Cheap Jack Zita

Name: Cheap Jack Zita
Author: Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)

Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)

Great Britain -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction; Peddlers -- Fiction; Riots -- England -- Fens, The -- Fiction

'Come, Zita—what answer?'

She looked at him with glazed eyes. She was in pain and sorrow. She
would in one moment see Mark,—Mark, whom she loved,—and see him with
the knowledge that she never could be his. But the demand made of her
to surrender was not so great as it might have been had Mark loved and
respected her. He liked, or had once liked her. Now he loved another.
He despised her for some reason she could not understand. He held by
Kainie, to whom he was bound by promise, and to whom, after a short
wavering of his affections, he had returned.

'Come, Zita, what say you to my offer?'

In a whisper, with sunk head, her chin in her bosom, and with folded
hands—

'I accept.'




CHAPTER XXXII

A PARTHIAN SHOT


'Shall I go?' asked Zita.

'No, stay. There can nothing pass betwixt us but what you may hear. And
now that he is come, he shall witness the signature to the will.'

'I would rather leave.'

Further discussion of this point was prevented by the entrance of Mark.

The young man noticed that Zita was in the room, but he did not look at
her or address her. He directed his eyes steadily at Drownlands, who
remained seated at the table.

'I have come on business,' said Mark.

'Say what it is.'

Mark demurred. 'Let us speak together in private.'

'No; what has to be said may be said before her.'

'If you wish it. I have come concerning Kainie.'

'What about Kainie?'

'She is your niece.'

'To my sorrow.'

'You should not say that. She is a good girl. Not to your sorrow, but
to your shame.'

Drownlands stamped.

'Spare me words. My patience will not stretch far.'

'Kainie is your sister's only child. She is your nearest relative. I
have come to you in her interest. It is no longer possible for her to
remain at Red Wings.'

'Why not?'

'It is not seemly. It is not just. The Fens are in commotion; wild men
are about, lawless deeds are being done. She is but a girl, and is
unprotected, and away from help, if she needed it.'

'She has her dog.'

'That is not sufficient. Dogs have been silenced before now. Consider
to what dangers a girl is exposed in such a solitary spot.'

'Pshaw! the men are cowed.'

'Several are about in hiding, and are not yet captured. You do a great
wrong to Kainie.'

'I do her no wrong. I leave her alone.'

'That in itself is a grievous wrong. Whose duty is it to guard her, but
yours? She bears your name.'

'To my disgrace!' exclaimed Drownlands, glaring up with wrath. 'No more
of that.'

'Well, it is no pleasant topic.'

'Did Kainie send you to me?'

'No; I came because I felt concerned for her, and convinced that she
must not be allowed—no, not for another night—to remain under the
sails of Red Wings. Will you receive her at Prickwillow?'

'Not I.'

'She must be removed from the mill. If you will not take charge of her,
then I must.'

'You are welcome. I will have nothing to do with her.'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Cheap Jack ZitaBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)

History

Cheap Jack Zita

Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)

Great Britain -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction; Peddlers -- Fiction; Riots -- England -- Fens, The -- Fiction

'Come, Zita—what answer?'

She looked at him with glazed eyes. She was in pain and sorrow. She
would in one moment see Mark,—Mark, whom she loved,—and see him with
the knowledge that she never could be his. But the demand made of her
to surrender was not so great as it might have been had Mark loved and
respected her. He liked, or had once liked her. Now he loved another.
He despised her for some reason she could not understand. He held by
Kainie, to whom he was bound by promise, and to whom, after a short
wavering of his affections, he had returned.

'Come, Zita, what say you to my offer?'

In a whisper, with sunk head, her chin in her bosom, and with folded
hands—

'I accept.'




CHAPTER XXXII

A PARTHIAN SHOT


'Shall I go?' asked Zita.

'No, stay. There can nothing pass betwixt us but what you may hear. And
now that he is come, he shall witness the signature to the will.'

'I would rather leave.'

Further discussion of this point was prevented by the entrance of Mark.

The young man noticed that Zita was in the room, but he did not look at
her or address her. He directed his eyes steadily at Drownlands, who
remained seated at the table.

'I have come on business,' said Mark.

'Say what it is.'

Mark demurred. 'Let us speak together in private.'

'No; what has to be said may be said before her.'

'If you wish it. I have come concerning Kainie.'

'What about Kainie?'

'She is your niece.'

'To my sorrow.'

'You should not say that. She is a good girl. Not to your sorrow, but
to your shame.'

Drownlands stamped.

'Spare me words. My patience will not stretch far.'

'Kainie is your sister's only child. She is your nearest relative. I
have come to you in her interest. It is no longer possible for her to
remain at Red Wings.'

'Why not?'

'It is not seemly. It is not just. The Fens are in commotion; wild men
are about, lawless deeds are being done. She is but a girl, and is
unprotected, and away from help, if she needed it.'

'She has her dog.'

'That is not sufficient. Dogs have been silenced before now. Consider
to what dangers a girl is exposed in such a solitary spot.'

'Pshaw! the men are cowed.'

'Several are about in hiding, and are not yet captured. You do a great
wrong to Kainie.'

'I do her no wrong. I leave her alone.'

'That in itself is a grievous wrong. Whose duty is it to guard her, but
yours? She bears your name.'

'To my disgrace!' exclaimed Drownlands, glaring up with wrath. 'No more
of that.'

'Well, it is no pleasant topic.'

'Did Kainie send you to me?'

'No; I came because I felt concerned for her, and convinced that she
must not be allowed—no, not for another night—to remain under the
sails of Red Wings. Will you receive her at Prickwillow?'

'Not I.'

'She must be removed from the mill. If you will not take charge of her,
then I must.'

'You are welcome. I will have nothing to do with her.'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Cheap Jack Zita

Cheap Jack Zita

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