United States or Eritrea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Jinnie let go the shortwood strap to fling aside her curls. Just at that moment she whirled nearer Maudlin Bates, who thrust forth his great foot and tripped her. As she staggered, not one of those watching had sense enough to catch her as she fell. At that moment the door swung open and Peg Grandoken's face appeared. She looked questioningly at the market man.
Who knows where her thoughts flew? Jinnie didn't, for sure, but she thought, by the sudden change of Mrs. Grandoken's expression, she could guess. The woman looked from Milly Ann to the wriggling kittens in Jinnie's lap, then she stooped down and again brought to view Jinnie's little ear tucked away under the black curls. "Get up out o' here an' dress; will you?
Theodore turned to her after she had reseated herself. "Molly," he began, "do you know where Jinnie Grandoken is?" Molly's eyelids narrowed. So he was still thinking of the girl! "No," she said deliberately. "It seems strange," went on King somberly. "I've tried every way I know how to discover her whereabouts, and can't. I sent to the Grandoken's for her, but she was gone."
"You go this afternoon at three o'clock to Grandoken's, tell Jinnie what I told you to, get the cobbler into an argument, and I'll do the rest." "You'll be sure to be there?" "Of course! What'd you think I am? Keep your mouth shut! Be sure of that." "Three o'clock, then," said Maudlin, getting up. "So long!" and lifting his wood, he went on his way rejoicing.
With this desire uppermost in his mind, Jordan wended his way to the lower part of the town, passed into Paradise Road, and paused a second in front of Lafe Grandoken's shop to read the sign: "Lafe Grandoken: Cobbler of Folks' and Children's Shoes and Boots." His lips curled at the crude printing, and he went on past the remaining shanties to the entrance to the marsh.
Peggy doesn't think that way," remarked Virginia, with keen memories of Mrs. Grandoken's snapping teeth. "No, not yet, but I'm trustin' she will. You see how 'tis in this shop. Folks is poor around here. I trust 'em all, Jews and Gentiles alike, but Peg thinks I ought to have the money the minute the work's done.
And as the white lids drooped over the violet eyes, Peg Grandoken's guardian angel registered another lie to her credit in the life-book of her Heavenly Father. The days rolled on and on, and the first warm impulses of spring brought Jinnie, pale and thin, back to Lafe's side.
"A man can't own up to doing a thing he didn't do." "Course not," whispered Bobbie, in an awed whisper, and the girl sat down, drawing him to her lap. She could no longer guard her tongue nor hide her feelings. She took the afternoon paper from Mrs. Grandoken's hand. "Read about it aloud," implored the woman. "It says," began Jinnie, "Mr. King's dying."
"I'm glad you're here," said the woman, with a gesture of helplessness. And Bobbie echoed, with fluttering hands, "I'm glad, too, Jinnie. Me and Peg was so 'fraid." The girl spoke softly to Bobbie, and drew Peggy into the bedroom. There, with her arm thrown across Mrs. Grandoken's shoulder, she gave all the assurance and comfort of which she was capable.
For the next few days Jordan Morse turned over in his mind numerous plans to remove Jinnie from Grandoken's home, but none seemed feasible. As long as Lafe knew his past and stood like a rock beside the girl, as long as Theodore King was interested in her, he himself was powerless to do anything. How to get both the cobbler and his niece out of the way was a problem which continually worried him.
Word Of The Day