Father got out his books and figured up his own and the road money,and Miss Amelia's,and the church's.Laddie didn't want her around,so he stopped at the schoolhouse and told her to stay at Justices'that night,we'd need all our rooms;but she didn't like being sent away when there was such excitement,but every one minded Laddie when he said so for sure.
When father had everything counted there was more than his,quite a lot of it,stolen from other people who sheltered the traveller no doubt,father said.We thought he wouldn't be likely to come back for it,and father said he was at loss what to do with it,but Laddie said he wasn't--it was Leon's--he had earned it;so father said he would try to find out if anything else had been stolen,and he'd keep it a year,and then if no one claimed it,he would put it on interest until Leon decided what he wanted to do with it.
When you watched Leon sleep you could tell a lot more about what had happened to him than he could.He moaned,and muttered constantly,and panted,and felt around for the gun,and breathed like he was running again,and fought until Laddie had to hold him on the couch,and finally awakened him.But it did no good;he went right off to sleep again,and it happened all over.Then father began getting his Crusader blood up,although he always said he was a man of peace.But it was a lucky thing Even So got away;for after father had watched Leon a while,he said if that man had been on the premises,his fingers itched so to get at him,he was positive he'd have vented a little righteous indignation on him that would have cost him within an inch of his life.And he'd have done it too!He was like that.It took a lot,and it was slow coming,but when he became angry enough,and felt justified in it,why you'd be much safer to be some one else than the man who provoked him.
After ten o'clock the dog barked,some one tapped,and father went;he always would open the door;you couldn't make him pretend he was asleep,or not at home when he was,and there stood Mr.Pryor.He said they could see the lights and they were afraid the boy was ill,and could any of them help.Father said there was nothing they could do;Leon was asleep.Then Mr.Pryor said:"If he is off sound,so it won't disturb him,I would like to see him again."Father told him Leon was restless,but so exhausted a railroad train wouldn't waken him,so Mr.Pryor came in and went to the couch.He took off his hat,like you do beside a grave,while his face slowly grew whiter than his hair,and that would be snow-white;then he turned at last and stumbled toward the door.
Laddie held it for him,but he didn't seem to remember he was there.He muttered over and over:"Why?Why?In the name of God,why?"Laddie followed to the gate to help him on his horse,because he thought he was almost out of his head,but he had walked across the fields,so Laddie kept far behind and watched until he saw him go safely inside his own door.
