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I should wish you to feel that she is yours as much as ever, and if you will feel so, and come often to see her I I shall be very glad, and " she stopped, and Mr. Peck rose. "Where is the child?" he asked, with a troubled air; and she silently led the way to the kitchen, and left him at the door to Idella and the Boltons. When she ventured back later he was gone, but the child remained.
Annie could not believe at first that he was serious, and then she was disposed to laugh. "Really, Mr. Peck," she began, "I can't think it's so important that a little thing like Idella should be kept from coveting a kitten as that she should be kept from using naughty words and from scratching and biting." "I know," Mr. Peck consented. "That is the usual way of looking at such things."
At last he said: "But I did not come to urge this matter. I have no wish to impose my will, my theory, upon any one, even my own child." "Oh yes Idella!" Annie broke in anxiously. "You will leave her with me, Mr. Peck, won't you? You don't know how much I'm attached to her. I see her faults, and I shall not spoil her.
Idella had clung fast to Annie's hand; as Annie started toward the dining-room she got before her, and whispered vehemently. "What?" asked Annie, bending down; she laughed, in lifting her head, "I promised Idella you'd let us have some preserves to-day, Mrs. Bolton." Mrs. Bolton smiled with grim pleasure. "I see all the while her mind was set on something.
She stooped down and took the child's unoccupied hand, which she let her keep, only twisting her face away to hide it in her father's pantaloon leg. "Come now, won't you give me a forgiving little kiss?" Idella looked round, and Annie made bold to gather her up. Idella broke into a laugh, and took Annie's cheeks between her hands. "Well, I declare!" said Mrs. Bolton.
Bolton knocked on the door-jamb of the room where Annie sat. "What is it, Mrs. Bolton?" "You in bed yet?" "No; I'm here by the window. What is it?" "Well, I don't know but what you'll think it's pretty late for callers, but Mr. Peck is down in the library. I guess he wants to speak with you about Idella. I told him he better see you." "I will come right down." She followed Mrs.
But I've no vote, that's the worst. I can only suffer in the cause." The doctor smiled. "You must go, too," she added eagerly. "Oh, I shall go; I couldn't keep away either. Besides, I can vote. How are you getting on with your little protegee? "Idella? Well, it isn't such a simple matter as I supposed, quite. Did you ever hear anything about her mother?" "Nothing more than what every one has.
"I'm glad Mr. Bolton asked." After breakfast Bolton himself appeared, to ask if Idella might go up to the orchard with him. Idella ran out of the room and came back with her hat on, and tugging to get into her shabby little sack. Annie helped her with it, and Idella tucked her hand into Bolton's loose, hard fist, and gave it a pull toward the door.
The music ceased, and the last act of the play began. Before it ended, Idella had fallen asleep, and Annie sat still with her after the crowd around her began to break up. Mrs. Savor kept her seat beside Annie. She said, "Don't you want I should spell you a little while, Miss Kilburn?" She leaned over the face of the sleeping child. "Why, she ain't much more than a baby!
You have been guilty of forgetting your brother's weakness, and if the consequence has promptly followed in his shame, it is for you to realise it. I wish you a good evening." He went out with a dignity that thrilled Annie. Lyra leaned toward her and said, choking with laughter, "He's left Idella asleep upstairs. We haven't any of us got perfect memories, have we?" "Run after him!"
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