“And nobody but the good Lord who’s helped his poor sailors through shipwreck and storm, knows how mightily they’ve desired that haven, or what it means to them to be brought into it.”
A delivery wagon from one of the fruit stores stopped in front of the gate, and the driver came in, carrying a basket. Uncle Darcy spoke to him as he passed the willow tree.
“Well, Joe, this looks like a chance for me to get a lift most of the way home.”
“Sure,” was the cordial reply. “Climb in. I’ll be right back.”
Georgina thought of something as he rose to go.
“Oh, wait just a minute, Uncle Darcy, I want to get something of yours that’s down cellar.”
When she came back there was no time or opportunity for an explanation. He and the driver were both in the wagon. She reached up and put the bag on the seat beside him.
“I--I did something to some of your eggs, yesterday,” she stammered, “and these are to take the place of the ones I broke.”
Uncle Darcy peered into the bag with a puzzled expression. He had not missed any eggs from the crock of bran. He didn’t know what she was talking about. But before he could ask any questions the driver slapped the horse with the reins, and they were rattling off down street. Georgina stood looking after them a moment, then turned her head to listen. Somebody was calling her. It was Belle, who had come to the front door to say that dinner was ready.
Whenever Mrs. Triplett was at home, Belle made extra efforts to talk and appear interested in what was going on around her. She was afraid her keen-eyed Aunt Maria would see that she was unhappy. But alone with Georgina who shared her secret, she relapsed into a silence so deep it could be felt, responding only with a wan smile when the child’s lively chatter seemed to force an answer of some kind. But to-day when Georgina came to the table she was strangely silent herself, so mute that Belle noticed it, and found that she was being furtively watched by the big brown eyes opposite her. Every time Belle looked up she caught Georgina’s gaze fastened on her, and each time it was immediately transferred to her plate.