Two Wyoming Girls and Their Homestead Claim Part 3

The bundle was done up in a handkerchief--not a large one at that--and it contained all of Joe's worldly possessions. Jessie gave him the little bed-room off the kitchen, and there Joe established himself, to our great satisfaction. He was not less reticent than usual, but there was immense comfort to us, even in Joe's silence. The only explanation that he ever gave as to his intentions was contained in the brief declaration:

"Yo's no 'casion fur t' worry yo'se'ves no mo', chillen; I'se come ter tek holt."

And take hold he did. Early and late the faithful black hands were toiling for the children of the man whom he had so devotedly loved.

On this particular morning Jessie and I were seated in the kitchen busily employed in doing some much-needed mending, when I dropped my work and said to Jessie: "I believe something is taking the chickens, Jessie."

Jessie glanced at the garment that I had let fall, a torn little dress of Ralph's. "Do you?" she said.

"Yes; I'm sure there are not so many as there should be."

"Don't you count them every night?"

"Yes, I do; but they should be counted oftener. At mid-day, too, I should say." I submitted this proposition deferentially, but with a covert glance at the clock; it was nearly twelve, and I did so dislike mending.

"Very well," Jessie said, "count them a dozen times a day if you think best, of course."

The elation with which I arose to comply with this generous permission was tempered somewhat by a little haunting sense of meanness. "Still,"

I reasoned, "when one's home depends on such things as cats, dogs, and chickens, one cannot take account of stock too often. Besides, Jessie likes to mend, at least I've never heard her say she does not, but I have heard her say that she doesn't like to tend poultry."

When I re-entered the house, after conscientiously enumerating every pair of yellow legs on the place, and finding, somewhat to my chagrin, that the tally was the same as that of the previous evening, I found Jessie sitting at the table with her face hidden in her hands. Afraid that she was crying I at first pretended not to notice. We had more than enough cause for tears. I picked up the discarded little dress and, in a spasm of repentance, murmured ostensibly to Ralph, who was playing near the table, but really for Jessie's benefit: "Sister is going to mend the pretty blouse that you tore on the oak bush after she gets this dress done."

"'En w'en oo' puts it on me, me do in 'e oak bush an' tear it adain,"

the child declared, cheerfully.

"You naughty boy!"

"'Es; me notty boy," with which announcement he went and leaned against Jessie's knees. Jessie looked up; she was not crying, but her face was haggard with pain.

"I've got a dreadful toothache," she said, and then I remembered that she had been very restless during the night. "I'm afraid I shall know no peace until it is out," Jessie went on, "and it's half a day's journey to a dentist."

"And Joe has taken both the horses to go up into the Jerusalem settlement after that seed-corn, and he can't get back before to-morrow night!" I exclaimed, in consternation. As I sat looking at her with eyes more tearful than her own there came to our ears the welcome sound of wheels, and a wagon stopped at the gate. I sprang up and ran to the door, with some faint hope, for the moment, that Joe had returned. It was not Joe who was sitting immovable on the seat of the light wagon that was drawn up before the gate, but my astonishment would not have been so great if it had been. The small, bronzed-faced, wiry individual who sat still, calmly returning my inquiring gaze was none other than our persevering enemy, Mr. Jacob Horton. I did not fancy our caller, but thinking that he would not have called if he had not some reason for so doing, I walked out and down the path toward him, saying, "Good morning, Mr. Horton."

"Mornin', Miss Leslie. Folks all well?"

"Not very well; at least, Jessie isn't. She's got a dreadful toothache."

"Toothache, eh? That's bad. Nothin' like yankin' out fur an achin'

tooth. That's my experience, and you may pa.s.s it along to Miss Jessie for what it's worth."

"I don't know what good it will do her if I do," I replied, rather irritably, for Jessie was sobbing now, and the sound hurt me almost as much as a physical pain could have done.

"Why, the good it will do is that that old n.i.g.g.e.r of yours--Joe, you call him--will tackle up, she'll tie on her bunnet, hop into the wagon, and away for Dr. Green's office in Antonito, and she'll set as still as a mouse while the doctor yanks out that tooth; that's the good it'll do."

"Yes, that might all be if Joe wasn't away with the team."

"Wal', that does rather spoil my program. Goin' to be gone all day, is he?"

"Yes; maybe for two or three days. He's gone up to the Archer settlement on the Jerusalem trail."

"Oh, has he? Wal', now!"

Mr. Horton had been sitting all this time with the reins in one hand, his hat in the other. He now replaced the hat on his head and stood up. He remained standing so, motionless, for more than a minute, gazing steadfastly at his horses' ears, while his brow puckered and his small eyes narrowed like those of a person in deep thought.

Finally he exclaimed:

"Say, I tell you how we'll fix it. You all get in here with me and come over to my house. Maria, she'll be sure to think of something to ease that tooth the minute she claps eyes on ye; then, in the mornin', she or I'll take ye over to the doctor's office, and bring ye home afterward. Hey, what do you say, Miss Jessie?" for Jessie had by this time come out of the gate, with Ralph clinging to her hand.

Jessie, the pain of her aching tooth dulled for the moment by sheer amazement, said that he was very kind. She said it almost timidly. We had had so little reason hitherto to look for any neighborly kindness at Mr. Horton's hands.

"Then ye'll go?" Mr. Horton insisted.

Jessie looked inquiringly at me. Her face was swollen and her eyes red with crying.

"Yes, Jessie, do go. There's no knowing when Joe will be back, and you--"

"Why, you'd better all come," Mr. Horton interposed again. "There's two seats in the wagon--plenty of room. Here, where's the little shaver's hat? Get your hat and climb in here, youngster."

Ralph, who was enterprising and fearless, obeyed without protest.

Peremptorily declining Mr. Horton's invitation to sit with him, he took his station on the back seat, and from that vantage urged his sisters to make haste.

"Come, 'Essie, us yeady."

Jessie ran in and got her hat, tossed her old coat over her shoulders without stopping to put her arms in the sleeves, and, by aid of the wheel, mounted to the seat beside Ralph. I, too, had put on my hat, but waited to secure the windows, and then to get the door-key. Mr.

Horton, sitting silent on the front seat, observed my proceedings with interest; "You're awful careful, ain't ye?" he said, at length, and, in spite of his friendliness, it seemed to my sensitive fancy that there was a sneer in his voice. However, that did not greatly trouble me, for, from my slight speaking acquaintance with him before this, I had come to believe that he never spoke without one, so I replied, cheerfully:

"Yes; I guess I am careful enough."

I had locked the door, and was approaching the wagon when Mr. Horton asked:

"Where's your dog--you've got one, ain't ye?"

"Guard? Yes, he's with Joe. Why?"

I stopped short as I suddenly realized what Joe's absence for the night meant.

"Why, I can't go, Jessie; I shall have to milk both the cows to-night!"

"Oh, that's true!" groaned Jessie. She started up.

"I'm sorry we have detained you at all, Mr. Horton, but Leslie can't stay here alone all night, and the cows must be milked. Come, Ralph, we must get out."

As Ralph slid obediently off his seat, Mr. Horton laid a detaining hand on his arm. Ralph wriggled himself loose, looking defiant.

"Wait!" Mr. Horton urged. "It's too bad for you to have to keep on sufferin' all night, Miss Jessie, when you might be helped."

"Oh, I know it!" Jessie moaned, sinking back on the seat and covering her face with her hands.

"I've never had the toothache myself, but I know it must be dreadful.

By the way, where are the cows?" Mr. Horton stood up and looked around as if he might spy them in the tree-tops or anywhere. "I do'no--I wisht' 'twas so I could spend the time--" he muttered reflectively.