CHAPTER XV
A NEW FRIEND FOR THE OLD
"Lost! I'm lost! Right here in this great city full of folks. Itseemed so easy to find Mr. Hale and it was so hard. There are so manystreets--which one is right? There are so many people--oh! if they'dstop going by for just one minute, till I could think."
The passing crowd that had so interested now terrified her. Among allthe changing faces not one she knew, not one that more than glanced herway, and was gone on, indifferent. The memory of a time in her earlychildhood when she had strayed into the canyon and became bewilderedflashed through her mind. Was she to suffer again the misery of thatdreadful day? But the day had ended in a father's rescuing arms, andnow----
"I remember he told me then that if ever I were lost again I was tokeep perfectly still for a time and think over all the things I'd seenby the way. After awhile I might feel sure enough to go slowly back andguide myself by them. But I can't think here. It's so noisy and thickwith men and women. And I'm getting so hungry. Ephraim said we wouldhave the best dinner his friend could give us. If he'd told me thatfriend's name or where he lived. Well, I'll mind my father in onething; I'll keep still. Then if Ephraim should happen to come thisway he'd find me sooner. But--he won't. Something has happened, orhe'd never let me out of sight. If I didn't know the bigness of acity he did and would have taken care."
So she dismounted and led Scruff back beside the telegraph post, againstwhich the weary animal calmly leaned his shoulder and went to sleep.Jessica threw her arm over the burro's neck and, standing so, scannedevery passing pedestrian and peered into every whirling vehicle.
Something of her first terror left her. She was foolish to think anythingharmful could have happened to "Forty-niner" so quickly after shehad run away from him. She wished she had called and explained to him,but she had had no time if she would catch up to that gray-coatedgentleman. After all they were still in the same city and all sheneeded was patience.
"That's what I have so little of, too. Maybe this is a lesson to me.Mother says impatient people always find life harder than the quietkind. I wonder what she's doing now! and oh! I'm glad she can't seeme. She'd suffer more than I do. It's queer how that man, in a fancycoat, with so many brass buttons, keeps looking at me. He's walkedby this place on one side the street or the other ever so many times. Iwonder if he owns this post. Maybe it's his and he doesn't like us tostand here, yet is too polite to say so. Come, Scruff, let's walk alittle further along. Then he can see we don't mean to hurt his post."
Scruff reluctantly roused and moved a pace or two, then went to sleepagain. The shadow of a building that had sheltered them from the hotsunshine passed gradually and left them exposed to the full glare fromthe sky. Both Jessica and the burro were used to heat, however, and didnot greatly suffer from it. But this motionless waiting became almostintolerable to active Lady Jess, and the sharpness of her hunger changedinto faintness. The sidewalks seemed to be rising up to strike her andher head felt queer; so she pulled the hot Tam from her curls, leanedher cheek against Scruff's neck, and, to clear her dizzy vision, closedher eyes. Then for a long time knew no more.
A young man sat down to smoke his after-dinner cigar before the windowof a clubhouse across the way. Idly observant of the comparatively fewpersons passing at that hour, his artist eye was caught by the scarletgleam of Jessica's cap, fallen against the curbstone.
"Hello! That child has been in that spot for two hours, I think. Shewas there before I went to dinner and must be dead tired. But she andthe burro are picturesque--I'll sketch them."
He whipped out notebook and pencil and by a few skillful lines reproducedthe pair opposite. But as he glanced toward them, now and then, duringthis operation, he became convinced that something was amiss with hissubject.
"Poor little thing! If she's waiting for anybody she keeps the babytoo long. I'm going over and speak to her. If she's hungry I'll sendher a sandwich."
At his touch on her shoulder Jessica roused. Her sleep had refreshed her,though she was still somewhat confused.
"Oh! Ephraim! How long you've been! Why--it isn't Ephraim!"
"No, little girl, I'm not Ephraim, but I'm a friend. I'm afraidyou will be ill standing so long in the hot sun. Are you waiting foranybody?"
The voice was kind and Jessica was glad to speak to any one. She toldher story at once in a few words. The young man's face grew grave ashe listened, still he spoke encouragingly.
"It's quite easy for strangers in a big place to get separated.Suppose, since you haven't had your dinner, as I guess, that you go withme and have some. Wait, I'll just speak to that policeman, yonder,and ask him to have a lookout for your Ephraim, while we're in therestaurant. There's a good place halfway down the block, and from itswindow you can watch the burro for yourself. I'll tie him, shan't I?"
"He's very tired. I don't think he'll need any tying. He's nevertied at Sobrante."
"Sobrante? Are you from Sobrante? Why, I've heard of that ranch,myself."
"Have you? That makes it seem as if I knew you."
The stranger smiled and beckoned to the policeman, who proved to be thebrass-buttoned individual that had taken so much apparent interest inJessica, but had not spoken to her of his own accord. He came forwardpromptly now and the young man related to him what Lady Jess had said.Then asked:
"What would I better do about it? I thought of taking her to therestaurant over there and getting her some dinner."
"No. She'd better go to the station-house with me. The matron'll lookafter her and I'll have the donkey put in stable. I'll tell the officerwho's coming on this beat now to keep an eye out for a countryman witha stiff-legged horse; is it, girl?"
"Yes. A bay horse, with a blazed face. The horse's name is Stifflegand the master's, Ephraim Marsh."
The officer made the entry in his book, then took hold of Scruff'sbridle and led the way stationward. Jessica looked appealingly intothe young man's face and he smiled, then grasped her hand.
"Don't fear, child, that I'll desert you till I find your oldguardian. There's nothing frightful about a station-house, except tocriminals," he said, kindly.
However, Jessica knew nothing of such institutions and therefore hadno fear of them. With the exception of Antonio's "crossness" she hadmet with nothing but love and kindness all her life, and she looked fornothing else. She was already happy again at finding two persons readyto talk with her and help her; and her pretty face grew more and morecharming to the artist's view as she skipped along beside him towardthe police headquarters, as this station chanced to be.
"You see, little girl, that when a child is lost in a city the firstthing the friends think of is--the station-house. All stray persons aretaken and messages are sent to it from every part of the town all thetime. That Ephraim will remember that, if he's ever been here before,and he'll be finding you long before night. Till then you'll be safeand cared for."
Jessica did feel a moment's hesitation when she had to part with Scruff,but soon laughed at her own dismay.
"I felt as I must take him inside this building with me, for fear he'dbe lonesome, too. But, of course, I know better. Why, what a nice, bigplace this is!"
By far the largest building she had ever entered, but her newacquaintances smiled at her delight over it.
"Not all who come here think it so fine," said the young man. "Eh,officer?"
"No, no. No, indeed, sir. Now, this way, please. I'll just enter thecase at the desk and call up the matron. She'll tend to the girl allright. You needn't bother any more."
"Oh! are you going?" asked Jessica, her face drooping.
"Not yet. No law against my having a meal with this young lady, isthere, officer?"
"If it isn't at the public charge, sir," answered the policeman.
"Oh! I've money to pay for my own dinner. See?" cried Lady Jess,producing the fat wallet Ephraim had given her and which she pulled fromwithin her blouse, where she had worn it, suspended by a string.
"Whew! child! All that? Put
it up, quick. Put it up, I say."
Instinctively she obeyed and hid the purse again, but her face expressedher surprise, and the young man answered its unspoken question.
"Very few little girls of your age ever have so much money as that aboutthem. None ever should have. It's too great a temptation to evil-mindedpersons, and a good many of that sort come here. Ah! the matron! I'llask her to show us into some less public place and I'll order a dinnerfrom that restaurant nearby."
In response to his request the motherly woman in charge of the women'squarters offered him her own little sitting-room; "if they'll say yesto it in the office," she added, as a condition.
This was soon arranged, the dinner followed and a very hungry Jessica satdown to enjoy it. Her companion also pretended to eat, but encouraged herto talk and found himself interested in her every moment. He, also,promptly told her who he was; a reporter and occasional artist, onone of the leading daily papers. A man always on the lookout for"material," and as such he meant to use the sketch, he had made. Heshowed her the sketch, and explained that he would put an item inthe next issue of his paper which might meet the eye of the missingsharpshooter and notify that person where to find her, if he had notdone so before.
Jessica did not know that it was an unwise thing to make a confidant ofa stranger, but in this instance she was safe enough; and it pleased herto tell, as him to listen to, the whole history of Sobrante; its fortunesand misfortunes, and the object of her present visit to this far-off town.
His business instinct was aroused. He realized that here might be"material," indeed. He was young and sincere enough to be enthusiastic.Times were a little dull. There was quite a lull in murders androbberies; this story suggested either a robbery or swindle of somesort, and on a big scale. His paper would appreciate his getting a"scoop" on its contemporaries, and, in a word, he resolved to makeJessica Trent's cause his own, for the time being.
"Look here, child, don't you worry. You stay right quiet in thisplace with Matron Wood. I'll get out and hustle. Here's my card, NinianSharp, of _The Lancet_. That's a paper has cut a good many knots andshall cut yours. I've heard of Cassius Trent. Everybody has, inCalifornia. I'll find that Lawyer Hale. I'll find old 'Forty-niner'and I'll be back in this room before bedtime. Now, go play with therest of the lost children--you're by no means the only one in LosAngeles to-day. Or take a nap would be wiser. Look out for her, MatronWood. Any good turn done this little maid is done _The Lancet_. Good-by,for a time."
Smiling, alert, he departed and Jessica felt as if he had taken all heranxieties with him. She followed the matron into the big room where theother estrays, whom Mr. Sharp had told her she would find, waiting tobe claimed by their friends, but none was as large as she. Some were solittle she wondered how they ever could have wandered anywhere away fromhome; but she loved all children and these reminded her of Ned and Luis.
Promptly she had them all about her, and for the rest of that day, atleast, Matron Wood's cares were lightened. Yet one after another, someperson called to claim this or that wanderer, with cries of raptureor harsh words of reproof, as the case might be. Jessica kissed eachlittle one good-by, but with each departure felt herself growing morehomesick and depressed. By sunset she was the only child left in thematron's care, and her loneliness so overcame her that she had troubleto keep back her tears.
"But I'll not cry. I will not be so babyish. Besides crying wouldn'thelp bad matters and I've come away from Sobrante on a big mission.Even that jolly Mr. Sharp said, 'That's a considerable of a job,' whenI told him. He was funny. Always laughing and so quick, I wish he'dcome soon. It seems to take as long for him to find Ephraim as it wouldme. I should think anybody could have walked the whole city over by thistime," she thought, in her ignorance of distances. Then she asked:
"When do you think they'll come, Matron Wood?"
The good woman waked from a "cat-nap" and was tired enough to beimpatient.
"Oh! don't bother. If they're not here by nine o'clock you'll haveto go to bed. You should be thankful that there is such a place as thisfor just such folks as you. Like as not he'll never come. You can'ttell anything about them newspaper men. But you listen to that bell, willyou? I don't see what makes me so sleepy. If it rings, wake me up."
The minutes sped on. In the now silent room the portly matron slumberedpeacefully and Jessica tried, though vainly, to keep a faithful watch.She did not know that her weary companion was breaking rules and layingherself open to disgrace; but she was herself very tired, so, presently,her head dropped on the table and she was also asleep.
Ninian Sharp found the pair thus, and jested with the matron when hewaked her in a way that sounded very much like earnest. "He would haveher removed," and so on; thereby frightening Jessica, who had beenroused by their voices, and looked from one to the other in keen distress.
"I did--I did try to listen for the bell, but it was so still and Icouldn't help it. I'm sorry----"
"Pooh! child. No more could I. It'll be all right if this gentlemanknows enough to hold his tongue," said the woman, anxiously.
"I shouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't--where a lady is concerned.And I judge from appearances it's about time Miss Jessica went to bed."
The girl's heart sank. This meant disappointment. She understood thatwithout further words, and turned away her face to hide the tears whichwould come now, in spite of all her will.
Then the reporter's hand was on her curls.
"Keep up your courage, child. I've been hustling, as I said I would.I've found out a lot. I've had boys searching the hotel records allover town and I know in which one your Mr. Hale is staying. He'llkeep--till we need him."
"But Ephraim? Have you heard nothing of him?"
"I heard a funny yarn about a horse with a stiff leg; that the momentthe sound of a drum was in his ears cooly tossed his aged rider intothe gutter and marched off with the brass band, head up, eyes flashing,tail switching, a soldier with the best of them. See--it's here in thisevening's _Gossip._"
He held the sheet toward her and Jessica read the humorous account ofStiffleg's desertion. But there was no account of what had furtherbefallen Ephraim, and it seemed but a poor excuse for his non-appearance.
She tossed the paper aside, impatiently:
"But he had his own two good feet left. He could have followed me onthem? I--I--he was always so faithful before."
Mr. Sharp's face sobered.
"He is faithful still, but his feet will serve him poorly for the nextfew weeks. Maybe months. Old bones are slow to heal, and the surgeonsays it is a compound fracture. When he fell into the gutter, as myco-laborer so gayly puts it, he 'broke himself all to smash.' He's inhospital. As a great favor from the authorities in charge I've seen him.I've told him about you. I've promised to befriend you and I'lltake you to see him in the morning. I'm sorry that your first nightin our angelic city must be passed in a station-house, but I reckonit's the safest till I can think of some fitter shelter. Good-night.My mother used to say that the Lord never shut one door but He openedanother. Ephraim laid up--here am I. Count on me. Good-night."