Dad was inside grunting and groaning with toothache. He had had it a week,
and was nearly mad. For a while he sat by the fire, prodding the tooth
with his pocket-knife; then he covered his jaw with his hand and went out
and walked about the yard.
Joe asked him if he had seen Nell's foal anywhere that day. He did n't
answer.
"Did y' see the brown foal any place ter-day, Dad?"
"Damn the brown foal!"--and Dad went inside again.
He walked round and round the table and in and out the back room till
Mother nearly cried with pity.
"Is n't it any easier at all, Father?" she said commiseratingly.
"How the devil can it be easier?...Oh-h!"
The kangaroo-dog had coiled himself snugly on a bag before the fire. Dad
kicked him savagely and told him to get out. The dog slunk sulkily to the
door, his tail between his legs, and his back humped as if expecting
another kick. He got it. Dad sat in the ashes then, and groaned
lamentably. The dog walked in at the back door and dropped on the bag
again.
Joe came in to say that "Two coves out there wants somethink."
Dad paid no attention.
The two "coves"--a pressman, in new leggings, and Canty, the
storekeeper--came in.
Pages:
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192