CHAPTER X
THE RAVINE
Outside the well-kept roads of Bel-Air Park, Nature had been encouragedto work her sweet will. The drive wound along the edge of a picturesquegorge, and it was not long before Jewel found the scene of her father'sfavorite stories.
The sides of the ravine were studded with tall trees, and in its depthsflowed a brook, unusually full now from the spring rains.
The child lost no time in creeping beneath the slender wire fence atthe roadside, and scrambling down the incline. The brook whispered andgurgled, wild flowers sprang amid the ferns in the shelter and moisture.The child was enraptured.
"Oh, Anna Belle!" She exclaimed, hugging the doll for pure joy. "CastleDiscord is far away. There's nobody down here but God!"
For hours she played happily in the enchanting spot, all unconsciousof time. Anna Belle lay on a bed of moss, while Jewel became acquaintedwith her wonderful new playmate, the brook. The only body of water withwhich she had been familiar hitherto was Lake Michigan. Now she drewstones out of the bank and made dams and waterfalls. She sailed boats ofchips and watched them shoot the tiny rapids. She lay down on the bankbeside Anna Belle and gazed up through the leafy treetops. Many timesthis programme had been varied, when at last equipages began to pass onthe road above. She could see twinkling wheels and smart liveries.
With a start of recollection, she considered that she might have been along time in the ravine.
"I wish somebody would let me bring a watch the next time," she saidto her doll, as she took her up. "Haven't we had a beautiful afternoon,Anna Belle? Let's call it the Ravine of Happiness, and we'll come hereevery day--just every day; but perhaps it's time for grandpa to be home,dearie, so we must go back to the castle." She sighed unconsciously asshe began climbing up the steep bank and crept under the wire. "I hopewe haven't stayed very long, because the giantess might not like it,"she continued uneasily; but as she set her feet in the homeward road,every sensation of anxiety fled before an approaching vision. She sawa handsome man in riding dress mounted on a shining horse with archedneck, that lifted its feet daintily as it pranced along the tree-linedavenue.
"Grandpa!" ejaculated Jewel, stepping to the roadside and pausing, herhands clasped beneath her chin and her eyes shining with admiration.
Mr. Evringham drew rein, not displeased by the encounter. The childapparently could not speak. She eyed the horse rather than its rider, afact which the latter observed and enjoyed.
"Remind you of the horse show?" he inquired.
"It _is_ the horse show," rejoined the child.
"This is Essex Maid, Jewel," said Mr. Evringham. He patted the mare'sshining neck. "You shall go out to the barn with me some time and visither." His eyes wandered over the ruffled hair, the hat on the back ofthe child's head, and the wet spots on her dress. "Run home now," headded. "I heard Mrs. Forbes asking for you as I came out."
He rode on, and Jewel, her face radiant, followed him with her eyes. Ina minute he turned, and she threw rapid kisses after him. He raised hishat, and then a curve in the road hid him from view.
Jewel sighed rapturously and hurried along the road. The giantess hadasked for her. Ah, what a happy world it would be if there were nothingat Bel-Air Park but grandpa, his horses, and the ravine!
Mrs. Forbes espied the child in the distance, and was at the door whenshe came in.
"After this, Julia, you must never go away without telling mewhere"--she began, when her eyes recognized the condition of the ginghamfrock, and the child's feet. "Look at how you've drabbled your dress!"she ejaculated.
"It's clean water," returned Julia.
"But your feet! Why, Julia Evringham, they are as wet as sop! Where haveyou been?"
"Playing by the brook in the ravine."
Mrs. Forbes groaned. "Nothing will satisfy a child but finding the placewhere they can get the dirtiest and make the most trouble. Why didn'tyou wear your rubbers, you naughty girl?"
"Why--why--it wasn't raining."
"Raining! Those rubbers are to keep your feet dry. Haven't you got anysense?"
Jewel looked a little pale. "I didn't know I should get wet in thebrook," she answered.
"Well, go right upstairs now, up the backstairs, and take off every oneof those wet things. Let me feel your petticoat. Yes, that's wet, too.You undress and get into a hot bath, and then you put on your nightgownand go right to bed."
"Go to bed!" echoed the child, bewildered.
"Yes, to bed. You won't come down to dinner. Perhaps that will teach youto wear your rubbers next time and be more careful."
Jewel found the backstairs and ascended them, her little heart hotwithin her.
"She's the impolitest woman in the whole world, Anna Belle!" shewhispered. "I'm going to not cry. Mother didn't know what impolitenessthere was at grandpa's or she wouldn't have let us come."
The child's eyes were bright as she found her room and began undressing."But you mustn't be angry, dearie," she continued excitedly to her doll."It's the worst error to be angry, because it means hating. You treatme, Anna Belle, and I'll treat you," she went on, unfastening herclothes with unsteady hands.
With many a pause to work at a refractory elastic or button, and manyinterruptions from catches in her breath, she murmured aloud during theprocess of her undressing: "Dear Father in Heaven, I seem to feel sorryall over, and full of error. Help me to know that I'm not a mortal mindlittle girl, hating and angry, but I am Thy child, and the only things Iknow are good, happy things. Error has no power and Love has all power.I love Mrs. Forbes, and she loves me. Thou art here even in thishouse, and please help me to know that one of Thy children cannot hurtanother." Here Jewel slipped into the new wrapper her mother had made,and hurried into the white tiled bathroom near by. While she let thewater run into the tub she put her hand into her pocket mechanically, insearch of a handkerchief, and when she felt the crisp touch of paper shedrew it out eagerly. It was covered, and she read the words written inher mother's distinct hand.
"Love to my Jewel. Is she making a stepping-stone of every trial, andlearning to think less and less about herself, and more and more aboutother people? And does she remember that little girls cannot alwaysunderstand the error that grown-up people have to meet, especially thosewho have not Science to help them? They must be treated very gently, andI hope my little Jewel will be always kind and patient, and make her newfriends glad she is there."
The child folded the paper and put it carefully back in her pocket.Then she took her bath, and returning to her room undressed her doll insilence. Finally, changing her wrapper for her nightdress, she climbedinto bed, where she lay thinking and looking at the sunlight on thewall.
At dinner time the maid Sarah appeared with a tray. "Here's your dinner,Miss Julia," she said, looking at the heavy-eyed little girl. "It's toobad you're not well."
"I am well, thank you," replied Jewel. "I'm sorry you had to carry thatheavy tray up so many stairs."
"Oh, I don't mind that," returned the girl good-naturedly. "I'll set itright here by the bed."
"Is grandpa down there?" asked Jewel wistfully.
"Yes, Miss Julia. They're all eating their dinner. I hope you'll enjoyyours."
Sarah went away, and the little girl spread some bread and butter andate it slowly.
Meanwhile, when the family had gathered at the dinner table, Mr.Evringham looked up at his housekeeper.
"Where is Jewel?" he asked shortly. "I object to her being unpunctual."
"Yes, sir. She is having dinner in her room. She was very naughty andgot wet in the brook."
"Ah, indeed!" Mr. Evringham frowned and looked down. He had been alittle disappointed that the bright face was not watching to see himcome home from his ride, but of course discipline must be maintained."I'm sorry to hear this," he added.
Mrs. Evringham and Eloise found him a shade less taciturn than usualto-night. He felt vaguely that he now had an ally of his own flesh andblood in the house, a spirit sufficiently kindred to pref
er his societyto theirs, and this made him unusually lenient.
He meant to go upstairs after dinner, and warn Jewel to be more carefulin future to conform to all Mrs. Forbes's rules; but the meal wasscarcely over when a friend called to get him to attend some businessmeeting held that evening in the interests of the town, and he becameinterested in his statements and went away with him.
"Wasn't father quite agreeable this evening?" asked Mrs. Evringham ofEloise. "What did I tell you? I could see that he felt relief becausethat plain little creature was not in evidence. Father always was sofastidious. Of course it is selfish in a way, but it is no use to blamemen for caring for beauty. They will do it."
"It was a shame to make that little girl stay upstairs," returnedEloise. "I judge she managed to amuse herself this afternoon, and so shegets punished for it. I should like to go up and sit with her."
"It would not be worth while," returned Mrs. Evringham quickly. "I'msure Dr. Ballard will be here soon. You would have to come right downagain."
"That is not the reason I don't go," returned the girl. "It is becauseI am not an Evringham, and I have determined not to arrive at friendlyrelations with any one of the name. When I once escape from here, theywill have seen the last of me."
"The way of escape lies open," returned her mother soothingly. "I'm gladyou have on that gown. If a man cares for a woman, he always loves tosee her in white."
As soon as dinner was over, Mrs. Forbes ascended the stairs to seeher prisoner. Jewel was lying quietly in bed, the tray, apparentlyuntouched, beside her. The latter circumstance Mrs. Forbes observed atonce.
"Why haven't you eaten your dinner, Julia?" she asked. "I hope you arenot sulking."
"No'm. I don't believe I am. I don't know what that means."
"You don't know what sulky means?" suspiciously. "It is very naughty fora little girl to refuse to eat her dinner because she is angry at beingpunished for her own good."
"Did you send me to bed because you loved me?" asked Jewel. Her cheekswere very red, but even the disconcerted housekeeper could see that shewas not excited or angry.
"Everybody loves good little girls," returned Mrs. Forbes. "Now eat yourdinner, Julia, so I can carry down the tray."
"I did eat the bread. It was all I wanted. It was very nice."
The polite addition made the housekeeper uncertain. While she pausedJewel added, "I wish I could see grandpa."
"He's gone out on business. He won't be back until after you are asleep.And if you were thinking of complaining to him, Julia, I tell you itwon't do any good. He will trust everything to me."
"Do you think I would trouble grandpa?" returned the child.
The housekeeper looked at her in silent perplexity. The blue eyes weredirect and innocent, but there was a heaviness about them that stirredMrs. Forbes uncomfortably.
"You must have got too tired playing this afternoon, Julia," she saiddecisively, "or you would be hungry for your dinner. You took that hotbath I told you to?"
"Yes'm."
"Where have you put your wet things? Oh, I see, you've spread them outvery nicely; but those shoes--I shall have to have them cleaned andpolished for you. Now go to sleep as quick as you can and have along night's rest. I'm sure the next time you go out you won't be socareless."
Jewel's eyes followed the speaker as she bustled about and at last tookup the tray.
"Will you kiss me good-night, Mrs. Forbes?" asked the child.
The surprised housekeeper set down her burden, stooped over the bed andkissed her.
"There now, I see you're sorry," she said, somewhat touched.
Jewel gave her a little smile. "No'm, I've stopped being sorry," shereplied.
"She'd puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer," soliloquized the housekeeperas she descended the stairs with the tray. "I suppose her mother isuneducated and uses queer English. As the old ones croak, the young oneslearn. The child uses words nobody ever heard of, and is ignorant of thecommonest ones. I'm glad she's so fond of me if I've got to take care ofher."