Chapter 23—Peace-Making

,assoonasyoulethim.” “Well,Idon'tmindtellingyouthatwhilehewasmymateInevermissedbrothersandsisters,orwantedanyoneelsebutsincehecastmeoff,I'llbehangedifIdon'tfeelasforlornasoldCrusoebeforeFridayturnedup.” ThisburstofconfidenceconfirmedRoseinherpurposeofwinningCharlie'sMentorbacktohim,butshesaidnomore,contentedtohavedonesowell.Theypartedexcellentfriends,andPrincewenthome,wonderingwhy“afellowdidn'tmindsayingthingstoagirlorwomanwhichtheywoulddiebeforethey'downtoanotherfellow.” Rosealsohadsomesagereflectionsuponthesubject,andfellasleepthinkingthattherewereagreatmanycuriousthingsinthisworld,andfeelingthatshewasbeginningtofindoutsomeofthem. NextdayshetrudgedupthehilltoseeArchie,andhavingtoldhimasmuchasshethoughtbestabouthertalkwithCharlie,beggedhimtoforgetandforgive. “I'vebeenthinkingthatperhapsIoughtto,thoughIamintheright.I'mnoendfondofCharlie,andhe'sthebest-heartedladalivebuthecan'tsayNo,andthatwillplaythemischiefwithhim,ifhedoesnottakecare,”saidArchieinhisgrave,kindway. “Whilefatherwashome,Iwasverybusywithhim,soPrincegotintoasetIdon'tlike.Theytrytobefast,andthinkit'smanly,andtheyflatterhim,andleadhimontodoallsortsofthingsplayformoney,andbet,andloafabout.Ihatetohavehimdoso,andtriedtostopit,butwenttoworkthewrongway,sowegotintoamess.” “Heisallreadytomakeupifyoudon'tsaymuch,forheownedtomehewaswrongbutIdon'tthinkhewillownittoyou,inwords,”beganRose. “Idon'tcareforthatifhe'lljustdropthoserow-diesandcomeback,I'llholdmytongueandnotpreach.Iwonderifheowesthosefellowsmoney,andsodoesn'tliketobreakofftillhecanpayit.Ihopenot,butdon'tdaretoaskthough,perhaps,Steveknows,he'salwaysafterPrince,more'sthepity,”andArchielookedanxious. “IthinkStevedoesknow,forhetalkedaboutdebtsofhonourthedayIgavehim—”ThereRosestoppedshortandturnedscarlet. ButArchieorderedherto“fess,”andhadthewholestoryinfiveminutes,fornonedareddisobeytheChief.Hecompletedherafflictionbyputtingafive-dollarbillintoherpocketbymainforce,lookingbothindignantandresoluteashesaid, “NeverdosoagainbutsendStevetome,ifheisafraidtogotohisfather.Charliehadnothingtodowiththathewouldn'tborrowapennyofagirl,don'tthinkit.Butthat'stheharmhedoesSteve,whoadoreshim,andtriestobelikehiminallthings.Don'tsayawordI'llmakeitallright,andnooneshallblameyou.” “Ohme!Ialwaysmaketroublebytryingtohelp,andthenlettingoutthewrongthing,”sighedRose,muchdepressedbyherslipofthetongue. Archiecomfortedherwiththenovelremarkthatitwasalwaysbesttotellthetruth,andmadeherquitecheerfulbypromisingtohealthebreachwithCharlieassoonaspossible. Hekepthiswordsowellthattheverynextafternoon,asRoselookedoutofthewindow,shebeheldthejoyfulspectacleofArchieandPrincecominguptheavenue,arm-in-arm,asofold,talkingawayasiftomakeupfortheunhappysilenceofthepastweeks. Rosedroppedherwork,hurriedtothedoor,and,openingitwide,stoodtheresmilingdownuponthemsohappily,thatthefacesoftheladsbrightenedastheyranupthestepseagertoshowthatallwaswellwiththem. “Here'sourlittlepeace-maker!”saidArchie,shakinghandswithvigour. ButCharlieadded,withalookthatmadeRoseveryproudandhappy,“Andmylittlesister.”