The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-02-28
CHAPTER XVII.
MarthN-

ID 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 rattlIng the dry
branches of the naked fruit trees.
She stopped for a 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 Oilcloth, sat Mar
thy. Her unconbed 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
long, long time.
She went over to her dIffidently.
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 frr?"
Miss Macdonald will perhaps ex-
plain"
"She ain't got nOthin' to explain"
said hard old Marthy with grim final
| ity. "I'll do what explainin's to be
done C'm in. Don't stand there like
stump. And shut the door. It's
| cold as II 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. Il don't want NO
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, far'S l 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"
"Wwhere's Charlie?" Billy Louise
leaned and whispered the question.
81 dino, and l 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 yist'day, Sea-
beck. You can set yer own price on
'em. 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 1 couldn't
go n put 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 thief, an was
seCh a simple-minded old fool I never
knowed what he was. l let him 90
ahead, an l set In the house with
white apurn tied on me an thought l
was havin' an easy time. l set here
and let him rob my neighbors that 1
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 millSIn' first
Looky here, Seabeck! You'll git paid
back, an I'll take your hggers fer what
/ owe, but If you git after Charlie,
I'll-klll 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, Marthyl" Billy Louise knelt
and threw her arms around Marthy's
shoulders.
Marthys chin began to Quiver. 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
blurrlng with her own tears, aud
turned from the room.
Seabeck was gone somewhere on his
horse. Billy Louise guessed shrewdly
that he was down in the meadows,
looking 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