按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
77
… Page 78…
ONE BASKET
a plain blue skirt and a small black hat。
A funny job for a woman。 What weren't they mixing into nowadays！
He turned sidewise in the narrow； crowded space in order to pass her
little group。 And one of the mena red…cheeked； merry…looking young
fellow in a white apronlaughed and said： 〃Well； Emma； you win。
When it comes to driving a bargain with you； I quit。 It can't be did！〃
Even then he didn't know her。 He did not dream that this straight；
slim； tailored； white…haired woman； bargaining so shrewdly with these
men； was the Emma Byers of the old days。 But he stopped there a
moment； in frank curiosity； and the woman looked up。 She looked up；
and he knew those intelligent eyes and that serene brow。 He had carried
the picture of them in his mind for more than thirty years； so it was not so
surprising。
He did not hesitate。 He might have if he had thought a moment； but
he acted automatically。 He stood before her。 〃You're Emma Byers； ain't
you？〃
She did not know him at first。 Small blame to her； so completely had
the roguish； vigorous boy vanished in this sallow； sad…eyed old man。
Then： 〃Why； Ben！〃 she said quietly。 And there was pity in her voice；
though she did not mean to have it there。 She put out one handthat
capable； reassuring handand gripped his and held it a moment。 It was
queer and significant that it should be his hand that lay within hers。
〃Well； what in all get…out are you doing around here； Emma？〃 He
tried to be jovial and easy。 She turned to the aproned man with whom
she had been dealing and smiled。
〃What am I doing here； Joe？〃
Joe grinned； waggishly。 〃Nothin'； only beatin' every man on the
street at his own game； and makin' so much money that〃
But she stopped him there。 〃I guess I'll do my own explaining。〃
She turned to Ben again。 〃And what are you doing here in Chicago？〃
Ben passed a faltering hand across his chin。 〃Me？ Well； I'mwe're
living here； I s'pose。 Livin' here。〃
She glanced at him sharply。 〃Left the farm； Ben？〃
〃Yes。〃
78
… Page 79…
ONE BASKET
〃Wait a minute。〃 She concluded her business with Joe； finished it
briskly and to her own satisfaction。 With her bright brown eyes and her
alert manner and her quick little movements she made you think of a
wrena businesslike little wrena very early wren that is highly versed in
the worm…catching way。
At her next utterance he was startled but game。
〃Have you had your lunch？〃
〃Why； no； I〃
〃I've been down here since seven； and I'm starved。 Let's go and have
a bite at the little Greek restaurant around the corner。 A cup of coffee and
a sandwich； anyway。〃
Seated at the bare little table； she surveyed him with those intelligent；
understanding； kindly eyes； and he felt the years slip from him。 They
were walking down the country road together； and she was listening
quietly and advising him。
She interrogated him gently。 But something of his old masterfulness
came back to him。 〃No； I want to know about you first。 I can't get the
rights of it； you being here on South Water； tradin' and all。〃
So she told him briefly。 She was in the commission business。
Successful。 She bought； too； for such hotels as the Blackstone and the
Congress； and for half a dozen big restaurants。 She gave him bare facts；
but he was shrewd enough and sufficiently versed in business to know that
here was a woman of established commercial position。
〃But how does it happen you're keepin' it up； Emma； all this time？
Why； you must be anywayit ain't that you look itbut〃 He
floundered； stopped。
She laughed。 〃That's all right； Ben。 I couldn't fool you on that。
And I'm working because it keeps me happy。 I want to work till I die。
My children keep telling me to stop； but I know better than that。 I'm not
going to rust out。 I want to wear out。〃 Then； at an unspoken question in
his eyes： 〃He's dead。 These twenty years。 It was hard at first； when
the children were small。 But I knew garden stuff if I didn't know
anything else。 It came natural to me。 That's all。〃
So then she got his story from him bit by bit。 He spoke of the farm
79
… Page 80…
ONE BASKET
and of Dike； and there was a great pride in his voice。 He spoke of Bella；
and the son who had been killed； and of Minnie。 And the words came
falteringly。 He was trying to hide something； and he was not made for
deception。 When he had finished：
〃Now； listen； Ben。 You go back to your farm。〃
〃I can't。 SheI can't。〃
She leaned forward； earnestly。 〃You go back to the farm。〃
He turned up his palms with a little gesture of defeat。 〃I can't。〃
〃You can't stay here。 It's killing you。 It's poisoning you。 Did you
ever hear of toxins？ That means poisons； and you're poisoning yourself。
You'll die of it。 You've got another twenty years of work in you。 What's
ailing you？ You go back to your wheat and your apples and your hogs。
There isn't a bigger job in the world than that。〃
For a moment his face took on a glow from the warmth of her own
inspiring personality。 But it died again。 When they rose to go； his
shoulders drooped again； his muscles sagged。 At the doorway he paused
a moment； awkward in farewell。 He blushed a little； stammered。
〃EmmaI always wanted to tell you。 God knows it was luck for you
the way it turned outbut I always wanted to〃
She took his hand again in her firm grip at that； and her kindly； bright
brown eyes were on him。 〃I never held it against you； Ben。 I had to
live a long time to understand it。 But I