Part 5 (1/2)
He didn't answer
”Maas right,” she said ”All youIt's the Devil in you Maw says”
Rachel cait theo find Alice out in the vegetable garden an' tell 'em to come in an' finish their lessons”
Obediently, the children went off to the house Molly Ann reached up and took Mase fro to his lips Molly Ann brushed them off with her hand, then wiped her hand on her skirt
”Better git that wood cut,” she warned ”Mr Fitch is cooin' Paw is fixin' to sell him some 'shi+ne”
Daniel watched his sister go to the house, holding the baby easily in one ar under the cotton dress, then turned to the woodpile and picked up the axe
After ablade and crack of the splitting wooden logs
I
'You'll find the feed bag in the back of the wagon/' Mr Fitch said 'Don't let hih It ot to ride twentyof evening squeezin's 'You jes' have a taste o' this, Mr Fitch It'll wash away soht kind of you, Jeb,” Fitch said He wiped the ri pull He s Lx)oks lak you don't put much water m this mule either, Jeb,”
Ten minutes later they were seated around the table, and Marylou placed the big iron pot of stew in front of her husband Right behind her came Molly Ann with a platter heaped with freshly baked hot com bread
Jeb clasped his hands before him and looked down They all followed suit 'We ask Thy blessin's Lord, on this table, on this house, on those ell in it and on our guest, Mr Fitch And for Thy bounty and the food we are about to receive, we thank Thee, Lord Amen”
The chorus of Arily Quickly Jeb spooned Mr Fitch's plate ftiU, then Ws own He nodded to Marylou She took the spoon and began to fill the children's plates By the tiot to her own there wasn't much meat left, but she didn't care She never atethat Mr Fitch would be telling all the neighbors that the Hugginses had served him rabbit stew for supper and that they didn't eat fatback and greens all the time the way some of the others did
They ate silently, quickly, with no conversation, wiping their plates clean of even the last drop of gravy with the s-hot com bread
Mr Fitch pushed his chair away from the table and patted his stomach contentedly ”That's the best rabbit stew I ever tasted, Miz Huggins” Marylou blushed 'Thank you, Mr Fitch” The big man picked at his teeth Ceremoniously, he took out his pocket watchand looked at it ''It's nigh on to six thirty, Jeb,” he said ”Shall we go outside an' git down to business?”
Jeb nodded He rose from the table ”Come, Dan'l”
Daniel followed the older men down the steps into the yard His father led the way around the back of the house and up the sle file on the narrow path
”How ot fer ht prime 'shi+ne”
Mr Fitch was silent until they caht is buetically
”Scarcely wu'th er Mr Fitch the nice man, who had sat down to the dinner table; this was Mr Fitch the trader, who kept half the sharecroppers in the valley in his debt with the credit he ran for theeneral store and the prices he paid them for their moonshi+ne and whatever else they had to sell
The big copper kettles and tubing were ca branches To one side lay a pile of cut wood
”Git out a jug, Dan'l,” his father coan to lift wood fros lay uncovered Jeb picked one up and pulled the cork with his teeth
”Jes' you smell the 'shi+ne, Mr Fitch,” he said
Fitch took the jug and sniffed at it
”Taste it,” Jeb urged
The bigHe took a s
”That's quality, Mr Fitch,” Jeb said ”Right sive it to a baby”
''Not bad/' Mr Fitch admitted He squinted ”How ered at least a dollar a gaUon”
Fitch didn't answer
Jeb lost his nerve ''Six bits?”
”Four bits,” Mr Fitch said
”Mr Fitch, four bits for that 'shi+ne jes' ain't right That's what they been gettin' for quick 'shi+ne, not the real slow, natural 'shi+ne like this,” Jeb protested
”Business is bad,” Mr Fitch said ”Pfeople jest ain't buyin' things no 's upset”
”Fifty cents a gallon ain'tnow ”At least meet me halfway, Mr Fitch”
Mr Fitch looked at him steadily ”How much do you owe me, Jeb?”
Jeb's eyes fell ” 'Bout four dollars, I reckon”
”Four dollars an' fifty-five cents,” Mr Fitch said
”I guess that's 'bout right,” Jeb admitted He still did not look up
Daniel didn't dare look at his father He was too ashaht for a man to be humbled so just because he was poor He looked off mto the fields
”Tell you what, Jeb,” Mr Fitch said ”I'ht say An' you can thank Miz Huggins' fine rabbit stew fer puttin' me in it I always say that a ftill stoive you sixty cents a gallon”
Jeb looked up ”You cain't do better?”
” 'Generous,' I said Not 'foolish' ” Mr Fitch's voice held a tone of finality
Jeb felt the bitter taste of defeat Threethe still, taking the 'shi+ne off drip by drip as it slowly condensed along the tubes so that every drop was crystal clear and perfect He forced himself to smUe ”Thank you, Mr Fitch,” he said He turned to his son ''Fetch the jugs down to Mr Fitch's wagon”