Elder Conklin by Frank Harris (rom com books to read TXT) đ
- Author: Frank Harris
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All through the dinner he wondered anxiously what could so affect his daughter, and how he could find out without intruding himself upon her confidence. His great love for his child had developed in the Elder subtle delicacies of feeling which are as the fragrance of loveâs humility. In the afternoon Loo, dressed for walking, met him, and, of her own accord, began the conversation:
âFather, I want to talk to you.â
The Elder put down the water-bucket he had been carrying, and drew the shirtsleeves over his nervous brown arms, whether out of unconscious modesty or simple sense of fitness it would be impossible to say. She went on hesitatingly, âI want to knowâDo you think Mr. Bancroftâs strong, stronger thanâSeth Stevens?â
The Elder gave his whole thought to the problem. âPârâaps,â he said, after a pause, in which he had vainly tried to discover how his daughter wished him to answer, âpârâaps; heâs older and more sot. There ainât much difference, though. In five or six years Sethâll be a heap stronger than the schoolmaster; but now,â he added quickly, reading his daughterâs face, âhe ainât man enough. He must fill out first.â
She looked up with bright satisfaction, and twining her hands round his arm began coaxingly:
âIâm goinâ to ask you for somethinâ, father. You know you told me that on my birthday youâd give me most anythinâ I wanted. Wall, I want somethinâ this month, not next, as soon as I can get itâa pianner. I guess the settinâ-room would look smarter-like, anâ Iâd learn to play. All the girls do East,â she added, pouting.
âYes,â the Elder agreed thoughtfully, doubting whether he should follow her lead eastwards, âI reckon thatâs so. Iâll see about it right off, Loo. I oughter hev thought of it before. But now, right off,â and as he spoke he laid his large hand with studied carelessness on her shoulderâ he was afraid that an intentional caress might be inopportune.
âIâm certâin Mr. Bancroftâs sisters play, anâ Iââ she looked down nervously for a moment, and then, still blushing deeply, changed the attack: âHeâs smart, ainât he, father? Heâd make a good lawyer, wouldnât he?â
âI reckon he would,â replied the Elder.
âIâm so glad,â the girl went on hurriedly, as if afraid to give herself time to think of what she was about to say, âfor, father, he wants to study in an office East and he hainât got the money, andâoh, father!â she threw her arms round his neck and hid her face on his shoulder, âI want to go with him.â
The Elderâs heart seemed to stop beating, but he could not hold his loved one in his arms and at the same time realize his own pain. He stroked the bowed head gently, and after a pause:
âHe could study with Lawyer Barkman in Wichita, couldnât he? and then youâd be to hum still. No. Wall! Thar!â and again came a pause of silence. âI reckon, anyhow, you knew Iâd help you. Didnât you now?â
His daughter drew herself out of his embrace. Recalled thus to the matter in hand he asked: âDid he say how much money âtwould take?â
âTwo or three thousand dollarsââand she scanned his face anxiouslyâ âfor studyinâ and gettinâ an office and everythinâ in New York. Things are dearer there.â
âWall, I guess we kin about cover that with a squeeze. Itâll be full all I kin manage to oncâtâthat and the pianner. Iâve no one to think of but you, Loo, only you. Thatâs what Iâve bin workinâ for, to give you a fair start, and Iâm glad I kin jess about do it. Iâd sorter take it better if heâd done the studyinâ by himself before. No! wall, it donât make much difference pârâaps. Anyway he works, and Mr. Crew thinks him enough eddicated even for the Ministry. He does, and thatâs a smart lot. I guess heâll get along all right.â Delighted with the expression of intent happiness in his daughterâs eyes, he continued: âHeâs young yet, and couldnât be expected to hev done the studyinâ and law and everythinâ. You kin be sartin that the old manâll do all he knows to help start you fair. All I kin. If youâre sot upon it! Thatâs enough fer me, I guess, ef youâre rale sot on it, and you donât think âtwould be better like to wait a little. He could study with Barkman fer a year anyway without losinâ time. No! wall, wall. Iâm right thar when you want me. Iâll go to work to do what I kinâŠ.
âPârâaps we might sell off and go East, too. The farmâs worth money now itâs all settled up round hyar. The mother and me and Jake could get along, I reckon, East or West. I know moreân I did when I came out in
â59.
âIâm glad youâve told me. I think a heap more of him now. There must be a pile of good in any one you like, Loo. Anyhow heâs lucky.â And he stroked her crumpled dress awkwardly, but with an infinite tenderness.
âIâve got to go now, father,â she exclaimed, suddenly remembering the time. âBut there!ââand again she threw her arms round his neck and kissed him. âYouâve made me very happy. Iâve got to go right off, and youâve all the chores to do, so I mustnât keep you any longer.â
She hurried to the road along which Jake would have to come with the news of the fight. When she reached the top of the bluff whence the road fell rapidly to the creek, no one was in sight. She sat down and gave herself up to joyous anticipations.
âWhat would George say to her news? Where should they be married?ââ-a myriad questions agitated her. But a glance down the slope from time to time checked her pleasure. At last she saw her brother running towards her. He had taken off his boots and stockings; they were slung round his neck, and his bare feet pattered along in the thick, white dust of the prairie track. His haste made his sisterâs heart beat in gasps of fear. Down the hill she sped, and met him on the bridge.
âWall?â she asked quietly, but the colour had left her cheeks, and Jake was not to be deceived so easily.
âWall what?â he answered defiantly, trying to get breath. âI hainât said nothinâ.â
âOh, you mean boy!â she cried indignantly. âIâll never help you again when father wants to whip youânever! Tell me this minute what happened. Is he hurt?â
âIs who hurt?â asked her brother, glorying in superiority of knowledge, and the power to tease with impunity.
âTell me right off,â she said, taking him by the collar in her exasperation, âorââ
âIâll tell you nothinâ till you leave go of me,â was the sullen reply. But then the overmastering impulse ran away with him, and he broke out:
âOh, Loo! I jest seed everythinâ. âTwar a high old fight! They wuz all there, Seth Stevens, Richards, Monkey Billâall of âem, when schoolmaster rode up. He was stillâlooked like he wanted to hear a class recite. He hitched up Jack and come to âem, liftinâ his hat. Oh, âtwas O.K., you bet! Then they took off their cloâs. Seth Stevens jerked hisn loose on the ground, but schoolmaster stood by himself, and folded hisn up like ma makes me fold mine at night. Then they comed together and Seth Stevens he jest drew off and tried to land him one, but schoolmaster sorter moved aside and took him on the nose, anâ Seth he sot down, with the blood runninâ all over him. Anââanââthatâs all. Every time Seth Stevens hauled off to hit, schoolmaster was thar first. It war bully!âThatâs all. Anâ I seed everythinâ. You kin bet your life on that! Anâ then Richards and the rest come to him anâ said as how Seth Stevens was faintinâ, anâ schoolmaster he ran to the crick anâ brought water and put over him. Anâ then I runned to tell youâschoolmasterâs strong, I guess, stronger nor pappa. I seed him put on his vest, anâ Seth Stevens he was settinâ up, all blood and water on his face, streaky like; he did look bad. But, Looâ-say, Loo! Why didnât schoolmaster when he got him down the first time, jest stomp on his face with his heels?âhe had his boots onâanâ thatâs how Seth Stevens broke Tom Cooperâs jaw when they fit.â
The girl was white, and trembling from head to foot as the boy ended his narrative, and looked inquiringly into her face. She could not answer. Indeed, she had hardly heard the question. The thought of what might have happened to her lover appalled her, and terror and remorse held her heart as in a vice. But oh!âand the hot tears came into her eyesâsheâd tell him when they met how sorry she was for it all, and how bad she had been, and how she hated herself. She had acted foolish, very; but she hadnât meant it. Sheâd be more careful in future, much more careful. How brave he was and kind! How like him it was to get the water! Oh! if heâd only come.
All this while Jake looked at her curiously; at length he said, âSay, Loo, sâpose heâd had his eye plugged out.â
âGo awayâdo!â she exclaimed angrily. âI believe you boys jest love fightinâ like dogs.â
Jake disappeared to tell and retell the tale to any one who cared to listen.
Half an hour later Loo, who had climbed the bluff to command the view, heard the sound of Jackâs feet on the wooden bridge. A moment or two more and the buggy drew up beside her; the schoolmaster bent forward and spoke, without a trace of emotion in his voice:
âWonât you get in and let me drive you home, Miss Loo?â His victory had put him in a good humour, without, however, altering his critical estimate of the girl. The quiet, controlled tone of his voice chilled and pained her, but her emotions were too recent and too acute to be restrained.
âOh, George!â she said, leaning forward against the buggy, and scanning his face intently. âHow can you speak so? You ainât hurt, are you?â
âNo!â he answered lightly. âYou didnât expect I should be, did you?â The tone was cold, a little sarcastic even.
Again she felt hurt; she scarcely knew why; the sneer was too far-fetched
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