"It's a'most a pity Gran'dad can't see it," she chuckled2. "He'd be so crazy he'd hev them claws o' his'n 'round my throat in a jiffy."
Mary Louise drew back, startled.
"Did he ever do that?" she asked.
"Only once; but that time near ended me. It were a long time ago, an' he was sorry, I guess, 'cause he bought me a new dress nex' day—an' new shoes! I ain't had any since," she added disconsolately3, "so the other day I asked him wasn't it about time he choked me ag'in."
"What did he say to that?"
"Jes' growled5 at me. Gran'dad's got a awful temper when he's good an' riled, but usual' he's still as a mouse. Don't say a word to me fer days together, sometimes. Once I saw him—"
She suddenly checked herself and cast an uneasy, sidelong glance at her companion. Mary Louise was rolling the washtub back to the stoop.
"The only thing that will bother us, Ingua," she said, "is those dishes. Let us try to count the broken ones. Do you know how many there were?"
"Sure I do," answered the girl, removing the battered6 dishpan from the heap of crockery. "Two plates, two cups-'n'-saucers, a oatmeal dish, a bread plate an' the pork platter. Gee7! what a smash. One cup's whole—an' the oatmeal dish. The rest is gone-up."
"I'm going to dig a hole and bury the broken pieces," said Mary Louise. "Have you a spade?"
"There's an ol' shovel8. But it won't do no good to bury of 'em. Gran'dad he counts ev'ry piece ev'ry day. He counts ev'ry thing, from the grains of salt to the chickens. Say, once I tried to play a trick on him. I'd got so hungry fer meat I jes' couldn't stand it, so one day I killed a chick'n, thinkin' he wouldn't miss it. My—my! Wha' d'ye s'pose? Say, ye never told me yer name yit."
"Highflyin' name, ain't it? Well, I killed thet chick'n, an' cut it up an' fried it, an' et jes' a leg an' a wing, an' hid the rest under my bed in the peak up there, where Ol' Swallertail never goes. All the feathers an' the head I buried, an' I cleaned up the hatchet11 an' the fry-in'-pan so's there wasn't a smitch of anything left to prove I'd murdered one o' them chicks. I was feelin' kinder chirky when Gran'dad come home, 'cause I thought he'd never find out. But what did the ol' vill'n do but begin to sniff12 aroun'; an' he sniffed13 an' he sniffed till he says: 'Ingua, what chick'n did ye kill, an' why did ye kill it?'
"Then he gives me one sour look an' marches out to count the chick'ns, an' when he comes back he says: 'It's the brown pullet with white on the wings. It were worth forty cents, an' forty cents'll buy ten pounds o' oatmeal. Where's the chick'n, girl?' 'Et up,' says I. 'Yer lyin',' says he. 'Go git it! Hustle14!'
"Well, I saw his claws beginnin' to work an' it scared me stiff. So I goes to my room an' brings down the chick'n, an' he eyes it quiet-like fer a long time an' then eats some fer his supper. The rest he locks up in the cupboard that he allus carries the key to. Say, Mary Louise, I never got another taste o' that chick'n as long as it lasted! Ol' Swallertail et it all himself, an' took a week to do it."
During this recital15 the broom and mop and scrubbing-brush had been picked up and restored to their proper places. Then the two girls got out the old shovel and buried the broken dishes in a far corner of the yard, among high weeds. Mary Louise tried to get the dents16 out of the old dishpan, but succeeded only indifferently. It was so battered through long use, however, that Ingua thought the "jams" would not be noticed.
"Next," said Mary Louise, "we must replace the broken pieces. I suppose they sell dishes at the village store, do they not?"
"That's where these come from—long ago," replied Ingua; "but dishes cost money."
"I've a little money in my purse; enough for that, I'm sure. Will you go to town with me?"
Ingua stared at her as if bewildered. The proposition was wholly beyond her understanding. But she replied to her new friend's question, saying slowly:
"No; I won't go. Ol' Swallertail'd skin me alive if he caught me in the village."
"Then I'll go alone; and I'll soon be back, though I must run over to my own house first, to get my purse and my hat. Let me have one of the cups for a sample, Ingua."
She left the child sitting on the plank17 runway and looking rather solemn and thoughtful. Mary Louise was somewhat fearful that she might run away in her absence, so she hurried home and from there walked into the village, a tramp easily accomplished18 in ten minutes.
The store was the biggest building in town, but not very big at that. It was "clapboarded" and two stories in height, the upper floor being used by Sol Jerrems, the storekeeper, as a residence, except for two little front rooms which he rented, one to Miss Huckins, the dressmaker and milliner, who slept and ate in her shop, and the other to Mr. Cragg. A high platform had been built in front of the store, for the convenience of farmer customers in muddy weather, and there were steps at either end of the platform for the use of pedestrians19.
When Mary Louise entered the store, which was cluttered20 with all sorts of goods, not arranged in very orderly manner, there were several farmers present. But old Sol had his eye on her in an instant and shuffled21 forward to wait upon her.
"I want some crockery, please," she said.
He looked at the sample cup and led her to a corner of the room where a jumble22 of dishes crowded a single shelf.
"I take it you're one o' them new folks at the Kenton Place," he remarked.
"Yes," said she.
"Thought ther' was plenty o' dishes in that place," continued Mr. Jerrems, in a friendly tone. "But p'r'aps ye don't want the black folks t' eat off'n the same things ye do yerselves."
Mary Louise ignored this speech and selected the dishes she wanted. She had measured the broken platter and found another of the same size. Old Sol wouldn't sell a saucer without a cup, explaining that the two always went together: "the cup to hold the stuff an' the saucer to drink it out'n." Without argument, however, the girl purchased what she wanted. It was heavy, cheap ware23 of the commonest kind, but she dared not substitute anything better for it.
Then she went to the grocery counter and after considering what Ingua might safely hide and eat in secret she bought a tin of cooked corned beef, another of chipped beef, one of deviled ham and three tins of sardines24. Also she bought a basket to carry her purchases in and although old Sol constantly sought to "pump" her concerning her past life, present history and future prospects25, she managed to evade26 successfully his thirst for information. No doubt the fellow was a great gossip, as old Eben had declared, but Mary Louise knew better than to cater27 to this dangerous talent.
The proprietor28 accompanied her to the door and she drew back, hesitating, as she observed an old man in a bottle-blue swallowtail coat pace in deliberate, dignified29 manner along the opposite side of the street.
"Who is that?" she asked, as an excuse for not going out until Ingua's grandfather had passed from sight.
"That? Why, that's Ol' Swallertail, otherwise Hezekiah Cragg, one o' our most interestin' citizens," replied Sol, glad of the chance to talk.
"Does he own Cragg's Crossing?" asked Mary Louise.
"Mercy, no! He owned a lot of it once, though, but that were afore my time. Sold it out an' squandered30 the money, I guess, for he lives like a rat in a hole. Mebbe, though, he's got some hid away; that's what some o' the folks here whispers—folks that's likely to know. But, if that's a fact, he's got a streak31 o' miser32 in him, for he don't spend more'n the law allows."
"He may have lost the money in speculations," suggested the girl.
"Say, ye've hit the nail square on the head!" he exclaimed admiringly. "Them's my own opinions to a T. I've told the boys so a hunderd times, but they can't git it. Wasn't Ol' Swal-lertail hand-in-glove wi' that slick Mister Joselyn, who they say has run away an' left his pore wife in the lurch33? That's how you got a chance to rent the Kenton house. Joselyn were slick as butter, an' high-strung. Wouldn't hobnob with any o' us but Ol' Swallertail, an' that's why I think Cragg was investin' money with him. Joselyn he came down here three year ago, havin' married Annabel Kenton in the winter, an' the way he swelled34 aroun' were a caution to snakes. But the pore devil run his rope an' lit out. Where he skipped to, I dunno. Nobuddy seems to know, not even his wife. But they say she didn't hev enough money left to count, an' by the glum35 looks o' Ol' Swallertail I'm guessin' he got nipped too."
"How long ago was that?" asked Mary Louise.
"Some time 'bout last Christmas, they say. Anyhow, that's when his wife missed him an' set up a hunt that didn't do no good. She came down here with red eyes an' tramped 'round in the deep snow askin' questions. But, sakes, Ned Joselyn wouldn't 'a' come to an out-o'-the-way place like this; we didn't never suit his style, ye see; so poor Ann Kenton—whose misfortun' made her Mrs. Ned Joselyn—cried an' wailed36 fer a day er two an' then crep' back to the city like a whipped dog. Funny how women'll care fer a wuthless, ne'er-do-well chap that happens to be good-lookin', ain't it?"
Mary Louise nodded rather absently. However distorted the story might be, it was curious what had become of Mr. Joselyn. But her thoughts reverted37 to another theme and she asked:
"Hasn't Mr. Cragg a granddaughter?"
"Oh, ye've seen little Ingua Scammel, hev ye? Or mebbe just heard tell of her. She's the cussedest little coal o' fire in seven counties! Keeps Ol' Swallertail guessin' all the time, they say, jes' like her mom, Nan Cragg, did afore her. Gosh, what a woman her mom were! She didn't stay 'round here much, but whenever she run out o' cash an' didn't hev a square meal comin' to her, she camped on Ol' Swallertail an' made him board her. Las' time she come she left her young-un—that's Ingua, ye know—an' the kid's been here ever since; sort of a thorn in the side of ol' Hezekiah, we folks think, though he don't never complain. She ain't more'n twelve or thirteen year old, thet Ingua, but she keeps house fer her gran'dad—what they is to keep, which ain't much. I won't let the kid 'round my store, nohow, 'cause she swipes ev'rything, from dried apples to peanuts, thet she kin9 lay her hands on."
"Perhaps she is hungry," said Mary Louise, defending her new friend.
"Like enough. But I ain't feedin' starvin' kids, 'Tain't my business. If Ol' Swallertail don't feed her enough, thet's his lookout38. I've warned him if she sets foot in this store I'll charge him ten cents, jes' fer safety, so he keeps her out. He's slick, Ol' Swallertail is, an' silent-like an' secret in all he does an' says; but he's got to git up earlier in the mornin' to git the best o' Sol Jerrems, he er his kid, either one."
As Mr. Cragg had now vanished from sight up the street, Mary Louise ventured out and after a brisk walk deposited her basket on the stoop of the Cragg cottage, where Ingua still sat, swinging her feet pensively39, as if she had not stirred since Mary Louise had left her.
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1
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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2
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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4
bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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5
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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6
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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7
gee
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| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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8
shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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9
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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10
burrows
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| n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 )；翻寻 | |
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11
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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12
sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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13
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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14
hustle
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| v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌) | |
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15
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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16
dents
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| n.花边边饰；凹痕( dent的名词复数 )；凹部；减少；削弱v.使产生凹痕( dent的第三人称单数 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等） | |
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17
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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18
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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19
pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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20
cluttered
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| v.杂物，零乱的东西零乱vt.( clutter的过去式和过去分词 )；乱糟糟地堆满，把…弄得很乱；（以…） 塞满… | |
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21
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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22
jumble
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| vt.使混乱，混杂；n.混乱；杂乱的一堆 | |
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23
ware
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| n.(常用复数)商品，货物 | |
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24
sardines
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| n. 沙丁鱼 | |
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25
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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26
evade
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| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
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27
cater
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| vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务 | |
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28
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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29
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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30
squandered
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| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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32
miser
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| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
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33
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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34
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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35
glum
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| adj.闷闷不乐的，阴郁的 | |
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36
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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38
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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39
pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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