Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/249

 "How-come you named you cripple boy Keepsie, Si May-e? Dat's a new name to me."

The smoke from Mary's pipe curled into a curious shape which broke and faded as she drew in a sudden breath. She hated to answer the question truthfully, yet if she lied, Andrew would know it.

"You ever did hear of a town named Pough-keepsie?"

Andrew had not.

"Well, it's a town up-north."

Andrew nodded, then waited for her to go on.

"Keepsie's daddy come from Pough-keepsie."

"Who e is?"

"When I went to town on de excursion long time ago, I met em."

"You ain' seen em since?"

"Not since."

Andrew reflected and nodded his head. Since Keepsie had no daddy to provide crutches for him, he would be glad to make them. He would put all his other work aside and start them as soon as he got Keepsie's measure. Big Boy would go to the swamp and get the right kind of ash wood, so the crutches would be both stout and light. Together, they would soon get them made. And maybe after this Seraphine would treat Big Boy with more manners.