The housekeeper warned Jewel not to run out of doors that morning as she wished to accompany her to the shoe store.
"I'm not going to take you,Anna Belle,"Jewel said to her doll."Idon't like to ask the giantess if I may,and of course,it won't be a very good time anyway,so you be patient and we'll go out together this afternoon."Mrs.Forbes's long widow's veil,a decoration she never had discarded hung low over her black gown as she stepped deliberately down the stairs from her barn chamber.
"I am going with the little girl,Zeke,to buy her a pair of rubbers,"she announced to her son.
"Going foot-back?Why don't you have out the 'broom'?One granddaughter's got as good a right to it as the other,hasn't she?""I should say so,but that child,Zeke,in addition to her wonderful boldness this morning with Mr.Evringham,that I told you about,is perfectly crazy over horses.""H'm.That don't surprise me.A young one that can stand up to the governor wouldn't be afraid of anything in the way of horseflesh.""So I decided,"continued Mrs.Forbes,pulling on her roomy black gloves,"that it would be better for her to go this morning in the trolley.""You did?Well if that ain't a regular step-mother act!"returned Zeke in protest."The kid had a bully time coming home from the depot yesterday.Dick felt good,and he just lit out.I tell you her eyes shone.""I like to do what's best for folks in the end,"declared Mrs.Forbes virtuously."Julia's parents are poor,and likely to be.She's only going to be here six weeks,and what is the sense of encouraging a taste she can't ever indulge?No,I'll take her in the trolley.It's a nice morning,and I shan't mind the walk down to the gate."The speaker marched with the dignity which was always inseparable from the veil toward the back door of the house to give some last orders,and Zeke lounged out with his rake toward the grounds at the front.There he caught sight of a small figure in hat and jacket waiting on the piazza.He turned toward it,and Jewel advanced with a smile of recognition.She had had to look twice to identify her fine plum-colored companion of yesterday's drive with this youth in shirt sleeves and a soft old hat.