第19章 THE FIRST EVENING(2)

"Then you must get your feet wet.I think you better have had rubbers than a silk dress!What was your mother thinking of?"Jewel sighed vaguely.She wondered how soon Mrs.Forbes would go away.

This happy event occurred before long,and the little girl amused herself for a while with rearranging somewhat the closet and drawers.

Then putting on her hat and taking her doll with her,she stole quietly down the thickly carpeted stairs,and opening the heavy hall door,went out upon the piazza.It was sheltered from the wind,and wicker chairs were scattered about.Jewel looked off curiously amid the trees to where she knew,by her father's description,she should find,after a few minutes'ramble,the ravine and brook.Pretty soon she would wander out there.Just now the sun was warm here,and the roomy chairs held out inviting arms.The child climbed into one of them.Father would come back here some happy day and find her.The thought brought a smile,and with the smile on her lips,her head fell back against a yielding cushion,and in a minute she had fallen asleep.Anna Belle toppled over backward.Her plumed hat was pushed rakishly askew,but little she cared.Her eyelids had fallen,too.

Mrs.Evringham and Eloise,returning late from their luncheon,came upon the little sleeping figure as they walked around the long piazza.

"There she is!"exclaimed Mrs.Evringham softly,putting up her lorgnette."Behold your rival!"Eloise regarded the sleeper without curiosity.

"At least she has not come uninvited,"was her only comment.

"But she has come unwelcome,my dear,"returned Mrs.Evringham with relish."Just wait until our gracious host realizes what he has let himself in for.Oh,there's a good time coming,you may be sure.Hush,don't waken her!It would be a blessed dispensation if she were always to sleep while her grandfather is absent,"and Mrs.Evringham led the way into the house,her laces fluttering.

On the first landing the ladies met Mrs.Forbes,troubled of countenance.

"I am looking for the child Julia,"she said."I can't think where she can have disappeared.""You've not far to seek,"returned Mrs.Evringham airily."She is asleep on the piazza.""Thank you."Mrs.Forbes hastened downstairs and out of doors.

Glancing about she quickly perceived the short legs stretched in a reclining chair,and advanced toward the relaxed little figure.

"Julia,wake up!"she said,touching her.

The child stirred and opened her eyes.Her movement made the doll slip to the floor,and this caused her to come to herself suddenly.

"Why,I fell asleep,didn't I?"she said drowsily,reaching for the doll.

"Yes,and in Mr.Evringham's own chair!"responded Mrs.Forbes.

"They're all his,aren't they?"asked the child.

"Yes,but this is his special favorite,where he always lies to rest.

Remember!"returned Mrs.Forbes."Come right upstairs now and change your dress for dinner.He will be coming home in a few minutes.""Oh,good!"exclaimed Jewel with satisfaction,and passed into the house.Mrs.Forbes was following ponderously."Oh,you don't need to come with me,"protested the child earnestly."I can do it all myself.""Are you sure?"doubtfully.

"Oh,ye--es!"replied the little girl,running lightly up the stairs.

"I ought to put her on the second floor,"mused Mrs.Forbes,"if I've got to be running up and down;but I suppose she has done for herself a great deal.I suppose the mother hadn't time to be bothered.I'd like to make Mamzell change rooms with her."Jewel hummed a tune as she took off her sailor suit,performed her ablutions,and then went to her closet to choose a frock for dinner.

She decided on a blue dress with white dots chiefly because she would not have to change her hair ribbons.She had never herself tied those voluminous bows.

At last she was ready and danced toward the door,but some novel timidity made her hesitate and go back sedately to the chair by the window.Mrs.Forbes's impressive figure seemed to loom up with an order to her to wait the summons of the gong.

She sat there for what seemed a very long time,and at last a knock sounded at the door.Perhaps grandpa had come up.Jewel flew to open to him--and saw the white capped maid who had appeared at luncheon.

"They are all at table,and Mr.Evringham wishes you to come down,"she said.

"But I was waiting for the gong."

"We only have that at noon."

Jewel's feet flew down the stairs.Her grandfather had sent for her.

She was eager to reach him,yet when she entered the dining-room,her little face all alight,it was not so easy to run to him as she had fancied.

He sat stiffly at the foot of the table.Opposite him was aunt Madge,and at her left sat the prettiest young lady the child had ever seen.

Mrs.Forbes stood near Mr.Evringham,looking very serious.

Jewel took in all this at a glance,and contenting herself with greeting her grandfather's lifted eyes with a smile,she ran to Mrs.

Evringham and turned her back.

"There's just one button in the middle,aunt Madge,that I can't reach,"she explained softly.

Every eye at the table was regarding the child curiously,but she took no note of any one but her grandfather,and her dress buttoned,she ran to her chair and slid up on its smooth morocco.Eloise observed the little girl's loving expression.

"I am sorry you are late,Julia,"said Mr.Evringham.

"Yes,so am I,grandpa,"was the prompt response."I wanted to be down here as soon as you came home,but I thought I ought to wait for the gong,and then it didn't ring."Her eyes roved to where,directly opposite,the beautiful young lady was regarding her soberly.

Mrs.Evringham spoke."That is your cousin Eloise,Julia."Eloise inclined her graceful head,but made no further recognition of the child's admiring look.

"They haven't met before?"said Mr.Evringham,looking from one to the other.