Part 14 (2/2)
He selected two good-sized brands from the fire and raised them, holding one in either hand and keeping the ignited portions of the sticks together. McTee looked from Kate to Harrigan.
”Sit down and talk to Kate. I'll carry the sticks; I know where the pile of timber is.”
Harrigan made a significant and covert nod and winked at McTee with infinite understanding.
”Stay here yourself, lad. I wouldn't be robbing you----”
Kate coughed for warning, and he broke off sharply.
”You've made one trip to the hill. This is my turn. Besides, you wouldn't know how to keep the stick burnin'. I've done it before.”
McTee stared, agape with astonishment. The meaning of that wink still puzzled his brain. He turned to Kate for explanation, and she beckoned him to stay. When Harrigan disappeared, he said: ”What's the meaning?
Doesn't Harrigan want to be with you?”
She allowed her eyes to wander dreamily after Harrigan.
”Don't you see? He's like a big boy. He's overflowing with happiness and he has to go off to play by himself.”
McTee watched her with deep suspicion.
”It's queer,” he pondered. ”I know the Irish like a book, and when they're in love, they're always singing and shouting and raising the devil. It looked to me as if Harrigan was making himself be cheerful.”
He went on: ”I'll take him aside and tell him that I understand.
Otherwise he'll think he's fooling me.”
”Please! You won't do that? Angus, you know how proud he is! He will be furious if he finds out that I've spoken to you about--about--our love.
Won't you wait until he tells you of his own accord?”
He ground his teeth in an ugly fury.
”You understand? If I find you've been playing with me, it'll mean death for Harrigan, and worse than that for you?”
She made her glance sad and gentle.
”Will you never trust me, Angus?”
He answered, with a sort of wonder at himself: ”Since I was a child, you are the first person in the world who has had the right to call me by my first name.”
”Not a single woman?” and she s.h.i.+vered.
”Not one.”
She pondered: ”No love, no friends.h.i.+p, not even pity to bring you close to a single human being all your life?”
”No child has ever come near me, for I've never had room for pity. No man has been my friend, for I've spent my time fighting them and breaking them. And I've despised women too much to love them.”
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