In the well-worn Peggy Janes, Jacqueline went sprinting back up the street. Hope was in her heart. Ten cents wasn’t much, perhaps, but every little bit added to every little bit you’ve got—and she had until to-morrow night to make up the five dollars!
Promptly on the tick of ten minutes to three, she pattered once more into the kitchen of The Chimnies. In the basket that she tugged were scouring soap and cleaning powder, a new yellow scrubbing brush, a package of saleratus, a paper of bacon, and even a can of molasses.
“Well,” Sallie admitted, as she rocked in comfort, “I’ll say it’s worth ten cents.”
Jacqueline blushed and pocketed the dime.
“Crazy to earn money, ain’t ye?” said Hannah, as she unpacked the basket. “What’s it for? Circus coming to town?”
“I—I guess so.” Jacqueline answered vaguely.
Sallie gathered up her soap and cleaning powder but not with great enthusiasm.
“I’m killed with a crick in my back that takes me whenever I stoop,” she complained, and turned to Jacqueline. “Look here, sister, d’ye know how to scrub out a bathtub?”
Jacqueline laughed.
“I’ll say I do!” she answered.