"Leon,"he said,"you're pretty agile.Open this door,keep yourself behind it,and step around in the parlour.The rest of you get out,and stay out of range."Those nearest hurried into the parlour.Candace,May,and I crouched in the front stairway,but things were so exciting we just had to keep the door open a tiny crack so we could see plain as anything.There had been nothing for Mrs.Freshett to do all afternoon,so she had gone over to visit an hour with Amanda Deam.Now Mr.Pryor probably thought father would meet him with the Bible in his hand,and read a passage about loving your neighbour as yourself.I'll bet anything you can mention that he never expected to find himself looking straight down the barrel of a shining big rifle when that door swung open.It surprised him so,he staggered,and his arm wavered.If he had shot and hit anything then,it would have been an accident.
"Got you over the heart,"said father,in precisely the same voice he always said,"This is a fine day we are having.""Now why are you coming here in such a shape?"This was a little cross."I'm not the man to cringe before you!"This was quite boastful."You'll get bullet for bullet,if you attempt to invade my house with a gun."This pinged as if father shot words instead of bullets.
"I want my daughter to come home,"said Mr.Pryor."And if you're sheltering the thief she is trying to hide,yield him up,if you would save yourself.""Well,I'm not anxious about dying,with the family I have on my hands,neighbour,"said father,his rifle holding without a waver,"but unless you put away that weapon,and listen to reason,you cannot enter my house.Calm yourself,man,and hear what there is to be said!Examine the proof,that is here waiting to be offered to you.""Once and but once,send them out,or I'll enter over you!"cried Mr.Pryor.
"Sorry,"said father,"but if only a muscle of your trigger finger moves,you fall before I do.I've the best range,and the most suitable implement for the work.""Implement for the work!"Well,what do you think of father?
Any one who could not see,to have heard him,would have thought he was talking about a hoe.We saw a shadow before we knew what made it;then,a little at a time,wonderingly,her jolly face a bewildered daze,her mouth slowly opening,Mrs.Freshett,half-bent and peering,stooped under Mr.Pryor's arm and looked in our door.She had come back to help get supper,and because the kitchen was locked,she had gone around the house to see if she could get in at the front.What she saw closed her mouth,and straightened her back.
"WHY,YOU TWO OLD FOOLS!"she cried."IF YE AIN'T DRAWED A BEADON EACH OTHER!"
None of us saw her do it.We only knew after it was over what must have happened.She had said she'd risk her life for mother.
She never stopped an instant when her chance came.She must have turned,and thrown her big body against Mr.Pryor.He was tired,old,and shaking with anger.They went down together,she gripping his right wrist with both hands,and she was strong as most men.Father set the gun beside the door,and bent over them.A minute more and he handed the revolver to Leon,and helped Mrs.Freshett to her feet.Mr.Pryor lay all twisted on the walk,his face was working,and what he said was a stiff jabber no one could understand.He had broken into the pieces we often feared he would.
Robert and Laddie came running to help father carry him in,and lay him on the couch.
"I hope,Miss Stanton,"said Mrs.Freshett,"that I wa'n't too rough with him.He was so shaky-like,I was 'feered that thing would go off without his really makin'it,and of course Icouldn't see none of yourn threatened with a deadly weepon,'thout buttin'in and doin'the best I could."Mother put her arms around her as far as they would reach.She would have had to take her a side at a time to really hug all of her,and she said:"Mrs.Freshett,you are an instrument in the hands of the Lord this day.Undoubtedly you have kept us from a fearful tragedy;possibly you have saved my husband for me.None of us ever can thank you enough.""Loosen his collar and give him air,"said Mrs.Freshett pushing mother away."I think likely he has bust a blood vessel."Father sent Leon flying to bring Dr.Fenner.Laddie took the carriage and he and Robert went after Mrs.Pryor,while father,mother,Mrs.Freshett,the Princess,May,and I,every last one,worked over Mr.Pryor.We poured hot stuff down his throat,put warm things around him,and rubbed him until the sweat ran on us,trying to get his knotted muscles straightened out.When Dr.
Fenner came he said we were doing all he could;MAYBE Mr.Pryor would come to and be all right,and maybe his left side would be helpless forever;it was a stroke.Seemed to me having Mrs.
Freshett come against you like that,could be called a good deal more than a stroke,but I couldn't think of the right word then.
And after all,perhaps stroke was enough.He couldn't have been much worse off if the barn had fallen on him.I didn't think there was quite so much of Mrs.Freshett;but then she was scared,and angry;and he was about ready to burst,all by himself,if no one had touched him.He had much better have stayed at home and listened to what was to be said,reasonably,like father would;and then if he really had to shoot,he would have been in some kind of condition to take aim.
After a long hard fight we got him limber,straightened out,and warm,it didn't rip so when he breathed,then they put him in the parlour on the big davenport.Leon said if the sparkin'bench didn't bring him to,nothing would.Laddie sat beside him and mother kept peeping.She wouldn't let Dr.Fenner go,because she said Mr.Pryor just must come out of it right,and have a few years of peace and happiness.
Mrs.Pryor came back with Laddie and Robert.He carried her in,put her in the big rocking chair again,and he sat beside her,stroking and kissing her,while she held him with both hands.
