CHAPTER XXII
THE LOSER
"Why doesn't Maud come back?" said Bunny discontentedly. "It's beastlymean of her to stay away over the holidays."
"You can go to her if you like, my son," said Jake, between whiffs athis pipe.
"Oh, I know. But it isn't the same thing. And besides, I'm not goingto leave you alone for Christmas, so there! Say, Jake, I wonder you putup with it. Why shouldn't we go--the two of us--and fetch her back?"
"She's better where she is," said Jake. "And as to my going away, it'sout of the question. I'm a fixture--so long as there's anything left todo."
Something in the last words caught Bunny's attention. He looked at himwith sudden shrewdness. "What do you mean, Jake? What's up?"
Jake was silent. He sat moodily smoking and staring into the fire. Hischin was sunk on his chest. He looked older than his years.
Bunny on the other side of the hearth gazed at him for several secondswith close attention. Finally he got up, went to him, slipped down onto the arm of his chair.
"What is it, Jake, old feller? Tell me!"
Jake looked up, met the warm sympathy in the boy's eyes, and in a momentthrust a kindly arm about the slim young figure.
"Don't you worry about me, little pard!" he said. "There ain't anythingthe matter that I can't face out by myself."
"Oh, but that's rot, Jake." Bunny's cheek went down against the man'sbronze head and pressed it hard. "What's the good of bottling it up?'Sides, you know, Jake, I don't count. I'd die before I'd split."
"Guess I know that," Jake said.
He hugged Bunny to him as if there were comfort in mere contact, but hesaid no more.
Bunny hugged him in return, and after a brief silence began to probe forthe enlightenment he desired. "Why do you say Maud is better where sheis, Jake? After all, she is your wife and no one else's, isn't she?"
Jake puffed at his pipe for a few seconds as if considering his reply.At last, "I say it because it is so," he said. "Your Uncle Edward wantedher, and I reckon that's just the silver lining to my cloud. He's arich man, I gather. He can look after the two of you--if I go under."
"Jake! You aren't going under!" Horrified incredulity sounded inBunny's voice. He leaned swiftly forward to look into Jake's face.
A queer, dogged smile showed upon it for an instant and was gone."Don't you worry any, sonny! I shall come up again," said Jake. "I'vebeen under before, practically down and out. But it hasn't killed me.It ain't going to kill me this time. So long as you and Maud areprovided for, I can fend for myself."
"But Jake, what's it mean? You haven't lost money?" urged Bunny inbewilderment.
"No. I've got a little money. There are plenty of poor devils worseoff than I." Jake leaned his head back against Bunny's wiry arm. Therewas a fighting gleam in his eyes. "But it ain't enough to keep megoing. If it had been, I reckon I shouldn't have waited for notice toquit."
"Is that what you've got? Jake, you aren't in earnest! Charlie wouldn'tbe such a blackguard!"
Jake uttered an abrupt laugh; his teeth were clenched on his lower lip."Oh, Charlie's a blackguard all right--blackguard enough for anything.Don't you ever make any mistake about that! But I presume it's up tohim to sell the stud if he feels so disposed. There ain't anythingspecially blackguardly in that. It's just his polite way of telling meto git."
"Sell the stud! Is that what he's going to do? Oh, Jake, old feller!Jake!" Shocked sympathy was in Bunny's voice.
Jake hugged him harder. "I hadn't meant to tell you on your firstnight. But you're such a shrewd little chap. And you've got to knowsooner or later. Don't make an all-fired fuss about it anyway!"
"All right, Jake." Bunny sounded a little breathless, but there wasresolution in his voice. "It's you I'm thinking of. When--when's itgoing to be?"
"The sale? Early in the year I expect. I haven't any definiteinstructions as to that. I'm expecting 'em every day. All I've beentold officially at present is to cancel all engagements. Of course Iguessed what was in the wind then. I tackled old Bishop the Agent aboutit the other day; and he had to confirm it. Ah, well!" Jake heaved anabrupt sigh that seemed to catch him unawares, and became silent.
"P'raps he won't sell 'em all, Jake," said Bunny hesitatingly. "Hecouldn't--surely--sell The Hundredth Chance!"
Jake's pipe suddenly cracked between his teeth. He sat up sharply, andtook it out of his mouth. It fell in twain between his fingers. He satstaring at it, then with a curious reverence he stooped forward anddropped the pieces into the heart of the fire.
"Yes," he said heavily. "I reckon The Hundredth Chance will go with allthe rest."
He looked at Bunny, and there was desolation in his eyes; but he gave itno verbal expression. And Bunny also found that the subject demandedsilence; it was beyond words.
"Does Maud know?" he asked at length, speaking rather doubtfully, as ifnot quite sure of his ground.
"No. I didn't want to worry her before I need." Jake's eyes went backto the fire, gazing into it, dumbly troubled. "I fancy there's no doubtthat the old man will provide for her--for both of you. That's what I'mcounting on anyway."
Bunny made an abrupt movement of impatience. "Oh, damn all that, Jake!What of you?"
For the first time his strong language went unrebuked. Jake's eyesremained fixed upon the fire where burned the remains of his treasure.He spoke slowly, as one reading words but dimly discerned.
"Reckon I shall go back to America. I shall find my feet again there.There's no call for you to be anxious about me. Guess I shan't starve."
"Jake!" Bunny's arm went round his shoulders, gripping them hard. Hespoke into Jake's ear, a rapid, nervous whisper. "Jake, if you're goingto America, I reckon I'm coming too. There's no one worth speaking toafter you. I just won't be left behind. I'll work, Jake. I'll worklike a nigger. I won't be a drag on you. But I can't stay behind--notafter all you've been to me. Jake, Jake, old feller, say you'll haveme! I'm as strong as a horse. And I'd sooner starve along with youthan be left without you. I--I--Jake, old feller, please!" He suddenlybowed his head upon Jake's shoulder with a hard sob.
"Little pard!" Jake said, and pulled him down beside him. "Don't actthe fool now! That ain't like you!"
Bunny clung to him almost fiercely. "You shan't lose everything, Jake.First Maud, and then the animals, and then the home,--and--and--me too.You like me a bit, don't you, Jake?"
"Just a bit," said Jake, ruffling the black head.
"Then let me come with you, Jake! I'll do whatever you tell me.I--I'll black your boots for you every day. I'll do anything under thesun. Only don't leave me behind! I miss you badly enough at school.But I can't stick it--without you--altogether."
"Shucks! Shucks!" said Jake very softly.
He was holding Bunny in his arms in the old brotherly way. They weretoo close to one another for any boyish dignity to come between. Thebond that linked them had been forged in the fires of adversity, andadversity served but to strengthen it.
"I can't!" Bunny reiterated. "You don't know what you are to me, Jake.You've just made me. And I--I feel as if I'll all come undone again ifyou go right away."
"I haven't gone yet," Jake said, in a drawl that was slightly unsteady."But if it is to be, Bunny lad,--and God knows it's more thanlikely--you can do a bigger thing for me by staying back here--alongwith Maud--than if you came along and roughed it with me. You'll be thelink between us, boy, when--all the other links are gone."
He became silent, gently smoothing the hair that he had ruffled.
Bunny was silent also for a space. It was as if something sacred hadcome into their communion. At last with his head still pillowed onJake's shoulder he spoke.
"Say, Jake!"
Jake's arm tightened almost as if he would silence him, but he saidnothing.
And Bunny persisted. "Jake, old chap, it doesn't take a prophet to se
ethat things aren't as they should be between you two. I'm beastlysorry. I know jolly well it's not your fault."
"It ain't hers," Jake said, almost under his breath.
"No. I guess it's that blackguard Charlie. I wish I were a man. I'dshoot him!" said Bunny vindictively.
"I guess you wouldn't," Jake said, faint humour in his voice. "Besides,there's nothing to shoot him for now. He's as much a loser as I am."
"What! They've quarrelled?" questioned Bunny. "Where is he? At theCastle?"
"No. Heaven knows where he is. He's been gone for the last six weeksand more."
"It's twice that since Maud went away," observed Bunny uneasily. "Whyon earth doesn't she come back, Jake? She's not--not--afraid of you?"
"She has been back once in that time," Jake said quietly. "She stayedone night with your mother at 'The Anchor.' The place is shut up now,and your mother has gone back to London. I thought possibly that shewould have settled down here a bit with Maud. But she didn't quite seeit. And it was as well, for the old uncle wrote asking Maud to go backto him, and she went."
"Without consulting you?" asked Bunny quickly.
"She didn't consult me certainly, but she knew I was willing for her togo." Jake spoke with a touch of restraint.
Bunny raised his head and looked at him with sudden shrewdness. "Whodid she want to get away from? You? Or Charlie?"
A flicker that was scarcely humorous crossed Jake's face. "Maybe both,"he said.
"And you--you quarrelled with Charlie?"
"No. Seeing he was a loser, I let him go in peace. It was the onlything to do."
"And he has got his knife into you on that account?" questioned Bunny.
"Maybe," Jake admitted.
"Then he's a low hound, and I'd love to tell him so."
"Where's the use? Reckon he knows it all right," said Jake dryly.
"I hope Maud knows it too!"
"She does," said Jake.
Bunny looked slightly mollified. "That's something anyway. Say, Jake?"
"What is it, my son?" Jake's red-brown eyes looked at him with atenderness that only Bunny was ever allowed to see.
Bunny's head went back to its resting-place against his shoulderswiftly, endearingly. "Jake, Jake, old man, why don't you go back toher? Maybe she's wanting you--and hasn't the pluck to say so. Womenare like that, you know."
Jake was silent.
"Give her the chance, Jake!" Bunny urged. "You don't know her like Ido. She always was shy. Lots of people thought her proud, but it wasmostly shyness. Give her the chance, Jake, old fellow! Just this onechance! It may make all the difference."
"Think so?" said Jake.
"Course I do. I know Maud. She'd sooner die than show you herfeelings. But she's got 'em all the same. Maybe she's wantingyou--quite a lot, Jake. You can't tell."
"And maybe she's not," said Jake.
"Oh don't--don't be an ass, Jake! Come along and find out anyway!It's--it's up to you, Jake. And there's no one else in the running."
A whimsical smile touched Jake's grim mouth. "Guess that's just whatmakes it so difficult," he said. "Is anyone at all in the running? I'dsooner draw a loser than a blank."
Bunny lifted a hot, earnest face. "Don't be an ass, Jake!" he urgedagain. "Go in, man! Go in and win! You love her, don't you?"
It was a straight shot, and it found its mark. Something fiery,something wholly untamed, leaped into Jake's eyes. They shone like aflame upon which spirit has been poured. Bunny pulled himself free witha sound that was almost a whoop of triumph. "You silly coon! Go andtell her so!" he said. "I'll bet you never have yet!"
And Jake uttered a laugh that was curiously broken. "You're getting toodamn' clever, my son," he said.
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