ODDS AND ENDS.
The Spring-in-rock, or, as it was sometimes, by a curious perversion,
called, the "rock-in-spring," was a spring running out of a cave-like
fissure in a high limestone cliff. Here the old man sheltered himself on
that dreary Christmas evening, until Bud brought his roan colt to the
top of the cliff above, and he and Ralph helped the old man up the cliff
and into the saddle. Ralph went back to bed, but Bud, who was only too
eager to put in his best licks, walked by the side of old John Pearson
the six miles over to Buckeye Run, and at last, after eleven o'clock, he
deposited him in a hollow sycamore by the road, there to wait the coming
of the mail-wagon that would carry him into Jackson County.
"Good-by," said the basket-maker, as Bud mounted the colt to return. "Ef
I'm wanted jest send me word, and I'll make a forrard movement any time.
I don't like this 'ere thing of running off in the night-time. But I
reckon General Winfield Scott would a ordered a retreat ef he'd a been
in my shoes. I'm lots obleeged to you. Akordin' to my tell, we're all
of us selfish in everything; but I'll be dog-on'd ef I don't believe you
and one or two more is exceptions."
Whether it was that the fact that Pete Jones had got consid'able shuck
up demoralized his followers, or whether it was that the old man's
flight was suspected, the mob did not turn out in very great force, and
the tarring was postponed indefinitely, for by the time they came
together it became known somehow that the man with a wooden leg had
outrun them all. But the escape of one devoted victim did not mollify
the feelings of the people toward the next one.
By the time Bud returned his arm was very painful, and the next day he
went under Dr. Small's treatment to reduce the fracture. Whatever
suspicions Bud might have of Pete Jones, he was not afflicted with
Ralph's dread of the silent young doctor. And if there was anything
Small admired it was physical strength and courage. Small wanted Bud on
his side, and least of all did he want him to be Ralph's champion. So
that the silent, cool, and skillful doctor went to work to make an
impression on Bud Means.
Other influences were at work upon him also. Mrs. Means volleyed and
thundered in her usual style about his "takin' up with a one-legged
thief, and runnin' arter that master that was a mighty suspicious kind
of a customer, akordin' to her tell. She'd allers said so. Ef she'd a
been consulted he wouldn't a been hired. He warn't fit company fer
nobody."
And old Jack Means 'lowed Bud must want to have _their_ barns burnt like
some other folkses had been. Fer his part, he had sense enough to know
they was some people as it wouldn't do to set a body's self agin. And as
fer him, he didn't butt his brains out agin a buckeye-tree. Not when he
was sober. And so they managed, during Bud's confinement to the house,
to keep him well supplied with all the ordinary discomforts of life.
But one visit from Martha Hawkins, ten words of kindly inquiry from her,
and the remark that his broken arm reminded her of something she had
seen at the East and something somebody said the time she was to
Bosting, were enough to repay the champion a thousand fold for all that
he suffered. Indeed, that visit, and the recollection of Ralph's saying
that Jesus Christ was a sort of a Flat Creeker himself, were manna in
the wilderness to Bud.
Poor Shocky was sick. The excitement had been too much for him, and
though his fever was very slight it was enough to produce just a little
delirium. Either Ralph or Miss Martha was generally at the cabin.
"They're coming," said Shocky to Ralph, "they're coming. Pete Jones is
a-going to bind me out for a hundred years. I wish Hanner would hold me
so's he couldn't. God's forgot all about us here in Flat Creek, and
there's nobody to help it."
And he shivered at every sudden sound. He was never free from this
delirious fright except when the master held him tight in his arms. He
staggered around the floor, the very shadow of Shocky, and was so
terrified by the approach of darkness that Ralph staid in the cabin on
Wednesday night and Miss Hawkins staid on Thursday night. On Friday, Bud
sent a note to Ralph, askin him to come and see him.
"You see, Mr. Hartsook, I ha'n't forgot what was said about puttin' in
our best licks for Jesus Christ. I've been a-trying to read some about
him while I set here. And I read where he said somethin about doing fer
the least of his brethren being as the same like as if it was done fer
Jesus Christ his-self. Now there's Shocky. I reckon, p'r'aps, as anybody
is a little brother of Jesus Christ, it is that Shocky. Pete Jones and
his brother Bill is determined to have him back there to-morry. Bekase
you see, Pete's one of the County Commissioners and to-morry's the day
that they bind out. He wants to bind out that boy jes' to spite ole
Pearson and you and me. You see, the ole woman's been helped by the
neighbors, and he'll claim Shocky to be a pauper, and they a'n't no
human soul here as dares to do a thing con_tra_ry to Pete. Couldn't you
git him over to Lewisburg? I'll lend you my roan colt."
Ralph thought a minute. He dared not take Shocky to the uncle's where he
found his only home. But there was Miss Nancy Sawyer, the old maid who
was everybody's blessing. He could ask her to keep him. And, at any
rate, he would save Shocky somehow.
As he went out in the dusk, he met Hannah in the lane.