Part 20 (2/2)

”Have you ever been in the country?”

”Sure!” said Sam scornfully. ”Went wid de Fresh Air folks wen I were a kid.”

”What did you think of it?”

”Don't tink much!” shrugged Sam. ”Too empty. Nothin' doin'! Good 'nough fer kids. Never again fer _me_.”

It was three months since Michael had made his memorable first visit down to Old Orchard Farm. For weeks he had worked shoulder to shoulder every evening with Sam and as yet no word of that plan which was nearest his heart had been spoken. This was his first attempt to open the subject.

That Sam had come to have a certain kind of respect and fondness for him he was sure, though it was never expressed in words. Always he either objected to any plan Michael suggested, or else he was extremely indifferent and would not promise to be on hand. He was almost always there, however, and Michael had come to know that Sam was proud of his friends.h.i.+p, and at least to a degree interested in his plans for the betterment of the court.

”There are things in the country; other things, that make up for the stir of the city,” said Michael thoughtfully. This was the first unpractical conversation he had tried to hold with Sam. He had been leading him up, through the various stages from dirt and degradation, by means of soap and water, then paper and paint, and now they had reached the doorway of Nature's school. Michael wanted to introduce Sam to the great world of out-of-doors. For, though Sam had lived all his life out-of-doors, it had been a world of brick walls and stone pavements, with little sky and almost no water. Not a green thing in sight, not a bird, nor a beast except of burden. The first lesson was waiting in a paper bundle that stood under the table. Would Sam take it, Michael wondered, as he rose and brought it out unwrapping the papers carefully, while Sam silently watched and pretended to whistle, not to show too much curiosity. ”What tings?” at last asked Sam.

”Things like this,” answered Michael eagerly setting out on the table an earthen pot containing a scarlet geranium in bloom. It glowed forth its brilliant torch at once and gave just the touch to the little empty clean room that Michael had hoped it would do. He stood back and looked at it proudly, and then looked at Sam to see if the lesson had been understood.

He half expected to see an expression of scorn on the hardened sallow face of the slum boy, but instead Sam was gazing open-mouthed, with unmitigated admiration.

”Say! Dat's all right!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. ”Where'd you make de raise? Say! Dat makes de paper an' de paint show up fine!” taking in the general effect of the room.

Then he arose from the box on which he had been sitting and went and stood before the blossom.

”Say! I wisht Jim eud see dat dere!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed after a long silence, and there was that in the expression of his face that brought the quick moisture to Michael's eyes.

It was only a common red geranium bought for fifteen cents, but it had touched with its miracle of bright life the hardened soul of the young burglar, and opened his vision to higher things than he had known. It was in this moment of open vision that his heart turned to his old companion who was uncomplainingly taking the punishment which rightfully belonged to the whole gang.

”We will take him one to-morrow,” said Michael in a low voice husky with feeling. It was the first time Sam had voluntarily mentioned Jim and he had seemed so loth to take Michael to see him in jail that Michael had ceased to speak of the matter.

”There's another one just like this where I bought this one. I couldn't tell which to take, they were both so pretty. We'll get it the first thing in the morning before anybody else snaps it up, and then, when could we get in to see Jim? Would they let us in after my office hours or would we have to wait till Sunday? You look after that will you? I might get off at four o'clock if that's not too late.”

”Dey'll let us in on Sunday ef _you_ ask, I reckon,” said Sam much moved.

”But it's awful dark in prison. It won't live, will it? Dere's only one streak o' sun s.h.i.+nes in Jim's cell a few minutes every day.”

”Oh, I think it'll live,” said Michael hastily, a strange choking sensation in his throat at thought of his one-time companion shut into a dark prison.

Of course, he deserved to be there. He had broken the laws, but then no one had ever made him understand how wrong it was. If some one had only tried perhaps Jim would never have done the thing that put him in prison.

”I'm sure it will live,” he said again cheerfully. ”I've heard that geraniums are very hardy. The man told me they would live all winter in the cellar if you brought them up again in the spring.”

”Jim will be out again in de spring,” said Sam softly. It was the first sign of anything like emotion in Sam.

”Isn't that good!” said Michael heartily. ”I wonder what we can do to make it pleasant for him when he comes back to the world. We'll bring him to this room, of course, but in the spring this will be getting warm. And that makes me think of what I was talking about a minute ago. There's so much more in the country than in the city!”

”More?” questioned Sam uncomprehendingly.

”Yes, things like this to look at. Growing things that you get to love and understand. Wonderful things. There's a river that sparkles and talks as it runs. There are trees that laugh and whisper when the wind plays in their branches. And there are wonderful birds, little live breaths of air with music inside that make splendid friends when you're lonely. I know, for I made lots of bird-friends when I went away from you all to college. You know I was pretty lonely at first.”

Sam looked at him with quick, keen wonder, and a lighting of his face that made him almost attractive and sent the cunning in his eyes slinking out of sight. Had this fine great-hearted creature really missed his old friends when he went away? Had he really need of them yet, with all his education--and--difference? It was food for thought.

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