Rose O'Paradise

by Grace Miller White

  CHAPTER XXXIX

  JINNIE'S VISIT TO THEODORE

  So suddenly had the two strong, friendly forces been swept fromJinnie's daily life that as yet she had not the power to think withprecision. Lafe she had had every day for almost three years, andTheodore King--oh, how she loved him! Rumors were afloat that no powercould save Lafe--her dear, brave cobbler.

  Day by day the girl's faith increased, and of late she had utteredsilent prayers that she might be allowed to see Theodore.

  One morning she was in the kitchen rocking little Lafe when Peggycalled her.

  "There's some one to see you," said she.

  Jinnie gave the mother her baby and went to the shop door. A man in awhite suit smiled down upon her.

  "I'm from the hospital," said he. "Mr. King would like to see you thismorning."

  Jinnie's heart seemed to climb into her throat.

  "Mr. Theodore King?" she murmured.

  "Yes," said the young man. "I've got a car here. Will you come?"

  "Of course! Wait till I get my hat."

  Once at their destination, they tiptoed into Theodore's roomnoiselessly, and as Jinnie stood over the bed, looking down upon him,she suffered keenly, he looked so deathlike; but she resolutelycontrolled her feelings. When Theodore glanced at her, she forcedherself to smile, and the sight of the lovely girl refreshed the sickman, giving him a new impetus to recover.

  He smiled back, endeavoring not to show his weakness.

  "You see I'm getting well," he whispered.

  Jinnie nodded. She wasn't sure whether he was or not. How her heartached to do something for him!

  One of his long, thin hands lay over the coverlet, and Jinnie wantedto kiss it. Tears were standing thick on her lashes.

  The doctor stood beside her, consulting his watch.

  "If you wish to speak, Mr. King," he said kindly, "you must do soquickly, for the young lady can stay but two minutes more. That'sall!"

  The doctor turned his back upon them, watch in hand.

  "Kiss me, dear!" murmured Theodore.

  Oblivious of the doctor's presence, Jinnie stooped and kissed himtwice, taking the thin hand he extended.

  "I sent for you because I feared you'd go to work at the wood again."

  Jinnie would reassure him on this point even by an untruth, for shemight be driven, for the sake of Peggy and the children, to go backinto that hated occupation.

  "I promise I won't," she said.

  "Are you still taking lessons?"

  Jinnie shook her head.

  "I couldn't when you were sick. I just couldn't."

  "But you must; you must go to-morrow. I have something here for you,"he said, reaching under the pillow with his free hand.

  Jinnie drew back abashed.

  "You're too sick to think of us," she murmured.

  Theodore raised her hand to his lips.

  "No! No, darling, I think of you always--every day and shall evenwhen I'm dead. You must take this money. Do you love me, dearest, verymuch?"

  He smiled again as she stooped impetuously to kiss him, and with herface very close to his, she whispered,

  "Lafe didn't do it, darling!"

  "I know it," replied Theodore, closing his eyes.

  Then the doctor turned and sent her away.

  When she sank back in the automobile, Jinnie opened her hand with theroll of bills in it, and all the way home, she repeated, "He has givenHis angels charge over thee." She was hoping and praying for TheodoreKing.

  Two days later, coming down the hill, she met Miss Merriweather onhorseback. The young woman stopped her and asked her to accompany herhome. Jennie hesitated. She still had memories of the cat sent to itsdeath in Molly's fit of anger and the woman's chilling reception ofher at the King dinner. Nevertheless she turned and walked slowlybeside the horse. When they reached the porch of Mr. King's home, agroom came and led the animal away. Jinnie laid down her fiddle,taking the chair indicated by Molly. It had been Jordan Morse's ideathat she should endeavor to again talk with the girl, but the womanscarcely knew how to begin. Jinnie looked so very lovely, soconfiding, so infinitely sweet. Molly leaned over and said:

  "Wasn't it queer how suddenly I remembered who you were? That night atthe party your name refused to come to my mind. I've wanted to tellyou several times how sorry I was about your accident!"

  "I recognized you the minute I saw you," said Jinnie, smiling,relieved a little by Molly's apology.

  "You've a good memory," answered Molly. "Now I want to tell yousomething, and I hope you'll be guided by my judgment."

  Jinnie looked straight at her without a sign of acquiescence.

  "What is it?" she asked presently.

  "You must leave Grandoken's!"

  Jinnie started to speak, but Molly's next words closed her lips.

  "Please don't get nervous! Listen to me! You're a very young and verypretty girl and there--there is some one interested in you."

  Jinnie pricked up her ears. Some one interested in her! Of course sheknew who it was. Theodore! But she wouldn't leave Peggy even for him,and the thought that he would not ask this of her brought herexquisite joy.

  "Is it Mr. King who's interested in me?" she asked, timidly.

  Molly's eyes narrowed into small slits.

  "No, it isn't Mr. King who's interested in you!" she replied a triflemockingly. "Mr. King's too sick to be interested in anybody."

  Jinnie couldn't refrain from saying, "He looked awful ill when I sawhim at the hospital."

  Molly stared at her blankly. She grew dizzy and very angry. This girlalways made her rage within herself.

  "You've seen him since--since----"

  A maddened expression leapt into Molly's eyes.

  "I drive there every day, but they won't let _me_ see him," she said,reddening.

  "Mr. King sent for me," Jinnie replied, resolutely.

  And as the girl admitted this, with deepening flushes, Molly lookedaway. When she had first spoken of Jinnie's future to Jordan Morse,she had pleaded with him to be kind to her, but now she could surroundthat white throat and strangle the breath from it withoutcompunction.

  "Will you tell me what he said to you?" she queried, trying to hideher anger.

  Jinnie looked down, and locked her fingers together.

  "I can't tell," she said at length, moving in discomfort.

  She wanted to go--to get away from the woman who looked at her soanalytically, so resentfully. She got up nervously and picked up herfiddle.

  "Don't go," urged Molly, starting forward.

  Then she laughed a little and went on, "I suppose I did feel a bitjealous at first because we--Mr. King and I--have been friends so manyyears. But now we won't think any more about it. I do want you to gofrom that terrible Paradise Road. It's no place for a girl in yourposition."

  "You've told me that before," retorted Jinnie, with clouded eyes. "Myposition isn't anything. I haven't any other home, and I'm a sort of ahelper to Peggy."

  A helper to Peggy! Doubtless if Lafe had heard that he would havesmiled. Truly she was a wonderful little helper, but she was more thanthat, much more--helper, friend, and protector all in one.

  "Another thing," added Jinnie quickly, "I love 'em all."

  "You've your own home in Mottville," the woman suggested. "You oughtto be there."

  Jinnie sank back into the chair.

  "Oh, I couldn't ever go there!" she cut in swiftly. "But I can't tellyou why."

  "Don't you want me to help you?"

  Jinnie shook her head doubtfully.

  "It wouldn't help any, taking me away from Peggy. I'd rather you'd dosomething for Lafe. Help him get out of prison. Will you?"

  "I'm not interested in him," said Molly. "But I am in you----"

  "Why?" blurted Jinnie.

  Molly colored.

  "One can't explain an interest like mine. But I'd go back to Mottvillewith you, and help you with your----"

  Jinnie shook her head violently.

  "I wouldn
't go there for anything in the world," she interjected.

  "I can't understand why not!"

  "Well, first I couldn't, and I won't.... Then Peggy needs me inParadise Road, and there's the baby and Bobbie."

  "Who's Bobbie?"

  "Our little kid," replied Jinnie, smiling sweetly.

  She did not think it necessary to explain that she had found Bobbie inthe woods. He was as much one of them as Lafe's baby or herself.Neither did she speak of the boy's pitiful condition.

  In spite of Jinnie's absolute refusal, Molly went on:

  "But you don't understand. You've got your own life to think of!"

  Jinnie burst in with what she thought was a clinching triumph.

  "I take lessons on my fiddle every day. Some time I hope----"

  Molly's eyes gleamed again.

  "How can you afford to take lessons?"

  The questioner read the truth in the burning blush that swept thegirl's dark hair line, and her little white teeth came together.

  "Mr. Grandoken is not your uncle," she snapped.

  "He's more'n my uncle; he's a father to me, and when he comeshome----"

  "He's not coming home. Murderers don't get off so easily."

  Jinnie got up and again picked her fiddle from the floor.

  "He isn't a murderer!" she stammered, with filling eyes. "Lafewouldn't kill anything.... I've been with him almost three years and Iknow. Why, he wouldn't let Peg or me swat flies."

  Miss Merriweather saw her mistake. She realized then as never beforethat nothing could take from the girl her belief in the cobbler.

  "Sit down," she urged. "Don't go yet."

  "I don't want to sit down," said Jinnie, very much offended. "I'mgoing! I'm sorry you think Lafe----"

  Molly rose too. Impetuously she held out her hand.

  "I really shouldn't have spoken that way, because I don't know a thingabout it."

  Jinnie relented a little, but not enough to sit down. She was toodeeply hurt to accept Molly's hospitality further.

  "And we musn't quarrel, child," decided the woman. "Now won't youreconsider my proposition? I should love to do something for you."

  Resolutely the dark curls shook in refusal.

  "I'm going to stay with Peggy till Lafe gets out, and then when I'meighteen I'm going to school. I've been studying a lot since I leftMottville.... Why sometimes----" she resumed eagerly, "when we haven'thad enough to eat, Lafe's made me buy a book to study out of, and Ipromised him I'd stay with his family till he came back. And----" shewalked to the edge of the porch, turning suddenly, "and he's comingback, all right," she ended, going down the stairs.

  Molly watched the slim young figure swing out to the road. The girldidn't look around, and the woman waited until she had disappearedthrough the gate.

  "He'll not get out, and you, you little upstart," she gritted, "you'llnot stay in Paradise Road, either."