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For sure enough! there was an ill-flavored taste on her lips a taste that made her regret having lost the candy. Next, the Policeman came tick-tocking up. "The scheme was to kidnap you," he declared wrathfully. "And keep me from finding my fath-er and moth-er," added Gwendolyn. Now she understood why Jane was so pleased with the choice of the automobile road!
"A bird isn't even allowed to eat a bad bee. But" chirping low "I'll tell you what can be tried." "Yes?" "Ask your mother to trade her bonnet for the Piper's poke." Gwendolyn stared at him for a moment. Then she understood. "The poke's prettier," she declared. "Oh, if she only would! Piper!" The Piper swaggered up. "Some collecting on hand?" he asked.
Also it seemed certain even at such a distance that she had no freckles. Gwendolyn waved both hands at her. She threw a kiss back. "Oh, thank you!" cried Gwendolyn, out loud. She threw kisses with alternating finger-tips. The nurse-maid shook the curtains at her. Then they fell into place. She was gone. Gwendolyn sighed.
Jane sat down and held out the coat. It was of velvet. "Now be still!" she commanded roughly. "You'll go in the machine if you go at all. Do you hear that?" giving Gwendolyn a half-turn-about that nearly upset her. "Do you think I'm goin' to trapse over the hard pavements on my poor, tired feet just because you take your notions?" Gwendolyn began to cry softly.
At the far end of the table sat Gwendolyn's father, pale in his black dress-clothes, and haggard-eyed; at the near end sat her mother, pink-cheeked and pretty, with jewels about her bare throat and in her fair hair. And between the two, filling the high-backed chairs on either side of the table, were strange men and women. Gwendolyn let go of Jane's hand and went toward her mother.
The voice went on: "This is the first time you've met the mother, isn't it?" "I think so," indifferently. "Who is she, anyhow?" "Nobody." Gwendolyn stared. "Nobody at all absolutely. You know, they say " She paused for emphasis. Now, Gwendolyn's eyes grew suddenly round; her lips parted in surprise. They again! "Yes?" encouraged Louise.
"Honest?" "Yes, every sip." "Gwendolyn?" Jane held her with doubting eyes. "I don't believe it!" "But I did!" Jane bent down to the cup, sniffed it, then smelled of the glass. "Gwendolyn," she said solemnly, "I know you did not take your medicine. You poured it into this cup." "But I didn't!" "I seen." Jane pointed an accusing finger. "How could you?" demanded Gwendolyn.
"If I hadn't one," answered the Policeman with dignity, "would I be able to stand up comfortably in this remarkable manner?" "Oh, tee! hee! hee! hee!" It was the nurse, her sleeve lifted, her blowzy face convulsed. As she laughed, Gwendolyn saw wrinkle after wrinkle in the black sateen taken up with truly alarming rapidity. "My!" she exclaimed. "Jane's always been stout. But now !"
But his face got a trifle more florid. "Steady!" counseled the little old gentleman. "I'm hall right," the other cried back. "Oh, Piper!" said Gwendolyn; "which side are you on?" The Piper shifted his tobacco pipe from one corner of his mouth to the other. "I'm for the man that's got the cash," he declared. There was no doubt about Jane's choice.
She lifted a face tense with earnestness "Is it true?" she asked hoarsely. "My dear," said Miss Royle, gently reproving, "ask anybody." Gwendolyn reflected. Thomas was freely given to exaggeration. Jane, at times, resorted to bald falsehood. But Gwendolyn had never found reason to doubt Miss Royle. She moved aside.
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