Kitty Trenire | Page 7

was taking himself very seriously. He glanced furtively at
the children, and bore himself with an air of patient but superior
resignation. In his heart he was really vexed with himself for having
complained of them, though he felt it would not do to let them know it.
Betty, Dan, and Tony felt so bitterly the ill turn he had done them that
they walked through the yard and up into the garden without a word or
a glance--a cut on the forehead seemed so trifling compared with what
they had to bear. Jabez, who had expected anger or teasing on their
parts, felt this coldness greatly; he was not used to that kind of
treatment, and it hurt him. Kitty, though, was so struck by the sight of
his preparations that for the moment she forgot him and his injuries.
"Father hasn't to go out again to-night, has he, Jabez?" she asked
anxiously, staying behind while the others strolled on.
"Yes, miss, he hev. He've got to go to Welland to once. They've just
sent in."
"Are you going too?" looking at his bandaged head.
"No, miss," with a resigned air. "Master says I'm to go 'ome and 'ave a
good night's rest--that is if so be as I can get to sleep."

"But who is going to drive father?" interrupted Kitty.
"Master said as 'ow he'd drive hisself."
Kitty remembered the weary look on her father's face, the sleepless
night he had had, the long, busy day. "Jabez," she said with quiet
firmness, "I am going to drive father; then perhaps he will be able to
sleep a little in the carriage. Don't say anything to him, but I'll be in the
carriage when you drive it round for him, and then I expect he will let
me go."
Jabez looked dubiously first at the sky and then at Kitty.
"I can drive; you know I can," she said eagerly. "Now don't be nasty,
Jabez; we have got trouble enough as it is."
"'Tis my belief there's a nasty storm brewing--"
"I love a storm, especially when I am driving through it."
"I was putting in the old mare on purpose, 'cause she stands thunder
and lightning better than what Billy does, but--"
"Jabez, you may say what you like, but I am going, unless father stops
me; so don't bother to say any more about it. I know the way, and father
trusts me to drive."
"I wasn't going against 'ee, Miss Kitty. If you'm set on it you'm set on it,
and 'tisn't no manner of use for me to talk."
Dan and the others came sauntering down from the garden again.
"Jabez, you might give me the nail out of that bit of wood," said Dan;
"every half-ounce counts, and I want to get enough iron to sell."
Jabez shook his head knowingly. He would rather not have had any
further reference made to the affair, for he was really devoted to them
all, and was ashamed of his part in it. He always made a point, though,
of seeming to distrust them; he thought it safer.

"Ah, I ain't so sure," he began, "that it'd be wise of me to let 'ee 'ave it. I
dunno what more 'arm you mightn't be doing with it."
"We couldn't do more harm than you have done already," snapped Dan.
"You've nailed Aunt Pike fast to the house with it, and it will take more
than we can do to get her away again."
"What be saying of, sir?" asked Jabez, bewildered, and suddenly
realizing that their sombre faces and manner meant something more
than usual. "Mrs. Pike--"
"Father is going to send and ask Aunt Pike to live here, and it's your
fault," said Betty concisely. "It was your complaining about Dan that
did it."
Jabez gasped. He knew the lady well, and preserved a vivid recollection
of her former visit. "She hain't a-coming visiting here again, is she,
sur?" he groaned.
"Visiting! It's much worse than that, a thousand times worse. She is
coming here for good, to manage all of us--and you too!" they gasped.
Jabez dropped helpless on to an upturned bucket, the picture of
hopeless dejection. "There won't be no peace in life no more," he said,
"and I shan't be allowed to show my nose in the kitchen. I'd have had
my old 'ead scat abroad every day of my life and never have told rather
than I'd have helped to do this. Was it really me telling on 'ee, sur, that
made the master settle it so?"
"Yes," nodded Dan, "that finished it."
Jabez groaned again in sheer misery. "I dunno, I'm sure, whatever made
me take and do it. I've stood so much more from all of 'ee and never so