Part 10 (1/2)

”I don't see how you could do that, and only pay me forty dollars, Mr. Eddring.” A grieved look sat on the lady's face.

”Well, now, I reckon I could, if I just saw you dressed up in a new gown that I saw in the window down at the store this morning. I reckon I could, if I saw hanging in your hall that hat that I saw this morning, down on the street.”

”Do you think forty dollars would buy them, Mr. Eddring?” asked Mrs.

Wilson.

”Surely it would, and leave you enough to pay for your whole trip up here, and buy some things for the children besides. Now, look here, I don't want you to think I'm offering that to _pay_ you for Molly. I ain't paying for any horses for Mr. Wilson. He is a gentleman that don't need ask favors of anybody, and he's going to pick out his own horses. You tell him I said he was a good judge of a horse. I want you to tell him I scorn to offer you money for this here Molly horse of yours--I scorn to do so. Mr. Wilson will make more than two hundred dollars in a day or so, the way cotton is going up this week. I just throw in this forty dollars--here is the voucher for it--so as to show you I am your friend. Now, if you ever want any shopping done up here any time; Mrs. Wilson, just write to me and I'll do the best I can.

I'd go right down to the store with you to look at that dress, if it wasn't that I have to be right busy here for a while. Good-by, Mrs.

Wilson, good-by, madam. Good-by to you all. I am glad you all came in.

Good-by, little folks; here's something;” and each, small hand received a silver piece from the claim agent.

Mrs. Wilson pa.s.sed out with a puzzled expression on her face. On the stairway she sighed. ”Well, he is a nice man, anyhow,” said she, to her companion.

This little party had scarce disappeared before there came another visitor, this time a fat colored woman of middle age, who labored up the stair and halted at the door.

”Come in, auntie,” called the claim agent, from Ms desk, ”what's the matter?”

”You know whut's the matter, Mr. Edd'ron,” said the caller. ”You 'membehs me?”

”Yes,” said the claim agent, ”you had a baby run down at the street crossing yesterday. We sent it to the hospital. How is it getting along?”

”Hit's daid, Mr. Edd'ron. Yas sah, my lil' Gawge is daid.”

”What? Oh, pshaw!”

”Yas sah, lil' Gawge done die six o'clock dis maw-nin'.” She shook with sobs. The claim agent dropped his own face into his hands. The weary look came back again into his eyes. At last he turned and went up to the black woman where she stood sobbing, and extended his hand.

”There, there, auntie,” he said, ”I'm sorry, mighty sorry. Now, listen. I can't settle this thing this morning. Here is ten dollars of my own money to help bury the boy decently. As soon as I can, I will take up the matter, and I will settle it the best I can for you.

Now, go away; please, go away.”

The negro woman ceased her sobbing as she took the bill.

”Ten dollahs,” said she, ”ten dollahs for dat baby! Dat'll buhy him right fine, it sho' will, Mr. Edd'ron. You'se a fine man, Mr.

Edd'ron, 'deed you is.”

Eddring smiled bitterly. He paced up and down the room, his head bent down. Presently he turned to his a.s.sistant.

”Go on over to the depot,” said he, ”and see if there is any more mail. I don't think I will do any letters just now.”

Left alone, he continued to pace up and down, until at length he heard steps and again a knock at the door, after the custom in business in that region. This time there entered the tall form of his whilom friend, Colonel Calvin Blount, from his plantation down the road. Him he saluted right gladly and asked eagerly regarding his health.

”I am well, right well,” said Blount, ”Just came up to see about a little cotton. It looks like twelve cents before long.”

”Well, with cotton at twelve cents you ought not to have any quarrel with the world, Colonel Blount.”

”Well, now,” replied Blount, ”I need about everything I can get to put my place in order again. It's some months now since we had our little war down there, and I haven't got together half the hands I need yet. Some of my people cleaned out and we never did hear anything more of them. We've got plenty of n.i.g.g.e.rs in jail down there yet; but that ain't the way we want it. We want 'em to get out of jail and into the fields at work. They'd rather stay in jail. They get as much to eat, and more time to rest.”

”Well, they did raise trouble that time, didn't they?” said Eddring.