New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-04-26
CHAPTER XVII.
Marthy.

$780,
- the gorge, through the meadow
and along the orchard to the littl'
gate. The Cove seemed empty nnt
rather forlorn, with the wind creep
ing up the river and rattling the dr.!
branches of the naked fruit trees.
She stopped for a minute on tn,
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 tht
place.
Billy Louise opened the door an(
stepped into the kitchen. She stopped
and stood still, so that lRr slim figure
would have hidden the interior from
the eyes of Seabeck had he not beer
so tall. AS 1t was. she barred his
way so that he must stand on the steI
outside.
BY the kitchen table, with her ell
bows on the sOlled oilclOth, 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
Murthy had been sitting like that for
n 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,
"C'm in," she said stolidly. "What'd
yuh come ferT
Miss Macdonald will perhaps ex-
plain"
"She amt got nothin' to explain"
said hard old Marthy with grim final
ity. "Tll do what explainln's to be
done. C'm in. Don't stand there like
a 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 no
Marthyln' nor no sympathy. Well, old
man, you're here to colleck, l s'pose.
Take what's in sight faint none of 1t
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 I 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' a fool"
"W-where's Charlie?" Billy Louise
leaned and whispered the question.
:" dino, and I don't care. He's
pulled out-him an that breed. I'll
have t pay yuh for seven growed
cattle I never seed till ylst'day, Sea-
beck. You IA set yer W price on
'em. I 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 I couldn't
90 m put a stop to nothin'-but-"
"Oh. Marthy" Billy Louise was
%shivering and crying now. "Marthy!
Don't be $3.50 hard. 1t was all Char
lie"
YES" said Marthy harshly, ut was
all Charlie. He was a thief, an / was
sech n supplemented old fool l never
knOwed what he was. l let him go
ahead, an l set In the house with n
white apurn tied on me an thought I
was havin' an easy time. l set here
and let him rob my neighbOrs that l
amt never harmed er cheated out of
a 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
back. an I'll take your figgers fer what
l owe, but If you git after Charlie,
I1l-kill yuh. You let i'm go. I'm the
one he hurt most-and / amt goin'-"
She laid her frOwsy old head on her
arms, like one who is utterly crushed
and dumb.
"Oh, Marthyw Billy Louise knelt
and threw her arms around Marthy's
shoulders.
Marthy's chin began to culver. Her
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
with her own tears, and
turned from the room.
Seabeck was gone somewhere on mis- |
horse. Billy Louise guessed shrewdly
hat he was down In the meadows,
over the cattle and trying to
estimate the extent of the thievery.
She put Blue in the stable and fed
him. with that half-mechanical habit