Together is All We Need Read Free Page B

Rosewood from her. So as Katie told Henry about her uncle’s visit, he just sat and nodded as he took everything in.
    â€˜â€˜I lied to him, Henry,’’ said Katie finally, slowly getting tearful. ‘‘We’ve been trying so hard all this time to do the right thing, but look what it’s led to. I thought with Uncle Templeton here, the lying was all over. But suddenly there I was not telling the truth again. Yet at the same time, I’m afraid to tell him the truth.’’
    Henry sat thinking a minute or two.
    â€˜â€˜Ah reckon dat’s a trial ter bear, all right,’’ he said. ‘‘Tryin’ ter do da right thing’s mighty hard sumtimes. Ain’t easy ter walk an upright life. Lot easier not ter worry ’bout truf an’ right. But w’en a body wants ter live by truf, sum er life’s questions git a mite mo complercated. Yer facin’ one er dose now.’’
    â€˜â€˜What am I going to do, Henry?’’ asked Katie in almost a pleading tone.
    Again Henry was thoughtful.
    â€˜â€˜You got ter listen ter yo heart—what does yo heart tell you is da right thing? Wha’chu think God wants yer ter do?’’
    â€˜â€˜I don’t know!’’
    â€˜â€˜But you think lyin’ ter yer uncle’s wrong. Ain’t dat what I’m doin’ here? Ain’t dat why you ax’ed fo’ Henry’s advice?’’
    â€˜â€˜I don’t know. . . yes, it must be wrong, mustn’t it?’’
    â€˜â€˜Ah reckon mos’ ob da time lyin’s wrong, all right. Ah always figger what makes a lie a lie is tryin’ ter deceive sum one fer a selfish reason. Ah reckon effen a man was tryin’ ter hurt Jeremiah, I’d lie all day long ter keep him from findin’ him. But I don’t figger dat’d be selfish ob me—I’d be tryin’ ter protect my son, an effen dat was wrong, well, ah reckon I’d have ter talk ter God ’bout it later. So you gotter ax—is you bein’ selfish, Miz Kathleen?’’
    â€˜â€˜I don’t know. I suppose a little. I’m just trying to think what’s best for everyone. But I’m trying to find what’s best for me too.’’
    â€˜â€˜But ain’t nobody’s life in danger.’’
    â€˜â€˜Except Emma’s.’’
    â€˜â€˜Yep, dere is dat, all right. You’s right dere.’’
    â€˜â€˜Were you thinking about those things when you shot that man Bilsby?’’ Katie asked, thinking back on Henry’s loathing of guns, yet of how he shot a man to protect Katie and me— as it turns out, the very man who killed our families.
    A faraway look came into Henry’s eye.
    â€˜â€˜No, Miz Kathleen,’’ he said at length, ‘‘ah can’t rightly say I wuz. Sumtimes things happen so fas’ you gots ter trust yer instincts ’bout right an’ wrong. Dat’s why you gots ter practice so hard doin’ right da res’ ob da time, so dat w’en da time er crisis comes, ye’ll do it wiffout thinkin’ ’bout hit. I’ll go t’ my grave wonderin’ ef I did da right thing. But at dat moment w’en I wuz lookin’ out dat winder wiff dat gun in my han’s, ah wuzn’t ’bout ter see Miz Mayme, an’ maybe you too, killed in front ob my own eyes when I cud stop it.’’
    Henry paused and sighed at the memory.
    â€˜â€˜Yep, Miz Kathleen,’’ he said, ‘‘right an’ wrong’s a mighty difficult thing ter see wiff clear eyes sumtimes, an’ dat’s da truf.’’
    â€˜â€˜Then you think I should tell my uncle . . . tell him everything?’’
    â€˜â€˜Only you can say dat fo’ sho’, Miz Kathleen. A body’s gotter listen t’ God fer hisse’f. Dat’s why I can’t tell you what you oughter do, ’cuz I