OUT OF BONDAGE
During the night the storm broke, and the morning was fine and warm.
After breakfast Jasper and David sat on a log outside and smoked.
Betty was busy in the house, washing the dishes and tidying up the
rooms. She hummed softly to herself as she moved lightly across the
floor. She was anxious to get through as quickly as possible that she
might take David back to Jim Goban's. She felt a little uneasy for his
sake as she knew how angry his taskmaster would be with him. For
herself she did not care. If Jim said too much, she could leave him at
once. And yet she did not wish to go, for she felt that she must look
after this old man who was so helpless and depended so much upon her
for protection.
When her work was finished, she joined the men outside.
"It's time we were going, Mr. David," she began. "The river is calm
now, and it will not be hard rowing back."
"I wish you could stay here all day," Jasper replied. "I shall feel
very lonely when you go."
"But we shall come to see you again, sir. It has been so good of you
to keep us. But Jim Goban will be angry if we do not hurry home. I
know how he will rage as it is. The longer we stay the harder it will
be for him," and she pointed to David.
Scarcely had she finished speaking ere a team was heard driving
furiously along the road.
"Oh, it's Jim now!" the girl cried, "and I know he is mad by the way he
is driving. He's stopping at the gate, too!"
Jim had seen them from the road, and having tied his horse to a tree,
he made his way swiftly along the little path leading to the cabin. He
was certainly in no pleasant frame of mind, and when he came near he
gave vent to his feelings in coarse, brutal language.
David, rose and advanced to meet the angry man, hoping in some way to
appease his rage, but in this he was mistaken.
"Ye old cuss," Jim shouted, "what do ye mean by runnin' away with that
girl? Ye look as meek as a lamb but I guess ye're about as near a
devil as they make 'em."
"He didn't run away with me," Betty sharply replied. "I ran away with
him, that's the way it was, and you needn't get on your high horse, Jim
Goban. You, yourself, would be the first one to run away with a girl
if you could find one crazy enough to run with you."
"Shet up, ye fool," Jim shouted. "I didn't ask you to speak."
"I know you didn't," the girl calmly returned, "but that doesn't make
any difference. This is a free country, isn't it? We didn't ask you
to come here and make such a fuss, so you can go if you are not
satisfied with our company. We're quite happy where we are."
"But I'm not goin' without that cuss," and Jim looked savagely at the
old man. "You kin stay if ye want to with the guy who owns this cabin.
There'll be a nice little story fer the gossips before long, ha, ha."
At these words Jasper started, while his face went white and his hands
clenched together. He had listened in silence to Jim's tirade, and was
only waiting an opportunity to explain how the old man and the girl
happened to be at his place. But this pointed reference to him was
more than he could endure.
"What do you mean by that statement?" he asked, taking a quick step
forward. "Please explain yourself."
"There's nothin' to explain," and Jim gave a coarse laugh. "The
neighbours will do all the explainin' that is necessary."
"No, that's not the thing. You made an insinuation, and it's up to you
to explain before you leave. I have nothing to do with the neighbours;
it's you I am dealing with now. Yon have insulted this feeble old man,
and uttered words in reference to me and this girl. I want to know
what you mean."
"I don't have to explain anything," Jim retorted. "You mind yer own
business, and go to ----"
The oath had hardly left his lips ere Jasper with one lightning blow
hit him squarely between the eyes. Jim reeled back, and then with a
frightful oath leaped forward. But he was powerless before Jasper's
superior training and soon he was sprawling upon the ground while his
opponent stood bending over him.
"Had enough, eh?" Jasper asked. "If you want some more, get up. I
haven't had half enough yet."
"Leave me alone," Jim mumbled. "You'll pay up for this. I'll fix ye."
"What's that you say?" and Jasper stooped lower, "You're going to pay
me back? Well, then, I might as well fix you now, so you won't be able
to do anything in the future. I might as well have my satisfaction
when I can get it. So get up, or I'll knock the life out of your
measley carcass."
Seeing that Jasper was in earnest, Jim scrambled to his feet and barely
dodged the blow rained at his head.
"Fer God's sake, stop!" he yelled. "I won't do anything to ye. I
promise on me word of honour."
"And, you'll be good to this old man?" Jasper demanded.
"Yes, yes," and Jim trembled in every limb. "I'll be good to him if ye
don't hit me agin."
For a few seconds Jasper looked contemptuously upon the creature
cowering before film. He felt that he was lying, and just as soon as
he was out of his sight he would treat old David in a shameful manner,
and he himself would be helpless to interfere. What could he do? he
asked himself. A sudden idea came into his mind.
"What do you get for the keep of this old man?" he asked.
"Only a hundred," was the surly reply. "Not half enough."
"Well, look here, will you give him to me? I will take care of him for
nothing."
Into Jim Goban's eyes came a look of surprise mingled with doubt. The
man must surely be making sport of him, he thought. Then his natural
cupidity overcame him. Here was a chance to get clear of the pauper
and at the same time receive money for his keep. But how would the
overseers of the poor regard such a transaction?
"Will you let me have him?" Jasper again asked.
"Give me twenty-five dollars and he is yours," Jim replied.
"Twenty-five dollars! No, not a cent. You will make out of it as it
is; far more than you deserve."
"I can't do it, then," and Jim made as though to go. "Come on," he
ordered David and Betty. "Let's git away from here."
"Hold on," and Jasper stepped, up close to him; "if you do not let me
have the old man, I'll lay a charge against you for ill treating him, I
saw enough this morning to satisfy any one. Let me have him, and you
need have no more worry. Refuse, and you will regret it."
"But what will the overseers say if I give him up?" Jim whined.
"Oh, that can be easily settled. If they make a fuss, send them to me.
But I guess they won't bother their heads."
Jim still hesitated. He longed to get more out of this bargain.
"Hurry up," Jasper demanded. "What do you say?"
"Oh, take the cuss, then. I wish ye joy of him. I'm off now. Come,
girl, let's git home."
During the whole of this affair Betty had been a most interested and
excited witness. She was delighted at the thought of David's freedom,
and when Jim at last agreed to part with him she could hardly repress a
cry of joy. It took her but a second to make up her mind, and she was
ready when Jim spoke to her.
"I'm not going with you," she told him.
"Not goin'! Why, what d'ye mean?" and Jim looked his astonishment.
"I'm going to stay with Mr. David. He needs me more than you do. I'm
going to take him to my own home. He will be happy there and treated
like a gentleman."
"Ho, ho! so that's the game, eh? Treat him like a gentleman! Well, do
as ye like; it's nothin' to me, so I'm off."
They watched him as he strode across the field, unhitched his horse and
drove away.
"There, we're rid of him at last," and Jasper gave a sigh of relief.
"Isn't it great!" Betty exclaimed turning to David. "To think that you
are going home with me!"
But the old man was looking at Jasper and did not hear the girl's cry
of delight. In his eyes was an expression of gratitude. He tried to
speak but words failed him, and tears flowed down his cheeks. Jasper
was visibly moved, and turned suddenly to Betty.
"You are willing to keep him for awhile?" he asked.
"Yes. Mother will be so pleased to have him, and I will work hard to
help her."
"Where will you work? At Jim Goban's?"
"No, I am through there. But I will get work somewhere. I will talk
it over with mother. I think we had better be going now."
Thrusting his hand into his pocket Jasper brought forth several bills.
"Take these," he said, "they are all I can give you now, but you shall
have more later."
"But you need the money yourself," the girl replied.
"Not as much as you will need it. So say nothing more about it.
Good-bye. I hope to see you again."
Jasper watched the two as they moved slowly across the field and then
disappeared down the road. He felt lonely when they were gone, and he
sat for some time in front of the cabin lost in thought. At times he
called himself a fool for what he had done. Why should he be burdened
with that old man when he could hardly make his own living? And
besides, he had no work to do, and had given away his last dollar. But
notwithstanding all this, a secret feeling of satisfaction stole into
his heart that he had helped old David and had taken him out of Jim
Goban's clutches.
As he sat there the bell of the nearby church rang forth, and he
realised for the first time that it was Sunday morning. He did not
feel in a mood for attending service. He needed a long walk to think,
and shake off the spirit of depression that was stealing over him.
Entering the cabin, he prepared a small lunch, and then closing the
door he struck out across the field in the direction of Break Neck
Falls. He wished to go there to view the scene where David planned to
erect his plant and do such wonderful things. He smiled grimly to
himself as he thought of the old man's delusion. Reaching the brow of
the hill just where the trail started from the main road, he paused and
looked down to his left. He could see clearly Peter Sinclair's house
with the tall trees surrounding it. Bitter feelings came into his
heart as he stood there. Over yonder lived a man who had the power to
do so much good in the world. He could help old David and give him a
comfortable home for the rest of his life. Why should some men have so
much of this world's goods and others so little? he asked himself.
Then he thought of Dick, and a contemptuous smile curled his lips. He
recalled his feelings the previous day when he had watched the car go
by and listened to the salutation of "Spuds."
And standing there his feelings suddenly underwent a marvellous change,
for walking slowly across the field was Lois on her way to church. She
was some distance away so Jasper was sure that she could not see him.
As in the past so now he was forced to worship her afar off. It was
not for him, poor and unknown, to draw any closer. The trees along the
path she walked could bend above her and the bright flowers could smile
up into her face. But for him there could be no such favours. He was
half tempted to hasten back to church. There he could be quite near
and watch her. He banished this thought, however, as he glanced down
at his own rough clothes and coarse boots.
Jasper watched Lois until she disappeared from view behind a clump of
birch trees. Then leaving the highway he walked slowly along the trail
leading to the falls.