Jewel: A Chapter in Her Life

by Clara Louise Burnham

  Jewel had come from the barn straight to her room, where she thoughtupon her problem with the aids she loved.

  At last she went downstairs to a side door to watch for Zeke as he drovefrom the barn on his way to the station to meet Mr. Evringham. As thehorse walked out of the barn she emerged and intercepted the coachman.

  Mrs. Forbes at a window saw Zeke stop. She wondered what Jewel wassaying to him, wondered with a humble gratitude novel to her dominatingnature.

  "Wait one minute, Zeke," said the child. "I've been wondering whether Iought to say anything to grandpa."

  "If you do I'll lose my place," returned the young fellow; "and I'venever done wrong by the horses yet."

  "I know you haven't. God has taken care of you, hasn't he, Zeke? Do youthink it's right for me not to tell grandpa? I've decided that I'll dowhatever you say."

  It was the wisdom of the serpent and the harmlessness of the dove. Zeke,nervously fingering the whip handle, looked down into the guileless faceand mentally vowed never to betray the trust he saw there.

  "Then don't tell him, Jewel," he returned rather thickly, for thefullness in his throat. "You come out to the barn the way you said youwould, and we'll talk over things. I don't care if the boys do laugh.I've sworn off. I believe you helped Essex Maid the other night. Ibelieve you can help me."

  Jewel's eyes were joyful. "If you know you _want_ help, Zeke, thenyou'll get it. Mother says that's the first thing. Mortal mind is soproud."

  "Mine ain't strutting much," returned Zeke as he drove on.

  Jewel amused herself about the grounds until the phaeton should returnwith her grandfather.

  When she saw it coming she ran down to the gate and hopped and skippedback beside it, Mr. Evringham watching her gyrations unsmilingly.

  As he dismounted at the piazza she clung to his hand going up the steps."Which are you going to do, grandpa, go riding or play golf?"

  "Which do you want me to do?" he asked.

  "When you ride it's more fun for me," she replied.

  He seated himself in one of the chairs and she leaned against its broadarm.

  "It's rather more fun for me, too. I'm growing lazy. I think I'll ride."

  "Good!"

  "What have you been doing to-day, Jewel?"

  "Well,"--meditatively,--"cousin Eloise went to New York, so I had to getmy lesson alone. And I didn't braid my hair over."

  Mr. Evringham looked startled. "She'll do it, I dare say, beforedinner," he replied.

  "If she has time. She has gone riding with Dr. Ballard. They justtrotted away together. Oh, it was lovely!"

  Mr. Evringham, leaning his head back, looked off under his heavy browsas he responded:--

  "Across the hills and far away, Beyond their utmost purple rim, And deep into the dying day The happy princess followed him,

  "and all that sort of business, I suppose."

  "I don't know what you mean," said Jewel doubtfully.

  "I should hope not. Well, what else have you done? Been treating anyrheumatism? I haven't had it since the sun shone."

  "You never asked me to," returned the child.

  Mr. Evringham smiled. "The sunshine is a pretty good treatment," heobserved.

  "Sometimes your belief comes into my thought," said Jewel, "and ofcourse I always turn on it and think the truth."

  "Much obliged, I'm sure. I'd like to turn on it myself at times."

  "You can study with cousin Eloise and me, if you'd like to," said Jeweleagerly.

  "Oh, thank you, thank you," rejoined the broker hastily. "Don't disturbyourself. There must be some sinners, you know, or the saints would haveto go out of business--nobody to practice on. Well, have you been to theravine?"

  "Oh yes! Anna Belle and I, and we had more _fun_! We made a garden."

  "Morning or afternoon?"

  "Morning."

  "Well I wish to know," said Mr. Evringham in a suddenly serious andimpressive tone, "I wish to know if you reached home in time for lunch."

  Jewel felt somewhat startled under the daze of his piercing eyes, buther conscience was clear. "Yes, I was here in plenty of time. I wantedto surely not be late, so I was here too soon."

  "That's what I was afraid of," returned Mr. Evringham gravely. "Idon't wish you to be unpunctual, but I object equally to your returningunnecessarily early when you wish to stay."

  "But I couldn't help it, grandpa," Jewel began earnestly, when heinterrupted her.

  "So I've brought you this," he added, and took from his pocket an oblongpackage, sealed at each end.

  The child laid her doll in the broker's lap,--he had become hardened tothis indignity,--and her fingers broke the seals and slipped the paperfrom a morocco case.

  "Push the spring in the end," said Mr. Evringham.

  She obeyed. The lid flew up and disclosed a small silver chatelainewatch. The pin was a cherub's head, its wings enameled in white, aswere the back and edges of the little timepiece whose hands were busilypointing to blue figures.

  Jewel gasped. "For me?"

  Her grandfather smoothed his mustache. He had presented gifts to ladiesbefore, but never with such effect.

  "Grandpa, grandpa!" she exclaimed, touching the little watch inwondering delight. "See what Divine Love has sent me!"

  Mr. Evringham raised his eyebrows and smiled, but he was soon assuredthat Love's messenger was not forgotten. He was instantly enveloped ina rapturous hug, and heroically endured the bitter of the watchcasepressing into his jugular for the sweet of the rose-leaf kisses thatwere assaulting his cheek like the quick reports of a tiny Gatling gun.

  "See if you can wind it," he said at last.

  Jewel lifted her treasure tenderly from its velvet bed, and he showedher how to twist its stem, and then pinned it securely on the breast ofher light sailor suit, where she looked down upon it in rapt admiration.

  "Now then, Jewel, you have no excuse!" he said severely.

  She raised her happy eyes, while her hand pressed the satin surface ofher watch. "Grandpa, grandpa!" she said, sighing ecstatically, "you'resuch a joker!"