Mrs. Forbes entered Jewel's room after speaking with the doctor. The
little girl looked at her eagerly. A plan had formed in her mind which
depended for its success largely on the housekeeper's complaisance, and
she wished to propitiate her.
“I want to fix it so you can call me when you need anything, Julia,” she
said. “The doctor has told you about taking the medicine, and here is a
little clock I'm going to put on your table right by the bed, and I've
brought up a bell. I shall leave the farther door open so the sound of
this bell will go right down the backstairs, and one of us will come up
whenever you ring. Dr. Ballard says it's best for you to be quiet.”
“Yes'm,” replied Jewel. “Do you think, Mrs. Forbes--would it be too much
trouble--would he have time--could I see Jeremiah just a few minutes?”
“See who?”
“Jeremiah--the gentleman who lives with the horses.”
“Do you mean my son Ezekiel?”
“Oh, yes'm. Ezekiel. I knew it was a prophet. He always speaks very
kindly to me, and I like him. I wish I could see him just a few
minutes.”
Mrs. Forbes was very much astonished and somewhat flattered. “It's
wonderful, the fancy that child has taken to me and mine,” she thought.
“Well, folks must be humored when they're sick,” she replied. “Let me
see,” looking at the little clock, “yes, Mr. Evringham's missed the
second train. There'll be five or ten minutes yet, and 'Zekiel's got to
wait anyway. I guess he can come up and see you.”
“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Forbes!” returned Jewel.
The housekeeper made her way out to the barn, where her son in his
livery was waiting and reading the paper.
“The doctor's gone, Zeke, and the child wants to see you.”
“Me?” returned the coachman in surprise. “Why the bully little kid!”
“Yes, come and be quick. There won't be much time. You watch the clock
that's side of her bed, and don't you be late.”
'Zekiel followed with alacrity. His mother, starting him up the
backstairs, gave him directions how to go, and remained below.
Jewel, her eyes fixed on the open back door of her room, felt a leap
of the heart as Zeke, fine in his handsome livery, came blushing and
tiptoeing into the room.
“I'm so glad, I'm so glad!” she exclaimed in her soft, thick voice.
“Shut the door, please.”
“I told you to remember you'd only got to say 'Zeke' and I'd come,” he
said, approaching the bed. “I'm awful sorry you're sick, little kid.”
“Did you ever hear of Christian Science, Zeke?” she asked hurriedly.
“Yes, I did. Woman I knew in Boston cured of half a dozen things. She
held that Christian Science did it.”
“Oh, good, good. I'm a Christian Scientist, and nobody here is, and I
want to send a telegram to Chicago, to a lady to treat me. Nobody would
do it for me but you. _Will_ you?”
It would have taken a hard heart to resist the appeal, and Zeke's was
soft.
“Of course I will,” he answered. “Going right to the station now to take
Mr. Evringham. I can send it as well as not.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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