The Penn's Grove record., 1885-05-30

fairly turning tail, fed back INTO the
schoolroom and slammed the door.
Jack Dane reopened it, and, follow
ing her in, seated himself close to her,
and added to his list of misdemeanors
by recklessly shutting up the inkstand
and flinging the German eXercise-bOOk
into a far corner.
Cissy looked up, smiling through her
tears.
"Bother the old lessons" cried Mr..
Dane disrespectfully; ''you sha'n't
write another word to-nighti'
"It's-lt's not the lessons. , sobbed
Cissy, with quivering lips, ''thOugh
they're bad and horrid enough; it's
it's you-you, poor dear bOyp'
81 |" cried Jack i%nnocently.
ooh, yesl 1 do so wish l had money
to give you-a lot, | mean.'
"You jolly little thirgl" cried Jack
Dane admlr1ngly.
care you really 50 very, very poor,
Jack dear2"
"Why, yes. my dearl But, to be fair
and above board, / ought to tell you
that it's a good deal my own fault. a
fellow ought, you know, by rights to
keep within bounds. But I've been
awfully extravagant; and now I'm ever
so deep in the Jews clutches, and they
won't give me another hundred without
the most rascalIy interest"
''Horrid creaturesl' cried Cissy
wrathfully.
And that isn't all, continued Jack.
"Now I've been and lost a pot of money
at Ascot-debts of honor, you know,
Cis, that a fellow must pay-and I've
had to forestall my next years allow
ance, or as good as all of it; and what
I'm to do to pay the piper goodness
knowsl shall have to pawn my watch
and my dress coat next
Poor Cissy looked bewildered and
frightened; but Jack only laughed.
"Won't you ask papa to give you a
little2" Cissy began doubtfully.
"He won't, CHS; he's SC dreadfully
hard-hearted. Besides, you know, he
has got all of you"
''Oh, dear, oh, DEAR" said Cissy,
comically remorseful, show [ wish l
had never been bornl''
Jack Dane began to whistle.
"But can people live for nothing in
Norway" continued the puzzled gir).
"Not quite; but perhaps l shall get
a little work as a brickIayer's assistant
out there, where Pm not known. |
| think - SAID Jack Dane pensively, 81
could do it; it's only climbing up a lad
der, you know, Cis, with a bod of
bricks, and then throwing them down
where you're told and going to fetch
more"
"Oh, jack" cried poor CHS, in agony.
I'm save you every penny of my pocket
it's so very llttle-only ten shilllngs a
quarteri And-oh, wait here a minute,
while I go to my o. and fetch some
thingi"
Sne was gone before he could answer:
and Mr.. Dane got up and walked to the
window, whlstling softly to himself.
Cissy came back, looking happy and
excited, with a tiny silver-paper parcel
Ill her hand.
sLook here" she cried-''this was
Dicks birthday present to me, and it's
the only piece of Jewelry | have; and,
if it wasn't Dicks present just before
he went to sea, | shouldn't care about
it a bit-and Pm quite sure Dick him
| self wouldn't mind; and-and, " con-
cluded Cissy shyly, ''you are to take it
and sell it, please, and keep the money.
And here's three-and-sixpence besides
all | have left out of my last allow
ance."
Jack Dane left off whistling and drew
near.
YOU'RE a good girl, Cis, he said APP
provingly, coolly p~0cketing the four
| coins his cousin handed to him. "You
wouldn't like TO see me starve, l know;
and this, though it isn't much, will just
do to keep my head above water a little
while. What's this" he added "a
locket2 Oh, | say, though" as Cissy
mutely held up for his inspection a
small gewgaw of enamel and n~ine-carat
gold which might possibly have cost
originally about eve shillings, 'you
can't spare it, you knowl''
"sOh, yes!n the girl cried eagerly. 81
don't want 1t indeedl See-I am taking
out the lock of Dicks hair, and L shall
keep it in paper in my drawer; and it
will do every bit as well. You are to
take the locket, Jack"
Jack looked at her. Her face, her
very features, had changed a though
a u1dSlCidu Ndhu hau oiohohSu iOd
them.
"By Jove," thought the young fell
low, show handsome she Isl"
"Youm take the locket. won't your"
| pleaded Cissy eagerly. She had crept
close up to him, and they we're standing
hand in hand.
Suddenly Jack grasped her shoulder
with his two hands, and, holding her a
little way fIom him, looked long and
earnestly into her face
81 think you like me, Cis, a little,
don't you?"
Like your Oh, Jack, of course /
dol" cried Miss Clavering reproachfully.
81 like you too," SAID Jack Dane;
sand | think you the %joliest little
brick of a girl | Let me see-how old
are you, Cissy-hften and a half2 I'm
twenty-three. In two years more you'll
be seventeen, and l shall be twenty
fiYe.n
"And you'll have all uncle Philips
money then, and be a rich man, !" a
Cissy.
"And you'll be a woman grown" re-
turned Jack.
Eyes, Jack, and give up lessons, and
go to dances. Won't 1t be JollyE"
lawfully, "responded the sympathiz.
ing Mr.. Dane. "And now, Chs, We'll
drive a bargain. On the very day Pm
twenty five III urn up here in this
musty old schoOlroom-frOm the utter
most ends of the earth, if should hap
pen to go to them-and I'll bring you
the %jolliest of gold lockets IN place of
this, which viii be sold, you know, 10y
that time; and in return youu have TO
give me whatever birthday present |
may choose to ask for-won't you, CIsp"
''If it isn't too expensive, and ! can
possibly get il, answered Cts prudently,
There was a slamming of doors be-
low; and Mr.. Kane made haste to pocket
his possession and retire to the window
with a newspaper in his hand, before
his retreat should be- invaded by aunt
and cousins.
"Tired?" repeated Jack afterwards.