第70章

Then, apparently in the very midst of her cares, she suddenly and without warning ceased to boss, walked out into the street, halted, and stared frankly at Jane.

Jane had begun her automatic feeding again.

She continued it, meanwhile seriously returning the stare of the new neighbor.For several minutes this mutual calm and inoffensive gaze was protracted; then Jane, after swallowing the last morsel of her supplies, turned her head away and looked at a tree.The little girl, into whose eyes some wistfulness had crept, also turned her head and looked at a tree.After a while, she advanced to the curb on Jane's side of the street, and, swinging her right foot, allowed it to kick the curbstone repeatedly.

Jane came out to the sidewalk and began to kick one of the fence-pickets.

``You see that ole fatty?'' asked the little girl, pointing to one of the workmen, thus sufficiently identified.

``Yes.''

``That's the one broke the goldfish,'' said the little girl.There was a pause during which she continued to scuff the curbstone with her shoe, Jane likewise scuffing the fence-picket.``I'm goin' to have papa get him arrested,'' added the stranger.

``My papa got two men arrested once,'' Jane said, calmly.``Two or three.''

The little girl's eyes, wandering upward, took note of Jane's papa's house, and of a fierce young gentleman framed in an open window up-stairs.

He was seated, wore ink upon his forehead, and tapped his teeth with a red penholder.

``Who is that?'' she asked.

``It's Willie.''

``Is it your papa?''

``NO-O-O-O!'' Jane exclaimed.``It's WILLIE!''

``Oh,'' said the little girl, apparently satisfied.

Each now scuffed less energetically with her shoe; feet slowed down; so did conversation, and, for a time, Jane and the stranger wrapped themselves in stillness, though there may have been some silent communing between them.Then the new neighbor placed her feet far apart and leaned backward upon nothing, curving her front outward and her remarkably flexible spine inward until a profile view of her was grandly semicircular.

Jane watched her attentively, but without comment.However, no one could have doubted that the processes of acquaintance were progressing favorably.

``Let's go in our yard,'' said Jane.

The little girl straightened herself with a slight gasp, and accepted the invitation.Side by side, the two passed through the open gate, walked gravely forth upon the lawn, and halted, as by common consent.Jane thereupon placed her feet wide apart and leaned backward upon nothing, attempting the feat in contortion just performed by the stranger.

``Look,'' she said.``Look at ME!''

But she lacked the other's genius, lost her balance, and fell.Born persistent, she immediately got to her feet and made fresh efforts.

``No! Look at ME!'' the little girl cried, becoming semicircular again.``This is the way.

I call it `puttin' your stummick out o' joint.'

You haven't got yours out far enough.''

``Yes, I have,'' said Jane, gasping.

``Well, to do it right, you must WALK that way.

As soon as you get your stummick out o' joint, you must begin an' walk.Look! Like this.''

And the little girl, having achieved a state of such convexity that her braided hair almost touched the ground behind her, walked successfully in that singular attitude.

``I'm walkin','' Jane protested, her face not quite upside down.``Look! I'M walkin' that way, too.My stummick--''

There came an outraged shout from above, and a fierce countenance, stained with ink, protruded from the window.

``Jane!''

``What?''

``Stop that! Stop putting your stomach out in front of you like that! It's disgraceful!''

Both young ladies, looking rather oppressed, resumed the perpendicular.``Why doesn't he like it?'' the stranger asked in a tone of pure wonder.

``I don't know,'' said Jane.``He doesn't like much of anything.He's seventeen years old.''

After that, the two stared moodily at the ground for a little while, chastened by the severe presence above; then Jane brightened.

``_I_ know!'' she exclaimed, cozily.``Let's play callers.Right here by this bush 'll be my house.

You come to call on me, an' we'll talk about our chuldren.You be Mrs.Smith an' I'm Mrs.