CHAPTER XXVIII A FIND
"Sorry?" asked Desire, looking up from the lettuce she was preparing fortheir supper.
"It has been pleasant," replied her brother, selecting a radish from adish on the table, and beginning to eat it. "George, the driver, is anice fellow, and we've had some fun together; but it's a kind of a lazylife, after all. Of course somebody has to do it, but I think I prefermore activity."
"Have you seen Jim yet about the baked goods?"
Jack's hours had been so arranged that he had been unable to stop at theRutland General Store.
"Ran across him this noon. He's tickled to death over your ideas, andsays he'll take everything you can make, starting Thursday."
Desire was delighted.
"You'll just have to get rid of that horrid dog," declared Priscilla,coming in at that moment, about ready to cry.
"Why, what's he done now?" asked Jack.
"He went and dug up all my nasturtiums. He's always digging somewhere.He's a perfect pest!"
"I'll look after him," said her brother, going out to the garden.
He punished Rover, and, leaving Priscilla replanting the remnants of herflowers, returned to Desire.
"I wouldn't say it before the children," said Desire, when Jack reportedthe condition of Priscilla's garden, "but Rover _has_ a most unfortunatepassion for digging; and, as if he knew that Priscilla disapproved ofhim, he usually selects some part of her garden. I've whipped him two orthree times, but back he goes the next time the fancy strikes him."
Jack laughed. "I can imagine the kind of beatings you give him. But," headded anxiously, "had you rather get rid of him?"
"Oh, no; he's such a lovable animal that you can't help being attached tohim in spite of his faults; and then, too, Rene thinks the world of him.It wouldn't be fair to take away his pet."
The following morning, just as the big bus reached the lane, one of thetires exploded with a loud report; and Jack had to help the driver makerepairs. The other Wistmores stood in the shade of the trees, watching;even Desire could not resist the opportunity to see what had to be done.There were a few passengers already on board, and two or three of themgot out to stroll up and down the road.
"What a darling house!" exclaimed one young lady, peering down the lane."Come here, Dad; see!"
The grey-haired man looked in the direction of her pointing finger, thenat the little group under the trees.
"You live here?" he asked.
"Oh, do you?" said the lady, before Desire had hardly finished heraffirmative reply; "then may we look at the house?"
"Certainly," replied the girl politely, although she was far from willingto show it.
The man and woman examined the cabin both inside and out, with keeninterest; even the garden was included in the inspection. Occasionallythey talked together in such low tones that Desire could not distinguishwhat they were saying. She felt a queer sinking dread as she followedthem around. The children had stayed near the bus, and it seemed as ifshe were abandoned to these odd tourists.
On the stone doorstep the man turned back, after they had gone over theplace for the second time.
"Do you own this?" he asked.
"No, sir."
"Who does?" demanded the woman.
"It doesn't belong to anybody, really," confessed poor Desirereluctantly. "It's something about a title. We just live here."
"Oh, Dad, buy it for me. I must have it!" exclaimed the young woman.
"I'll make inquiries, and--" the man was saying, when a loud blast fromthe horn summoned them to the bus. They hurried down the lane with acareless goodbye to the girl in the doorway.
"Oh, Dissy," called Priscilla, running toward her, closely followed byRene and Rover. "Why--what's the matter?" as she noticed her sister'spale face and unnatural manner.
"Just tired," Desire managed to reply, though such a storm of emotionsurged within her that she felt almost overcome by it.
"Go and lie down, and I'll do the dishes and clean up," offeredPriscilla. "Rene, take the dog out to the garden and stay there until Icall you," she added importantly. "Dissy's going to take a nap."
"Thank you, Priscilla dear," replied the girl gratefully. "I think Ishall lie down. Call me at eleven o'clock. I shan't need anything untilthen."
Desire kissed her little sister, escaped into her room as quickly aspossible, and closed the door. In the privacy and quiet which she feltshe must have at all costs, she gave way to tears. What would they donow? For these rich people could get anything they set their hearts on.Jack was right in warning her not to get too fond of the place. Shethought she hadn't, but now when it was slipping slowly but surely fromtheir grasp--Oh! and Desire hid her face in the pillow to drown her sobs.
Presently she forced herself to grow calmer, and when Priscilla quietlyput her head in at eleven o'clock Desire, pale, but outwardly composed,was bathing her face.
"It was sweet of you to take care of things, Prissy dear," she said."I'll get dinner now; I'm quite all right. You run out-of-doors untilit's ready."
After a searching look at her sister, the child obeyed; but all theafternoon she kept making excuses to come to the front yard, where Desiresat sewing, to see if she was all right. While her sister was gettingsupper, Priscilla walked down the lane to meet Jack.
"I'm afraid there's something awful the matter with Dissy, Jack," beganthe child, slipping her hand into his. "She's not really sick--I don'tthink--but she's not a bit like _her_."
"Well," replied Jack quietly, for he had heard bits of conversation onthe bus that day, and they gave him an advance inkling of Desire'strouble, "don't say anything to her, or let her know that you noticeanything. I'll talk to her tonight."
"I didn't, Jack. I just helped all I could, and stayed where she couldcall me."
"That's a good girl; you're getting to be a great help to us," tighteninghis grasp on her brown, plump little hand.
Fortunately Rene had a silly fit at the table, and kept them all laughingin spite of themselves; so the meal passed off without any constraint orself-consciousness. After the children were in bed, and the cabin inorder for the night, Jack drew Desire out on the doorstep, and, sittingdown, beside her, put his arm around her.
"Now tell me all about it," he suggested gently.
"About what, Jack?"
"Whatever's troubling you. It's not fair to keep me in the dark, youknow."
Dropping her head on his broad shoulder, she related, in disjointedsentences, the history of the morning.
"I guessed as much," he commented, as she finished. "I overheard theirconversation on the bus."
"Can't they take it, if they don't mind not having--having--"
"A clear title? I don't know, dear; I'll see what I can find out from thejudge tomorrow. I should say, though, that we must not expect to keep it.We talked of that possibility; don't you remember?"
"Yes; but--such a thing seemed so--so very improbable," faltered Desire."The place had been deserted for so long."
"If we have to give it up we can probably find something in town. There'san old place near Judge Herbine's, and another one on the road to theBasin. Don't take it so to heart, Dissy; we'll find a place somewhere,even if we have to leave this; and we may not. It's not like you to lookon the dark side of things."
Cheered by Jack's words and manner, Desire began to feel that she hadbeen foolish to let herself become so disturbed, and she made a heroiceffort to resume her natural manner. She succeeded so well that bybedtime they were laughing over the discovery of Rover's latest escapade,a hole dug beside the step on which they were sitting. Jack set his footin it as they rose to go in, thereby nearly upsetting himself and Desireas well.
"Oh, by the way, Dissy," remarked Jack after they had gone into thehouse, "I almost forgot to tell you something. You'll never guess whom Isaw today."
"Then tell me right away."
"My old enemy."
"Oh, Jack!" cried Desire
fearfully. "Where?"
"On the bus. He was on his way to work in the orchards around Annapolis.He was rather friendly, for him, and just as he was leaving the bus, hethrust these into my hand and told me to give them to you."
Desire peered curiously at the round, brown things which her brotherpulled out of his pocket.
"What are they?"
"Some kind of bulbs. You'd better plant them tomorrow."
"What's the use if we're going to lose the place?" she queried, ratherbitterly.
Jack looked at her reprovingly. "That doesn't sound a bit like mycheerful partner."
"You're right, Jack. I'm sorry. I'll plant them tomorrow, and if we don'tsee them bloom, perhaps they will give pleasure to someone else."
The next morning she selected a lightly shaded spot where the soil lookedrich and promising, and began to dig. Before long, her spade struck alarge stone.
"Wonder if I can get that out?" she thought. "This is the best place inthe yard for unknown plants; for they'll get a mixture of sun and shade."
Vigorously she attacked the stone, and after much exertion succeeded ingetting it out. Rolling it carelessly to one side, she was busily tryingto smooth out the ragged, uneven earth with the spade, when there was asound of metal striking on metal.
"Jack," she called to her brother, who was in the house reenforcing ashelf.
"What's wanted?" he responded, sticking his head out of the window.
"Come here, quick!"
Throwing his long legs over the sill, he dropped onto the ground and wasat her side in a moment. "What's the matter," he asked; "snake?"
"Something's down there," pointing to the hole.
Jack seized the spade and quickly uncovered an iron box. Desire wastrembling violently, and could only gaze silently at the strange object.
"What have you got?" demanded Rene, appearing at that moment from thefront yard. "Prissy!" he shrieked, without waiting for an answer, "come'n' see!"
Priscilla appeared, viewed the find calmly, and proposed taking it intothe house to see what it contained.
"Do you think we had better take it over to the judge's?" asked Desire,finally finding her voice. "Perhaps we should not open it by ourselves."
"I'll go right after him," declared Jack. "Just put some papers on thetable so I can carry the box in and set it down before I go."