Rose O'Paradise

  CHAPTER XV

  "WHO SAYS THE KID CAN'T STAY?"

  Twenty minutes later Mrs. Grandoken entered the shop and sat downopposite her husband.

  "Lafe," she began, clearing her throat.

  The cobbler questioned her with a glance.

  "That girl'll be the death of this hull shanty," she announcedhuskily. "I hate 'er more'n anything in the world."

  Lafe placed a half-mended shoe beside him on the bench.

  "What's ailin' 'er now, Peggy?"

  "Oh, she ain't sick," interrupted Peg, with curling lip. "She neverlooked better'n she does this minute, settin' in there huddlin' thatpup, but she's brought home another kid, as bad off as a kid can be."

  "A what? What'd you say, Peg? You don't mean a youngster!"

  Mrs. Grandoken bobbed her head, her face stoically expressionless."An' bad off," she repeated querulously. "The young 'un's blind."

  Before Lafe's mental vision rose Jinnie's lovely face, her parted lipsand self-assured smile.

  "But where'd she get it? It must belong to some 'un."

  Mrs. Grandoken shook her head.

  "I dunno. It's a boy. He was with a woman--a bad 'un, I gather. Shebeat 'im until the little feller ran away to find his own folks, hesays--and--Jinnie brought 'im home here. She says she's goin' to keep'im."

  The speaker drew her brown skin into a network of wrinkles.

  "Where'd she find 'im?" Lafe burst forth, "Of course he can'tstay----"

  Mrs. Grandoken checked the cobbler's words with a rough gesture.

  "Hush a minute! She got 'im over near the plank walk on the hill--hewas cryin' for 'is ma."

  Lafe was plainly agitated. He felt a spasmodic clutch at his heartwhen he imagined the sorrow of a homeless, blind child, but thinkingof Peg's struggle to make a little go a long way, he dashed hissympathy resolutely aside.

  "Of course he can't stay--he can't!" he murmured. "It ain't possiblefor you to keep 'im here."

  In his excitement Lafe bent forward and closed his hands over Peg'smassive shoulder bones. Peggy coughed hoarsely and looked away.

  "Who says the kid can't stay?" she muttered roughly. "Who said hecan't?"

  The words jumped off the woman's tongue in sullen defiance.

  "But you got too much to do now, Peg. We've made you a lot of trouble,woman dear, an' you sure don't want to take another----"

  Like a flash, Peg's features changed. She squinted sidewise as if astrong light suddenly hurt her sight.

  "Who said I didn't?" she drawled. "Some husbands do make me mad, whenthey're tellin' me what I want, an' what I don't want. I hate theblind brat like I do the girl, but he's goin' to stay just the same."

  A deep flush dyed Lafe's gray face. The intensity of his emotion wasalmost a pain. Life had ever vouchsafed Lafe Grandoken encouragementwhen the dawn was darkest. Now Peg's personal insult lined his cloudsof fear with silver, and they sailed away in rapid succession asquickly as they had come; he saw them going like shadows underadvancing sun rays.

  "Peggy," he said, touching her gently, "you've the biggest heart inall the world, and you're the very best woman; you be, sure! If youlet the poor little kid stay, I'll make more money, if God gives mestrength."

  Peggy pushed Lafe's hand from her arm.

  "I 'spose if you do happen to get five cents more, you'll puff outwith pride till you most bust.... Anyway, it won't take much more tobuy grub for a kid with an appetite like a bird.... Come on! I'llwheel you to the kitchen so you can have a look at 'im."

  Jinnie glanced around as the husband and wife entered the room. Shepushed Happy Pete from her lap and got up.

  "Lafe," she exclaimed, "this is Bobbie--he's come to live with us."

  She drew the blind boy from his chair and went forward.

  "Bobbie," she explained, "this is the cobbler. I told you about him inthe park. See 'im with your fingers once, and you'll know he's thebest man ever."

  The small boy lifted two frail arms, his lips quivering in fright andhomesickness. Some feeling created by God rose insistent within Lafe.It was a response from the heart of the Good Shepherd, who had alwaysgathered into his fold the bruised ones of the world. Lafe drew thechild to his lap.

  "Poor little thing!" he murmured sadly.

  With curling lips, his wife stood watching the pair.

  "You're a bigger fool'n I thought you was, Lafe Grandoken," she said,turning away sharply. "I wouldn't make such a fuss over no one livin'.That's just what I wouldn't."

  She threw the last remark over her shoulder as if it were somethingshe spurned and wanted to be rid of.

  Bobbie slipped from Lafe's arms and described a zigzag course acrossthe kitchen floor toward the place where Mrs. Grandoken stood. Hishands fluttered over Peg's dress, as high as they could reach.

  "I like you awful well, Mrs. Peggy," he told her, "and I just loveyour kisses, too, Mrs. Peggy dear. They made my stars shine all overmy head."

  The cobbler's wife started guiltily, casting her eyes upon Lafe. Hewas silent, his patient face expressing melancholy sweetness. As faras the woman could determine, he had not heard the boy's words.Relieved, she allowed her eyes to rest upon Jinnie. The girl waslooking directly at her. Then Jinnie slowly dropped one white lid overa bright, gleeful blue eye in a wicked little wink. This was more thanPeggy could endure. She _had_ kissed the little boy several timesduring the process of washing the tear-stained face and combing thetangled hair, but that any one should know it! Just then, Peggysecretly said to herself, "If uther one of them kids get any morekisses from me, it'll be when water runs uphill. I 'spose now I'llnever hear the last of them smacks."

  "Let go my skirt! Get away, kid," she ordered Bobbie.

  The boy dropped his hands reluctantly. He had hoped for another kiss.

  "Peggy," said Lafe, "can I hold him? He seems so sad."

  Mrs. Grandoken, consciously grim, placed the boy in her husband'slap.

  "You see," philosophized Jinnie, when she and the blind child werewith the cobbler, "if a blind kid hasn't any place to live, the girlwho finds 'im has to bring him home! Huh, Lafe?"

  Then she whispered in his ear, "Couldn't Bobbie join the 'Happy inSpite'?"

  "Sure he can, lass; sure he can," assented Lafe.

  Jinnie whirled back to the little boy.

  "Bobbie, would you like to come in a club that'll make you happy aslong's you live?"

  The bright blind eyes of the boy flashed from Jinnie to the man, andhe got to his feet tremulously. In his little mind, out of whichdaylight was shut, Jinnie's words presaged great joy. The girl tookhis hand and led him to the cobbler.

  "You'll have to explain the club to 'im, Lafe," she said.

  "Yes, 'splain it to me, Lafe dearie," purred Bobbie.

  "It's just a club," began Lafe, "only good to keep a body happy. Now,me--well, I'm happy in spite a-havin' no legs; Jinnie there, she'shappy in spite a-havin' no folks. Her and me's happy in spite aeverything."

  Bobbie stood alongside Lafe's bench, one busy set of fingers pickingrhythmically at the cobbler's coat, the other having sought and foundhis hand.

  "I want to be in the club, cobbler," he whispered.

  Mr. Grandoken stooped and kissed the quivering face.

  "An' you'll be happy in spite a havin' no eyes?" he questioned.

  The little boy, pressing his cheek against the man's arm, cooed indelight.

  "And happy in spite of not finding your mother right yet?" interjectedJinnie.

  "Yes, yes, 'cause I _am_ happy. I got my beautiful Peggy, ain't I? Anddon't she make me a hull lot of fine soup, and ain't I got Lafe, HappyPete----"

  "You got me, too, Bobbie," Jinnie reminded him gently.

  Bobbie acquiesced by a quick bend of his head, and Lafe grasped hishand.

  "Now you're a member of the 'Happy in Spite', Bob," said he smiling."This club is what I call a growin' affair. Four members----"

  "Everybody's in," burst forth Jinnie.

  "Except Peggy," sighed Lafe. "Some day some
thing'll bring her in,too."