Part 3 (1/2)
”A child! A wild Western dressmaker's young one in Mr. Evringham's elegant house!”
”Is the old Harry a dressmaker?” asked Zeke mildly.
”No, his wife is. His Julia! They've named this girl for her, and I suppose they called her Jule, and then twisted it around to Jewel.
Jewel!”
”When is she coming?” asked Zeke, seeing that he was expected to say something.
”Coming? She isn't coming,” cried his mother irefully. ”Not while Mr.
Evringham has his wits. They haven't a particle of right to ask him.
Harry has worried him to distraction already. The child would be sure to torment him.”
”He'd devour her the second day, then,” returned Zeke calmly. ”It would be soon over.”
CHAPTER III
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
Dr. Ballard had gone, and his hostesses were awaiting the summons to dinner. Mrs. Evringham regarded her daughter critically as the girl sat at the piano, idly running her fingers over the keys.
The listlessness expressed in the fresh face and rounded figure brought a look of disapproval into the mother's eyes.
”You must practice that nocturne,” she said. ”You played it badly just now, and there is no excuse for it, Eloise.”
”If you will let me give lessons I will,” responded the girl promptly, without turning her graceful, drooping head.
The unexpected reply was startling.
”What are you talking about?” asked Mrs. Evringham.
”Oh, I'm so tired of it all,” replied the girl wearily.
A frown contracted her mother's forehead. ”Tired of what? Turn around here!” She rose and put her hands on the pretty shoulders and turned her child until the clear gray eyes met hers. ”Now then, tired of what?”
Eloise smiled slightly, and sighed. ”Of playing nocturnes to Dr.
Ballard.”
”And he is quite as tired of hearing you, I dare say,” was the retort.
”It seems to me you always stumble when you play to the doctor, and he adores Chopin.”
Eloise continued to meet her mother's annoyed gaze, her hands fallen in her lap, all the lines of her nut-brown hair, her exquisite face, and pliable, graceful figure so many silent arguments, as they always were, against any one's harboring annoyance toward her.
”You say he does, mother, and you have a.s.sured him of it so often that the poor man doesn't dare to say otherwise; but really, if you'd let him have the latest Weber and Field hit, I think he would be so grateful.”
”Learn it then!” returned Mrs. Evringham.
Eloise laughed lazily. ”Intrepid little mother!” Then she added, in a different tone, ”Don't you think there is any danger of our being too obliging? I'm not the only girl in town whose mother wishes her to oblige Dr. Ballard. May we not overreach ourselves?”