by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER XLVIII.
ONE SHOE OFF AND ONE SHOE ON.
"I must see you, Poppy--I must see you, and I can't come into thehouse. I could not face Mrs. Mortlock, nor Mrs. Dredge, nor MissSlowcum. I am a dreadful failure, Poppy, a dreadful, dreadful failure,and I cannot look any one in the face. Do come out with me, dearPoppy, and at once; for if I can't speak to you at the present momentmy heart will break."
"They're teaing just now," said Poppy, in a reflective tone; "they areall in the dining-room as snug as possible over their high tea. Theyhave shrimps for tea, and a wonderful new kind of paste that AuntFlint brought in to-day. It's called Gentlemen's Relish, and eats wellon hot toast, and I made a lot. Oh, my! won't the ladies go in for it!Though Miss Slowcum always is so bitter against gentlemen, she willeat their relish, and no mistake. Well, Miss Jasmine they are allengaged over the pleasures of the social board, and what's to hinderyou and me going down to the back scullery and having our talk there?You see, miss, if I went out with you I'd have to tidy up a bit first,and that would take time."
"You are quite sure they won't hear me, Poppy, if I walk across thehall. Miss Slowcum is dreadfully curious, and if she heard my step inthe hall she would run out even though she was eating Gentlemen'sRelish. I do not want any one to see me now that I am a failure."
"Step on this mat," said Poppy--"now on this; now make a spring here.There you are. Now we'll be down in my scullery long before MissSlowcum can get to the dining-room door. Now, miss, let me put a seatfor you. The scullery ain't so damp to-day, is it, Miss Jasmine?"
"I don't know," said Jasmine, who looked very tired, and almost ill."Poppy, dear, I have not brought the one and sixpence."
"Oh, it don't matter," said Poppy. "One and sixpence never fretted meyet, and it ain't going to begin. You'll pay me when you can, MissJasmine, and there ain't no hurry."
But Jasmine noticed that Poppy moved her little feet out of sight, andin spite of her brave words Jasmine observed a look of dismay creepinginto her bright eyes.
This slight action on Poppy's part--this little lurking gleam ofdisappointment--were as the proverbial last straw to poor Jasmine. Herfortitude gave way, and she burst into the bitterest tears she hadever shed.
Poppy was much alarmed, and stood over her dear little lady, andbrought her cold water, and tried to comfort her by every means in herpower.
When Jasmine had a little recovered herself she told the whole bitterstory of her morning's adventure to Poppy. That young person'sindignation knew no bounds.
"The editor must be put in prison," she said; "he must be caught andput in prison. Mrs. Jones the charwoman has a second cousin onceremoved, whose first cousin is married to a policeman, and Mrs. Jonesis coming here to-morrow, and I'll get her to see her second cousin,and the second cousin shall see her first cousin who is married to apoliceman, and he will tell us what is to be done. That's going to thefountainhead, ain't it, Miss Jasmine? Never you fear, miss, darling,that editor shall be locked up in prison, and be made to give backyour money. Never you fear, dear Miss Jasmine, it will all come rightwhen Mrs. Jones sees her second cousin who has a first cousin who ismarried to a policeman!"
Poppy became quite cheerful when she remembered Mrs. Jones'sremarkable means of getting at a policeman, but Jasmine could not becomforted; she shook her head almost petulantly.
"It's all most puzzling for me," she said, "about Mrs. Jones and herpolicemen; it sounds exactly like the House that Jack Built, and Ishall have a swimming head myself if I listen to you. No, Poppy, thatpoliceman will never lock the wicked editor up in prison; he is agreat deal too clever to allow himself to be locked up. Oh, dear!Poppy, what shall I do? All your money is gone, and my story is gone,and I know you are wanting boots as badly as possible. You are a dear,brave Poppy, but I know you have not a boot to your foot."
"Yes, Miss Jasmine, I has, I has one boot and one shoe; the shoe is anout-door one, and heavy, and the boot is a light one. Worn together,they make one walk a little one-sided, and the ladies, in particularMiss Slowcum, don't like it, but, lor', that don't matter nothing tospeak of; they can't do nothing to me except tack on a few more namesto Sarah. It don't fret me, Miss Jasmine, and it needn't fret you."
"All the same, I am going to get you your money, Poppy. I haveabsolutely made up my mind. I don't know how to do it, but do it Iwill. I had to come here to-night to tell you what had reallyhappened; but now I am going home. You won't have to wear thatdreadful boot and shoe together much longer."
After this Jasmine managed to walk through the hall without beingdetected by Miss Slowcum; and very tired and weary, in process of timeshe found her way back to the Palace Beautiful. She drank a glass ofmilk which Bridget had laid ready for her, and ate two or three slicesof bread and butter. Then she went into the little bedroom, with itsthree pretty white beds, and opening her own special trunk began toexamine its contents. She was dreadfully frightened at what she wasabout to do, but all the same she was determined to do it. She wouldpawn or sell what little valuables she possessed to give Poppy backher wages.
When the girls left Rosebury, Primrose made a very careful division ofher mother's possessions. To Jasmine's share had come some reallybeautiful Spanish lace. Jasmine had not particularly admired it, butPrimrose fancied that it would some day suit her speaking andvivacious face better than it would herself or Daisy. Jasmine hadjammed the lace into a corner of her trunk, and but for the memory ofdear mamma which it called up, would have made it a present toanybody. But one day it so happened that Miss Egerton caught sight ofit; she exclaimed at its beauty, and said that it was really worth aconsiderable sum of money.
The lace consisted of a handsome shawl of black Spanish, and what wasmore beautiful, and also rarer, two very lovely flounces of white.
Miss Egerton was quite right when she spoke of the lace as valuable,but her ideas of value and Jasmine's were widely different. Jasminewould have thought herself well repaid if any one had given herPoppy's wages for the old lace; she would indeed have opened her eyeshad she known at what sum Miss Egerton valued it. In addition to thelace Jasmine had a little thin gold ring which Mrs. Mainwaring hadworn as a guard to her wedding-ring. Jasmine much preferred the ringto the lace, but she slipped it on her finger, intending to part withit also, if the lace did not fetch enough money. She knew thatPrimrose would be deeply hurt at the lace being sold, for she had overand over said that come what might, they would not part with their fewlittle home mementoes; but Jasmine was past caring even for whatPrimrose said to-night. With her lace wrapped up in an untidy parcelshe slipped downstairs. Bridget came into the hall to speak to her.
"Look here, missie, is it not a little late for you to be going out?"
"Oh, not at all, Biddy, dear. I am going a little way. I won't belong."
Then Jasmine went up to the old servant and spoke in her most coaxingand fascinating tones.
"Biddy, what did you say was the sign of a pawnshop?"
"A pawnshop, Miss Jasmine? Why, bless us and save us, miss, what haveyou got to say to such places?"
"Oh, nothing in particular, Bridget, only I thought I would like toknow. I am always trying to get information on every kind of subject.Is the pawnshop the sign of the three balls, Biddy?"
"Yes, yes, miss--what a curious young lady! There, run out and takeyour walk quick, and come back as soon as possible, for though it'sclose on Midsummer Day we'll have the night on us before you return ifyou are not quick."
Jasmine left the house, nodding brightly to Bridget as she did so, andthe old servant returned to her interrupted work.
"She's a bright bonnie girl," she said to herself, "and hasn't she gota winsome way? I hope she drank up her milk, for she is looking a bitpale, and I hope she won't stay out late, for it may turn damp whenthe dew begins to fall."
Bridget was busy over her work, and was thinking of Jasmine after allin only a very lazy and comfortable fashion when a cab drew up to thedoor, and Miss Egerton most unexpectedly returned. She was not in t
hehouse a moment before she asked for Jasmine.
"She's just gone out, ma'am," answered Bridget. "She had a parcel inher hand, and she said she was going out for a run. No, ma'am, I don'tsay she's looking at all particularly well. She's very white andworried looking, and she is scarcely ever in the house. She says shemust improve her mind, and that is why she is out, and she do ask thefunniest questions. Just now it was to know what was the sign of apawnshop."
"The sign of a pawnshop?" echoed Miss Egerton; "and did you tell her,Bridget?"
"Why, of course, ma'am. She said she wanted to know for the improvingof her mind. She had a little parcel in her hand, and she said shewould be back again in no time. Shall I get you a cup of tea, ma'am?"
"No, thank you, Bridget. I cannot eat until I find out about MissJasmine. I do not like her asking you those questions, Bridget, and Ido not like her taking a little parcel with her. The child may be inwant or trouble. I must see to it at once. Bridget, have you any ideawhich is the nearest pawnshop to this?"
"Oh, ma'am, there's Spiller's round the corner, and there's Davidson'sin the main road. Now, Miss Egerton, I am most certain Miss Jasminewanted to hear about the pawnshop for the sake of improving her mind,and for that reason only. I wish you would stay, ma'am, and have yourcup of tea, for you look real tired."
But Miss Egerton was gone.