The Man Thou Gavest | Page 3

some interest in us-all," he
began, "it's a plain sign of yo' gettin' on. I writ the same to old Doc
McPherson yesterday! 'When he takes to noticin',' I writ, 'he's on the
mend.'"
Conning laughed good naturedly. "Oh! I'm on the mend, all right," he
said.
"Now as to that trap business," Jim took up the story, "I'll have to go
back some and tell yo' about the Greysons and Jed Martin--they all be
linked like sassages. Pete Greyson lives up to Lone Dome. Pete came
from stock; he ain't trash by a long come, but he can act like it! Pete's
forbears drank wine and talked like lords; Pete has ter rely on mountain
dew and that accounts fur the difference in his goin's-on; but once he's
sober, he's quality--is Pete. Pete's got two darters--Marg an' Nella-Rose.
Old Doc McPherson use' ter call 'em types, whatever that means. Marg
is a type, sure and sartin, but Nella-Rose is a little no-count--that's what
I say. But blame it all, it's Nella-Rose as has set the mountains goin', so
far as I can see. Fellers come courtin' Marg and they just slip through
her fingers an' Nella-Rose gets 'em. She don't want 'em 'cept to play
with and torment Marg. Gawd! how them two gals do get each other
edgy. Round about Lone Dome they call Nella-Rose the
doney-gal--that meaning 'sweetheart'; she's responsible for more trouble
than a b'ar with a sore head, or Burke Lawson on a tear."
Conning was becoming vitally interested and showed it, to Jim's delight;
this was a dangerous state for White, he was likely, once started and
flattered, to tell more than was prudent.

"Jed Martin"--Jim gave a chuckle--"has been tossed between them two
gals like a hot corn pone. He'd take Nella-Rose quick enough if she'd
have him, but barrin' her, he hangs to Marg so as ter be nigh Nella-Rose
in any case. And right here Burke Lawson figgers. Burke's got two
naturs, same as old Satan. Marg can play on one and get him plumb
riled up to anythin'; Nella-Rose can twist him around her finger and
make him act like the Second Coming."
Conning called a halt. "What's the Second Coming?" he asked, his eyes
twinkling.
"Meaning?--good as a Bible character," Jim explained huffily. "Gawd,
man! do your own thinkin'. I can't talk an' splanify ter onct."
"Oh! I see. Well, go on, Jim."
"There be times of the moon when I declare that no-count Nella-Rose
just plain seems possessed; has ter do somethin' and does it! Three
months ago, come Saturday, or thereabouts, she took it into her head to
worst Marg at every turn and let it out that she was goin' to round up all
the fellers and take her pick! She had the blazin' face ter come down
here and tell me that! Course Marg knew it, but the two most consarned
didn't--meaning Jed and Burke. Least they suspected--but warn't sure.
Jed meant to get Burke out o' the way so he could have a clear space to
co't Nella-Rose, so he aimed to shoot one o' Burke's feet just enough to
lay him up--Jed is the slow, calculatin' kind and an almighty sure shot.
He reckoned Burke couldn't walk up Lone Dome with a sore foot, so he
laid for him, meanin' afterward to say he was huntin' an' took Burke for
a 'possum. Well, Burke got wind of the plot; I'm thinkin' Marg put a
flea in his ear, anyway he set a trap just by the path leading from the
trail to Lone Dome. Gawd! Jed planted his foot inter it same as if he
meant ter, and what does that Burke do but take a walk with Nella-Rose
right past the place where Jed was caught! 'Corse he was yellin'
somethin' terrible. They helped Jed out and I reckon Nella-Rose was
innocent enough, but Jed writ up the account 'gainst Burke and Burke
floated off for a spell. He ain't floated back yet--not yet! But so long as
Nella-Rose is above ground he'll naturally cum back."

"And Nella-Rose, the little no-count; did she repay Jed, the poor cuss?"
"Nella-Rose don't repay no one--she ain't more'n half real, whatever
way you put it. But just see how this fixes a sheriff, will yo'? Knowing
what I do, I can't jail either o' them chaps with a cl'ar conscience. Gawd!
I'd like to pass a law to cage all females and only let 'em out with a
string to their legs!" Then White laughed reminiscently.
"What now, Jim?"
"Gals!" White fairly spit out the word. "Gals!" There was an eloquent
pause, then more quietly: "Jest when yo' place 'em and hate 'em proper,
they up and do somethin' to melt yo' like snow on Lone Dome