CHAPTER IX
THE EXODUS
"Well, it just amounts to the whole of Sweetbriar a-rising up anddeclaring of a war on Gid Newsome, and I for one want to march in thefront ranks and tote a blunderbuss what I couldn't hit nothing smallerthan a barn door with if I waster try," exclaimed Mrs. Rucker as shewaited at the store for a package Mr. Crabtree was wrapping for her.
"I reckon when the Senator hits Sweetbriar again he'll think he'sstepped into a nest of yellar jackets and it'll be a case of run orswell up and bust," answered Mr. Crabtree as he put up the two boxesof baking-powder for the spouse of the poet, who stood beside his wifein the door of the store.
"Well," said Mr. Rucker in his long drawl as he dropped himself overthe corner of the counter, "looks like the Honorable Gid kinder fooledalong and let Cupid shed a feather on him and then along come somebodytrying to pick his posey for him and in course it het him up. You all'pear to forget that old saying that it's all's a fair fight in loveand war."
"Yes, fight; that's the word! Take off his coat, strap his gallusestight, spit on his hands and fight for his girl, not trade for herlike hogs," was the bomb of sentiment that young Bob exploded, much tothe amazement of the gathering of the Sweetbriar clan in the store.Young Bob's devotion to Rose Mary, admiration for Everett and owntender state of heart had made him become articulate with a vengeancefor this once and he spat his words out with a vehemence that made adecided impression on his audience.
"That are the right way to talk, Bob Nickols," said Mrs. Rucker,bestowing a glance of approval upon the fierce young Corydon, followedby one of scorn cast in the direction of the extenuating-circumstancespleading Mr. Rucker. "A man's heart ain't much use to a woman if themuscles of his arms git string-halt when he oughter fight for her.Come a dispute the man that knocks down would keep me, not the buyer,"and this time the glance was delivered with a still greater accent.
"Shoo, honey, you'd settle any ruckus about you 'fore it got going bya kinder cold-word dash and pass-along," answered the poetpropitiatingly and admiringly. "But I was jest a-wondering why Mr.Alloway and Miss Rose Mary was so--"
"Tain't for nobody to be a-wondering over what they feels and does,"exclaimed Mrs. Rucker defensively before the query was half uttered."They've been hurt deep with some kind of insult and all we have gotto do is to take notice of the trouble and git to work to helping 'emall we can. Mr. Tucker ain't said a word to nobody about it, nor haveRose Mary, but they are a-getting ready to move the last of the week,and I don't know where to. I jest begged Rose Mary to let me have MissViney and Miss Amandy. I could move out the melojion into the kitchenand give 'em the parlor, and welcome, too. Mis' Poteet she put in andasked for Stonie to bed down on the pallet in the front hall with Tobeand Billy and Sammie, and I was a-going on to plan as how Mr. Tuckerand Mr. Crabtree would stay together here, and I knew Mis' Plunkettwould admire to have Rose Mary herself, but just then she sudden puther head down on my knee, her pretty arms around me, and held on tightwithout a tear, while I couldn't do nothing but rock back and forth.Then Mis' Poteet she cried the top of Shoofly's head so soaking wet itgive her a sneeze, and we all had to laugh. But she never answered mewhat they was a-going to do, and you know, Cal Rucker, I ain't sleptnights thinking about 'em, and where they'll move, have I?"
"Naw, you shore ain't--nor let me neither," answered the poet in adepressed tone of voice.
"I mighter known that Miss Viney woulder taken it up-headed anda-lined it out in the scriptures to suit herself until she wasn't deepin the grieving no more, but little Mis' Amandy's a-going to break myheart, as tough as it is, if she don't git comfort soon," continuedMrs. Rucker with a half sob. "Last night in the new moonlight I got upto go see if I hadn't left my blue waist out in the dew, which mighterfaded it, and I saw something white over in the Briar's yard. I wentacross to see if they had left any wash out that hadn't oughter be inthe dew, and there I found her in her little, short old nightgown andbig slippers with the little wored-out gray shawl 'round her shouldersa-digging around the Maiden Blush rose-bush, putting in new dirt andjust a-crying soft to herself, all trembling and hurt. I went in andset down by her on the damp grass, me and my rheumatism and all, tookher in my arms like she were Petie, and me and her had it out. It'sthe graves she's a-grieving over, we all a-knowing that she's leavingburied what she have never had in life, and I tried to tell her thatno matter who had the place they would let her come and--"
"Oh, durn him, durn him! I'm a-going clear to the city to git old Gidand beat the liver outen him!" exclaimed young Bob, while hissunburned face worked with emotion and his gruff young voice broke ashe rose and walked to the door.
"I wisht you would, and I'll make Cal help you," sobbed Mrs. Ruckerinto a corner of her apron. Her grief was all the more impressive, asshe was, as a general thing, the balance-wheel of the whole Sweetbriarmachinery. "And I don't know what they are a-going to do," shecontinued to sob.
"Well, I know, and I've done decided," came in Mrs. Plunkett's softvoice from the side door of the store, and it held an unwonted note ofdecision in its hushed cadences. A deep pink spot burned on eithercheek, her eyes were very bright, and she kept her face turnedresolutely away from little Mr. Crabtree, over whose face there hadflashed a ray of most beautiful and abashed delight.
"Me and Mr. Crabtree were a-talking it all over last night while Boband Louisa Helen were down at the gate counting lightning-bugs, theysaid. They just ain't no use thinking of separating Rose Mary and Mr.Tucker and the rest of 'em, and they must have Sweetbriar shelter,good and tight and genteel, offered outen the love Sweetbriar has gotfor 'em all. Now if I was to marry Mr. Crabtree I could all good andproper move him over to my house and that would leave his littlethree-room cottage hitched on to the store to move 'em intocomfortable. They have got a heap of things, but most of 'em could bepacked away in the barn here, what they won't let us keep for 'em. IfMr. Crabtree has got to take holt of my farm it will keep him awayfrom the store, and he could give Mr. Tucker a half-interest cheap torun it for him and that will leave Rose Mary free to help him and tendthe old folks. What do you all neighbors think of it?"
"Now wait just a minute, Lou Plunkett," said Mr. Crabtree in a radiantvoice as he came out from around the counter and stood before her withhis eyes fairly glowing with his emotion. "Have you done decided_yourself_? This is twixt me and you, and I don't want no Sweetbriarpresent for a wife if I can help it. Have _you_ done decided?"
"Yes, Mr. Crabtree I have, and I had oughter stopped and told you, butI wanted to go quick as I could to see Mr. Tucker and Rose Mary. Hegave consent immediately, and looked like Rose Mary couldn't donothing but talk about you and how good you was. I declare I began toget kinder proud about you right then and there, 'fore I'd even toldyou as I'd have you." And the demure little widow cast a smile outfrom under a curl that had fallen down into her bright eyes that wasso young and engaging that Mr. Crabtree had to lean against thecounter to support himself. His storm-tossed single soul was fairlyblinded at even this far sight of the haven of his double desires, butit was just as well that he was dumb for joy, for Mrs. Rucker was morethan equal to the occasion.
"Well, glory be, Lou Plunkett, if that ain't a fine piece of news!"she exclaimed as she bestowed a hearty embrace upon the widow and onealmost as hearty upon the overcome Mr. Crabtree. "And you can't knowtill you've tried what a pleasure and a comfort a second husband canbe if you manage 'em right. Single folks a-marrying are likely to gumup the marriage certificate with some kind of a mistake until itsticks like fly-paper, but a experienced choice generally runs smoothlike melted butter." And with a not at all unprecedented femininechange of front Mrs. Rucker substituted a glance of unbridled pridefor the one of scorn she had lately bestowed upon the poet, underwhich his wilted aspect disappeared and he also began to bloom outwith the joy of approval and congratulation.
"And I say marrying a widow are like getting a rose some other fellowhave clipped and thorned to wear in your buttonhole, Crabtree; theyain't nothing li
ke 'em." Thus poet and realist made acknowledgmenteach after his and her own order of mind, but actuated by theidentical feeling of contented self-congratulation.
"I'm a-holding in for fear if I breathe on this promise of Mis'Plunkett's it'll take and blow away. But you all have heard it spoke,"said the merry old bachelor in a voice that positively trembled withemotion as he turned and mechanically began to sort over a box ofclothespins, mixed as to size and variety.
"Shoo, Crabbie, don't begin by bein' afraid of your wife, jest handle'em positive but kind and they'll turn your flapjacks peaceable andbutter 'em all with smiles," and Mr. Rucker beamed on his friendCrabtree as he wound one of his wife's apron strings all around one ofhis long fingers, a habit he had that amused him and he knew in hissecret heart teased her.
"Now just look at Bob tracking down Providence Road a-whistling like apartridge in the wheat for Louisa Helen. They've got love's youngdream so bad they had oughter have sassaprilla gave for it," and thepoet cast a further glance at the widow, who only laughed and lookedindulgently down the road at the retreating form of the gawky youngAdonis.
"Hush up, Cal Rucker, and go begin chopping up fodder to feed withcome supper time," answered his wife, her usual attitude of briskgeneralship coming into her capable voice and eyes after theirsoftening under the strain of the varied emotions of the last halfhour in the store. "Let's me and you get mops and broom and begin ona-cleaning up for Mr. Crabtree before his moving, Lou. I reckon youwant to go over his things before you marry him anyway, and I'll helpyou. I found everything Cal Rucker had a disgrace, with Mr.Satterwhite so neat, too." And not at all heeding the flame ofembarrassment that communicated itself from the face of the widow tothat of the sensitive Mr. Crabtree, Mrs. Rucker descended the steps ofthe store, taking Mrs. Plunkett with her, for to Mrs. Rucker the stateof matrimony, though holy, was still an institution in the realm ofrealism and to be treated with according frankness.
Meanwhile over in the barn at the Briars Uncle Tucker was at workrooting up the foundations upon which had been built his lifetime oflordship over his fields. In the middle of the floor was a great pileof odds and ends of old harness, empty grease cans, brokentools, and scraps of iron. Along one side of the floor stood thepathetically-patched old implements that told the tale of patientsaving of every cent even at the cost of much greater labor to thefast weakening old back and shoulders. A new plow-shaft had meant adollar and a half, so Uncle Tucker had put forth the extra strength todrive the dull old one along the furrows, while even the grindstonehad worn away to such unevenness that each revolution had made onlyhalf the impression on a blade pressed to its rim and thus caused thesharpening to take twice as long and twice the force as would havebeen required on a new one. But grindstones, too, cost cents anddollars, and Uncle Tucker had ground on patiently, even hopefully,until this the very end. But now he stood with a thin old scythe inhis hands looking for all the world like the incarnation of FatherTime called to face the first day of the new regime of an arrivedeternity, and the bewilderment in his eyes cut into Rose Mary's heartwith an edge of which the old blade had long since become incapable.
"Can't I help you go over things, Uncle Tucker?" she asked softly witha smile shining for him even through the mist his eyes were too dim todiscover in hers.
"No, child, I reckon not," he answered gently. "Looks like it helps meto handle all these things I have used to put licks in on more'n onegood farm deal. I was just a-wondering how many big clover crops I hadmowed down with this old blade 'fore I laid it by to go riding awayfrom it on that new-fangled buggy reaper out there that broke down inless'n five years, while this old friend had served its twenty-odd andnow is good for as many more with careful honing. That's it, men of mytime were like good blades what swing along steady and even, high overrocks and low over good ground; but they don't count in these days ofthe four-horse-power high-drive, cut-bind-and-deliver machines menwork right on through God's gauges of sun-up and down. But maybe inglory come He'll walk with us in the cool of the evening while they'llbe put to measuring the jasper walls with a golden reed just to keepthemselves busy and contented. How's the resurrection in the wardrobesand chests of drawers coming on?" And a real smile made its way intoUncle Tucker's eyes as he inquired into the progress of the packing upof the sisters, from which he had fled a couple hours ago.
"They are still taking things out, talking them over and putting themright back in the same place," answered Rose Mary with a faint echo ofhis smile that tried to come to the surface bravely but had astruggle. "We will have to try and move the furniture with it allpacked away as it is. It is just across the Road and I know everybodywill want to help me disturb their things as little as possible. Oh,Uncle Tucker, it's almost worth the--the pain to see everybodyplanning and working for us as they are doing. Friends are like thosetall pink hollyhocks that go along and bloom single on a stalk untilsomething happens to make them all flower out double like peonies. Andthat reminds me, Aunt Viney says be sure and save some of the dryjack-bean seed from last year you had out here in the seed pressfor--"
"Say, Rose Mamie, say, what you think we found up on top of Mr.Crabtree's bedpost what Mis' Rucker were a-sweeping down with abroom?" and the General's face fairly beamed with excitement as hestood dancing in the barn door. Tobe stood close behind him and smallPeggy and Jennie pressed close to Rose Mary's side, eager but notdaring to hasten Stonie's dramatic way of making Rose Mary guess thenews they were all so impatient to impart to her.
"Oh, what? Tell me quick, Stonie," pleaded Rose Mary with theeagerness she knew would be expected of her. Even in her darkesthours Rose Mary's sun had shone on the General with its usualradiance of adoration and he had not been permitted to feel thetragedy of the upheaval, but encouraged to enjoy to the utmost all itssmall excitements. In fact the move over to the store had appealed toa fast budding business instinct in the General and he had seenhimself soon promoted to the weighing out of sugar, wrapping upbundles and delivering them over the counter to any one of theadmiring Swarm sent to the store for the purchase of the dailyprovender.
"It were a tree squirrel and three little just-hatched ones in abunch," Stonie answered with due dramatic weight at Rose Mary's plea."Mis' Rucker thought it were a rat and jumped on the bed and hollowedfor Tobe to ketch it, and Peg and Jennie acted just like her, too,after Tobe and me had ketched that mouse in the barn just last weekand tied it to a string and let it run at 'em all day to get 'em usedto rats and things just like boys." And the General cast a look ofdisappointed scorn at the two pigtailed heads, downcast at thisfailure of theirs to respond to the General's effort to inoculatetheir feminine natures with masculine courage.
"I hollered 'fore I knewed what at," answered the abashed Jennie in avery small voice, unconsciously making further display of the force ofher hopeless feminine heredity. But Peggy switched her small skirts inan entirely different phase of femininity.
"You never heard me holler," she said in a tone that was skilfuladmixture of defiance and tentative propitiation.
"'Cause you had your head hid in Jennie's back," answered the Generalcoolly unbeguiled. "Here is the letter we comed to bring you, RoseMamie, and me and Tobe must go back to help Mis' Rucker some moreclean Mr. Crabtree up. I don't reckon she needs Peg and Jennie, butthey can come if they want to," with which Stonie and Tobe, thehenchman, departed, and not at all abashed the humble small womentrailing respectfully behind them.
"That women folks are the touch-off to the whole explosion of life isa hard lesson to learn for some men, and Stonie Jackson is one of thatkind," observed Uncle Tucker as he looked with a quizzical expressionafter the small procession. "Want me to read that letter and tell youwhat's in it?" he further remarked, shifting both expression andattention on to Rose Mary, who stood at his side.
"No, I'll read it myself and tell you what's in it," answered RoseMary with a blush and a smile. "I haven't written him about ourtroubles, because--because he hasn't got a position yet and I don'twant to trouble him while he is
lonely and discouraged."
"Well, I reckon that's right," answered Uncle Tucker still in abantering frame of mind that it delighted Rose Mary to see himmaintain under the situation. "Come trouble, some women like to blinda man with cotton wool while they wade through the high water andonly holler for help when their petticoats are down around theirankles on the far bank. We'll wait and send Everett a photagraf of meand you dishing out molasses and lard as grocer clerks. And glad to doit, too!" he added with a sudden fervor of thankfulness rising in hisvoice and great gray eyes.
"Yes, Uncle Tucker, glad and proud to do it," answered Rose Maryquickly. "Oh, don't you know that if you hadn't seen and understoodbecause you loved me so, I would have felt it was right to do--to dowhat was so horrible to me? I will--I will make up to you and them forkeeping me from--it. What do you suppose Mr. Newsome will do when hefinds out that you have moved and are ready to turn the place over tohim, even without any foreclosure?"
"Well, speculating on what men are a-going to do in this life is aboutlike trying to read turkey tracks in the mud by the spring-house, andI'm not wasting any time on Gid Newsome's splay-footed impressions.Come to-morrow night I'm a-going to pull the front door to for thelast time on all of us and early next morning Tom Crabtree's a-goingto take the letter and deed down to Gid in his office in the city forme. Don't nobody have to foreclose on me; I hand back my debt dollarfor dollar outen my own pocket without no duns. To give up the landimmediate are just simple justice to him, and I'm a-leaving the Lordto deal with him for trying to _buy_ a woman in her time of trouble.We haven't told it on him and we are never a-going to. I wisht I couldmake the neighbors all see the jestice in his taking over the land andnot feel so spited at him. I'm afraid it will lose him every votealong Providence Road. 'Tain't right!"
"I know it isn't," answered Rose Mary. "But when Mrs. Rucker speaksher mind about him and Bob chokes and swells up my heart gets warm. Doyou suppose it's wrong to let a friend's trouble heat sympathy to theboiling point? But if you don't need me I'm going down to themilk-house to work out my last batch of butter before they come todrive away my cows." And Rose Mary hurried down the lilac path beforeUncle Tucker could catch a glimpse of the tears that rose at the ideaof having to give up the beloved Mrs. Butter and her tribe ofgentle-eyed daughters.
And as she stood in the cool gray depths of the old milk-house RoseMary's gentle heart throbbed with pain as she pressed the great cakesof the golden treasure back and forth in the blue bowl, for it was aquiet time and Rose Mary was tearing up some of her own roots. Her sadeyes looked out over Harpeth Valley, which lay in a swoon with themidsummer heat. The lush blue-grass rose almost knee deep around thegrazing cattle in the meadows, and in the fields the green grain wasfast turning to a harvest hue. Almost as far as her eyes could reachalong Providence Road and across the pastures to Providence Nob,beyond Tilting Rock, the land was Alloway land and had been theirs forwhat seemed always. She could remember what each good-by to it all hadbeen when she had gone out over the Ridge in her merry girlhood andhow overflowing with joy each return. Then had come the time when ithad become still dearer as a refuge into which she could bring hertorn heart for its healing.
And such a healing the Valley had given her! It had poured thefragrance of its blooming springs and summers over her head, she haddrunk the wine of forgetfulness in the cup of long Octobers and thesting of its wind and rain and snow on her cheeks had brought back thegrief-faded roses. The arms of the hearty Harpeth women had beenoutheld to her, and in turn she had had their babies and troubles laidon her own breast for her and their comforting. She had been motheredand sistered and brothered by these farmer folk with a veryprodigality of friendship, and to-day she realized more than everwith positive exultation that she was brawn of their brawn and builtof their building.
And then to her, a woman of the fields, had come down Providence Roadover the Ridge from the great world outside--the _miracle_. Sheslipped her hand into her pocket for just one rapturous crush of thetreasure-letter when suddenly it was borne in upon her that it mightbe that even that must come to an end for her. Stay she must by hernest of helpless folk, and was it with futile wings he was breastingthe great outer currents of which she was so ignorant? His letterstold her nothing of what he was doing, just were filled to the wordwith half-spoken love and longing and, above all, with a greatimpatience about what, or for what, it was impossible for her tounderstand. She could only grieve over it and long to comfort him withall the strength of her love for him. And so with thinking, puzzlingand sad planning the afternoon wore away for her and sunset found herat the house putting the household in order and to bed with her usualcheery fostering of creaking joints and cumbersome retiringceremonies.
At last she was at liberty to fling her exhausted body down on thecool, patched, old linen sheets of the great four-poster which hadharbored many of her foremothers and let herself drift out on her owntroubled waters. Wrapped in the compassionate darkness she was givingway to the luxury of letting the controlled tears rise to her eyes andthe sobs that her white throat ached from suppressing all day wereechoing on the stillness when a voice came from the little cot by herbed and the General in disheveled nightshirt and rumpled head rose byher pillow and stood with uncertain feet on his own springy place ofrepose.
"Rose Mamie," he demanded in an awestruck tone of voice that fairlytrembled through the darkness, "are you a-crying?"
"Yes, Stonie," she answered in a shame-forced gurgle that would havedone credit to Jennie Rucker in her worst moments of abasement beforethe force of the General.
"Does your stomach hurt you?" he demanded in a practical thoughsympathetic tone of voice, for so far in his journey along life's roadhis sleep had only been disturbed by retributive digestive causes.
"No," sniffed Rose Mary with a sob that was tinged with a small laugh."It's my heart, darling," she added, the sob getting the best of thesituation. "Oh, Stonie, Stonie!"
"Now, wait a minute, Rose Mamie," exclaimed the General as he climbedup and perched himself on the edge of the big bed. "Have you doneanything you are afraid to tell God about?"
"No," came from the depths of Rose Mary's pillow.
"Then don't cry because you think Mr. Mark ain't coming back, likeMis' Rucker said she was afraid you was grieving about when shethought I wasn't a-listening. He's a-coming back. Me and him have gota bargain."
"What about, Stonie?" came in a much clearer voice from the pillow,and Rose Mary curled herself over nearer to the little bird perched onthe edge of her bed.
"About a husband for you," answered Stonie in the reluctant voice thata man usually uses when circumstances force him into taking a womaninto his business confidence. "Looked to me like everybody here wasa-going to marry everybody else and leave you out, so I asked him toget you one up in New York and I'd pay him for doing it. He's a-goingto bring him here on the cars his own self lest he get away before Iget him." And the picture that rose in Rose Mary's mind, of thereluctant husband being dragged to her at the end of a tether byEverett, cut off the sob instantly.
"What--what did you--he say when you asked him about--getting thehusband--for you--for me?" asked Rose Mary in a perfect agony of mirthand embarrassment.
"Let me see," said Stonie, and he paused as he tried to repeatEverett's exact words, which had been spoken in a manner that hadimpressed them on the General at the time. "He said that you wasn'ta-going to have no husband but the best kind if he had to killhim--no, he said that if he was to have to go dead hisself he wouldcome and bring him to me, when he got him good enough for you by doingright and such."
"Was that all?" asked Rose Mary with a gurgle that was well nighecstatic, for through her had shot a quiver of hope that set everypulse in her body beating hot and strong, while her cheeks burned inthe cool linen of her pillow and her eyes fairly glowed into thenight.
"About all," answered the General, beginning to yawn with theinterrupted slumber. "I told him your children would have to mind meand Tobe when we spoke to '
em. He kinder choked then and said allright. Then we bear-hugged for keeps until he comes again. I'm sleepynow!"
"Oh, Stonie, darling, thank you for waking up and coming to comfortRose Mamie," she said, and from its very fullness a happy little sobescaped from her heart.
"I tell you, Rose Mamie," said the General, instantly, againsympathetically alarmed, "I'd better come over in your bed and go tosleep. You can put your head on my shoulder and if you cry, getting mewet will wake me up to keep care of you agin, 'cause I am so sleepynow if you was to holler louder than Tucker Poteet I wouldn't wake upno more." And suiting his actions to his proposition the Generalstretched himself out beside Rose Mary, buried his touseled head onher pillow and presented a diminutive though sturdy little shoulder,against which she instantly laid her soft cheek.
"You scrouge just like the puppy," was his appreciative comment ofher gentle nestling against his little body. "Now I'm going to sleep,but if praying to God don't keep you from crying, then wake me up,"and with this generous and really heroic offer the General drifted offagain into the depths, into which he soon drew Rose Mary with him,comforted by his faith and lulled in his strong little arms.
CHAPTER X
IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND
And the next morning a threatening, scowling, tossed-cloud dawnbrought the day over the head of Old Harpeth down upon littleSweetbriar, which awakened with one accord to a sense of melancholyoppression. A cool, dust-laden wind blew down Providence Road, twistedthe branches of the tall maples along the way, tore roughly at thefestoons of blooming vines over the gables of the Briars, startled thenestled doves into a sad crooning, whipped mercilessly at the row oftall hollyhocks along the garden fence, flaunted the long spikes ofjack-beans and carried their quaint fragrance to pour it over the bedof sober-colored mignonette, mixing it with the pungent zinnia odorand flinging it all over into the clover field across the briarhedge. The jovial old sun did his very best to light up the situation,but just as he would succeed in getting a ray down into the Valley agreat puffy cloud would cast a gray shadow of suppression over hiseffort and retire him sternly for another half hour.
And on the wings of the intruding, out-of-season wind came a train ofills. Young Tucker Poteet waked at daylight and howled dismally with apain that seemed to be all over and then in spots. When he went totake down the store shutters Mr. Crabtree smashed one of his large,generous-spreading thumbs and Mrs. Rucker's breakfast eggs burned to acinder state while she tied it up in camphor for him. In the night amosquito had taken a bite out of the end of Jennie's small nose and itwas swelled to twice its natural size, and Peter, the wise, barked aplump shin before he was well out of the trundle bed. One of youngBob's mules broke away and necessitated a trip half way up toProvidence for his capture, and Mrs. Plunkett had Louisa Helen sobusy at some domestic manoeuvers that she found it impossible to gowith him.
And before noon the whole village was in a fervid state of commotion.Mrs. Rucker had insisted on moving Mr. Crabtree and all his effectsover into the domicile of his prospective bride, regardless of bothher and his abashed remonstrance.
"Them squeems are all foolishness, Lou Plunkett," she had answered afaint plea from the widow for a delay until after the ceremony forthis material mingling of the to-be-united lives. "It's all right andproper for you and Mr. Crabtree to be married at night meeting Sunday,and his things won't be unmarried in your house only through Saturdayand Sunday. I'm a-going to pack up his Sunday clothes, a pair of cleansocks, a shirt and other things in this basket. Then I'll fix him up ashake-down in my parlor to spend Saturday night in, and I'll dress himup nice and fine for the wedding you may be sure. We ain't got butthis day to move him out and clean up the house good to move Rose Maryand the old folks into early Saturday morning, so just come on and getto work. You can shut your eyes to his things setting around yourhouse for just them one day or two, can't you?"
"They ain't nothing in this world I couldn't do to make it just thelittlest mite easier for Rose Mary and them sweet old folks, even togettin' my house into a unseemly married condition before hand,"answered Mrs. Plunkett as she brushed a tear away from her blue eyes.
"That's the way we all feel," said Mrs. Rucker. "Now if I was you I'dgive Mr. Crabtree that middle bureau drawer. Men are apt to pokethings away careless if they has the top, and the bottom one is bestto use for your own things. Mr. Satterwhite always kept his clothes soit were a pleasure to look at 'em, but Cal Rucker prefers a pair ofsocks separated across the house if he can get them there. I foundone of his undershirts full of mud and stuck away in the kitchen safewith the cup towels last week. There comes Mis' Poteet to help atlast! I never heard anything yell like Tucker has been doing allmorning. Is he quiet at last, Mis' Poteet?"
"Yes, I reckon he's gave out all the holler that's in him, but I'mafraid to put him down," and Mrs. Poteet continued the joggling,swaying motion to a blue bundle on her breast that she had beenadministering as a continuous performance to young Tucker sincedaylight. "I'm sorry I couldn't come help you all with the moving, butyou can count on my mop and broom over to the store all afternoon,soon as I can turn him over to the children."
"We ain't needed you before, but now we have got Mr. Crabtree allsettled down here with Mrs. Plunkett we can get to work on his houseright after dinner. Have you been over to the Briars to see 'em in thelast hour?"
"Yes, I come by there, but they didn't seem to need me. Miss Vineyhas got Miss Amandy and Tobe and the General at work, and Rose Maryhas gone down to the dairy to pack up the last batch of butter for Mr.Crabtree to take to the city in the morning. Mr. Tucker's still goingover things in the barn, and my feelings riz so I had to come away forfear of me and little Tucker both busting out crying."
And over at the Briars the scenes of exodus being enacted were wellcalculated to touch a heart sterner than that of the gentle,sympathetic and maternal Mrs. Poteet. Chilled by the out-of-seasonwind Miss Lavinia had awakened with as bad a spell of rheumatism asshe had had for a year and it was with the greatest difficulty thatRose Mary had succeeded in rubbing down the pain to a state where shecould be propped up in bed to direct little Miss Amanda and thechildren in the last sad rites of getting things into shape to becarried across the road at the beginning of the morrow, which was theday Uncle Tucker had sternly set as that of his abdication.
Feebly, Miss Amanda tottered about trying to carry out her sister'sorders and patiently the General and Tobe labored to help her, thoughtheir hearts were really over at the store, where the rest of theSwarm were, in the midst of the excitement of Mr. Crabtree's change ofresidence. In all their young lives of varied length they had neverbefore had an opportunity to witness the upheaval of a moving and thisoccasion was frought with a well-nigh insupportable fascination. TheGeneral's remaining at the post of family duty and his command of hishenchman to the same sacrifice was indeed remarkable, though in a waypathetic.
"You, Stonewall Jackson, don't handle those chiny vases careless!"commanded Aunt Viney in a stern voice. "Put 'em in the basket rightside up, for they were your great grandmother's wedding-present fromMister Bradford from Arkansas."
"Yes'm," answered Stonie, duly impressed. "But I've done packed 'em infour different baskets for you, and if this one don't do all right,can't me and Tobe together carry 'em over the Road to-morrow carefulfor you, Aunt Viney?"
"Well, yes, then you can take 'em out and set 'em back in theirplaces," answered Miss Lavinia, which order was carried out faithfullyby the General, with a generous disregard of the fact that he had beenlaboring over them under a fire of directions for more than ahalf-hour.
"Now, Amandy, come away from those flower cans and get out the graveclothes from the bureau drawers and let the boys wrap them in that oldsheet first and then in the newspapers and then put 'em in that boxtrunk with brass tacks over there!" directed Miss Lavinia as MissAmandy wandered over by the window, along which stood a row of tomatocans into which were stuck slips of all the vines and plants on theland of the Briars, ready for trans
portation across Providence Roadwhen the time came. There was something so intensely pathetic in thiseffort of the fast-fading little old woman to begin to bud from theold life flower-plants to blossom in a new one, into which she couldhardly expect to make more than the shortest journey, that even theGeneral's young and inexperienced heart was moved to a quickcompassion.
"I'm a-going to carry the flowers over and plant 'em careful for you,Aunt Amandy," he said as he sidled up close to her and put his armaround her with a protective gesture. "We'll water 'em twice a day andjust _make_ 'em grow, won't we, Tobe?"
"Bucketfuls 'til we drap," answered Tobe with a sympathy equal to anda courage as great as that of his superior officer.
"Is the blue myrtle sprig often the graves holding up its leaves,Amandy?" asked Miss Lavinia in a softened tone of voice.
"Yes, it's doing fine," answered Miss Amandy, bending over to the lastof the row of cans.
"Then come on and get out the burying things and let's get that jobover," Miss Lavinia continued to insist. "Don't get our things mixed!Remember that my grave shift has got nothing but a seemly stitchedband on it while you would have linen lace on yours. And don't letanything get wrinkled. I don't want to rise on Judgment Day lookinglike I needed the pressing of a hot iron. Now pull out the trunk,boys, lift out the tray so as I can--"
But at this juncture Rose Mary appeared at the door with a tray onwhich stood a bowl of soup, and Miss Lavinia lay back on her pillowsweakly, with the fire all gone out of her eyes and exhaustion writtenon every line of her determined old face.
"Go get dinner, everybody, so we can get back to work," she directedweakly as she raised the spoon to her lips and then rested a momentbefore she could take another sip. And with the last spoonful shelooked up and whispered to Rose Mary, "You'll have to do the restchild, I can't drive any farther with a broke heart. I've got to laymyself in the arms of prayer and go to sleep." And so rested, RoseMary left her.
Then finding the motive powers which had been driving her removed,little Miss Amandy stole away to the cedar grove behind the gardenfence, the boys scampered with the greatest glee across the Road tothe scene of mop and broom action behind the store, and Uncle Tuckerstiffly mounted old Gray to drive the cows away to their separatehomes. The thrifty neighbors had been glad to buy and pay him cash forthe sleek animals, and their price had been the small capital whichhad been available for Uncle Tucker to embark on the commercial seasin partnership with Mr. Crabtree.
Thus left to herself in the old house, Rose Mary wandered from room toroom trying to put things in shape for the morrow's moving andbreasting her deep waters with what strength she could summon. Up tothis last day some strange hope had buoyed her up, and it was only atthis moment when the inevitable was so plainly closing down upon herand her helpless old people that the bitterness of despair rose in herheart. Against the uprooting of their feebleness her whole naturecried out, and the sacrifice that had been offered her in themilk-house days before, seemed but a small price to pay to avert thetragedy. Doubt of herself and her motives assailed her, and shequivered in every nerve when she thought that thus she had failedthem. What! Was she to save herself and let the sorrow fall on theirbent shoulders? Was it too late? Her heart answered her that it was,for her confession of horror of her purchaser to Uncle Tucker had cutoff any hope of deceiving him and she knew he would be burned at thestake before he would let her make the sacrifice. She was helpless,helpless to safeguard them from this sorrow, as helpless as theythemselves!
For a long hour she stood at the end of the porch, looking across atProvidence Nob, behind whose benevolent head the storm clouds of theday were at last sinking, lit by the glow of the fast-setting sun. Thewind had died down and a deep peace was settling over the Valley, likea benediction from the coming night. Just for strength to go on, RoseMary prayed out to the dim, blue old ridge and then turned to herministrations to her assembling household.
Uncle Tucker was so tired that he hardly ate the supper set beforehim, and before the last soft rays of the sun had entirely left theValley he had smoked his pipe and gone to bed.
And soon in his wake retired the General, with two of the small dogsto bear him company in his white cot. But the settling of Miss Laviniafor the night had been long, and had brought Rose Mary almost to thepoint of exhaustion. Tired out by her afternoon over in the littlegraveyard, Miss Amanda had not the strength to read the usual chaptersof retiring service that Miss Lavinia always required of her, and soRose Mary drew the candle close beside the bed and attempted to go onwith her rubbing and read at the same time. And though, if read shemust, the very soul of Rose Mary panted for the comfort of some of thelines of the Sweet Singer, Aunt Viney held her strictly to the wordsof her favorite thunderer, Jeremiah, and little Aunt Amandy bunched upunder the cover across the bed fairly shook with terror as she buriedher head in her pillow to keep out the rolling words of invective thatbegan with an awful "_Harken_" and ended with "_Woe is me now, for mysoul is wearied_!"
"Now," concluded Miss Lavinia, "you can put out the light. Rose Mary,and if me and Amandy was to open our eyes on the other side of theriver it would be but a good thing for us. Lay the Bible in thatnewspaper on top of that pile of _Christian Advocates_, with a stringto tie 'em all up after morning lesson, to be carried away. The Lordbless and keep you, child, and don't forget to latch the front door onus all for the last time!"
Softly Rose Mary drew the door partly closed and left them in thequiet of the fast-deepening purple dusk. She peeped into UncleTucker's room and assured herself by his sonorous breathing that restat last was comforting him, and for a moment in her own room she bentover the little cot where the General and his two spotted servitorslay curled up in a tangle and fast in the depths of sleep. Then sheopened wide the old hall door that had for more than a century swungover the sill marked off by the length of the intrepid Englishforemother who had tramped the wilderness trail to possess what she,herself, was giving up.
And as she stood desperate, at bay, with her nest storm tossed andthreatened, suddenly the impossibility of it all came down upon her,and stern with a very rigidity of resolve she went into the house,lighted a candle by the old desk in the hall, and wrote swiftly a fewwords of desperate summons to the Senator. She knew that Friday nightalways found him over the fields at Boliver, and she told him brieflythe situation and asked him to come over in the early morning to therescue--and sacrifice.
When she had first come out on the porch she had seen young Bob rideup to the store on one of his colts, and she ran fleetly down to thefront gate and called to him. He consented instantly to ride over anddeliver the note for her, but he shot an uneasy glance at her frombeneath his wide hat as he put the letter in his pocket.
"Is anything wrong, Miss Rose Mary?" he asked anxiously butrespectfully.
"No, Bob, dear, nothing that--that I can't make--right," she answeredin a soft, tearless voice, and as he got on his horse and rode awayshe came slowly up the long front walk that was moonflecked from theleaves of the tall trees. Then once more she stood on the old doorsill--at bay.
And as she looked at the old Ridge across the sweet, bloomingclover-fields, with the darkened house behind her, again the waters ofdespair rose breast-high and heart-high, beat against her achingthroat and were just about to dash over her head as she stretched outone arm to the hills and with a broken cry bent her white forehead inthe curve of the other, but suddenly bent head, tear-blinded eyes,quivering breast and supplicating arms were folded tight in a strongembrace and warm, thirsty lips pressed against the tears on hercheeks as Everett's voice with a choke and a gulp made its way intoher consciousness.
"I feel like shaking the very life out of you, Rose Mary Alloway," washis tender form of greeting.
"You're squeezing it out," came in all the voice that Rose Mary couldcommand for an answer. And the broad-shouldered, burden-bearing,independent woman that was the Rose of Old Harpeth melted into just atender girl who crushed her heart against her lover's and clung asm
eekly as any slip of vine to her young lord oak. "But I don't care,"she finished up under his chin. And Everett's laugh that greeted andaccepted her unexpected meekness rang through the hall and brought acommotion in answer.
The wee dogs, keen both of ear and scent, shot like small electricvolts from Stonie's couch, hurled themselves through the hall andsprang almost waist-high against Everett's side in a perfect ecstasyof welcome. They yelped and barked and whined and nosed in a tumblingheap of palpitating joy until he was obliged to hold Rose Mary in onearm while he made an attempt to respond to and abate their enthusiasmwith the other.
"Now, now, that's all right! Nice dogs, nice dogs!" he was answeringand persuading, when a stern call from the depths of Miss Lavinia'sroom, the door of which Rose Mary had left ajar, abstracted her fromEverett's arm on the instant and sent her hurrying to answer thesummons.
"Is that young man come back? and light the candle," Miss Laviniademanded and commanded in the same breath. And just as Rose Maryflared up the dim light on the table by the bed Everett himself stoodin the doorway. With one glance his keen eyes took in the situation inthe dim room in which the two old wayfarers lay prepared for themorning journey, and what Miss Lavinia's stately and proper greetingwould have been to him none of them ever knew, for with a couple ofstrides he was over by the bed at Rose Mary's side and had taken thestern old lady into his strong arms and landed a kiss on the ruffle ofwhite nightcap just over her left ear.
"No leaving the Briars this season, Miss Lavinia," he said in alaughing, choking voice as he bent across and extracted one of littleMiss Amandy's hands from the tight bunch she had curled herself intounder the edge of her pillow and bestowed a squeeze thereon. "It's allfixed up over at Boliver this afternoon. There's worse than oil on theplace--and it's all yours now for keeps." With Rose Mary in his armsEverett had entirely forgotten to announce to her such a minor fact asthe saving of her lands and estate, but to the two little old ladieshis sympathy had made him give the words of reprieve with his firstfree breath. The bundles on the floor and the old trunk had smote hisheart with a fierce pain that the impulsive warmth of his greetingand the telling of his rescue could only partly ease.
"The news only reached me day before--" he was going on to explainwhen, candle in hand, Uncle Tucker appeared in the doorway. Hislong-tailed night-shirt flapped around his bare, thin old legs, andevery separate gray lock stood by itself and rampant, while his eyesseemed deeper and more mystic than ever.
"Well, what's all this ruckus?" he demanded as he peered at themacross the light of his candle. "Have any kind of cyclone blowed youfrom New York clean across here to Harpeth Valley, boy?"
"He has come back with the mercy of our Lord in his hands to save ourhome; and you go put on your pants before your pipes get chilled,Tucker Alloway," answered Aunt Viney in her most militant tone ofvoice. "And, Rose Mary, you can take that young man on out of here nowso Amandy can take that shame-faced head of hers out of that featherpillow. It's all on account of that tored place in her night-cap Itold her to mend. You needn't neither of you come back no more,because we must get to sleep, so as to be ready to unpack beforesun-up and get settled back for the day. And don't you go to bed,neither one of you, without reading Jeremiah twelfth, first to lastverse, and me and Amandy will do the same." With which Everett foundhimself dismissed with a seeming curtness which he could plainly seewas an heroic control of emotion in the feeble old stoic who wastrembling with exhaustion.
Uncle Tucker, called to account for the lack of warmth and alsopropriety in his attire, had hastened back to his own apartment andEverett found him sitting up in his bed, lighting the old cob withtrembling fingers but with his excitement well under control. Helistened intently to Everett's hurried but succinct account of thesituation and crisis in his own and the Alloway business affairs, ashe puffed away, and his old eyes lighted with excitement at the rushof the tale of high finance.
And when at last Everett paused for lack of breath, after his dramaticclimax, the old philosopher lay back on his high-piled feather pillowsand blinked out into the candle-light, puffed in silence for a fewminutes, then made answer in his own quizzical way with a radiantsmile from out under his beetling white brows:
"Well," he said between puffs, "looks like fortune is, after all, acurious bird without even tail feathers to steer by nor for a man toketch by putting salt on. Gid failed both with a knife in the back anda salt shaker to ketch it, but you were depending on nothing but aringdove coo, as far as I can see, when it hopped in your hand. Ireckon you'll get your answer."
"Are you willing--to have me ask for it, Mr. Alloway?" asked Everettwith a radiant though slightly embarrassed smile.
"Yes," answered Uncle Tucker as he knocked the ashes out of his pipeagainst the table and looked straight into Everett's eyes. "After aman has plowed a honest, straight-furrowed field in life it's nomore'n fair for Providence to send a-loving, trusting woman to meethim at the bars. Good night, and don't forget to latch the front doorwhen you have finally torn yourself away from that moonlight!"
And the call of the young moon that came with the warm garden-scentedgusts of winds that were sweeping across Harpeth Valley was a riot inEverett's veins as he made his way through the silent hall toward themoonlit porch on the top step of which he could see Rose Mary sittingin the soft light, but a lusty young snore from a dark room on theleft made him remember that there was one greeting he had missed. Hebent over the General's little cot, across which lay a long shaft ofthe white light from the hilltops, and was about to press his lips onthe warm, breath-stirred ones of the small boy, but he restrainedhimself in time from offering to the General in his defenseless sleepwhat would have been an insult to him awake, and contented himselfwith a most cautious and manly clasp of the chubby little hand.
"Ketch it, Tobe, ketch it--don't let Aunt Viney's vase be broked,"murmured Stonie as he turned on his side and buried his head stilldeeper in the pillow.
"No, General, Aunt Viney's vase--is--not going to be broken, thankGod," answered Everett under his breath as he turned away and left theGeneral, who, even in sleep, carried his responsibilities sturdily.
"Rose Mary," he said a little later as he stood on the bottom stepbelow her, so that his eyes were just on a level with hers as she satand smiled down upon him, "for a woman, you have very littlecuriosity. Don't you want to ask me where I've been, why I went andwhat I've been doing every minute since I left you? Can it beindifference that makes you thus ignore your feminine prerogative ofthe inquisition?"
"I'm beginning at being glad you are here. Joy's just the white foamat the top of the cup, and it ought not to be blown away, nomatter--how thirsty one is, ought it? Now tell me what brought youback--to save me," and Rose Mary held out her hand, with one of herlovely, entreating gestures, while her eyes were full of tender tears.And it was with difficulty that Everett held himself to a condition totell her what he wanted her to know without any further delay.
"Well," he answered as he raised his lips from a joy draft at the cupof her pink palms, "the immediate cause was a telegram that cameTuesday night. It said '_Gid sells out Mr. Tucker and wants yourgirl_,' and it was signed '_Bob_.' All these weeks a bunch of hard oldgoldbugs had been sitting in conclave, weighing my evidence andreports and making one inadequate syndicating offer after another.They were teetering here and balancing there, but at eleven o'clockWednesday morning the cyclone that blew me down here across OldHarpeth originated in the directors' rooms of the firm, and I guessthe old genties are gasping yet.
"I had that telegram in my pocket, tickets for the three-o'clockSouthern express folded beside 'em, and I put enough daylight into myproposition to dazzle the whole conclave into setting signatures topapers they'd been moling over for weeks. I don't know what did it,but they signed up and certified checks in one large hurry.
"Then I beat it and never drew breath until I made the Farmers' andTraders' Bank in Boliver this afternoon, covered those notes of Mr.Alloways, killed that mortgage and hit Provide
nce Road for Sweetbriar.I met Bob out about a mile from town, and he put me next to the wholesituation and gave _me_ your note. I don't know which I came nearestto, swearing or crying, but the Plunkett-Crabtree news made me raisea shout instead of either. But if I did what I truly ought, Rose MaryAlloway, I _would_ shake the life out of you for not writing me aboutit all. I may do it yet."
"Please don't!" answered Rose Mary with a little smile that still heldits hint of the suffering she had gone through. "I thought you wereout of work yourself and couldn't help us, and I didn't want totrouble you. It would have hurt you so to know if you couldn't helpme, and I didn't--"
"God, that's it! Fool that I was to go away and risk leaving youwithout an understanding!" exclaimed Everett in a bitterly reproachfultone of voice. "But I was afraid to let you know what I had discovereduntil I could get the money to settle that mortgage. I was afraid thatyou or Mr. Alloway would unconsciously let him get a hint of the find,and I knew he could and would foreclose any minute. He was suspiciousof me and my prospecting, anyway, and as he was an old, and as youboth thought, tested friend, what way did I have of proving him theslob I knew him to be? I thought it best to go and get the companyformed, the option money paid to cover the mortgage and all of it outof his hands before he could have any chance to get into the game atall. And that was really the best way to manage it--only I hadn'tcounted on his swooping down on--you. Again, God, what I risked!"
"Yes," answered Rose Mary in a voice that barely controlled the coldhorror of the thought that rose between them, "it almost happened. Ithought I ought to--to save them, even if Uncle Tucker wouldn'tlet me, and I gave Bob that note--to--to him. It almosthappened--to-morrow. Quick, hold me close--don't let me think aboutit--ever!" and Rose Mary shuddered in the crush of Everett's arms.
"You won't ever leave me any more?"]
"Out in the world, Rose Mary," said Everett as he lifted his lipsfrom hers, "it would have happened--the tragedy, and you would havebeen the loot; but down here in Harpeth Valley they grow men like yourUncle Tucker, and they turn, by a strange motive power, wheels that donot crush, but--lift. I left you in danger because I had schemed itout in my world's way, fool, fool that I--"
"Please, please don't say things about yourself like that to me,"pleaded Rose Mary, quickly raising her head and smiling through hertears at him. "Go on and tell me what you did find out there in thepasture; don't blow off any more of my foam!"
"Cobalt, if you care to know," answered Everett with an excited laugh,"the richest deposit in the States I found out--beats a gold mine allhollow. I came on it almost accidentally while testing for the alliedmetals up the creek. Your money will grow in bunches now, for thebiggest and the best mining syndicate in New York has taken it up.You can just shake down the dollars and do what you please from nowon."
"You'll have to do that sort of orchard work, I'll be busy in thehouse," answered Rose Mary, with a rapturous, breathless shyness, andshe held out her hand to him with the most lovely of all her littlegestures of entreaty. "You promised once to farm for me and--you won'tever leave--_ever_ leave me any more, will you?"
"No, never," answered Everett as he took both her hands and at arms'length pressed them against his breast, "I'm not going to enact overagain the role of poor chap obliged to be persuaded into matrimony byheiress, but I'm going to take my own and buckle down and see that youpeople get every cent of that dig-up that's coming to you. With thereputation this find gives me I'll be able to jolly well grubstakewith commissions from now on, but I'll hit no trail after this with amule-pack that can't carry double, Mary of the Rose."
"And that doesn't always lead back in just a little time to--to thenesties?" she asked with the dove stars deep in the pools of her eyes,while ever so slightly her hands drew him toward her.
"Always a blazed, short cut when they need--us," he answered,yielding, then paused a moment and held himself from her and said,looking deep into the eyes raised to his, "Truly, rose woman, am Ithat beggar-man who came over the Ridge, cold, and in the tatters ofhis disillusion? Do you suppose Old Harpeth has given me this warmgarment of ideals that wraps me now for keeps?"
"Of course, he has, for it's made for you of your--Father's love. Andisn't it--rose-colored?"
THE END
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