ue pain in his tone filled Jewel's eyes, and her little hands
clasped tighter the frame she held in her lap.
"Then you will give me one of you, too, grandpa?"
"Oh, child," he returned, rather hoarsely, "it's too late to be painting my
leather countenance."
"No one could paint it just as I know it," said Jewel softly. "I know all
the ways you look, grandpa,--when you're joking or when you're sorry, or
happy, and they're all in here," she pressed one hand to her breast in a
simple fervor that, with her moist eyes, compelled Mr. Evringham to swallow
several times; "but I'd like one in my hand to show to people when I tell
them about you."
The broker looked away and fussed with an envelope.
"Grandpa," continued the child after a pause, "I've been thinking that
there's one secret we've got to keep from father and mother."
Mr. Evringham looked back at her. This was the most cheering word he had
heard for some time.
"It wouldn't be loving to let them know how sorry it makes us to say
good-by, would it? I get such lumps in my throat when I think about not
riding with you or having breakfast together. I do work over it and think
how happy it will be to have father and mother again, and how Love gives us
everything we ought to have and everything like that; but I
_have_--cried--twice, thinking about it! Even Anna Belle is mortified the
way I act. I know you feel sorry, too, and we've got to demonstrate over
it; but it'll come so soon, and I guess I didn't begin to work in time.
Anyway, I was wondering if we couldn't just have a secret and manage not to
say good-by to each other." The corners of the child's mouth were twitching
down now, and she took out a small handkerchief and wiped her eyes.
Mr. Evringham blew his nose violently, and crossing the office turned the
key in the door.
"I think that would be an excellent plan, Jewel," he returned, rather
thickly, but with an endeavor to speak heartily. "Of course your
confounded--I mean to say your--your parents will naturally expect you to
follow their plans and"--he paused.
"And it would be so unloving to let them think that I was sorry after they
let me have such a beautiful visit, and if we can _just_--manage not to say
good-by, everything will be so much easier."
The broker stood looking at her while the plaintive voice made music for
him. "I'm going to try to manage just that thing if it's in the books," he
said, after waiting a little, and Jewel, lookin
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