"It wasn't such a desperate sight, just to oversee. The men seemed to know how to take hold. Gaynor, I suppose you're a shrewd, long-headed Yankee, looking at the end, instead of going off half cocked. You have everything dovetailed, and one thing just fits in with another. I've learned a lot of things these two months and looked after my own affairs as well. I think you're about right. Twenty or thirty years from now we'll be feeding these people of the East, who think they know a little bit more than all the rest."
"I wasn't brought up in a slipshod fashion," returned father dryly. "Though I don't wonder you people trust to chance. I never saw such pure luck in my life as there is here—one can't call it anything else."
Father had an excellent appetite and began to feel real well at heart, as he termed it. Homer made him a very convenient chair, that could be raised and lowered by an ingenious crank and a set of pins. But they found when the doctor and Jolette, who was good and strong, stood him up that he had no power at all over the hurt limb—very little feeling in it.
"Are you going to tell me that I must be a one-legged limpy Dick all the rest of my life?" he demanded of the doctor. He was not a profane man usually, but he did swear then.
"Well, we hope not. The joint has not mended as we expected; it isn't sound. It's the worst break a man can have to knock him out, but here it hasn't been quite four months, and the fever was awful. A man who could pull through that can pull through other things. There is some paralysis, but when you come to exercise even that may mend. I think it has improved in a month. I give you a year before I lose heart."
Father groaned, and when he took his hands from his face I saw there were tears in his eyes.
But we made his room cheerful, and he could be pushed about in his chair. Jolette was as good as a masseur, she was so strong and vigorous. The doctor instructed her how to rub him, and some medicaments were used. We had a good fire blazing on the hearth. Neighbors came in and played cards and repeated the general gossip. Then I read to him. We took the Democrat now, and a new paper, the Journal, had been started. He liked to hear all sides. Some of the ideas he flatly contradicted, others he called fool talk. He was very fond of arguing. He and Dan had it hot and heavy sometimes, and I was afraid Dan would break off in anger. I used to go to the door with him and say pleadingly:
"Oh, Dan, you won't mind, will you? Remember how ill father has been, and how awfully disappointed he feels at not getting thoroughly well. He doesn't mean all he says, and he would miss you terribly——"
"Don't worry, little one. I can make allowance. Some of it amuses me, too."
Then he took my face in his hands and turned it up a little until our eyes met. His were a deep gray. There was a masterful expression in them that went all through one. He stooped a little and kissed me with what I understood later was the passion of a strong man, and it left me as helpless for a moment as that night of the wild ride.