Rose O'Paradise Part 84

The woman shook her head.

"No, of course I didn't know," she replied, and then went on rapidly:

"I was so young when I married your uncle, I didn't know anything.

When I lost my baby, I knew no way to search for him."

"Won't you sit down?" Jinnie had forgotten that they were both standing. "Sit in that little rocker; it's Bobbie's," she finished.

Molly looked at the little chair and turned away.

"Lafe bought it for him," Jinnie explained eagerly. "He was too sick with his heart to get around much like other boys."

Miss Merriweather wrung her hands.

"Don't tell me any more," she begged piteously. "He's dead and nothing can help him now. I've--something else to say to you." Jinnie wiped her eyes.

"Mr. King is quite well now, and----"

"Oh, I'm glad!" cried Jinnie. "Does he--he ever speak of me?"

Molly shook her head mutely.

"I don't want him to see you!" she cried, her eyes growing hard and bright.

"Why?" Jinnie said the one word in bewilderment.

"He doesn't know yet what Jordan and I did to you, nor about--about--Bobbie. I don't want him to, either, just yet. I fear if he does, he won't care for me."

Jinnie's eyes drew down at the corners.

"Of course he wouldn't if he knew," she said, with tightly gripped fingers.

Molly paid no heed to this, but went on rapidly:

"Well, first, you don't love him as I do----"

"I love him very much," interjected Jinnie, "and he used to love me."

The woman's lips drew linelike over her teeth.

"But you see he doesn't any longer," she got out, "and if you go away----"

"Go away?" gasped Jinnie.

"Yes, from Bellaire. You won't stay here, now that you're rich." She threw a contemptuous glance about the shop. Jinnie caught the inflection of the cutting voice and noted the expression in the dark eyes.

"I'll stay wherever Lafe and Peggy are," she said stubbornly.

"Perhaps, but that doesn't say you're going to live in this street all your life.... I want you to go back to Mottville."

Jinnie still looked a cold, silent refusal.

Molly grew even whiter than before, but remembering Jinnie's kindly heart, she turned her tactics.

"I'm very miserable," she wept, "and I love Theodore better than any one in the world."

"So do I," sighed Jinnie, bowing her head.

"But he doesn't love you, child, and he does love me."

Jinnie's eyes fixed their gaze steadily on the other woman.

"Then why're you afraid for him to see me?" she demanded.

Molly got to her feet. She saw her flimsily constructed love world shattered by the girl before her. She knew Theodore still loved her, and that if he knew all her own wickedness, his devotion would increase a hundredfold. He must not see Jinnie! Jinnie must not see him! Rapidly she reviewed the quarrels she and Theodore had had, remembered how punctiliously he always carried out his honorable intentions, and then--Molly went very near the girl, staring at her with terror in her eyes.

"Jinnie," she said softly, "pretty Jinnie!"

Those words were Bobbie's last earthly appeal to her, and Jinnie's face blanched in recollection.

"Didn't you love my baby?" Molly hurried on.

A memory of fluttering fingers traveling over her face left Jinnie's heart cold. Next to Lafe and Theodore she had loved Bobbie best.

"I loved him, oh, very much indeed!" she whispered.

"And he often told you he loved--his--his--mother?"

"Yes."

Molly was slowly drawing the girl's hands into hers.

"He'd want me to be happy, Jinnie dear. Oh, please let me have the only little happiness left me!"

Jinnie drew away, almost hypnotized.

"I can't be a--a good woman unless I have Theodore," Molly moaned.

"You're very young----"

Her eyes sought the girl's, who was struggling to her feet.

"For Bobbie's sake, Jinnie, for--for----"

Jinnie brought to mind the blind boy, his winsome ways, his desire for his beautiful mother, her own love for Theodore, and turning away, said with a groan:

"I want Theodore to be happy, and I want you to be happy, too, for--for Bobbie's sake. I--I promise not to see him, but I'll always believe he loves me--that--that----"

"You're a good girl," interrupted Molly with a sigh of relief.