Silverthorns

by Mrs. Molesworth

for a moment. You don't think merude, I hope?" he went on anxiously, for one glance at the sweet, lovelyface had made Jerry feel he would be very sorry indeed to be thoughtrude by its owner.

  "Oh, no," said the girl smiling; "I am only a little puzzled. You see Idon't even know who you are."

  But she began to throw aside the fur carriage rug as she spoke, as ifpreparing to get out to speak to him.

  "I'm Ger--" he began. "My name's Waldron. I'm Charlotte--you knowCharlotte?--I'm her youngest brother."

  "Oh," said Claudia, in a tone of enlightenment. And then she knew whathad seemed familiar to her in the very blue eyes looking wistfully ather out of the pale, slightly freckled face, with its crown of short,thick, almost black hair. "You are a little like your sister," shesaid, as she got out of the carriage, "and you are even more like yourfather."

  For in Charlotte's eyes, as Claudia at least had seen them, there wasnone of the softness which kindliness gave to Mr Waldron's, and anxioustimidity at this moment to those of his little son.

  "Oh, do you know papa?" said Jerry, with a mixture of interest andapprehension in his voice.

  "I'll speak to you in an instant," said the girl, by this time on thefootpath at Jerry's side. "Hodges," she went on to the groom, "take thepony home--it's too cold to keep him about. And tell Ball, if herladyship asks for me, to say I am walking up the drive and I'll be inimmediately."

  The man touched his hat and drove off.

  "Now," said Claudia, "we can talk in peace. You asked me if I knew yourfather," she went on, speaking partly to set the boy at ease, for shesaw he looked anxious and nervous. "No, I can't say I know him. I onlysaw him once for a moment, but I thought he had the kindest eyes in theworld. And when I first saw Char--your sister, I remembered his faceagain."

  "Yes," said Jerry, gratified, but too anxious to rest there, "papa is askind as he looks. I wish you could see mamma though! But it's aboutCharlotte I want to speak to you. Miss Meredon, will you promise neverto tell anybody you've seen me? I've planned it all on purpose--comingout here and waiting on the road to meet you. Will you promise me? Ishall never tell any one."

  Claudia looked at the anxious little face.

  "Won't you trust me?" she said. "Tell me first what it is you want ofme, and then--if I possibly can, and I dare say I can--I will promiseyou never to tell any one."

  Jerry looked up at her again.

  "Yes," he said, "I'll tell you. It's about the German prize. Charlotteis breaking her heart about it--I mean about knowing she won't get it."

  Claudia's face flushed.

  "But how does she know she won't get it?" she said. "It isn't decided--the essays aren't even given in yet. Mine is not more than half done."

  "I know--she's working at hers now. She's working awfully hard, thoughshe has no hope. You are much cleverer; you're cleverer at everything,she says, and especially German. But you can't ever have worked harderthan she's done. I suppose you learnt German in Germany? Of coursethat leaves no chance for the others."

  He could not look at her now; he wanted to work himself up to a sort ofindignation against her, and in sight of the candid face and gentle eyeshe felt instinctively that it would not have been easy.

  "No," said Claudia, and her tone was colder; "I have never been inGermany in my life. I have been well taught, I know, but I too haveworked hard."

  "Well, I dare say you have. I don't mean to vex you, I don't mean to berude," said poor Jerry; "but you are cleverer, you are much further on;and you knew a great deal more than the others before you came. Thereis a sort of unfairness about it, though I can't put it rightly."

  "What is it you want me to do?"

  Jerry gulped something down like a sob.

  "I want you not to try for the prize," he said. "I can't think that ifyou are good and kind, as you seem, it would give you any pleasure toget it when it will break Charlotte's heart."

  A crowd of feelings rushed through Claudia's heart and brain. What hadCharlotte ever been or done to her that she should care about her inthis way? Why should she make this sacrifice for a girl who had noteven attempted to hide her cold indifference, even dislike? Could theloss of the prize be sorer to Charlotte, or the gaining of it moredelightful, than to her, Claudia? Was it even in the least probablethat the other girl's motives were as pure as she knew her own to be?

  But as her glance fell on the anxious little face beside her thesereflections gave way to others. It might be more to Charlotte Waldronand her family than she--Claudia--could understand. Charlotte hadresented the idea that her education was to be turned to practical use,but yet, even if she were not intended to be a governess, her parentsmight have other plans for her. They certainly did not seem _rich_, andClaudia remembered hearing that they were a large family. It was in asoftened tone that she again spoke to Jerry.

  "I hardly see that my giving up trying for it would do what you want,"she said gently. "Your sister would probably be too proud to care forthe prize if she thought she had gained it by my not trying."

  "Oh, of course you would have to manage not to seem to do it on purpose.I could trust you for that," said Gervais naively, looking up at herwith his blue eyes. "And," he went on, "Charlotte is fair, though she'sproud. She doesn't pretend that you're not much cleverer and furtheron."

  "I haven't contradicted you when you said that," said Claudia; "but Idon't think that I _am_ cleverer than she is. In German I have perhapshad unusually good teaching--that is all."

  "You will get the prize if you try, you know that," Jerry persisted."If you give up trying Charlotte will think it a piece of wonderful goodfortune. But I don't think she or any one could be very surprised. Youhave everything you want, why should you care to work extra for a prizelike that? It isn't as if you had been years at Miss Lloyd's, like theothers--and--and--cared about it like them. And the teachers think youtoo grand, to be vexed with you whatever you do."

  "Grand," repeated Claudia, with a little laugh, but it was not a bitterone. "I only wish you all--" but she stopped. There was a good deal oftruth in what Jerry said; she was only a new-comer, with scarcely a realright to enter the lists. And it was true too that she was free toretire without vexing any one, or involving others in herself-sacrifice. Lady Mildred would not care; her parents would, notimprobably, take this boy's view of the case. _Self_-sacrifice was theonly one involved.

  She turned and looked at Charlotte's brother.

  "Very well," she said, "I promise to do as you wish. I cannot yet quitesee how I shall manage it. You will not of course blame me if I find Icannot. I do promise you to do my best to get out of it, so thatCharlotte shall have no rivals but her regular ones."

  Jerry looked up at her.

  "Thank you," he said, "thank you awfully. You _are_ very good and--andkind. I wish Charlotte could know; but of course she never must.You'll never tell anybody, will you?" he added.

  "I'll never tell any one by whom it could possibly come round toCharlotte," she said. "And for some time to come I'll not tell any oneat all."

  "I'll trust you," said Jerry. "Now I must go. Oh but would you like meto walk up to the house with you?" he went on, with a suddenrecollection of his "manners."

  "No, thank you," said Claudia, secretly amused, for Jerry, though onlythree years younger, was about half her size; "oh no, thank you. Youmust get home as fast as you can."

  "That isn't very fast," said Jerry, "for I'm lame, you see," and thechild coloured painfully as he said it.

  "And I believe it's beginning to snow," said Claudia, anxiously. "I dowish I could send you home somehow. Come up with me to the stables, andI'll see what can be done."

  "Oh no, no, thank you," said Jerry eagerly, for now that his greatpurpose was achieved, a nervous shyness was beginning to overpower him,and he felt only eager to get away. "I shall be all right. I'm goingto meet our dog-cart down by the `Jolly Thrashers.'"

  "You are sure?"

  "Quite," he repeated. "
Good-bye, Miss Meredon, and thank you again,awfully."

  They shook hands, and the boy set off. Claudia stood watching himthrough the now fast falling snow.

  "I hope he will be all right," she said to herself as she turned towardsthe lodge gates.

  Neither she nor Jerry had realised how long they had been