Jinnie

“ The wood gatherer came so close that he forced her back a step on the marsh path. Her disdainful eyes had drawn him to her, for, like all men, he could be drawn by the woman who scorned him, and mesmerized by the sheer repulse. By great effort, Jinnie had escaped from Maudlin’s insults for many months, but he had never been quite so aggressive as this! Now she could see the dark blood in his passionate face mount even to the whites of his eyes, those eyes which coveted the youngness of her body, the vitality of her girl life, and all the good within her. ”

“ Grandoken laughed, and Jinnie laughed, and the baby, too, wrinkled up his nose.
“Lafe,” Jinnie said tenderly, drawing the baby away, “I knew you wanted to see him; didn’t you?”
Lafe nodded. “An’ I’ll never be able to thank you for this, Jinnie.... Let me kiss him once more.... Oh, ain’t he beautiful?”
Just before the girl wrapped the boy again in the shortwood, she suggested,
“Lafe, what’s against taking him into the ‘Happy in Spite’? He’s happier’n any kid in the whole world, having you for a daddy and Peg for his mother.” ”

“ To have a little show of affection seemed to Jinnie just then the most desirable thing in the world, but the cobbler’s wife merely muttered as she went away to the kitchen, and Virginia, sighing, sat down.
“Now suppose you tell me all about it, Jinnie,” Lafe suggested smilingly; “just where you went an’ how you earned all the money.”
Fatigued almost beyond the point of rehearsing her experiences, Jinnie took Milly Ann on her lap and curled up in the chair.
“I guess I’ve walked fifteen miles,” she began. “You know most folks don’t want wood.”
Lafe took one sidewise glance at the beautiful face. ”

“ Jinnie’s tongue clove to the roof of her mouth. She had never completely forgotten him, and his smile was a delightful memory. Now as he watched her quizzically, all her former admiration returned.
“Well, well,” laughed the man, “if this isn’t my little violin girl. It’s a long time since I saw you last.... Do you love your music as much as ever?”
Her first glance at him brought the flushing consciousness that she was but a shortwood gatherer; the strap and its burden placed a great barrier between them. But his question about the fiddle, her fiddle, placed her again on equal footing with him. ”

“ A cold shudder ran over Jinnie’s body. Matty then had gone to join those who, when they were called, had no choice but to answer. She leaned against the soft cushions moodily. She was harking back to other days, and Molly permitted her to remain silent for some time.
“You must have people of your own you could live with,” she resumed presently. “It’s wrong for a girl with your money––”
Jinnie’s lovely mouth set at the corners.
“I wouldn’t leave Lafe and Peggy for anybody in the world, not if I had relations, but I haven’t.” ”

“ That night Jinnie and Peg were bending anxiously over a basket near the kitchen stove. All that human hands and hearts could do had been done for the suffering barn-cat. He had given no sign of consciousness, his breath coming and going in long, deep gasps.
“He’ll die, won’t he, Peg?” asked Jinnie, sorrowfully.
“Yes, sure. An’ it’ll be better for the beast, too.” Peg said this tempestuously.
“I’d like to have him live,” replied Jinnie. “Milly Ann mightn’t love him, but she got used to Happy Pete, didn’t she?” ”

“ Your heart’s too tender to let anything be abused.... Is the cat dead?”
Jinnie pulled aside her jacket.
“No, but he’s breathing awful hard. It hurts him to try to live. I want to get home quick so Peggy can do something for him.”
“I’ll hurry, then,” replied Mr. King, and when he saw Lafe’s face in the window, he again addressed her:
“You’d better try to smile a little, Miss Jinnie, or your uncle’ll be frightened.”
Jinnie roused herself, but she was so weak when she tried to walk that Theodore picked her up in his arms and carried her into the shop. ”

“ Jinnie paused a moment. Then without further hesitancy she took up the violin and unfastened it. 47
“I’ll be glad to fiddle for a king,” she said naïvely.
She did not speak as she turned and twisted the small white keys.
Outside the storm was still roaring over the hills, sweeping the lake into monstrous waves. The shriek of the wind mingled with the snap of the taut strings under the agile fingers of the hill girl. Then Jinnie began to play. Never in all his life had Theodore King seen a picture such as the girl before him made. ”

“ Jinnie waited until, stepping inside, he turned and smilingly bade her enter. There was so little natural suspicion in the girl’s heart that she never questioned the propriety, much less the safety, of coming into a strange place with an unknown man. ”

“ Lafe beamed through his spectacles.
“A dress for you, girl dear. Peggy’s givin’ you the things she loves best. She’s the only woman in the world, Jinnie.” 135
Reverently Jinnie went to Mrs. Grandoken’s side. She felt abjectly humble in the presence of this great sacrifice. She looked up into the glum face of the cobbler’s wife and waited in breathless hesitation. Peg permitted her eyes to fall upon the girl. ”

“ Jinnie looked straight at her without a sign of acquiescence.
“What is it?” she asked presently.
“You must leave Grandoken’s!”
Jinnie started to speak, but Molly’s next words closed her lips.
“Please don’t get nervous! Listen to me! You’re a very young and very pretty girl and there—there is some one interested in you.”
Jinnie pricked up her ears. Some one interested in her! Of course she knew who it was. Theodore! But she wouldn’t leave Peggy even for him, and the thought that he would not ask this of her brought her exquisite joy. ”

“ Unheeding the interruption, Jinnie pursued: “They just left a chair for wicked men, that’s all.”
Bobbie slipped to the floor and raised his hands.
“Jinnie, pretty Jinnie. I’m goin’ to believe every word you’ve said, every word, and my stars’re all shinin’ so bright they’re just like them in the sky.”
Jinnie kissed the eager little face and left the child sitting on the floor, crooning contentedly to Happy Pete.
“Lafe told me once,” Jinnie whispered to herself on the way to the kitchen, “when a lie does a lot of good, it’s better than the truth if telling facts hurts some one.” ”

“ The bright blind eyes of the boy flashed from Jinnie to the man, and he got to his feet tremulously. In his little mind, out of which daylight was shut, Jinnie’s words presaged great joy. The girl took his 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’s happy in spite a-havin’ no folks. Her and me’s happy in spite a everything.” ”

“ She would tell Lafe of the provocation that caused it and beg to be forgiven. She moved back a step as Maudlin pinched her.
“I don’t lie,” he growled. “You think because you can scrape on a fiddle you’re better’n other folks. Pa an’ me’ll show you you ain’t.”
“You and your pa don’t know everything,” answered Jinnie, wrathfully.
“We know ’nough to see what King’s doin’ all right.”
He made a dive at the girl and laid a rough hand on the shortwood strap.
“Here! Gimme that wood if you’re too lazy to carry it.”
Jinnie turned her eyes up the road. It was time Bennett came. ”

“ Grandoken, aren’t you?” 291
Jinnie nodded, trying to swallow a lump in her throat.
“And—and there’s a—a—blind child too—who could be hurt easily.”
Jinnie’s living world reeled before her eyes. During this speech she had lost every vestige of color. She sprang toward him and her fingers went blue-white from the force of her grip on his arm.
“Oh, you couldn’t, you wouldn’t hurt poor little Bobbie?” she cried hysterically. “He can’t see and he’s sick, terribly ill all the time. I’ll do anything you say—anything to help ’em.” ”

“ Jinnie in one quick glance noted how tall and angular she was. The cobbler looked from his wife to her.
“You’ve heard me speak about Singleton, who married Miss Virginia Burton in Mottville, Peggy, ain’t you?” he asked.
“Yes,” answered the woman.
“His kid’s come to live with us. She calls herself Jinnie.” He threw his eyes with a kindly smile to the girl, standing hesitant, longing for recognition from the tall, gaunt woman. “I guess she’d better go to the other room and warm her hands, eh?”
Mrs. Grandoken, dark-faced, with drooping lips, ordered the girl into the kitchen. ”

“ Over and over, as Lafe listened, he wondered where and how such music could be born in the child—for Jinnie, to the lame cobbler, would always be a little, little girl.
Later Jinnie went to the store, and when Peggy had watched her cross the street, she sat down in front of her husband.
“Lafe,” she said, “what’s the kid goin’ to wear to King’s?... She can’t go in them clothes she’s got on.” ”

“ She inclined her head haughtily to the cobbler.
“Would you mind if I spoke to Miss Grandoken alone?”
Lafe looked to Jinnie for acquiescence.
“If Jinnie’ll help me to the kitchen,” he replied, “you can talk here. I’m a little unsteady on my feet yet, miss!”
It took some time for the tottering legs to bear him away, but the strong, confident girl helped him most patiently.
“You might just slip me the baby, Jinnie,” said Lafe, after he was seated in the kitchen. “I could be lookin’ at ’im while you’re talkin’. You ain’t mindin’ the woman, honey lass, be you?” ”

“ I do want you to go from that terrible Paradise Road. It’s no place for a girl in your position.”
“You’ve told me that before,” retorted Jinnie, with clouded eyes. “My position isn’t anything. I haven’t any other home, and I’m a sort of a helper to Peggy.”
A helper to Peggy! Doubtless if Lafe had heard that he would have smiled. Truly she was a wonderful little helper, but she was more than that, much more—helper, friend, and protector all in one.
“Another thing,” added Jinnie quickly, “I love ’em all.”
“You’ve your own home in Mottville,” the woman suggested. “You ought to be there.” ”

“ Lafe was highly pleased. “It’ll work every time, an’ to make a long story short, it works on boots an’ shoes, too.”
“Wood’s awful heavy,” Jinnie decided, irrelevantly.
“Sure,” soothed Lafe again. He hesitated a minute, drew his hand across his eyes, and continued, “An’, by the way, Jinnie––”
Jinnie’s receptive face caused the cobbler to proceed: 81
“I wouldn’t have nothin’ to do with Bates’ son Maudlin, if I was you.... He’s a bad lot.”
Jinnie’s head drooped. She flushed to her hair.
“I saw him to-day,” she replied. “He’s got wicked eyes. I hate boys who wink!” ”

“ Not one word had escaped Jinnie’s pale lips until the wounded men were removed from the shop. Then she sank at the cobbler’s feet.
“Will he die?” she whispered, in awe-stricken tones.
“Maudlin’s dyin’,” replied the cobbler, with bowed head, “an’ Mr. King’s awful bad off, the doctor says.”
Jinnie went to Lafe’s side and put her arm about his neck, and as if it had never been, their joy was blotted out by the hand of a bloody tragedy.
240 CHAPTER XXXIV THE COBBLER’S ARREST
Tearing away from Paradise Road, Jordan Morse drove madly up the hill. No one had seen him come; no one had seen him go. ”

“ Jinnie leaned forward and covered the horny hand with her slender fingers.
“Have you ever had any babies, Lafe?” she ventured.
A perceptible shadow crossed the man’s face.
“Yes,” said he hesitatingly. “Me and Peggy had a boy—a little fellow with curly hair—a Jew baby. Peggy always let me call him a Jew baby, though he was part Irish.”
“Oh!” gasped Jinnie, radiantly.
“I was a big fellow then, kid, with fine, strong legs, an’ nights, when I’d come home, I’d carry the little chap about.”
The cobbler’s eyes glistened with the memory, but shadowed almost instantly. 64
“But one day––” he hesitated. ”

“ She entered after one hasty glance proved the cobbler was alone.
“You sold quick to-day, lass,” said he, holding out his hand.
Jinnie had planned on the way home to make great rehearsing of Theodore King’s kindness, but in another instant she broke forth:
“Lafe, Lafe! I’ve got something to tell you! Oh, a lovely something! I sold all the wood to one man, and I’m going to take him a load every day, and get fifty cents for it. ”

“ Faster!” taunted Maudlin. “Earn your meat, girl! Don’t be a piker!” 94
Faster and faster whirled Jinnie, the heft of the shortwood carrying her about in great circles. Her cap had fallen from her head, loosing the glorious curls, and her breath whistled past the stem of Lafe’s white flower like night wind past a taut wire.
Jinnie forgot everything but the delight of earning something for her loved ones—something that would bring a caress from Lafe. She was sure of Lafe, very sure!
As voices called “Faster!” and still “Faster!” Jinnie let go the shortwood strap to fling aside her curls. ”

“ There ain’t any of ’em very big.”
She traveled on through heavy snow, glancing at every hut until, coming to a standstill, she read aloud:
“Lafe Grandoken, Cobbler of Folks’ and Children’s Shoes and Boots.”
Jinnie turned and, going down a short flight of steps, hesitated a moment before she knocked timidly on the front door. During the moment of waiting she glanced over what she hoped was to be her future home. It was so small in comparison with the huge, lonely farmhouse she had left the night before that her heart grew warm in anticipation. Then in answer to a man’s voice, calling “Come in!” ”

“ And imperceptibly his attitude had changed. In spite of himself he was coming round to Henry's view, regarding genius as a malady, a thing abnormal, disastrous, not of nature; or if normal and natural—for Jinny—a thing altogether subordinate to Jinny's functions as a wife and mother. There was no sane man who would not take that view, who would not feel that nature was supreme. And Jinny had proved that left to nature, to her womanhood, she was sound and perfect. Jinny's genius had had, as he put it, pretty well its fling. It was nature's turn. ”