Jewel jumped into her chair and turned toward him with an apologetic smile."I couldn't make my hair look very nice,"she said,with the lift of her shoulders which he had come to connect with her confidential moments.Remembering the feverish child of the morning,he looked at her in silent wonder.The appearance of her flaxen head he could see was in contrast to the trim and well-cared-for look it had worn when she arrived.
"Poor little thing!"he thought."She looks motherless--motherless."Involuntarily he cast a glance of impatience at his other guests.The expression of blank amazement on their faces stirred him to amusement.
"If you are afraid of infection,Madge,don't hesitate to retire to your room,"he said."Your dinner will be sent to you.""What does this mean!"ejaculated Mrs.Evringham."Why is Dr.Ballard coming twice a day to see that child?""To cure her,of course,"returned the broker,his lips breaking into smiles."Why do doctors generally visit patients?""Then when he came the second time he found her well?""Ha,ha,"laughed Mr.Evringham,"yes,that's it.He found her well."Eloise and her mother gazed at him in astonishment.Mrs.Forbes's face was immovable.A sense of humor was not included in her mental equipment,and she considered the whole affair lamentable and unseemly in the extreme.
"Grandpa,"said Jewel,looking at him with gentle reproach,"you're not laughing at Dr.Ballard,are you?He's the kindestman.I love him,next to you,best of anybody in Bel-Air"--then thinking this declaration might hurt her aunt and cousin,she added,"because I know him the best,you know.He tried to deceive me about the medicine,but it was only because he didn't know that there isn't any righteous deceiving.He meant to do me good."Mrs.Evringham looked curiously from the child to her father-in-law.
As she herself said later,she had never felt so "out of it"in her life.As the subject concerned Dr.Ballard,she wished to understand clearly what circumstance could possibly have induced Mr.Evringham to laugh repeatedly.
"I was passing your door this afternoon,"said Eloise,addressing Jewel,"and I heard you talking.I knew there was no one with you,and I feared you were very ill."The little girl was always pleased when her beautiful cousin looked at her.
"I guess I was reading.Of course I was in a hurry to get well,so as soon as the fever was gone and I felt comfortable,I began to read out loud from 'Science and Health'to Anna Belle.She's a Christian Scientist,too."The faces of Mrs.Evringham and Eloise were studies as they gazed at the speaker.
Mr.Evringham glanced at them maliciously under his heavy brows as Sarah brought in the second course.
"Is Anna Belle your doll?"asked Eloise,for the moment sufficiently interested almost to lose her self-consciousness.
"Yes,"eagerly."Would you like to see her?"Jewel gave a fleeting glance at Mrs.Forbes."She always comes to the table with me at home,"she added.
"Sit still,"murmured Mrs.Forbes in low,sepulchral warning.
"Now then,Jewel,"said Mr.Evringham as he began to serve the filet,"you didn't take the doctor's medicine.What do you think made that high fever go away?"The little girl looked up brightly."Oh,I telegraphed to Mrs.Lewis,one of mother's friends in Chicago,to treat me.""The dev--What do you mean,child?"
Mr.Evringham gazed at her,and his tone was so fierce,although he was only very much amazed,that Jewel's smile faded.The corners of her lips drew down pitifully,and suddenly she slipped from her chair,and running to him threw her arms around his neck and buried her averted face,revealing two forlorn little flaxen pigtails devoid of ribbons.
"What's this,Jewel?"he said quickly,fearfully embarrassed before his wondering audience."This is very irregular,very irregular."He dropped his fork perforce,and his hand closed over the little arm across his cravat.
Jewel was trying to control a sob that struggled to escape,and saying over and over,as nearly as he could understand,something about God being Love.
"Go right back to your chair now,like a good girl.""Do you--love me?"whispered Jewel.
"Yes--yes,I do."
"You spoke like"--a sob--"like hating."
"Not at all,not at all,"rejoined Mr.Evringham quickly,"but I was very much surprised,very.""Shall I take her upstairs,sir?"asked Mrs.Forbes,nearly bursting with the outrage of such an interruption to her employer's sacred dinner.
"No,she's going to sit right down in her chair and not make any trouble.Don't you like those roses I brought you,Jewel?"he added awkwardly,hoping to make a diversion.He was successful.She lowered her face,a fleeting April smile flitting over it.
"Did grandfather bring you those lovely roses?"asked Eloise.
Mr.Evringham flashed her his first glance of approval for so quickly taking the cue.
"Yes,"replied the child,her breath catching as she went back to her chair."I seemed so sick when he went away this morning was the reason;so now I'm well again--they belong to everybody,don't they,grandpa?"Mr.Evringham paused to consider a reply.He desired to be careful in public not to draw upon himself that small catapult.
"They belong to you still,Jewel.I never take back my presents,"he returned at last.
"And I think Mrs.Forbes was mistaken about the false pretends,"said the child,swallowing and looking apologetically at the housekeeper,"because who would pretend such error as sickness,and of course you'd know I didn't pretend.""Certainly not,"said Mr.Evringham."Mrs.Forbes didn't mean that.
The whole thing seems like a dream now,"he added.
"What else could it seem like?"returned Jewel,smiling faintly toward her grandfather with an air of having caught him napping.
"Like reality,"he returned dryly.
She gazed at him,her smile fading.
