CHAPTER XXXI
GREAT EXPECTATIONS IN JOHNSON FAMILY
"Say, Dan."
"Huh-huh?"
"Did you ever feel kind of sudden like you'd done something before?"Lafe inquired.
It was a month later and we were riding through the dusk up the Canontowards his home. This was too abstruse.
"I mean," he explained, "sometimes when you're at some place or lookingat something, haven't you had a quick idea that you'd done the samething in the same place a long time ago? Haven't you ever felt that way,Dan?"
"Often."
"I wonder," said he, "what's the reason?"
"It's probably a recurring impression--a remembrance of an act performedyears ago."
He shook his head. "No-oo. It ain't that. I ain't never rode up herewith you before. This is the first time me and you have been heretogether, ain't it? Yet I swear it struck me just now that, so long agoI can't call to mind when, me and you were trotting along just likethis."
"Perhaps we were chums in a previous existence. There is thetransmigration of souls, you know."
Lafe answered impatiently that the phenomenon could not be explained onany such grounds and expressed surprise that a man of my seeming sensewould credit such theories. It seemed to rankle in him strangely. Hegrumbled to himself for a considerable distance, and was so visibly putout that I switched the talk.
"How's Bob getting along?" I ventured.
It proved an unfortunate choice of topics. Ferrier had been given a yearin the cells by the commandant of the post, and then Horne had gone tohis succor. And although the major had vowed to high heaven that nodeserter would ever be dealt with leniently by him, he had yieldedfinally to the point of cutting down his punishment. It is true thatthere were many extenuating circumstances, and Ferrier seemed so sincerein his desire to atone that his commander was favorably inclined. So itended by Hetty's brother escaping with thirty days' confinement. Then,anxious to get him away from old associations, and comrades who knew themistakes of his past, Johnson arranged through Horne to pay for hisdischarge.
All this had he done. Indeed, Lafe had labored unceasingly for hisbrother-in-law. Yet he railed against him, even while he aided. Likemany men who never shirk from helping when it is most needed, Johnsoncould never hear the object of his benefactions mentioned withoutfalling a victim to spleen. I should have avoided all reference toFerrier.
"There's a brother-in-law for you," he snorted. "Yes, sir, he's sure atreasure. I no sooner get him out of the cells for deserting, than offhe goes and--guess what he wants to do now?"
"Borrow some money?"
"You've hit it. Yes, sir, you've nailed it dead to rights. Here, afterall the trouble me and ol' Horne took with that general at the Fort,that there feller Ferrier asks me to stake him, just as cool as you'dask for a match. Say, have you got one? I'm plumb out."
"Oh, well," said I, "a man has to stand by his family."
"He ain't my family."
"He's Hetty's brother."
"Sure. He's Hetty's brother and I ain't allowed to forget it, either. Itell you what, Dan--when a man marries a woman, he marries all her kin,too."
With which bitter reflection Johnson borrowed some tobacco and rolled acigarette. After a space he remarked that Ferrier planned to settle on aquarter-section within the Horne range, and that he required threehundred dollars to make a start. Mary Lou Hardin was included in thisscheme of settlement, said Lafe, the idea being that two could live ascheaply as one and that Bob would never amount to a row of beans unlessanchored and domesticated. He had nothing but scorn for such adolescentreasoning.
"When I think of the way a young feller cares for a girl, I want tolaugh," he said. "Pshaw, it's all mush. Nothing but talk, and those kidsmake the talk do instead of work. And if it ain't mush, it's wind. Itell you what--a man and a woman don't rightly care for each other, Dan,until they're married."
I stared at him. "Is that so? Well, well. Suppose they only wake up thenand find they don't care at all. That would be fierce."
"Sure," he answered gravely. "It's a gamble. Why don't you take achance?"
"That's my business."
"Well, you needn't get all swelled up about it. Hetty was saying to meonly the other day--say, what're you so red in the face about?"
"You and Hetty stick to housekeeping and let me run my own affairs," Iretorted hotly. Their presumption passed all bounds. "Whenever a man'sfriends get married, they begin picking out a girl for him right off. Isuppose misery likes company."
Johnson chuckled and said: "All right, let's forget it." It was veryapparent in what channel his thoughts moved, however, for he would keepturning on me a broad smile.
"What good are bachelors, anyhow?" he demanded. "They'd ought for to tax'em heavy."
"You talk like a mothers' meeting, Lafe."
"Well, I've got the rights of this thing, anyhow. Bachelors make methink of what Frank Hastings said once about a mule--up on the Plains,this was--'without pride of ancestry or hope of posterity,' Frank said."
"Huh! Frank read that somewhere."
For an hour we were silent. Night closed down over the Canon. Themountains seemed to take a long breath and settle to rest. It was warm,and so we were hopeful of rain within a week, or perhaps two. Our poniesswashed the dust lazily side by side, and we said no word, for thecoming of dark in our country will still speech in anyone but a clod ora fool.
A Jack-o'-Lantern rose in front of us, twinkling like a diamond againstblack velvet. It held steady for a moment, then flitted eerily indarting curves, soaring high until it appeared a tiny star. Our folk saythat little Jack is a lost soul, doomed to haunt the place of hisearthly woes; but I have a pleasanter theory.
"Look at him," said Johnson in a tone almost reverent. "That there shinyfeller's been following of me at nights now something ridiculous. If Iain't out on the range, I swan he comes loafing round the house.Honest."
"I like 'em."
"You do? I wonder what they are?"
"Why, you mean to say you don't know? I'm surprised at you, Lafe.They're human souls seeking a lodging."
He exploded into laughter. "Is that so?" said he. Facing to the frontagain, he fell to musing. "Is that so?" he repeated. "You're sure a wolfon souls, Dan."
Hetty was on the porch to receive us. With her was Ferrier, big andstraight and indolent. She bade me welcome with frank heartiness as anold friend, but there was distinct coldness in her greeting of Lafe. Icould not but observe it. When he would have kissed her, she turned hercheek to him; she submitted even to this with evident reluctance. Atiff--a doting couple's tiff--I concluded, and engaged Ferrier inconversation. He had scarcely a word to say, and walked beside me solazily when we went to put the horses in the pasture, that my patiencewas sorely taxed. That was the way with soldiers, I reflected--once asoldier, never any good for anything else. Yet what little he utteredcontradicted this notion, for he seemed in earnest. Apparently Bob hadbeen doing some hard thinking and he was determined to get a foothold onthe broad, straight highway.
As we were entering the house: "Oh, do be quiet. Let me alone. You worryme half to death. A lot you care what becomes of me. Here, you're offall day and sometimes long after dark, and I've got--"
"Why, hon," Lafe was pleading, "I've got my work to do. You know I stayhome every minute I can. Ol' Horne says I'm tied to your apron strings.What's got into you, Hetty?"
"Nothing's the matter with me. For heaven's sake, shut up and let mehave a little peace. I say you don't care what becomes of me. No, youdon't. Here, I've had a splitting headache and when I tell you about it,all you do is grin. Now, don't go and try to tell me you feel for me."
"What do you want me to do? Cry on your shoulder? A man can't make afuss over them things, Hetty."
"There you go again--making fun of me. If I was to die to-night,nobody'd care--not even Bob. I wish I could die. You could go back toPaula then."
"Hon," said Lafe, in a choked voice.
Bob wiped his fe
et noisily on the steps and I coughed. When we entered,there was no trace of a dispute or of anger on Hetty's countenance.Supper was ready and we sat down to it with grand appetites.
In the morning the repair of a windmill at a water tank compelled oursetting out to Badger to purchase pipe and joints. Lafe explained thepurpose of the trip at unusual length to his wife. She listened stonilyand told him to go by all means--told him with that high air ofresignation we put on when we acquiesce in anything we are powerless toprevent. Just as we started, Johnson tried to put his arm about her. Onbeing repulsed, he slowly mounted his horse.