Part 38 (1/2)
The man sitting in the middle of the room pulled his pipe out of his mouth.
”What's that you say?”
She stood at the window, her eyes fixed steadfastly on that one dumb dog among all those yelping, snarling other dogs.
The man got up from his chair and came and stood beside her.
Unconsciously she shrank away from his nearness.
”Ain't you used to that by now;--ain't you?”
She turned toward him;--all but her eyes. Her eyes were still riveted out there upon the motionless chow chained in the center of the run.
”It ain't the noise; that,--that don't mean so much, James. It ain't the noise.”
”Then what's the matter,--huh?”
She pointed a trembling forefinger at that yellow ma.s.s tied to the dog-house.
”Him,” she whispered. ”He don't make no racket, James.”
The man peered over her shoulder.
”The chow?”
”Yes;” her voice was still. ”China-Ching. He don't make no racket, James.”
”I'd like to hear him,” the man bl.u.s.tered. ”I'd just like to hear one peep out of him;--that's all.”
She saw his coa.r.s.e, hairy hand go to his hip pocket. She smiled bitterly. She knew the confidence he felt when he touched the mother-of-pearl handle of his pistol.
”You don't need that on him,” she said. ”He just sits there and don't never move. He don't hardly eat when you feeds him. He don't seem to have no heart left for nothing. He ain't like the terrier what had the distemper;--he ain't like the greyhound what had the hydrophobia,--so awful bad.”
”What d'you mean?” The man muttered angrily. ”Ain't they had the hydrophobia;--ain't they had the distemper;--ain't they?”
”You says they did, James.”
”Ain't I the one to know? If I ain't been born with dog-sense, would folks be giving me their muts to care for?”
”You shot them pups, James.”
”And what if I did?” He stormed. ”They was dangerous--they was a menace to the community,--so they was. And see, here,--you take it from me, there ain't nothing more dangerous as a dog when he gets took that there way. Why, I've heard tell of dogs what have torn men limb from limb.”
And then he added in afterthought: ”Men that've been kind to 'em, too.”
Her laughter rang out shrilly, piercingly.
”Aw, James,” she giggled hysterically. ”Aw, now, James--
”What's that?” His hand was on her hand. ”See here, you, ain't I kind to 'em?”