He had a manly form, and a manly face, was
above the average in looks, and spoke with a slight Scotch accent.
"Do any of ye boys happen to know what it was Jimmy had with him
when he came in here?"
A roar of laughter greeted the query. The Thread Man picked up the
pail. As he handed it to Dannie, he said: "Mr. Malone said he was
initiating a new milk pail, but I am afraid he has overdone the job."
"Thank ye," said Dannie, and taking the battered thing, he went out
into the night.
Jimmy was asleep when he reached the buggy. Dannie had long since
found it convenient to have no fence about his dooryard. He drove
to the door, dragged Jimmy from the buggy, and stabled the horse.
By hard work he removed Jimmy's coat and boots, laid him across the
bed, and covered him. Then he grimly looked at the light in the
next cabin. "Why doesna she go to bed?" he said. He summoned
courage, and crossing the space between the two buildings, he
tapped on the window. "It's me, Mary," he called. "The skins are
only half done, and Jimmy is going to help me finish. He will come
over in the morning. Ye go to bed. Ye needna be afraid. We will
hear ye if ye even snore." There was no answer, but by a movement
in the cabin Dannie knew that Mary was still dressed and waiting.
He started back, but for an instant, heedless of the scurrying snow
and biting cold, he faced the sky.
"I wonder if ye have na found a glib tongue and light feet the
least part o' matrimony," he said.
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