Jasper Page 11

surely!" in anxiety, for indeed if _Jasper_ were going to turnmischievous or disobedient, where would she be?

  "Playin', Mummy," he repeated, with a touch of very excusableindignation, "in course not. It wouldn't flame up nicely, and I've beendown a long time. Roley buttoned my waistcoat before he got up, buthe's just comin'. So Susan gave me the bellowses," and he held them upin triumph, "and it's burnin' beautifly now," and so it was. "I thinkwe might shut the window," he added, with a glance of consideration.

  "My darling," said his mother, "I hope you haven't caught cold," andhaving closed the window, she turned to this brownie in a sailor suitwith some anxiety.

  "Oh no, I'm quite hot," he replied. "Shall I take the bellowses back toSusan?" he went on. "Daddy wouldn't like to see them here, and youdon't mind us goin' to the kitchen if it's a real message, now wemustn't ring the bells often, do you, Mumsey?"

  "No, my boy, take the bellows back by all means," said his mother, andon he went, murmuring us he did so, "Susan _will_ think I'm handy andclever."

  The funny little scene had cheered Mrs Fortescue again, and she waslooking quite calm and happy when Roland and his father made theirappearance.

  "Breakfast is all ready. The things have just come in--everything isnice and hot," she said brightly.

  "That's all right," Mr Fortescue replied. "I'm quite hungry. Changeof air--eh?" but he smiled as he said it. Then with a glance round thetable--"Where are the others?" he went on, "Leila and Chris--There is agong, isn't there?"

  "Yes, I brought the small one, but I haven't taught Harriet to strike ityet. Perhaps they--"

  But almost before she had got as far as this in her sentence Jasper wasat the door.

  "I'll run up and tell them. I won't be a minute," he said. Nor was he.He was down again almost at once, but Mrs Fortescue's quick eyes sawthat his small face looked troubled. And several minutes passed beforethe door opened to admit first Christabel, and a moment or two later,Leila.

  "Hurry up, young ladies," said their father. "Why, Mummy has been downfor ever so long, and the rest of us not far behind. I'm afraid youoverslept yourselves."

  "_I_ didn't," said Chrissie; "you'd better ask Leila, Daddy, why we'relate."

  Her father, who had spoken quite cheerfully, glanced at her, forsomething in her tone struck him as slightly sullen. And the expressionof her face did not reassure him. Still he spoke kindly and brightly.

  "Well, here you are, better late than never," he went on. "Will youhave bacon and eggs--or bacon alone--or egg alone, Leila?" but beforeshe replied he caught sight of her strange appearance. "What's thematter with you, child?" he exclaimed. "Have you forgotten to do yourhair?" and certainly there was every reason for the inquiry, for Leila'sdark locks were in an extraordinary state of confusion. She hadevidently tried to tie them up herself, and had only succeeded inperching a very dilapidated bow of ribbon in a wild way over one ear,where it was dangling about as if on the point of falling. And her facehardly looked as if she had washed it at all.

  She grew scarlet when she felt all eyes upon her.

  "I can't tie up my hair myself," she said. "I have brushed it andcombed it, and it would have been all right if Chrissie had helped me alittle, instead of standing mocking at me and throwing all my thingsabout and--" here her voice broke, she was evidently on the point ofbursting into tears.

  "Christabel, will you have bacon and eggs?" asked her father.

  "Yes, please, Daddy," she replied calmly, though she darted a look atLeila that was not good to see.

  "And you, Leila?" he continued, turning again to the older girl.

  "Nothing, thank you," she murmured. "I'll have some bread and butter."

  "As you please," Mr Fortescue said. Then he helped Chrissie, and whenher plate was before her, he looked at both children.

  "This is our first Sunday morning in the new little home which yourmother and I are doing our best to make a happy one for you. If youchoose, wilfully and foolishly, to quarrel, do so. I shall not pityeither of you. But one thing I will not allow, and that is, that yourtempers are to upset the comfort of the rest of the family. So I giveyou fair warning. You must behave properly when you are at table withus."

  Neither answered. Christabel went on eating, though with a slightlycontemptuous expression which her father and mother thought it wiser topretend not to see. Leila choked down her tears and munched away atwhat would have been dry bread, had not Jasper quietly put a pat ofbutter on her plate.

  And Roland and his father began talking about the weather, the fors andagainsts of frost setting in and the chances of skating, as if no suchsilly, disagreeable little girls as Leila and Christabel were inexistence. And Mrs Fortescue made little jokes with Jasper, and pouredout second cups of coffee in a most matter-of-fact way. For once, Ithink, both the foolish, ungrateful children began to feel themselvesrather small, and the rest of the day passed fairly well, though, butfor their mother's hurrying through with her own dressing, so as to beable to superintend theirs, I much doubt if either Leila or Christabelwould have been ready for church, or fit to be seen when their fathercalled them.

  Mrs Fortescue did not speak till she was leaving their room, then shesaid quietly--

  "Leila and Chrissie, I have helped you to dress this morning because Icould not bear to have another scene, especially as it is Sunday. Butfrom now, I warn you, I cannot and will not do for you what you areperfectly able to do for yourselves. When you _do_ need help, you shallhave it, and I can make allowance for things being difficult for youjust now, but I will not help you to make them more difficult foryourselves. When you come in from church, you must put away yourout-of-doors things and make the room perfectly neat," and so saying,she left them, without giving them time to reply.

  "I hope you're pleased," said Christabel to her sister, as soon as thedoor had closed. "You _know_ it all began with your refusing to getup."

  Leila did not answer. She was naturally more timid and lesshigh-spirited than Christabel, but in some ways more difficult tomanage, owing to her indolence and dreaminess.

  "Oh, well," continued Chrissie, "if you like to be sulky I'm sure Idon't mind. Any way, it is a satisfaction to learn that you won't haveany story-book all to-day."

  Her tone was most provoking; Leila would have liked to turn upon her,but she was afraid of beginning to cry, so with some difficulty sheremained silent till Chrissie had flung out of the room.

  "I wish they would let me go to school," she said to herself when shewas alone. "I don't mind lessons, I only want to be left in peace. I'msure they might find some cheap school, and when I'm old enough I'd askto be kept on as a governess. I will ask Mummy about it. If Roland'sthe eldest boy, I'm the eldest girl, and if they pay hundreds of poundsfor him to go to Winton, they might pay _something_ for me."

  The idea seized her fancy. There was a touch of "romance" about it.She pictured herself working hard at school, becoming a teacher herselfat an extraordinarily early age, earning enough to be no longer a burdenon her unnatural family, whom she would only visit at rare intervals andfor a very short time.

  "Perhaps they would begin to wish they had treated me differently," shethought. "Perhaps even Chrissie would find out that everything wrongwas not _my_ fault--yes, when it was too late," and with her usual habitof fanciful dreaming, she occupied her thoughts almost the whole ofchurch-time, I fear, by picturing herself as the heroine of thistouching and romantic story. And poor Mrs Fortescue, catching sight ofher little daughter's charming face, her dark eyes gleaming withinterest, said to herself that Leila was really very open to goodimpressions. "I am sure she is making all sorts of excellentresolutions. Poor dear, I must not be hard upon her, nor upon Chrissieeither," though Christabel's face still looked resentful and obstinate.

  CHAPTER SIX.

  DUSTERS.

  Monday morning brought considerable improvement. That is to say, Leila,having no book to read, and in her secret heart still faithful to thecharacter of innoce
nt and unappreciated martyr which she had imaginedfor herself, got out of bed almost as soon as she was awakened, dressedherself in silent dignity, and even offered to help Christabel.

  "No thank you," Chrissie replied loftily, "I don't want any one to doanything for me except tying my hair, and Harriet can do that much, Isuppose."

  "Mother has told her to come for ten minutes, at eight," Leila repliedmeekly, glancing at Chrissie, and at the little bee-clock on