ONE SHOE OFF AND ONE SHOE ON.
"I must see you, Poppy--I must see you, and I can't come into the
house. I could not face Mrs. Mortlock, nor Mrs. Dredge, nor Miss
Slowcum. I am a dreadful failure, Poppy, a dreadful, dreadful failure,
and I cannot look any one in the face. Do come out with me, dear
Poppy, and at once; for if I can't speak to you at the present moment
my heart will break."
"They're teaing just now," said Poppy, in a reflective tone; "they are
all in the dining-room as snug as possible over their high tea. They
have shrimps for tea, and a wonderful new kind of paste that Aunt
Flint brought in to-day. It's called Gentlemen's Relish, and eats well
on hot toast, and I made a lot. Oh, my! won't the ladies go in for it!
Though Miss Slowcum always is so bitter against gentlemen, she will
eat their relish, and no mistake. Well, Miss Jasmine they are all
engaged over the pleasures of the social board, and what's to hinder
you and me going down to the back scullery and having our talk there?
You see, miss, if I went out with you I'd have to tidy up a bit first,
and that would take time."
"You are quite sure they won't hear me, Poppy, if I walk across the
hall. Miss Slowcum is dreadfully curious, and if she heard my step in
the hall she would run out even though she was eating Gentlemen's
Relish. I do not want any one to see me now that I am a failure."
"Step on this mat," said Poppy--"now on this; now make a spring here.
There you are. Now we'll be down in my scullery long before Miss
Slowcum can get to the dining-room door. Now, miss, let me put a seat
for you. The scullery ain't so damp to-day, is it, Miss Jasmine?"
"I don't know," said Jasmine, who looked very tired, and almost ill.
"Poppy, dear, I have not brought the one and sixpence."
"Oh, it don't matter," said Poppy. "One and sixpence never fretted me
yet, and it ain't going to begin. You'll pay me when you can, Miss
Jasmine, and there ain't no hurry."
But Jasmine noticed that Poppy moved her little feet out of sight, and
in spite of her brave words Jasmine observed a look of dismay creeping
into her bright eyes.
This slight action on Poppy's part--this little lurking gleam of
disappointment--were as the proverbial last straw to poor Jasmine. Her
fortitude gave way, and she burst into the bitterest tears she had
ever shed.
Poppy was much alarmed, and stood over her dear little lady, and
brought her cold water, and tried to comfort her by every means in her
power.
When Jasmine had a little recovered herself she told the whole bitter
story of her morning's adventure to Poppy. That young person's
indignation knew no bounds.
"The editor must be put in prison," she said; "he must be caught and
put in prison. Mrs. Jones the charwoman has a second cousin once
removed, whose first cousin is married to a policeman, and Mrs. Jones
is coming here to-morrow, and I'll get her to see her second cousin,
and the second cousin shall see her first cousin who is married to a
policeman, and he will tell us what is to be done. That's going to the
fountainhead, ain't it, Miss Jasmine? Never you fear, miss, darling,
that editor shall be locked up in prison, and be made to give back
your money. Never you fear, dear Miss Jasmine, it will all come right
when Mrs. Jones sees her second cousin who has a first cousin who is
married to a policeman!"
Poppy became quite cheerful when she remembered Mrs. Jones's
remarkable means of getting at a policeman, but Jasmine could not be
comforted; she shook her head almost petulantly.
"It's all most puzzling for me," she said, "about Mrs. Jones and her
policemen; it sounds exactly like the House that Jack Built, and I
shall have a swimming head myself if I listen to you. No, Poppy, that
policeman will never lock the wicked editor up in prison; he is a
great deal too clever to allow himself to be locked up. Oh, dear!
Poppy, what shall I do? All your money is gone, and my story is gone,
and I know you are wanting boots as badly as possible. You are a dear,
brave Poppy, but I know you have not a boot to your foot."
"Yes, Miss Jasmine, I has, I has one boot and one shoe; the shoe is an
out-door one, and heavy, and the boot is a light one. Worn together,
they make one walk a little one-sided, and the ladies, in particular
Miss Slowcum, don't like it, but, lor', that don't matter nothing to
speak of; they can't do nothing to me except tack on a few more names
to Sarah. It don't fret me, Miss Jasmine, and it needn't fret you."
"All the same, I am going to get you your money, Poppy. I have
absolutely made up my mind. I don't know how to do it, but do it I
will. I had to come here to-night to tell you what had really
happened; but now I am going home. You won't have to wear that
dreadful boot and shoe together much longer."
After this Jasmine managed to walk through the hall without being
detected by Miss Slowcum; and very tired and weary, in process of time
she found her way back to the Palace Beautiful. She drank a glass of
milk which Bridget had laid ready for her, and ate two or three slices
of bread and butter. Then she went into the little bedroom, with its
three pretty white beds, and opening her own special trunk began to
examine its contents. She was dreadfully frightened at what she was
about to do, but all the same she was determined to do it. She would
pawn or sell what little valuables she possessed to give Poppy back
her wages.
When the girls left Rosebury, Primrose made a very careful division of
her mother's possessions. To Jasmine's share had come some really
beautiful Spanish lace. Jasmine had not particularly admired it, but
Primrose fancied that it would some day suit her speaking and
vivacious face better than it would herself or Daisy. Jasmine had
jammed the lace into a corner of her trunk, and but for the memory of
dear mamma which it called up, would have made it a present to
anybody. But one day it so happened that Miss Egerton caught sight of
it; she exclaimed at its beauty, and said that it was really worth a
considerable sum of money.
The lace consisted of a handsome shawl of black Spanish, and what was
more beautiful, and also rarer, two very lovely flounces of white.
Miss Egerton was quite right when she spoke of the lace as valuable,
but her ideas of value and Jasmine's were widely different. Jasmine
would have thought herself well repaid if any one had given her
Poppy's wages for the old lace; she would indeed have opened her eyes
had she known at what sum Miss Egerton valued it. In addition to the
lace Jasmine had a little thin gold ring which Mrs. Mainwaring had
worn as a guard to her wedding-ring. Jasmine much preferred the ring
to the lace, but she slipped it on her finger, intending to part with
it also, if the lace did not fetch enough money. She knew that
Primrose would be deeply hurt at the lace being sold, for she had over
and over said that come what might, they would not part with their few
little home mementoes; but Jasmine was past caring even for what
Primrose said to-night. With her lace wrapped up in an untidy parcel
she slipped downstairs. Bridget came into the hall to speak to her.
"Look here, missie, is it not a little late for you to be going out?"
"Oh, not at all, Biddy, dear. I am going a little way. I won't be
long."
Then Jasmine went up to the old servant and spoke in her most coaxing
and fascinating tones.
"Biddy, what did you say was the sign of a pawnshop?"
"A pawnshop, Miss Jasmine? Why, bless us and save us, miss, what have
you got to say to such places?"
"Oh, nothing in particular, Bridget, only I thought I would like to
know. I am always trying to get information on every kind of subject.
Is the pawnshop the sign of the three balls, Biddy?"
"Yes, yes, miss--what a curious young lady! There, run out and take
your walk quick, and come back as soon as possible, for though it's
close on Midsummer Day we'll have the night on us before you return if
you are not quick."
Jasmine left the house, nodding brightly to Bridget as she did so, and
the old servant returned to her interrupted work.
"She's a bright bonnie girl," she said to herself, "and hasn't she got
a winsome way? I hope she drank up her milk, for she is looking a bit
pale, and I hope she won't stay out late, for it may turn damp when
the dew begins to fall."
Bridget was busy over her work, and was thinking of Jasmine after all
in only a very lazy and comfortable fashion when a cab drew up to the
door, and Miss Egerton most unexpectedly returned. She was not in the
house a moment before she asked for Jasmine.
"She's just gone out, ma'am," answered Bridget. "She had a parcel in
her hand, and she said she was going out for a run. No, ma'am, I don't
say she's looking at all particularly well. She's very white and
worried looking, and she is scarcely ever in the house. She says she
must improve her mind, and that is why she is out, and she do ask the
funniest questions. Just now it was to know what was the sign of a
pawnshop."
"The sign of a pawnshop?" echoed Miss Egerton; "and did you tell her,
Bridget?"
"Why, of course, ma'am. She said she wanted to know for the improving
of her mind. She had a little parcel in her hand, and she said she
would be back again in no time. Shall I get you a cup of tea, ma'am?"
"No, thank you, Bridget. I cannot eat until I find out about Miss
Jasmine. I do not like her asking you those questions, Bridget, and I
do not like her taking a little parcel with her. The child may be in
want or trouble. I must see to it at once. Bridget, have you any idea
which is the nearest pawnshop to this?"
"Oh, ma'am, there's Spiller's round the corner, and there's Davidson's
in the main road. Now, Miss Egerton, I am most certain Miss Jasmine
wanted to hear about the pawnshop for the sake of improving her mind,
and for that reason only. I wish you would stay, ma'am, and have your
cup of tea, for you look real tired."
But Miss Egerton was gone.