第19章

BEGINNING A TRUE FRIENDSHIP

This was Miss Jane Baxter.She opened her eyes upon the new-born day, and her first thoughts were of Mr.Parcher.That is, he was already in her mind when she awoke, a circumstance to be accounted for on the ground that his conversation, during her quiet convalescence in his library, had so fascinated her that in all likelihood she had been dreaming of him.Then, too, Jane and Mr.Parcher had a bond in common, though Mr.Parcher did not know it.Not without result had William repeated Miss Pratt's inquiry in Jane's hearing: ``Who IS that curious child?'' Jane had preserved her sang-froid, but the words remained with her, for she was one of those who ponder and retain in silence.

She thought almost exclusively of Mr.Parcher until breakfast-time, and resumed her thinking of him at intervals during the morning.Then, in the afternoon, a series of quiet events not unconnected with William's passion caused her to think of Mr.Parcher more poignantly than ever;

nor was her mind diverted to a different channel by another confidential conversation with her mother.Who can say, then, that it was not by design that she came face to face with Mr.

Parcher on the public highway at about five o'clock that afternoon? Everything urges the belief that she deliberately set herself in his path.

Mr.Parcher was walking home from his office, and he walked slowly, gulping from time to time, as he thought of the inevitable evening before him.His was not a rugged constitution, and for the last fortnight or so he had feared that it was giving way altogether.Each evening he felt that he was growing weaker, and sometimes he thought piteously that he might go away for a while.He did not much care where, though what appealed to him most, curiously enough, was not the thought of the country, with the flowers and little birds; no, what allured him was the idea that perhaps he could find lodgment for a time in an Old People's Home, where the minimum age for inmates was about eighty.

Walking more and more slowly, as he approached the dwelling he had once thought of as home, he became aware of a little girl in a checkered dress approaching him at a gait varied by the indifferent behavior of a barrel-hoop which she was disciplining with a stick held in her right hand.When the hoop behaved well, she came ahead rapidly; when it affected to be intoxicated, which was most often its whim, she zigzagged with it, and gained little ground.But all the while, and without reference to what went on concerning the hoop, she slowly and continuously fed herself (with her left hand) small, solemnly relished bites of a slice of bread-and-butter covered with apple sauce and powdered sugar.

Mr.Parcher looked upon her, and he shivered slightly; for he knew her to be Willie Baxter's sister.

Unaware of the emotion she produced in him, Jane checked her hoop and halted.

``G'd afternoon, Mister Parcher,'' she said, gravely.

``Good afternoon,'' he returned, without much spirit.

Jane looked up at him trustfully and with a strange, unconscious fondness.``You goin' home now, Mr.Parcher?'' she asked, turning to walk at his side.She had suspended the hoop over her left arm and transferred the bread-and-butter and apple sauce and sugar to her right, so that she could eat even more conveniently than before.

``I suppose so,'' he murmured.

``My brother Willie's been at your house all afternoon,'' she remarked.

He repeated, ``I suppose so,'' but in a tone which combined the vocal tokens of misery and of hopeless animosity.

``He just went home,'' said Jane.``I was 'cross the street from your house, but I guess he didn't see me.He kept lookin' back at your house.

Miss Pratt was on the porch.''

``I suppose so.'' This time it was a moan.

Jane proceeded to give him some information.

``My brother Willie isn't comin' back to your house to-night, but he doesn't know it yet.''

``What!'' exclaimed Mr.Parcher.

``Willie isn't goin' to spend any more evenings at your house at all,'' said Jane, thoughtfully.

``He isn't, but he doesn't know it yet.''

Mr.Parcher gazed fixedly at the wonderful child, and something like a ray of sunshine flickered over his seamed and harried face.``Are you SURE he isn't?'' he said.``What makes you think so?''

``I know he isn't,'' said demure Jane.``It's on account of somep'm I told mamma.''

And upon this a gentle glow began to radiate throughout Mr.Parcher.A new feeling budded within his bosom; he was warmly attracted to Jane.She was evidently a child to be cherished, and particularly to be encouraged in the line of conduct she seemed to have adopted.He wished the Bullitt and Watson families each had a little girl like this.Still, if what she said of William proved true, much had been gained and life might be tolerable, after all.

``He'll come in the afternoons, I guess,'' said Jane.``But you aren't home then, Mr.Parcher, except late like you were that day of the Sunday-

school class.It was on account of what you said that day.I told mamma.''

``Told your mamma what?''

``What you said.''

Mr.Parcher's perplexity continued.``What about?''

``About Willie.YOU know!'' Jane smiled fraternally.

``No, I don't.''

``It was when I was layin' in the liberry, that day of the Sunday-school class,'' Jane told him.

``You an' Mrs.Parcher was talkin' in there about Miss Pratt an' Willie an' everything.''

``Good heavens!'' Mr.Parcher, summoning his memory, had placed the occasion and Jane together.``Did you HEAR all that?''

``Yes.'' Jane nodded.``I told mamma all what you said.''

``Murder!''

``Well,'' said Jane, ``I guess it's good I did, because look--that's the very reason mamma did somep'm so's he can't come any more except in daytime.I guess she thought Willie oughtn't to behave so's't you said so many things about him like that; so to-day she did somep'm, an' now he can't come any more to behave that loving way of Miss Pratt that you said you would be in the lunatic asylum if he didn't quit.But he hasn't found it out yet.''