The Clock by James Lincoln Collier Read Free Book Online Page A

said.
    â€œHe’s—he tried to pester me.”
    Ma came in from the kitchen, carrying a jug of cider. “What’s that?” she said, mighty sharp. She put the jug on the table. “What do you mean, pester you?”
    â€œHe says I should be friendly to him. He says it would do me good to be friendly to him.”
    Suddenly Ma was right in front of me, looking into my face. “Annie, did he touch you?”
    â€œHe grabbed my chin and twisted my head up. He put his arm over my shoulder, but I ducked away.”
    Ma looked at Pa. He was staring at me, holding the paper in his lap.
    â€œNow, just a minute, Annie—” Pa began.
    â€œI never wanted her to go into the mill, Pa. I told you that from the beginning. And now see what’s going on.”
    Pa stood up and dropped the newspaper on his chair. “Now, just a minute, you two. Let’s not jump to conclusions. What did he actually do, Annie?”
    â€œHe told me to be friendly to him. Then he tried to put his arm around me and hug me.”
    Ma looked at me, and then back at Pa. “Was it because of you going in late this morning?”
    Pa frowned. “Was Annie late? Why didn’t you tell me?”
    â€œOf course she was late. How was she to hear that bell over the wind this morning? You can’t blame her, Pa.”
    â€œShe’s supposed to be at the mill on time,” Pa said. “We’re not on sun time anymore. We’re on clock time. Did he say he was going to dock your wages?”
    â€œHe said he wouldn’t if I was friendly to him.”
    â€œThere,” Ma said. She stamped her foot. “I won’t have this.”
    Pa stood there, his hands on his hips, looking around the room for an answer. I could tell what was going on in his mind as clear as if I could see through his face. He didn’t want Mr. Hoggart pestering me any more than Ma did; but he wanted my wages too. That was Pa, always getting himself tangled up over things. Finally he said, “Annie, you sure you’re not exaggerating all this? I know you’d be mighty happy to get out of the mill.”
    â€œPa, it’s true,” I shouted. “And that’s not all. Mr. Hoggart’s been stealing wool out of the mill. He’s been doing it for a long time.”
    Pa stared at me, and even Ma looked shocked. “Now, Annie—” Pa said.
    â€œIt’s true. Robert and I caught him. Robert knew all along anyway, because the tally sheets didn’t calculate out.”
    Pa puffed out his cheeks and stared around the room once again. Finally he said, “Annie, I don’t know what to say about all of this. I don’t doubt your word, but it’s hard for me to believe that Mr. Hoggart’s as bad as all that. I wouldn’t think it of him.”
    â€œIt’s true, Pa.”
    â€œWell.” He looked out the window, the way he did when he knew he was supposed to do something, but didn’t know what. “He shouldn’t be pestering you. No, I won’t allow that.”
    â€œPa, it’s true about him stealing wool.”
    He looked at me. “Now, Annie, you don’t have any proof of that, do you?”
    â€œNo,” I said. “But I could get proof if we found out where he was hiding the wool.”
    Suddenly Pa made up his mind about it. “Annie, I don’t want you getting involved in anything like that. It isn’t any of your business what Mr. Hoggart’s doing down there. Probably he has a perfectly good reason for it. You don’t know about these things, and I want you to stay clear of it.”
    Ma looked at me. “Your pa’s right about that, Annie. It isn’t any of your business. Just stay out of it.” Then she looked at Pa. “But that isn’t any reason why she should be pestered. If it happens again I want her out of the mill.”
    â€œNow, now, you two are not going to start giving me