Seventeen [69]
Jane was justly aggrieved. ``But, mamma, it isn't MY fault!''
Mrs. Baxter's lips parted to speak, but she checked herself. ``Fault?'' she said, gravely. ``I wonder whose fault it really is!''
And with that she went hurriedly into William's room and made a brief inspection of his clothes-closet and dressing-table. Then, as Jane watched her in awed silence, she strode to the window, and called, loudly:
``Genesis!''
``Yes'm?'' came the voice from below.
``Go to that lumber-yard where Mr. William is at work and bring him here to me at once. If he declines to come, tell him--'' Her voice broke oddly; she choked, but Jane could not decide with what emotion. ``Tell him--tell him I ordered you to use force if necessary! Hurry!''
``YES'M!''
Jane ran to the window in time to see Genesis departing seriously through the back gate.
``Mamma--''
``Don't talk to me now, Jane,'' Mrs. Baxter said, crisply. ``I want you to go down in the yard, and when Willie comes tell him I'm waiting for him here in his own room. And don't come with him, Jane. Run!''
``Yes, mamma.'' Jane was pleased with this appointment; she anxiously desired to be the first to see how Willie ``looked.''
. . . He looked flurried and flustered and breathless, and there were blisters upon the reddened palms of his hands. ``What on earth's the matter, mother?'' he asked, as he stood panting before her. ``Genesis said something was wrong, and he said you told him to hit me if I wouldn't come.''
``Oh NO!'' she cried. ``I only meant I thought perhaps you wouldn't obey any ordinary message--''
``Well, well, it doesn't matter, but please hurry and say what you want to, because I got to get back and--''
``No,'' Mrs. Baxter said, quietly, ``you're not going back to count any more shingles, Willie. How much have you earned?''
He swallowed, but spoke bravely. ``Thirty- six cents. But I've been getting lots faster the last two hours and there's a good deal of time before six o'clock. Mother--''
``No,'' she said. ``You're going over to that horrible place where you've left your clothes and your watch and all those other things in the two baskets, and you're going to bring them home at once.''
``Mother!'' he cried, aghast. ``Who told you?''
``It doesn't matter. You don't want your father to find out, do you? Then get those things back here as quickly as you can. They'll have to be fumigated after being in that den.''
``They've never been out of the baskets,'; he protested, hotly, ``except just to be looked at. They're MY things, mother, and I had a right to do what I needed to with 'em, didn't I?'' His utterance became difficult. ``You and father just CAN'T understand--and you won't do anything to help me--''
``Willie, you can go to the party,'' she said, gently. ``You didn't need those frightful clothes at all.''
``I do!'' he cried. ``I GOT to have 'em! I CAN'T go in my day clo'es! There's a reason you wouldn't understand why I can't. I just CAN'T!''
``Yes,'' she said, ``you can go to the party.''
``I can't, either! Not unless you give me three dollars and twenty-four cents, or unless I can get back to the lumber-yard and earn the rest before--''
``No!'' And the warm color that had rushed over Mrs. Baxter during Jane's sensational recital returned with a vengeance. Her eyes flashed. ``If you'd rather I sent a policeman for those baskets, I'll send one. I should prefer to do it--much! And to have that rascal arrested. If you don't want me to send a policeman you can go for them yourself, but you must start within ten minutes, because if you don't I'll telephone headquarters. Ten minutes, Willie, and I mean it!''
He cried out, protesting. She would make him a thing of scorn forever and soil his honor, if she sent a policeman. Mr. Beljus was a fair and honest tradesman, he explained, passionately, and had not made the approaches in this matter. Also, the garments in question, though not entirely new, nor of the highest mode, were of good material and in splendid condition.