Part 31 (1/2)
”I clean forgot,” she said, and when he had left, she turned to her friend. ”Azalie--don't say anything to Hoke about me--us. Did Aunt Sally see? You know I didn't know myself until I woke and found myself there.
I'd been trying to make him take a little whiskey--and--I must have gone asleep like I was--and he woke up and must 'a' felt like he had to kiss somebody--he was that glad to be alive.”
”Nevah you fret, child.” Azalea smiled a quiet smile. ”I'm not one to talk; anyway, I reckon Doctah Thryng's about right. He sure have been good to me.”
The widow sat on her little stoop, waiting and watching, as her daughter rode to the door and wearily alighted.
”Ca.s.sandry Merlin! For the Lord's sake! What-all is up now? Hoyle--where is that boy?--Hoyle, come here an' take the horse fer sister. Be ye most dade, honey? I reckon ye be. Ye look like hit.”
Ca.s.sandra kissed her mother and pa.s.sed on into the house. ”I couldn't send you word last night; anyway, I reckoned you'd rest better if you didn't know, for we-all thought Doctor Thryng was sure killed. Did Hoke tell you this morning?”
”I 'lowed you was stoppin' with Azalie--'at baby was sick or somethin'--when Hoyle went up to the cabin an' said doctah wa'n't there.
Frale sure have done for hisself. I reckon you are cl'ar shet o' him now, an' I'm glad ye be, since he done took to the idee o' marryin' with you. What-all have he done the doctah this-a-way fer? The' wa'n't nothin' 'twixt him an' doctah. Pore fool boy he! I'll be glad fer yuer sake, Ca.s.s, if he'll quit these here mountains.”
”Oh, mother, mother! Don't talk about me, don't think of me! The doctor's nigh about killed--let alone the sin Frale has on him now.”
Wearied beyond further endurance, she flung herself on her bed and broke into uncontrollable sobbing, while Hoyle stood in the middle of the room and gazed with wide-eyed wonder.
”Be the doctah dade, maw?” he asked, in an awed whisper.
”No, child, no. You fetch a leetle light ud an' chips, an' we'll make her some coffee. Sister's that tired, pore child! Have ye been up all night, Ca.s.s?”
She nodded her head and still sobbed on.
”He's gettin' on all right now, be he?”
Again she nodded, but did not take her hands from her face.
”Then you'd ought to be glad. Hit ain't like Frale had of killed him.
Farwell, he had many a time sech as that with one an' another, an' he nevah come to no harm f'om hit. I reckon Frale'll be safe. Be ye cryin'
fer him, Ca.s.s? Pore child! I nevah did think you keered fer Frale that-a-way.”
Then Ca.s.sandra burst forth with impetuous fire. ”Oh, mother, mother!
Never say that name to me again. Mother, I saw them! I saw them fighting--and all the time the doctor was bleeding--bleeding and dying, where Frale had shot him. I don't know how long they'd been fighting, but I came there and I saw them. I saw him slip and how Frale crushed him down--down--and his head struck the rock. I saw--and I almost cursed Frale. I hope I didn't--oh, I hope not! But mother, mother! Don't ask me anything more now. Oh, I want to cry! I want to cry and never stop.”
While she lay thus weeping, the soft rain that had been threatening all day began pattering down, blessed and soothing, the rain to the earth and the tears to the girl.
In spite of the rain, Thryng was carried home that afternoon according to the physician's orders, and placed in his cabin with Aunt Sally to stand guard over him and provide for his wants. A bed was improvised for her on the floor of the cabin, while David lay in his own bed in his canvas room, bandaged about both body and head, and withal moderately comfortable, sufficiently himself to realize what had occurred, and overjoyed because of the reward his wounds had brought him.
Doctor Bartlett came down to the Fall Place and was given the bed in the loom shed as David had been, and had the pleasure of again seeing Ca.s.sandra, who, her tears dried, and her manner composed, looked after his needs as if no storms had ever shaken her soul.
CHAPTER XIX
IN WHICH DAVID SENDS HOKE BELEW ON A COMMISSION, AND Ca.s.sANDRA MAKES A CONFESSION
Early one morning Hoke Belew put his head in at the door of Thryng's cabin, where Aunt Sally was squatted before the fireplace, preparing breakfast for the patient.
”How's doc?” he asked.