ANNIE MOVES IN
The hum of a motor at the gate brought Mary Gage to the window once
more, the third morning after Doctor Barnes' visit. It was Doctor
Barnes now, she knew. She could not see that he now helped out of the
car a passenger who looked about her curiously, more especially at the
figure of Sim Gage who, hands in pockets, stood gazing at them as they
drove into the yard.
"Listen," said Doctor Barnes under his breath to the young woman,
"that's the man--that's Sim Gage. Don't show surprise, and don't talk.
Remember what I've told you. For God's sake, play the game!"
Sim Gage slowly approached the car, and the doctor accosted him. "This
is Miss Squires, Mr. Gage," said he, "the young woman we have been
expecting."
"Pleased to meet you," said Sim, after the fashion of his extremest
social formality. And then, in a burst of welcome, "How'd you like it,
coming out?"
"Fine!" said Annie, dusting off her frock. "Lovely."
She paid no attention to Sim Gage's words, "Go right on in. She's
anxious to see you," but hurried on, muttering to herself, "Ain't it
the limit? And her blind!"
She stopped for an instant at the door, staring into the dim interior,
then with a cry rushed in. Mary, stone blind, stood staring,
trembling. The two met in swift embrace, mingled their tears.
"Oh, Mary, it can't be!" said Annie after a time. "It will get well,
won't it? Say, now--your eyes will come back, won't they? How did you
get here--what did you do? And you're married!"
"Yes," said Mary Gage, "that's true."
"Oh, then," said Annie Squires, pulling herself together with
resourcefulness, "that was your husband out in the yard, that
fine-looking man! I was in such a hurry. You lucky thing! Why didn't
you tell me more about him, Mary? He has such a pleasant way. I don't
mind men being light complected, or even bald. He's fine!"
"I think so," said Mary. "You like him?"
"Why, how could any one help liking him, Sis?" demanded Annie, choking.
"Of course. So this is where you live?"
"Yes, this is my home," said Mary Gage. "And then you're not
disappointed in him? I'm so glad! I've never seen him--my husband.
You're joking about the color of his hair, of course."
"You'll have to help yourself, Annie," she went on, having no reply.
"I'm not of much use. I've learned a few things and I help a little.
You can see about everything there is, I suppose, at one look. Isn't
it nice?"
"Couldn't be better," said Annie Squires, again choking back her tears.
"You certain are the lucky kid. And he--he married you after he saw
you was blind?"
"It was a strange thing for a man to do," said Mary Gage, slowly.
"Yes,--but fine."
"I'm glad you've done so well. This will settle a heap of things,
won't it, Mary?"
"Some things."
The step of Doctor Barnes was heard at the door. Mary Gage called out,
asking him to come in. Some talk then followed about the domestic
resources of the place, in which Annie was immediately interested.
"But I've got four hens," said Mary Gage, smiling.
"Well, it seems to be a right cheerful, friendly sort of place, don't
it?" said Annie after a while, "where they come in and kill the cattle
and horses and burn the house, and run away with people!" She was
looking at the burned door jamb of Sim Gage's cabin as she spoke.
Doctor Barnes had told her the story of the raid.
"Who's _that_ coming in?" she remarked after a time, having caught
sight through the window of an approaching figure.
"That's your neighbor, Wid Gardner," said Doctor Barnes.
"He's taller than some," said Annie after a time. "Gee, ain't he
plain! And ain't he sunburned!"
Wid Gardner himself presently approached the door, to be suddenly taken
aback when he met the somewhat robust and blooming young person who had
just arrived.
"You've knew Mrs. Gage for some time?" he managed to say at last, to
make conversation, after he also had declared himself pleased to meet
the newcomer.
"Lived together for years," said Annie. "Only real pal I ever had. I
took care of her the best I knew how. I'm going to keep on." A
certain truculence was in her tone.
Wid Gardner and Annie Squires soon found themselves together and
somewhat apart, for she beckoned him to meet her outside the cabin.
"Say, Mister," said she to him suddenly, "tell me,--are you the man
that wrote them letters to us girls? I know he never done nothing like
that." She indicated Sim Gage, who stood staring vacuously at her
trunk, which still stood upon the ground near the car.
Wid Gardner flushed deeply. "I ain't saying one way or the other,"
said he. "But I know the letters went, all right. Like enough we both
ought to of been shot for it."
"You know it, and you said it!"
"But now, Miss Squires," he went on, "we didn't ever really suppose
that anybody would answer our fool letters. We never did realize that
a girl would actual be so foolish, way that one was."
"Fine business, wasn't it, you men--to treat a good clean girl like
that! Look at that!" Again she indicated Sim Gage, withering contempt
in her tone.
"Who's going to run this place?" she demanded. "She can't."
"I dunno," said Wid Gardner vaguely. "You won't be going back right
away, will you?"'
"Not any quicker'n God'll let me!" said Annie Squires. Which struck
poor Wid silent.
Doctor Barnes and Sim had passed to the other side of the premises,
where the little group of men who had come in the day previous, and had
pitched their tent in the yard, were engaged in laying up the logs of
the cabin which was to be the quarters of the men stationed here.
There were a half dozen of them in all, a corporal, four privates, and
a carpenter impressed from the Company forces to supervise the building.
"In a week you won't know the place, Sim," said the doctor. "They'll
run this house up in jig time. With two bunk rooms and a dining room
and a kitchen, there'll be plenty of room. I'll see that it's
furnished. Gardner can stay here until he gets time to build on his
own place. That girl that came out with me is a good sort, as
big-hearted as they make them. It's a godsend, her coming out. She
told me she could cook, and would be glad to have a job. If your wife
can keep busy, it will be all the better for them both."
"But now, I told you I'd put you on the pay roll, Gage," he concluded.
"I want you to act as a scout here, to keep watch on this road and the
cross road into the Reserve. When I was in town I got you a
hat--regulation O. D.,--with a green cord around it, as I told you. Go
on over to the car and get it--it's yours."
Sim walked slowly over to the car and peered in at the new head gear.
He took it up gingerly by the rim, regarding the green cord with
curiosity. Half reverently he placed it on his head. A vast new pride
came to him at that moment. Never before had he taken on any badge of
authority, known any sort of singling out or distinction in all his
drab, vague life. No power ever had sent to him a parchment engraved
"placing special confidence in your loyalty and discretion." But even
his mind divined that now in some way he did represent the authority
and government of his country, that some one had placed confidence in
his loyalty and discretion. If not, why this green cord on his hat?
"When you wear that, Gage," said Doctor Barnes sharply to him, "you
button up your shirt and roll down your sleeves, do you understand?
You shave and you wash clean every morning. You comb your hair and
keep it combed. If I'm cast away as Major of this desert island out
here I'm going to be the law and the gospel. And the first thing, Sim
Gage, that a soldier learns is to be neat. Think of that cord on your
hat!"
"Doc," said Sim Gage, "that's just what I am a-thinking of."
"Well, I've got to go on back to the dam. I suppose those two women
can take care of themselves somehow now."
"I wish't you wouldn't go away," said Sim uneasily. "One woman is bad
enough--but now there's two of them."
"Two won't be as much trouble as one," said Doctor Barnes.
As he turned he saw standing in the door a figure which to him suddenly
seemed pathetic. It was Mary Gage. She was looking out now vaguely.
He did not even go over to say good-by.
In the meantime Annie Squires, not backward in her relations with
mankind, again engaged Wid Gardner in conversation as they stood at the
edge of the yard, and Wid's downcast head bespoke his lack of happiness
at what he heard.
"I never in all my born days saw a joint like this," said Annie, her
dark eyes snapping. "It ain't fit for cowboys--it ain't fit for
nobody. Her _married_ to him! And how on earth are we going to keep
it from her? If she ever knew--my God! it would break her
heart--she'd kill herself now if she knew the truth. Man, you don't
know that girl--you just think she's a common, ordinary woman, don't
you? You can't understand a woman like that, you people. She just
thought it was her duty to get married. Her _duty_--do you get
me?--her _duty_! It's a crime when a woman like that gets that sort of
bugs in their nut. Well, what could I do? I figured if she could
marry and get a good home it would be the best thing for her. Do you
know what us two girls done?--we flipped a copper to see which one of
us should have the chance. Wasn't that a fine thing to do? Well, she
won--and look at that!"
She again pointed to Sim Gage, who stood hands in pocket, looking after
Doctor Barnes' departing car. "Look at him! Is he human or ain't he?
He ain't got but one gallus, and I bet he ain't been shaved for a week.
His clothes may fall off him any minute. He's past forty-eight if he's
a day. Say, man, leave me take the ax and go kill that thing right
away! I got to do it sometime. Do you get me?"
"Yes," said Wid Gardner, somewhat agitated, "yes, there's a heap of
truth in what you say. There ain't no use in me denying not a single
thing. All I got to say is we didn't never mean to do what this here
has turned out to be. But now you've come out here, too, and in some
ways it makes it harder to keep things quiet. You don't look to me
like you was easy to be right quiet. What are you going to do about it
your own self?"
"I've told you what I'm going to do about it. Just as soon as the
Lord'll let us, I'm going to take her out of here. Do you think I'm
one of them sort that'll set down and let the world walk over me, and
say I like it? Oh, no, not sister Annie! I ain't blind."
"Say, Mister," said she a moment later as he maintained disconsolate
silence, "they call you Wid. What's your real name?"
"My name is Henry," remarked her companion. "They only call me Wid for
short."
"Huh! Well, now, Henry, go get some wood for supper. Cut it short
enough so the door'll shut tight. And fetch in another pail of
water--water's apt to get bad, standing around that way. And while
you're out along this little creek pull some of this water cress and
bring it in--didn't you know it's good to eat? And, Henry, if you've
got any cows, you see that one of them is brought over here, and a
churn--we got to have some butter. We got to get a garden started even
if it is a little bit late. And, Henry, listen, them hens got to have
some kind of a door to their coop--they're just walking around aimless.
And I want you to get a collar for that little dog--I'm going to see if
I can learn it to lead Mary around. There's a heap of things have got
to be done here. How long you been living here yourself?"
"Why, I don't live here a-tall," said Wid, aghast at the new duties
which seemed to be crowding upon him. "That's my place over there
acrosst the fence. I just strolled over in here to-day. They burned
me out."
"You two was neighbors, huh? And I suppose you both set around and
figured out that fine little game about advertising for a wife? Well,
you got one, anyway, didn't you?"
"Well, this ain't my place--Sim lives here."
"You don't suppose I'd ask him to do anything, do you?" said Annie
Squires. "He's no good. I tell you he'll be playing in luck if I
don't break loose and read the law to him."
"Well, now," said Wid, apologetically, "I wouldn't start any too strong
right at first. There ain't nothing he wouldn't do for her--nothing in
the whole, wide world."
"But now, about you," he added--"I'm glad you've come. It looks sort
of like you was going to move in, don't it?"
"You've said it," said Annie.
Wid Gardner looked at her curiously, and meekly went about his new
duties regarding wood and water.