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Then； as Mrs。 Spade took a noisy departure； he stood； without listening to her； gazing morosely down upon the pattern of the carpet。
CHAPTER V。 The Happiness of Tucker
Early in the following November； Jim Weatherby； returning from the cross…roads one rainy afternoon； brought Christopher a long； wailing letter from Will。
〃Oh； I've had to walk a chalk…line； sure enough；〃 he wrote； 〃since that awful day we left home in a pouring rain； with grandpa wearing a whole thunderstorm on his forehead。 It has been cram； cram； cram ever since； I can tell you； and here I am now； just started at the university； with my head still buzzing with the noise of those confounded ancients。 If grandpa hadn't gone when he did； I declare I believe he would have ended by driving me clean crazy。 Since he left I've had time to take a look about me； and I find there's a good deal of fun to be got here； after all。 How I'll manage to mix it in with Greek I don't see； but luck's with me； you knowI've found that outso I shan't bother。
〃By the way； I wish you would make Molly Peterkin understand how it was I came away so hastily。 Tell her I haven't forgotten her； and give her the little turquoise pin I'm sending。 It just matches her eyes。 Be sure to let me know if she's as pretty as ever。〃
By the next mail the turquoise brooch arrived； and Christopher； putting it in his pocket； went over to Sol Peterkin's to bear the message to the girl。 As it happened； she was swinging on the little sagging gate when he came up the lane； and at sight of him her eyebrows shot up under her flaxen curls； which hung low upon her forehead。 She was a pretty； soulless little animal； coloured like peach…blossoms； and with a great deal of that soft insipidity which is usually found in a boy's ideal of maiden innocence。
〃Why； I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw you；〃 she said； arranging her curls over her left shoulder with a conscious simper。
The old Blake gallantry rose to meet her challenging eyes； and he regarded her smilingly a moment before he answered。
〃Well； I could hardly believe mine； you know；〃 he responded carelessly。 〃I thought for an instant that a big butterfly had alighted on the gate。〃
She pouted prettily。
〃Won't you come in？〃 she asked after a moment； with an embarrassed air； as she remembered that he was one of the 〃real Blakes〃 for whom her father used to work。
A light retort was on his lips； but while he looked at her a little weary frown darkened her shallow eyes； and with the peculiar sympathy for all those oppressed by man or nature which was but one expression of his many…sided temperament he quickly changed the tone of his reply。 At the instant it seemed to him that Molly Peterkin and himself stood together defrauded of their rightful heritage of life； and as his thought broadened he felt suddenly the pathos of her forlorn little figure； of her foolish blue eyes； of her trivial vanities； of her girlish beauty； soiled and worn by common handling。 A look very like compassion was in his face； and the girl； seeing it； reddened angrily and kicked at a loose pebble in the path。 When he went away a moment later he left a careless message for Sol about the tobacco crop； and the little white box containing the turquoise brooch was still in his pocket。
That afternoon the trinket went back to Will with a curt letter。 〃If you take my advice； you'll leave Molly Peterkin alone；〃 he wrote in his big； unformed hand； 〃for as far as I can see you are too good a match to get on well together。 She's a fool； you know； and from the way you're going on just now it looks very much as if you were one also。 At any rate； I'm not your man for gallantries。 I'd rather hunt hares than women； any dayand game's plentiful just now。〃
It was a long winter that year； and for the first time since her terrible illness Mrs。 Blake was forced to keep her bed during a bitter spell of weather； when the raw winds whistled around the little frame house； entering the cracks at the doors and the loosened sashes of the windows。 Cynthia grew drawn and pinched with a sickly； frost…bitten look； and even Lila's rare bloom drooped for a while like that of a delicate plant starving for the sunshine。 Christopher； who； as usual； was belated in his winter's work； was kept busy hauling and chopping wood； shovelling the snow away from the porch and the paths that led to the well； the stable； and the barn。 Once a day； most often after breakfast； Jim Weatherby appeared； smiling gaily beneath his powdering of snow； and sometimes； in defiance of Cynthia； he would take Lila for a sleigh…ride； from which she would return blossoming like a rose。
Mrs。 Blake； from her tester bed； complained bitterly of the cold； and drew from the increasing severity of the winters； which she declared became more unbearable each year； warrant for her belief in the gradual 〃decline of the world as a dwelling…place。〃
〃You may say what you please； Tucker；〃 she remarked one morning when she had awakened with an appetite to find that her eggs had frozen in the kitchen； 〃but you can hardly be so barefaced as to compliment this weather。 I'm sure I never felt anything like it when I was young。〃
〃Well； at least I have a roof over my head now； and I didn't when I marched to Romney with old Stonewall；〃 remarked Tucker from the hearth； where he was roasting an apple before the big logs。 〃Many's the morning I waked then with the snow frozen stiff all over me； and I had to crack through it before I could get up。〃
The old lady made a peevish gesture。
〃It may sound ungrateful；〃 she returned； 〃but I'm sometimes tempted to wish that you had never marched to Romney； or that General Jackson had been considerate enough to choose a milder spell。 I really believe when you come to die you will console yourself with the recollection of something worse that happened in the war。〃
Tucker laughed softly to himself as he watched the apple revolving in the red heat on its bit of string。 〃Well； I'm not sure that I shan't； Lucy；〃 he said。
〃Habit's mighty strong； you know； and when you come to think of it there's some comfort in knowing that you'll never have to face the worst again。 A man doesn't duck his head at the future when he's learned that； let be what will； it can't be so bad as the thing he's gone through with and yet come out on top。 It gives him a pretty good feeling； after all； to know that he hasn't funked the hardest knock that life could give。 Well； my birds are hungry； I reckon； and I'll hobble out and feed 'em while this apple is roasting to the core。〃
Raising himself with difficulty； he got upon his crutches and went to scatter his crumbs from the kitchen window。
By the first of March the thaw came； and the snow melted in a day beneath the lavish spring sunshine。 It was a week later that Christopher； coming from the woods at midday； saw Tucker sitting on his old bench by the damask rose…bush； in which the sap was just beginning to swell。 The sun shone full on the dead grass； and the old soldier； with his chin resting in the crook of his crutch； was gazing straight down upon the earth。 The expression of his large； kindly face was so radiant with enjoyment that Christopher quickened his st