"But don't you know?" I urged, desperately. "Didn't you ask Granny?"
"Yes, I axed 'er, 'n' she 'lowed it's none o' my 'fair."
"But you said they would be back soon. How do you know?"
A sly grin crept to his thinly bearded lips.
"Look-y-here, pardner. Me 'n' you's frien's. I've et yo' grub 'n' drunk
yo' liquor 'n' slep' on yo' floor. I know yo 're lovin' Lessie 'n'
lovin' her hones'. I 'm a-gunta bring 'er back to yo'. I said I didn't
know whur they went, 'n' I don't, but I've got my s'picions. It mought
be a week, 'n' it mought be a mont', 'n' it mought be longer. But I 'm
a-gunta do it. Never yo' min' jes' how I'll manage. Th' day I fin' 'em
that day they start home, 'n' I don't 'low they 's so tur'ble fur,
neither."
I felt my throat choke up at this totally unexpected act of generous
devotion. I know my eyes grew moist, and it was several moments before I
could say anything.
"Satyr, I--I--you don't know how much I appreciate this. I don't deserve
it. But--can't I go with you on the search?"
Jeff Angel laughed his mirthless, jackass laugh before answering.
"Lord, no! This here pleasure trip 's all fur me. You jes' hang 'roun'
'n' wait fur nooze!"
"You'll need money--how much?"
My hand started toward an inner pocket, but instantly Jeff's long, wiry
fingers had gripped it, and dragged it down.
"Naw yo' don't, pardner!"
There was a peculiar earnestness to his voice and an exalted look in his
bleary eyes as, holding my hand hard down on the platform, he resumed:
"I wen' to hear Father John preach onct--jes' out o' cur'os'ty. He tol'
a tale 'bout a Feller whut some heath'ns nailed on a cross, 'n' that
Feller c'd a-he'p' Hisself if He'd a-wanted to, but He let 'em kill 'im
so 's a pas'l o' other fellows c'd live. Father John said 't wuz fur you
'n' me, too, 'n' ever'body, but I 'low he kin' o' got that part o' the
story crooked, 'cus that ain't natch'l. Anyhow, he 'lowed that whut that
Feller done saved th' worl', 'n' He done it 'ithout money 'n' 'ithout
price. That's whut stuck in my craw. Jes' think uv it! 'Ithout money 'n'
'ithout price! I ain't no sort o' eddicated, but it 'pears to me that
w'en a feller c'n do some'n' fur another feller 'ithout no sort o'
pay--some'n' that's shore 'nough, yo' know--that it'd make 'im holler'n'
'n' shout'n' happy fur quite a spell. That's whut I mean, pardner; 'n'
that's whut I 'low to do fur you--fur, b' gosh! I love yo'!"