"Anna Belle,Anna Belle,has it come to this!"he murmured,picking up the neglected one,who,with her usual elasticity and exuberance of spirit,at once opened her eyes and beamed optimistically on her rescuer.He set her,facing him,on his knee."Such is youth!"he sighed."When she throws you down,I feel that I'm not going to be so recuperative as you,Anna Belle.I have a plan,however,a plan of self-defense;but if it weren't for your discretion,I shouldn't tell it to you,for I'm an old bird,young lady,and can't be caught with chaff.There are many worthy persons who may rise to lofty heights in eternity,who nevertheless,meanwhile are not desirable to sit opposite a man at his breakfast table.A visit,Anna Belle,a short visit from my daughter Julia is all I shall ask for at first,and Ishall test her,test her,my dear.I'll look at her through a magnifying glass.Of course,if they'd give me Jewel,it would be all I'd ask for;but they won't.That is self-evident."Here the child came around the corner of the house,leading her pet by a halter,but with her hand in his mane as she pressed close to his side,caressing and talking to him.In fact it was the harassing problem of the pony's life to manage to avoid stepping on her.Zeke lounged in the background on account equally of his orders and his inclination.
Star began cropping the grass,and Mr.Evringham continued his disquisition to the bright-eyed young person on his knee:--"My son Harry is turning out a pretty good sort,I fancy.I'm not particularly shy of giving him a trial,provided he'll do the same by me;but I suppose he will have to go West at first,anyway.Julia is a different thing.I can't whistle her on and off with the same frankness;and I must be careful,Anna Belle.Do you understand?
Careful!And I'm going to be,by Jove,in spite of the way it makes me cringe to think of this big house,empty as a drum.It wasn't empty before,that's the mischief of it.What has happened to me?I thought things were well enough in those days.Nobody whom I knew was particularly happy.Why should I be?"The thrushes stopped,for Jewel's childish voice floated out on the evening air.
Mr.Evringham knew what had happened.He knew that Zeke had asked her to sing.They two were sitting on the ground,while the pony cropped away at the sweet grass.
"From tired joy and grief afar,And nearer Thee,Father,where Thine own children are I love to be!"The broker listened for a minute.
"I'll take Jewel and her mother to the seashore somewhere;for I must leave the house,if only to let Madge down easily,and too,I wish to study Julia outside her atmosphere.Poor Madge,she's a light weight,but I think there are better times coming for her.At View Point she'll find friends."Time passed,and at last Mr.Evringham called,"That will do,Jewel.""Do you want Star to go in?"she returned.
The broker nodded,and the child sprang up and began patting and smoothing the little horse with energetic affection.
"It's your bedtime,Star,"she said,"but morning's coming."She kissed his sleek shoulder."We'll have such a good time in the morning.I don't bounce a bit now,do I,Zeke?"she asked,turning to him.
"Well,I guess not,"returned Zeke scornfully."You ain't the kind that gets bounced after a fellow knows you,"he added,smiling.He took the pony's halter."Good-night,Jewel.""Good-night,Zeke."She ran across the lawn and up the piazza steps.
"How kind of you,grandpa,to amuse Anna Belle!"she exclaimed gratefully,observing the doll on his knee.At the same time she most abruptly whisked that patient person into a neighboring chair and usurped her place.Cuddling down in her grandfather's arms,she nestled her head against his shoulder and sighed happily.
The light began to fade,the last smoke from the broker's cigar curled out into the summer air.He tossed it away and pressed the child more closely to him.
"Sing once again the song you sang for Zeke."he said.
And she began softly in her true,clear voice:--"From tired joy and grief afar,And nearer Thee,Father,where Thine own children are I love to be!""Amen,"breathed Mr.Evringham.
End
