Dannie did the evening work. When he milked he drank most of it,
but that only made him hungrier, so he ate the lunch he had brought
back from the river, as he sat before a roaring fire. His heart
warmed with his body. Irresponsible Jimmy always had aroused
something of the paternal instinct in Dannie. Some one had to be
responsible, so Dannie had been. Some way he felt responsible now.
With another man like himself, it would have been man to man, but he
always had spoiled Jimmy; now who was to blame that he was spoiled?
Dannie was very tired, his face throbbed and ached painfully, and
it was a sight to see. His bed never had looked so inviting, and
never had the chance to sleep been further away. With a sigh, he
buttoned his coat, twisted an old scarf around his neck, and
started for the barn. There was going to be a black frost. The cold
seemed to pierce him. He hitched to the single buggy, and drove to
town. He went to Casey's, and asked for Jimmy.
"He isn't here," said Casey."
Has he been here?" asked Dannie.
Casey hesitated, and then blurted out, "He said you wasn't his
keeper, and if you came after him, to tell you to go to Hell."
Then Dannie was sure that Jimmy was in the back room, drying his
clothing. So he drove to Mrs. Dolan's, and asked if Mary were there
for the night. Mrs. Dolan said she was, and she was going to stay,
and he might tell Jimmy Malone that he need not come near them,
unless he wanted his head laid open.
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