“No; I know that you are kind and true, and you are the only one in the world who cares for me,” the suffering girl said, in husky tones.
“Indeed, my child, you have become very dear to me, and my life would be very forlorn without you.”
Star bent down and touched his hand with her lips. In her wretchedness it comforted her greatly to know that she had contributed to his happiness.
“But I cannot get over what you have told me. I never was so deceived in my life before; and if this young sprig of English nobility is the villain you represent him, he is not fit to live,” Mr. Rosevelt said, sternly, after a few moments of thoughtful silence.
Star shivered with pain. Much as she believed she scorned him, she could not endure that another should speak disparagingly of him.
“Never mind him, Uncle Jacob,” she said. “I have put him out of my life forever; and now I want to talk to you about something else. You say that I have made your life happier since you came here, and that you would be very lonely without me. I am going to tell you a little secret, and then I want you to promise to go away from here with me. I am not going to remain here another day,” she concluded decidedly.
“Is that your secret, Star?”
“Part of it,” she answered, with a sad smile. “I have a little money, as you know—a hundred pounds—which, at Mr. Richards’ suggestion, I put at interest last year. Now, I want to take this money and make a cozy little home for you and me somewhere, until I get through school—there will be enough to last till then, I think—and after that I shall be able to take care of us both in fine style, by teaching and giving music lessons.”
He smiled skeptically as she planned so hopefully what her poor hundred pounds would do, while a tear started to his eye at her thought for him.
She saw that he did not think she could do all that she told him, and flushed.