ANOTHER GOLD PIECE
Fortunately for Walky Dexter, the freight that he had backed into the
lake was not perishable. It could not be greatly injured by water.
With the help of neighbors and loiterers and a team of horses, the two
sections of the unhung wagon and the crates of agricultural tools were
hauled out of the lake.
"There, Walky," said the freight agent, wiping his perspiring brow when
the work was completed--for this happened on a warm day in early June.
"I hope ter goodness you look where you air backin' to, nex' time."
"Perhaps it will be just as well if he _backs_ where he's _looking_,"
suggested the young engineer, having removed his coat and aided very
practically in the straightening out of Walky's affairs. This greatly
pleased Janice, who had remained to watch proceedings.
"Come, naow, tell the truth, Walky Dexter," drawled another of the
expressman's helpers. "Was ye seein' double when ye did that trick?"
There was a general laugh at this question. Walky Dexter, for once,
had no ready reply. Indeed, he had been particularly serious all
through the work of re-establishing his wagon on the dock.
"Well, Walky, ye oughter stand treat on this, I vum!" said the freight
agent. "Suthin' long, an' cool, would go mighty nice."
"Isuckles is aout o' season--he! he!" chuckled another, frankly
doubtful of Walky's generosity.
"Lock up your freight house, Sam, and ye shall have it," declared
Walky, with sudden briskness.
"That's the ticket!" exclaimed the Doubting Thomas, with a quick change
of tone. "Spoke like a soldier, Walky. I hope Joe's jest tapped a
fresh kaig."
Walky halted and scratched his head as he looked from one to another of
the expectant group. "Why, ter tell the trewth," he jerked out, "I'm
feelin' more like some o' thet thar acid phosphate Massey sells out'n
his sody-fountain. Le's go up there."
"Jest as yeou say, Walky. You're the doctor," said the freight agent,
though somewhat crestfallen, as were the others, at this suggestion.
"Don't count me in, Walky--though I'm obliged to you," laughed Bowman,
who was getting into his coat.
"Jest the same we'll paternize the drug store for this once," said the
expressman, stoutly, and with gravity he led the way up the hill.
Later Walky went across into the fields and tried to catch Josephus;
but that wise old creature seemed suddenly to have lost confidence in
his master, and refused to be won by his tones, or even the shaking of
an empty oat-measure. So Walky was obliged to go home and bring down
Josephus' mate to draw the freight to its destination.
Janice parted from the young engineer and walked up Hillside Avenue,
intending to take supper at home and afterward return to the Drugg
place to spend another night or two with the storekeeper's lonely wife.
She was sitting with Aunt 'Mira on the side porch before supper, while
the "short bread" was baking and Uncle Jason and Marty were at the
chores, when Walky Dexter drew near with his now all but empty wagon,
and stopped in the lane to bring in a new cultivator Uncle Jason had
sent for.
"Evenin', Miz' Day," observed Walky, eyeing Aunt 'Mira and her niece
askance. "Naow say it!"
"Say what, Mr. Dexter?" asked Mrs. Day puzzled.
"Why, I been gittin' of it all over taown," groaned the expressman.
"Sarves me right, I s'pose. I see the reedic'lous side o' most things
that happen ter other folks--an' they gotter right ter laff at me."
"Why, what's happened ye?" asked Aunt 'Mira.
"Jefers-pelters!" ejaculated Walky. "Ain't Janice tol' ye?"
"Nothin' about you," Mrs. Day assured him.
"She'd be a good 'un ter tell secrets to, wouldn't she?" the expressman
said, with a queer twist of his face. "Ain't ye heard how I dumped m'
load--an' Josephus--inter the lake?" and he proceeded to recount the
accident with great relish and good humor.
Marty and his father, bringing in the milk, stopped to listen and
laugh. At the conclusion of the story, as Marty was pumping a pail of
water for the kitchen shelf, Walky said:
"Gimme a dipper o' that, boy. My mouth's so dry I can't speak the
trewth. That's it--thanky!"
"Ye oughtn't to be dry, Walky--comin' right past Lem Parraday's
_ho_-tel," remarked Mr. Day, with a chuckle.
"Wal, naow! that's what I was goin' ter speak abeout," said Walky, with
sudden vigor. "Janice, here, an' me hev been havin' an argyment right
along about that rum sellin' business----"
"About the _drinking_, at any rate, Walky," interposed Janice, gently.
"Wal--ahem!--ya-as. About the drinkin' of it, I s'pose. Yeou said,
Janice, that my takin' a snifter now and then was an injury to other
critters as well as to m'self."
"And I repeat it," said the girl confidently.
"D'ye know," jerked out Walky, with his head on one side and his eyes
screwed up, "that I b'lieve Josephus agrees with ye?"
"Ho! ho!" laughed Marty. "Was you fresh from Lem Parraday's bar when
you backed the old feller over the dock?"
"Wal, I'd had a snifter," drawled Walky, his eyes twinkling. "Anyhow,
I'm free ter confess that I don't see how I could ha' done sech a
fullish thing if I hadn't been drinkin'--it's a fac'! I never did
b'lieve what little I took would ever hurt anybody. But poor ol'
Josephus! He might ha' been drowned."
"Oh, Walky!" cried Janice. "Do you see that?"
"I see the light at last, Janice," solemnly said the expressman. "I
guess I'd better let the stuff alone. I dunno when I'd git a hoss as
good as Josephus----"
"No nearer'n the boneyard," put in Marty, _sotto voce_.
"Anyhow, I see my failin' sure enough. Never was so reckless b'fore in
all my life," pursued Walky. "Mebbe, if I kep' on drinkin' that stuff
they sell daown ter the _ho_-tel, I'd drown both m' hosses--havin'
drowned m' own brains--like twin kittens, in ha'f an inch o' alcohol!
Haw! haw! haw!"
But despite his laughter Janice saw that Walky Dexter was much in
earnest. She said to Nelson that evening, in Hopewell Drugg's store:
"I consider Walky's conversion is the best thing that's happened yet in
our campaign for prohibition."
"A greater conquest than _mine_?" laughed the schoolmaster.
"Why, Nelson," Janice said sweetly, "I know that you have only to think
carefully on any subject to come to the right conclusion. But poor
Walky isn't 'long' on thought, if he is on 'talk,'" and she laughed a
little.
It was after Sunday School the following afternoon that Janice went
again to Pine Cove to see the Narnay baby. She had conversed with busy
Dr. Poole for a few moments and learned his opinion of the case. It
was not favorable.
"Not much chance for the child," said the brusk doctor. "Never has
been much chance for it. One of those children that have no right to
be born."
"Oh, Doctor!" murmured Janice.
"A fact. It has never had enough nutrition and is going to die of
plain starvation."
"Can nothing be done to save it? If it had plenty of nourishment
_now_?"
"No use. Gone too far," growled the physician, shaking his grizzled
head. "If I knew how to save it, I would; that's my job. But the best
thing that can happen is its death. Ought to be a hangin' matter for
poor folks to have so many children, anyway," he concluded grimly.
"That sounds _awful_ to me, Dr. Poole," Janice said.
"There is something awful about Nature. Nature takes care of these
things, if we doctors are not allowed to."
"Why! what do you mean?"
"The law of the survival of the fittest is what keeps this old world of
ours from being overpopulated by weaklings."
Janice Day was deeply impressed by the doctor's words, and thought over
them sadly as she walked down the hill toward Pine Cove. She went by
the old path past Mr. Cross Moore's and saw him in his garden, wheeling
his wife in her chair.
Mrs. Moore was a frail woman, and because of long years of invalidism,
a most exacting person. She had great difficulty in keeping a maid
because of her unfortunate temper; and sometimes Mr. Moore was left
alone to keep house. Nobody could suit the invalid as successfully as
her husband.
"Wheel me to the fence. I want to speak to that girl, Cross,"
commanded the wife sharply, and the town selectman did so.
"Janice Day!" called Mrs. Moore, "I wish to speak to you."
Janice, smiling, ran across the street and shook hands with the sick
woman over the fence palings. But she barely nodded to Mr. Cross Moore.
"I understand you're one o' these folks that's talking so foolish about
prohibition, and about shutting up the hotel. Is that so?" demanded
Mrs. Moore, her sunken, black eyes snapping.
"I don't think it is foolish, Mrs. Moore," Janice said pleasantly.
"And we don't wish to close the Inn--only its bar."
"Same thing," decided Mrs. Moore snappishly. "Takin' the bread and
butter out o' people's mouths! Ye better be in better business--all of
ye. And a young girl like you! I'd like to have my stren'th and have
the handling of you, Janice Day. I'd teach ye that children better be
seen than heard. Where you going to, Cross Moore?" for her husband had
turned the chair and was starting away from the fence.
"Well--now--Mother! You've told the girl yer mind, ain't ye?"
suggested Mr. Moore. "That's what you wanted to do, wasn't it?"
"I wish she was my young one," said Mrs. Moore, between her teeth, "and
I had the use o' my limbs. I'd make her behave herself!"
"I wish she _was_ ours, Mother," Mr. Moore said kindly. "I guess we'd
be mighty proud of her."
Janice did not hear his words. She had walked away from the fence with
flaming cheeks and tears in her eyes. She was sorry for Mrs. Moore's
misfortunes and had always tried to be kind to her; but this seemed
such an unprovoked attack.
Janice Day craved approbation as much as any girl living. She
appreciated the smiles that met her as she walked the streets of
Polktown. The scowls hurt her tender heart, and the harsh words of
Mrs. Moore wounded her deeply.
"I suppose that is the way they both feel toward me," she thought, with
a sigh.
The wreck of the old fishing dock--a favorite haunt of little Lottie
Drugg--was at the foot of the hill, and Janice halted here a moment to
look out across it, and over the quiet cove, to the pine-covered point
that gave the shallow basin its name.
Lottie had believed that in the pines her echo lived, and Janice could
almost hear now the childish wail of the little one as she shouted,
"He-a! he-a! he-a!" to the mysterious sprite that dwelt in the pines
and mocked her with its voice. Blind and very deaf, Lottie had been
wont to run fearlessly out upon the broken dock and "play with her
echo," as she called it. A wave of pity swept over Janice's mind and
heart. Suppose Lottie should again completely lose the boon of sight.
What would become of her as she grew into girlhood and womanhood?
"Poor little dear! I almost fear for Hopewell to come home and tell us
what the doctors say," sighed Janice.
Then, even more tender memories associated with the old wharf filled
Janice Day's thought. On it, in the afterglow of a certain sunset,
Nelson Haley had told her how the college at Millhampton had invited
him to join its faculty, and he had asked her if she approved of his
course in Polktown.
It had been decided between them that Polktown was a better field for
his efforts in his chosen profession for the present--as the college
appointment would remain open to him--and Janice was proud to think
that meanwhile he had built the Polktown school up, and had succeeded
so well. This spot was the scene of their first really serious talk.
She wondered now if her advice had been wise, after all. Suppose
Nelson had gone to Millhampton immediately when he was called there?
He would have escaped this awful accusation that had been brought
against him--that was sure.
His situation now was most unfortunate. Having requested a vacation
from his school, he was receiving no pay all these weeks that he was
idle. And Janice knew the young man could ill afford this. He had
been of inestimable help to Mr. Middler and the other men who had
charge of the campaign for prohibition that was moving on so grandly in
Polktown. But that work could not be paid for.
Janice believed Nelson was now nearly penniless. His situation
troubled her mind almost as much as that of her father in Mexico.
She went on along the shore to the northward, toward the little group
of houses at the foot of the bluff, in one of which the Narnays lived.
There were the children grouped together at one end of the rickety
front porch. Their mother sat on the stoop, rocking herself to and fro
with the sickly baby across her lean knees, her face hopeless, her
figure slouched forward and uncouth to look at.
A more miserable looking party Janice Day had never before seen. And
the reason for it was quickly explained to her. At the far end of the
porch lay Narnay, on his back in the sun, his mouth open, the flies
buzzing around his red face, sleeping off--it was evident--the night's
debauch.
"Oh, my dear!" moaned Janice, taking Mrs. Narnay's feebly offered hand
in both her own, and squeezing it tightly. "I--I wish I might help
you."
"Ye can't, Miss. There ain't nothin' can be done for us--'nless the
good Lord would take us all," and there was utter hopelessness and
desperation in her voice.
"Don't say that! It must be that there are better times in store for
you all," said Janice.
"With _that_?" asked Mrs. Narnay, nodding her uncombed head toward the
sleeping drunkard. "Not much. Only for baby, here. There's a better
time comin' for her--thanks be!"
"Oh!"
"Doctor says she can't live out th' Summer. She's goin' ter miss
growin' up ter be what _I_ be--an' what Sophie'll proberbly be. It's a
mercy. But it's hard ter part 'ith the little thing. When she is
bright, she's that cunnin'!"
As Janice came up the steps to sit down beside the poor woman and play
with the baby, that smiled at her so wanly, the sleeping man grunted,
rolled over toward them, half opened his eyes, and then rolled back
again.
Something rattled on the boards of the porch. Janice looked and saw
several small coins that had rolled out of the man's trousers pocket.
Mrs. Narnay saw them too.
"Git them, Sophie--quick!" she breathed peremptorily.
"Cheese it, Mom!" gasped Sophie, running on tiptoe toward her sleeping
father. "He'll nigh erbout kill us when he wakes up."
"I don't keer," said the woman, grabbing the coins when Sophie had
collected them. "He come out o' the woods last night and he had some
money an' I hadn't a cent. I sent him to git things from the store and
all he brought back--and that was at midnight when they turned him out
o' the hotel--was a bag of crackers and a pound of oatmeal. And he's
got money! He kin kill me if he wants. I'm goin' ter have some of
it--Oh, look! what's this?"
Janice had almost cried out in amazement, too. One of the coins in the
woman's toil-creased palm was a gold piece.
"Five dollars! Mebbe he had more," Mrs. Narnay said anxiously. "Mebbe
Concannon's paid 'em all some more money, and Jim's startin' in to
drink it up."
"Better put that money back, Mom, he'll be mad," said Sophie, evidently
much alarmed.
"He won't be ugly when the drink wears off and he ain't got no money to
git no more," her mother said. "Jim never is."
"But he'll find out youse got that gold coin. He's foxy," said the
shrewd child.
Janice drew forth her purse. "Let me have that five dollar gold
piece," she said to Mrs. Narnay. "I'll give you five one dollar bills
for it. You won't have to show but one of the bills at a time, that is
sure."
"That's a good idea, Miss," said the woman hopefully. "And mebbe I can
make him start back for the woods again to-night. Oh, dear me! 'Tis
an awful thing! I don't want him 'round--an' yet when he's sober he's
the nicest man 'ith young'uns ye ever see. He jest dotes on this poor
little thing," and she looked down again into the weazened face of the
baby.
"It is too bad," murmured Janice; but she scarcely gave her entire mind
to what the woman was saying.
Here was a second gold piece turned up in Polktown. And, as Uncle
Jason had said, such coins were not often seen in the hamlet. Janice
had more than one reason for securing the gold piece, and she
determined to learn, if she could, if this one was from the collection
that had been stolen from the school-house weeks before.