Jill the Reckless

blank, gray days never wholly passes. Itremains for ever at the back of our consciousness to remind us that,though we may have struggled through it to the heights, there is anabyss. We may dwell, like the Pilgrim, on the Delectable Mountains,but we never forget the Slough of Despond. Years afterwards, Jillcould not bring herself to think of that brief

ainfor a week or so to settle his affairs,--especially if he is an UncleChris--and has got those affairs into such a tangle that hardenedlawyers knit their brows at the sight of them. It took one of themost competent firms in the metropolis four days to produce s

Strangers roamed the rooms eyeingand appraising the furniture. Uncle Chris, on whom disaster had had aquickening and vivifying effect, was everywhere at once, ani

l area which had oncemade up the whole of London for her, but even so she was not alwayssuccessful in escaping from old acquaintances. Once, cutting throughLennox Gardens on her way to that vast, desolate King's Road whichstretches its length ou

and Jill, who desired nothing less than totalk with one so intimately connected in her

sthings, said Freddie and had retreated further north. Freddie, itseemed, had been informed of the broken engagement by Lady Underh

ehow, and finallythere came the morning when, accompanied by Uncle Chris--voluble andexplanatory about the details of what he called "getting everythingsettled"--she rode in a taxi to take the train for Southampton. Herlast impression of London was

spot where it had been the morning before thatit was impossible to realize how many hundred miles of ocean hadreally been placed behind one; and finally the

ce disaster had come uponher she was conscious of a rising of her spirits. It is impossible tobehold the huge buildings which fringe the harbor of New York withouta sense of expectancy and excitement. There had remained in Jill'smind fro

ly affected. Hesmoked placidly and talked in a whol

r. On the voyage he had beeneloquent but sketchy. With the land of promise within biscuit-throwand the tu

ancy Iheard they'd pulled it down. Capital place. I had a steak there inthe year . . . But I expect they've pulled it down. But I sha

ong Island, youknow--over in that direction--with your Uncle Elmer. Daresay you'veforgotten you have an Uncle Elmer, eh?" he went on quickly, as Jillwas about to speak. "Your father's brother. Used to be in business,but retired some years ago and goes in for amateur farm

re."Jill listened to this programme with dismay. New York was calling toher, and Brookport held out no attractions at all. She looked down

o be with you,"

affectionately, "that I shall be working for you. I havetreated you very badly, but I intend to make up for it. I shall notforget that whatever money I may make will really belong to you." Helooked at her benignly, like a monarch of finance who has ear-markeda million or two for the benefit of a deserving charity. "You shallhave it all, Jill."H

rtfrom a nebulous idea that he intended to saunter through the cityp

ould turn up. Something always had turned up in theold days, and doubtless, with the march of civilization,opportunities had multiplied. Somewhere behi

all I put it--?""Look

youhave noticed that I have gone out of my way during the voyage

ever neglected theopportunities which an ocean voyage affords. The offer of a bookhere, a steamer-rug there,

talking to just now is one of the richest men in Milwaukee!""But it's not much good having rich friends in Milwaukee when you arein New Y

y, invigorating. . . Sure to be! The very name . . . You'll be as happy as the daysare long!""And how long the days will be!""Come, come! You mustn't look on the dark side!""Is there another?" Jill laughed. "You are an old hum-bug, UncleChris. You know perfectly well what you're condemning me to! I expectBrookport will be like a sort of Southend in winter. Oh, well, I'llbe brave. But do hurry and make a fortune, because I want to come toNew

getting below and putt

of Brookport collectinga few simple necessaries

r living in it. It presented itself to Jill on firstacquaintance in the aspect of a wind-swept railroad station, dumpeddown far away from human habitation in the middle of a stretch offlat and ragged country that reminded her a little of parts ofSurrey. The station was just a shed on a foundation of planks whichlay flush with the rai

e man held out a long hand. He did not smile. He w

. "Last time I saw you, you were a kiddy inshort frocks, running around and shouting to beat the band." Helooked up and down the platform. "_I_ never heard a

that it was not only t

athis side, loath to break in upon whatever secret sorrow he waswrestling with. "That would be a dollar," he went on. "They'rerobber

ity of the sharks at the Durham House restrainedher. Her independent soul had not quite adjusted itself to theprospect of living on the bounty of her fellows, relatives thoughthey were, and she was desirous of imposing

rselfpleasant, she declined to consider carrying the trunk to theirdestination. "Shall we start, then?"Mr Mariner led the

d Mr Mariner at last in thevoice with whic

e in the way.""Major Selby was speaking to me on the telephone just now," said MrMariner, "and he said that you might be thinking of settling down inBrookport. I've some nice little places round here which you mightlike to look at. Rent or buy. It's cheaper to buy. Brookport's agrowing place. It's getting known as a summer resort. There's abungalow down on the shore I'd like to show you tomorrow. Stands in anice large plot of ground, and if you bought it for twelv

outskirts of a straggling village. The lights inthe windows gave a welcome suggestion of warmth, for darkness hadfallen swiftly during their walk and the chil

ic pounding the sandy

inside, on the lagoon c

sixty cents a pound forbacon, and I can get the same bacon by walking into Patchogue forfifty-seven!" He b

sked Jill, feeling that som

les," said

pproaching eloquence. He quoted the price paid for each,the price asked, the price offered, the price that had been paid fiveyears ago. The recital carried them on for another mile, in thecourse of which

ndringham," s

.""There is." Jill's voice bubbled. "The King lives there.""Is that so?" said Mr Mariner. "Well, I bet he doesn't have thetrouble with help that we have here. I have t

er, she wondered how she did it. The sense ofdesolation which had gripped her on the sta

agedeight; a spaniel, probably a few years older, and an intermittentcat, who, when he did put in an appearance, was the life and soul ofthe party, but whose visits to his home were all too infrequent forJill. Thomas was a genial animal, whose color-scheme, like a Whistlerpicture, was an arrangement in black and white. He had gre

me as the last, almos

;while Rover, the spaniel, a great devotee of the garbage-can, woul

bout the courseof life in the Mariner household which

dsunk most of the money which he had made in business. Mr Mariner'slife centered around Brookport real estate, and the embarrassed Jillwas compelled to inspect sitting-rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, andmaster's bedrooms till the sound of a key turning in a lock gave her

okport in its grip. For the first time in her life she wastasting real loneliness. She wandered over the snow-patched fieldsdown to the frozen bay, and found the intense stillness, punctuatedonly by the occasional distant gunshot of some optimis

As was his habit, he did not enter into details, but he wrotein a spacious way of large things to be, of affairs that were comingout righ

e than most of those which she had viewed. MrMariner had exhausted the supply of cottages belonging to himself,and this one was the property of an ac

day. He had been thinkingthe thing over, and had come to the conclusion that Jill'sunresponsiveness when conf

ahill looking down on the bay, in several acres of ground. It had itsprivate landing-stage and bath-house, its dairy, itssleeping-por

go even lower. It's a fine house. You couldentertain there. Mrs Bruggenheim rented it last summer, and wanted tobuy, but she wouldn't go above ninet

of the shock which had shattered hismental poise; but he expressed his emotion by walking nearly a milewithout saying a word. He was stunned. He had supported himself uptill now by the thought that, frightful as the expense ofentertaining Jill as a guest might be, the outlay was a good sportingspeculation if she intended buying house-property in theneighbourh

he exclaimed, at t

here before he went to England.""It's all gone. I got nipped," said Jill, who was finding a certainamount of humor in the situation

culated?"

ve been allowed to do it,

ave known better than to allowyou.""Y

lence, lasting for abo

bad business,"

they areentertaining is a pauper and not, as they had supposed, an heiress,is subtle but well-marked. In most cases, more well-marked thansubtle. Nothing was actually said, but there are thoughts that arealmost as audible as words. A

nner, Mrs Mariner aske

had the significance of that little cloud that aroseout of the sea like a man's

it longbefore the proper time. But she proceeded bravely, for her consciencewas troubling her. Her sympathy was divided equally between theseunfortunate people who had been saddled with an undesired

ssuffered. "It would be nice if you would do it every night, don't youthink? You have no idea how tired print makes my eyes."On the following morning after breakfast, at the hour when she hadhitherto gone

ng child. He was a Mr Mariner in little. He had the familygloom. It puzzled Jill sometimes why this branch of the family

who was noconversationalist, gave her every opportunity for meditation. Sheperceived that in the space of a few hours she had sunk in the so

gave a thought to thechill gloom of the house to

vouchsafed his first i

information she had received did not cause Jill any greatapprehension. It was hardly likely that her new duties would includethe sto

bychattily. "Yessir! Chopped it right in half, and it bled!""Lo

ing, Mrs Mariner having

of pretending you were pioneers in the Far West?""What's a pioneer?" enquir

manyhardships, for life was very rough for them, with no railroads oranything. I think it would be a nice game to play this morn

ring to this!" s

hat I think!

iner snee

have lots of

d Tibby cautiously. He

ip-wrecked sailor on a desert island, he had perspiredthrough a whole afternoon

ods, and the wolves are howling outside, andthey daren't go out, so they make a lovely big

candy," a

ariner

Jill. "Oh, but I forgot. I want to go to the villagefirst.""There will be plenty of time to do it when you get back.""A

o New York?""There's one at ten-ten," said the woman, behin