Part 4 (1/2)

It was a very weary little girl whom Miss Barnes held by the hand as the two stopped at the door of the four-story house opposite the square.

”Shure! it's yersel',” cried Ellen, as she answered the bell. ”Mrs.

Horner's called out a-suddint, me dear, an' phwat'll she say to yer shtayin' so long? Phwat's that ye have?”

”O, it's Moggins; won't you take him and give him some milk? And, O Ellen, I'm so hungry!”

”The pore dear,” returned Ellen, taking the kitten tenderly.

”I'll find Uncle Justus,” said Edna, as she ushered Miss Barnes into the sitting-room, and, having brought her uncle, she ran to get something to eat from Ellen, for the kind-hearted maid had saved the child's dinner for her.

Having satisfied her appet.i.te, and having heard the front door open and shut, Edna began to be seized with fear; and she stood tremblingly by the door as she heard Uncle Justus approach. But he only asked, ”Have you had some dinner, little girl?” Then he laid his hand gently on her head and walked on. Next the front door again opened, and Edna heard Aunt Elizabeth's voice. Should she stay or go? Fear overcame her, and she took to her heels, never resting till she was up in her little room, where with beating heart she sat at the window overlooking the harbor.

Chapter IV

MAGGIE'S CASE.

For a long time Edna sat at the window expecting every moment to hear her aunt's heavy tread upon the stair. Finally, from sheer exhaustion, the little dusky head drooped on the sill, and when the last fading sunbeam stole into the room it found the little girl fast asleep.

She was aroused from her slumbers by Ellen. ”Shure, dear, are ye moindin' it's near supper time?” she said.

Edna started up. ”O, Ellen,” she exclaimed, ”I've been asleep.”

”Yes, dear, an' so ye have; it's no wonder, with the tramp ye took.

Come, let me put on another frock. I'll take this wan an' clane it for ye, so the misthress will niver know a bit of harrum come to it.”

”O Ellen! you're so good,” said Edna gratefully, her arms going around Ellen's neck.

”Sorry a bit,” protested Ellen, laughing as she fastened Edna's frock.

”Now ye are as nate as a new pin.”

”Was Aunt Elizabeth very cross when she saw Moggins?” asked the little girl wistfully. ”Will she turn him out?”

”Whist, dear, an' I'll tell ye; but ye mustn't let on a worrud, but take it as a matter of coorse. I was brus.h.i.+ng up the harruth when yer aunt come into the settin'-room. 'Where's Edna?' says she. 'Up stairs,' says yer uncle. 'Did she get the ribbon all right?' says she.

'She did,' says he, 'an' she done more nor that,' an' he up an' told her all about yer doin's; an' yer aunt set thoughtfullike, a-rollin'

up her bonnet strings the whoile. Yer Uncle Justus, he stud up on the two fate of him, an' says he, 'Yer not to punish her, Elizabeth. She has moinded the worrud, ”Inasmuch as ye did it to me,'” an' with that I picked up me dustpan an' wint out into the kitchen. Afther a bit yer aunt come out, an' she spies the skileton of a cat onto the harruth, an' says she, 'I'll not abide the cat in the house.' 'The cat is to stay,' says the uncle from the dhure where he stud. Yer aunt looked up kinder dazed-like at the firrum way of him, an', says she, 'Thin, Ellen, ye must kape the crathur in the kitchen. I don't begrutch it the bit of sc.r.a.pin's it'll take to feed it.' An' so, dear, ye just go down cheerfullike, an' say nothin'.” And Edna, clasping Ellen's big, kind, coa.r.s.e hand, went down stairs.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Uncle Justus was sitting by the fire, which cast a ruddy glow through the isingla.s.s of the stove. The old gentleman was slowly polis.h.i.+ng his gla.s.ses with his silk handkerchief, blinking his eyes and looking the very picture of sternness. Edna stole softly up, her little heart beating with a mixture of timidity and grat.i.tude. She gently, plucked her uncle's sleeve, then she said, ”Thank you so much, Uncle Justus,”

and leaning forward she gave a little light kiss, which fell only upon the outer edge of one carefully curled gray side whisker; then, overcome by the boldness of her act, Edna fled to the window and hid herself in the heavy curtains. But Uncle Justus understood, for when his wife came into the room, he said, ”Edna has come down, Elizabeth,”

and calling her to him, he actually put his arm around the shrinking child, as she faltered out her account of her day's doings, while she felt sure he meant to stand her friend, and bravely told about even the muddy frock. ”I am sorry, auntie,” she said. ”I did mean to come right home.”

”I forgive you, my child, because you have told the exact truth. I can trust you because you are truthful. Perhaps I expected too much of you, sending you so far alone,” was the reply.

Edna could hardly believe her ears, to hear that from Aunt Elizabeth!

And so Moggins's place in the family was secure. He grew sleek and fat under Ellen's care, and was a great source of amus.e.m.e.nt to Edna; many a wild play they had together in the big yard.