Part 17 (2/2)
”David,” she said, ”go into the kitchen and eat your supper.”
Then Eliza was sent after Ellick, the negro foreman; and Ellick was not long in finding Blue Dave a suit of linsey-woolsey clothes, a little warmer and a little drier than those the runaway was in the habit of wearing. Then the big greys were put to the Denham carriage, shawls and blankets were thrown in, and Blue Dave was called.
”Have you had your supper, David?” said Mrs. Denham, looking grimmer than ever as she stood on her veranda arrayed in bonnet and wraps.
”Thanky, Mistiss! thanky, ma'am. I ain't had no meal's vittles like dat, not gence I lef Ferginny.”
”Can you drive a carriage, David?” the old lady asked.
”Dat I kin, Mistiss.” Whereupon he seized the reins and let down the carriage steps. Mrs. Denham and her maid got in; but when everything was ready, Blue Dave hesitated.
”Mistiss,” he said, rather sheepishly, ”w'en I come 'long des now, de patter-rollers holler'd atter me.”
”No matter, David,” the grim old lady replied; ”your own master wouldn't order you off of my carriage.”
”Keep yo' eye on dat off boss!” exclaimed Ellick, as the carriage moved off.
”Hush, honey,” Blue Dave cried, as exultantly as a child; ”'fo' dey gits ter de big gate, I'll know deze yer bosses better dan ef dey wuz my br'er.”
After that, nothing more was said. The road had been made firm and smooth by the heavy beating rain, and the carriage swung along easily and rapidly. The negro housemaid fell back against the cus.h.i.+ons, and was soon sound asleep; but Mrs. Denham sat bolt upright. Hers was an uncompromising nature, it had been said, and certainly it seemed so; but as the carriage rolled along, there grew before her mind's eye the vague, dim outlines of a vision,--a vision of a human creature hiding in the dark swamps, fleeing through the deep woods, and creeping swiftly through the pine thickets. It was a pathetic figure, this fleeing human creature, whether chased by dogs and men or pursued only by the terrors that hide themselves behind the vast shadows of the night; and the figure grew more pathetic when, as it seemed, it sprang out of the very elements themselves to s.n.a.t.c.h her son from the floods.
The old lady sighed and pressed her thin lips together. She had made up her mind.
Presently the carriage drew up at the Kendrick Place; and in a little while, after effusive greetings all around, Mrs. Denham was sitting at Mrs. Kendrick's hearth listening to the story of her son's rescue. She wanted to go in and see George at once, but Mrs. Kendrick would consent only on condition that he was not to be aroused.
”It is foolish to say it,” said the old lady, smiling at Kitty as she came out of the room in which her son was sleeping; ”but my son seems to look to-night just as he did when a baby.”
Kitty smiled such a responsive smile, and looked so young and beautiful, that the proud old lady stooped and kissed her.
”I think I shall love you, my dear.”
”I reckon I'll have to get even with you,” said Mrs. Kendrick, who had a knack of hiding her own emotion, ”by telling George that I've fallen in love with him.”
This gave a light and half-humorous turn to affairs, and in a moment Mrs. Denham was as prim and as uncompromising in appearance as ever.
”Well!” exclaimed Mrs. Kendrick, after she and Kitty had retired for the night, ”the day's worth living if only to find out that Rebecca Denham has got a heart in her insides. I believe actually she'd 'a'
cried for a little.”
”She did cry, mother,” said Kitty, solemnly. ”There were tears in her eyes when she leaned over me.”
”Well, well, well!” said Mrs. Kendrick, ”she always put me in mind of a ghost that can't be laid on account of its pride. But we're what the Lord made us, I reckon, and people deceive their looks. My old turkey gobbler is harmless as a hound puppy; but I reckon he'd bust if he didn't up and strut when strangers are in the front porch.”
With that Mrs. Kendrick addressed herself to her prayers and to slumber; but Kitty lay awake a long time, thinking and thinking, until finally her thoughts became the substance of youth's sweetest dreams.
IV.
BUT why should the tender dreams of this pure heart be transcribed here? Indeed, why should these vague outlines be spun out to the vanis.h.i.+ng-point, like the gossamer threads that float and glance and disappear in the September skies? Some of the grandchildren of George Denham and Kitty Kendrick will read these pages, and wonder, romantic youngsters that they are, why all the love pa.s.sages have been suppressed; other readers, more practical, and perhaps severer, will ask themselves what possible interest there can be in the narrative of a simple episode in the life of a humble fugitive. What reply can be made, what explanation can be offered? Fortunately, what remains to be told may mostly be put in the sententious language of Brother Johnny Roach.
One day, shortly after the events which have been described, Brother Branuum rode up to Brother Roach's mill, dismounted, and hitched his horse to the rack.
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