Part 18 (1/2)

”It cannot be arranged in any other way--” he began.

”Mr. Holcroft,” she cried, leaning suddenly forward with clasped hands and speaking effusively, ”you but now called me your good woman. Think how much those words mean. Make them true, now that you've spoken them. Then you won't be homeless and will never need a caretaker.”

”Are you making me an offer of marriage?” he asked with lowering brow.

”Oh, no, indeed!” she simpered. ”That wouldn't be becoming in me. I'm only responding to your own words.”

Rising, he said sternly, ”No power on earth could induce me to marry you, and that would be plain enough if you were in your right mind. I shall not stand this foolishness another moment. You must go with me at once to Lemuel Weeks'. If you will not, I'll have you taken to an insane asylum.”

”To an insane asylum! What for?” she half shrieked, springing to her feet.

”You'll see,” he replied, going down the steps. ”Jump up, Jane! I shall take the trunk to your cousin's. If you are so crazy as to stay in a man's house when he don't want you and won't have you, you are fit only for an asylum.”

Mrs. Mumpson was sane enough to perceive that she was at the end of her adhesive resources. In his possession of her trunk, the farmer also had a strategic advantage which made it necessary for her to yield.

She did so, however, with very bad grace. When he drove up, she bounced into the wagon as if made of India rubber, while Jane followed slowly, with a look of sullen apathy. He touched his horses with the whip into a smart trot, scarcely daring to believe in his good fortune.

The lane was rather steep and rough, and he soon had to pull up lest the object of his unhappy solicitude should be jolted out of the vehicle. This gave the widow her chance to open fire. ”The end has not come yet, Mr. Holcroft,” she said vindictively. ”You may think you are going to have an easy triumph over a poor, friendless, unfortunate, sensitive, afflicted woman and a fatherless child, but you shall soon learn that there's a law in the land. You have addressed improper words to me, you have threatened me, you have broken your agreement. I have writings, I have a memory, I have language to plead the cause of the widow and the fatherless. I have been wronged, outraged, trampled upon, and then turned out of doors. The indignant world shall hear my story, the finger of scorn will be pointed at you. Your name will become a byword and a hissing. Respecterble women, respecterbly connected, will stand aloof and shudder.”

The torrent of words was unchecked except when the wheels struck a stone, jolting her so severely that her jaws came together with a click as if she were snapping at him.

He made no reply whatever, but longed to get his hands upon Lemuel Weeks. Pus.h.i.+ng his horses to a high rate of speed, he soon reached that interested neighbor's door, intercepting him just as he was starting to town.

He looked very sour as he saw his wife's relatives, and demanded harshly, ”What does this mean?”

”It means,” cried Mrs. Mumpson in her high, cackling tones, ”that he's said things and done things too awful to speak of; that he's broken his agreement and turned us out of doors.”

”Jim Holcroft,” said Mr. Weeks, bl.u.s.tering up to the wagon, ”you can't carry on with this high hand. Take these people back to your house where they belong, or you'll be sorry.”

Holcroft sprang out, whirled Mr. Weeks out of his way, took out the trunk, then with equal expedition and no more ceremony lifted down Mrs.

Mumpson and Jane.

”Do you know what you're about?” shouted Mr. Weeks in a rage. ”I'll have the law on you this very day.”

Holcroft maintained his ominous silence as he hitched his horses securely. Then he strode toward Weeks, who backed away from him. ”Oh, don't be afraid, you sneaking, cowardly fox!” said the farmer bitterly.

”If I gave you your desserts, I'd take my horsewhip to you. You're going to law me, are you? Well, begin today, and I'll be ready for you.

I won't demean myself by answering that woman, but I'm ready for you in any way you've a mind to come. I'll put you and your wife on the witness stand. I'll summon Cousin Abram, as you call him, and his wife, and compel you all under oath to give Mrs. Mumpson a few testimonials. I'll prove the trick you played on me and the lies you told. I'll prove that this woman, in my absence, invaded my room, and with keys of her own opened my dead wife's bureau and pulled out her things. I'll prove that she hasn't earned her salt and can't, and may prove something more. Now, if you want to go to law, begin. Nothing would please me better than to show up you and your tribe. I've offered to pay this woman her three months' wages in full, and so have kept my agreement. She has not kept hers, for she's only sat in a rocking chair and made trouble. Now, do as you please. I'll give you all the law you want. I'd like to add a horsewhipping, but that would give you a case and now you haven't any.”

As Holcroft uttered these words sternly and slowly, like a man angry indeed but under perfect self-control, the perspiration broke out on Weeks' face. He was aware that Mrs. Mumpson was too well known to play the role of a wronged woman, and remembered what his testimony and that of many others would be under oath. Therefore, he began, ”Oh, well, Mr. Holcroft! There's no need of your getting in such a rage and threatening so; I'm willing to talk the matter over and only want to do the square thing.”

The farmer made a gesture of disgust as he said, ”I understand you, Lemuel Weeks. There's no talking needed and I'm in no mood for it.

Here's the money I agreed to pay. I'll give it to Mrs. Mumpson when she has signed this paper, and you've signed as witness of her signature. Otherwise, it's law. Now decide quick, I'm in a hurry.”

Objections were interposed, and Holcroft, returning the money to his pocket, started for his team, without a word. ”Oh, well!” said Weeks in strong irritation, ”I haven't time for a lawsuit at this season of the year. You are both cranks, and I suppose it would be best for me and my folks to be rid of you both. It's a pity, though, you couldn't be married and left to fight it out.”

Holcroft took the whip from his wagon and said quietly, ”If you speak another insulting word, I'll horsewhip you and take my chances.”

Something in the man's look prevented Weeks from uttering another unnecessary remark. The business was soon transacted, accompanied with Mrs. Mumpson's venomous words, for she had discovered that she could stigmatize Holcroft with impunity. He went to Jane and shook her hand as he said goodby. ”I am sorry for you, and I won't forget my promise;” then drove rapidly away.

”Cousin Lemuel,” said Mrs. Mumpson plaintively, ”won't you have Timothy take my trunk to our room?”

”No, I won't,” he snapped. ”You've had your chance and have fooled it away. I was just going to town, and you and Jane will go along with me,” and he put the widow's trunk into his wagon.