A Little Girl in Old Salem | Page 7

the truth."
"And he----" Chilian looked intently into the captain's eyes.

"I suppose the end has come before this. They thought he might last a
month when we left. It's sad enough. He should have lived to be ninety.
But matters went well with him, and he has been an honest, kindly,
upright man with a large heart. I've lost my best friend and adviser."
The captain drew his rough coat-sleeve across his face and looked past
Chilian, winking hard.
"There's a sight of business when we come to that, Mr. Leverett, but
now--will you go on board? The maid is a most excellent and sensible
person. They are in the cabin."
"Yes," he answered and followed with a curious throb at his heart--pity
for the orphaned child and a sense of responsibility he was conscious
that he accepted unwillingly, yet he would do his duty to the uttermost.
Already some officials were on hand, for at this period Salem was
really a notable port. Chilian passed them with a bow, followed the
captain down the gangplank, stared a little at the foreign deck-hands in
their odd habiliments, stepped over boxes and bales in canvas and
matting full of Oriental fragrance that from the closeness was almost
stifling, coming from the clear air. Then he was ushered into the cabin,
that was replete with Orientalism as well.
A rather tall woman rose to meet him.
"This is Mistress Rachel Winn, who has mothered the little girl for
several years, Mr. Leverett, her relative and guardian, and--Cynthia----"
The child threw herself down on the couch.
"I want to go back home. I want to see my father, and Aymeer, and
Babo, and Nalla. I can't stay here."
"But perhaps your father will bring them when he comes. Don't you
remember he told you he lived here when he was a little boy, and what
nice times he had with the cousin he loved? And the cousin is here to
bid you welcome. Come and speak to him. We cannot go back at once,

the ship has to unload her cargo and take in ever so many other things.
See, here is Cousin Leverett."
She sat up, made a forward movement as if she would rise, but simply
stared.
"Yes, I am Cousin Leverett." He began advancing and held out his
hand.
"And very glad to see such an excellent traveller as you have been,"
said the captain. "And such a nice little girl. You are an American girl;
you know your father told you that. And this is your native town.
Cousin Leverett remembers you when you were very little."
"But I don't remember you;" taking no notice of the proffered hand.
"Then you must get acquainted with me. And you must tell me about
your life and your father, whom I have not seen in a long, long time.
Let us shake hands."
She held out hers then and raised herself to her feet.
"Oh, how soft your hands are," she cried, "just like Nalla's. But they are
very white. Nalla's were brown."
"And who was Nalla?"
"She used to come and play with me and make chains out of shells, and
make bracelets and anklets, and dance. And she used to go to the
Sahibs' house and dance with snakes. I'm afraid of them. Are you?"
"Indeed I am, of the large ones," he said at a venture.
He fancied that he felt a gentle pressure of sympathetic approval. She
glanced up for an instant and her eyes transfixed him. They were a deep
wonderful blue, almost black at the pupil, then raying off a little lighter.
It made him think of a star in the winter midnight sky with a halo
around it. The lashes were long and nearly black. Otherwise she had
little claim to beauty just then. Her complexion had a tawny hue made

by sun and wind, her hair was light, but it had a peculiar sunburned tint,
though it was fine and abundant and hung in loose curls about her
shoulders. Her nose was the only Leverett feature--it was straight,
rather small, and had the flexibility that betrayed passing emotions. The
Leverett lips were thin, hers were full in the middle, giving a certain
roundness to the mouth.
"Are there any where you live?" hesitatingly.
"Any?" Then he recalled the subject they had touched upon. "Oh, no;
you seldom see them, and they are mostly harmless."
"Have you any little girls in your house?"
"No, I am sorry to say."
"There were two little English girls on shipboard at first. They went on
board another vessel after a while. I liked them very much. They knew
a great many things about countries. I can read, but I don't a great deal.
Sometimes father would tell me about