FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88  
89   90   91   92   93   94   95   >>  
time," she thought, and for a time said nothing. But at length she did say: "Why doesn't Di come? I'd better put her plate in the oven." Rising to do so, she was arrested by her mother. Mrs. Bett was eating a baked potato, holding her fork close to the tines, and presenting a profile of passionate absorption. "Why, Di went off," she said. "Went off!" "Down the walk. Down the sidewalk." "She must have gone to Jenny's," said Lulu. "I wish she wouldn't do that without telling me." Monona laughed out and shook her straight hair. "She'll catch it!" she cried in sisterly enjoyment. It was when Lulu had come back from the kitchen and was seated at the table that Mrs. Bett observed: "I didn't think Inie'd want her to take her nice new satchel." "Her satchel?" "Yes. Inie wouldn't take it north herself, but Di had it." "Mother," said Lulu, "when Di went away just now, was she carrying a satchel?" "Didn't I just tell you?" Mrs. Bett demanded, aggrieved. "I said I didn't think Inie--" "Mother! Which way did she go?" Monona pointed with her spoon. "She went that way," she said. "I seen her." Lulu looked at the clock. For Monona had pointed toward the railway station. The twelve-thirty train, which every one took to the city for shopping, would be just about leaving. "Monona," said Lulu, "don't you go out of the yard while I'm gone. Mother, you keep her--" Lulu ran from the house and up the street. She was in her blue cotton dress, her old shoes, she was hatless and without money. When she was still two or three blocks from the station, she heard the twelve-thirty "pulling out." She ran badly, her ankles in their low, loose shoes continually turning, her arms held taut at her sides. So she came down the platform, and to the ticket window. The contained ticket man, wonted to lost trains and perturbed faces, yet actually ceased counting when he saw her: "Lenny! Did Di Deacon take that train?" "Sure she did," said Lenny. "And Bobby Larkin?" Lulu cared nothing for appearances now. "He went in on the Local," said Lenny, and his eyes widened. "Where?" "See." Lenny thought it through. "Millton," he said. "Yes, sure. Millton. Both of 'em." "How long till another train?" "Well, sir," said the ticket man, "you're in luck, if you was goin' too. Seventeen was late this morning--she'll be along, jerk of a lamb's tail." "Then," said Lulu, "you got to give me a ticket to Millton, wit
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88  
89   90   91   92   93   94   95   >>  



Top keywords:

Monona

 

ticket

 
Millton
 

satchel

 

Mother

 

wouldn

 

station

 

pointed

 

twelve

 

thirty


thought

 
trains
 
hatless
 

contained

 
wonted
 
turning
 

continually

 

perturbed

 

pulling

 

blocks


platform

 

ankles

 

window

 

Seventeen

 

morning

 

Deacon

 

Larkin

 

ceased

 

counting

 
appearances

widened

 

sidewalk

 
passionate
 

absorption

 

telling

 
laughed
 

sisterly

 
enjoyment
 

straight

 
profile

presenting

 

Rising

 

length

 
arrested
 

holding

 

potato

 
mother
 

eating

 

kitchen

 
seated