Barbara Ladd
Page 5
CHAPTER V.
It was without misgiving that old Debby left the child to the healingof the solitude and the sun, the little wholesome responsibility, theunexacting companionship of the cat and the fowls. (This was beforethe day of the yellow pup, which did not come upon the scene until thefollowing summer.) She had already learned that Barbara's promise wasa thing to depend upon; and she felt that Barbara's heart would now bemedicined more sweetly by silence than by words.
The problem to whose solution the dauntless old woman had set herselfwas that of getting Barbara back to her aunt's house on terms thatshould ward off any further discipline. With this end in view sheturned, as a matter of course, to Doctor Jim Pigeon. Debby's positionin Second Westings was theoretically that of an outlaw. She had amysterious past. She was obstinately refractory about going tomeeting. Without actually defying the authorities, she would quietlyand unobtrusively go her own way in regard to many matters which SecondWestings accounted momentous. Moreover, she was lamentably lacking inthat subservience to her betters which the aristocracy of SecondWestings held becoming. And she had knowledge that savoured ofwitchcraft. She would certainly have felt the heavy hand of correctionmore than once, and probably have been driven to seek a more humaneenvironment, but for the staunch befriending of Doctor Jim. Somethingin the old woman's fearless independence appealed to both the big,loud-voiced, soft-hearted brothers--but to Doctor Jim in particular.He in particular came to perceive her clear common sense, to appreciatethe loyal and humane heart that lurked within her acrid personality.He openly showed his favour, and stood between her and persecution,till Second Westings taught itself to regard her offences asprivileged. So, though an outlaw, she became a useful and toleratedone. She served surpassingly to point a moral in family admonitions.She was much in favour as a bogy to frighten crying children intosilence. And furthermore, when deadly sickness chanced to fall upon ahousehold, and skilled help was lacking, and self-righteous prejudicemelted away in the crucible of anguish, then old Debby was wont toappear unsummoned and work marvels by the magic of her nursing. DoctorJim had been known to declare defiantly that Debby Blue's nursing hadsaved patients whom all his medicines could not cure,--whereto DoctorJohn had retorted, with brotherly sarcasm, "In spite of your medicines,Jim--in spite of them! Debby is the shield and buckler of your medicalreputation."
So it was of course that the old woman turned to Doctor Jim in herdifficulty. She knew that both brothers loved Barbara, and that both,individually and collectively, had more influence with MistressMehitable Ladd than any other living mortal could boast. She wouldtalk to Doctor Jim. Doctor Jim would talk to Doctor John. Doctor Johnand Doctor Jim would together talk to Mistress Mehitable. And Barbarawould be taken back without penalty of further exhortation ordiscipline. If not--well, old Debby's mind was made up as to what shewould do in such a distressing contingency. She would herself run awaywith Barbara that same night, in cunning disguise and by devious ways,and travel to find Uncle Bob.
But there was to be no need of such audacious adventuring. When DoctorJim heard what Barbara had done, he was sorely wrought up. He glaredfiercely and wonderingly; his shaggy eyebrows knitted and knotted as helistened; he dashed his hands through his hair till the well dressedlocks were sadly disarranged. When Debby ceased speaking he sprang upwith an inarticulate roar, knocking over two chairs and one of theandirons.
"They have gone too far with the child," he cried out at last,mastering his ebullient emotions. "She is too high-strung for our rudehandling. I swear she shall not be persecuted any longer--not if Ihave to take her away myself. No--not a word, not a word, Debby! Notanother word! I'll just step across the yard and speak to Doctor John.Be good enough to wait here till I return."
Without hat or stick he ramped tempestuously across to his brother'soffice, in the opposite wing of the big, white-porticoed, red-dooredhouse which they occupied together. He left old Debby well contentwith the first step in her undertaking. She had but a little to waitere he returned, noisy, hurried, and decisive.
"Now, my good Debby," he shouted, "I'm ready to accompany you. I willfetch Barbara myself. Doctor John is going over to lay our viewsbefore Mistress Ladd, and I'll warrant that wise and gentle lady willsee the matter clearly, just as we do. Yes, yes, my good Debby, wehave all been forgetting that the little wild rose of Maryland cannotbe at once inured to the rigours of our New England air. Eh, what?"
When Doctor Jim and the old woman reached the cabin they found Barbarasound asleep, curled up in the sun beside the stoop, one arm around thegray-and-white cat, which lay, fast asleep also, against her breast.There was a darkness about her eyes, a hurt droop at the corners of herfull red mouth, but the colour came wholesomely under the transparenttan of her cheeks. The picture stirred a great ache in Doctor Jim'schildless heart, and with a tender growl he strode forward to snatchher up from her hard couch.
"S't! Don't ye frighten the poor baby!" said old Debby. WhereuponDoctor Jim went softly, mincing his big steps, and knelt down, andgathered the little figure in his arms. Waking slowly, Barbara slippedher arms around his neck, thrust her face under his chin, drew a longsigh of satisfaction; and so, the revolt and cruel indignation for thetime all quenched in her wild spirit, she was carried down to the punt.Everything seemed settled without explanation or argument or promise.The trouble was all shifted to Doctor Jim's broad shoulders.
"Good-bye, Debby dear!" she murmured to the old woman, reaching down acaressing hand; "I'll come to see you in a few days, as soon as AuntHitty will let me!"
During the journey homeward Barbara threw off her languor, and becameanimated as the punt surged ahead under Doctor Jim's huge strokes. Theconversation grew brisk, touching briefly such diverse topics as thenew bay mare which the doctor had just purchased from Squire Hopgood ofWestings Centre, and the latest point of exasperation between themerchants of Boston and the officers of the king's customs at thatunruly port. This latter subject was one on which Doctor Jim andBarbara had already learned to disagree with a kind of affectionateferocity. The child was a rebel in every fibre, while Doctor Jim had avigorous Tory prejudice which kept his power of polemic well occupiedin Second Westings. The two were presently so absorbed in controversythat the rocky point of the morning's attempted tragedy was passedwithout the tribute of a shudder or even a recognition. At last, witha mighty, half wrathful surge upon the oars, Doctor Jim beached thepunt at the landing-place. As the distracted wave of his violenceseethed hissing up the gravel and set the neighbour sedges a-swinging,he leaned forward and fixed the eager girl with a glare from under thepenthouse of his eyebrows. Open-mouthed and intent, Barbara waited forhis pronouncement.
"Child!" said he, waving a large, but white and fine forefinger foremphasis, "Don't you let that amiable and disreputable old vagabond,Debby Blue, or that pestilent rebel, Doctor John Pigeon, stuff yourlittle head with notions. It's _your_ place to stand by the _Crown_,right or wrong. Remember your blood. You know right well which sideyour father would have stood upon! Eh, what?"
The disputatious confidence died out of Barbara's face. For a momenther head drooped, for she knew in her heart how thoroughly thatworshipped father would have identified himself with the king's partyas soon as occasion arose. Then she looked up, and a mocking lightdanced in her gray eyes, while her mouth drew itself into lines ofsolemnity.
"I promise," she exclaimed, leaning forward and laying a thin littlegipsy hand on Doctor Jim's knee, as if registering a vow, "that I won'tharm your dear King George!"
"Baggage!" shouted Doctor Jim, snatching her from her seat and stalkingup the beach with her.
Arriving at the Ladd place from the rear, by way of the pasture and thebarnyard, they found Doctor John awaiting them. He was leaning overthe little wicket gate at the back of the garden, eating a handful ofplump gooseberries. With affected sternness he eyed their approach,not uttering a word till Barbara violently pushed the gate open andrushed at him. Then, straightenin
g himself to his full height,--he hada half-head to the good of even the towering Doctor Jim,--he extendedhis hand to her, and said, civilly:
"Do have a gooseberry!"
At this Barbara shrieked with laughter. Doctor John always seemed toher the very funniest thing in the world, and his humour, in season andout of season, quite irresistible. At the same time she pounded himimpatiently with her fists, and tried to pull him down to her.
"I don't want a gooseberry," she cried. "I want you to kiss me. Ihaven't seen you for more than a week, and you go and act just as if Ihad seen you every day!"
Doctor John stooped, but held her at arm's length, and gazed at herwith preternatural gravity.
"Tell me one thing," he said.
"What?" whispered Barbara, impressed.
"Have you been taking any of Jim Pigeon's physic since I saw you?"
"No!" shrieked Barbara, with another wild peal of laughter. "DoctorJim's a Tory. He might poison me!"
"Then you shall have one kiss--no, two!" said Doctor John, picking herup.
"Ten--twenty--a hundred!" insisted the child, hugging him violently.
"There! there! Enough is as good as a feast!" interrupted Doctor John,presently, untwining her arms and setting her down. Then, Doctor Jimholding one of her hands and Doctor John the other, she skipped gailyup the path toward the house, like a wisp of light dancing betweentheir giant bulks.
At this moment the figure of Mistress Mehitable appeared on the porch;and Barbara felt suddenly abashed. A realisation of all that hadoccurred, all she had done, all she had suffered, rushed over her. Herlittle fingers shut like steel upon the great, comforting hands thatheld them, and the colour for a moment faded out of her cheeks. DoctorJohn and Doctor Jim both felt the pang of emotion that darted throughher. She felt, rather than saw, that their big faces leaned above hertenderly. But she did not want them to speak. She was afraid theymight not say the right thing. She felt that _she_ must say somethingat once, to divert their attention from her plight. She looked arounddesperately and caught sight, in the barnyard behind her, of the hiredman milking the vicious red 'mooley' cow that would not let Abby milkher.
"Why!" she exclaimed, with a vast show of interest and surprise,"there's Amos milking Mooley!"
On the instant she recognised the bald irrelevancy of the remark, andwished she had not spoken. But Doctor John turned his head, eyed Amoswith critical consideration, and said:
"Goodness gracious! why, so it is! Now, do you know, _I_ should haveexpected to see the parson, or Squire Gillig, milking Mooley. Dear me,dear me!"
At this, though the deeper half of her heart was sick with apprehensiveemotion, the other half was irresistibly titillated, and she laughedhysterically; while Doctor Jim emitted a vast, appreciative guffaw.Before anything more could be said, the voice of Mistress Mehitablecame from the porch, kindly sweet, familiar, and cadenced as if nocataclysms whatever had lately shaken the world.
"Supper is waiting," she said, and smiled upon them gently as theyapproached.
"We come, fair mistress!" responded Doctor Jim, modulating his voice toa deferential softness.
"We come--and here we are," broke out Doctor John, snatching upBarbara, dashing forward, and thrusting her into her aunt's notunwilling arms.
It was a wise device to surmount the difficulty of the meeting.
"I am truly most glad to see you, my dear child," said MistressMehitable, earnestly, pressing Barbara to her heart and kissing her onthe forehead. Barbara looked up, searched her aunt's face piercinglyfor a second, saw that the gentle blue eyes were something red andswollen with weeping, and impulsively lifted her lips to be kissed.
"I am sorry I grieved you, Aunt Hitty," she whispered, "I'll try hardnot to."
Mistress Mehitable kissed her again, almost impetuously, gave her asqueeze of understanding, and with her arm over the child's shoulderled the way in to supper.