Poor White: A Novel Read online

  CHAPTER XIX

  On the day after the feast managed by Tom and Jim, it was Tom whobrought Hugh back to live with his wife. The older man had come to thefarmhouse on the next morning bringing three women from town who were,as he explained to Clara, to clear away the mess left by the guests.The daughter had been deeply touched by what Hugh had done, and at themoment loved him deeply, but did not choose to let her father know howshe felt. "I suppose you got him drunk, you and your friends," she said."At any rate, he's not here."

  Tom said nothing, but when Clara had told the story of Hugh'sdisappearance, drove quickly away. "He'll come to the shop," he thoughtand went there, leaving his horse tied to a post in front. At twoo'clock his son-in-law came slowly over the Turner's Pike bridge andapproached the shop. He was hatless and his clothes and hair werecovered with dust, while in his eyes was the look of a hunted animal.Tom met him with a smile and asked no questions. "Come," he said, andtaking Hugh by the arm led him to the buggy. As he untied the horsehe stopped to light a cigar. "I'm going down to one of my lower farms.Clara thought you would like to go with me," he said blandly.

  Tom drove to the McCoy house and stopped.

  "You'd better clean up a little," he said without looking at Hugh. "Yougo in and shave and change your clothes. I'm going up-town. I got to goto a store."

  Driving a short distance along the road, Tom stopped and shouted. "Youmight pack your grip and bring it along," he called. "You'll be needingyour things. We won't be back here to-day."

  The two men stayed together all that day, and in the evening Tom tookHugh to the farmhouse and stayed for the evening meal. "He was a littledrunk," he explained to Clara. "Don't be hard on him. He was a littledrunk."

  For both Clara and Hugh that evening was the hardest of their lives.After the servants had gone, Clara sat under a lamp in the dining-roomand pretended to read a book and in desperation Hugh also tried to read.

  Again the time came to go upstairs to the bedroom, and again Clara ledthe way. She went to the door of the room from which Hugh had fled andopening it stepped aside. Then she put out her hand. "Good-night," shesaid, and going down a hallway went into another room and closed thedoor.

  Hugh's experience with the school teacher was repeated on that secondnight in the farmhouse. He took off his shoes and prepared for bed. Thenhe crept out into the hallway and went softly to the door of Clara'sroom. Several times he made the journey along the carpeted hallway, andonce his hand was on the knob of the door, but each time he lost heartand returned to his own room. Although he did not know it Clara, likeRose McCoy on that other occasion, expected him to come to her, andknelt on the floor just inside the door, waiting, hoping for, andfearing the coming of the man.

  Unlike the school teacher, Clara wanted to help Hugh. Marriage hadperhaps given her that impulse, but she did not follow it, and when atlast Hugh, shaken and ashamed, gave up the struggle with himself, shearose and went to her bed where she threw herself down and wept, as Hughhad wept standing in the darkness of the fields on the night before.