everybody in thetime-book at two and a half cents an hour, gave each a plot of groundthat wouldn't do for anything else, and started them off, while he kepton at real work. I'm glad to have every healthy assurance of being inthe world when Sam comes to the harvesting of his friendly crops. Itwill be a great occasion. If Edith's five rows of okra do not net orgross--I forget which is the right term for it--I know she will wiltaway, and I dread Sue if her fifty tomato-plants go down before thehumble cutworm. Sue won't be humble. Miss Editha came out with us oneafternoon and sowed a row of ladies'-slippers and princess-feathers, andit was funny to see old Dr. Chubb, who had driven the ten miles just forthe pleasure of seeing Sam (only, Sam said it was in hopes of seeingme), digging and raking for her, while Colonel Menefee, in true militarystyle, commanded them both. Father came once and took Sam away down to afield by himself, and from the look on both their faces I was afraid Samhad again refused to borrow money to buy the mate to the mule he neededso badly. Father was so mad he took off his coat, and he and Tolly splitwood enough for the big fireplace to last until midsummer. Sam says thatPink sweat enough soap-grease to make him worth more than two and a halfcents, if it could have been collected. He didn't mean us to hear himsay it to Pink, but Edith got pale with shock, while daddy roared sothat old Buttercup came up the hill to see what was the matter. Julialaughed, and so did I--when we got away from Edith.
It took six good days of such chorus work to get every odd job at TheBriers nicely finished up, and daddy and the mayor and Colonel Menefeemended all the rail fences before they rested on the seventh.
Then on Monday morning came the log-raising for the poet's lodge, andeverybody assembled long before Sam had nicked the last log with hisgreat big adz. We all sat around on the rocks and ends of the logs anddiscussed how to begin before Sam got ready to tell us the right way.The colonel and Miss Editha were standing a little to one side, and Iknew that he was being sentimental by the fluttering smile that came andwent on her tea-rose face; but suddenly he turned and said to daddy,with his fierce old face lighting:
"Just look, Hayes, there's pioneer blood in them yet--and brawn, too,"he added, as Tolly and Pink and Billy Robertson stripped off their coatsand came forward as Sam knocked the last crimson cedar chip from thelast log.
"Steady--up now, Tolly," said Sam, as Tolly bent to one end of one ofthe long, rough cedar logs, that had so lately been a forest king, butthat was now dethroned and shorn of its branching power with which towrestle with the wind. Pink and Billy got holds in between. "Up--up,boys! Now roll!" shouted Sam again, and with a strain and a heave theylanded the first log level and true on the stone underpinnings.
"Hip--hip--hurrah for the poet's house!" shouted Tolly, as he rolled hisshirt-sleeves up and spat on his hands to show his readiness for morelogs; and we all clapped, while Edith picked up a button that had poppedoff his shirt with the strain of his big chest underneath.
Then for a second Sam's kind eyes sank down deep into mine and smolderedthere. I know he was praying for Peter as the rest cheered. Then he bentand called out:
"Next. Up--up, boys! Steady!"
My eyes misted for a second, and Peter's pale face rose before them inthe mist. Peter is a man of dreams, for whom was being harnessed allthis sinew and brawn of reality. And men must plow and plant and reapand hew and lift for their vision-bringers, and women must do it also.It is only right. I am willing. Where were the neighbors to the Keatsesthat they didn't--And I was about to be dissolved in a sea of sentimentwhen Sam's voice hauled me to the surface as he shouted:
"Hi, Betty, get out and sight this end for a right angle-drop, as Ishowed you. Wait! Back, boys!"
And after that I held the metal square and sighted until I felt as if Ihad eaten a right angle, while Sam's crew heaved and raised and droppedand rolled, until all four of the low walls were fitted into thenotches, log for log, and the roof-poles were laid just as the sun beganto quit his job and get on toward China.
"No four of their young Virginia pioneer ancestors who came over thewilderness trail did it any quicker or better, Colonel," said daddy, ashe walked around to the back of the cabin and then again to the front.As he spoke he laid his arm across Sam's shoulder--and I knew that thebreach was healed until the next time daddy tried to help himfinancially.
All the log-raisers went home by twilight, and daddy and I were thelast. The Byrd had insisted on showing daddy nine little curly-tailedpigs taking their evening repast at the maternal fount, which they wereshyly late in doing because the fledgling perched so near them on thefence to exhibit and direct the repast.
This left me to help Sam gather up his tools and pick up the fragrantcedar chips for Mammy's vesper fire.
"Now, the chimney next and Pete's housed," said Sam, as he sat down on alog right where I was crouching, filling the basket with the chips. "Areyou happy, Bettykin?"
"Sam, when I know that Peter is tucked in that little old bed thatmatches yours that mother gave you out of our garret I am going tobreathe so deep that maybe I'll--I'll break my belt," I answered, as Ipicked a chip from under one of his big farm shoes. "I couldn't standhim on my mind much longer."
"Let him stay comfortably in your heart and don't get him on your mind,"answered Sam, as he calmly got out the cob pipe, filled and lighted it."Pete's great enough to fill both for any woman." And Sam's face took onthat devout young prophet-look it always does when he looks at his landor mentions Peter--the look which then began to irritate as well asimpress me, I don't exactly know why.
"My mind's not very big and my heart is smaller," I snapped, as I upsetpart of the basket of chips and had to begin to pick them all up again.
"You're young--you'll grow up--to Pete," said Sam, as he roughed my hairworse than he had ever done since I had forbidden him, picked up mybasket and started to the house, leaving me to follow, squaw-fashionand perfectly furious. Now if I don't know whether my troth is plightedto Peter, and Peter doesn't know, I am certain that I can't see whySamuel Foster Crittenden should be so sure of it; and he and I partedanything but friends, a fact over which I could feel daddy chuckle as hesat wedged beside me in the car, though he didn't dare smile. I wouldwager my first mess of peas that he winked at Sam. I had seen them actthat way about me only too often in my infancy. I felt that I hated thewhole world until I had to except the fledgling, who rode down to thegate on the running-board just over my left shoulder, while Sam camealong to hold him on.
"Betty, you is the prettiest lady they is if your eyes do crinkle whenyou laugh, and ain't blue. I'd let you kiss me anywhere I'm cleanenough, if you bring me just one pigeon that will lay eggs for littleones," he said, as I slowed up for him to climb down to open the gate.
"She could get one cheaper than that, Byrd," said Sam, as he got down toopen the gate, while for a second I snuggled the fledgling, whom Ialways hated to leave out in the woods in the dark, even with Sam'srough hand so near his pillow.
"Thank you," I said, pleasantly, as I drove through the gate, withoutstopping another ten minutes to chat, as I knew daddy wanted to. I'mglad Samuel Foster Crittenden will never know just exactly what I wascross about, as I wasn't sure myself. It is strange how you can hate aperson for whom you have the deep regard I have for Sam, when he hasdone nothing at all to offend you.
That night I fought it all out with myself about Peter. I felt that Samhad brought the sore spot in my heart to head and I would have tooperate and find out what was really there. Accordingly, after I hadsafely anchored myself in the middle of my old four-poster bed I slashedmyself. This is what I found. That I had made up my mind to marry Peterjust as soon as he wanted me to, which I knew would not be until afterthe play was finished down in Sam's wilderness. I had two reasons for myintention. Nobody in the world ever loved and depended on me as Peterhas always done since he read me the winning poem that he sent in forhis Junior Prize. Peter needs me, and nobody else in the world does.What could love be but giving and cherishing the beloved? By the test ofhow I longed to do all that to Peter I found out ho
w I loved him. Thatwas the reason I openly admitted, but I am afraid that I was afraid ofSam if I should fail his young David-Keats in any way. He had alreadywarned me what I must be to him, and I felt as I did about that heifer Ilet get by me the first day I went to dig Sam out of the hollow tree towhich he has now had to build a new crotch in order to take in Peter.This time I would head off his calf for him, though I didn't mean tocall Peter that, even in the heat of debate with myself. Oh, I couldtake such good care of Peter and Judge Vandyne, and Mabel would be soglad! My spirits rose at the thought of their joy, and as I felt better,I luxuriated in the thought of Sam's approbation. I would give Peter theanswer he had begged for in every
Over Paradise Ridge Page 13