“I was so interested in my book,” stammered conscience-stricken Marjorie. “They’re usually so good, you know.”
“When you take care of children, you’ve got to take care of children,” returned Eliza, somewhat tartly. “’Taint all their badness. I dunno what their mother will say to it all. You go on, Miss Marjorie. I’ll tend right up to ’em now, myself. Shoe-polish, of all things! Hope to goodness I’ll get it out of that child’s hair.”
Eliza’s deft, experienced fingers flew while she talked. Only stopping to throw off her out-of-door things, she had turned the water on in the bath-tub, had taken a cloth and wiped off the sides of the tub, which were reeking with vaseline, and had gotten hold of Helen at arm’s length and stripped her clothes off. She plunged the sobbing, frightened child in the tub, and began scrubbing her vigorously.
Marjorie retreated, feeling very low in her mind, because she had so neglected her little charges in the nursery. Mrs. Ward was always strict about the thorough, conscientious performance of any duty, and would never overlook any carelessness or neglect, either from children or servants. Besides the thought of her mother’s displeasure because she had not been faithful, she was really dreadfully worried lest the black stain should not come out of Helen’s hair. Kenneth was only just beginning to look like himself again, after his last-summer experience with the fire. It would be such a shame if Helen had to lose her lovely hair, too.
An hour later the nursery door opened and Helen, fresh and sweet and clean, ran joyfully across to Marjorie’s room.
“See! I’m all un-painted, Marjie! I’m never going to try to get black hair again,” she cried. “Look! it’s all out!” holding up with both hands her silken topknot, which, washed and dried, was shining again like spun gold.
“’Liza said she scrubbed me nearly out of the roots, but it’s all dry now, and the vasling is all off too. ’Liza doesn’t like the bathroom that way, either. She’s scrubbing the vasling off that now. I can’t stay any longer, ’cause ’Liza said only stay two minutes, else I’d get into some mischief here,—but I wouldn’t, truly.”
Marjorie winced, but there was nothing to be said. She kissed Helen and sent her back.
CHAPTER XVI.
A GOAT EPISODE.
Eunice sat curled up in a little bunch on the floor. Her forehead was very much knit, and her eyes were very much screwed up. She was fussing busily with a piece of red ribbon and a red Tam o’Shanter.