Part 23 (2/2)
”Aunty Pen!”
Francis came running around the curve.
”There is a nice girl at the house. Mother sent her. She's got a boy's name--Bobbie. I like her. She does anything I tell her to.”
”That's the masculine measure,” she said, taking his hand and running on with him.
”Come back!” was the strident summons from Kurt.
”Stay here a moment,” Pen hurriedly bade Francis.
”I want to ask you how this girl is able to have such expensive looking things--if she has only a job?”
”They were given to her.”
”By the man who was instrumental in getting her reprieved? You said she was virtuous.”
”Don't do the man an injustice, even if you doubt poor little Bobbie. He acted from charitable motives. He has never seen her, or tried to see her.”
”Look at me, Pen!”
”I'm looking. You have the true Western eye--the eye of a sharpshooter and a--sheriff.”
”The story you just told me is the story of Marta Sills. Is that _her_ name or yours?”
”It belongs to us both. Being 'particular pals,' we shared alike.
Interchange of names often comes handy with us.”
”Was it you or Bobbie Burr--the girl who just came--whom Jo met in a dance hall, and took to St.--some place on Lake Michigan?”
”Dear me! You cattlemen are such gay birds when you come to a city! How can I tell how many girls Jo Gary took to a dance hall? If that St.
Something was St. Joe, he must have gone there to get married. It's what most people go there for, and probably he's no more saintly than the place is. Maybe it was named after him.”
”Tell me! Was it Bobbie Burr?”
”She never mentioned Jo Gary's name to me, so how do I know. Yes, Francis; coming.”
She ran fleetly on to join the boy who was impatiently calling to her.
”Marta! How the plot does thicken!” she thought as she ran a race with Francis to the house. ”Now we're all here but Hebby. What next? Curtain soon, I expect. No need longer for understudies. I must start things before Kurt succ.u.mbs to her charms. That little subdued, clinging-vine air she has is most appealing to his type. He'll come to forgive _her_ anything.”
”Marta,” she said quickly, as she met the young girl, ”come upstairs with me.”
She locked the door as soon as they were in her room.
”Now tell me all about yourself and everything that has happened since I last saw you.”
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