Part 26 (1/2)
”Here it is, Jackie dear.”
Jack pulled off the string, tore open the box, and gaped in wide-eyed delight. ”Oh, Rosie, thanks! thanks! It's a beaut!” For one moment mere possession was enough, on the next came an overpowering desire to exhibit his treasure before an admiring and envious world.
”Say, Rosie, I got to run down and see Joe Slattery. I'll be back in a minute.”
Mrs. O'Brien put out a detaining hand. ”No, you won't be going down to see any Joe Slattery! Dinner's ready and you'll be comin' in with the rest of the family this minute. Come along, Rosie dear.”
Rosie paused. ”Can't we keep Janet, Ma? Is there enough?”
Mrs. O'Brien nodded her head emphatically. ”Sure there's enough and, if there ain't, we'll make it enough.”
”Thanks, Mis' O'Brien, but I don't believe I better stay.” Janet spoke regretfully. ”You know my mother ain't very well these days and I don't like to leave her alone too long.”
”Why, Janet!” Rosie looked at her friend in sudden concern. ”Is your mother sick?”
Janet shook her head. ”I don't know what's the matter with her. It seems like the hot weather and the work and the worry have been too much for her. But I'll be back, Rosie, at three o'clock for our papers. I got two new customers, didn't I, Terry? And, Rosie, what do you think? Terry gave me an extra nickel for each of them.”
Janet started off and Mrs. O'Brien exclaimed: ”Now, then, for dinner!
All of yez!”
”See you later, Rosie,” George Riley remarked, opening the door of his own room.
Mrs. O'Brien called after him excitedly: ”Why, Jarge lad, where's this you're going? Aren't you sitting down with the rest of us?”
”I ain't more than had my breakfast,” George explained; ”and I think I better get in a little nap before I start out on my next run.” He nodded to Rosie, smiled, and shut his door.
”Poor Jarge!” Mrs. O'Brien threw sympathetic eyes to heaven and sighed.
Rosie looked at her mother quickly. ”Is there anything the matter with Jarge?”
”Poor fella!” Mrs. O'Brien went on in the same lugubrious tone. ”He's as honest as the day and I'm sure I wish him every blessing under heaven.
Never in me life have I liked a boarder as much as I like Jarge. He's no trouble at all, at all, and it was mighty kind of his mother inviting you and Geraldine to the country. No, no, Rosie, you must never make the mistake of supposing I'm not fond of Jarge!”
”Ma,” Rosie begged; ”tell me what's the matter!” She stopped suddenly and two little points of steel came into her blue eyes. ”Is it Ellen?
Has she been doing something to him again?”
Mrs. O'Brien looked grieved. ”Why, Rosie, I'm surprised at you--I am that, to hear you talk that way about your poor sister Ellen. And such a bit of news as I've got about Ellen, too! Sit down now and, when I serve you, I'll tell you.”
There was no hurrying Mrs. O'Brien and Rosie, knowing this, said no more. At heart she gave a little sigh. It was as if a shadow were overcasting the bright joy of her home-coming. She had arrived so full of her own happiness that she had failed to see any evidence of the care and worry which, she realized now, had plainly stamped the faces of her two dearest friends. Poor Janet McFadden! For one reason or another it had always been poor Janet. And now, apparently, it was to be poor George Riley as well.
CHAPTER XXIV
GEORGE TURNS
”Now!” Everything was on the table and there was no further excuse for Mrs. O'Brien's not seating herself. She dropped into a chair and beamed upon Rosie triumphantly. ”And just to think, Rosie dear, that you don't yet know about Ellen! Ellen's got a job! She's starting in on eight dollars a week and she's to go to ten in a couple of weeks if she's satisfactory. And you know yourself that twenty dollars is nothing for a fine stenographer to be getting nowadays. And twenty a week means eighty a month and eighty a month means close on to a thousand a year! Now I do say that a thousand a year is a pretty big lump of money for a girl like Ellen to be making!”
Mrs. O'Brien's enthusiasm was genuine but scarcely infectious. Terence jerked his head toward Rosie with a dry aside: ”She started work yesterday on a week's trial.”