Part 31 (2/2)
”Did he? What did I tell you? Perhaps my news surprised him as well as you. I thought he looked as pale as a plate. What do you think?”
”I think it is none of our business.”
Miss Annabel gave her a shrewd look. ”Perhaps not your business. You don't have to live with him. But I do. Well, good-bye, my dear. Tell your mother,” significantly, ”that I'll be over to see her soon.”
Both girls were relieved that the minister did not leave his study to say good-bye. They breathed more freely and their steps slackened as soon as the corner which hid the manse had been safely pa.s.sed.
”I've got new boots,” began Jane. ”See them? And Fred's new dog has got puppies! He calls her Pickles. She got the puppies this morning. Oh!
they're darlings! But Fred is horrid. He says he is going to give me one for my own, to make up for Timothy. Just as if anything ever could! I never knew any one so heartless as Fred--except Job.”
”Job who?” It was a relief to Esther to let the childish chatter run on.
”Why, _Job_. Job was just like Fred. When all his wives died and his little children and his cows, he felt bad, but when G.o.d gave him more wives and more children and lots of cows he was pleased as Punch. I always thought that so strange of G.o.d,” in a reflective tone, ”but I expect he knew what kind of man Job was and that he didn't have any real feelings. Do you think I ought to take the puppy, Esther? I shouldn't like to be like Job.”
”I think there is no danger, dear. But how is mother? Better?”
”Was she sick?” in surprise.
”Her headaches, you know.”
”Oh, yes. I don't know whether they are better or not,” carelessly. ”I didn't see much of mother while we were away. I played all day with Mrs.
Bremner's little girl. Except when we went shopping. I think she must be better, for she did such lots of shopping.”
Esther smiled. ”Not very much, I think, Janie. Shopping takes money.”
”But she did! I have lots and lots of new clothes. Only,”
discontentedly, ”most of them don't fit. Mother could never be bothered trying them on. She's got some lovely things, too. Dresses and hats and piles of new shoes and heaps of silk stockings--”
”Jane, why do you say 'lots' and 'piles' and 'heaps' when you know you are exaggerating?”
But there was a note of anxiety in the reproof nevertheless.
”I'm not exaggerating, Esther! She did. Even Miss Bremner asked her what she was going to do with them all.”
The elder girl's fingers tightened upon the small hand she held. Her red lips set themselves in a firm line. In face of a danger which she could see and measure Esther had courage enough. And she had faced this particular danger before.
”Mother will tell me all about it, no doubt,” she said calmly. ”Did she get me something pretty, too?”
”Yes. It's a surprise.”
”And when she got all the pretty things I suppose she told the clerks to charge them?”
”Oh, no. She paid for them out of her purse.”
Esther was conscious of a swift reaction. The things were paid for. Of course Jane had exaggerated. Children have no sense of value. Some dainty things, Mrs. Coombe was sure to buy; but, as Esther well knew, her slender stock of money would hardly have run to ”piles” and ”heaps.”
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