Pendergast, with noncommittal briefness.
Not six weeks later Mary, in her beautiful Commonwealth Avenue home,
received a call from a little, thin-faced woman, who curtsied to the
butler and asked him to please tell her sister that she wished to speak
to her.
Mary looked worried and not over-cordial when she rustled into the room.
"Why, Jane, did you find your way here all alone?" she cried.
"Yes--no--well, I asked a man at the last; but, you know, I've been here
twice before with the others."
"Yes, I know," said Mary.
There was a pause; then Jane cleared her throat timidly.
"Mary, I--I've been thinking. You see, just as soon as I'm strong
enough, I--I'm going to take care of myself, and then I won't be a
burden to--to anybody." Jane was talking very fast now. Her words came
tremulously between short, broken breaths. "But until I get well enough
to earn money, I can't, you see. And I've been thinking;--would you be
willing to take me until--until I can? I'm lots better, already, and
getting stronger every day. It wouldn't be for--long."
"Why, of course, Jane!" Mary spoke cheerfully, and in a tone a little
higher than her ordinary voice. "I should have asked you to come here
before, only I feared you wouldn't be happy here--such a different life
for you, and so much noise and confusion with Belle's wedding coming on,
and all!"
Jane gave her a grateful glance.
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