The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-02-08
CHAPTER XVII.
MarthY.

Marthy.
nlLLY 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 rattling the dry
branches of the naked fruit trees.
She stopped for a minute on the
doorstep, hesitatlng 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
long, long time.
She went over to her diffidently.
Hesitatlngly 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 fer?"
Miss Macdonald will perhaps ex-
plain"
"She amt got nOthin' to explain"
said hard old Marthy with grim final
ity. "T'll do what eXplainin's to be
done. C'm in. Don't stand there like
a stump. And shut the door. It's
cold as 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 cOlleci, 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 I got. I've harbOred thieves
in my old age and trusted them that
want fit to be trusted. I've alIus paid
my debts. Scabeck. I'm willin' to pay
now fer bein' a fool"
"W-where'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. l amt sure, but I've got an idee
they was shot las night an dumped
in the river. You c'n set yer price.
I've got rheumatic so bad l couldn't
go n put a stop to nothin'-but-"
"Oh. Marthy" Billy Louise was
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 I was
sech simple-mlnded old fool / never
knowed what he was. I let him go
ahead, an l set in the house with a
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
4 cent, and sOOn's he thought he was
found out, he-left ole Marthy to look
lfter herself Never so much as fed
he hogs or done the milkin' first
Iocky here Seabeck! You'll git paid
pack, an I'll take your figgers fer what
owe, but if you git after Charlie,
TIl-kir yuh. You let i'm go. I'm the
me he hurt mOst-and l amt gOin'-"
She laid her frowsy old head on her
lrms, like one who is utterly crushed
md dumb
"Oh, Marthy!" Billy Louise knelt
md threw her arms around Marthy's
houlders.
Marthy's chin began to quiver. Her
lps sagged with the pull of her aching
cart. For the third time in her life
BILLY Louise saw big, slow tears gather {
a Marthy's hard blue eyes and slide .
own the leathery seams in her cheeks. ,
lilly Louise looked, found her vision ,
lurring with her own tears, and I
lrned from the room.
Seabeck was gone somewhere on his
orse. Billy Louise guessed shrewdly
nat he was down in the meadows,
,oking over the cattle and trying to /
the extent Of the thievery. l
he put Blue in the stable and fed a
Inn, with that half-mechanical habit c