The Monticellonian., 1918-05-03
CHAPTER XVII.
Marthy.


DILLY LOUISE led the way down
u the gorge, through the meadow,
and along the orchard to the little
gate. The Cove seemed empty and
rather fOrlorn, with the wind creep
ing up the river and rafting the dry
branches of the naked fruit trees
She stopped for minute on the
doorstep. hesitating before she opened
the door. Behind her. Seabeck drew
close as If he would shield her from
something; perhaps he, too, felt the
deadly quiet and emptiness of the
place.
Billy Louise opened the door and
stepped into the kitchen. She stopped
and stood still, so that her slim figure
would have hidden the interior from
the eyes of Seabeck had he not been
so tall. As it was she barred his
way SO that he must stand on the step
outside.
By the kitchen table, with her ell
bows on the soiled ollcloth, sat Mar
thy. Her uncombed hair hung In
wisps about her head; her hard old
face was lined and gray, her hard eyes
dull with brooding. Billy Louise, star
ing at her from the doorway, knew that
Marthy had been sitting like that for
a long. long time.
She went over to her efficiently.
Hesitatingly she laid her gauntleted
hand on Marthy's stopped shoulder
She did not say anything. Marthy did
not move under her touch. except to
turn her dull glance upon Seabeck.
"Cm in," she said stolidly. "What'd
yuh come fer?"
Miss Macdonald will perhaps ex-
plain"
"She amt got nothin' to explain"
said hard old Marthy with grim final
ity. "Tll do what explainins to be
done. Cm in. Don't stand there like
stump. And shut the door. It's
cold as a barn here, anyway"
"Oh. Marthy!" cried Billy Louise,
with the sound of tears in her voice.
.Don't- oh Marthy me-" said the
harsh voice fatty. II don't want nc
Marthyin' nor no sympathy. Well, old
man, you're here to colleck, l s'pose.
Take what's in sight; faint none of it
yourn, fairs I know, but anything you
claim you kin have, fer all me. I've
lived honest all my days an worked
fer what | got. I've harbored thieves
in my old age and trusted them that
want fit to be trusted. I've allus paid
my debts, Seabeck. I'm willin' to pay
now fer bein' fool"
"Wwheres Charlie?" Billy Louise
leaned and whispered the question
Il dino, and l don't care. He's
pulled out-him an that breed. I'll
have t pay yuh for seven growed
cattle | never seed till yistday, Sea-
beck. You can set yer own price on
'em. l amt sure, but I've got an idee
they was shot las night an dumped
in the river. You en- set yer price
I've got rheumatic so bad | couldn't
go N put a stop to nothin'-but-"
"Oh. Marthy :" Billy Louise was
shvering and crying now. "Marthy.
Don't be $3.50 hard. 1t was all Char
lie"
Yes" said Marthy harshly, sit was
all Charlie. He was thief. an l was
sech supplemented old fool l never
knowed what he was let him go
ahead, an | set In the house with a
white apurn tied on me an thought |
was havin' an easy time. | set here
and let him rob my neighbors that I
amt never harmed er cheated out of
/ cent. and soon's he thought he was
! found out he-left ole Marthy to look
after herself. Never so much as fed
| the hogs or done the milkin first
! Looky here, Seabeck You'll git paid
i back. an I'll take your figgers fer what
l owe. but If you git after Charlie,
/ Tll-kill yuh. You let i'm go. I'm the
/ one he hurt most-and l amt goin'-"
! She laid her frowsy old head on her
arms, like one who is utterly crushed
and dumb.
"Oh, Marthy" Billy Louise knelt
and threw her arms around Marthy's
shoulders.
Marthy's chin began to CULVER Her
i lips sagged with the pull of her aching
heart For the third time in her life
Billy Louise saw big, slow tears gather
in Marthy's hard blue eyes and slide
down the leathery seams in her cheeks.
Billy Louise looked. found her vision
blurring with her own tears, and
turned from the room.
Seaheck was gone somewhere on mis-
horse Billy Louise guessed shrewdly
that he was down in the meadows,
looking over the cattle and trying 10
estimate the extent of the thievery.
She put Blue in the stable and fed
him, with that half-mechanical habit