Chapter XIV. And Jill Finds It Out

,withsomehesitationatthebeginningandend,forshedidnotknowthegentlemanshewasaddressing,exceptbysight,anditwasratherawkward:— “RobertWalker. “DearSir,IwanttoaskifJackMinotcametoseeyoulastFridayafternoon.HegotintotroublebeingseenwithJerryShannon.Hepaidhimsomemoney.Jackwon'ttell,andMr.Actontalkedtohimaboutitbeforealltheschool.Wefeelbad,becausewethinkJackdidnotdowrong.Idon'tknowasyouhaveanythingtodowithit,butIthoughtI'dask.Pleaseanswerquick.Respectfullyyours, “JanePecq” Tomakesurethatherdespatchwasnottamperedwith,Jillputagreatsplashofredsealing-waxonit,whichgaveitaveryofficiallook,andmuchimpressedBobwhenhereceivedit. “There!Goandpostit,anddon'tletanyoneseeorknowaboutit,”shesaid,handingitovertoFrank,wholefthisworkwithunusualalacritytodohererrand.Whenhiseyefellontheaddress,helaughed,andsaidinateasingway,— “AreyouandBobsuchgoodfriendsthatyoucorrespond?WhatwillJacksay?” “Don'tknow,anddon'tcare!Begood,now,andlet'shavealittlesecretaswellasotherfolks.I'lltellyouallaboutitwhenheanswers,”saidJillinhermostcoaxingtone. “Supposehedoesn't?” “ThenIshallsendyouuptoseehim.Imustknowsomething,andIwanttodoitmyself,ifIcan.” “Lookherewhatareyouafter?Idobelieveyouthink——”Frankgotnofarther,forJillgavealittlescream,andstoppedhimbycryingeagerly,“Don'tsayitoutloud!Ireallydobelieveitmaybe,andI'mgoingtofindout.” “Whatmadeyouthinkofhim?”andFranklookedthoughtfullyattheletter,asifturningcarefullyoverinhismindtheideathatJill'squickwitshadjumpedat. “ComehereandI'lltellyou.” Holdinghimbyonebutton,shewhisperedsomethinginhisearthatmadehimexclaim,withalookattherug,— “No!didhe?IdeclareIshouldn'twonder!Itwouldbejustlikethedearoldblunder-head.” “IneverthoughtofittillyoutoldmewhereBobwas,andthenitallsortofburstuponmeinoneminute!”criedJill,wavingherarmsabouttoexpresstheintellectualexplosionwhichhadthrownlightuponthemystery,likesky-rocketsinadarknight. “Youareasbrightasabutton.NotimetoloseI'moff”andoffhewas,splashingthroughthemudtoposttheletter,onthebackofwhichheadded,tomakethethingsure,“Hurryup.F.M.” Bothfeltratherguiltynextday,butenjoyedthemselvesverymuchnevertheless,andkeptchucklingovertheminetheyweremakingunderJack'sunconsciousfeet.Theyhardlyexpectedanansweratnoon,astheHillpeoplewerenotveryeagerfortheirmail,butatnightJillwassureofaletter,andtohergreatdelightitcame.Jackbroughtithimself,whichaddedtothefun,andwhilesheeagerlyreadithesatcalmlyporingoverthelatestnumberofhisownprivateandparticular“Youth'sCompanion.” Bobwasnota“completeletter-writer”byanymeans,andwithgreatlaborandmuchinkhadproducedthefollowingbriefbuthighlysatisfactoryepistle.Notknowinghowtoaddresshisfaircorrespondentheletitalone,andwentatoncetothepointinthefrankestpossibleway:— “JackdidcomeupFriday.Sorryhegotintoamess.Itwasrealkindofhim,andIshallpayhimbacksoon.JackpaidJerryformeandImadehimpromisenottotell.Jerrysaidhe'dcomehereandmakearowifIdidn'tcashup.IwasafraidI'dlosetheplaceifhedid,fortheCapt.isawfulstrict.IfJackdon'ttellnow,Iwill.Iain'tmean.Gladyouwrot