Rose O'Paradise Part 29

"Why, my dear child!" he exclaimed. "I'd completely forgotten to leave the money for the wood, and you've been bringing it every day."

"Peggy made the dollar go a long ways--that and Lafe's money. We didn't need any till to-day.... So--so I asked for you."

"I'm glad you did," responded King, counting and giving her the money.

Then his glance fell upon the bulging shortwood strap.

"I'm afraid you carry too much at a time," he admonished, gravely.

"You mustn't do that."

Jinnie dropped her eyes.

"I was talking to my uncle about it," she explained embarra.s.sedly, "and he thought same's I, that you were paying too much for that little wood. I'm goin' to bring more after this."

"I'm satisfied, though, and I can't have you hurting yourself by being too strenuously honest.... I might--yes, I will! I'll send for you every day or every other----"

Jinnie's eyes lighted up with happiness.

"Oh, sir,----" she began entreatingly.

"Wait----" said Mr. King. "It's this way! If you brought it up here in one of my cars, it would save a lot of your time, and you wouldn't have to come every day."

"I could fiddle more," Jinnie blurted radiantly. She remembered how sympathetically he had listened to her through the blizzard. He liked the fiddle! She went a little nearer him. "I'm trying to make a tune different from any I've ever done, and I can't always play well after lugging shortwood all day.... I'd love to deliver it the way you said."

King stood gazing at her. How strangely beautiful she was! Something in the wind-browned face stirred his heart to its depths.

"Then that's settled," he said kindly. "You tell me where to have my man and what time, and to-morrow he'll meet you."

Jinnie thought a moment.

"I wonder if he knows where Paradise Road ends near the edge of the marsh."

"He could find it, of course."

"There's a path going into the marsh right at the end of the road.

I'll meet him there to-morrow at twelve o'clock, and--and I'm so much obliged to you."

When Jinnie told Lafe of the new arrangement, she gurgled with joy.

"Lafe, now I'll make that tune."

"Yes, honey," murmured Lafe contentedly. "Now get your fiddle and practice; after that you c'n study a while out of that there grammar book."

CHAPTER XVIII

RED ROSES AND YELLOW

The days went on peacefully after the new arrangements for the shortwood. Every other day, at twelve o'clock, one of Theodore King's cars waited for Jinnie at the head of the path leading into the marsh.

When the weather was stormy, Bennett, the chauffeur, took the wood, telling Jinnie to run along home.

All this made it possible for Jinnie to study profitably during the warm months, and by the last of August she had mastered many difficult subjects. Lafe helped her when he could, but often shook his head despondently as she sat down beside him on the bench, asking his advice.

"The fact is, honey, I ain't got much brains," he said to her one afternoon. "If I hung by my neck till I could see through them figures, I'd be as dead as Moses."

One Thursday morning, as she climbed into the big car with her load, Bennett said,

"I ain't goin' to pay you this mornin'! The boss'll do it. Mr. King wants to see you."

Jinnie nodded, her heart pounding.

It was delightful to contemplate seeing him once more. She wondered where he had been all these days and if he had thought of her.

Jinnie's pulses were galloping along like a race horse. She stood quietly until the master was called, and he came quickly without making her wait.

"I'm going to ask you to do me a favor," he said, coming forward, holding out his hand.

Now when Jinnie first heard that he wished to see her, she thought her heart could beat no faster, but his words made that small organ tattoo against her sides like the flutter of a bird's wing in fright. She could do something for him! Oh, what joy! What unutterable joy!

"We're going to have some friends here Sunday evening----"

The sudden upfling of Jinnie's head cut off his words.

What difference would his having friends make to her? Oh, yes, they wanted more wood. How gladly she would get it for him; search all day for the driest pieces if he needed them!

"I was wondering," proceeded Mr. King, "if you would come here with your violin and play for--for--us?"

Jinnie's knees relaxed and she staggered back against the wall.

"You musn't feel embarra.s.sed about it," he hurried on. "I'd be very much indebted to you if you thought you could."

Tears were so perilously near Jinnie's lids that some of them rolled into her throat. To regain her self-possession enough to speak, she swallowed several times in rapid succession. Such a compliment she'd never been paid before. She brought her hands together appealingly, and Mr. King noticed that his request had heightened her color.

"I'd love to do it," she breathed.

"Of course I'll pay you for it," he said, not able to think of anything else,

"I couldn't take any money for fiddling," replied Jinnie. "But I'll come. Lafe says money can't be made that way."

She turned to go, but Mr. King detained her.

"Wait a minute," he insisted. "I want to tell you something! You've a great gift--a wonderful genius--and out of such genius much money _is_ made.... I couldn't think of letting you come here unless you allowed me to remunerate you."

Jinnie listened attentively to all he said, but refusal was still in her steady gaze. Mr. King, seeing this, continued quickly:

"I want you very much, but on that one point I must have my way. I shall give you twenty-five dollars for playing three pieces."