The Torch and Other Tales | Page 2

he always declared--and reckoned that
those who put themselves within the reach of it deserved all they got.
He might say doubtful things to Joseph Ford's ear now and again, but
nought the policeman could fairly quarrel with, because both Joseph
and Minnie, his wife, owed Teddy a bit by now, and, doting on their
little son as they did, felt a bit weak to the man in that quarter.
Their only child was six years old, and the amazing beauty of young
Joey Ford made him many friends beside Mr. Pegram. He was one of
they children that look too good and too beautiful for this world, and
you feel that, by rights, they did ought to grow a pair of wings and fly
away to heaven. And for that matter, old Jane Marks, who was famous
for seeing and pointing out the dark side of all human hopes, warned
Minnie more'n once against putting her whole trust in the beautiful boy.
"To my eye there's early death looking out of his eyes," Jane Marks
would say. "Such blue eyes belong to the sky, Minnie, and there's more
to it than his angel face, because the child's so parlous good that it ain't
straining truth to say the Old Adam be left out of him. And granted that,
this vale of tears is no place for such a boy. Heaven's his home," Mrs.

Marks would say, "and so you must fortify yourself for an early loss."
Minnie didn't worry, however, because her son was a strong lad and
sturdy as well as lovely. He'd gotten his father's fine shape and his
mother's gentle heart, and though good as gold, he weren't a Mary-boy,
as we say--one of them gentle, frightened childer who can't let go their
mother's apron. That sort, if they grow up, turn into indoor
man-servants and ain't very powerful as a rule in their bodies or
intellects; but Joey was a brave young lad enough and had already fixed
on his father's profession for his own.
And Teddy Pegram took most powerful to him and made him many a
game and many a clever toy. He'd walk with the child to the woods
sometimes and teach him the ways of birds and beasts, and show him
how to catch 'em; for Ted was a rare sportsman and deeply skilled in all
the branches of it. And 'twas his bent in that direction led to the
extraordinary affair of this tale; though it was a good year before the
crash came and for a long time no cloud arose to darken his steadfast
friendship with the Fords. You might say they was more than friends,
for Teddy explained to the young couple that he stood alone in the
world, without chick or child of his own, and felt very wishful to have
some special interest in his fellow creatures.
"I followed the sea," he told them once, "and that's why I'm so handy
all round. But my passion be sporting, and now, having earned a little
competence, I've retired from the ocean and don't want to hear nor yet
see it no more. And you folk suit me and I suit you, so I'll put you first,
and if all goes well in the time to come, I dare say your lad, if not
yourselves, will be the gainers."
They was very pleased, of course, and Minnie showed it by fussing
over the man a bit and looking after his linen now and then and doing
such chores for him as he'd let her do; but he was very independent and,
finding he weren't over anxious for her and her husband to be in his
house, though always very willing to come to hers, she gave over her
attempts to befriend him in that direction. Little Joey, however, was
always welcome and he'd often drop in on the old sailor and never in
vain. Teddy was fond of sporting dogs and he'd got a lurcher bitch from

somewhere, and when she bore a litter, six weeks before Christmas, he
had the thought to give Joey the best of the bunch. When they was a
fortnight old, he drowned all but one, and on Christmas Eve, after the
child was to bed and asleep, he took the little dog over and stopped and
had a drink and explained his purpose.
'Twas strange to 'em to hear the hard-faced, grim-looking chap talk so
tender of their only one; but they liked it well enough and fell in with
his wish. He'd promised to eat his Christmas dinner along with them
and Joey; but the pup was to come as a rare surprise next morning, and
though Minnie Ford didn't much hold with a young dog about her spick
and span home,