Chapter 23—Peace-Making

“Steve,Iwantyoutotellmesomething,”saidRosetoDandy,whowasmakingfacesathimselfintheglass,whilehewaitedforananswertothenotehebroughtfromhismothertoAuntPlenty. “P'rapsIwill,andp'rapsIwon't.Whatisit?” “Haven'tArchandCharliequarrelled?” “Daresaywefellowsarealwayshavinglittlerows,youknow.Idobelieveastyiscomingonmystar-boardeye,”andSteveaffectedtobeabsorbedinasurveyofhisyellowlashes. “No,thatwon'tdoIwanttoknowallaboutitforI'msuresomethingmoreseriousthana'littlerow'isthematter.Come,pleasetellme,Stenie,there'sadear.” “Botheration!youdon'twantmetoturntelltale,doyou?”growledSteve,pullinghistop-knot,ashealwaysdidwhenperplexed. “Yes,Ido,”wasRose'sdecidedanswerforshesawfromhismannerthatshewasright,anddeterminedtohavethesecretoutofhimifcoaxingwoulddoit.“Idon'twishyoutotellthingstoeveryone,ofcourse,buttomeyoumay,andyoumust,becauseIhavearighttoknow.Youboysneedsomebodytolookafteryou,andI'mgoingtodoit,forgirlsarenicepeacemakers,andknowhowtomanagepeople.Unclesaidso,andheisneverwrong.” Stevewasabouttoindulgeinaderisivehootattheideaofherlookingafterthem,butasuddenthoughtrestrainedhim,andsuggestedawayinwhichhecouldsatisfyRose,andbetterhimselfatthesametime. “WhatwillyougivemeifI'lltellyoueverybitaboutit?”heasked,withasuddenredinhischeeksandanuneasylookinhiseyes,forhewashalfashamedoftheproposition. “Whatdoyouwant?”andRoselookeduprathersurprisedathisquestion. “I'dliketoborrowsomemoney.Ishouldn'tthinkofaskingyou,onlyMacneverhasacent.sincehe'ssetuphisoldchemicalshop,wherehe'llblowhimselftobitssomeday,andyouandunclewillhavethefunofputtinghimtogetheragain,”andStevetriedtolookasiftheideaamusedhim. “I'lllendittoyouwithpleasure,sotellaway,”saidRose,boundtogetatthesecret. Evidentlymuchrelievedbythepromise,Stevesethistop-knotcheerfullyerectagain,andbrieflystatedthecase. “Asyousay,it'sallrighttotellyou,butdon'tlettheboysknowIblabbed,orPrincewilltakemyheadoff.Yousee,Archiedon'tlikesomeofthefellowsCharliegoeswith,andcuts'em.ThatmakesPrincemad,andheholdsonjusttoplagueArch,sotheydon'tspeaktooneanother,iftheycanhelpit,andthat'stherow.” “Arethoseboysbad?”askedRose,anxiously. “Guessnot,onlyratherwild.Theyareolderthanourfellows,buttheylikePrince,he'ssuchajollyboysingssowell,dancesjigsandbreakdowns,youknow,andplaysanygamethat'sgoing.HebeatMorseatbilliards,andthat'ssomethingtobragof,forMorsethinksheknowseverything.Isawthematch,anditwasgreatfun!” StevegotquiteexcitedovertheprowessofCharlie,whomheadmiredimmensely,andtriedtoimitate.RosedidnotknowhalfthedangerofsuchgiftsandtastesasCharlie's,butfeltinstinctivelythatsomethingmustbewrongifArchiedisapproved. “IfPrincelikesanybilliard-playingboybetterthanArchie,Idon'tthinkmuchofhissense,”shesaidseverely. “Ofcoursehedoesn'tbut,yousee,CharlieandArcharebothasproudastheycanbe,andwon'tgivein.IsupposeArchisright,butIdon'tblameCharlieabitforlikingtobewiththeotherssometimes,theyaresuchajollyset,”andSteveshookhisheadmorally,evenwhilehiseyetwinkledoverthememoryofsomeoftheexploitsofthe“jollyset.” “Oh,dearme!”sighedRose,“Idon'tseewhatIcandoaboutit,butIwishtheboy