after your mother. Miss Sampson, I don't know if I can—if I
“Yes, I know,” replied the girl sadly. “That's all the more reason you should let me help you. Pray don't refuse. It will—mean so much to me.”
If this poor, stricken woman had any resentment it speedily melted in the warmth and sweetness of Miss Sampson's manner. My idea was that the impression of Diane Sampson's beauty was always swiftly succeeded by that of her generosity and nobility. At any rate, she had started well with Mrs. Hoden, and no sooner had she begun to talk to the children than both they and the mother were won.
The opening of that big basket was an event. Poor, starved little beggars! I went out on the porch to get away from them. My feelings seemed too easily aroused. Hard indeed would it have gone with Jim Hoden's slayer if I could have laid my eyes on him then. However, Miss Sampson and Sally, after the nature of tender and practical girls, did not appear to take the sad situation to heart. The havoc had already been wrought in that household. The needs now were cheerfulness, kindness, help, action, and these the girls furnished with a spirit that did me good.
“Mrs. Hoden, who dressed this baby?” presently asked Miss Sampson. I peeped in to see a dilapidated youngster on her knees. That sight, if any other was needed, completed my full and splendid estimate of Diane Sampson.
“Mr. Steele,” replied Mrs. Hoden.
“Mr. Steele!” exclaimed Miss Sampson.
“Yes; he's taken care of us all since—since—” Mrs. Hoden choked.
“Oh, so you've had no help but his,” replied Miss Sampson hastily. “No women? Too bad! I'll send someone, Mrs. Hoden, and I'll come myself.”
“It'll be good of you,” went on the older woman. “You see, Jim had few friends—that is, right in town. And they've been afraid to help us—afraid they'd get what poor Jim—”
“That's awful!” burst out Miss Sampson passionately. “A brave lot of friends! Mrs. Hoden, don't you worry any more. We'll take care of you. Here, Sally help me. Whatever is the matter with baby's dress?” Manifestly Miss Sampson had some difficulty in subduing her emotion.
“Why, it's on hind side before,” declared Sally. “I guess Mr. Steele hasn't dressed many babies.”
“He did the best he could,” said Mrs. Hoden. “Lord only knows what would have become of us! He brought your cowboy, Russ, who's been very good too.”
“Mr. Steele, then is—is something more than a Ranger?” queried Miss Sampson, with a little break in her voice.
“He's more than I can tell,” replied Mrs. Hoden. “He buried Jim. He paid our debts. He fetched us here. He bought food for us. He cooked for us and fed us. He washed and dressed the baby. He sat with me the first two nights after Jim's death, when I thought I'd die myself.
“He's so kind, so gentle, so patient. He has kept me up just by being near. Sometimes I'd wake from a doze an', seeing him there, I'd know how false were all these tales Jim heard about him and believed at first. Why, he plays with the children just—just like any good man might. When he has the baby up I just can't believe he's a bloody gunman, as they say.
“He's good, but he isn't happy. He has such sad eyes. He looks far off sometimes when the children climb round him. They love him. I think he must have loved some woman. His life is sad. Nobody need tell me—he sees the good in things. Once he said somebody had to be a Ranger. Well, I say, thank God for a Ranger like him!”
After that there was a long silence in the little room, broken only by the cooing of the baby. I did not dare to peep in at Miss Sampson then.
Somehow I expected Steele to arrive at that moment, and his step did not surprise me. He came round the corner as he always turned any corner, quick, alert, with his hand down. If I had been an enemy waiting there with a gun I would have needed to hurry. Steele was instinctively and habitually on the defense.
“Hello, son! How are Mrs. Hoden and the youngster to-day?” he asked.
“Hello yourself! Why, they're doing fine! I brought the girls down—”
Then in the semishadow of the room, across Mrs. Hoden's bed, Diane Sampson and Steele faced each other.
That was a moment! Having seen her face then I would not have missed sight of it for anything I could name; never so long as memory remained with me would I forget. She did not speak. Sally, however, bowed and spoke to the Ranger. Steele, after the first start, showed no unusual feeling. He greeted both girls pleasantly.
“Russ, that was thoughtful of you,” he said. “It was womankind needed here. I could do so little—Mrs. Hoden, you look better to-day. I'm glad. And here's baby, all clean and white. Baby, what a time I had trying to puzzle out the way your clothes went on! Well, Mrs. Hoden, didn't I tell you friends would come? So will the brighter side.”
“Yes; I've more faith than I had,” replied Mrs. Hoden. “Roger Sampson's daughter has come to me. There for a while after Jim's death I thought I'd sink. We have nothing. How could I ever take care of my little ones? But I'm gaining courage.”
“Mrs. Hoden, do not distress yourself any more,” said Miss Sampson. “I shall see you are well cared for. I promise you.”
“Miss Sampson, that's fine!” exclaimed Steele, with a ring in his voice. “It's what I'd have hoped—expected of you...”
It must have been sweet praise to her, for the whiteness of her face burned in a beautiful blush.
“And it's good of you, too, Miss Langdon, to come,” added Steele. “Let me thank you both. I'm glad I have you girls as allies in part of my lonely task here. More than glad, for the sake of this good woman and the little ones. But both of you be careful. Don't stir without Russ. There's risk. And now I'll be going. Good-by. Mrs. Hoden, I'll drop in again to-night. Good-by!”
