Dick kept him occupied for the next week, and then prudently decided not to press the lad too hard by finding him work that obviously need not be done. If he was to preserve his power, it must be used with caution. The first evening Jake was free he started for Santa Brigida, though as there was no longer a locomotive available, he got two laborers to take him down the line on a hand-car. After that he had some distance to walk and arrived at Kenwardine’s powdered with dust. It was a hot night and he found Kenwardine and three or four others in the patio.
A small, shaded lamp stood upon the table they had gathered round, and the light sparkled on delicate green glasses and a carafe of wine. It touched the men’s white clothes, and then, cut off by the shade, left their faces in shadow and fell upon the tiles. A colored paper lantern, however, hung from a wire near an outside staircase and Jake saw Clare a short distance away. It looked as if she had stopped in crossing the patio, but as he came forward Kenwardine got up.
“It’s some time since we have seen you,” he remarked.
“Yes,” said Jake. “I meant to come before, but couldn’t get away.”
“Then you have begun to take your business seriously?”
“My guardian does.”
“Ah!” said Kenwardine, speaking rather louder, “if you mean Mr. Brandon, I certainly thought him a serious person. But what has this to do with your coming here?”
“He found me work that kept me busy evenings.”
“With the object of keeping you out of mischief?”
“I imagine he meant something of the kind,” Jake admitted with a chuckle. He glanced round, and felt he had been too frank, as his eyes rested on Clare. He could not see her face, but thought she was listening.