“You are a little girl to be out alone in the evening,” he said. “By the way, how old are you?”
“Thirteen, sir; ’most fourteen.”
“How are you going to get home?”
“Some one is waitin’ for me, sir, across the street. He’s a boy does odd jobs for us. When can I come agin, sir?” she went on, eagerly.
“When would you like to come?”
“Say this night week, sir. I’ll hev to shine up my manners till then. My! but it’ll be hard not to yell in River Street. It’s easy enough to be soft here, ’cause you’ve no one to yell at you.”
“This night week, then,” replied the Judge; “good-bye.”
“Good-bye, sir,” and to his amusement she awkwardly shook hands with him, then darted from the room like a bird.
“I’ll have to teach her to go slowly next lesson,” said the Judge, with a smile, and leisurely stepping into the hall he looked out of the window.
Airy was just joining her escort, or escorts, for there were two. To the Judge’s dismay the electric light across the street shone full on the faces of Brick, the colored boy, and the spotted dog.