CHAPTER IX
A FRIENDLY HAND
The suggestion Jess had made regarding the scarcity of money onRockhaven was plainly evident to Winn, now that he had becomeacquainted. It made him feel that his firm's enterprise was almost agodsend to the island, and that first Saturday night when his mengathered, as requested, at Jess Hutton's store, and secured their pay,Winn, who in his time had also felt the need of more money, found it akeen pleasure to pay these needy men their earnings. When they haddeparted and he and Jess were alone, the worthy man who seemed to feel ashare of the general satisfaction, beamed with good nature.
"Money makes the mar' go," he said, "an', as the Irishman said, 'it'sswate Saturday night and sour Monday morning.' Ye've made a fine start,Mr. Hardy, an' if things go well an' this 'ere company o' yourn don'tbust up, ye'll cum pretty near bein' the hull thing here. There's an oldsaying here that 'It's time to dry fish when the sun shines,' an' nowwith your sun shinin' it's purty good wisdom for ye to dry all the fishye kin. Things are onsartin in this world, an' there's no tellin' when asunny day's comin'. I'm goin' ter help yer all I kin, an' out o' goodwill toward ye, 'n' hope things'll turn out all right. I'm sartin itwon't be yer fault if they don't."
"I'm glad to feel I've won your confidence, Mr. Hutton," answered Winn,"and I feel sure there is no need of fearing any collapse of thiscompany. They are reputable business men, and have ample means; graniteis in good demand in the city, and certainly they would not haveinvested in the quarry and set out to develop it, unless it was to makemoney."
"Wal, mebbe," answered Jess, after a long pause, "an' I'm goin' to thinkso. Distrustin' don't help matters, an' for the sake o' those men whohev gone home happy to-night, I hope things'll turn out as ye 'spect."
Winn looked depressed, and for reason. To have the one man in Rockhavenwhose confidence he valued most express a word of distrust hurt.
"Oh, I ain't doubtin' you a mite," continued Jess, "an' no reason tomistrust yer consarn, only I've had squalls hit me when least 'spectin''em, 'n' so got into the habit o' watchin' out fer 'em. It's jist aswell in this world, 'n' then ye ain't quite so likely to be caughtnappin'. Now t'other day ye mentioned the matter o' sellin' stock to usfolks here, an' that is all right, only it sorter 'curred to me if thisconsarn o' yourn 'spected to make money quarryin' here, thar wa'n't noreal reason why they should want ter divide it with us folks, which iswhat sellin' us stock 'mounts to in the end, an' as old Cap'n Doty wouldsay, 'hence my 'spicions.' I've hed a good many ups 'n' downs in thisworld," he continued, in a philosophic tone, "an' while I allus try tolook on the bright side o' trouble, an' when it comes am glad 'tain'tany wuss, I've larned to be keerful--mighty keerful. Human natur'sslippery stuff, an' money a dum sight more so, an' every storeman allusputs the best apples on top o' the basket. I've bought and paid for amighty lot o' 'sperience 'bout mankind, an' all I've got to show formost on't is the 'sperience. I've picked up a little money, too, 'tweentimes, but the only reason I hev, was 'cause I got sight on't 'fore theother feller did. I like you, Mr. Hardy, fust-rate, on so shortacquaintance, an' know yer honest 'n' all right, but the side-whiskeredfeller who blew in here last summer 'n' bought this yer quarryoffhand--wal, I mean no disrespect to yer firm, but in my humble'pinion he'd bear watchin'. Now I'm goin' ter stand by ye in this matter'n' do all I ken to help you make a go on't, an' if ye'll trust me allthe time, ye won't regret it."
It was a pleasant assurance, but the cloud on Winn's face remained. Hehad from the outset hoped to interest this old man, who he realized heldthe key of Rockhaven, as it were, and whose opinion of his missionthere, and the merits of Rockhaven stock as an investment, would withoutdoubt be accepted by others as final. His own belief in it wasoptimistic, and beyond that it meant to him a success in business and anavenue to prosperity that included all wealth meant to any one. So farin life he had been but a mere menial, a poorly paid drudge, a slave toso many hours a day. Now he was at once elevated to the management ofmen and money, and assumed that it would be to his credit and necessarythat he interest the people and induce them to invest their money. Forthese reasons the lack of confidence on Jess Hutton's part meantdiscouragement.
"Ye mustn't mind my notions," Jess said at last, reading Winn's face; "Imean to help ye, 'n' I will, only as I said I'm a leetle skeery o' yerconsarn. Ef things go on right fer a spell, I most likely'll feeldifferent. I've got pinched in schemes afore, an' grown cautious.Faith, ez the parson says, is a mustard seed 'n' needs time to sprout.We'll watch thet air mustard seed o' yourn, 'n' gin it time ter sprout.Now, to sorter drive away your blues an' mine, I'm goin' to fiddle aspell; ye won't mind, will ye?"
"I should be delighted," answered Winn, with sudden eagerness, "I haveheard you were an expert with a violin. Mr. Weston said you were." Hedid not deem it wise just then to say who else had stated that fact.
Without further comment, Jess brought out his violin.
"Fiddlin's to me," he said, as he turned it up, "a good deal ez lickerused to be to old Bill Atlas, a cure-all fer everything from death tothe toothache. Bill was quite a case in his day, an' said licker wasmade fer the purpose o' drownin' sorrow. He drowned his purty stiddyin't anyhow, an' finally was driv' to his death by the tremens."
Then he began and fiddled away for an hour, his eyes closed, his kindlyface glowing with the pleasure of his own art, and one foot keeping timeon the floor. And, to Winn's surprise, his selections were all of Scotchorigin, and the liveliest of those best of all harmonies. From one toanother he skipped, a medley of those old tunes that have lived as noother nation's music ever did or ever will live, because none other hasquite the same life and soul.
And Winn, listening as that quaint old man fiddled away, forgot histroubles, carried to fair Scotland's banks and braes, where Wallacebled, Prince Charlie fought, and Bonnie Dundee rallied his henchmen togive battle, and, too, Winn heard the love plaint of many a Scotch ladand lassie, centuries old, and yet reaching his heart as they always didand always will all human kind. And as, entranced, he lived once more inthe olden days of chivalry and love faithful unto death, he thought ofMona and how she had touched the same chord in his heart only a fewhours before.
And when Jess had tired of his pastime, and Winn, on his way to hissolitary room in Rock Lane, passed the white cottage next to it, hehalted a moment, wondering if Mona was asleep, or if not, was shethinking of him.
For such is man, and so do the rose petals of love first unclose.
MONA.]
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