Even while the words were still in her mouth, she realized by his expression that what she was saying sounded like a complaint, as if she were exposing a difference between herself and her husband, and that was the one thing that under no circumstances had she ever done. She made a frightened stop without ending the sentence.
As if to save his mother from needless embarrassment, Jack slipped to the floor and came stumbling out on sleepy legs, tired and cross, and rubbing his sweaty little face with hot, sweaty little fists, and demanding his mother’s attention. Elizabeth turned to him with a relief beyond words.
Hugh Noland, who had always loved the child, was never so glad to see him, and slipped away while he was being soothed and petted out of his tears and discomfort. Both Hugh and Elizabeth knew that but for Jack’s timely interruption words would have escaped Hugh that they both preferred should not be uttered. Both knew the situation, but both saw that it would be easier, as well as safer and more honourable, not to discuss it.
“I’ll not think any more about going away—I wouldn’t do it if I had money,” she decided as she watched Hugh return with his jug. “I married John Hunter in good faith, and I’ll live with him in good faith and straighten things out.” The thought of her love for Hugh came up and she added, “I don’t care! I didn’t go out to hunt up a love for him and I can’t help it if it has come to me; but I hope he gets away to Mitchell County day after to-morrow.”
CHAPTER XXI
BOUND TO THE STAKE
The harvesting dragged out to the third day, and Silas, who had a felon, could not give help when John came to the point of cutting his own grain. It was almost impossible to get help, for the reason that the dry weather had hastened the reaping of all early crops. It was decided that Elizabeth should drive back and forth with the water, and John take a hand at the shocking. This left Hugh on the machine, a thing John disliked to do, but Hugh made no complaints and accepted the post readily. Hugh had seen that he could not refer to his health without endangering his chance of getting away. John looked him over critically as he mounted the binder, realizing fully that he was unfit to ride in the hot sun all day.
“I’ll take his place this afternoon if the shocking never gets done,” was his mental resolve as he turned to his own share of the work.