“Let her stay here,” suggested Mrs. Chaisson. “I’m lonesome after you go on the road.”
“Oh, you are very kind,” said Desiré quickly, “but I really couldn’t leave Jack.”
“But,” began Jack again, “I couldn’t deprive you of the lobster catching, Simon. It was bad enough taking your store for a year, without—”
“Takin’ nothing!” interrupted the old man vehemently. “Didn’t you keep my horses from eating their heads off all year, and keep my trade from goin’ to some one else fer good? Besides, I can’t catch lobsters any more. Doc says that messin’ in the water’s bad for my rheumatiz. Goin’ to give up the hut after this year anyway; so if you want to stay and take it, you’re more’n welcome.”
They discussed the matter all the evening, until Simon got up to go to bed, and his daughter withdrew to her room which Desiré was to share. To Jack fell the big sofa in the living room. He and Desiré sat on beside the fire for a few minutes after they were left alone.
“What do you think of it, Dissy? Shall I take it or not?”
“I hardly know what to say; but there’s no reason I can think of why you shouldn’t, if it looks good to you.”
“Of course I have no other immediate prospects; but it would be rough and lonesome for you, I’m afraid—”
“Lonesome, with you around? As for being rough, it will be fun to try a different way of living for a few weeks.”
Secretly Desiré rather longed for the coziness of the Godet house, but she thought Jack felt he should make the most of every opportunity for earning money, and she wanted to make things as easy for him as possible.