Part 10 (1/2)
Lee studied the lines of his finely molded face and neck and throat. A handsomer boy of ten he had never seen. He pressed his arm closer and held him a moment until he looked up with a tear glistening in his blue eyes.
”Tell me, sonny--”
”My Ma's been cryin' all day, sir, and I want to do somethin' to help her--”
He paused and his voice failed.
”What has she been crying about?”
”We've lost our home, sir, and my daddy's drunk.”
”You've lost your home?”
”Yessir. The sheriff come this mornin'. And he's goin' to put us out.
Ma's most crazy. I ain't been a very good boy here lately--”
”No?”
”No, sir. I've been runnin' away and goin' fis.h.i.+n' and hurtin' my Ma's feelin's and now I wish I hadn't done it. I heard her sayin' this mornin' while she wuz cryin', that you wuz the only man she knowed on earth who could help us. She was afeared to come to see you. And I slipped out to tell ye. I thought if I could get you to come to see us, maybe you could tell Ma what to do and that would make up for my hurtin'
her so when I run away from my lessons this week.”
The Colonel gently pressed the boys away and rose with quick decision.
”I'll ride right up, sonny, and see your mother.”
”Will you, Colonel Lee?” the child asked with pathetic eagerness.
”Just as soon as I can have my horse saddled.”
Lee turned abruptly into the house and left the boy dazed. He threw his arms around Robbie, hugged him in a flash and was gone. Up the dusty way to the gate the little bare feet flew to tell glad tidings to a lonely woman.
She stood beside the window looking out on the wreck of her life in a stupor of wordless pain. She saw her boy leap the fence as a hound and rushed from the house in alarm to meet him.
He was breathless, but he managed to gasp his message.
”Ma--Ma--Colonel Lee's comin' to see you!”
”To see me?”
”Yes'm. I told him we'd lost our home and he said he'd come right up.
And he's comin', too--”
The mother looked into the child's flushed face, saw the love light in his eyes and caught him to her heart.
”Oh, boy, boy, you're such a fine young one--my baby--as smart as a whip. You'll beat 'em all some day and make your poor old mother proud and happy.”
”I'm going to try now, Ma--you see if I don't.”
”I know you will, my son.”