Jo's Boys - Bibliotecadigital.puc-campinas.edu.br

Chapter 21 145not too long!"''I'm no hero, never can be, and "fame and life" can't do much for me. Never mind, read me that paper, please.This knock on the head has made a regular fool of me.'Dan's voice was gentle; but the light was gone out of his face now, and he moved restlessly as if the silkenpillows were full of thorns. Seeing that his mood had changed, Bess quietly put down the book, took up thepaper, and glanced along the columns for something to suit him.'You don't care for the money market, I know, nor musical news. Here's a murder; you used to like those; shallI read it? One man kills another--,''No!'Only a word, but it gave Mrs Jo a thrill, and for a moment she dared not glance at the tell-tale mirror. Whenshe did Dan lay motionless with one hand over his eyes, and Bess was happily reading the art news to earsthat never heard a word. Feeling like a thief who has stolen something very precious, Mrs Jo slipped away toher study, and before long Bess followed to report that Dan was fast asleep.Sending her home, with the firm resolve to keep her there as much as possible, Mother Bhaer had an hour ofserious thought all alone in the red sunset; and when a sound in the next room led her there, she found that thefeigned sleep had become real repose; for Dan lay breathing heavily, with a scarlet spot on either cheek, andone hand clinched on his broad breast. Yearning over him with a deeper pity than ever before, she sat in thelittle chair beside him, trying to see her way out of this tangle, till his hand slipped down, and in doing sosnapped a cord he wore about his neck and let a small case drop to the floor.Mrs Jo picked it up, and as he did not wake, sat looking at it, idly wondering what charm it held; for the casewas of Indian workmanship and the broken cord, of closely woven grass, sweet scented and pale yellow.'I won't pry into any more of the poor fellow's secrets. I'll mend and put it back, and never let him know I'veseen his talisman.'As she spoke she turned the little wallet to examine the fracture, and a card fell into her lap. It was aphotograph, cut to fit its covering, and two words were written underneath the face, 'My Aslauga'. For aninstant Mrs Jo fancied that it might be one of herself, for all the boys had them; but as the thin paper fell away,she saw the picture Demi took of Bess that happy summer day. There was no doubt now, and with a sigh sheput it back, and was about to slip it into Dan's bosom so that not even a stitch should betray her knowledge,when as she leaned towards him, she saw that he was looking straight at her with an expression that surprisedher more than any of the strange ones she had ever seen in that changeful face before.'Your hand slipped down; it fell; I was putting it back,' explained Mrs Jo, feeling like a naughty child caughtin mischief.'You saw the picture?''Yes.''And know what a fool I am?''Yes, Dan, and am so grieved--''Don't worry about me. I'm all right--glad you know, though I never meant to tell you. Of course it is only a