Part 29 (1/2)
BY and by it was getting-up time So I come down the ladder and started for down-stairs; but as I coirls' roo by her old hair trunk, which was open and she'd been packing things in it?getting ready to go to England But she had stopped noith a folded gown in her lap, and had her face in her hands, crying I felt awful bad to see it; of course anybody would I went in there and says:
”Miss Mary Jane, you can't a-bear to see people in trouble, and I can't?most always Tell ers?I just expected it She said the beautiful trip to England was most about spoiled for her; she didn't kno_ she was ever going to be happy there, knowing theto see each other noup her hands, and says:
”Oh, dear, dear, to think they ain't _ever_ going to see each other any more!”
”But they _will_?and inside of teeks?and I _know_ it!” says I
Laws, it was out before I could think! And before I could budge she throws her arain_, say it _again_!
I see I had spoke too sudden and said too much, and was in a close place I asked her to let me think a minute; and she set there, very i kind of happy and eased-up, like a person that's had a tooth pulled out So I went to studying it out I says to myself, I reckon a body that ups and tells the truth when he is in a tight place is taking considerable h I ain't had no experience, and can't say for certain; but it looks so to me, anyway; and yet here's a case where I'm blest if it don't look to me like the truth is better and actuly _safer_ than a lie
I must lay it by in my mind, and think it over soular I never see nothing like it Well, I says toto chance it; I'll up and tell the truth this ti of powder and touching it off just to see where you'll go to Then I says:
”Miss Mary Jane, is there any place out of town a little here you could go and stay three or four days?”
”Yes; Mr Lothrop's Why?”
”Never ers will see each other again inside of teeks?here in this house?and _prove_ how I knoill you go to Mr Lothrop's and stay four days?”
”Four days!” she says; ”I'll stay a year!”
”All right,” I says, ”I don't want nothing more out of _you_ than just your word?I druther have it than another man's kiss-the-Bible” She smiled and reddened up very sweet, and I says, ”If you don't mind it, I'll shut the door?and bolt it”
Then I coain, and says:
”Don't you holler Just set still and take it like a ot to tell the truth, and you want to brace up, Miss Mary, because it's a bad kind, and going to be hard to take, but there ain't no help for it These uncles of yourn ain't no uncles at all; they're a couple of frauds?regular dead-beats There, noe're over the worst of it, you can stand the rest , of course; but I was over the shoal water now, so I went right along, her eyes a-blazing higher and higher all the ti, fro up to the stea's breast at the front door and he kissed her sixteen or seventeen times?and then up she jumps, with her face afire like sunset, and says:
”The brute! Come, don't waste a minute?not a _second_?we'll have the in the river!”
Says I:
”Cert'nly But do you o to Mr Lothrop's, or?”
”Oh,” she says, ”what aain ”Don't mind what I said?please don't?you _won't,_ noill_ you?” Laying her silky hand on mine in that kind of a way that I said I would die first ”I never thought, I was so stirred up,” she says; ”now go on, and I won't do so any more You tell me what to do, and whatever you say I'll do it”
”Well,” I says, ”it's a rough gang, theot to travel with theer, whether I want to or not?I druther not tell you why; and if you was to blow on theet ht; but there'd be another person that you don't know about who'd be in big trouble Well, we got to save _him_, hain't we? Of course Well, then, on't blow on theood idea in et et them jailed here, and then leave
But I didn't want to run the raft in the daytime without anybody aboard to answer questions buttill pretty late to-night I says:
”Miss Mary Jane, I'll tell you e'll do, and you won't have to stay at Mr Lothrop's so long, nuther How fur is it?”
”A little short of four ht out in the country, back here”