第84章

Mr.Cobb slowly raised his head.He looked about him in a bewildered way, and then his gaze fixed itself upon Mrs.Barnes.

"What--why--YOU!" he gasped.

"Eh?" stammered Thankful, whose surprise and bewilderment were almost as great as his."Eh? What?""You?" repeated Solomon."What--what are you doin' here?""What am I doin' here? What am I doin'?""Yes." Then, after another stare about the room, he added: "This ain't Kenelm Parker's house? Whose house is it?""It's my house, of course.Emily, go and fetch some--some water or somethin'.He's out of his head."Emily hurried to the kitchen, Thankful hastened to help the unexpected visitor to his feet.But the visitor declined to be helped.

"Let me alone," he roared."Let me be.I--I want to know whose house this is?""It's my house, I tell you.You ought to know whose house it is.

Land sakes! You and I have had talk enough about it lately.Don't you know where you are? What are you sittin' there on the floor for? Are you hurt?"Slowly Mr.Cobb rose to his feet.

"Do you mean to tell me," he demanded, "that this is--is Abner's place? How'd I get here?""I don't know.I ain't hardly had time to make sure you are here yet.And I'm sartin YOU ain't sure.That was an awful tumble you got.Seems as if you must have hurt yourself.And you're soppin'

wet through! What in the WORLD?"

She moved toward him again, but he waved her away.

"Let me alone!" he ordered."I was headin' for Kenelm Parker's.

How'd I get here?"

"I tell you I don't know.I suppose you lost your way.No wonder, such a night's this.Set down.Let me get you somethin' hot to drink.Come out in the kitchen by the cookstove.Don't--""Hush up! Let me think.I never see such a woman to talk.I--Idon't see how I done it.I left Chris Badger's and came across the fields and--""And you took the wrong path, I guess, likely.Did you WALK from Chris Badger's? Where's your horse and team? You didn't walk from the Centre, did you?""'Course I didn't.Think I'm a dum fool? My horse fell down and hurt his knee and I left him in Badger's barn.I cal'lated to go to Kenelm's and put up over night.I--"He was interrupted by Emily, who entered with a glass in her hand.

"Here's the water, Auntie," she said."Is he better now?""Better?" snorted Solomon."What's the matter with you? I ain't sick.What you got in that tumbler? Water! What in time do Iwant of any more water? Don't I look as if I'd had water enough to last me one spell? I'm--consarn it all, I'm a reg'lar sponge! How far off is Kenelm's from here? How long will it take me to get there?"Thankful answered, and her answer was decisive.

"I don't know," she said, "but I do know you ain't goin' to try to get anywhere 'till mornin'.You and I ain't been any too lovin', Solomon Cobb, but I shan't take the responsibility of your dyin' of pneumonia.You'll stay right here, and the first thing I'll do is head off that chill you've got this very minute."There was no doubt about the chill.Solomon's face and hands were blue and he was shaking from head to foot.But his determination was unshaken.He strode to the door.

"How do I get to Parker's?" he demanded.

"I tell you you mustn't go to Parker's or anywhere else.You're riskin' your life."Mr.Cobb did not answer.He lifted the latch and pulled the door open.A howling gust of wind-driven rain beat in upon him, drenching the carpet and causing the lamp to flicker and smoke.

For a moment Solomon gazed out into the storm; then he relinquished his hold and staggered back.

"I--I can't do it!" he groaned."I've GOT to stay here! I've GOTto!"

Thankful, exerting all her strength, closed the door and locked it.

"Indeed you've got to," she declared."Now go out into the kitchen and set by the stove while I heat a kettle and make you some ginger tea or somethin'."Solomon hesitated.

"He must, Aunt Thankful," urged Emily; "he really must."The visitor turned to stare at her.

"Who are you?" he demanded, ungraciously.Then, as another chill racked him from head to foot, he added: "I don't care.Take me somewheres and give me somethin'--ginger tea or--or kerosene or anything else, so it's hot.I--I'm--sho--oo--ook all to--pi--ic--ces."

They led him to the kitchen, where Thankful prepared the ginger tea.During its preparation she managed to inform Emily concerning the identity of their unexpected lodger.Solomon, introduced to Miss Howes, merely grunted and admitted that he had "heard tell" of her.His manner might have led a disinterested person to infer that what he had heard was not flattering.He drank his tea, and as he grew warmer inside and out his behavior became more natural, which does not mean that it was either gracious or grateful.

At length he asked what time it was.Thankful told him.

"I think you'd better be gettin' to bed, Solomon," she suggested.

"I'll hunt up one of Mr.Caleb Hammond's nightshirts, and while you're sleepin' your wet clothes can be dryin' here by the cookstove."Solomon grunted, but he was, apparently, willing to retire.Then came the question as to where he should sleep.Emily offered a suggestion.

"Why don't you put him in the back room, Auntie," she said."The one Miss Timpson used to have.That isn't occupied now and the bed is ready."Thankful hesitated."I don't know's he'd better have that room, Emily," she said.

"Why not? I'm sure it's a very nice room.""Yes, I know it is, but--"

"But what?"

Mr.Cobb had a remark to make.