CONCERNING A BABY'S WAIL
He was gripping both her hands and she had not moved. Her lips were
open, but she seemed powerless to speak. A loud thump startled the pair.
A shrill wail from the bedroom and Mrs. Floyd sprang up.
The baby had fallen from the bed and was now engaged in howling himself
purple in the face. Mrs. Floyd swooped down on him in a tremor, and
gathering him in her arms, went all over his sturdy body with speed and
precision, to ascertain in just how many places bones were broken.
"Lafe," she cried, "he's bumped his head. Oh, just look at this lump! My
own precious darling! Lafe, get the witch-hazel! Quick! No, no! In the
bathroom, on the window sill. Oh, he's holding his breath! Baby! Baby!"
She shook Tommy until he was forced to release the air in his lungs,
which he let go with a tearing yell. Johnson brought the bottle and
stood awkwardly holding it, while she applied some of the contents to a
red spot on the baby's forehead. Sally sat in a chair, rocking back and
forward, with her lips against her child's neck and her arms holding
him close. Little Tom clutched her tightly and gradually his cries and
sobs ceased. Lafe tiptoed to the door. He remained there a few minutes
to watch, leaning against the jamb. But Sally did not appear to notice
him as she crooned to the baby, who was sinking to sleep.
Johnson was standing at the edge of the steps, staring into the
blackness, when she came out. He threw away his cigarette on hearing her
call his name.
"Just look at that dark, Sally, will you?" he said. "It beats all."
At the tone of his voice, she cried: "Oh, Lafe, Lafe! I'm so glad!"
Mrs. Floyd did not specify why she was glad, nor did Johnson ask her.
She gave him both hands without hesitation, and they stood smiling at
each other in comradely fashion in the half-light from the hall. When he
spoke, it was to his childhood's playmate.
"Huh-huh!" she agreed. "Let's sit down and talk over old times. Do you
remember, Lafe, the grass fights we used to have? You were an awful
cheat."
"That's a lie, ma'am! Leastways, it ain't true. You done put a lizard
down my back with a bunch of grass."
They were in high glee when a clatter of hoofs broke in on them. It
startled Mrs. Floyd.
"What's that? Who's that?"
Two riders pulled up in front of the house, and Floyd stepped stiffly
out of the saddle. He gave the reins to Miguel, who disappeared toward
the corrals at a gallop. The boss was spattered with mud, and wringing
wet and dog-weary. As he came into the light, he dragged his feet, and
water ran in streams from his overalls and seeped from his boots.
"Tom!" His wife ran to him.
"Don't," he said. "I'm soaking."
"How did you get here? Mercy! You're a sight. Don't let the rain drip on
the rug! Stand over here."
"How's the bridge, Floyd?" Johnson asked.
"The bridge is down," the boss answered. "We done swum the river." Then
he chuckled grimly. "Miguel, he was plumb scared, but I pulled a gun on
him and made him go ahead."
He threw himself into a chair and removed his muddied spurs.
"I never dreamed you'd get back to-night," said Sally.
"I said I would, didn't I?"
Johnson, resting his shoulders against the sitting-room mantel, suddenly
bethought himself and went to his room, whence he returned briskly with
a bottle of whisky.
"This'll keep the cold out."
"Why, you must be half dead, you poor, dear old Boy Blue!" Sally cried;
the name fitted the boss as happily as Fido would a rhinoceros. "Wait,
and I'll cook you something."
Something in her manner or her words caused Floyd to lift his head
sharply. A slow smile twisted his features. He got up and went into the
dining-room to pour some water into his drink. Before he drained it, he
looked at his reflection in the glass above the sideboard. His eyes
showed tired but well content.
"Come on, Lafe," he said brusquely. "Let's eat."
"You're on," said the cheery Mr. Johnson.
Sally hovered about them, constantly running to the kitchen for hot
coffee and toast. Lafe sat back--it being his custom to bring his mouth
down to his fork, instead of his fork up to his mouth--and surveyed the
scene with much approval. Mrs. Floyd was at that moment pressing her
husband to a second plate of scrambled eggs.
"There's nothing like a home, after all," said the boss, with a sigh of
satisfaction. "You ought for to get married, Lafe."
"Hell!--yes!" said Lafe, who was sometimes careless in his speech.