“It was tough. And before they were through with me it had cost me most of my stuff. Still I wasn’t worried with that, there was plenty more, and, when Jim came back and I was feeling good, why, it would be easy. Quite easy for all I was scared to death of that coast.”
He passed a hand back over his dark hair.
“But time went on an’ I never heard a word. And then—and then came word of—Jim’s ship. It set me nigh crazy. I waited, and thought, and worried. I never got another word. Then I thought to send you folks word. Then I was scared to do it. Ma’am, you don’t know the way I felt. Jim gone——”
“Drowned. Drowned right in mid-ocean.”
McLagan’s voice broke in harshly, and Len glanced round quickly. Claire, too, turned. She looked up, a sharp question in her eyes.
McLagan nodded.
“It hit you, Len boy, to know Jim was—drowned. It hit us folks, too.”
Len turned again to the mother who was gazing at him from behind a mist of tears.
“Say, ma’am, it hit us all bad, to know Jim was drowned with the sinking of that ship in mid-ocean. It hurts me now to think of it. An’ God knows the way it must hurt you folks. But I didn’t get along to stir up bad memories. I came to tell Jim’s mother of the wonderful boy Jim was, and make her feel pride in his grit, an’ honesty, and—and the hell of a fine partner he was to me. He was plumb gold all through. Bright shining gold. He’d got just one notion in the world, ma’am. It was for his mother and his sister. After them came his partner. You know, ma’am, someways I feel, and I’d be glad to know you feel it, too, Jim came by his death doing one great big act. He’d sweated and laboured, and he was carrying home all the fruit of the love of his big heart to his—mother. Does it make you feel good? Yes, sure it does. I can see——”
The mother had flung her knitting aside. Her work-worn hands were thrust up covering her tear-streaming eyes. She sprang to her feet and stood sobbing for a moment. Then Claire came to her side, and with one warm arm flung about the older woman’s shaking shoulders, she led her from the room.