Read The Pilgrim Song Online

Authors: Gilbert Morris

The Pilgrim Song (7 page)

He turned and left the room, and as soon as he did so, Hannah whirled and crossed the room, falling upon her bed. Sobs welled up in her throat, and she wept, “I want to tell somebody! I do, but it just won’t come out!”

****

“You’re gonna get your nose pinched off if you don’t move back, Kat.” Clint pulled on Kat’s pigtails until her head arched backward. He had been putting the finishing touches on the truck, and she stayed right in his way constantly. Rather than be annoyed, however, he had developed a real affection for the girl.

Kat straightened up and said, “Joshua got drunk and was in a wreck. A man and a woman got hurt, and Daddy had to pay a lot of money to make it right.”

Clint, of course, knew this already, but he shook his head and said, “You shouldn’t tell family things to strangers, Kat.”

“You’re not a stranger.”

“Well, I mean, to people who aren’t members of the family.”

“You’re not going to tell anybody.”

“How do you know that?”

“I just do.” She was wearing a dress for a change instead of the grubby overalls she loved so dearly, and a smudge of grease had found its way onto the front of it. She watched him work for a few moments and then said, “Clint, do you hate Jenny?”

Surprised, Clint turned around and saw the girl’s big eyes intent upon him. “Why would you ask a thing like that?”

“Because she was mean to you.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “She hit you with a whip.”

“It was just a misunderstanding.”

“But do you hate her?”

“Well”—Clint managed to smile—“I don’t like her as much as I like you.”

“I’m glad! You know she had a big fuss with Hannah about you. Hannah said she was awful and that she should ask your pardon, and Jenny said she never would.”

Clint found no answer for that but straightened up and wiped his hands on a rag. “Stand back. We’re gonna put this hood down, and then we’ll start this crate up—if it
will
start, that is.”

“Clint, I’m sorry for what she did, even if she isn’t.”

“Okay, that’s fine then. As long as you and I are pals, it doesn’t matter what Jenny does. Now, let’s see if this piece of junk will run.”

Kat climbed up into the front seat of the truck. Clint set the spark, went to the front, and gave the crank several turns. Finally the engine coughed and broke into a roar. Swiftly Clint raced around and threw himself into the seat and adjusted the controls. “Well, the engine runs. You want to give it a trial?”

“Yeah, let’s go!” Kat cried.

“All right, hang on.” He cautiously put the truck in gear and pressed the accelerator. It crept out of the garage, and he let it roll to a stop. “Well, how’s that?”

“Oh, Clint, let’s go fast!”

Clint was pleased with the sound of the engine. He got out and said, “We’ll go in just a minute. I want to check something.”

Kat got out on the other side and joined him as he looked under the hood, explaining what he was doing.

“Come on, Clint, let’s ride!” she cried impatiently.

Clint laughed. “All right, get in.” He closed the hood and got back in behind the wheel. “Here we go,” he said. He carefully stepped on the gas and eased the ancient truck down the drive and out into the city traffic.

“Go faster, Clint!” Kat yelled.

From her window Hannah Winslow was looking down on the pair. She was somewhat envious of the attachment that Kat had formed with the new gardener, but she had smiled when she saw the two working on the truck. Now as she watched the truck disappear into the New York traffic, a longing tugged at her heart.
I’m glad at least she has a good friend.
She could not admit even to herself that she too longed for a friend.

****

“What’s the matter with you, Lewis? You look absolutely glum.”

Lewis was pushing his salad around with a fork. He had eaten very little. He had brought Lucy to a restaurant but only after they had done a great deal of shopping. Their wedding date was only a month away, and Lucy was busy looking at furniture and décor for the house she intended to change.

“I guess I’m just bothered about Josh, Lucy.”

“Oh, I know it’s bothering you, dear, but you mustn’t let
it. It’s going to work itself out. Was it very expensive paying off that couple who got hurt in the wreck?”

“Yes, it was. I didn’t want it to go to court, so we let the lawyers settle it.”

“But at least Joshua didn’t have to go to jail.”

“No, that was part of the deal. They dropped the charges, and the police let him go. But it’ll happen again. He’s drinking almost all the time now. I tell you, Lucy, you’re marrying into a family that’s got more problems than any family needs.”

“Now, Lewis, we’ve talked about this so often. Jenny’s just spirited, and Joshua is going through a bad time. But Hannah’s going to come out of whatever it is that’s bothering her, and Kat’s having some growing pains. The first thing I’m going to do is burn those awful overalls of hers! She’ll learn to behave like a lady if she dresses like one.”

“I think it goes a little deeper than that, Lucy.”

Lucy, however, waved this aside. “I’ve been thinking about Hannah a lot. I think she’s just gone overboard on religion, but after we’re married I’ll help her to get her life back on track.”

Lewis had heard this often, but he never, for one moment, believed that it would be that easy. Looking back, he could not remember exactly what had caused him to propose to Lucy. She was from a wealthy family, of course, but that didn’t matter to him. He concluded that it must have been that he needed someone to talk to more than anything else, and Lucy had at first been eager to listen to him. But as time went on she had gradually become the one to dominate their conversations. Now as he contemplated their future together, a dark depression settled on him, and he found he could not get into the spirit of Lucy’s shopping and wedding plans.

****

October was coming to a close, and Clint had spent a great deal of time working on the truck. He had spent most of his wages on parts, but he wanted it in near perfect condition.
He had bought four new tires and was just putting on the last one when Hannah came into the garage. It was Saturday morning, and he was surprised to see her. He got up at once and said, “Good morning, Miss Hannah.”

“Good morning, Clint.” She looked at the truck and smiled. “You’ve spent a lot of time on this truck.”

“I’ve always liked to work on machinery.”

“Maybe you should be a mechanic.”

“No, I don’t like to be inside too long.”

“You grew up on a farm, didn’t you?” She had learned this much from him. “Do you miss the life?”

“Not the way it was.” He picked up a rag and wiped his hands. “I can remember so many years of getting up before daylight with nothing but a piece of cold corn bread for breakfast. We’d go out and put in a sixteen-hour day of hard work and come home to not a lot to eat, then do the same thing the next day.”

“It must have been a very hard life.”

Clint shrugged his shoulders and shook his head as if to drive the memories away. “Well, that’s over now. I don’t care if I never see a plow again.”

“Clint, I came to ask you something, but I don’t want to be impertinent.”

“You couldn’t be impertinent if you tried, Miss Hannah.”

“Yes, I’m afraid I could, and you’ll probably think so too.”

“Well, what is it? Just come right out with it. Set it right on the front porch.”

“I’ve been wondering, Clint, if—” she hesitated and then blurted out—“if you’re a Christian.”

Clint was not offended. “No, ma’am, I’m not. My father was. He took me to church until I was grown, and then I went a lot just to please him, but . . .” Something crossed his face, sorrow perhaps, and Hannah did not miss it. “Of course, I haven’t been back since the day he died.”

“Do you believe in God?”

The question was put softly, and Clint nodded. “Sure I do. I’m the one that’s out of step, not God.”

“Then I’ve come to ask you a favor. Would you go to church with us in the morning?”

“I don’t have any clothes. I’ve told you that.”

Hannah reached into her pocket and came out with some bills folded together. She laughed, which surprised him. “I knew you’d say that. That’s what you said the last time. God’s not interested in your clothes, but others might be. Would you go with us if you had some clothes?”

Clint looked at the money and for some reason was amused. “You’re offering to buy me clothes so I’ll go to church with you?”

“Yes.”

“Why, I can’t take your money for nothing.”

“Clint, please do this thing for me. Money doesn’t mean anything to me. Father’s always urging me to spend more, but there’s nothing I really want. I spend a little money on clothes once in a while, but I give most of the rest of it to the church. So I’m not giving you something that means anything to me really, but it would mean something if you would go to church.”

“What’ll your family say?”

“They can say anything they please. Kat would like it, and I would like it.”

Amused by the little drama that had unfolded before him, Clint smiled. His teeth were very white against his tanned skin, and he reached out and took the money. “All right, I’ll do it. Makes me feel odd taking money from you, though.”

“Money is the cheapest thing in the world. The streets of heaven are paved with gold.” She was happy, Clint saw, and he was glad to find some way to bring a little lightness into her life. The few times he had seen her, she had seemed to be under a tremendous weight, but now he saw a lightness and a sweetness about her he had not seen before.

“You go to Johnson and Taylor’s Men’s Store on Fifth
Avenue and Fifty-seventh. I’ve written a note here. They’ll fix you up fine and give you a discount. Ask for Mr. Johnson. He goes to our church.”

“I’ll do that. I hope the ceiling doesn’t fall in when I go to church. It’s been a long time.”

“It won’t.” Hannah suddenly dropped her head. “I know this may be wrong of me, but it’s something I want to do.” She turned then and left, and as soon as she was out of sight, Clint stuffed the money into his shirt pocket. He finished putting on the tire, then stood and wiped his hands off. “Well, I wish everybody could be made happy as easily as Miss Hannah Winslow.” He shook his head, somewhat surprised at his own willingness to please her, then headed toward the house.

****

Hannah waited until Sunday morning breakfast was over before mentioning her secret. She was apprehensive, but taking a deep breath, she announced, “I asked Clint to go to church with us.”

Her family’s reaction was approximately what Hannah had expected. Josh had given up on church but gave her a look of startled disbelief. Jenny choked back a remark, but from her expression it was obvious she was displeased. Kat, of course, exclaimed, “Goody! I get to sit by him, don’t I, Hannah?”

Lewis had been surprised but not overly so. Hannah believed in sharing her faith with those few she came in contact with. “That’s fine, Hannah.”

“He’ll be conspicuous in his working clothes,” Jenny said stiffly.

“Oh, he’ll have some new clothes,” Hannah said. Now that the worst was over, she felt happy. “I expect we’d better hurry. We’re a little late.”

The family put on their coats, for it was snappy outside. October was drawing to a close, and the wind was chilly.

The big Packard was outside the front door, with Earl Crane waiting in it, wearing his uniform. As they approached,
he got out and held the door for Lewis. “Good morning, Mr. Winslow.”

“Good morning, Earl. There’ll be one more with us this morning.”

“Yes, sir, who’s that?”

Lewis could not help smiling, as he knew something of the antagonism that Crane had for Longstreet. “Clint will be going with us.” It delighted him to see the big man’s face register his shock.

“There he is!” Kat yelled. She ran to meet Clint, who was coming from the direction of MacDougal’s cottage. She ran right up to him before stopping. “You’ve got all new clothes on, Clint.”

“How do I look?”

“You look great!” She grabbed his arm and urged him forward. “Look at Clint! He’s all dressed up in new clothes!”

He was wearing a smart double-breasted, reefer-type jacket, which fitted his lean, strong body like a glove. It was a light blue, and the trousers were a darker blue. A handkerchief showed at his breast pocket, and he wore two-toned shoes of black and white. A crimson necktie was knotted at his throat, and he had also gotten a haircut, Hannah noted. The left side of his face still bore the mark of the whip, but he was close shaven and looked handsome indeed.

“Well, we’re glad to have you, Clint,” Lewis said. He did not mention the new clothes, but he thought,
They say clothes make the man, and I guess they’re right.
“I guess we’d better go,” he said aloud. “Suppose you and I sit up front with Earl, and you ladies crowd in the back. It’ll be a little tight.”

On the way Kat carried on a conversation with Clint as if no one else were there. When they arrived at church, Earl stopped the car at the front door to let them all out, and Lewis waited for everyone to emerge.

“Come along, Clint,” Lewis said, “we’ll get some good seats.”

“I get to sit beside Clint,” Kat announced. She grabbed for his hand and held it as they went inside.

Bethany Church was a beautiful building. Its high-arched ceiling was alabaster white, and the graceful stained-glass windows were ablaze with the morning light. Clint had never seen a church like it. He was glad to have Kat by his side, for she kept a tight hold on his hand. When they finally chose a pew, he found Hannah on his left and Kat on his right. Hannah had to lean over and tell Kat to be quiet twice, but Clint said nothing. He was aware of Jenny’s displeasure, but he had expected no less.

The service was a revelation to him. He knew a few of the songs and joined in, which brought a warm glance from Hannah, who whispered, “You remember them.”

“I heard that one every Sunday until I was eighteen years old,” he whispered back.

The pastor, a small man with curly brown hair and a pair of smart gray eyes, preached a sermon on following Christ. Clint heard little of it. It was all too strange to him. All he was concerned about was pleasing Hannah, and he knew that he had done that.

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