"Out of town!" he echoed.
"He's gone to New York," said she. "He was called away unexpectedly
last night."
"When will he be back?"
"He said he'd try to be back the day after tomorrow; but he wasn't
sure."
Samuel stared at her in consternation.
"What did you want?" she asked.
"He promised me a job."
"Oh!" said she. "Well, can't you come back later on?" And then, seeing
that Samuel had nothing better to do than to stare at her dumbly, she
closed the door and went about her business.
Samuel walked back in a daze. It gave him a new sense of the world's
lack of interest in him. Probably the great man had forgotten him
altogether.
There was nothing to do but to wait; and meantime he had only sixty
cents. He could not stay with Mrs. Stedman, that was certain. But when
he came to tell her, she recurred to a suggestion he had made. There
were a few square yards of ground behind her house, given up mostly to
tomato cans. If he would plant some garden seed for her she would
board him meanwhile. And so Samuel went to work vigorously with a
borrowed spade.
Two days passed, and another day, and still the professor had not
returned. It was Saturday evening and Samuel was seated upon the steps
of the house, resting after a hard day's work. Sophie was seated near
him, leaning back against the house with her eyes closed. The evening
was warm and beautiful, and gradually the peace of it stole over her.
Pages:
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56