Jan gave Gwen a hint of her brother’s approaching visit, and Sydney found her as gentle, loving, and interested as a sister could be.
“Why, of course, I’ll lend you the money, Syd,” she said. “You ought to have told me before. I’ve been thinking that we all told one another too little. Since I’ve been lying here I’ve had to see with inside eyes, you know, and I’ve discovered several things. You’ll have to find my little bead bag in my upper drawer, Syd. That has my money in it—not my pocket-book. And you’ll have to help yourself to what you want—if I have so much—for I——”
Sydney found the abrupt breaking off of Gwen’s sentence very pathetic. If only Gwen might see again!
Sydney found the bag and counted over the crisp bills it contained. “You have four dollars more than I need to pay that shopkeeper,” he said, putting them back. “Jan lent me five some time ago.”
“O Syd! When Jan has so little!” said Gwen with reproach in her voice. “And you went to your cousin instead of your sister!”
“Well, Gwen, I guess I’ve been a dunce! We have got into the way of standing off from one another, but you’re a trump, and we’ll stick together henceforth,” said Sydney.
Joy such as she had not thought that she could feel again surged through Gwen’s heart at these words. “Syd,” she said, “if ‘Miss Lochinvar’ had never ‘come out of the West’ we wouldn’t have discovered how horrid it was to be so selfish and distant—maybe never.”
“That’s shaky English, but solemn truth, Gwendoline, my dear,” said Sydney. “Jan’s a trump! That’s two trumps now—we’ll have a handful if we keep on! She’s not one bit goody-goody and she never preaches, but she seems to clear the air—kind of like a thunder-shower that never strikes.”
“More like the little leaven that leaveneth the whole,” said Gwen softly. “I love her so, I could never tell you! And I always think of that line in the gospel when I think about her. Now finish up getting acquainted with the Graham family, Syd, and tell papa how things have been going at school. He has a right to know, and I don’t believe it is a good place for you where the boys are spending so much money, and getting into debt, and all! Tell him I’ve lent you the money, so you don’t want him to help you that way, but you do want him to show you how to pay me back, and start square. If I’m not mistaken, papa will be pleased to find you see things straight without needing showing, and instead of scolding you, you’ll find him kind and ready to lend a hand.”
“I don’t know that I could say honestly that I hadn’t had some showing as to the most honorable and manly course,” said Syd truthfully. “Jan gave me the tip, and now you back her up. I didn’t expect to find girls so on the level, but I’m glad to say I’m able to see that you’re both right. I’ll talk to dad the first chance he gives me, and I’m much obliged, Gwen; we’re better friends from this day. I guess you won’t be blind—we all are seeing a good deal clearer, strikes me.” And Sydney disappeared with a boy’s awkwardness in expressing the deep gratitude and the softer emotion which filled him.