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Updated: June 23, 2025
"I guess we'd better shet her claptrap once and fer all," he said. "Lon, ye leave me to settle with Flea I know how." The squatter silenced Lem with a look and rose lumberingly. As he struck a match and made toward the steps, Fledra followed close after him. "Pappy Lon, if you'll stay with me here on the boat till we get to Ithaca, then I'll do what you say when we get there.
The words startled Fledra. Not until the trouble of Lon's coming had she wished that Floyd might linger in the sickroom. The man outside, watching every movement in the house, frightened her. She knew that when her brother was well enough he and she would be called away for the court's decision as to their future. "Floyd, will you spare your sister just a few moments? I want to talk with her."
Flea said no more in explanation, and sat again at the study table. She was still bent over her book when Shellington opened the door and glanced in. The boy's eyes were closed as if in sleep, and Horace beckoned to Flea. She rose languidly and walked to him. "As your brother is sleeping, Fledra," he murmured, "come into the library and talk to me awhile."
How gently Ann encircled the little figure before she said goodnight, and how tearfully she congratulated Horace that he had won such a fond, faithful heart for his own! Even after kissing Floyd, and tucking the coverlet about his shoulders, the young woman was again drawn to Fledra. "May I come in, Darling?" she whispered.
This time she spoke more loudly and advanced a step. "Where are ye?" A familiar whine gave her Snatchet's whereabouts. She felt her way along the right wall, and as she passed each animal she spoke tenderly to it. Upon reaching the little mongrel, Fledra placed her face down close to him. The glitter of his shining eyes, the warm contact of his wet tongue, brought tears from her.
I knew that you'd apologize to my sister," Horace said, smiling. At this, Fledra turned upon him. He had never felt a pair of eyes affect him as did hers. How winsomely sweet she was! It came over him in a flash that he had not dealt quite justly with her; so he smiled again and held out his hands. During the morning Fledra crept ghostlike about the house.
She opened the window and looked out. It was but a short drop to the path at the side of the house. At half-past ten Fledra slipped into her coat and set a soft, light cap upon her black curls. In another minute she had reached the road and had turned toward Brimbecomb's. To escape any eyes in the house she had just left, she scurried to the graveyard.
Turning the subject abruptly, he continued: "I'm expecting you to work very hard in school, Fledra. You will, won't you?" "Yes," replied Flea, making sure to pronounce the word carefully. Horace smiled so tenderly into her eyes that she grew frightened at the thumping of her heart and fled precipitately. Fledra Cronk's school days lengthened slowly into weeks.
Flukey can stay there if he wants to, if you come. Make up yer mind, and don't ye tell any man that I writ this letter. Come to Lem's scow in the river, or ye know what I does to Flukey. Fledra folded up the letter and opened the other one dazedly. It was written with a masterly pen-stroke, and the girl, without reading it, looked at the signature. It was signed, "Everett Brimbecomb."
Neither man spoke when she put Snatchet down on the floor and threw back the lovely cloak she had received from Ann at Christmas. Lem's eyes glittered as he looked at it. Before Fledra entered, the scowman had been industriously tacking a sole on a big leather boot, held tightly between his knees.
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