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"It was a great, big, beautiful white stork, Lafe, and he brought you a new Jew baby. What'd you think of that?" "Jinnie, girl, lass, you ain't tellin' me " "Yes, dear, he's there, as big as life and twice as natural, Peg says.... Of course," she rambled on, "the stork went away, but the Jew baby to make a long story short, he's with " "His ma, eh, dear?" interjected Lafe. "How's Peg, honey?"
"We've enough at home until to-morrow.... Wait until to-morrow." Jinnie looked longingly at the wood. "Somebody'll take it," she objected, "and it's awful hard to gather." A grip of pain stabbed Theodore's heart.
Poor little hurt Bobbie!" Molly made a passionate gesture with her gloved hands. "Don't, please don't say those things! I'm so miserable I can't think of him. I only wanted to know how you got him." "I just found him," stated Jinnie.
"I like you awful well, Mrs. Peggy," he told her, "and I just love your kisses, too, Mrs. Peggy dear. They made my stars shine all over my head." The cobbler's wife started guiltily, casting her eyes upon Lafe. He was silent, his patient face expressing melancholy sweetness. As far as the woman could determine, he had not heard the boy's words. Relieved, she allowed her eyes to rest upon Jinnie.
Jinnie had them both in her arms before Morse turned the key again in the lock. "Bobbie and Happy Pete!" she cried. Then she got up and flashed tearful eyes upon Morse. "What did you bring them for? Did you tell Peg?" "No, I didn't tell Peg and and I brought him " he paused and beckoned her with an upward toss of his chin. Jinnie followed him agitatedly.
The girl was looking directly at her. Then Jinnie slowly dropped one white lid over a bright, gleeful blue eye in a wicked little wink. This was more than Peggy could endure. She had kissed the little boy several times during the process of washing the tear-stained face and combing the tangled hair, but that any one should know it!
"I'd love to do it," she breathed. "Of course I'll pay you for it," he said, not able to think of anything else, "I couldn't take any money for fiddling," replied Jinnie. "But I'll come. Lafe says money can't be made that way." She turned to go, but Mr. King detained her. "Wait a minute," he insisted. "I want to tell you something!
For a long time Jinnie sat crooning over and over the verses she'd learned from Lafe, and bye-and-bye she heard Peg breathing regularly and knew she slept. Then she settled herself in the chair, and sweet, mysterious dreams came to her through the storm. Lafe Grandoken, in his wheel chair, sat under the barred prison window, an open Bible on his knees.
Lafe meditated an instant before replying. Then: "I've found out that we're always happier, kid, when we've got a to-morrow to look to," said he, "'cause when you're just satisfied, somethin's very apt to go smash. I was that way once." He paused for some seconds. "Jinnie," he murmured, "I haven't told you how I lost the use of my legs, have I?" "No, Lafe."
The boy bowed his head in assent, but brightened almost instantly. "No, I can't see those things, but I've got lots of stars inside my head. They're as bright as anything, only sometimes my tears put 'em out." Then, as if he feared he would lose his new friend, he felt for her hand once more. Jinnie returned the clinging pressure.
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