"Yes," she said, "Miss Smith was at home." She would inquire if she
could see the little girl from London. She invited Cecile to step
into the hall; and a moment or two later showed her into a very
small, neatly furnished parlor. This small room was quite in English
fashion, and bore marks of extreme neatness, joined to extremely
slender means.
Cecile stood by the round table in the center of the room. She had
now taken her purse from the bosom of her dress, and when Miss Smith
entered, she came up to her at once, holding it in her hand.
"If you please," said Cecile, "Jesus the Guide says you will take
care of this for me. He sent me to you, and said you would take
great, great care of my money. 'Tis all quite right. Will you open
the purse, please? 'Tis a Russia-leather purse, and there's forty
pounds in it, and about eleven or twelve more, I think. I must have
some to take me and Maurice and Toby down south. But Jesus says you
will take great care of the rest."
"Child," said Miss Smith. She was a very little woman, with a white,
thin, and worn face. She looked nearer fifty than forty. Her hair was
scanty and gray. When Cecile offered her the purse she flushed
painfully, stepped back a pace or two, and pushed it from her.
"Child," she repeated, "are you mad, or is it Satan is sending you
here? Pretty little girl, with the English tongue, do you know that I
am starving?"
"Oh!" said Cecile. Her face showed compassion, but she did not
attempt to take up her purse.
Pages:
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213