FullReads

Tish then stood inside the door, and delivered through it one of the most inspiring patriotic speeches I have ever heard. She spoke of our long tolerance, while the world waited. Then of the decision, and the call to arms. She said that the sons of the Nation were rising that day in their might.

“But,” she finished, “there are some among us who would shirk, would avoid the high and lofty duty. There are some who would profane the name of love, and hide behind it to save their own cowardly skins. To these ignoble ones there is but one course left open. Go. Put your name on the roster of your country as a free man, unmarried and without impediments of any sort. Then return and these doors will fly open before the magic of a blue card.”

It was at that time, we learned later, that the policeman, who was but a rough and untutored type, decided that Tish was insane–how often, alas, is genius thus mistaken!–and started off for the Knowles farm to bring help. Mr. Culver made no reply to Tish’s speech, and we learned later had gone away in the midst of it. Later on he was reported by Aggie, who looked out from an upper window, to be sitting under the chestnut tree where he had once rescued Tish’s black alpaca skirt, sulking and watching.

Tish then went up and spoke to him from the window.

“See here,” she said angrily, “do you think that I did not mean what I said through that door?”

He had the audacity to yawn.

“I didn’t hear all of it,” he said. “But judging from what I know of you, I daresay you meant it. Would you mind tossing me a tin cup or something to drink out of?”

“You are not going back to town to register, then?”

“It’s early,” he replied, coolly. “If you mean do I intend to walk back, I do not. I shall wait for the Sheriff and the posse.”

It was then that Tish saw the policeman crossing a field toward the Knowles farm and she tried to reason with the young man. But he dropped his pretence of indifference, and would not even listen to her.

“I’ve only one thing to say,” he said, fiercely. “You be careful of that young lady. As to whether I register or not, that’s my business and has nothing to do with the case. When you open that door and send her out, with four good tires to take the place of the ones you ruined, I’ll talk to you, and not before.”

He then got up and walked away, and Tish came downstairs and lighted a candle with hands that shook with rage. We had heard the entire conversation, and in the candlelight I could see that Aggie was as white as wax.

Well, the situation was really desperate, but Tish’s face forbade questions. Aggie ventured to observe that perhaps it would be better to unlock the door and release the girl, but Tish only gave her a ferocious glance.

“I am doing my duty,” she said, firmly. “I have done nothing for which the law can punish me. If a young lady comes willingly into my car for a ride, as you did”–she turned sharply to Myrtle–“and if a young fool chooses to sit in my front yard instead of registering to serve his country, it is not my fault. As a matter of fact, I can probably have him arrested for trespass.”

As I have said, the farmhouse is still furnished with Tish’s mother’s things. She was a Biggs, and all the things the Biggses had not wanted for sixty years were in the house. So at least we had chairs to sit on, and if we had only had water, for we were all thirsty from excitement and dust, we could have been fairly comfortable, although Myrtle complained bitterly of thirst.

“And I want to wash,” she said fretfully. “If I could wash I’d change my blouse and look like something.”