He looked up in terror.
“Will she have to go again, if—”
“Why, of course,” she broke in glibly, “if she worries and don’t get strong, her trouble may come on—”
“P’raps I’ll—let you have him to-morrow,” he said hurriedly. “Blue will know what is best.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say anything to your brother about it!” she hastily advised. “He might say you’d better keep the bird, without realizing how much good the money would do your mother; because he would wish to please you on account of your—your lameness, you know. Oh, if you really want to help your mother, as I’m sure you do, you’ll let it come as a surprise to her and Blue—that will be the very best way.”
She glanced at the clock. It was almost noon. She had no wish to meet that shrewd-eyed brother of Doodles, in fact she was frantically anxious to avoid him, and she quickly pulled on her glove.
“You’d better let me take the bird along,” she smiled, “and then you can give the money to your mother when she comes home to dinner. Won’t that be nice?” She arose, and poured the coins on the table.
“No! Oh, no!” cried Doodles wretchedly. “I can’t—now! I want to think! You wait—wait till to-morrow! Then—maybe—” he began to sob again.
The town clocks started to strike. Blue might be in at any minute!
“Well, well!” she said soothingly, “stop crying, and I’ll come again to-morrow. I must be going now. Remember not to say anything about this, if you really wish to help your mother! I know you’ll want those twenty dollars to give her to-morrow! My, how happy they’ll make her! Good-bye, darling!” She threw him a kiss from the doorway, which he did not see. His eyes were too full of tears.