It was the evening of the day that the baby had been laid under a slim,
tall young pine tree back of the little house.
Jude felt that he had borne himself heroically throughout the trying
episode.
Never having cared for the child in life, he considered himself a pretty
good father to hide his relief at its early taking off.
As a man of means--what mattered if they were Gaston's means?--he had
had a really impressive funeral for his son.
The Methodist minister from Hillcrest had preached for full an hour over
the tiny casket. Not often did the clergyman have so good an opportunity
to tell the St. Angéans what he thought of them.
He dealt with them along old and approved lines. He had heard of Drew's
religious views and he took this occasion to include a warning of the
damning influence that was about to enter the vicinity with the young
minister's return.
"I warn you now," he thundered over the dead baby, "to make the life of
this infidel, this God-hater, a burden to him."
Filmer from his rear corner, winked at Gaston at this. Gaston could see
nothing amusing in the service--it was all in the passing show--a
pitiful and added agony.
In that the show was a little grimmer than usual he found his resentment
rising. So Gaston did not return the pleasantry of Jock's wink.
After the service, Jude had insisted that there should be no unseemly
haste, and had instructed his chosen representatives to form a line and
walk from the house to the tavern and back twice with the tiny remains,
before they were finally laid to rest. This show of respect was talked
of in St. Angé for days.
Through all the bitter day Joyce had followed dumbly whatever others
did. It was like walking in her sleep, and she was grateful that she
felt no sorrow.
She had feared if the baby died it might kill her, and now that it was
dead she did not mind at all.
Her arms ached a little at times. She thought that was queer; they had
never ached when they bore the baby.
At last she and Jude were back in the awful, quiet house. It was more
awful now that Jude was there. For after the burial, and before the
evening meal, he had been lessening his tension with some boon
companions, down at the Black Cat, and Joyce had had the place to
herself.
Jude, having relaxed to the state of geniality, was willing to let
bygones be bygones in the broadest sense of the word. He had big plans
afoot--he had had them the night he came home and found Gaston and Joyce
hanging over the baby. These plans had been set aside while the baby was
taking his pitiful leave of life after his one smile, but Jude must
hurry his case now. Nothing stood in the way--and, although many a woman
might get what she deserved, Jude was going to forgive Joyce again and
take her to his bosom in a new life, and they'd both forget what was
past.
The hold of youth and beauty clutched the man's inflamed senses. The
evening meal, which Joyce had mechanically prepared, had been partaken
of--by Jude--until little but fragments was left.
A black shower, which had passed over St. Angé in the late afternoon,
had changed the sultry heat to ominous chill. The wind among the pines
sobbed dismally as if it were a human thing and could understand.
Jude got up and shut the door. It was quite dark outside, and the lamp
flickered in the breeze.
At his action Joyce sprang from the chair, and the dull calm that had
possessed her for the past day or so was shattered. Her eyes blazed, and
the colour came and went in the stern, white face.
"Don't--do--that!" she panted, springing to the door and flinging it
back.
"What in thunder is the matter with you?" Jude stepped aside. Something
in this change and fury startled him.
"Don't shut--the--door, Jude. We--we--can't leave him out there alone in
the cold. He's so little--our--baby!"
Jude had a moment of doubt as to how he should deal with this foolery.
If he were quite sure it was just Joyce's nonsense--but perhaps she had
gone crazy. The thought stayed him.
Then he considered that in either case he must get the upper hand, and
at once. All depended upon that.
"Go and set down," he commanded, eyeing the girl as she stood in the
open doorway. "You don't 'spose we're going to live with open doors, do
you?"
There was mastery in the tone, and, to gain her end, the woman resorted
to her only course.
"Just--for to-night, Jude--just a little way open. I'd choke if I--shut
him away so soon--and he so little and--and--all."
Fear of what he did not understand roused in Jude a brutish desire to
overcome this something that threatened. For a moment he decided to rush
from the house and leave the thing to work out its own way; but second
thought brought with it his plans, which must be set in motion at once.
This attitude of Joyce's was a new obstacle, but if he conquered her, he
might overcome it. So by sheer force of weak will he strode over to the
woman who defied him, even while she pleaded, and grasped her roughly by
the shoulder.
In that touch Joyce recognized what all suppressed and deprived
womanhood has always felt, and she recoiled to reconnoitre.
"You do as I tell you, Joyce, and go and set down. The door is going to
be shut and you take that in, plain and quick." He drew her away, and
slammed the door with a crash.
Joyce went quietly to her chair, but a new and terrible look came into
her eyes.
Jude sat on the edge of the table, disregarding the spotless cover and
soiled dishes. He wanted to be near Joyce in case of an outbreak, and he
had much to say.
"Are you listening to me?" he asked slowly, as if he were speaking to a
child.
"Oh! yes," Joyce replied, and her tone reassured him; "I'm listening."
"Do you think you've ever taken me in any?"
The man's sullen black eyes held the clear, bluish-gray ones.
"Oh, never, Jude! You're terribly smart. I've always known that--but
please--" the strained eyes turned for the last time toward the door.
"Cut that out!" said Jude. "You're just acting. You can't pull me by the
nose, but it will pay you to calm down and listen to what I've got to
say. I've heard from your father!"
"Have you?" The white impassive face did not change expression.
"Yes; by thunder! I have; and as it concerns you as much as it does me,
you better take more interest. I heard from him more'n two weeks ago. I
met him, too, in the south woods, a few nights back."
"What's he hiding for?" the monotonous tone jarred Jude more than any
outbreak of temper could have done. His recent restraint, and his
pent-up plans had worn his nerves to the raw edge. He was in the slow,
consuming stage of emotions that was likely to lead him to a desperate
move if he were balked.
"Now look here," he blurted out; "you and me has got to get down to
business, and that to once! I've kept mum long of the kid's taking-off."
Joyce's eyes widened as she stared through the open window over which
the rose-vine was being lashed by a new storm.
"I've bided my time, and it was more for you than for me, you can bet.
"This is the big time of our lives, and I ain't going to hold back any
facts what can make things clear and reasonable. Me and your father want
you, maybe for different reasons, maybe not. You ain't the common sort,
and we know you can help us. If you was like most women, him and me
wouldn't have no compunctions about cutting, and leaving you to ways
what you seem to hanker after. But he's actually pining for a sight of
you, and even knowing what I do about you, I can't give you up! That's
the plain situation as far as you're concerned, and you can take it for
what it's worth. Are you listening?"
"Oh! yes, yes, I'm listening, Jude." And so she was. She was listening
to the moan in the tree-tops. It sounded like the last plaintive cry her
child had made, and it hurt her cruelly.
"I've got more money in hand, Joyce, than what I ever had--I've got
fifteen hundred dollars."
Somehow this had power to reach the listener as nothing before had done.
Her aching eyes fell upon Jude, and a new fear contracted them.
"Where did you get it--the money--Jude?"
"That's my business. I'm only dealing with facts."
"Yes, but I must know. It--it isn't yours, Jude."
"Isn't it?" Jude laughed. "Well, then, we'll call it mine for argerment.
That pa of yours is a slick one!" The sudden change of subject relaxed
the brief interest Joyce had shown in the conversation.
"Leaving here in the sulks about you, what does he do but go down to
what he calls civilization, and strikes a rich claim first thing. All
that was lacking was ready money. Back he comes, and finds out the lay
of the land here, without so much as showing his nose. He says he had
several plans to get money--but this plan of mine is the easiest, so
we're going to work it. All my life I've dreamed by day and night"--a
sudden glow illumined Jude's dark face,--"of the road and where it
leads. Always, as true as God hears me, Joyce, always, as boy and man,
when I've fancied myself on the road, and beyond the forests, I've
always seen you beside me. I don't care what you are, or what
temptations beset you--you've always been the one girl for me. We're
going to begin a new life now--with no back flings at each other. Give
me a kiss on it, girl."
Jude came over to her, and she felt his hot, excited breath on her cheek
and throat.
Dazed as she was by what he had said, she was frightened at his manner,
and drew back, warding him off with rigid hands.
"Don't!" she cried, hoarsely. "Don't touch me. You're all wrong--I'm not
going anywhere with you. I'm going to stay right here--I swear it!"
"You won't go?" Everything swayed and trembled before Jude. "But if I
promise to--to--pay it back? You know there was no time set." This was
the last concession Jude was to make. His horrible suspicions were
choking him.
"I'm not going. I--I couldn't--I--couldn't leave--him." The white face
quivered and the big eyes overflowed with tears.
Jude had only one thought--a thought lashed to the fore by his jealous
rage, and defeated hopes. And poor Joyce, distraught and grief-crazed,
realized not the terrible blunder he was making.
"You're--staying--just--for him?" Jude was close to her now, and his
breath came short and hard.
"Yes; I know you won't ever understand. If I was away, I couldn't bear
my life--this--this longing would be always tugging at me--and I could
never help it. If we stay here, Jude, I'll go on just the--same; it's
being--near--that counts!"
"You--tell me this to my face--you fool!"
For an instant Joyce's dull agony wavered, and an inkling of what Jude
meant rushed upon her.
"Oh!" she gasped, and put her hands out to him. But it was too late. The
hot blood was surging in the weak brain. With a violence he had never
shown before, the man flung the outstretched hands from him, then he
struck viciously the white terrified face twice, leaving dull, red marks
to bear witness.
His rage fed upon the brutality. Now that he had let himself loose, he
gave full rein to his hate and revenge.
He gripped the slim, childish arm, and pushed the shrinking form before
him.
"Go--you!" With one hand he drew the door back, and hurled the girl out
into the black storm. "Go to _him_!"
Joyce kept her feet, but she staggered on until a tree stopped her
course. The contact was another hurt, but she gave small heed to it.
Like a burning flash she seemed to see two things: Jude's true
understanding of her blundering words; and her possible future, after
she had made him understand. For, of course, she must go back and _make_
him understand, and then--well, after such a scene, a woman's life was
never safe in St. Angé. It was like a taste of blood to a wild animal.
Still she must go back. In all the world there was nothing else for her
to do.
Her face stung and throbbed, her arm ached where Jude had crushed the
tender flesh. She leaned against the tree that had added to her pain,
and wept miserably for very self-pity. She was downed and beaten. After
all she was to be like the rest of St. Angé women.
Sounds roused her. Strange, terrific sounds.
What was Jude doing?
Trembling in every limb, she went forward and peered through the
rose-vine into the room.
The rain was cooling her face and the wind was clearing the agonized
brain.
Inside, the scene struck terror to the watcher's heart.
Jude was crashing the furniture to pieces in a frenzy of revenge.
The chairs were dashed against the chimney; the books hurled near and
far. One almost hit the white face among the vines, as it went crashing
outward.
Then Jude attacked the pictures--her beautiful pictures!
The mountain peak was shattered by a blow from the remnant of the little
rocker, then the ocean picture fell with the sound of splintered glass.
Last the Madonna! Joyce clutched her heart as the heavenly face was
obliterated by the savage blow. Then, maddened still further by his own
excesses, Jude laughed and struck with mighty force, the lamp from the
table--and the world was in blackness!
How long Joyce stood clinging to the vine in abject terror, she was
never to know.
Consciousness of the live, vivid sort, was mercifully spared her for a
space. She knew, but did not comprehend, the true horror of her
situation.
No thought of explaining now to Jude occurred to her as she stood
cringing and trembling against the house in the darkness. Only one
thought possessed her vitally--Jude must never see her again. If he did,
he would kill her. Kill her as Pierre was said to have killed poor
little Lola, long, long ago.
Joyce's teeth chattered and she gripped her shaking hands over them.
When her heart _did_ beat--and minutes seemed to pass when it made no
motion--it hurt her cruelly.
What was he doing in there? The storm was gaining power, and no other
sound rose in the blackness. Then suddenly Jude rushed from the house.
He passed so close to Joyce that his coat touched her. By some power
entirely outside of ordinary hearing or seeing, Joyce knew that he was
making for the Black Cat with the tale of his wrongs. They all did that.
It was the finishing stroke for the woman.
Alone, in the blackness and storm, reason reasserted itself in Joyce's
mind. It brought no comfort with its restored poise; rather, it brought
a realization of her true position. Her life was as utterly shattered
and devastated as was the little home. Everything was gone. The future,
with pitiful choice, was as densely black as the night that shut her in
with her dull misery. With Jude, there could be no possible
understanding. To confront him, even with the powers of the Black Cat at
call, would be the wildest folly. There was nothing to say--nothing.
Still, Jude had money. It was quite plain to the keen mind now--it was
Gaston's money! Ralph Drew had probably sent the money in payment and
instead of passing the amount on to Gaston, who had advanced the
different sums, Jude was making off with it. She must stop that. For
herself, what did it matter? But still, if Gaston, who had such power,
could hold Jude and claim the money, he might find a way out of this
awful trouble. She must go to Gaston, and at once.
Aching in every limb, and soaked to the skin, Joyce turned toward the
North Woods. The howling wind was with her, and it was the only help she
had. So she came at last to the lonely little shack among the pines.
Gaston had built a roaring piney fire upon the hearth of his outer room.
He was luxuriating before this with a long-stemmed pipe between his
lips.
The day had perplexed and touched him deeply. Never before in all his
St. Angé life had he seemed to get so close to the heart, the human
heart, of things. Joyce's white, still anguish over the death of her
baby had tugged at his feelings.
So _that_ was what mother-love meant the world over?
A sharp, quick knock startled him. Gaston rose at once. He knew upon the
instant who it was. He knew that from some dire necessity Joyce was
calling for his aid.
There was no time nor inclination for him to fall back upon that inner
sense of his and seek to peer beyond the present and its need. He strode
to the door, flung it open, and Joyce and the terrific storm burst into
the room together!
"He--he's driven me from the house." The girl's wild face made
unnecessary the idle question that Gaston spoke.
"Who?"
"Jude." Then Gaston shut and barred the heavy door. He could at least
exclude the rain and wind.
"Look here! and here!" the girl pointed to her bruised face upon which
the storm's moisture rested, and the slender arm with its brutal mark.
"Good God!" ejaculated Gaston, as he gazed in horror, "and on this day!"
Rage against Jude, tenderness for Jude's victim, struggled hotly in
Gaston's mind; but presently a divine pity for the girl alone consumed
him.
Her misery was appalling. Now that she was comparatively safe, bodily
weakness overpowered her. She swayed, and put her hands out childishly
for support--any support that might steady her as her world went black.
Gaston caught her and placed her gently in his deep, low chair.
"Poor girl!" he murmured, "Poor Joyce! You're as wet as a leaf. Here!"
He quickly brought one of the red blankets from the inner room. "Here,
let me at least wrap you in something dry. And now drink this, it will
do you good."
He poured some wine into a glass and held it to her blue, cold lips.
"Come, Joyce! We'll straighten things out. Trust me."
She gulped the warming wine, and shivered in the blanket's muffling
comfort.
"And now," Gaston was flinging logs on the blazing embers, "you're
coming around. Whatever it is, Joyce, it isn't worth all this agony of
yours."
"I'm--I'm afraid they'll come and kill us." Joyce's eyes widened and the
old fear seized her again. The momentary comfort and thought of safety
lost their hold.
"In God's name, Joyce, hush! You're safe and I'm not afraid. Come, don't
you see if you want me to help you, you must pull yourself together?"
"Yes; yes; and we--I must hurry."
Now that he had time to think, Gaston knew pretty well what had
occurred. The vulgar details did not matter. The one important and
hideous fact was, that for some reason, Jude, with the crazy brutality
that had long been gathering, had flung his young wife from his
protection on to Gaston's.
Well, he would accept the responsibility. He was quite calm, and his
blood was up. A pleasurable excitement possessed him, and he laughed to
calm the fear he saw in Joyce's eyes.
The clock struck nine. All that was respectable and innocent in St. Angé
was in bed at that hour.
Gaston wondered what he was going to do with the girl. The thought did
not disturb him; but, of course, he must make arrangements.
Long ago he had so shut out his own world that he could not, now, call
upon it for Joyce's protection. St. Angé was impossible as a working
basis--his thoughts flew to Filmer. Yes; as soon as Joyce could explain,
he would go for Filmer and together they would solve this riddle for the
poor, battered soul, shrinking before him.
He must hurry her a little. St. Angé and nine o'clock must be
considered.
The wine had brought life and colour into the white face. The glorious
hair, now rapidly drying in the warm room, was curling in childish
fashion above the wide eyes.
She was certainly too young and pretty to run the risk that the night
might bring.
A complication arose. Divine pity made way for a sense of the girl's
beauty and helplessness. The bruise upon the soft cheek cried out for
tenderness and protection. Gaston strove to detach himself from the
personal element. He strove to feel old and fatherly but he was still
young; Fate was tempting him in the subtlest manner. The best and the
worst of the man came to the fore.
The wind howled outside; the warmth and comfort held them
close--together, and alone.
What did anything matter? They had both done their parts. They had tried
to be what the world called good--and here they were tossed back upon
each other, and not a hope beyond.
Then Gaston found himself speaking quite outside of the consciousness
that was almost stifling him with its allurement.
"Joyce, I must take you home as soon as you can walk. I can straighten
this out. It shall not happen again. You forget I have a certain hold
over Jude."
"There is no home." The words fell dully from the girl. "He--he broke
and destroyed everything before--he went to the Black Cat."
Gaston started.
"But he--did not know you came here? You see it will be in your favour,
if they find you there among the ruins. I'll see to it--that they go and
find you there. Can you walk now?"
"Yes, but--but you do not understand. The money--it was that I came to
tell you about--Jude has a great deal of money--I think Mr. Drew has
just sent it. He's going to--get away--with my--father."
Gaston now saw that no time must be wasted. If necessary he must carry
Joyce, and set her down near her fallen shrine--then he must stop Jude.
The money did not matter; but a frenzy of self-preservation, mingled
with his desire to save Joyce, rose within him. The money was his hold
on Jude; it was the only salvation for this critical moment.
Now that he faced the grim possibility, he found that he was as eager to
preserve a clean future for himself as for her.
He must get her back. He must find Filmer, and he must lay hold of Jude.
"Come, Joyce, trust me, I swear to you that it will be all right."
He took her hand and led her toward the door. Then a confused noise
outside stayed them.
There was a crushing of underbrush as if a light wagon was being driven
over the narrow path; a mingling of voices rose excitedly.
"You damned scoundrel!" It was Filmer's voice. "Don't you utter that lie
again until he's had a chance to fling it back in your teeth. Whatever
your cursed row has been, he's got nothing to do with it. Shut up!"
"Hold on there, Filmer." It was Tate speaking. "This here wagon's got
wedged in the trees. I want to see this thing settled square. If
she's--" a bristling string of epithets followed, then Tate apparently
freed the vehicle he was in, for he jumped to the ground and joined the
knockers at the door.
So the morality of St. Angé was at stake! Gaston showed his teeth in a
hard smile. There was but one conclusion for them all to come to, of
course.
"Say, Gaston, old man!" Filmer shouted; "open up. I thought maybe you'd
like to bid Jude an affectionate farewell before he skipped. If he owes
you--_anything_, here's your chance!" Another knock shook the door.
The two inside looked at each other--man and woman! They both knew with
what they had to deal. A dare-devil expression rose to Gaston's face. He
tossed precaution to the winds.
Abject terror possessed Joyce and she reeled as she stood, clutching the
blanket closer. Gaston put an arm about her, strode to the door,
unbarred it, and flung it back.
"Well," he said to the men on the threshold, "what are you going to do
about it?"
Filmer staggered as if Gaston had struck him, and the look in his eyes
went scathingly to Gaston's heart. But while it hurt, it aroused
resentment. What right had Filmer to judge--Who knew _his_ past? But
Gaston knew Filmer was _not_ judging. He knew he was only bidding
farewell to his one friend of the Solitudes. The friend he had trusted
and revered.
The effect upon Jude was quite different. No doubt swayed him--he was
merely debating in his mind whether he could now get away with the
money and the wagon he had hired.
"Since you've got her--" he stammered, "how about--the--the money?"
The question nerved Gaston.
"Money?" he cried; "get out with it, you thief and would-be murderer.
Use it to get as far from here as you can, for as true as there is a
heaven above us, if you ever interfere with me or--mine--again, I'll
shoot you at sight. Get out--all of you!"
He slammed the door violently shut, and with clenched hands and blazing
eyes, he faced his companion.
He and she were the only ones in the new world. Stung by the memory of
the look of lost faith in the eyes of the one friend to whom he had
planned to turn in this emergency; recalling Jude's glance of triumph as
he turned away, Gaston's moral sense reeled, and the elemental passions
rose.
Joyce stood shrinking before him. Beaten, bruised and trapped, she
awaited her doom.
Her primitive love for this man held no part in her present condition.
Whatever he consigned her to, that must she accept. St. Angé standards
were well known to her. The people would be quick enough to spurn
personal responsibility for her, but if she were independent of
them--well, they were not the ones to hold resentment!
No moral training had ever had part in this girl's life; nothing held
her now but a fear, born of her past experience with man's authority, as
to her future fate.
She was abandoned and disowned. Her recent loss and grief had bereft her
of any personal pride and hope--like a slave before its master, she
faced Gaston--and mutely waited.
The unexpected happened. Gaston laughed. Laughed in the old, unconcerned
way; but presently the rising awe and question in the lovely eyes
looking into his own, sobered him. He began to understand and to get her
point of view. He stood straighter, and a new expression passed over his
face.
"Sit down, Joyce," he said, urging her gently toward the chair, "I must
mend the fire. Things look as if they had fallen to pieces, but they
have not. Believe me--they have not. For heaven's sake stop trembling;
every shudder you give is an insult to me. There, there, you don't
understand, but, it's coming out all right. It was only when others were
meddling that we got on the rocks. I've got the rudder in my hand now,
and by God's help," he was fiercely flinging on the logs, "we'll sail
out into the open with colours flying. When did you eat last?"
She was watching him with alert, feverish eyes. Like an ensnared animal
she felt a frenzied eagerness to be ready for the snarer's next move.
"Eat?" she faltered, "why, why, I have forgotten.
Yesterday--to-day--oh! does it matter? I'm not hungry."
"Well, I am. I always wanted a snatch after the play."
"The--the play?" Joyce leaned forward.
"After an infernal row, if you like that better. They both play the
dickens with your digestion."
Bringing out the food, and making coffee eased the tension of the
situation and after they had eaten, for Joyce struggled to follow his
example, the atmosphere was less electrical.
The hands of the clock got around to ten-thirty; it was of no
consequence, however, and then Gaston cleared the table, kicked a
rebellious log back to its duty, and drew a chair beside Joyce.
The little bruised arm lay stretched pitifully along the arm of the
chair. Gaston winced as he saw it, and he laid his strong, warm hand
over the cold fingers that did not draw away.
"Joyce." His voice was almost solemn in its intensity. "I don't believe
there is anything I can say that you would understand now. God knows, I
pity you from the bottom of my soul and, God helping me, I'm going to
help you in the best way I can. You need rest more than any other little
woman in the world to-night, I reckon, go in there," he nodded toward
his own chamber, "and try your best to sleep. I want to smoke and think
it all out here by the fire. Remember, you are safe."
She rose stiffly and stood before him. Fear was gone from her; weakness
remained; a horrible, sickening weakness, but no fear. Vaguely,
gropingly, she tried to understand what lay behind his slow, solemn
words, but the effort was too great. She sighed and looked down upon him
as if he had suddenly become a stranger to her, then, stepping backward,
with uncertain faltering movement, she gained the door of that room
where no foot but Gaston's had ever before stepped.