His pride
wouldn't stomach it. But not for worlds would Mrs. Gale have been the
one to let Miss Alice know that.
Her eyes sought for inspiration in a crack on the stone floor.
"I can't rightly tall yo', Miss Olice. 'E sang fer t' owd
schoolmaaster, look yo, an' wann schoolmaaster gaave it oop, Jimmy, 'e
said 'e'd give it oop too."
"But don't you think he'd sing for _me_, if I were to ask him?"
"Yo' may aask 'im, Miss Olice, but I doan' knaw. Wann Jim Greatorex is
sat, 'e's sat."
"There's no harm in asking him."
"Naw. Naw 'aarm there isn't," said Mrs. Gale doubtfully.
"I think I'll ask him now," said Alice.
"I wouldn', look yo, nat ef I wuss yo, Miss Olice. I wouldn' gaw to
'im in t' mistal all amoong t' doong. Yo'll sha-ame 'im, and yo'll do
nowt wi' Jimmy ef 'e's sha-amed."
"Leave it, Ally. We can come another day," said Gwenda.
"Thot's it," said Mrs. Gale. "Coom another daay."
And as they turned away Jim's voice thundered after them from his
stronghold in the mistal.
"From av-ver-lasstin'--THOU ART GAWD!
To andless ye-ears ther sa-ame!"
The sisters stood listening. They looked at each other.
"I say!" said Gwenda.
"Isn't he gorgeous? We'll _have_ to come again. It would be a sin to
waste him."
"It would."
"When shall we come?"
"There's heaps of time. That voice won't run away."
"No. But he might get pneumonia. He might die."
"Not he."
But Alice couldn't leave it alone.
Pages:
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92