Part 9 (2/2)
”Soytenly. Ise says to 'im dat youse wanted to know wot he tought, an' he went back on me. Ise didn't tink he'd trun me down like dat!”
”I might better have written him,” murmured Miss Durant, thoughtfully. She sat for some time silently pondering, till the waif asked,--
”Say, youse goin' to guv me dat present just de same, oin't youse?”
”Yes, I'll give you a present,” acceded the girl, opening the book. ”I think, Swot,” she continued, ”that we'll have to trouble Dr. Armstrong for another Old Sleuth, as we shall probably finish this to-day. And tell him this time it is my turn to pay for it,” From her purse she produced a dime, started to give it to the boy, hastily drew back her hand, and replacing the coin, subst.i.tuted for it a dollar bill. Then she began reading rapidly--so rapidly that the end of the story was attained some twenty minutes before the visitors' time had expired.
”Say,” was her greeting on the following day, as Swot held up another lurid-looking tale and the dollar bill, ”Ise told de doc youse wuzn't willin' dat he, bein' poor, should bleed de cash dis time, an' dat youse guv me dis to--”
”You didn't put it that way, Swot?” demanded Miss Durant.
”Wot way?”
”That I said he was poor.”
”Soytenly.”
”Oh, Swot, how could you?”
”Wot's de matter?”
”I never said that! Was he--was he--What did he say?”
”Nuttin' much, 'cept dat I wuz to guv youse back de dough, for de books wuz on 'im.”
”I'm afraid you have pained him, Swot, and you certainly have pained me.
Did he seem hurt or offended?”
”Nop.”
”I wish you would tell him I shall be greatly obliged if he will come to the ward to-morrow, for I wish to see him. Now don't alter this message, please, Swot.”
That her Mercury did her bidding more effectively was proved by her finding the doctor at the bedside when she arrived the next day.
”Swot told me that you wished to see me, Miss Durant,” he said.
”Yes, and I'm very much obliged to you for waiting. I--How soon will it be possible for him to be up?”
”He is doing so famously that we'll have him out of bed by Monday, I hope.”
”I promised him a present, and I want to have a Christmas tree for him, if he can come to it.”
”Wot's dat?” came the quick question from the bed.
”If you don't know, I'm going to let it be a surprise to you, Swot. Do you think he will be well enough to come to my house? Of course I'll send my carriage.”
”If he continues to improve, he certainly will be.”
”Say, is dat de ting dey has for de mugs wot goes to Sunday-school, an'
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