Chapter VII. Jill's Mission

awthetemptingpaper,andseizeditwithglee,forinspiteofherpredicamentshedidwanttoteaseFrank.Aglanceshowedthatitwasnotthecompositionnoranote,butthebeginningofaletterfromMrs.Minottohersister,andJillwasabouttolayitdownwhenherownnamecaughthereye,andshecouldnotresistreadingit.Hardwordstowriteofonesoyoung,doublyhardtoread,andimpossibletoforget. “DearLizzie,—Jackcontinuestodoverywell,andwillsoonbeupagain.Butwebegintofearthatthelittlegirlispermanentlyinjuredintheback.Sheishere,andwedoourbestforherbutIneverlookatherwithoutthinkingofLucindaSnow,who,youremember,wasbedriddenfortwentyyears,owingtoafallatfifteen.PoorlittleJaneydoesnotknowyet,andIhope”—Thereitended,and“poorlittleJaney's”punishmentfordisobediencebeganthatinstant.Shethoughtshewasgettingwellbecauseshedidnotsufferallthetime,andeveryonespokecheerfullyabout“byandby.”Nowsheknewthetruth,andshuthereyeswithashiverasshesaid,low,toherself,— “Twentyyears!Icouldn'tbearitoh,Icouldn'tbearit!” AverymiserableJilllayonthefloor,andforawhiledidnotcarewhocameandfoundherthenthelastwordsoftheletter—“Ihope”—seemedtoshineacrosstheblacknessofthedreadful“twentyyears”andcheerherupabit,fordespairneverliveslonginyounghearts,andJillwasabravechild. “ThatiswhyMammysighssowhenshedressesme,andeveryoneissogoodtome.PerhapsMrs.Minotdoesn'treallyknow,afterall.ShewasdreadfullyscaredaboutJack,andheisgettingwell.I'dliketoaskDoctor,buthemightfindoutabouttheletter.Oh,dear,whydidn'tIkeepstillandletthehorridthingalone!” Asshethoughtthat,Jillpushedthepaperaway,pulledherselfup,andwithmuchpainfuleffortmanagedtogetbacktohersofa,whereshelaidherselfdownwithagroan,feelingasifthetwentyyearshadalreadypassedoverhersinceshetumbledoff. “I'vetoldalie,forIsaidIwouldn'tstir.I'vehurtmyback,I'vedoneameanthing,andI'vegotpaidforit.AnicemissionaryIamI'dbetterbeginathome,asMammytoldmeto”andJillgroanedagain,rememberinghermother'swords.“NowI'vegotanothersecrettokeepallalone,forI'dbeashamedtotellthegirls.IguessI'llturnroundandstudymyspellingthennoonewillseemyface.” Jilllookedthepictureofagood,industriouschildasshelaywithherbacktothelargetable,herbookheldsothatnothingwastobeseenbutonecheekandapairoflipsmovingbusily.Fortunately,itisdifficultforlittlesinnerstoactapart,and,evenifthefaceishidden,somethinginthebodyseemstobetraytheinternalremorseandshame.Usually,Jilllayflatandstillnowherbackwasbentinapeculiarwayassheleanedoverherbook,andonefootwaggednervously,whileonthevisiblecheekwasaSpanishstampwithawoman'sfacelookingthroughtheblackbars,verysuggestively,ifshehadknownit.Howlongtheminutesseemedtillsomeonecame,andwhataqueerlittlejumpherheartgavewhenMrs.Minot'svoicesaid,cheerfully,“Jackisallright,and,Ideclare,soisJill.Ireallybelievethereisatelegraphstillworkingsomewherebetweenyoutwo,andeachknowswhattheotherisaboutwithoutwords.” “Ididn'thaveanyotherbookhandy,soIthoughtI'dstudyawhile,”answeredJill,feelingthatshedeservednopraiseforherseemingindustry. Shecastasidelongglanceasshespoke,andseeingthatMrs.Minotwaslookingfortheletter,hidherfaceandlaysostillshecouldheartherustleofthepaperasitwastakenfromthefloor.Itwaswellshedidnotalsoseethequicklooktheladygaveherassheturnedtheletterandfoundaredstampstickingtotheunderside,forthisunluckylittlewitnesstoldthestory. Mrs.Minotrememberedhavingseenthestamplyingclosetothesofawhenshelefttheroom,forshehadhadhalfamindtotakeittoJack,butdidnot,thinkingFrank'splanhadsomeadvantages.Shealsorecollectedthatapaperflewoffthetable,butbeinginhasteshehadnotstoppedtoseewhatitwas.Now,thestampandthelettercouldhardlyhavecometogetherwithouthands,fortheylayayardapart,andhere,also,ontheunwrittenportionofthepage,wasthemarkofasmallgreenthumb.Jillhadbeenwindingwoolforastripeinhernewafghan,andthegreenballlayonhersofa.ThesesignssuggestedandconfirmedwhatMrs.Minotdidnotwanttobelievesodidthevoice,attitude,andairofJill,allveryunlikeherusualopen,alertways. Thekindladycouldeasilyforgiveth