in the Woodruff District where the people knew him, and some of them liked him. He would finish his school year, and go back to work on the farm. He would abandon the struggle.

He started home, on foot as he had come, A mile or so out he was overtaken by the colonel, driving briskly along with room in his buggy for Jim.

"Climb in, Jim!" said he. "Dan and Dolly didn't like to see you walk."

"They're looking fine," said Jim.

There is a good deal to say whenever two horse lovers get together. Hoofs and coats and frogs and eyes and teeth and the queer sympathies between horse and man may sometimes quite take the place of the weather for an hour or so. But when Jim had alighted at his own door, the colonel spoke of what had been in his mind all the time.

"I saw Bonner and Haakon and Ez doing some caucusing to-day," said he.

"They expect to elect Bonner to the board again."

"Oh, I suppose so," replied Jim.

"Well, what shall we do about it?" asked the colonel.

"If the people want him--" began Jim.

"The people," said the colonel, "must have a choice offered to 'em, or how can you or any man tell what they want? How can they tell themselves?"

Jim was silent. Here was a matter on which he really had no ideas except the broad and general one that truth is mighty and shall prevail--but that the speed of its forward march is problematical.

"I think," said the colonel, "that it's up to us to see that the people have a chance to decide. It's really Bonner against Jim Irwin."

"That's rather startling," said Jim, "but I suppose it's true. And much chance Jim Irwin has!"

"I calculate," rejoined the colonel, "that what you need is a champion."

"To do what?"

"To take that office away from Bonner."

"Who can do that?"

"Well, I'm free to say I don't know that any one can, but I'm willing to try. I think that in about a week I shall pa.s.s the word around that I'd like to serve my country on the school board."

Jim's face lighted up--and then darkened.

"Even then they'd be two to one, Colonel."

"Maybe," replied the colonel, "and maybe not. That would have to be figured on. A cracked log splits easy."

"Anyhow," Jim went on, "what's the use? I shan't be disturbed this year--and after that--what's the use?"

"Why, Jim," said the colonel, "you aren't getting short of breath are you?

Do I see frost on your boots? I thought you good for the mile, and you aren't turning out a quarter horse, are you? I don't know what all it is you want to do, but I don't, believe you can do it in nine months, can you?"