From the room she and Tess occupied, opening out of the chamber in which the bigger girls slept, Dot heard enough of the whispered talk to get a fixed idea in her head. And when Dot did get an idea, it was hard to shake it loose, as Agnes declared.
Mrs. McCall kept one eye on Tess and Dot as they played about the overgrown garden, for she could see this easily from the kitchen windows. Mrs. McCall had already made herself indispensable to the family; even Aunt Sarah recognized her worth.
Ruth and Agnes were dusting and making the beds on this Monday morning, while Tess and Dot were setting their playhouse to rights.
I just heard her say so, so now, Tessie Kenway, Dot was saying. And I know if its up there, its never had a thing to eat since we came here to live.
I dont see how that could be, said Tess, wonderingly.
Its just so, repeated the positive Dot.
But why doesnt it make a noise?
We-ell, said the smaller girl, puzzled, too, maybe we dont hear it cause its too far up there at the top of the house.
I know, said Tess, thoughtfully. They eat tin cans, and rubber boots, and any old thing. But I always thought that was because they couldnt find any other food. Like those castaway sailors Ruth read to us about, who chewed their sealskin boots. Maybe such things stop the gnawing feeling you have in your stomach when youre hungry.
I am going to pull some grass and take it up there, announced the stubborn Dot. I am sure it would be glad of some grass.
Maybe Ruth wouldnt like us to, objected Tess.
But it isnt Ruthies! cried Dot. It must have belonged to Uncle Peter.
Why! thats so, agreed Tess.
For once she was over-urged by Dot. Both girls pulled great sheafs of grass. They held it before them in the skirts of their pinafores, and started up the back stairs.
Mrs. McCall chanced to be in the pantry and did not see them. They would have reached the garret without Ruth or Agnes being the wiser had not Dot, laboring upward, dropped a wisp of grass in the second hall.
Whats all this? demanded Agnes, coming upon the scattered grass.
Whats what? asked Ruth, behind her.
And on the stairs! exclaimed Agnes again. Why, its grass, Ruth.
Grass growing on the stairs? demanded her older sister, wonderingly, and running to see.
Of course not growing, declared Agnes. But who dropped it? Somebody has gone up
She started up the second flight, and Ruth after her. The trespassers were already on the garret flight. There was a tight door at the top of those stairs so no view could be obtained of the garret.
Well, I declare! exclaimed Agnes. What are you doing up here?
And with grass, said Ruth. Were all going to explore up there together some day soon. But you neednt make your beds up there, and she laughed.
Not going to make beds, announced Tess, rather grumpily.
For pitys sake, what are you going to do? asked Agnes.
Were going to feed the goat, said Dot, gravely.
Going to feed what? shrieked Agnes.
The goat, repeated Dot.
She says theres one up here, Tess exclaimed, sullenly.
A goat in the garret! gasped Ruth. How ridiculous. What put such an idea into your heads?
Aggie said so herself, said Dot, her lip quivering. I heard her tell you so last night after we were all abed.
A goat in the gar ret! murmured Agnes, in wonder.
Ruth saw the meaning of it instantly. She pulled Aggie by the sleeve.
Be still, she commanded, in a whisper. I told you little pitchers had big ears. She heard all that foolishness that Larry girl told you. Then to the younger girls she said:
Well go right up and see if we can find any goat there. But I am sure Uncle Peter would not have kept a goat in his garret.
But you and Aggie said so, declared Dot, much put out.
You misunderstood what we said. And you shouldnt listen to hear what other people say thats eavesdropping, and is not nice at all. Come.
Ruth mounted the stairs ahead and threw open the garret door. A great, dimly lit, unfinished room was revealed, the entire size of the main part of the mansion. Forests of clothing hung from the rafters. There were huge trunks and chests, and all manner of odd pieces of furniture.
The small windows were curtained with spiders lacework of the very finest pattern. Dust lay thick upon everything. Agnes sneezed.
Goodness! what a place! she said.
I dont believe there is a goat here, Dot, said Tess, becoming her usual practical self. Hed hed cough himself to death!
You can take that grass down stairs, said Ruth, smiling. But she remained behind to whisper to Agnes:
Youll have to have a care what you say before that young one, Ag. It was the ghost in the garret she heard you speak about.
Well, admitted the plump sister, I could see the whole of that dusty old place. It doesnt seem to me as though any ghost would care to live there. I guess that Eva Larry didnt know what she was talking about after all.
It was not, however, altogether funny. Ruth realized that, if Agnes did not.
I really wish that girl had not told you that silly story, said the elder sister.
Well, if there should be a ghost
Oh, be still! exclaimed Ruth. You know theres no such thing, Aggie.
I dont care, concluded Aggie. The old house is dreadfully spooky. And that garret
Is a very dusty place, finished Ruth, briskly, all her housewifely instincts aroused. Some day soon well go up there and have a thorough house-cleaning.
Oh!
Well drive out both the ghost and the goat, laughed Ruth. Why, that will be a lovely place to play in on rainy days.
Boo! its spooky, repeated her sister.
It wont be, after we clean it up.
And Eva says thats when the haunt appears on stormy days.
I declare! youre a most exasperating child, said Ruth, and that shut Agnes lips pretty tight for the time being. She did not like to be called a child.
It was a day or two later that Mrs. McCall sent for Ruth to come to the back door to see an old colored man who stood there, turning his battered hat around and around in his hands, the sun shining on his bald, brown skull.
Good mawnin, Missie, said he, humbly. Is yo one o dese yere relatifs of Mars Peter, what done come to lib yere in de ol Coner House?
Yes, said Ruth, smiling. I am Ruth Kenway.
Well, Missie, Is Unc Rufus, said the old man, simply.
Uncle Rufus?
Yes, Missie.
Why! you used to work for our Uncle Peter?
Endurin twenty-four years, Missie, said the old man.
Come in, Uncle Rufus, said Ruth, kindly. I am glad to see you, I am sure. It is nice of you to call.
Yes, Missie; I lowed youd be glad tuh see me. Das what I tol my darter, Pechunia
Petunia?
Ya-as. Pechunia Blossom. Das her name, Missie. I been stayin wid her ever since dey turn me out o yere.
Oh! I suppose you mean since Uncle Peter died?
Ya-as. Pechunia Blossom. Das her name, Missie. I been stayin wid her ever since dey turn me out o yere.
Oh! I suppose you mean since Uncle Peter died?
Ya-as, Missie, said the old man, following her into the sitting room, and staring around with rolling eyes. Then he chuckled, and said: Disher does seem lak home tuh me, Missie.
I should think so, Uncle Rufus, said Ruth.
I done stay here till das lawyer man done tol me I wouldnt be wanted no mo, said the colored man. But I sho does feel dat de ol Coner House cyant git erlong widout me no mo dan I kin git erlong widout it. I feels los, Missie, down dere to Pechunia Blossoms.
Arent you happy with your daughter, Uncle Rufus? asked Ruth, sympathetically.
Sho now! how you tink Unc Rufus gwine tuh be happy wid nottin to do, an sech a raft o pickaninnies erbout? Glo-ree! I sho feels like I was livin in a sawmill, wid er boiler factry on one side an one o dese yere stone-crushers on de oder.
Why, thats too bad, Uncle Rufus.
Yo see, Missie, pursued the old black man, sitting gingerly on the edge of the chair Ruth had pointed out to him, I done wok for Mars Peter so long. I done evryting fo him. I done de sweepin, an mak hes bed, an cook fo him, an wait on him han an foot ya-asm!
Aint nobody suit Mars Peter like ol Unc Rufus. He got so he wouldnt have no wimmen-folkses erbout. I ta de wash to Pechunia, an bring hit back; an I markets fo him, an all dat. Oh, Is spry fo an ol feller, Missie. I kin wait on table quite propah though twas a long time since Mars Peter done have any compny an dis dinin room was fixed up for em.
I tak care ob de silvah, Missie, an de linen, an all. Right smart of silvah Mars Peter hab, Missie. Yo sho needs Uncle Rufus yere, Missie. I dont see how yo git erlong widout him so long.
Mercy me! gasped Ruth, suddenly awakening to what the old man was getting at. You mean to say you want to come back here to work?
Sholy! sholy! agreed Uncle Rufus, nodding his head a great many times, and with a wistful smile on his wrinkled old face that went straight to Ruths heart.
But, Uncle Rufus! we dont need you, Im afraid. We have Mrs. McCall and there are only four of us girls and Aunt Sarah.
I member Mis Sarah very well, Missie, said Uncle Rufus, nodding. Shell sholy speak a good word fo Uncle Rufus, Missie. Yo ax her.
But Mr. Howbridge
Das lawyer man, said Uncle Rufus, he neber jes understood how it was, proposed the old colored man, gently. He didnt jes see dat dis ol Coner House was my home so long, dat no oder place seems jes right tuh me.
I understand, said Ruth, softly, but much worried.
Disher wite lady yo got tuh hep, shell fin me mighty handy ya-asm. I kin bring in de wood fo her, an git up de coal fom de cellar. I kin mak de pafs neat. I kin mak yo a leetle bit gyarden, Missie taint too late fo some vegertables. Yod oughter have de lawn-grass cut.
The old mans catalog of activities suggested the need of a much younger worker, yet Ruth felt so sorry for him! She was timid about taking such a responsibility upon herself. What would Mr. Howbridge say?
Meanwhile the old man was fumbling in an inner pocket. He brought forth a battered wallet and from it drew a soiled, crumpled strip of paper.
Mars Peter didnt never intend to foget me I know he didnt, said Uncle Rufus, earnestly. Disher paper he gib me, Missie, jes de day befo he pass ter Glory. He was a kin marster, an he lean on Unc Rufus a powerful lot. Jes yo read dis.
Ruth took the paper. Upon it, in a feeble scrawl, was written one line, and that unsigned:
Take care of Uncle Rufus.
Who whom did he tell you to give this to, Uncle Rufus? asked the troubled girl, at last.
He didnt say, Missie. He warnt speakin none by den, said the old man. But I done kep it, sholy, tendin tuh sho it to his relatifs what come yere to lib.
And you did right, Uncle Rufus, to bring it to us, said Ruth, coming to a sudden decision. Ill see what can be done.
CHAPTER VII THEIR CIRCLE OF INTEREST WIDENS
Uncle Rufus was a tall, thin, brown negro, with a gently deprecating air and a smile that suddenly changed his naturally sad features into a most humorous cast without an instants notice.
Ruth left him still sitting gingerly on the edge of the chair in the dining-room, while she slowly went upstairs to Aunt Sarah. It was seldom that the oldest Kenway girl confided in, or advised with, Aunt Sarah, for the latter was mainly a most unsatisfactory confidante. Sometimes you could talk to Aunt Sarah for an hour and she would not say a word in return, or appear even to hear you!
Ruth felt deeply about the old colored man. The twist of soiled paper in her hand looked to Ruth like a direct command from the dead uncle who had bequeathed her and her sisters this house and all that went with it.
Since her last interview with Mr. Howbridge, the fact that they were so much better off than ever before, had become more real to Ruth. They could not only live rather sumptuously, but they could do some good to other people by the proper use of Uncle Peters money!