CHAPTER X
ON THE BROAD BOSOM OF THE "HAPPY IN SPITE"
Thus for one year Jinnie went forth in the morning to gather hershortwood, and to sell it in the afternoon.
Peg always gave her a biscuit to eat during her forenoon's work, andJinnie, going from house to house later, was often presented with a"hunk of pie," as she afterwards told Lafe. If a housewife gave her anapple, she would take it home to the cobbler and his wife.
Late one afternoon, at the close of a bitter day, Jinnie had finishedher work and was resting on the door sill of an empty house on anuptown corner.
She drew forth her money in girlish pride. Twenty-seven cents was whatshe'd earned,--two cents more than any day since she began working.This money meant much to Jinnie. She hadn't yet received a kiss fromMrs. Grandoken, but was expecting it daily. Perhaps when two centsmore were dropped into her hand, Peggy might, just for the moment,forget herself and unwittingly express some little affection for her.
With this joyous anticipation the girl recounted her money, retainedsufficient change for the dinner meat, and slipped the rest into herjacket pocket. She rose and had started in the direction of the marketwhen a clamor near the bridge made her pause. A crowd of men and boyswere running directly toward her. Above their wild shouts could beheard the orders of a policeman, and now and then the frightened cryof a small child.
At first Jinnie noticed only the people. Then her eyes lowered and shesaw, racing toward her, a small, black, woolly dog. The animal, makinga wild dash for his life, had in his anguish lost his mental balance,for he took no heed as to where he ran nor what he struck. A loudercry of derision rose up from many throats as the small beast scuttledbetween the legs of a farmer's horse, which gave him a moment'srespite from his tormentors.
An instant later they were clamoring again for his unhappy littlelife. Suddenly he ran headlong into a tree, striking his shaggy headwith terrific force. Then he curled up in a limp little heap, just asJinnie reached him.
Before Maudlin Bates, the leader of the crowd, arrived, the girl hadpicked up the insensible dog and thrust him under her jacket.
"He's dead, I guess," she said, looking up into the boy's face, "I'lltake him to the cobbler's shop and bury him.... He isn't any good whenhe's dead."
Maudlin Bates grinned from ear to ear, put his hands behind his back,and allowed his eyes to rove over the girl's straight young figure.
"Billy Maybee was tryin' to tie a tin can to his tail," he explained,stuttering, "and the cur snapped at him. We was goin' to hit his headagainst the wall."
"He's dead now," assured Jinnie once more. "It isn't any use to smashdead dogs."
This reasoning being unanswerable, Maudlin turned grumblingly away.
Jinnie's heart beat loudly with living hope. Perhaps the little dogwasn't dead. Oh, how she hoped he'd live! She stopped half way home,and pushed aside her jacket and peeped down at him. He was still quitelimp, and the girl hurried on. She did not even wait to buy the meatnor the bread Peg had asked her to bring in.
As she hurried across the tracks, she saw Grandoken sitting in thewindow.
He saluted her with one hand, but as she was using both of hers tohold the dog, she only smiled in return, with a bright nod of herhead.
Once in the shop, she looked about cautiously.
"I've got something, Lafe," she whispered, "something you'll like."
When she displayed the hurt dog, Lafe put out his hand.
"Is the little critter dead?" he asked solemnly.
"Oh, I hope not!" replied Jinnie, and excitedly explained theepisode.
"Lafe took the foundling in his hands, turning the limp body over andover.
"Jinnie, go ask Peg to bring some hot water in a pan," he said. "We'llgive the little feller a chanct to live."
Peg came in with a basin of water, stared at the wide-eyed girl andher smiling husband, then down upon the dog.
"Well, for Lord's sake, where'd you get that little beast?" shedemanded. "'Tain't livin', is it? Might as well throw it in thegarbage pail."
Nevertheless, she put down the basin as she spoke, and took the puppyfrom her husband. At variance with her statement that the dog might aswell be thrown out, she laid him in the hot water, rubbing the bruisedbody from the top of its head to the small stubby tail. During thisprocess Lafe had unfastened Jinnie's shortwood strap, and the girl,free, dropped upon the floor beside Peg.
Suddenly the submerged body of the pup began to move.
"He's alive, Peg!" cried Jinnie. "Look at his legs a kicking!... Oh,Lafe, he's trying to get out of the water!"
Peg turned sharply.
"If he ain't dead already," she grunted, "you'll kill him hollerin'like that. Anyway, 'tain't no credit to hisself if he lives. He didn'thave nothin' to do with his bein' born, an' he won't have nothin' todo with his goin' on livin'. Shut up, now!... There, massy me, he'scoming to."
Jinnie squatted upon her feet, while Lafe wheeled his chair a bitnearer. For some moments the trio watched the small dog, struggling toregain consciousness. Then Peggy took him from the water and wrappedhim carefully in her apron.
"Lordy, he's openin' his eyes," she grinned, "an' you, girl, you go inthere by the fire an' just hold him in your arms. Mebbe he'll comeround all right. You can't put him out in the street till he'sbetter."
For the larger part of an hour, Jinnie held the newcomer close to herthumping heart, and when a spasm of pain attacked the shaggy headresting on her arm, she wept in sympathetic agony. Could Peg bepersuaded to allow the dog to stay? She would promise to earn an extrapenny to buy food for this new friend. At this opportune moment Mrs.Grandoken arrived from the market.
"How's he comin' on?" she asked, standing over them.
"Fine!" replied Jinnie. "And, Peg, he wants to stay."
"Did he tell y' that?" demanded Peg, grimly.
"Well, he didn't say just those words," said the girl, "but, Peggy, ifhe could talk, he'd tell you how much he loved you----"
"Look a here, kid," broke in Mrs. Grandoken, "that dog ain't goin' tostay around this house, an' you might as well understand it from thebeginnin'. I've enough to do with you an' Lafe an' those cats, withoutfillin' my house with sick pups. So get that notion right out of yournoddle!... See?"
Jinnie bowed her head over the sick dog and made a respectful reply.
"I'll try to get the notion out," said she, "but, Peggy, oh, Peggydear, I love the poor little thing so _awful_ much that it'll be hardfor me to throw him away. Will you send him off when he's better, andnot ask me to do it?"
Jinnie cocked her pretty head inquiringly on one side, closed one eye,and looked at Peg from the other.
Peggy sniffed a ruse. She came forward, spread her feet a bit, rollingher hands nervously in her apron. She hated an everlasting show offeelings, but sometimes it was difficult for her to crush the emotionswhich had so often stirred in her breast since the girl came to livewith them.
"I might as well tell you one thing right now, Jinnie Grandoken," shesaid. "You brought that pup into this house an' you'll take him out,or he won't get took; see?"
There was a certain tone in Peg's voice the girl had heard before.
"Then he won't get kicked out 't all, Peg," she said, with a petulant,youthful smile. "I just won't do it! Lafe can't, and if youdon't----"
Mrs. Grandoken made a deep noise in her throat.
"You're a sassy brat," said she, "that's what you are! An' if Lafedon't just about beat the life out of you when I tell him about this,I will, with my own hand, right before his eyes. That's what----"
Jinnie interrupted her eagerly. "Lafe won't beat me," she answered,"but I'll let you make me black and blue, Peg, if I can keep thepuppy. Matty used to beat me fine, and she was a good bit stronger'nyou."
Peggy's eyes drew down at the corners, and her lip quivered.
"Keep him if you want to, imp of Satan, but some day----here, see ifthe beast'll eat this bit of meat."
Jinnie placed the shivering dog on
the floor, and Peg put a piece ofmeat under his nose. In her excitement, Jinnie rushed away to Lafe.Peg's mumble followed her even through the closed door.
"Cobbler, oh, dear good Lafe," cried the girl, "the dog's living! Pegsays I can keep 'im, and I'm goin' to fiddle for him to-night. Do youthink he'll forget all about his hurt if I do that, Lafe?"
At that moment, shamed that she had given in to the importunateJinnie, Mrs. Grandoken opened the shop door, shoving the half wet doginside.
"Here's your pup, kid," she growled, "an' y'd best keep him from undermy feet if you don't want him stepped on."
The cobbler smiled his slow, sweet smile.
"Peg's heart's bigger'n this house," he murmured. "Bring him here,lassie."
The girl, dog in arms, stood at the cobbler's side.
"What're you goin' to name him?" asked Lafe, tenderly.
"I dunno, but he's awful happy, now he's going to stay with us."
"Call 'im 'Happy Pete'," said the cobbler, smiling, "an' we'll take'im into our club; shall we, kid?"
So Happy Pete was gathered that day into the bosom of the "Happy inSpite."