Part 4 (1/2)
She did not notice what they were saying, until her own name struck her ear.
”Elsie is the only person,” Lora was saying, ”who can, and probably will, help you; for she has plenty of money, and she is so kind and generous; but, if I were you, I should be ashamed to ask her, after the way you acted toward her.”
”I wish I hadn't teased her so yesterday,” replied Arthur, disconsolately, ”but it's such fun, I can't help it sometimes.”
”Well, I know I wouldn't ask a favor of anybody I had treated so,” said Lora, walking away.
Elsie sat still a few moments, working at her drawing and wondering all the time what it was Arthur wanted, and thinking how glad she would be of an opportunity of returning him good for evil. She did not like, though, to seek his confidence, but presently hearing him heave a deep sigh, she rose and went out on the veranda.
He was leaning on the railing in an att.i.tude of dejection, his head bent down and his eyes fixed on the floor. She went up to him, and laying her hand softly on his shoulder, said, in the sweet, gentle tones natural to her. ”What ails you, Arthur? Can I do anything for you? I will be very glad if I can.”
”No--yes--” he answered hesitatingly; ”I wouldn't like to ask you after--after--”
”Oh! never mind,” said Elsie, quickly; ”I do not care anything about that now. I had the ride to-day, and that was better still, because I went with Aunt Adelaide and Miss Allison. Tell me what you want.”
Thus encouraged, Arthur replied, ”I saw a beautiful little s.h.i.+p yesterday when I was in the city; it was only five dollars, and I've set my heart on having it, but my pocket money's all gone, and papa won't give me a cent until next month's allowance is due; and by that time the s.h.i.+p will be gone, for it's such a beauty somebody'll be sure to buy it.”
”Won't your mamma buy it for you?” asked Elsie.
”No, she says she hasn't the money to spare just now. You know it's near the end of the month, and they've all spent their allowances except Louise, and she says she'll not lend her money to such a spendthrift as I am.”
Elsie drew out her purse, and seemed just about to put it into his hand; but, apparently changing her mind, she hesitated a moment, and then returning it to her pocket, said, with a half smile, ”I don't know, Arthur; five dollars is a good deal for a little girl like me to lay out at once. I must think about it a little.”
”I don't ask you to _give_ it,” he replied scornfully; ”I'll pay it back in two weeks.”
”Well, I will see by to-morrow morning,” she said, darting away, while he sent an angry glance after her, muttering the word ”stingy” between his teeth.
Elsie ran down to the kitchen, asking of one and another of the servants as she pa.s.sed, ”Where's Pompey?” The last time she put the question to Phoebe, the cook, but was answered by Pompey himself. ”Here am Pomp, Miss Elsie; what does little missy want wid dis chile?”
”Are you going to the city to-night, Pompey?”
”Yes, Miss Elsie, I'se got some arrants to do for missus an' de family in ginral, an' I ben gwine start in 'bout ten minutes. Little missy wants sumpin', eh?”
Elsie motioned to him to come close to her, and then putting her purse into his hands, she told him in a whisper of Arthur's wish, and directed him to purchase the coveted toy, and bring it to her, if possible, without letting any one else know anything about it. ”And keep half a dollar for yourself, Pompey, to pay you for your trouble,”
she added in conclusion.
”Tank you, little missy,” he replied, with a broad grin of satisfaction; ”dat be berry good pay, and Pomp am de man to do dis business up for you 'bout right.”
The tea-bell rang, and Elsie hastened away to answer the summons. She looked across the table at Arthur with a pleasant smile on her countenance, but he averted his eyes with an angry scowl; and with a slight sigh she turned away her head, and did not look at him again during the meal.
Pompey executed his commission faithfully; and when Elsie returned to her own room after her evening hour with Miss Rose, Chloe pointed out the little s.h.i.+p standing on the mantel.
”Oh! it's a little beauty,” cried Elsie, clapping her hands and dancing up and down with delight; ”how Arthur will be pleased! Now, mammy, can you take it to the school-room, and put it on Master Arthur's desk, without anybody seeing you?”
”Ole Chloe'll try, darlin,” she said, taking it in her hands.
”Oh! wait one moment,” exclaimed Elsie, and taking a card, she wrote on it, ”A present to Arthur, from his niece Elsie.” Then laying it on the deck of the little vessel. ”There, mammy,” she said, ”I think that will do; but please look out first to see whether any one is in the hall.”
”Coast all clear, darlin',” replied Chloe, after a careful survey; ”all de chillens am in bed before dis time, I spec.” And taking a candle in one hand and the little s.h.i.+p in the other, she started for the school-room. She soon returned with a broad grin of satisfaction on her black face, saying, ”All right, darlin', I put him on Ma.s.sa Arthur's desk, an' n.o.body de wiser.”
So Elsie went to bed very happy in the thought of the pleasure Arthur would have in receiving her present.