"I'm all yeddy now, so good-bye ev'ybody," she said at last.
"Good-bye," said gentle grandma, holding up the little face to kiss the
firm red lips. "I am afraid I shall miss my little girl to-night when I
want the red stand drawn out for the drop light; and I'm sure grandpa
will need his slippers."
Zay looked somewhat irresolute; but her mamma here spoke:
"I think," said she, "if you intend to reach the woods before dark you
should start at once, for it is almost two o'clock now."
"Good-bye ev'ybody," said Zay again.
"And," said Lita, "I'll carry the gun down and open the front gate for
you."
Bravely the child marched out of the room, out of the front door and
gate. There Lita handed her the gun; but after trying several times to
walk with it, she told Lita that she didn't know as she should care for
any wolf wish-bone with her butter crackers, and asked her to take the
gun back in the house, and then she banged the gate, hoping Mary saw
her, with an air of importance, and pattered off on a fast little
dog-trot down the street.
Meanwhile we were all watching her behind the blinds.
"Don't lose sight of her," said mamma, "but don't let her see you!"
This is what Lita saw. A sturdy little figure walking steadily onward,
never looking back. At length it stops, opens the little purse, counts
its money, but never noting that in the trouble with the clasps the
three little coins fall, like three silver rain drops, to the pavement.
Pages:
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58