world but Lafe anyway.

61

When the dinner was on the table, she grimly brought her husband’s wheel chair to the kitchen. Virginia, by the cobbler’s invitation, followed.

“Any money paid in to-day?” asked Peggy gruffly, drawing the cobbler to his place at the table.

“No,” he said, smiling up at her, “but there’ll be a lot to-morrow.... Is there some bread for––for Jinnie, too?”

Peggy replied by sticking her fork into a biscuit and pushing it off on Virginia’s plate with her finger.

Virginia acknowledged it with a shy upward glance. Peg’s stolid face and quick, insistent movements filled her with vague discomfort. If the woman had tempered her harsh, “Take it, kid,” with a smile, the little girl’s heart might have ached less.

Lafe nodded to her when his wife left the room for a moment.

“That biscuit’s Peg’s bite,” said he, “so she’ll bark a lot the rest of the day, but don’t you mind.”

62

CHAPTER VII

JUST A JEW

When the cobbler was at work again, Virginia, after picking up a few nails and tacks scattered on the floor, sat down.

“Would you like to hear something about me and Peggy, lassie?” he inquired, “an’ will you take my word for things?”

Jinnie nodded trustfully. She had already grown to love the cobbler, and her affection grew stronger as she stated:

“There isn’t anything you’d tell me, cobbler, I wouldn’t believe!”

With slow importance Lafe put down his hammer.

“I’m a Israelite,” he announced.

“What’s that?” asked the girl, immediately interested.

 Prev. P 43/276 next