House Divided Read Free Page B

walk a horse to death!”
    â€œLucy Hanks, little girl, big heart!” Fondness for a moment filled him, fears forgotten.
    â€œCan’t we, Tony?”
    â€œOh, Lucy, I’m used to easy living, servants, everything. I’d be no good to you in Kentucky.”
    â€œI’ll make easy living for you. I’ll be better than any twenty people taking care of you. Wouldn’t it be worth it, Tony?”
    â€œIt would be if I were worth it.”
    â€œYou are, you are, to me you are.” Words like a song. “And I’m the one to judge, it looks to me. Maybe not, though. You’d have to do without a lot, give up a lot; but I wouldn’t be giving up anything. I’d be getting everything. But I’d give you everything I’ve got, Tony Currain, all my life. And I’d keep learning how to give you more, how to be a fine wife for you.”
    â€œLucy, oughtn’t you to go back, in case he wakes?”
    â€œYou’re always fretting so.”

    â€œI’ll meet you here tomorrow night, every night, as long as I can stay.”
    â€œI don’t want to let you go. There might not be any tomorrow night, ever, Tony. I don’t want to ever let you go.”
    â€œI’m trying to do right for both of us.”
    â€œDon’t ever go, Tony Currain! Oh, don’t ever go!”
    He pondered, almost persuaded. “I could go back and bring a led horse for you, and a gun, and some money; things we’d need. Oh, Lucy Hanks, I’m as crazy-headed as you are to talk so, to think so.”
    â€œSay my name some more.”
    â€œLucy Hanks.”
    â€œSay Lucy Currain! Lucy Currain’s nicer, Tony! Mistress Tony Currain.”
    His breath caught. “When you keep saying my name, it’s like music singing inside of me.”
    â€œTony Currain, Tony Currain, Tony Currain, Tony Currain. I’ll sing it to you always.”
    â€œI’ll start home tomorrow, Lucy, to fetch another horse and things.”
    â€œNot tomorrow. Don’t go away tomorrow. Stay one more night.”
    â€œThe sooner I start, the sooner I’ll come back.”
    There was that singing in her voice again. “To carry me away, to marry me away. Tony Currain, Tony Currain, Tony Currain!”
    â€œTo marry you away.” A singing in him, too. “We’re crazy, Lucy!”
    â€œHappy crazy, Tony Currain. So we’ll always be.”

    In the wood a bird murmured in its sleep and tried a note or two of song; another answered. Lucy quickened her homeward hasting, swift on silent feet. The night was almost sped; bright moonlight paled with a hint of coming day. So late, so late! The long, rich hours had gone like seconds! Hurry, Lucy; hurry! First bird song was Pa’s waking time.
    The cabin door was always shut fast against night dews and vapors; when she came there it was closed, but she must open it and go in, for soon Pa would be about. She pushed the door no wider than she must in order to slip through, but Pa growled a challenge.
    â€œWho’s that?”

    â€œMe, Pa.”
    â€œWhere you been?”
    â€œOutside a minute.”
    He grunted sleepily; then as his thoughts cleared he came to his feet, thrust wide the door, drew her out into the paling moonlight, stared at her in hard suspicion. “Huh! Your hair all braided smooth! And your store dress on! Where you been?” His voice roused Ma in the cabin.
    â€œOutside, I said. What’s wrong with that?”
    â€œDamn your lying trollop’s tongue! What hedge-hopper have you took up with now?”
    â€œTake your hands off me!”
    â€œI’ll lay my hand on you so you’ll know it!”
    Ma came strongly to Lucy’s rescue. “Now, Pa, leave the girl be! Can’t she go out of your sight for once?”
    â€œYou hush up, Nannie Hanks! I’ll handle this slut!”
    â€œLeave her be, I say!”
    The woman ruled him. His hand released its