Oscar Micheaux - Homesteader lyrics

CHAPTER VIII MARRIED 207 THY why why, what does this mean!" ex claimed " Little Mother Mary " coming upon them at this minute. Notwithstanding the fact that she was surprised, it was obviously a glad sur- prise. She admired Jean Baptiste, and had been much up- set over their little controversy. She understood the root of the trouble, and knew that it had been on account of what Baptiste had written and intimated in the letter re- garding the Elder. Her husband did not admire real men, although of course, he was not aware of it. In truth, he ad- mired no man, other than himself. And when others did not do likewise, he usually found excuses to disagree with them in some manner. Jean Baptiste was not the type of man to make friends with her husband. He was too frank, too forward, too pro- gressive in every way ever to become very intimate with N. Justine McCarthy. To begin with, Jean had never flattered his vanity as it was not his wont to give undue praise. And as yet he had no reason especially to admire the Reverend. That it had not been Orlean who had objected to coming West to marry him he was aware. Nor had it been her mother. It had been N. Justine who had a way of making his faults and shortcomings appear to be those of others especially within his family, and in this instance his elder daughter bore the blame. " What would you expect us to do, Little Mother," he said, turning a beaming face upon her. 208 THE HOMESTEADER But Orlean, I thought I thought " "Oh, Mother," cried Jean Baptiste, " don't think. It will hurt you. Besides, it will not be necessary for you to think any more with regards to us now. We are as we were, and that is all. There is nothing wrong between us never has been, nor between you and I now either, is there?" Whereupon he drew her down and upon the davenport and placed himself between her and her daughter. " Now let's reason this thing out together," he began. " There is no need for quarreling. We'll leave that to idle, disagreeable people. The first thing in life is to know what you want and then go get it. That's the way I do. When I proposed to Orlean I did so after due consider- ation. There has been some little disagreement with re- gards to my coming to get her, which was due to the fact that I have been so overrun with work until I really felt I had not the time to spare. However, here I am and ready to marry her. So let's get those who are concerned to- gether and have it over with. What do you say to it ? " he said, looking from one to the other. In the meantime, Ethel had crept down from upstairs to see what was going on, and saw the three on the davenport together, with Jean Baptiste in the middle. Whereupon, she turned and hurried back upstairs to where her husband was, with these words: " Glavis, Glav is," she cried all out of breath with ex- asperation. " I just wish you'd look ! Just step down there and look ! " " Why, why what is the matter, Ethel ! " he cried, ris- ing from his chair in some excitement. " Why, that Jean Baptiste is sitting down there on the davenport with mama on one side of him and my sister on the other ! " " Oh, is that all! " he breathed with relief. MARRIED 209 " Is that all ! " she echoed in derision, her narrow little face screwed up. "Well?" " Will you well ' me when that man just comes in here and takes the house and all that's in it ! " " Oh, Ethel." he argued. " Will you use some sense ! " " Will I use some sense ! After what Orlean said ? You remember well enough what she said, no longer than last night when she received that telegram. That she was through with that man; that she was not going to marry him, and had sent his old papers back to him to prove it ! " " Well, now, get all excited over the most natural thing in the world! Have you never seen a woman who never changed her mind especially when there was a man in the case?" " Of course I have," she shouted. " I am one who has never changed their mind ! " " I agree, and that is what's the matter with you," so saying, he made his get-away to avoid what would have followed. " Now, you will have to deal with my husband in regard to this matter, Mr. Baptiste," admonished Mother Mary. She had given into him along with Orlean. It was useless to try to pit their weak wits against the commanding and domi- neering reason, the quick logic and searching intuition of Jean Baptiste. So they had quickly resigned to the inevita- ble, and left him to the rock of unreason, the Reverend N. J. McCarthy. " All settled. I'll bounce right out and get him on the wire. Best words to send are : ' Please come to Chicago today. Important ! ' Will that be alright ? " " Jean Baptiste, you are a wonder ! " cried Orlean, and, encircling his neck with her arms, kissed him impulsively. 210 THE HOMESTEADER In answer they received by special delivery a letter that night, stating that his honor, N. J., was on the way, and would arrive the following morning. Preparations were en- tered into at once therefore for a simple wedding, only Ethel holding aloft from the proceedings. It was while at the supper table that evening that Orlean took upon herself to try to set Baptiste right with what was before him in dealing with regards to her father. " Now, my dear," she said lovingly, " if you would get along with papa, then praise him you understand, flatter him a little. Make him think he's a king." " Oh-ho ! " he laughed, whereat she was embarra**ed. "That's the 'bug/ eh!" " Well," she hesitated, awkwardly, " he is rather vain." Baptiste was thoughtful. Rev. McCarthy was vain. . . . He must be praised if one was to get along with him. . . . Make him think he was a king. His Majesty, Newton Justine, sounded very well as a title. All he needed now, then, was a crown. If necessary for peace in the family he would praise him, although it was not to his liking. Jean Baptiste had little patience with people who must be praised. In his a**ociation he had chosen men, men who were too busy to look for or care for praise. But he failed to reckon then that he was facing another kind of person, one whom he was soon to learn. His Majesty, Newton Justine, arrived on schedule the next morning, very serious of expression, and apparently tired into the bargain. Baptiste recalled when he saw him what he had been advised with regards to making him think he was a king. " Well," sighed Baptiste, " providing ' His Majesty ' is not a despot, we may be able to get along for a day or two." Later, when convenient, Baptiste attempted and was ap- MARRIED 211 parently successful in making the matter so plain that despite his reputed dislike for fair reasoning, the Elder was compelled to call his daughter and say: " Now, Orlean, you have heard. Are you in love with this man? " The melting smile she bestowed him with was quite sufficient, so seeing, he continued : "And do you wish to become his wife?" She looked down into her lap then, turned her hands in childish fashion, and replied in a very small voice : " Yes." "Then, that settles it," said the Elder, and thereafter made himself very amiable. By the morrow arrangements had been Completed for a simple little home wedding, and at two o'clock, the ceremony was performed. And when the bride and groom had been kissed accord- ing to custom, a storm without broke of a sudden, and the wind blew and the rain fell in torrents. So terrible became the storm that the piano, which some one played loudly, as if to shut out the roar of the storm outside, could hardly be heard. And in the meantime, so dark did it be- come that at two thirty the lights had to be turned on, the people could hardly distinguish each other in the rooms. Nor did the storm abate as the afternoon wore on, but con- tinued in mad fury far into the night and the guests were compelled to leave in the downpour and wind. And there were among those who departed, many who thought and did not speak. They were, for the most part, the new Negro, hence loathe to admit of superstitions be- sides, they had great respect for the two who were about to start upon matrimony's uncertain journey. But regardless of what they might have said openly, it was a long time be- fore they forgot. j CHAPTER IX ORLEAN RECEIVES A LETTER AND ADVICE EAN ! " called Orlean three months later, as she came out of the house, the house where Stewarts had lived, and which Jean Baptiste had rented for the season so as to be near all his land in the older opened county. " I have something to tell you." " What is it, dear ? " he replied, drawing his horses to a stop, while she climbed on the step of the spring wagon he was riding in. He could see she was excited, and he was apprehensive. She got up on the seat beside him, and placing her arms around him, began to cry. He petted her a moment and then, placing his hand under her chin, raised her head and said : " Well, now, my dear, what is the matter ? " where- upon, he kissed her. Drawing his head down then, she whispered something in his ear. " Oh ! " he cried, his face suddenly aglow with an ex- pression she had never seen in it before. The next instant he caught and drew her closely to him, and kissed her fondly. " I am so happy, dear ; the happiest I have been since we married ! " "But, Jean!" she started and then hesitated. He ap- peared to understand. " Now, my wife, you must not feel that way," he ad- monished. " That is the ultimate of young married life children. Of course," he added, slowly, " couples are not 212 ORLEAN RECEIVES A LETTER 213 always ready they feel, but such does not wait. We are not always ready to die, but old d**h comes when he gets ready and there's no use trying to argue a delay. So now, instead of looking distressed, just fancy what a great thing, a beautiful and heavenly thing after all it is, and be real nice." He kissed her again and a**isted her from the buggy, and while he drove to his work she went into the house and picked up a letter. It was from Ethel, and ran: " My dear sister: " I am writing you to say that I am very unhappy. You cannot imagine how disagreeable, how very inconvenient it is to be as I am. Never did I want a child or children ; but that silly man I'm married to is so crazy for a family that he has given me no peace. " As a result I must sit around the house during these beautiful summer days and be satisfied to look out of the window and go nowhere. Oh, it is distressing, and I am so mad at times I can seem not to see ! Can you sense it : Him so anxious for a family, when what he earns is hardly sufficient to keep us in comfort and maintain the payments on the home. I have tried to reason with him on the score, but it is no use at all. So while I sit around so angry I cannot see straight, he dances around gleefully, wondering whether it will be a girl or a boy ! " Now, I thought I would write you in time so that you could protect yourself. I am, therefore, sending you cer- tain receipts which have been given me but too late! They will not be again, though trust me to attend to that ! Don't wait too long, and use them as per direction. Do it and run no chance of getting to be as I am. " I hope you are well and write me any time anything happens, and if these don't work, then tell me right quick and I will send you something that is sure. I depend on you taking care of yourself now, and don't let anybody put foolishness in your head. 214 THE HOMESTEADER " Hoping to hear from you soon, and that you are safe as yet. believe me to be, As ever your sister, " ETHEL/' When she had completed the letter, she was thoughtful as her eyes wandered out to where her husband worked away in the field beyond. She tried to see a few months ahead. It was then midsummer, and Ethel and her father and all the girls were writing her already that they supposed they might as well not expect her until Xmas. But Jean had intimated already that he did not expect to go to Chicago Xmas. Still, that was several months away, and the dry weather of which he was complaining at the present, might be offset by rain soon. So she might get to see old Chicago Xmas after all. But she would be unable to go out if she did go to the city Xmas with what she knew now. She pondered, and while she did so, she read through certain receipts her sister had sent her. One was very simple, and she was tempted. It stated that the blossom of a certain weed was positive when made into a tea. She was thoughtful a moment, and her eyes wandered again toward where her husband worked in the field. Finally they fell upon the creek that ran near the house, and she gave a start as she saw growing upon its banks, a peculiar weed with purple blossom. She wondered what kind of weeds they were. She made a mental note of the same and decided that when her husband came to luncheon she would ask him. She sighed then as she thought of the months to come, and what was to come with it. Presently, having nothing else urgent to do, she picked up paper, pen and ink and replied to Ethel's letter : " My dear sister: " Receipt of your recent letter is here acknowledged, and ORLEAN RECEIVES A LETTER 215 in reply, will say that I have read the same carefully, and made a note of what you said. 4< I hardly know how to reply to what you set forth in your letter, and I am not fully decided. But I might as well admit that I have just discovered that I also am to be- come a mother and, Jean, like Glavis, is tickled to d**h! I just told him this morning and he said it was the happiest moment he had experienced since we have been married. 4< I am entirely at a loss what to do ; but I will consult him regarding it. I don't think I ought to do as you ad- vise not let him know anything because that would hardly be fair. He is just as good to me as he can be, and considers my every need. Sometimes I do not think he loves me as much as I would wish, but what can I do ! He is my husband and gives me all his attention. I am, there- fore, afraid that he will object to the measures you sug- gest. I am very much afraid he will, but I will ask him. " He's a perfect dear, so jolly, so popular everywhere about, and, I repeat, so good to me that I hardly think my conscience would be clear if I did something in secret and something that he would not like. " In the meantime, thanking you for your suggestions, and begging you not to act foolish, I am, " Your affectionate sister, " ORLEAN." Jean Baptiste drove into the yard at noon singing cheer- fully. He was met by his wife at the gate which she opened. The wind was blowing from the south, and the air was very hot. It had been blowing from that direction for days. He stopped singing while he unhitched the horses and gazed anxiously toward the northwest. " What is it, dear ? " she inquired, observing the old frown upon his face. He shook his head before replying, and tried to smile. " This wind." "The wind?" 216 THE HOMESTEADER " Yes. It's terribly hot. It's awfully drying. The oats are suffering, the wheat is hurt. I wish it would rain, and rain soon," whereat he shook his head again and his frown grew deeper. He led the horses to the well to drink and while they were drinking she stood near, holding her hands and look- ing at the patch of strange weeds that were in blossom near. Presently she observed him, and, seeing that his mind was concerned with problems, she would satisfy her mind. " Jean ! " she called. "Yes," he replied abstractedly. "What kind of weeds are those?" and she pointed to the wild blossoms. " Those ! " he said, his mind struggling between what he was thinking about and the question. " Oh, those are evil weeds," he concluded, and turning, led his horses into the barn. " Evil weeds ! " she echoed. Slowly she turned and looked again. She was strangely frightened. Then taking courage, she went playfully to where they grew, and, gathering a bunch in a sort of bouquet, carried them into the house, laid them down, and began to place the meal upon the table. " Why, Orlean," she heard, and turned to meet her hus- band. " What are you doing with these old things in here! My dear, you could find something better for the table than these things ! Just outside the fence in the road roses are blooming everywhere, and the air is charged with their sweet fragrance." He paused briefly and held them to his nose. " And, besides, they stink. Booh ! " he cried, holding them away. " They make me sick ! Now, if you'll agree I'll throw these things away and run out into the road ORLEAN RECEIVES A LETTER 217 and get you a big bunch of roses. Will that be all right, dear?" " " Yes," she answered, and he did not understand why her eyes were downcast. " Good ! " he exclaimed, and she was glad to see that the frown upon his face was gone, if only for a while. " I'll bring you some nice flowers. You know," he paused in the doorway and turned to her, " I never liked this weed, anyhow. I have always connected them with all that's vile and evil." So saying, he turned and a few minutes later she heard his voice coming cheerfully from the road where he picked the various shades of roses. " Now, my dear," said he pleasantly, " I have brought you a real bouquet," and he placed the vase containing the same in the center of the table, stood back and regarded the flowers admiringly. " Why," he suddenly exclaimed, his eyes widening, "what is the matter?" " Oh, nothing," she stammered more than spoke. " Now there must be something ? " While standing where he was he caught sight of Ethel's letter. Immediately she reached forth to snatch it from beneath his gaze. He made no effort to take it, but regarded her in the meantime wonderingly. The receipt concerning the weed lay in plain sight, and he could hardly help reading it. She caught it up then, while he still looked after her wonderingly. He raised his hand to his head and was thoughtful, before saying: " Why were you so disturbed over me seeing the letter, Orlean? You have never been so before. Of course," he said, and hesitated, and then went on patiently, " I have no wish to pry into women's affairs or secrets, but I am curious to know why you acted as you did ? " 218 THE HOMESTEADER She was an emotional girl. Never in her life had she violated the rules of her parents, and she had never thought of disobeying, or keeping secrets from her husband. When she was confronted with the situation, she broke down there- upon, and crying on his breast, told him all the letter con- tained, and what the receipt meant. He listened patiently and when she was through he hesi- tated before speaking. After a moment he led her to the table, sat down, and fell to eating the luncheon. " When we have dined," he paused after a few minutes to remark, " and you have washed the dishes, we will spare a few minutes for a talk, Orlean." " Now," he resumed at the appointed time, " when we married, Orlean, it was my hope and I feel sure 'twas yours, that we would live happily." "Of course, Jean," she agreed tremulously. " Then, dear, there are certain things we should come to an understanding thereto lest we find our lives at variance. To begin with, I wish your sister would not write you such letters as the one you received today. But, if she must and offer yes, criminal advice, I trust you will not incline toward such seriously. You and I, as well as those who have gone before us ; and as those who must perforce come after us, did not come into this world altogether by ours or others' providence. And if the world, and the people in the world are growing wicked, as yet, thank God, race suicide has not come to rule ! " He was meditatively silent then for a time, gazing as if into space off across the sun- kist fields: " First," he resumed, " selfishness is a bad patient to nurse. Secondly, we must appreciate that ours our lives have a duty to fulfill. Bringing children into the world ORLEAN RECEIVES A LETTER 219 and rearing them to clean and healthy man and womanhood is that duty our greatest duty. And now with regards to that receipt, or receipts. " I will not seek to deny that such practices are not in some measure a custom. Such very often are given thoughtlessly as to the infinite harm, ill health and unhappi- ness they might later bring. But the fact that others culti- vate and heed such is no reason, dear, do you feel, that we should ? " " No, Jean," she admitted without hesitation and very humbly. " I feel more inspired to say this at this point in our new union, Orlean, because I cannot believe that it is your nature to be wicked; to wilfully practice and condone the wrong." " Oh, Jean," she cried, moving toward him ; laying her hands upon him, and seeking his eyes with her soul standing out in hers. " You are so noble and so good," and in the next minute she was weeping silently upon his shoulder. The dry weather continued over all the West, and for two weeks the wind remained in the south, and blew al- most day and night. Heretofore, it had been known to blow not more than a week at the most, before the heat would be broken by a rain. And coincident with the heat and drought, the crops began to fire, plants of all kinds to wither, and every one in the country of our story became ominous. But the Creator seemed to be with the struggling people of the new country, the drought was broken by rain before the crops were destroyed ; the harvest was very good, and with 220 THE HOMESTEADER the completion of the same, Orlean met her husband one evening with a letter, announcing that her father was com- ing to visit soon. And the next day they got another letter no, a paper. It was a summons, and concerned Orlean. CHAPTER X EUGENE CROOK TRIPP COUNTY, laying just to the west of the town of Dallas and where Jean Baptiste had purchased the relinquishments for his people was a large county and rich in soil. There had been little delay on the part of the railroad company in extending their line into it. But before this occurred before even the county had been thrown open to the settlers, new promoters, conscious of the great success which had been achieved by the men who had promoted Dallas, purchased an allotment from an Indian, or a breed and started a town thereon almost directly in the center* of the county in a valley of a creek known as the Dog Ear. And it was about this time that a political ring was formed in the newer county for the avowed and subtle purpose of securing the county seat. Settlement on the whole had not as yet been possible, so the politics included the rabble. The cowboy, and the ex-cowboy; saloon men, bartenders some freighters, squaw men and cattle thieves represented the voters. So it happened that before the bona-fide settlers had a chance in the way of political ex- pression, they found the county organized, controlled and exploited by this ilk. But, as we have already stated, a town in the West nor the East for that matter is ever a town until a railway has found its way thither. The difficulty began when the survey was run. Not- withstanding the fact that the county seat had been secured 221 222 THE HOMESTEADER by the promoters of the town in the valley of the Dog Ear, the surveyors, from the route they took, did not seem to have had any orders to go via of Lamro, the county seat in question. On the contrary, they went smack through a section of land that had been secured in due time by the promoters who had made Dallas possible as a town. Where the line of the survey stretched, less than two miles northwest of the county seat, they started a town, and were now bidding the townspeople and business men of the county seat to move their building over. A bitter fight was the answer at the start. A railroad is every- thing almost to an aspiring town, and these people were capable of appreciating the fact. As a result, the little town in the valley a few months later, was no more. An- other election was held and through the same the bona fide settlers a**erted their rights and administered a severe re- buke by defeating the town in the valley and electing the new town which had been entitled Winner as the county seat. Nevertheless, a few people remained in what was left of the valley town. Some were unable to move their build- ings, others were indifferent, while others still remained there for purposes of their own. Among those who remained, there was a banker, whose little bank reposed all alone with caves and broken side- walks and all the leavings of the moved away town about. His name was Crook, Eugene Crook, and it was common knowledge that he was fond of his name and conducted his affairs so as to justify it. 'Gene Crook would rather, it was said, acquire something by beating some one in a deal than to secure it honestly. He possessed an auto, and had busi- ness to the northwest of the town some fifteen or eighteen miles, and had been seen in the neighborhood quite often. EUGENE CROOK 223 Perhaps it was due in some measure to an unscrupulous character who had drawn a claim in those parts, and pre- tended to be homesteading there; but who in truth home- steaded more around the saloons of Winner and Crook's town than he did on the claim. His name was James J. Spaight. James J. Spaight, and Eugene Crook were very close. 'Gene Crook had advanced Spaight considerable money to- wards his claim, and had him tied up in many ways, there- fore, they were understood cohorts. " They are never here," said Spaight, jumping from the auto and sweeping his hand about over a beautiful quarter section of land, one of the finest in the county. " But I see a sod shack over in the draw," returned Crook. " They have apparently called themselves establishing a residence on the land." " Yes ; but let me tell you," said Spaight. " I can get you this piece of land I can win it for you through contest. I know a thing or two, and I believe when we let the fellow know that we've got him dead to right, he'll weaken, and sell it to you for a song." " Well," said Crook, thoughtfully, " we'll drive back to town and consult Duval about it." On the way they drove by the homesteaders near and held subtle conversations with many, always in the end ascertaining how many times the people had been seen on the claim they had just left. When they returned to the town in the valley, and retired into the private office of the little bank, Spaight went for Duval, a lawyer, who came forthwith. He was a tall, lean creature who attracted attention by his unusual height and leanness. He, also, was one of the " left overs." He was told of the beautiful homestead, and that the claimant had 224 THE HOMESTEADER been seen only a few times there, and of the proposition to contest it. " Who holds the place, did you say ? " inquired Duval in his deep, droll voice, crossing his legs judiciously. " Why, a n******g woman," said Spaight. " A Negro woman ? " " Yes, what do you think of that? " pursued Spaight, his eyes widening. " I told Crook that if he worked a bluff good and right he could more than likely scare them out. A n******g in a white man's country ! " Crook smiled; Duval was thoughtful. " What's her name this Negress ? Is she a single woman or married ? " " Why, she was single when she took it, of course. But she's got married since. I think the guy she married put up the money, and that's where we have them again." " And the name ? " inquired Duval again. " Oh, yes, Baptiste. That's it. Jean Baptiste is her hus- band's name.'* " Oh, hell ! " cried Duval, and spat upon the floor. " Why what's the matter ? " cried Crook and Spaight in chorus. " I was struck with the joke." "The joke?" " Yes. The bluffing." "But we don't understand?" " Then you ought to. Jean Baptiste, huh ! You'll bluff Jean Baptiste! Say, that's funny." Suddenly his face took on a cold hard expression. " Why, that's one of the shrewdest, one of the wisest, one of the most forcible men in this country. Have you never heard of Jean Baptiste? Oh, you fools ! He's worth forty thousand dollars made it himself and is not over twenty-five." EUGENE CROOK 225 " Is that so? " they echoed, taken aback. " Well, I should say so, and everybody in the county knows it." " But they haven't lived on the place as they should ! " protested Spaight, weakly. " Something like yourself," laughed Duval. Spaight col- ored guiltily. " But I can prove it," insisted Spaight. " Well, in so far as that goes, I wouldn't doubt but they have not lived on the land. Baptiste owns a lot of land in the county east, and the chances are that he's been so busy that his wife has neglected to stay on the claim as she should have. Yes, that is quite likely." "Then we can contest it?" cried Spaight. "Of course. You can contest any place so far as that goes." " Well, that's what we intend to do. And I have the goods on him and am sure we can win." " They're all sure of that when they start," said Duval, sarcastically. " But I want to disillusion you. If you con- test the place then do so with a realization of what we are up against. Don't go down there with any * rough stuff ' or with a delusion that you are going to meet a weakling. Go down there with the calm, considerate understanding that you are going to vie with a man all through, and that man is Jean Baptiste. And while I'll take the case and do what I can, before we start, I'd advise that you keep away from that fellow as much as possible." " Well, now, to be frank, Duval," said Crook, " What do you think of it anyhow ? " Duval regarded him closely a moment out of his small eyes. And then spoke slowly, easily, carefully. " Well, Crook, being frank with you, I don't think you can beat that 226 THE HOMESTEADER fellow fairly. No one will beat Jean Baptiste in a fair fight. But of course," he added, " there are other ways. Yes, and when the time is right if ever, you may try the other way." W CHAPTER XI REVEREND MC CARTHY PAYS A VISIT 44 \X 7"ELL," said Baptiste to his wife, following the service of the summons. " We're up against a long, irksome and expensive contest case." Under his observation had come many of such. Only those who have homesteaded or have been closely related to such can in full appreciate the annoyance, the years of annoy- ance and uncertainty with which a contest case is fraught. Great fiction has been created from such ; greater could be. Oh, the nerve racking, the bitterness and very often the sinister results that have grown out of one person trying to secure the place of another without the other's consent. Murder has been committed times untold as a sequel but getting back to Jean Baptiste and his wife. He was inclined to be more provoked than ordinarily, for the reason that by sending his wife at least taking her to the homestead, he knew he could have avoided the contest. As a rule places are not contested altogether without a cause. He felt that it was and it no doubt was due to his effort to farm his own land and a**ist his folks in holding their claims as well. He had discovered before he married Orlean that she was likely to prove much unlike his sister, who possessed the strength of her con- victions, for she was on the clinging vine order. Being extremely childish, this was further augmented by a stream of letters from Chicago, giving volumes of advice in re- 227 228 THE HOMESTEADER gards to something the advisors had not a very keen idea of themselves. He also was cautioned not to expose her. So she had, in truth only gone to her homestead when taken by him, returning when he did as well. The fact that he had arranged in regards to the renting of his land the next season would be no evidence to a**ist him before the bar that would hear his case. The contest against his wife's homestead did not, of course alter his plans in any way. He would continue along the lines he had started. But there were other things that came to annoy him at the same time. Chiefly among these was his wife's father. Always there had to be some ado when it came to him. He had reared his daughter, as be- fore intimated, to consider him of the world's greatest men especially the Negro race's, and to avoid friction, Baptiste came gradually to see that he would almost have to be beholden unto this creature in whom he was positively not very deeply interested. N. Justine McCarthy's accomplishments were of a nature which Baptiste would rather have avoided. The fact that he had been a Presiding Elder in one of the leading denomi- nations of Negro churches out of which he managed to filch about a thousand a year, was in a measure foreign to his son-in-law. And the Reverend was not an informed or practical man. The truth was that all the pretensions made to the Elder, flattering him into feeling he was a great man, Jean Baptiste came to regard as a deliberate fawning to flatter an extreme vanity. Far from being even practical, N. J. McCarthy was by disposition, environment and cultivation, narrow, impractical, hypocritical, envious and spiteful. As to how much he was so, not even did Jean Baptiste fully realize at the time, but came to learn later from experience. REVEREND MCCARTHY PAYS A VISIT 229 He was expected in early October. The hearing of the contest was to convene a few days later, so as a greeting to his Majesty, he was to be given an opportunity to see Orlean on the stand and mercilessly grilled by non-senti- mental lawyers. Baptiste was appreciative of what might result, and wished the visit could have been deferred for a while. Another source of irritation continually, was Ethel's let- ters, and his wife's nervousness over the child that was to come. For the first time in her life she had been dis- obedient. Secretly she had, after many misgivings, fears and indecisions, brewed a tea from the weed as per Ethel's prescription but in vain ! Later, the guilt, the never-to-be- forgotten guilt; the unborn child that refused the poison, seemed to haunt her. And she could not tell her husband. But this was not all. Ethel's letters continued to come, filled with the same advice ; the same suggestions ; the same condemnation of motherhood and she was compelled to keep it all a hopeless secret from the man she had sworn to love and obey. One thing was agreed upon, they decided not to inform the Elder at least, in so far as Orlean was concerned, she left it to Jean, and Jean, with as many troubles as he cared for and more, to deal with, was becoming perceptibly irri- tant. So with this state of affairs prevailing, the Reverend finally arrived for his long anticipated visit. The letter advising the day he would arrive did not hap- pen to reach them in time to meet him. Accordingly, neither was at the station to greet him, but, recalling that Baptiste had spoken of the Freedom and no narrow pre- judices and customs to irk one, the Elder went forthwith to the leading hotel in Gregory where he was accorded considerable attention as a guest. This indeed satisfied his 230 THE HOMESTEADER vanity, and he was taken much notice of by those about because of his distinguished appearance. A fact that he seldom ever lost sight of. But Baptiste happened to be in town that night on horse- back, and when the train had come and gone, he inquired carelessly of a fellow he met, and who had come in on the train, if he had seen a colored man aboard. " Yes," said the other. " An elderly man, very dis- tinguished looking." " My father-in-law ! " ejaculated Baptiste, and went forth- with to the hotel to find his erstwhile compatriot very much at ease among those filling the place. " And it's a great way to greet me," exclaimed the Rever- end, cheerfully, upon seeing him. Baptiste made haste to explain that he had 'not been aware of the day when he would arrive. " Oh, that's all right, my son," said the other heartily. "AndhowisOrlean?" " Fine ! She'll be tickled to d**h to see you." "And I her." The old gent was very cheerful. Such a trip was much to him. A life spent among the simple black people to whom he preached afforded little contrast compared with what was about him now. And, pompous by disposition, he was thrilled by the diversity. Baptiste decided thereupon to try to make his sojourn an agreeable one. " Now, there is an old neighbor of mine in town with a buggy, and I'll see him and figure to have him take you out with him, as I am in on horseback." " Very well," returned the Elder, and Baptiste went for the neighbor who happened to be a German with a very conspicuous voice. He found him at a saloon where the REVEREND MCCARTHY PAYS A VISIT 231 old scout was pretty well " pickled " from imbibing too freely in red liquor. " Sure thing," he roared in his big voice when Baptiste stated his errand. " Bring him down here and I'll buy him a drink." " But he's a preacher," cautioned Baptiste with a laugh. " A preacher ! Well, I'll be damned ! " exclaimed the German, humorously. Whereupon he ordered drinks for the house, and two for himself. Baptiste grinned. " I shall now depart/' essayed the German, swaying not too steadily before the bar, and raising his gla**, " to be- come sanctimonious and good," and drained his gla**. The crowd roared. " Where is he ? " called the German loudly, as he drew his team to a stop before the hotel. Baptiste got out, went in and called to the Reverend. The other came forward quickly, carrying his bags and other accessories. " Ah-ha ! " roared the German from the buggy, sociably, " So there you are ! " " Why Jean the man is drunk, is he not ? " whis- pered the Elder. " But he's alright gets that way when he comes to town, but is perfectly safe withal." The Reverend stood for a moment, regarding the other dubiously. " Come on, brother, and meet me ! " called the German again in a voice sufficiently loud almost to awaken the dead. " But, Jean," said the Reverend, lowly but apprehen- sively, " I don't know whether I want to ride with a drunken man or not." Now it happened that the German's ears were very keen, and he overheard the Elder's remark, so without ceremony, and while the Reverend hesitated on the pave- 232 THE HOMESTEADER ment, the German who did not like to be referred to as drunk, roared: " Ah-ha ! Naw, naw, naw ! You don't have to ride with me ! Naw, naw, naw ! " And turning his horses about, he went back to the saloon where his voice rang forth a minute later in a raucous tune as he unloaded another schooner. The Reverend beat a hasty retreat back into the hotel, while Baptiste called after him: " I'll send Orlean for you in the morning," and went to look up his neighbor who had made himself so conspicu- ous. " Well, now, if this doesn't beat all," cried the Reverend when he had kissed his daughter the following morning and they were spinning along the road on the way to the farm. " I would never have believed three months ago had some one said you could and would be driving these mules ! " " Oh, I have driven them fifty miles in a day John ! " she called suddenly to the off mule who was given to mis- chievous tricks. " Well, well," commented the Reverend, " but it certainly beats all." She was cheered and pleased to demonstrate what she had learned. They sailed along the country side in the autumn air, and talked of home, Ethel, her mother, Glavis and Jean. They came presently to Baptiste's homestead and viewed with great delight the admirable tract of land that stretched before them. She talked on cheerfully and told her father all that had pa**ed, of how happy they were, but said nothing about her prospects of becoming a mother. When they had pa**ed her husband's homestead and were nearing a corner where they must turn to reach REVEREND MCCARTHY PAYS A VISIT 233 the house in which they were living, they pa**ed an auto- mobile carrying two men. They bowed lightly and the men returned it. When they had gotten out of hearing dis- tance, one of the men whispered to the other : " That's her ! " 'Gene Crook thereupon turned and looked after the re- treating figure of the girl in the buggy whose place he had determined to secure through subtle methods. But not even 'Gene Crook himself conceived of the unusual circumstances that came to pa** and brought him on a visit to these self- same people, later. CHAPTER XII REVEREND MC CARTHY DECIDES TO SET BAPTISTE RIGHT, BUT the first thing, daughter," said the Rever- end, "when Jean comes and you have the time, is to go up and see your claim." Orlean swal- lowed, and started to tell him that it was contested; but on second thought, decided to leave the task to her hus- band, and said instead: " I have a fine claim, papa. Jean says it is the best piece of land we have." " Now isn't that fine ! " " It is," Orlean said, thinking of her husband. " Your husband has a plenty, my dear, and we have been surprised that you have not been sending money to Chicago to have us buy something for you." Orlean swallowed again and started to speak ; to say that while her husband was a heavy land holder, the crops had not been the best the year before and were not as good this year as he had hoped for. Then she thought Jean could explain this better, also, instead she said : "I I haven't wanted for anything, papa." " No, perhaps not. But you know papa always thinks of his baby ; always buys her litle things and so on, you know." He paused, regarded her and the dress she wore. He rec- ognized it as one that she had bought just before she had gotten married forgetting that Jean Baptiste had paid for it and said: 234 REVEREND MCCARTHY DECIDES 235 " And you have on the same dress you wore away from Chicago ! Indeed, and that is a spring dress ! Why do you not wear some of your summer dresses? Some you have bought since you have been married ? " " I haven't bought my husband hasn't I haven't needed any more clothes, really/' she argued falteringly. He saw that she was keeping something back, and pur- sued: " Why, dear, what do you mean ! You don't mean to say that Jean hasn't bought you any dresses since he mar- ried you, and him owning so much land ! " " But I haven't needed any, papa I have not asked him for any." He looked at her keenly. He saw that she was shielding the man she married, but with this he had no patience. " Now, now, my dear. Jean ought not to treat my girl like that. He ought to buy you lots of things, and pretty things. I'm rather inclined to think he is miserly have rather felt he was all the time." He paused briefly, posed in the way he did when preaching, and then went on. " Yes, you are sacrificing a great deal by coming away out here in a new country and living with him. Yes, yes, my dear. You see you are deprived of many conveniences; conven- iences that you have been accustomed to." He looked around the little house; at its floor with only rugs, and its simple furniture. " Just compare this to the home you came out of. The good home. Yes, yes. I'm afraid that that the rough life your husband has been living rather makes him forget the conventions my daughter has been ac- customed to. Yes, I think so. I'm afraid I'll have to kind of a bring such to his attention that he might see his duty. Yes, my dear " 236 THE HOMESTEADER " But, papa ! I I think you had better not. You see " and she caught his arm and was thoughtful, look- ing downward in the meantime. She loved Jean Baptiste, but she was not a strong willed person by nature, train- ing or disposition. She had inherited her mother's timid- ness. At heart she meant well to the man she married, but she had always been obedient to her father; had never sauced him and had never crossed him, which was his boast. Perhaps it was because of these things and that he knew it, that his nature a**erted itself. " I'm afraid you, like any newly married wife, are in- clined to forget these things, rather accept your husband's excuse. Now your husband has a plenty, and can well af- ford to give to you. And, besides, you he should not forget the sacrifices you are making for him. That is what he should see. Yes, yes.- Now take Ethel," he suddenly turned to her. "Why, Glavis only makes thirteen dollars a week, and why, Ethel makes him do just what she wants him to. Buys her a dress any time she wants it; a hat, a pair of shoes and whatever she wishes. That's Ethel," he ended, forgetting to add that Glavis also bought and paid for the food Mrs. McCarthy ate, or that he, him- self only brought and never bought* things to eat only when he came into Chicago, three or five times a year and sent a few things infrequently. But Orlean had taken a little courage. It was rather unusual, and she was sur- prised at herself. She was surprised that she dared even argue just a little with her father. He had always been accepted as infallible without question. To get along with him have peace, her mother and she had always fol- lowed the rule of letting everything be his way, and be content with their own private opinion without expression as to conclusions. Moreover, whether he was right or REVEREND McCARTHY DECIDES 237 wrong, abused or accused, the rule was to praise and flatter him notwithstanding. And at such times they could depend on him to do much for them. But she found her voice. Jean Baptiste was her husband, and she was not ungrate- ful. He gave her real love and husbandry, and it was per- haps her woman's nature to speak in defense of her mate. So she said : " But Jean is not like Glavis, papa. They are two dif- ferent men entirely." " Well, yes, my dear," he said slowly, his dark face tak- ing on a peculiar and not very pleasant expression, " I'm afraid I will have to agree with you. Yes. They are dif- ferent. Glavis is a fine boy, though. Don't own a thousand acres of land, but certainly takes care of home like a man. No, no. I never have to worry about anything. Just come home every few months to see that everything is all right and find it so. Yes, that is Glavis. While Jean," and his mind went quickly back to an incident that had hap- pened twenty-one years before, " is rather set in his ways. Yes, very much so, I fear. That is one of his failings. Some people would call it hard headed, but I should not quite call it that. No. Then, again," he paused a moment, looked at the floor and looked up. " He's crazy to get rich. You see, dear of course you don't know that. Not old enough. That's where your father has the advantage over you and Jean also. He's older. It's bad when a man is ambitious to get rich, for he is liable to work himself and his wife to d**h. Jean's liable to do that with you. Not like your old father, you know." " Here he comes now," she cried excitedly, going quickly to the kitchen and making a fire and starting the meal. Her father looked after her. He looked out the window to where his son-in-law was unhitching his horses. He looked 238 THE HOMESTEADER back to where his daughter was working nervously over the stove, and muttered to himself. " Has her trained to run like something frightened at his approach. That's the same spirit I tried to conquer twenty-one years ago and it is still in him. M-m. I'll have to look after that disposition." And with .that he went ^outside to where his daughter's husband worked. " Hello, Reverend," called Jean cheerfully. The " Rev- erend " darkened and glowered unseen. He did not like that term of address. Glavis called him " father." That was better. But he returned apparently as cheerful: " Hello, my boy. So you are home to dinner ? " " Yes. Guess it : s ready. She is very prompt about hav- ing my meals on time. Yes. Orlean is a good girl, and ap- preciates that I believe in always being on time," he rat- tled off. " And how are- the crops ? " " Not so good, not so good, I regret to say," said Jean moodily. " No;' to be truthful, it is the poorest crop I have ever raised. Yes," he mused as if to himself. "And I need a good crop this year worse than I have ever needed one. Yes, I sure do. " Indeed so. Got lots of expense. Borrowed ten thou- sand dollars to buy that land out there in Tripp County, and have none of it producing anything. And on top of that a guy comes along and slaps a contest on Orlean's place, and so I have that on my hands in addition to all the other burdens. So, believe me, it keeps me hopping." " A contest on Orlean's place ? What does that mean ? " " Does that mean ! But of course you couldn't under- stand," whereat, Baptiste tried to explain to him what it meant. " So you see you find us with our troubles." The Rev- REVEREND McCARTHY DECIDES 239 erend made no reply to this. Indeed, he had never been able to reply to Jean Baptiste. In the first place, the man was ever too hurried ; moreover, he understood so little regard- ing practical business matters until their relations had never been congenial. When Jean had watered and fed his teams he came back to where the Elder stood and said: " Well, Judge, we'll go in to dinner." Now the Rever- end was almost upset. Such flat expressions ! Such a lit- tle regard for his caste. Horrid! He started to speak to him regarding his lack of manners, but that one had his face in the tub where the horses had drank, washing him- self eagerly. When he was through, he drew water from, the well, and pouring it into a wash basin rinsed him- self, and called for the towel. No sooner had he done so than out of the house came Orlean with the goods. "Wash up," cried Baptiste, pointing to the horse tub. " Jean ! " called his wife remonstratingly. " You forget yourself. Asking papa to wash where the horses have drank ! You must be more thoughtful ! " Baptiste laughed. " Beg pardon, Colonel. You see this open life has made me er rather informal. But you'll get used to and like it with time. Wash up and let's eat! " " He's wild, just wild ! " muttered the Reverend, as he followed them into the house. CHAPTER XIII THE WOLF OW, ELDER," said Baptiste, getting up from the table without going through the usual formalities of resting a few minutes after the meal. " I've bought a building in town that I'm going to move onto Orlean's place. I'm preparing to jack it up and load it, so if you would like to come along, very well, we'll be glad to have you. But it's rather a rough, hard task, I'll admit." " Now, now, son," started the Reverend, holding back his exasperation with difficulty. His son-in-law had never addressed him more than once by the same name. It was either Colonel, Judge, Reverend, Elder, or some other burlesque title in the sense used. He wanted to tell him that he should call him father, but before he had a chance to do so, that worthy had bounced out of the room and was heard from the barn. The Reverend looked after him with a glare. " Dreadful ! " he exclaimed when the other was out of hearing distance. "What, papa?" inquired his daughter, regarding him questioningly. She had become accustomed to Jean's ways and did not understand her father's exclamation. " Why, the man ! Your husband ! " "Jean?" " Such rough ways ! " 240 THE WOLF 241 "Oh," she exclaimed. " That's his way. He has al- ways lived alone, you know. And is so ambitious. Is really compelled to hurry a little because he has so much to do." " Well, I never saw the like. I'm afraid he and Ethel would never get along very well. No, he is rather un- usual" " Oh, father. You must pay no attention to that ! Jean is a fine fellow, a likeable man, and is loved by every one who knows him," she argued, trying to discourage her father's mood to complain. She had never been able to bring her father and husband very close. Perhaps it was because of their being so far apart in all that made them; but she was aware that Jean had never flattered her father, and that was very grave! No relation had ever risked that. Her father was accustomed to being flattered by everybody who was an intimate of the family, and Jean Baptiste Had come into the family, married her, and ap- parently forgot to tell the Reverend that he was a great man. Moreover, from what she knew of her husband, he was not likely to do so. Her mother had tried to have Baptiste see it, she recalled, her little mother of whom Baptiste was very fond of. As has been stated it was gen- erally known that her father was not very kind- and patient, with her mother, and never had been. It was, moreover, no secret that her father was unusually friendly with Mrs. Pruitt. But she was not supposed to let on that she was aware of such. If she was and she certainly was she did not mention the fact. Jean Bap- tiste knew of the Reverend's subtle practices, and in his mind condemned rather than admired him therefor. He knew that the Elder expected to be praised in spite of all these things. Now what would it all come to? 242 THE HOMESTEADER This thought was pa**ing through Orlean's mind when she heard her father again : " Now, he said something about a contest." She caught her breath quickly, swallowed, changed color, and then managed, hardly above a whisper, to say : "Oh!" " I don't understand. And he never takes the time to ex- plain anything. Seems to take for granted that everybody should know, and tries to know it all himself, and it makes it very awkward," he said complainingly. " It's all my fault, papa," Orlean admitted f alteringly. " Your fault ! " the other exclaimed, not understand- ing. " Yes," she breathed with eyes downcast. " And what do you mean ? How can it be your fault when you have sacrificed the nice home in Chicago for this wilderness ? " " But, papa," she faltered. " You have never been West before. You you don't understand ! " " Don't understand ! " cried the Reverend, anger and im- patience evident. " What is there to understand about this wilderness ? " " Oh, papa," she cried, now beseechingly. " You " she halted and swallowed what she had started to say. And what she had started to say was, that if he kept on like he had started, he would make it very difficult for her to be loyal to her husband and obedient to him as she had always been; as she was trying to be. Perhaps it was be- coming difficult for her already. Subservience to her father, who insisted upon it, and obedience and loyalty to her husband who had a right and naturally expected it. It was difficult, and she was a weak willed person. Already her courage was failing her and she was beginning to sigh. THE WOLF 243 " It is very hard on my daughter, I fear," said the Elder, his face now full of emotion and self pity. " I worked all my life to raise my two darlings, and it grieves me to see one of them being ground down by a man." " Oh, father, my husband is not cruel to me. He has never said an unkind word. He is just as good to me as a man can be and I love him." This would have been sufficient to have satisfied and pacified any man, even one so unscrupulous. But it happens that in our story we have met one who is considerably different from the ordinary man. The substance of N. Justine McCarthy's vanity had never been fully estimated not even by himself. Orlean did not recall then, that since she had been married she had not written her father and repeated what a great man he was. She had, on the other hand, written and told him what a great man her husband was. In her simplicity, she felt it was expected of her to tell that one or the other was great. But here she had encountered discouragement. Her husband apparently was considerably opposed to flat- tery. And she had difficulty to have him see that it was an evidence of faith on her part. But her husband had not seen it that way. He had disimissed it as a waste of time, and had gradually used his influence with her to other ends ; to the road they were following; the road to ultimate suc- cess, which could only be achieved by grim, practical methods. And that was one of his words, practical. But her father was speaking again. " Now I wish you would explain how you could be at fault for this contest upon your place, and why your hus- band accuses you of such?" " But Jean does not accuse me of being at fault, father," she defended weakly. " I accuse myself. And if you will be just a little patient," she begged almost in tears, " I'll 244 THE HOMESTEADER explain." He frowned in his usual way, while she sighed unheard, and then fell to the task before her. " It is like this/' she began with an effort at self control. " Jean has not wished to ask me to stay on my claim alone as his sister and grandmother have done, you see." " Oh, so he has them living out there alone like cattle, helping him to get rich ! " " They do not live like cattle, father," she defended in the patient manner she had been trained to. " They have a horse and buggy that he has furnished them, and get all their needs at the stores which is charged to him. They have good neighbors, awfully nice white people women, too, who live alone on their claims as his sister and grand- mother are doing." " But they are not like you, daughter. Those are all rough people. You cannot live like them. You have been accustomed to something." She sighed unheard again and did not try to explain to his Majesty that most of the people women included were in a majority from the best homes in the East, as well as families ; that many had wealth where she had none ; and that Jean's sister had been graduated from high school and was very intelligent. It was difficult, and she knew it, to explain anything to her father; but she would endeavor to tell him of the contest. " Well, father, since I was not on my place as I should have been, a man contested it, and now we must fight it out, Jean says, so that is it." " M-m-m," sighed that one. " He's going to k** you out here to make him rich. And then when you are dead and" " Please, don't, father," she almost screamed. She knew he was going to sagr : " and in your grave, he will marry From a painting by W. M. Farrow. "HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU OUT HERE TO MAKE HIM RICH, AND THEN WHEN YOU ARE DEAD AND" "PLEASE DON'T, FATHER!" SHE ALMOST SCREAMED. SHE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO SAY: "IN YOUR GRAVE, HE WILL MARRY AN- OTHER WOMAN TO ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE DIED FOR," BUT SHE COULD NOT QUITE LISTEN TO THAT. THE WOLF 245 another woman and bring her in to enjoy what you have died for." But she could not quite listen to that. It was not fair. It was not fair to her and it was not fair to Jean. She was surprised at the way she felt. She for- got also, and for his benefit, that they had never been very happy at home when he was in Chicago. They had only pretended to be. It had been because of him being away all the time and their relation having been confined to letters that they had been contented. But Orlean had made herself believe for this occasion that when he came to visit, they were going to have a really pleasant time. And now so soon she was simply worn out. She had be- come more sensitive of her tasks in life than it had oc- curred to her she could ever be. For the first time she was getting the idea that, after all they were burdensome. "Wouldn't you like to go to town, papa?" she cried, trying to be jolly. " Jean is ready now, and please come along and see the nice little house he has bought and is going to move on my claim." She was so cheerful, so anxious to have him enjoy his visit that his vanity for once took a back seat, and a few minutes later they were driving into Gregory. As they drove along Baptiste told of what he was doing; discussing at length the West and what was being done toward its development. When they arrived in the town they approached the small but well made little building that he had purchased for $300, and went inside. " Awfully small, my boy," said the Reverend, as they looked around. " Of course," admitted Baptiste. " But it is not practical to invest in big houses in the beginning, you know. We must first build a good big barn, and that, I cannot even as yet afford." 246 THE HOMESTEADER " Places his horses before his wife, of course," muttered the Reverend, but obligingly unheard. "And you say you intend to move it. Where? Not away down on that farm southeast ? " he said, standing out- side and looking up at the building. "Oh, no," Baptiste returned shortly. "Onto Orlean's place, west of here." "Oh. How far is that?" " Not so far. About fifty miles." " Good lord ! " And the Reverend could say no more. CHAPTER XIV THE CONTEST MOVING a building fifty miles across even a prairie is not an easy task, and before Jean Baptiste reached his wife's homestead with the building he had purchased, he had suffered much grief. And with the Reverend along, ever ready to keep their minds alive to the fact, it was made no easier. But because he was so chronic, he was left to grumble while his son-in-law la- bored almost to distraction into getting the building to the place before he would be compelled to turn back and face the contest which was scheduled for an early hearing. They succeeded in getting it within twenty miles of the claim when they were compelled to abandon the task for the time and return to Gregory to fight the contest. This developed at times into a rather heated argument, and a prolonged one that tried the patience of all, dragging over a period of three days. It became obvious during the proceedings that the contestant and his cohorts desired as much as possible to keep away from Baptiste and on the other hand to concentrate their cross-fire upon his wife. But, ex- pecting this, they found, him on his guard, countering them at every angle, and, a**isted by an able land attorney, he was successful in upsetting in a large way, their many, subtle and well laid plans, causing them to fail in making the showing they had expected to. To begin with their corroborating witness, James J. Spaight, developed before the chase to more definitely cor- 247 248 THE HOMESTEADER roborate for the defense. He had come to the trial with false testimony prepared, and had, under a fusillade of cross-examinations, broken down and impaired and weak- ened the prosectuion. In all such cases the one contesting is placed at a moral disadvantage, and the fact that Crook was a banker, fully able to have purchased relinquishment as others over all the county had done, was ever in the wit- ness' mind, and did not help his case. Baptiste's wife proved much stronger after the first day. This was due largely to the fact that her father had been present on the first day, and had kept her so much alive to what she was sacrificing in struggling to a**ist her husband in his am- bition to be rich, until she was perceptibly weak. The time limit on his ticket having about expired he had been com- pelled to return to Chicago the morning of the second day of the trial. It was the consensus of opinion that she would retain her claim, though with so many cases to consider, it was ob- vious that it would take many months, and possibly a year to get a hearing that is, before the officers of the local land offices could settle the case. This done, Jean Baptiste returned and completed moving the house on the claim, fixed it up, dug a well, fenced in a small pasture and returned to gather his corn which amounted to about half a crop. So time pa**ed and the holidays approached and another phase in their relations took shape when the Reverend in- sisted that they come to Chicago to spend the holidays. It was very annoying. Orlean was expecting to become a mother in the early spring, and because they had never in- formed him of the fact, it brought considerable embarra**- ment to all. It was difficult to explain to his Majesty that they would THE CONTEST 249 not come into the city for the holidays. The Elder had in- sisted that he would send them tickets, and because Jean Baptiste had scoffed at the idea, trouble was brewing as a result. It was then he lost his patience. " Can your father not understand, Orlean," he com- plained, with a deep frown, " that I cannot accept his char- ity ? Because I have made up my mind not to go to Chicago, does not mean that I am not able to purchase our trans- portations there and back. It's the expense of the trip and what goes with it that has caused me to decide to dispense with it. But it's almost useless to try to reason anything with him, and I'll not waste the effort." Whereupon he would say no more. He was having troubles of his own. He owed ten thou- sand dollars, and upon this, interest accrued every few months, and the rate was high. Besides, he had other press- ing bills, and the grain he had raised was bringing very low prices. Therefore, he was in no mood to dally with a pov- erty poor preacher whose offer was more to show himself off and place Baptiste in a compromising position, than his desire for them to be home. He made no effort to appreciate the sentiments or to understand Jean Baptiste. And the fact that his daughter loved her husband and was willing to help him seemed to be lost sight of by N. Justine McCarthy. Being accustomed to having people flatter him as a rule, was so engraved in his shallow nature, that he was unable to see matters from a liberal point of view. Their relations reached a climax when Orlean was with his sister on the claim a few days before the Yuletide. Baptiste received a letter addressed to her from the Elder. Thinking that, since she was on the claim, it might be some- thing urgent, he opened it. It was urgent. It contained a money order covering the price of a ticket to Chicago with 250 THE HOMESTEADER a trite note that he expected her soon, and that he, her hus- band, could come on later. We shall not attempt to describe the anger that came over Jean Baptiste then. And, as is most likely the case when a man is angry, he does the thing he most likely would not do when his feelings are under control. With hands that trembled with anger, he turned the note over, wrote in a few words that he had defined his position with regards to com- ing to Chicago; that he would be obliged if the other would mind his own business ; that he had married his wife and was trying to be a husband in every way to her; but that he was running his house, and was therefore returning the money therewith. It served as a declaration of the war between the two that had been impending for months. We are too well ac- quainted with their regard for each other, so upon this we will not dwell; but upon receipt of Baptiste's letter, the Reverend sang his anger in a letter that fairly scorched the envelope in which it was enclosed. He threatened to turn the world over, and set it right again if the other did not do thus and so. To the threats, Baptiste made no reply. In a measure he was relieved; he had at last made his posi- tion clear to the other, and his wife, of course, was with him in the controversy. In view therefore, of the manner in which she had been trained, this made matters rather awkward. The yield of crops had not been one half the average, and it took almost all he had made to pay the in- terest, taxes and expenses. Baptiste was not cheerful; but Orlean was to become a mother, and he was a practical man. So together they pa**ed a happy Xmas after all. In fact the only cloud upon their horizon of happiness was her father. Evidently he voiced what he had done to near friends, THE CONTEST 251 and they had not endorsed his action. Orlean was the wife of Jean Baptiste and if he expected her to stay with him, it was their affair, even if the Reverend had only intended to help. Attempting to force charity on others is not al- ways sensible, so the Elder wrote later that it was " up to them," and if they had agreed to stay in the West Xmas, it was alright with him. This was very considerate of him apparently, after all the noise he had made, and Orlean was much relieved, and loved her father still. Her husband was also relieved, and forgot the matter for the time. But did the Reverend? Well, that was not his nature. He never forgot things he should forget. Oh, no! He had not been a hypocrite forty years for nothing! In the meantime, the Xmas pa**ed as it has for more than nineteen hundred years, winter set in, and the spring was approaching when the catastrophe occurred. CHAPTER XV COMPROMISED "TT\ LEASE don't go, Jean," she begged. "I don't r^ want you to go. Stay with me." * " Now, Orlean," he said gently. " I have such a lot of work to do. I will go, tear down some of the old buildings on the homestead and be back before many days." She cried for a time while he held her in his arms. Cry- ing was nothing new with her. As the time for her deliv- ery drew near, she was given to such spells. He was patient. After a few moments she dried her eys and said : " Well, dear, you can go. But hurry back. I want you to be home then, you understand." " Of course I want to be home then, wifey, and sure want it to be a boy." " It will be a boy, Jean," she said with a strange confi- dence. " I believe it. I am sure it will." " I shall love you always then, my wife. All our cares and burdens will vanish into the air, and we shall be as happy as the angels." " Oh, Jean, you can make life seem so light." "Life should be made to appear light, sweetheart," he said, caressing her. " Grandmother will be here with you and if you need for anything, draw a check and have the neighbors below bring it out. It is only three miles over the hill to Carter, you understand." " By the way, dear," she said suddenly, going into the bedroom, and returning presently with a letter. " This is 252 COMPROMISED 253 from mama. She writes that they have never told papa yet, and hopes that nothing serious will happen for then she would never we would never be forgiven by him." " Dear Little Mother Mary," he said fondly. " I hope nothing will happen, Orlean, for our sakes." And then he paused. He had started to say that he was not worried about her father's forgiveness. He had lost what little patience he had ever had with that one, and did not pro- pose to be annoyed with his love, the love that he had to be continually making excuses and apologies to entertain. But before he had spoken he thought better of it, and decided to say nothing about it. His wife had been trained to re- gard her father as a king, and because he had succeeded in letting her see that after all he was just a Negro preacher with the most that went with Negro preachers in him, she had at last ceased to bore him with telling him how great her father was. They were at her claim, and he was about to depart for his original homestead to clean up work preparatory to moving onto her claim permanently as he had intended to do. Already his wagons with horses hitched thereto stood near, and he was only lingering for a few parting words with her. " I am kind of sorry we placed mother in this position," he heard her say as if talking more to herself than he. "In what position, Orlean?" " In keeping this a secret." " From your father, you mean ? " said he, frowning. "Yes." " Well, Orlean, I have tried to be a husband to you." " And you have been, Jean." " Then it is our business if I chose to keep such a 254 THE HOMESTEADER "Yes, Jean," she said, lowering her eyes and thinking. " But the one burden of our married life has been your father. I never anticipated that his love would be such a burden. Ever since we have been married we have had to waste our substance on fear over what he will think. He seems to lose sight of a husband's sentiment or right. I can fancy him in my position with regard to your mother before they had been married long. My God, if any father or mother would have ventured any suggestion as to how they should live or what they should do I can see him ! " His wife laughed. "Have I spoken rightly?" " Yes," she agreed and was momentarily amused. " Yes. But he just makes our life a burden with his kind of love. Now take this matter for instance. Why should we be keeping this a secret from him rather, why should I? It's just simply because I have too much other cares to be annoyed with a whole lot of to-do on his part. If he knew you were going to become a mother, he would just make our life unbearable with his insistences and love. Your mother, knows it, and Ethel. Ethel who would have had you dispose of that innocent, knows it and keeps it from him, with fear all the while of what will come of it, should anything happen. " Now, I'll say this much. I don't propose to make any excuses to him about anything I do or have you do hereafter. I'm going to be husband and master, and have nothing to do with what he does with regard to your mother. As long as I am good and kind to you, and don't neglect you, then I have a right, and positively will not be annoyed even by your father ! " " Please hush, Jean," she begged, her arms about him. But he was aroused. He had made himself forget as he COMPROMISED 255 should have forgotten the punishment he had been given twenty-two years before. But he did not like the man's conduct. Everywhere and with everybody back in Illinois who knew N. Justine McCarthy, he was regarded as an acknowledged rascal. " Just look how he treats your mother ! " She pulled at him and tried to still his voice ; but speak he would. "If I was ever guilty of treating you as your father has treated your mother ever since he married her, I hope the Christ will sink my soul into the bottom-most pit of hell ! " " Jean, my God, please hush ! " " But I speak the truth and you know it. Would you like to look forward and feel that you had to go through all your life what your mother has endured? " " Oh, no, no, no ! But you must hush, Jean, in heaven's name, hush." He did then. The storm that had come over him had spent its force and he kissed her, turned then, went to where his teams stood, got into the front wagon, and looking back, drove upon his way. " Poor Jean," murmured Orlean. " Father and he will never be friends and it makes it so hard for me." She con- tinued to stand where he left her, looking after him until he had disappeared over the hills to the east. Arriving at Gregory late that afternoon, Jean found a Lyceum concert, the number consisting of Negroes, one of whom, a girl, he had known some years before, for she had lived next door to where he then roomed. He attended and afterward renewed their acquaintance. It so happened that a lumber company was going out of business in the next town east from Gregory, and some coal sheds there were for sale. Desiring something of the kind to use as a granary on his wife's claim, Baptiste journeyed hither the following day to look the same over. 256 THE HOMESTEADER Now it also happened that the same concerters were billed for the same town for an evening performance of that day. The day after being Sunday, and the company laying over until Monday, the days were pa**ed together, with Baptiste scheduled to go out to his old place Sunday night. It was a cheer to revive old acquaintances ; to talk of Chicago and olden days with those who still lived there. It was a cheer to all, but Jean Baptiste had cause to regret it as we shall later see. In the meantime, he went to his old place as per schedule, returning to the little town the following morning, where he purchased a hundred foot shed and prepared to move it to his wife's claim forthwith. A few miles only had been traversed before an intermit- tent thaw set in, the soft uncertain surface of the earth making it hazardous to pull a heavy load over. So when he reached his old place, he decided to leave it there, tear down his old granary and haul the lumber instead. While in this act, his sister, who had been on a visit to Kansas, returned, and worried with regards to his wife, alone with his grandma out on the homestead, he hurried her therewith at once. The next day he was relieved to receive a letter from Orlean, advising that she was well, but to come home as soon as possible. A week had pa**ed and Saturday was upon him again be- fore he was ready to make a start. Now there often comes in the springtime in the West, severe winds that may blow unchecked for days. And one came up just as Jean Baptiste had set out, and blew a terrific gale. It almost upset his wagons, and made driving very difficult. This was aug- mented further, because the wind was right in his face, and there was no way to avoid it. However, he finally reached a town about eleven miles west of Dallas, by the name of Colome that day. The next morning the wind had gone COMPROMISED 257 down and the day was beautiful, and he was cheered to think he could reach home that day, by getting started early. But bad luck was with Jean Baptiste that day, which was Sunday, and when he was going down a hill, the wagon struck a rocky place, bounced, and the right front wheel rolled out ahead of him. The axle had broken, and his load went down with a crash. He went to a house he saw near, secured a wagon, and there met a man who had known his father, and had lived and run a newspaper in the same town near where he was born twenty-six years before. He wasted hours getting his load transferred to another wagon, and finally got started again. But not two miles had been covered before the coupling pole snapped, and his loads almost went down again. What trick of fate was playing him, he wondered, and swore viciously. Hours it took before the break was repaired, and he pulled into Winner, eighteen miles from home, late that night. Early morning found him, however, resolutely on the way. He had covered about half the distance when he met a man who lived neighbor to him on his wife's claim, who told him he had tried to get him on the 'phone Saturday, at Gregory and again at Dallas; that his wife had given birth to a baby which had come into the world dead, on a Saturday. He almost tumbled from the wagon when he heard this. " Dead ! " he repeated. Finally he heard himself speaking, and in a voice that seemed to come from far away: "Ah well did my wife have attention?" " Oh, yes," said the other. " Your sister, and two doc- tors. Yes, she had all the attention necessary. But I'm sorry for you, old man. It was sure a big, fine kid. She 258 THE HOMESTEADER couldn't give it birth, so they had to k** it in order to save her life." He started to resume his journey East, while Baptiste, now with unstrung nerves, started to resume his way West. But before his horses had gone many steps he suddenly drew them down to a halt, and, turning, heard the other call out : " I went to Carter and sent her father a telegram as per a request of hers. I suppose it was all right," and con- tinued on his way. "To him!" cried Baptiste inaudibly. "To him!" he repeated. " To him no doubt, that the baby which he had not known was to be, had come and dead ! " Mechanically he drove upon his way. He did not think, he did not speak. He said nothing for a long, long time; but down in his heart Jean Baptiste knew that he was com- ing nearer to the parting of the 7juays. Back in old Illinois N. Justine McCarthy, upon receiving the telegram, he realized would in all probability depart at the earliest convenience for the West. And when he ar- rived, would learn still more than the message had told; would learn that he had been absent when his wife had given birth to the dead baby. Oh, his child, why could it not have lived. . . . Yes, she had had all the attention that was possible ; but such would not be credited by N. Justine McCarthy. The fact that not every man had found it possible to be present at the bedside of their wives when children came, would not be considered by N. Justine Mc- Carthy. The fact that he himself had been absent when his own Orlean came into the world would be no counter here. Jean Baptiste's absence at the critical time would serve as an excuse for the Reverend to vent his spite, and he would demand a toll. Jean Baptiste was compromised, and would have to make a sacrifice. .