Cowboy Kim

By Ida Stewart Peay

(Previous chapter)

Chapter 6.

The band was playing a lively air as the crowd marched up the street towards the College and Kim ran excitedly after the music as also did bob an Wallie. As the students pushed and jostled their way along there were constant yells and laughter as well as more music and Kim’s little heart hammered wildly for joy as he stuck to the hilarious crowd. He and Wallie and Bob hung around the campus until time for the basket ball game to begin; then they hugged the entrance to the gymnasium to hear the cheering and music.

“I’m goin’ in,” Wallie finally announced with decision. he could stand it no longer.

“It’ll cost half your dollar,” protested bob lamely, but following Wallie’s example, he stuck his hand in his pocket and produced his entire capital – quite ready to sacrifice it for the moment’s pleasure. Kim was fully as anxious to go inside as the other boys but because his money was out of his hands and because misery likes company, he tried to deter them.

“I’ve saved my money,”: he said wistfully.

“How’d you save it?” queried the curious Wallie.

“Put it in the bank. I’m going to need a heap of money after a while so I’ve got to save.” Kim’s secret was out but he did not care even though he saw Bob and Wallie exchange significant glances. The cheering inside was making him desperate. If these boys went in he would be unbearably lonesome.

“Believe I’ll put my money in the bank. I want to get an automobile when I’m big,” gushed Bob, always the first to be influenced.

“I’m going to save up, too,” decided Wallie, putting his dollar safely back in his pocket. “But –” he added in an excited whisper – “I’m going in here now. Listen, tell you what I’m going to do – and you fellers can do it, too – I’m going to ask the door keeper if I can go in a minute to see a buy, and then they’ll be awfully glad to have me stay in because it’ll be too crowded for folks to move around much.” He stole an observing glance at Kim.

“Gee, yes, and they don’t care if a few little kids like us come in, we don’t take up no room,” Bob seconded him eagerly as he, too, looked at the new boy for sign of approval.

Kim eyed them a moment or two with his disconcerting stare, then he whirled on his heel and walked away without a word.

“Do you think he’d blow on us?” whispered Wallie.

“Naw, but let’s get him to go in,” answered bob.

“Safer,” murmured Wallie under his breath. He had ample reason for keeping his tracks well covered.

The boys went after their new chum to try to persuade him to play the trick and get in but, though they were aided and abetted by deafening cheers from behind the closed doors that shook Kim from head to foot he slowly but firmly walked on. He gave no sign he was really being inwardly torn; between the lure of the game and the hunger for fellowship with these boys. Never having known the companionship of children he wanted to be with them, to share in their adventures. He meant to go home but he wished he could get the boys to go with him. also he wished he could get them to hate dishonesty and cheating as much as he did. He combated their arguments with a resourcefulness that was his native gift.

“I’m never going to have any fun that I’m not able to pay for – I guess I can earn money,” he declared with fine scorn. “Dad said the fun you have to cheat somebody for never turns out to be worth having.”

“It’s not stealing to see that game, nobody would care,” Wallie maintained doggedly.

“Dad said there’s a thousand ways to be dishonest besides just plain stealing.”

“Well, I ain’t lived long enough to find out a thousand ways yet, so I’m safe in doing a few stunts without being in much danger,” snarled the youthful Carson, then he indulged in a sly grin.

Kim threw back his head and his shoulders with a little characteristic movement of his, and thrusting his hand sin his pockets started off. His I wash-my-hands-of-you air troubled the town lads. They stopped him again.

“Say, kid, when you’ve been in civilization a little longer you’ll grow out of them babyish up-and-dicular ways of yours,” Wallie predicted spitefully. Just then some loud cheering and yelling from the inside of the gymnasium brought all three urchins about face with eyes popping. “Gee, I’m goin’ in!” gasped Wallie as short of breath as if he had been running. “You can blow on me if you want to – are you goin’ to?” he asked of Kim, hanging back a moment for that young man’s reply.

Kim’s only answer was a contemptuous glance.

“Believe I’ll go in, too,” hesitated Bob.

Then Kim played his trump card. Indeed the thought only came to Kim in that hard pressed moment.

“I was going to get you fellows to go in partners with me and earn some more money. But I won’t go in with anyone I can’t trust,” he said sorrowfully, his big, wide-open eyes looking first at Wallie and then at Bob.

“What’s the biz?” quizzed Bob interested at once.

“O, I suppose I could tget someone else.” Kim let their curiosity increase.

“O, let’s have it,” urged Wallie impatiently.

“Tell us, Kim,” begged bob Simmons.

“I’ve just been thinking –” began Kim tantalizingly slow – “that – a – that we might form a partnership like Uncle Pete and Mr. Grover and go into lot cleaning for a business. I’ve noticed a number of yards as bad as Uncle Pete’s.”

“It’s sure the style to be clearing up the back yards these days. My mother belongs to clubs and she’s always talking about beautifyin’ the ugly places and all that,” snickered Wallie.

“My Uncle Dan might hire us to turn his yard inside out, he’s got plenty of dough. I’ll ask him,” contributed Bob eagerly.

“’N I’ll ask my boss,” Master Carson was actually enthusiastic as he thought of another dollar lying in his pocket beside the one he still had – thanks to Kim.

“I’m going to ask Mr. McCree and every man who has an upset back garden. Can’t we make a lot of money! We can work two hours every night after school and do one lot, and Saturday we ought to do one more. That will be two dollars each, every week.” Kim was all animation.

Bob was so taken up with the prospect that he gave a war whoop (without the battle spirit) and Wallie joined him lustily.

“And I’m going to save mine because I’ll need a heap of money after a while,” dreamed Kim audibly.

“What for?” asked the ever curious Walli4e.

“None of your biz,” sassed Bob, shutting Wallie up. Kim’s having to have a heap of money after a while struck the Simmons boy as a secret not to be probed. There was something a little sad about it. Also Bob seemed to know with that sixth sense – called Hunch these days – that Kim’s plaintive wish was bound to be gratified by and by. He knew Kim would make his dream come true.

Suddenly the boy from the Deer Run gave a cry of alarm and bounded forward into a keen run. His superabundance of energy and light weight made him unusually fleet footed and several blocks were covered before his friends caught him.

“What’s got into your carcass?” complained Bob breathlessly when they overtook the runaway.

“Gee, did you take yourself for a night express? What’s the matter?” grumbled young Carson between pants.

“See, it’s dark and Aunt Mabel – er – Uncle Pete will be wondering where I am. My, I never meant to put them out!” exclaimed the breathless runner racing on. All three boys appeared to have forgotten the basket ball game.

bob ran neck and neck with them but he was silent. Deep in his heart he half regretted that there was no one to care at what hour he fetched up at home. His father would be loafing around the business streets himself more than likely and his mother would be “niggering ((I really debate whether to reproduce terms like this, but have decided in some cases that it is right not to cover up the offenses of the past.)) away,” as she called it, trying to get her own and other people’s work done. The boys soon separated and Kim walked contritely into his new home. The evening meal was still upon the table in the dining room but the other members of the household had already eaten. As the boy entered, Aunt Mabel came in from the kitchen.

“I cannot see why you want to cause me and your uncle so much trouble,” she said, “when we are doing the best we know for you. When your uncle comes back he will talk to you. go into the bedroom and wait.” She motioned for him to make haste, and Kim went in quickly, closing the door behind him.

It was quite dark in there, so he dropped down just inside the door. He was not resentful this time. He knew he had acted unfairly and he was ready to take his punishment as he was all the days of his life when he had broken faith with himself or his fellows. He had been shut in only a few minutes when he heard an uncertain hand on the door knob. It rattled softly, then Baby Belle stumbled over him.

“O, here’s Kim! You never comed, you never comed home,” she pouted in a hurt tone.

“Did you miss Kim, Baby Bell? And did Kim disappoint you?” The boy was immediately touched and pleased, too, at her regard for him.

“Yes, an’ I waited an’ waited but they all went by an’ you never comed.”

“Never mind, tomorrow I’ll come. You watch for me at the gate and I’ll surely hurry home to you.” He squeezed the baby up to him and kissed her pouting lips into a smile. His words proved a promise which he kept faithfully. He soon forgot the scolding and that he went to bed without any supper but he never forgot that the little child he loved was waiting for him out by the gate.

“While Kim was waiting for his uncle he listened to some news which thrilled him with a mighty joy, he overheard it in a conversation that he remembered – only vaguely understanding it – for a long time. Baby Belle had gone to sleep on his shoulder and when he too was getting drowsy, voices floated into him through the door his little visitor had left ajar.

“My goodness, I believe this is her eight,” he heard Aunt Mabel say, “Let’s see, there’s Dick, Kathleen, Kelly, Rose, Pattie, Joe, Harry and now this one.”

There was more conversation along this line but Kim was too excited to listen. His mind had seized upon one sentence – “Dick, Kathleen, Kelly, Rose, Pattie, Joe, Harry and now this one –a” Did Pattie’s mother have a new baby? It must be so! A baby was the greatest of all miracles to the lonely boy from the Deer Run. How his beautiful mother had longed and prayed for a precious darling to love and care for!

Kim had never seen a tiny baby and he could hardly wait for the morrow when he might perhaps have that wonderful opportunity. But the next day came and the next before he had the chance to approach the mecca of his desires. Tuesday and Wednesday he worked after school with Wallie and Bob on Mr. Carson’s lot. His friends had forgotten all about their new business venture but Kim had not and he it was who secured the second job and got it under way. Wednesday evening when Kim was passing the McCree home Pattie hailed him to tell him the glorious news. Kim was all interest.

“Has it got its eyes open yet?” he quizzed, fairly bursting with curiosity.

“Of course,” giggled the little girl.

“Can it – can it cry?”

At that moment Mr. McCree’s tall form darkened the doorway; he had heard and understood the longing in the boy’s voice so he took him in and showed him the great wonder. The child’s heart beat high with joy as Mrs. McCree proudly exhibited the lovely little specimen. He had to see its tiny fingers and pink toes and the soft brown hair on the back of its head; and he was even urged to press his lips to the cream velvet neck that Mother McCree called “Kiss Hollow.”

“You must not get too tired, Mamsy,” cautioned Rose, who was the “home-made” nurse.

“No, dear, I’m not tired,” whispered the woman in an aside. “Anyway, I will willingly endure a little weariness to see Kim’s big eyes popping out of his head.

Thus Kim was allowed to watch the baby to his heart’s content and he stayed a good deal longer than he knew. There were so many in this family and they all talked and laughed and joked so that Kim was soon in high glee. He jumped and looked as started as a frisking fawn trapped, when Aunt Mabel stuck her head in at the door.

‘Kim, you should not stay here so long. Run along home.”

When Kim was gone and Mrs. Sloane had been greeted and asked to sit down she turned to Mr. McCree with a baffled sigh.

“Isn’t that child just the limit!”

“Kim is not a bad boy, Mrs. Sloane,” Neighbor McCree asserted firmly, albeit with his disarming smile and agreeable manner. “Rather I should say that he has noble, even lofty ideals, a rarely lovable nature, and uncommon energy and ability. Of course he’s curious and inquisitive, in fact his mind is one everlasting question mark. It fairly compels him to poke around and discover things. He wouldn’t do anything just to annoy you. Take tonight for instance, I heard him talking with Pattie and his voice was quivering with curiosity and longing. it was perfectly natural for the little chap to be wild to see the baby so I asked him in. Then the time passed so happily and quickly he didn’t realize he’d be missed.”

“But he should have asked me,” insisted Mrs. Sloane.

“True, he should have done os, but he did not know himself that he was going to have this adventure –”

“Who is that playing?” the visitor suddenly interrupted to enquire as a soft thrilling melody of sound filled the house.

“That’s Kelly, he’s doing well with his violin, isn’t he?” said the man with a proud smile.

“Doing well! Why, he’s playing splendidly,” cried Aunt Mabel, taken out of herself with surprise and pleasure, then she added ruefully, “What a pity that boy can’t have advantages!”

Neighbor McCree winced slightly under the inference although such thrusts were not new to him. “O, I don’t know,” he demurred – he was getting quite skilled in self defense – “I almost believe if I had been able to give Kelly lessons constantly and insisted on his practicing a stated period every day he might have grown tired of it or he might have failed to appreciate my efforts. I’m beginning to disbelieve in forcing advantages on children. Rather instill in them the ambition to do something, then let them overcome the difficulties themselves. Look, for instance at young Carson and Kelly – Wallie isn’t doing anything at all while Kelly is forging ahead wonderfully.”

Mrs. Sloane was staring at him plainly aghast at such heresy.

(To be continued)