Jess of the Rebel Trail Part 28

"Indeed you won't stay, Sam'l. You're going, too. You haven't seen Mrs. Hampton for some time, and it's good for you to be neighbourly.

She won't like it one bit if you don't come. So hurry up with your smoke, and then get ready."

"Fiddlesticks!" the captain growled as he hunted for his pipe. "I haven't been home fer days, and then when I do git here ye hustle me right away agin."

"And you wouldn't be here now if I hadn't brought you," was the retort.

"You're getting more obstinate every day, Sam'l Tobin. I don't know what's coming over you."

"Sense, Martha, jist common sense. I'm seein' things in a new light.

Every time I come home ye keep naggin' so much at me that I'm always glad when I git on board the boat agin. I wish to goodness I was thar now. Wonder how Eben's makin' out."

"Most likely he's asleep," Flo laughingly replied. "I'd like to go on board and surprise him. Wouldn't it be fun? May I, mother? You and daddy go to Mrs. Hampton's without me."

"Indeed you'll do no such a thing," her mother sharply replied. "We don't want another drowning accident here like that one at Benton's wharf."

"But I don't want to drown myself, mother. I'm not like that poor unfortunate girl. She was running away from a man who wanted to marry her. Do you think I'd do such a foolish thing as that? Indeed I wouldn't. I wish that Lord Somebody-or-other would come my way. I'm sure I wouldn't drown myself to get clear of him. He wouldn't get rid of me so easily. I wonder what it feels like to have a Lord's son in love with you. I think it would be great."

"Don't talk such nonsense, Flo," Mrs. Tobin chided. "Men are deceivers, and the less you have to do with them the better. Just think of that poor girl who drowned herself. No doubt she found out what that Lord's son was like, and rather than marry him she ended her life. Did you hear whether they found her body, Sam'l?"

The captain gave a guilty start, coughed, and stared at his wife. He was afraid she would ask this question.

"No, I guess they didn't find her, Martha. They was searchin' the river when we pulled out from Benton's. I haven't heard anything since. She's Henry Randall's daughter, I believe."

"And his wife, Sam'l, was old Silas Parks' daughter. He was the real estate man who sold that bed of rocks to Mr. Hampton. She was worth a pile of money when she married Randall."

"Yes, an' I guess she's worth more to-day, Martha. She's a shrewd one, all right, an' as close-fisted as her dad. My, it was a caution the way he took Hampton in on that place. It really isn't worth five cents."

"But there's coal on it, though, Sam'l, an' that should be worth a great deal."

"Coal, ha, ha. Yes, thar's coal, but what good is it way back in the hills? John can't git anybody to touch it, though he's been tryin'

hard. It's too fer from the river. I do feel sorry fer John. He's a decent feller, an' if he could only git that notion about the coal out of his head he might be good fer something. He's not much at farmin'."

"And to think of him getting married, Sam'l! How on earth will he support a wife? It's as much as he and his mother can do to get along as it is, though many think they are well off. But, then, that's none of our business. He can marry anyone he likes for all I care. I only want to know what she looks like, and where she comes from. If she's to be our neighbour, I want to find out all I can about her. So, hurry up and get ready. I'll help Flo with the dishes."

CHAPTER XVIII

HARD LUCK

As the Tobins drew near the Hampton home, they heard the sound of music accompanied by singing. They stopped at the foot of the verandah steps and listened. The blind of the parlour window was up, and they could see Mrs. Hampton at the piano, with John and the fair visitor standing by her side. It was an old familiar song they were singing, and it sounded especially sweet to the three listeners outside.

"Say, I haven't heard anything like that fer years," the captain remarked. "It strikes me jist right. Let's stay here."

"We shall do no such thing," his wife replied. "It's not good manners."

"Isn't she pretty?" Flo whispered. "And how happy she and John seem to be."

Mrs. Tobin made no reply, but led the way up the steps, knocked at the door, opened it and walked in. This was her usual custom, and Mrs.

Hampton always did the same when she visited the Tobins. The music and singing suddenly ceased as the visitors entered, and an expression of annoyance swept for an instant over John's face as he turned and saw Mrs. Tobin standing in the doorway.

"Excuse us for interrupting you," the latter began, "but we thought we'd make a neighbourly call to-night since Sam'l's home. We're all anxious to meet your company."

Mrs. Hampton had now left the piano and was advancing to meet her neighbours. She, too, was annoyed, for she knew only too well how Mrs.

Tobin would make every effort to ferret out the secret of Miss Randall's presence. But as they had come, she had to make the best of it.

"It is thoughtful of you to come over," she replied. "We were enjoying a little music. This is Miss Bean, Mrs. Tobin. I feel sure you will be pleased to meet her."

Mrs. Tobin at once stepped forward and reached out her hand.

"Very glad I am to make your acquaintance, Miss. It's not often we see a stranger in this place. I hope you'll come over to see us."

Jess took Mrs. Tobin's hand in hers and was about to reply, when, happening to glance across the room, she saw the captain standing near the door. She recognised him at once, and her face turned white, while her body trembled. Mrs. Tobin believed that this agitation was due to her strenuous grip, and she quickly dropped the girl's hand.

"Excuse me, Miss," she apologised. "I didn't intend to hurt you. But when I shake hands I mean it. Now, some people just touch the tips of your fingers as if they were afraid you'd bite. That may be the fas.h.i.+onable way, but I like the good old handshake."

"I never let you shake hands with me, Mrs. Tobin," John laughingly told her. "I know you too well."

"And I guess you should," was the retort. "You often felt my hands when you were a boy, didn't you? I had to use them more than once, especially when you took my apples."

"Come, come, Mrs. Tobin, you must not give me away. Let us forget the past. I want the captain to meet Miss Bean. He looks as if he would like to run away. Come here, sir. You were always nervous in the presence of women, I know. But Miss Bean is perfectly harmless."

John was well aware why the captain wished to get out of the house.

Knowing Mrs. Tobin as well as he did, he felt certain that her husband was most anxious to keep from her the story of his experience with Miss Randall on the "Eb and Flo." It amused him, and yet he felt it was his duty not only to the captain but to Jess as well not to divulge the secret. He had noticed the girl's white face and trembling hands, and surmised the cause.

The captain was indeed in a quandary. At the first glimpse of Miss Randall he was seized with a great fear. How could he face her in the presence of his wife? Would she recognise him, and call him by name?

If she did, then he would be at once amid serious breakers on a stormy sh.o.r.e. He wanted to retreat, to get away from the house as fast as possible. But there was no escape, for he heard John telling him to come and meet the young woman. For a few seconds he stood as if rooted to the floor, staring straight before him. Notwithstanding her own agitation, Jess could hardly keep from smiling at the captain's confusion. She felt sorry for him, so acting upon the impulse of the instant, she crossed the room and held out her hand.

"I am very glad to meet you, Captain," she began, "You have a boat of your very own, so I understand. You will take me for a trip on the river some day, will you not? I have always longed for a sail in a wood-boat."

"Sure, sure, Miss, I'll take ye," the captain replied, much delighted at her action. "But mebbe ye'd better ask me wife. She's mighty pertic'ler who I take sailin', 'specially when it comes to women."

"Oh, I am sure Mrs. Tobin won't mind," Jess a.s.sured. "She's too sensible, I know. And, besides, I'm quite young."

A grim smile overspread Mrs. Tobin's face as she listened to this conversation. She was pleased with the girl, and anxious to learn more about her.

"I don't mind Sam'l taking you on the boat," she said, "and if you live along the river you can go with him as well as not. But I never heard of the Bean family before. I know about most of the people from St.

John to Fredericton."

"Miss Bean's home is in the city," John explained. "She was visiting some friends at the quarry, and was. .h.i.t on the head by a stone. I happened to be there at the time, and so brought her home with me last night. You heard about that other accident there, I suppose?"

"No; what accident?"

"A truck load of stone with two men on board struck a cow, which was standing on the track. The cow was killed, and one of the men was badly hurt."

"My, oh, my!" Mrs. Tobin exclaimed. "I never heard the like of such things as are taking place these days. With that poor girl drowned at Benton's wharf, another injured at the quarry, a cow killed, and a man hurt. The world must surely be coming to an end, for the Bible says there will be terrible things happening in the last days."

"Oh, I guess the world will wag along for some time yet," John laughingly replied. "Wouldn't you like to hear some music, Mrs. Tobin?"