She was
goin' off rather huffy, when Kitty called out,--
"'Stop, ma! I'll come down and help you, only ketch me if I tumble.'
"She looked scared but stiddy, and I'll bet it took as much grit for
her to do it as for one of us to face a battery. It don't seem much
to tell of, but I wish I may be hit if it wasn't a right down
dutiful and clever thing to see done. When the old lady took her off
at the bottom, with a good motherly hug, I found myself huggin' my
rifle like a fool, but whether I thought it was the ladder, or
Kitty, I ain't clear about. 'Good,' thinks I; 'what more do you
want?'
"A snug little property wouldn't a ben bad, I reckon. Well she had
it, old skin-flint, though I didn't know or care about it then. What
a jolly row she'd make if she knew I was tellin' the ladder part of
the story! She always does when I get to it, and makes believe cry,
with her head in my breast-pocket, or any such handy place, till I
take it out and swear I'll never do so ag'in. Poor little Kit, I
wonder what she's doin' now. Thinkin' of me, I'll bet."
Dick paused, pitched his cap lower over his eyes, and smoked a
minute with more energy than enjoyment, for his cigar was out and he
did not perceive it.
"That's not all, is it?" asked Thorn, taking a fatherly interest in
the younger man's love passages.
"Not quite. 'Fore long, Joe whistled, and as I always take short
cuts everywhar, I put in at the back-door, jest as Kitty come
trottin' out of the pantry with a big berry-pie in her hand.
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