All these things rushed through her mind as she stood leaning against the stone wall, Archie's hand in hers, his big blue eyes still fixed on her own.
"Who said that to you, my son?" she asked in assumed indifference, in order to gain time in which to frame her answer and recover from the shock.
"Scootsy Mulligan."
"Is he a nice boy?"
"No, he's a coward, or he wouldn't fight as he does."
"Then I wouldn't mind him, my boy," and she smoothed back the hair from his forehead, her eyes avoiding the boy's steady gaze. It was only when someone opened the door of the closet concealing this spectre that Jane felt her knees give way and her heart turn sick within her. In all else she was fearless and strong.
"Was he the boy who said you had no mother?"
"Yes. I gave him an awful whack when he came up the first time, and he went heels over head."
"Well, you have got a mother, haven't you, darling?" she continued, with a sigh of relief, now that Archie was not insistent.
"You bet I have!" cried the boy, throwing his arms around her.