Girl Alone

sene lamp-the electric light wires had not been brought to the garret-and then kn

hat gleamed pearly-white in the faint moonlight, and, clasping her thin little hands tightly, spok

e Pearl not hate me so much just because David is sweet to me. She has so many friends and a father and mother and a grandmother and a nice home and so many pretty clothes,

ardness and lumpiness of her cornshuck mattress. For she was reliving the hour she had spent in the Carson living room, sponsored by a s

lessed fact of David's championship. She lay very still to recapture the bliss of David's arm about her waist, as he whirled her lightly in a fox trot, the music for which came so mysteriously from a little box with d

own dancing. When he danced with Pearl, her husky young body pressed closely against his, her fingertips audaciously brushe

; but their rudeness had no power to still the little song of thanksgiving that trilled in her heart, for always David came back to her, l

ashed glasses and plates, while the others danced in the parlor. They had not returned, but together had slipped up the back stai

his ambition was to be a scientific farmer, so that he might make the most of the farm which he would some day inherit from his grandfather. His grandfather's place adjoined the Carson farm, but it was being worked "on shares" by a large family of brothers, who had n

Sue Mullins. I suppose," she added honestly, "he's sorry for me because I'm an orph

, Pearl!" "Don't forget, Pearl! Our house tomorrow night!" "See you at Sunday School, Pearl, and bring David with you! Some sheik! Oh,

. Why couldn't they let her and David be friends without thinking things like that? Why, David was so-so wonderful! He wouldn

pare the big Sunday dinner-Mrs. Carson having gone to church in spite of her Saturday determination not to. David came smiling

ked Sally, his hazel eyes brimming with friendliness.

him shyly. "I'll try not to make an

you can sing like a bird. Your voice sings even when you're talking. And a

sang Sunday School song

rustling black taffeta, had gone to church, too, leading her middle-aged half-wit son by the hand. Benny had strained at his mother's hand, trying to get loose so that he could kiss Sally and show her his bri

your bl

em one

ur many

God hat

id! Poor half-wit Benny, whose only blessings were a dim little old mother and a new red necktie! But wasn't a mother-even an o

he that contracted it sharply every time she thought of

read that swee

was here

tle children as l

the door startled her. Davi

something like this-" And he began to hum, breaking into words now and then

h with me!" a shrill voice, passionate w

ther, but Pearl had come into the house through the front door, and w

here wouldn't be any Sunday dinner. Do you know why I came home, Sally Ford?" she demanded, advancing into th

as halted by the kitchen table. "I'm cooki

't find my diamond bar-pin that Papa gave me for a Christmas present last year, and I remembered when I was in Sunday School that

r sapphire eyes, until she was a pale shadow of the girl who had been

bar-pin, Pearl," she said a

I remembered all right this morning, when it was gone off this dress, the same dress I was wearing last night. See, David!" she appea

smile curled his lips without reachi

for?" Pearl screamed. "I won't have

ething lay on his palm-a narrow bar of filigreed white gold, set with a small, square-cut diamond. Still without speaking, he

ou get that?

ell you?" David spoke at la

ered. "No! Does s

contemptuously to the kitchen table. "But next time I think you'd better put it away in your own room. And

shrink visibly under her f

f weeping. "You'll hate me now! And you used to like me, befo

ldly. "Tell your mother you found your pin just where you

as she turned toward the door. "And you won't te

"But I'm sure you'll make up to Sally f

l cried, then, sobbing wildly,

ing me if dinner is late," David said casually, but he paused l

near the truth, so weak from reaction, so stirred by gratitude to David, that she was making poor headway with din

a persuaded me to buy. I don't believe in this blue-ribbon stock. Always delicate-got to be

of the steaming water. As he lathered his hands until festoons of soap bubbles hung from them,

round the kitchen th

ling pin and her eyes fluttered gu

things is just about settled between 'em. Fine match, too. He'll own his granddad's place some day-next farm to this one, and the young folks will be mighty well fixed. I recko

," Sally

took a notion that maybe some other girl from the orphanage would suit us better, why I don't know as I could do anything else but take you back. And I'd hate that. You're

ence for the day she decided to change from her faded gingham to her white dress before serving dinner. Surely she

undle she discovered immediately that other hands than her own had touched it; the stockings had been unrolled and then rerolled clumsily, not at all in her own neat fashion. Then suddenly full comprehension came to her. The pieces of the puzzle settled miraculously into shape. It

at her teeth chattered she dressed herself as decently as her orphanage wardrob

he would soon own the lands which he himself had loved so passionately. He did not return for supper, and at breakfast on Monday ther

agonism, or perhaps, in spite of the shameful trick in which he had caught her, he really cared for Pearl. Evenings he sat for a short time in the living room or on the front porch,

lock David appeared at the kit

axe blade, Sally?" he asked casually, but his eyes gave

eserving kettles, grumbled an assent, and

st of the great red barns. While Sally poured water at intervals upon the stone, David held the

g all righ

such good things to eat-and Pearl's given me some dresses that are

n how young he was, although he seemed so very grown-up to her.

ve got to earn my board and keep. Besides, there's such an awful lot to be done, with the prese

little girl opposite him. "You're earning five times as much as your board and

rt dinner! I can't leave this piccalilli I'm mak

ght? I'll help you with the dishes. You never get out of the house, except to the garden. Y

ped with the pain of ref

David said steadily, h

er cheeks pink with excitement, her eyes

Although it was nearly nine o'clock it was not yet dark; the sweet, throbbing peace of a June twilight, di

hile you and I were washing dishes Mrs. Carson stitched up the seams. Wasn't that sweet of her? Do you like

of the made-over dress between the thumb and f

er gravely. "When I saw Pearl busting out of

n't already left for the party at Willis's. Was

e was a twinkle in his eyes. "Let's talk abo

last few days that she had thought she never wanted to see another peach. But this wa

Sally's shoulder sometimes touching David's coatsleeve,

ith content, her fatigue and the smarting of h

You can see where it's turning yellow. Pretty soon its jade-green dress will be as yellow as gold, and a

to look at a farm, that it makes people mean and cross and stingy and ugly, w

the winter and I can hardly wait to get to the farm in the summer. But it's not my worry if the summer is wet and the wheat rusts. I'l

at twilight I'd go out and look at my growing things and see how pretty a picture th

ly and surely as a woman's. She had the feeling that they were two children, who had slipped away from their elders. She had never known anyone like Dav

r. "A fine crop. I've given it its last plowing this week. It's what far

combat. And the breeze rustled through them, bringing to the beauty-drunk little girl a cargo of mingled odo

s voice hushed with the wonder of the night and of the beauty that lay about t

ender knees with her hands a

as he seated himself at a little distance from her. "I su

rned toward him, and her voice, hushed but determined, spoke

to the Home-ever. I'

hat will you do? A girl alone, like you? And won't they try to bring y

answered, fright creeping back into her voice. "But I'm going to do it anyway. I'd rather die than go back to the orpha

lly," David

g sentences, roughened sometimes by

ey don't actually beat us, unless we've done something pretty bad; but oh, it's the knowing that we're orphans and that the state takes care of us and that nobody cares whether we live or die that makes it so hard to b

x is a pretty bad handicap,

lot. We have a branch of the public library in the orphanage, but we're only allowed to take o

uld you do?" David persist

d! A girl of sixteen, who has never had more than a nickel of her own in her life! And only a nickel given to me by som

darkness, was upon hers befor

caress. "Charity hasn't broken your spirit yet, child. Just try to be patient for a while longer

essed in a strangled voice. "I might

losed in a hurting grip over hers. "Has P

at Mr. Carson would try to take me back to the orphanage, i

avid asked slowly, amazement dragging a

ever, that you'd been in any way responsible. He-he says it's practically set

o believe me when I say that I have never had the slightest intention of marrying Pearl Carson. I have not made love to her. I'm too young