“But to have it said that a child—a little girl-child—is our maintenance! Daniel, is it not absurd? Besides, could she actually earn enough to amount to anything?”
“I think so. However, we will not discuss further to-night,—perhaps not at all. Only, if you think it would be difficult for you to accept aid from the hand of a child, what do you think it is for me—a man? My blindness was not of my own choosing; and Steenie’s talent has not been given to her for nothing. Do you remember what my father used to say? ‘God never shuts one door but He opens another.’ The doors seem to be pretty fast closed on every side our lives, just now, Mother. Was this—one of His opening? Let us find out that; and—I’ll go to Steenie now.”
“You need not. She comes here to you,” and, despite her decision, which had made her seem so “hard” and stern to her little granddaughter, it was a very proud and loving glance which rested upon the now dejected face of the household darling. “Come here, my little one. I have something to say to you.”
Steenie obeyed; but she did not raise her eyes from the floor, and her small hands were clinched tight together,—in a habit she had adopted to help “keep the tears back.” She expected a reprimand for her rudeness, and she anticipated it. “I came back—’cause—my father says—no matter—I mustn’t never—be anything but nice—as nice—to you. I didn’t mean you—Grandmother; not you—yourself. I—I only—Tito—”
“Kiss me, Steenie. I understand you fully. I have quite forgiven anything that there is to forgive. I should have broken the sad news to you more gently if I could, but you happened to overhear it. What I want to tell you, now, dear, is that I think you are the bravest, dearest child I ever knew. It was a very kind desire of yours to help us in the only way which was natural to your peculiar life and training; but what would do in the far West would hardly answer here in Old Knollsboro. However, you still have an opportunity to be brave and kind. I have decided—I trust that your father agrees with me—that the first sacrifice demanded of you is—Tito. It is painful to me to ask it; but it is right. I hope you will meet this trial in the same spirit which you displayed in this other impracticable scheme. May I depend upon you, my darling?”
A sob that shook her whole sturdy little body welled up and broke from Steenie’s lips; and though the great tears now rolled over the round cheeks her blue eyes were raised steadfastly and her dainty mouth forced itself into a smile, so brave and determined, yet so pitiful, that it pierced Madam Calthorp’s heart like a knife.
With an impulse foreign to her self-controlled nature she caught her grandchild to her heart, and bent her white head upon the brown curls, while a sympathetic sob escaped her own lips. This was the first actual taste of the poverty which had befallen her household, and she found it bitter indeed.
But from that moment, strange as it seemed to Steenie’s own self, she loved her grandmother as she had not done before, and felt so sorry for her that personal grief was almost forgotten.
“Now,” said Madam, lifting her head,—“now, what is to be done, I want done quickly; to me waiting and suspense are intolerable. We know that we must leave this house; let us leave it as soon as possible. To-morrow I will advertise it for sale, and hope for a speedy purchaser. Fortunately, High-Street property is rarely offered, and there is always a greater demand than supply. Hark! Is that the supper-bell?”
“Yes,’m. Come. Papa, dear, I’m hungry, anyhow. And I gave Tito heaps and heaps. But I think you’ll have to speak to Sutro. He didn’t—he didn’t behave very nice. But he—felt—pretty mis’able, an’—Why, Mr. Tubbs!”