GIVING AND RECEIVING
The call of the Jungle Folk, "Good hunting," was not fulfilled during
Donald's day in the forest. Game there was aplenty, but he made clumsy
work of following the fresh tracks in the wet wood mould, and missed the
one wild creature that he saw, for he shot at it rather by instinct than
design, and was not sorry that his bullet went wide. Indeed, love of the
out-of-doors and the thrill of the chase, rather than the wish to slay,
drew him into the woods for his brief respites from work and for
recreation each summer. He seldom killed except for food; the convulsive
pain-drawn death struggle, the cry of mortal agony, and the despairing
look in the glazed eyes of dumb, stricken animals held no fascination
for him. He saw too much of such things among human beings.
The day, truly, was a glory. The storm of the previous night had cleared
and revivified the air, which, for many days, had been oppressively
sultry; the irregular patches of sky, glimpsed through the branches,
were a transparent blue; the springy ground was bright with wild
blossoms and colorful berries,--dogwood and service berry,--adder's
tongue, bleeding heart and ferns in rich profusion. His subconscious
senses drank in the manifold beauties, but his active mind was otherwise
engaged.
To-day the solitude, usually so appealing, so restful after fifty
work-filled weeks amid the noisy turmoil of the city's life, lacked
something of its customary charm and satisfaction. The man found himself
with a real longing for the companionship of the simple old man and the
intimate appeal of the child, whose acquaintance he had enjoyed for a
few hours only. It was on them, rather than on his present occupation,
that his thoughts were bent.
At last approaching night found him safely back in the valley village,
where the keeper of the primitive boarding house expressed her
solicitation over his prolonged absence, as she handed him several
letters which had arrived the day previous. One epistle, from his
associate physician, Dr. Bentley, carried a pressing plea that he return
to Boston as soon as possible, and perform a difficult operation. The
call was so urgent that Donald regretfully concluded that duty demanded
his compliance.
He determined, however, not to leave without paying a final visit to his
new friends, and, soon after sun-up the following morning, set forth for
Big Jerry's cabin, carrying, as a present for Rose, a woven sweetgrass
basket filled with such simple confections as the general store
afforded. Nor had he forgotten a generous supply of pipe tobacco for her
grandfather.
Donald plunged into the woods and headed for Swift River, whose broken,
winding course he followed upward until he reached the rapids of rushing
molten silver and the low, but dangerous, fall which marked the spot of
the early tragedy in the child's life. As he stood there, cap in hand,
the sound of a low treble voice in song fell on his ears, coming from a
place not far distant.
Some one, alone under the cathedral arches of the forest, was softly
chanting the words of the simple, familiar hymn, "Nearer, My God, to
Thee," and, impelled by the unusualness of the thing at such an hour and
in such a place, Donald moved quietly forward until the solitary singer
was in view.
It was Rose. She was kneeling beside a low, rounded mound covered with
fresh-gathered forest vines, and sprinkled with wild flowers.
The meaning of the picture flashed at once into the man's mind. This was
the "birthday" of little Smiles--the anniversary of her advent to a new
life--and this her yearly pilgrimage of love and filial homage to those
barely remembered two who had given her being.
Donald waited in silence, leaning against a concealing tree trunk, until
the child had ended her act of simple devotion by throwing an unaffected
kiss from her finger tips, not towards the dead earth, but upwards to
the spirit world above.
[Illustration: "SHE WAS KNEELING BESIDE A LOW, ROUNDED MOUND"]
Then, as she arose and moved slowly away, her light step barely
disturbing the grass, Donald followed and overtook her. The girl's
greeting, although more subdued than on the morning before, was none the
less delighted, and, with her hand snuggled warmly in his, they made
their way to the cabin.
"I bids ye welcome, doctor," sang out Big Jerry, as he caught sight of
them. "Hit shor' air a fine day fer ter spend in ther woods."
"And I cannot spend it there," answered Donald, ruefully. "I've been
called back to the city to attend a little sick patient, and leave
Fayville on the noon train."
"Wall, now, thet air too bad, an' hit's mighty kind er ye ter come way
up hyar erfore yo' left," said the old man, while the girl's new
disappointment, caused by the announcement, was evident enough without
verbal expression.
"I brought you a package of tobacco, a little token of my appreciation
for your kindness to me night before last, Mr. Webb; and Rose a
'birthday' gift, just a few sweets in a basket which I found at the
store, and which struck me as pretty."
Jerry stumblingly expressed his gratitude for the present, and Rose
unconsciously curtsied, much as she must have thirteen years before. Her
lips and eyes smiled her shy thanks, but it appeared to Donald that
mischievous amusement struggled with appreciation in her look.
"Something seems to be amusing you, little lady. Let me into the
secret," said Donald.
Her silvery laughter broke from her lips, as she answered, "I'm shor'
obleeged fer the compliment yo' paid thet basket. I made hit myself."
"_You_ did? Why, it's wonderful, but it looks as though I'd been
carrying coals to Newcastle. Newcastle is the name of a town in England
where a great deal of coal comes from," he hastened to add, in
explanation.
"Like kerryin' water ter the river. I makes them leetle baskets odd
times, an' sells 'em ter the storekeeper in Fayville, but I never hev
none fer myself, somehow, an' I haint never a-goin' ter part with this
hyar one, leastwise ef I kin keep hit."
"Of course you may. It's my present to you just the same; but don't be
afraid that it is meant to take the place of the other things I have
promised you."
While he had been talking to the child, Big Jerry had picked up Donald's
rifle, and now stood caressingly running his hand down the blue-black
barrel, and over the polished black walnut stock.
Its owner watched him with inward amusement, yet fully understanding the
woodman's love for a perfect weapon. As an ordinary man would lift a
child's airgun, the giant tossed the rifle to a firing position,
snuggled the butt against his shoulder, and leaned his gray-bearded
cheek on it affectionately. Finally he lowered it regretfully to the
ground, and remarked, with the suggestion of a sigh, "This hyar shor'
air a mighty purty weepon, doctor. I reckon she'll drap a bullet purty
nigh whar hit's aimed ter go."
"Try it," encouraged Don, catching a look of almost boyish delight cross
the old man's face.
"Air she loaded? I haint right familiar with these hyar repeatin' guns,
with thar leevers an' sich."
The other threw a cartridge into the breech, and handed the weapon over,
with the remark, "She shoots a trifle high, compared with the average
rifle, I've found--perhaps an inch at a hundred yard range."
"Thank ye, sir," replied Jerry, and added simply, "I reckon I'll jest
chip the top off'n thet big rock erfore the oak tree, yonder." With the
last word came the gun's flash, and to Donald's amazement he saw a tiny
cloud of white dust rise from the peak of the boulder.
Rose was already running lightly towards the target accompanied by the
excited Mike, and her twinkling legs held such fleetness that the
trained athlete barely caught up with her as she finished the dash, and
triumphantly laid her finger on a leaden mark across the stone.
"Good Lord," gasped Donald, as Big Jerry approached more sedately, "I
thought that I could shoot some, but that ... that beats anything I ever
saw in the West, or on the stage. And with an unfamiliar gun, too."
"She shoots erbout ther same ter the left, too," commented the marksman
judiciously. "But et thet she air a moghty fine rifle-gun, an' I shor'
would be pleased ter own her, only I reckon yo' haint anxious ter sell."
"I'd as soon think of selling Mike, or any other of my good friends,"
promptly responded Donald, whereat a quick shadow of disappointment
crossed the old man's countenance.
"I erpreciates the feelin' thet ye hev fer hit," he said as he handed it
back. "Er gun air mighty nigh like blood kin ter a hunter."
"But we sometimes part even with certain of our kindred when the right
man comes along whom we can trust to love, honor and cherish them,"
laughed the younger man. "And, since I feel that I would be insulting
that gun to fire it again after the way _you_ fired it, I'm going to
honor it by giving it to you."
"Why ... why, in course I'm mightily obleeged ter ye, doctor; but I jest
couldn't think of acceptin' hit from ye," stammered Big Jerry,
struggling between the dictates of honor and insatiate desire.
"Don't say another word, my good friend; she's yours and I have several
others at home. Only please don't use it in any shooting feuds--if there
are such things still in existence nowadays. Since my profession is to
save human lives, I mustn't have a part in the taking of them even by
proxy, you know." Don's eyes were laughing.
"Yo' hev no cause fer worriment erlong thet line," earnestly answered
Jerry, as he patted the rifle, cradled in the crook of his arm like a
child. "My fightin' day air over, praise ter Gawd. Thar war a time when
I war sorter proud of ther notch thet's cut in the stock er my fust gun;
but now ... wall, I'd give a good deal ef 'twarn't thar. I figgers,
nowerdays, thet hit haint the Lord's purpose thet humans should spill
each other's blood, leastwise onless thar's somethin' bigger et stake
then spite er revengement."
"Tell him erbout the shootin' matches at the County Fairs whar yo' used
allus ter bear erway the prize, grandpap," interposed Smiles hurriedly,
with the obvious design of changing the current of the old man's
thoughts.
The latter seated himself on the rock, his face lighting with
reminiscence, as he complied, with the words, "Wall, ef I does say hit,
thar warn't many in Kentuck er West Virginny could handle a shootin'
iron with Big Jerry in them days, an', come County Fair time, I mostwise
allus kerried off the money prize an' the wreath give by ther queen.
'Twarn't fancy shootin', like they hes on the stage yo' war er-speakin
of, p'raps, but hit took a stiddy hand an' a clar eye ter do the trick.
Gener'lly the spo't ended with the pick er the rifle shooters a-trying
ter cut down ten weighted strings et a hundred paces, an' more times
then once I done hit in as many shots."
Then, as though somewhat ashamed at the boastfulness in his words, he
added hastily, "But I take no credit fer thet Gawd give me the skill
ter do hit, an' I might hev used hit ter better purpose then ofttimes I
did, fer I was overproud er my skill.
"I shor' thanks ye fer this hyar rifle-gun, an', come Thanksgiving time,
I hopes ter send ye a wild turkey bird killed by hit."
"If you do that I shall be more than repaid," responded Donald. "Well,
good friends of mine, I must be on my way; but don't think that you have
seen the last of me. I've found the ideal spot in which to spend a
vacation, and next summer I'll be back here again, D. V."
"What's 'D. V.'?" asked the girl, curiously.
"It stands for _Deo Volente_--Latin words which mean, 'God willing.'"
"I hopes thet yo' _does_ come back, an' we-all will be here ter welcome
ye, D. V." said Rose; then added, shyly, "I hev a gift fer yo' ter take
back home ter leetle Muriel, ef yo're willin'. Hit's in the cabin, an',
ef yo'll wait, I'll run an' git hit fer ye."
"Of course I'll be glad to take it to her, my child, and I know that
she'll be delighted both with it and the stories I shall tell her about
Smiles. But wait, I will go with you, for there is one thing more I want
to do before I leave, if you can find me a piece of string."
With a question in her wide-eyed glance, Rose led him back to the little
mountain homestead and, as soon as they were inside, hurried to produce
the desired article.
"Now then, hold up your arms," commanded Donald lightly.
Rose obeyed, and, slipping the string about her yielding waist, he drew
it taut and tied a knot to mark the resultant measurement. Following the
same procedure, he took the circumference of her chest, the length of
her arm, and from her neck to a few inches above her slender ankle.
Suddenly her puzzled expression gave place to one of understanding, and
the starry smile broke over her countenance.
"You've _guessed_," cried Donald with feigned disappointment.
"Ef hit's a secret, I won't even whisper hit ter no one," the child
responded gayly.
"Good. It _is_ a secret, but not a dark one."
"I reckon thet hit's all white," she gurgled. "An' now I hev a secret
fer _yo_' ter keep--leastwise till ye gits ter the city. Yo' promise,
too?"
"I solemnly swear," said Don, and, breaking away, the girl ran into her
own room and bashfully brought out a paper bundle through the top folds
of which protruded the twisted reed handle of a basket, somewhat similar
to the one of her own manufacture which he had given her. "This hyar
basket's fer the little girl; but, inside hit's something fer yo' ter
remember leetle Rose by. Also thar's a writin', askin' ye ter do
something fer me an' ef yo' kin do hit I will shor' be mightily obleeged
ter ye."
"I can't guess what on earth it is, but you may be sure that I will do
it if it can be done," he answered earnestly. "Good-by, Smiles. Even
without your gift as a reminder I shouldn't have forgotten you, and I
shall not think of the Cumberlands without seeing your dear little
face."
Donald took both her small hands in his big ones, and, yielding to a
sudden impulse, bent down and drew her towards him. For just an instant
she held back slightly, and the color swiftly mantled her cheeks. Then,
as he was on the point of releasing her, a little ashamed of his
intention, she freed her hands and, flinging them about his neck, kissed
him warmly again.
With the fresh, childlike pressure of her young lips on his, Donald went
hurriedly out, and, after a last hearty handclasp from Big Jerry, turned
towards the woods, an unaccustomed song in his heart.