第35章

“IfIwasaboy，we’drunawaytogether，andhaveacapitaltime，butasI’mamiserablegirl，Imustbeproperandstopathome。

Don’ttemptme，Teddy，it’sacrazyplan。“

“That’sthefunofit，“beganLaurie，whohadgotawillfulfitonhimandwaspossessedtobreakoutofboundsinsomeway。

“Holdyourtongue!“criedJo，coveringherears。“`Prunesandprisms’aremydoom，andImayaswellmakeupmymindtoit。Icameheretomoralize，nottohearthingsthatmakemeskiptothinkof。“

“IknowMegwouldwet-blanketsuchaproposal，butI

thoughtyouhadmorespirit，“beganLaurieinsinuatingly。

“Badboy，bequiet!Sitdownandthinkofyourownsins，don’tgomakingmeaddtomine。IfIgetyourgrandpatoapologizefortheshaking，willyougiveuprunningaway？“

askedJoseriously。

“Yes，butyouwon’tdoit，“answeredLaurie，whowishedtomakeup，butfeltthathisoutrageddignitymustbeappeasedfirst。

“IfIcanmanagetheyoungone，Icantheoldone，“mutteredJo，asshewalkedaway，leavingLauriebentoverarailroadmapwithhisheadproppeduponbothhands。

“Comein!“AndMr。Laurence’sgruffvoicesoundedgrufferthanever，asJotappedathisdoor。

“It’sonlyme，Sir，cometoreturnabook，“shesaidblandly，assheentered。

“Wantanymore？“askedtheoldgentleman，lookinggrimandvexed，buttryingnottoshowit。

“Yes，please。IlikeoldSamsowell，IthinkI’lltrythesecondvolume，“returnedJo，hopingtopropitiatehimbyacceptingaseconddoseofBoswell’sJohnson，ashehadrecommendedthatlivelywork。

TheshaggyeyebrowsunbentalittleasherolledthestepstowardtheshelfwheretheJohnsonianliteraturewasplaced。Joskippedup，andsittingonthetopstep，affectedtobesearchingforherbook，butwasreallywonderinghowbesttointroducethedangerousobjectofhervisit。Mr。Laurenceseemedtosuspectthatsomethingwasbrewinginhermind，foraftertakingseveralbriskturnsabouttheroom，hefacedroundonher，speakingsoabruptlythatRasselastumbledfacedownwardonthefloor。

“Whathasthatboybeenabout？Don’ttrytoshieldhim。

I

knowhehasbeeninmischiefbythewayheactedwhenhecamehome。Ican’tgetawordfromhim，andwhenIthreatenedtoshakethetruthoutofhimheboltedupstairsandlockedhimselfintohisroom。“

“Hedidwrong，butweforgavehim，andallpromisednottosayawordtoanyone，“beganJoreluctantly。

“Thatwon’tdo。Heshallnotshelterhimselfbehindapromisefromyousoftheartedgirls。Ifhe’sdoneanythingamiss，heshallconfess，begpardon，andbepunished。Outwithit，Jo。

Iwon’tbekeptinthedark。“

Mr。LaurencelookedsoalarmingandspokesosharplythatJowouldhavegladlyrunaway，ifshecould，butshewasperchedaloftonthesteps，andhestoodatthefoot，alioninthepath，soshehadtostayandbraveitout。

“Indeed，Sir，Icannottell。Motherforbadeit。Lauriehasconfessed，askedpardon，andbeenpunishedquiteenough。Wedon’tkeepsilencetoshieldhim，butsomeoneelse，anditwillmakemoretroubleifyouinterfere。Pleasedon’t。Itwaspartlymyfault，butit’sallrightnow。Solet’sforgetit，andtalkabouttheRAMBLERorsomethingpleasant。“

“HangtheRAMBLER!Comedownandgivemeyourwordthatthisharum-scarumboyofminehasn’tdoneanythingungratefulorimpertinent。Ifhehas，afterallyourkindnesstohim，I’llthrashhimwithmyownhands。“

Thethreatsoundedawful，butdidnotalarmJo，forsheknewtheirascibleoldgentlemanwouldneverliftafingeragainsthisgrandson，whateverhemightsaytothecontrary。Sheobedientlydescended，andmadeaslightoftheprankasshecouldwithoutbetrayingMegorforgettingthetruth。

“Hum……ha……well，iftheboyheldhistonguebecausehepromised，andnotfromobstinacy，I’llforgivehim。

He’sastubbornfellowandhardtomanage，“saidMr。Laurence，rubbinguphishairtillitlookedasifhehadbeenoutinagale，andsmoothingthefrownfromhisbrowwithanairofrelief。

“SoamI，butakindwordwillgovernmewhenalltheking’shorsesandalltheking’smencouldn’t，“saidJo，tryingtosayakindwordforherfriend，whoseemedtogetoutofonescrapeonlytofallintoanother。

“YouthinkI’mnotkindtohim，hey？“wasthesharpanswer。

“Oh，dearno，Sir。Youarerathertookindsometimes，andthenjustatriflehastywhenhetriesyourpatience。Don’tyouthinkyouare？“

Jowasdeterminedtohaveitoutnow，andtriedtolookquiteplacid，thoughshequakedalittleafterherboldspeech。

Tohergreatreliefandsurprise，theoldgentlemanonlythrewhisspectaclesontothetablewitharattleandexclaimedfrankly，“You’reright，girl，Iam!Ilovetheboy，buthetriesmypatiencepastbearing，andIknowhowitwillend，ifwegoonso。“

“I’lltellyou，he’llrunaway。“Jowassorryforthatspeechtheminuteitwasmade。ShemeanttowarnhimthatLauriewouldnotbearmuchrestraint，andhopedhewouldbemoreforebearingwiththelad。

Mr。Laurence’sruddyfacechangedsuddenly，andhesatdown，withatroubl