I dare say--and they always mix things up; but they are most dangerous when they're like Claudine, because then they live among men of action like Cory and Fear.Cory was artful: he spent the day about town telling people that he had always liked Happy; that his ill feeling of yesterday was all gone; he wanted to find him and shake his hand, bury past troubles and be friends.I think he told Claudine the same thing when they met, and convinced the tiny brainlet of his sincerity.Cory was a man who `had a way with him,' and I can see Claudine flattered at the idea of being peace-maker between `two such nice gen'lemen as Mr.
Cory and Mr.Fear.' Her commonest asseveration--quite genuine, too--is that she doesn't like to have the gen'lemen making trouble about her! So the poor imbecile led him to where her husband was waiting.All that Happy knew of this was in her cry afterwards.He was sitting alone, when Cory threw open the door and said, `I've got you this time, Happy!' His pistol was raised but never fired.He waited too long, meaning to establish his case of `self-defence,' and Fear is the quickest man I know.Cory fell just inside the door.Claudine stumbled upon him as she came running after him, crying out to her husband that she `never meant no trouble,' that Cory had sworn to her that he only wanted to shake hands and `make up.'
Other people heard the shot and broke into the room, but they did not try to stop Fear; he warned them off and walked out without hindrance, and came to me.I've got to clear him."Ariel knew what he meant: she realized the actual thing as it was, and, though possessed by a strange feeling that it must all be medieval and not possibly of to-day, understood that he would have to fight to keep his friend from being killed;that the unhappy creature who had run into the office out of the dark stood in high danger of having his neck broken, unless Joe could help him.
He made it clear to her that the State would kill Happy if it could; that it would be a point of pride with certain deliberate men holding office to take the life of the little man; that if they did secure his death it would be set down to their efficiency, and was even competent as campaign material."Iwish to point out," Joe had heard a candidate for re-election vehemently orate, `that in addition to the other successful convictions I have named, Iand my assistants have achieved the sending of three men to the gallows during my term of office!""I can't tell yet," said Joe, at parting."It may be hard.I'm so sorry you saw all this.I--""Oh NO!" she cried."I want to UNDERSTAND!"She was still there, at the gate, her elbows resting upon the cross-bar, when, a long time after Joe had gone, there came from the alley behind the big back yard the minor chordings of a quartette of those dark strollers who never seem to go to bed, who play by night and playfully pretend to work by day:
"You know my soul is a-full o' them-a-trub-bils, Ev-ry mawn!
I cain' a-walk withouten I stum-bils!
Then le'ss go on--
Keep walkin' on!
These times is sow'owful, an' I am pow'owful Sick an' fo'lawn!"She heard a step upon the path behind her, and, turning, saw a white-wrapped figure coming toward her.
"Mamie?" she called.
"Hush!" Mamie lifted a warning hand."The windows are open," she whispered."They might hear you!""Why haven't you gone to bed?""Oh, don't you see?" Mamie answered, in deep distress,--"I've been sitting up for you.We all thought you were writing letters in your room, but after papa and mamma had gone to bed Iwent in to tell you good night, and you weren't there, nor anywhere else; so I knew you must have gone out.I've been sitting by the front window, waiting to let you in, but I went to sleep until a little while ago, when the telephone-bell rang and he got up and answered it.He kept talking a long time; it was something about the Tocsin, and I'm afraid there's been a murder down-town.When he went back to bed I fell asleep again, and then those darkies woke me up.How on earth did you expect to get in? Don't you know he always locks up the house?""I could have rung," said Ariel.
"Oh--oh!" gasped Miss Pike; and, after she had recovered somewhat, asked: "Do you mind telling me where you've been? I won't tell him--nor mamma, either.I think, after all, I was wrong yesterday to follow Eugene's advice.He meant for the best, but I--""Don't think that.You weren't wrong." Ariel put her arm round the other's waist."I went to talk over some things with Mr.Louden.""I think," whispered Mamie, trembling, "that you are the bravest girl I ever knew--and--and--Icould almost believe there's some good in him, since you like him so.I know there is.And I--Ithink he's had a hard time.I want you to know I won't even tell Eugene!""You can tell everybody in the world," said Ariel, and kissed her.
