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"Well, if that ain't the limit!" said Phineas, while Maria gathered Loreny up under the impression that Chick had lost his mind, and might become dangerous. "I got shut up in the saloon," continued Chick, evidently torn between the desire to be a hero and the fear of the consequences, "an' it was night, an' I went to sleep." "Yes, yes!" pressed Miss Lady; "go on."
'There ain't no doubt in my mind, Loreny, he says, an' he let his voice go way down low, like he was 'most afraid to say it hisself. 'Loreny, I believe that Shakespeare's spirit has transmigrated into me. "Well, sir, I was too taken aback to say a word. I thought Doc had gone crazy. But he hadn't. "When I kind of got my senses back I riled up right away.
"Doc ain't very pale, ever, but he got as red as a beet, and I see I'd hit him purty hard. Then he kind of stiffened up. "'Loreny, he says, 'I'd have thought you'd have believed my spirit to be a little better than a heathen Chinee's, he says, 'though there's much worse folks than what they are.
I seen he was payin' me a compliment, because he had told me, but I couldn't swaller r'inca'nation, for all that. And so we didn't seem to git no further. "But one day Doc says, 'Well, Loreny, WHY can't you marry me? They ain't no one can love you like I do, and you know I'll make you a good husband, and I'll go to church with you reg'lar if you say so.
"Well, he poked his eyes up at the ceiling, and says, 'I might write, Loreny. 'Yes, I says, 'so you might. And what 'd you write, Doc Weaver? I says. 'Shakespeare? And Doc shet right up, and never said another word. It was a mean thing for me to say, but I was awful worried." "Shakespeare?" inquired Eliph'. "Yes, that's the word Shakespeare," said Mrs. Weaver.
He saw his liberty vanishing before the awful prospect held out by this pretty young lady who could be so sympathetic one moment and so stern the next. But the tiny claw-like fingers of Loreny held him fast. He looked at his imprisoned thumb and smiled tenderly. Then he faced Miss Lady squarely for the first time. "You help me git a job, Miss, an' I'll promise to take keer of this here baby."
Whereupon Loreny, who had been laid upon the kitchen table, heard the noise and felt called upon to add her voice to the chorus. By this time Chick and his colleagues, scenting excitement from afar, had followed its trail and now presented themselves breathless and interested to await developments.
"'Goin' to church ain't all, Doc Weaver, I says. 'I jist won't marry a man that believes sich trash as you do. "'Well, tell me why not, he says. "'I'll tell you, Doc Weaver, I says, 'since you drive me to it. I'm willing enough to marry YOU, but I ain't willing to marry some old heathen Chinee or goodness knows what! "'Doc was took all aback. 'Why, Loreny! he says, 'Why, Loreny!
Ain't she the purties' object you ever set yer two optics on? Say 'Da-da, Loreny, leave off talkin' to her, Chick. Go on, Loreny, say, 'Da-da' fer de purty lady!" "He's that silly about her," said Maria Flathers, trying to conceal her own pride. "He won't leave me put anything but white dresses and blue shoes on her, an' he works extra time to pay fer 'em.
"An' this here is ours!" exclaimed Phineas, bending with sudden enthusiasm over the child in Miss Lady's arms, and tenderly lifting the shawl from the weazened face and tiny claw-like hands. "This here is Loreny. There ain't nary one of the rest of 'em lived over two weeks, an' this here one is goin' on four. Kinder looks like we're goin' to keep her with us, don't it?"
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