"Oh!" said Tilda, enlightened. "When you talked of farmin', you made me
wonder . . .So they're all gone? And Wolverhampton-way, I reckon.
That was to be the next move."
"I've often seen myself travellin' in a caravan," said Mrs. Damper
dreamily. "Here to-day an' gone to-morrow, and only to stretch out your
hand whether 'tis hairpins or a fryin'-pan; though I should never get
over travellin' on Sundays." Here, while her eyes rested on the child,
of a sudden she came out of her reverie with a sharp exclamation.
"Lord's sake! You ain't goin' to tell me they've left you in 'ospital,
stranded!"
"That's about it," said Tilda bravely, albeit with a wry little twist of
her mouth.
"But what'll you do?"
"Oh, I dunno . . . We'll get along some'ow--eh, 'Dolph? Fact is, I got
a job to do, an' no time to lose worryin'. You just read _that_."
Tilda produced and handed her scrap of paper to Mrs. Damper, who took
it, unfolded it, and perused the writing slowly.
"Goin' there?" she inquired at length.
"That depends." Tilda was not to be taken off her guard. "I want you to
read what it says."
"Yes, to be sure--I forgot what you said about havin' no schoolin'.
Well, it says: 'Arthur Miles, surname Chandon, b. Kingsand, May 1st,
1888. Rev. Dr. Purdie J. Glasson, Holy Innocents' Orphanage, Bursfield,
near Birmingham '--leastways, I can't read the last line clear, the
paper bein' frayed; but it's bound to be what I've said."
"Why?"
"Why, because that's the address. Holy Innocents, down by the canal--
I know it, o' course, _and_ Dr. Glasson. Damper supplied 'em with milk
for over six months, an' trouble enough we had to get our money."
"How far is it?"
"Matter of half a mile, I should say--close by the canal. You cross it
there by the iron bridge. The tram'll take you down for a penny, only
you must mind and get out this side of the bridge, because once you're
on the other side it's tuppence. Haven't got a penny? Well,"--Mrs.
Damper dived a hand into her till--"I'll give you one. Bein' a mother,
I can't bear to see children in trouble."
"Thank you," said Tilda. "It'll come in 'andy; but I ain't in no
trouble just yet."
"I 'spose," Mrs. Damper ventured after a pause, "you don't feel like
tellin' me what your business might be down at the orphanage? Not that
I'm curious.
"I can't." This was perfectly true, for she herself did not know.
"You see," she added with a fine air of mystery, "there's others mixed
up in this."
Mrs. Damper sighed.
"Well, I mustn' detain you . . . This Arthur Miles Chandon--he's not a
friend of yours by any chance?"
"He's a--sort of connection," said Tilda. "You know 'im, p'r'aps?"
"Dear me, no!"
"Oh,"--the child, without intending it, achieved a fine irony--
"I thought you seemed interested. Well, so long! and thank you again--
there's a tram stoppin' at the corner! Come along, 'Dolph!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account