Jen

“ He moved away. Jen followed him. She held out her hand. It was the first time she had ever done so to this man.
“I believe you,” she said. “I believe that you mean well to our Val. I am sorry that I called you a devil.” He smiled. “Ma’m’selle, that is nothing. You spoke true. But devils have their friends—and their whims. So you see, good-night.”
“Mebbe it will come out all right, Jen—mebbe!” said the old man.
But Jen did not reply. She was thinking hard, her eyes upon the Prairie Star. Living life to the hilt greatly illumines the outlook of the mind. ”

“ The risk was considerable; but Jen Galbraith was fired by that spirit of self- sacrifice which has held a world rocking to destruction on a balancing point of safety.
The horse was quickly saddled, Jen meanwhile remaining silent. While she was mounting, Corporal Galna drew and struck a match to light his pipe. He held it up for a moment as though to see the face of Sergeant Gellatly. Jen had just given a good-night, and the horse the word and a touch of the spur at the instant. Her face, that is, such of it as could be seen above the cloak and under the cap, was full in the light. ”

“ David said tersely. “I've got to see Eve and get it straightened, so——”
“It's all straight,” Jen answered, shaking her head slowly. “It's all straight enough so's her mind's made up. If there's any pity in your heart, boy, go away and leave her be. She's been through enough with you now; her heart's broke, and the only way to mend it is to help her forget. She can't do that if you're around.”
That gentleness, her slow speech—such good evidence of assurance—stripped David of the ability to think, let alone retort. ”

“ Jen felt that she was being weighed in the girl's judgment. When Eve finally spoke, it was not in reply.
“Of course it's only been such a little while. This is just the second day; but when a man talks to you as though he hated you, when he does all he can to scare you, and when he can't always remember to act that way, but when he's sometimes—well, almost polite to you, and when he guards the place where you are at night from other men, do you think he means it when he says you're not safe with him?”
The woman drew a deep breath and took her hands from the girl's shoulders. ”

“ That, if a man but dally by her feet,
He thinks it straight a witch to charm his daughter.
Jen. Well, what will you give me, if I bring her hither?
Geo. A suit of green, and twenty crowns besides.
Jen. Well, by your leave, give me room. You must give me something that you have lately worn.
Geo. Here is a gown, will that serve you?
[Gives gown.
Jen. Ay, this will serve me. Keep out of my circle, lest you be torn in pieces by she-devils.—Mistress Bettris, once, twice, thrice!
[Jenkin throws the gown in, and Bettris comes out. [310]
O, is this no cunning? ”

“ They were heading across toward Beaver Island shortly, standing side by side at the wheel of the boat, a new excitement about Jen, a new enthusiasm in Ned's face.
“It's our job, sure enough,” he said. “We're the ones who know; we'll have to get that boy if we follow him to kingdom come. And Eve—Lord, Jenny, it's another part of our job trying to make up to her for what she's been through.” ”

“ One sayin' of his is worth pinnin' in your sombrero: 'It ain't nuthin' to kill a man. I don't need much fer thet. But I want to KNOW, you hussy!'
“Then he went in an' dragged poor Jen out. She'd had time to dress. He was so mad he hurt her sore leg. You know Jen got thet injury fightin' off one of them devils in the dark. An' when I seen Bland twist her—hurt her—I had a queer hot feelin' deep down in me, an' fer the only time in my life I wished I was a gun-fighter.
“Wal, Jen amazed me. She was whiter'n a sheet, an' her eyes were big and stary, but she had nerve. ”

“ The Indian camp brings unpleasant memories to Jen's mind. She knows it belongs to old Sun-in-the-North, and that he will not come to see her now, nor could she, or would she, go to him. Between her and that race there can never again be kindly communion. And now she sees, for the first time, two horsemen riding slowly in the track from Fort Desire towards Galbraith's Place. She notices that one sits upright, and one seems leaning forward on his horse's neck. She shades her eyes with her hand, but she cannot distinguish who they are. ”

“ It's your Aunt Jen's, and before God I'll set this straight if I'm spared another day of fair weather!”
She helped Eve to her feet and led her out of the gloomy stairway. She replenished the fire and turned to see Eve watching her.
“Why,” the girl asked slowly, “did you call my father 'Lasker?'”
IT WAS as if she had, in all calmness, cursed the woman, because Jen's relaxation was more than amazement or shock ”

“ And now, my dear young lady," added Jen, rising, "I must leave you, to keep my appointment with the scoundrel. Do not speak of our conversation to anyone!"
"You can depend upon my silence," said Isabella, who held out her hand. ”

“ Aunt Jen spoke these words to Eve as though the condition were a relief. She had waved a farewell to her husband and Pete from the landing, and walked back to the dwelling, where Eve sat on the steps, chin in hands. The girl smiled ever so faintly as the woman stood looking down at her. Then Jen sat down.
“Why can't you let me help you, dearie?”
Eve shook her head slowly.
“I don't know.”
“Don't know! You mean you don't want to talk? For three days you've been trying your best to keep it to yourself, but it ain't going to work, dearie. Bottling it up's the worst thing you can do. ”

“ So he doffed his hat to Jenny Wren, requesting to be heard.
"O, dearest Jenny Wren, if you will but be mine,
You shall feed on cherry pie and drink new currant wine,
I'll dress you like a goldfinch or any peacock gay,
So, dearest Jen, if you'll be mine let us appoint the day."
Jenny blushed behind her fan and thus declared her mind:
"Since, dearest Bob, I love you well, I take your offer kind;
Cherry pie is very nice and so is currant wine,
But I must wear my plain brown gown and never go too fine."
[78]
How many days has my baby to play? ”

“ Jen fell sick, and his companion had to nurse him, which he did with the utmost attention, but for ten days he gradually got worse and worse, and at length said to Shên, “My family is very poor. Eight mouths depend upon my exertions for food; and now, alas! I am about to die, far from my own home. You and I are brothers. At this distance there is no one else to whom I can look. Now in my purse you will find two hundred ounces of silver. ”

“ As Jen Galbraith stood in the doorway looking abstractedly at the beacon, her fingers smoothing her snowy apron the while, she was thinking thus to herself: “Perhaps father is right. If that Prairie Star were only at Vancouver or Winnipeg instead of here, our Val could be something, more than a prairie-rider. He’d have been different, if father hadn’t started this tavern business. Not that our Val is bad. He isn’t; but if he had money he could buy a ranch,—or something.”
Our Val, as Jen and her father called him, was a lad of twenty-two, one year younger than Jen. ”

“ Jim. Excuse me, sir, it's nothing but a little quarrel that Jennie and I were having. Nothing uncommon, sir. She is like all women, the better a man likes her the worse he gets treated.
Jen. Do not listen to him, please, doctor. It's all a bit of nonsense, anyway. If that last you said is true, Jim, all I have got to say is that it shows a great weakness in the sex. ”

“ Lay hold of it and make it fast, so's nothing can tear it from you.” After a moment: “Dearie, if I was to tell you that you could come to Squaw Island and stay with us as long as you wanted to, what would you say?”
It required a deal of courage for Jen to put that question, because if the girl answered in the affirmative, she did not know just what she could do. It would bring very close to the surface the thing she dreaded. So she watched with breath held down while Eve looked at her thoughtfully. ”

“ Judith bit back the ‘Good-night, Jennifer’ which she was about to call; for she was never going to care any more what happened to Jennifer; never again soothe her when she was weary and excited, comfort her when she was unhappy. She would look at Jennifer coldly, observe her vagaries and entanglements with a shrug, comment upon them with detached and cynical amusement: hurt her, if possible, oh, hurt her, hurt her. ”

“ Teachum, ‘I am not at all surprised at your being so much concerned to part with Miss Jenny. I love her myself with a motherly affection (as I do all of you, and shall ever continue to do so while you so well deserve it) ; and I could wish, for my own sake, never to part with her as long as I live; but I consider, that it is for her advantage, and I would have you all remember, in her absence, to let her example and friendship fill your hearts with joy, instead of grief. ”

“ When Miss Jenny saw her thus at a loss for an answer, she was in hopes of making her companion happy; for, as she had as much good nature as understanding, that was her design. She therefore pursued her discourse in the following manner:
MISS JENNY. Pray, Miss Sukey, do answer me one question more. Don’t you lie awake at nights, and fret and vex yourself, because you are angry with your school-fellows? Are not you restless and uneasy, because you cannot find a safe method to be revenged on them, without being punished yourself? ”

“ Loving Jenny Lind smiles upon us from yonder canvass. Would that we might hear her little Swedish chicken peep! Not a semi-quaver careth the mother-bird for the homage of the Old World or New. The artless clapping of little Otto’s joyous hands, drowns all the ringing plaudits, wafted across the ocean. A Dead Sea apple is fame, dear Jenny, to a true woman’s heart. ”

“ Eve lowered her head, and her assent was little more than a whisper.
“Looky here, dearie; the Lord didn't give women a tongue for nothing; he didn't give ears to folks who understand the trouble of others for nothing, either. You ain't got any cause to worry about your father now that you're here—safe with us. Just you forget him—or leave him to me.” She took Eve's hand in hers and the girl turned a slow gaze to her face. “It's him that makes you this way, ain't it?” Jen urged. ”

“ Jennifer dispensing her hospitality with prodigal and careless ease, recklessly generous in public and in secret, flashing{149} the glow of her magnetism suddenly into unlit and neglected lives, allowing them to get warm for a little, and then light-heartedly forgetting them. But never forgetting Judith—or not for long; and coming back always to sit with her alone, and drop all masks and love her silently, watchfully with her eyes. ”

“ A smile crossed Helen's lips and stayed there, softening her face wonderfully.
They shouted out their good-bys, and asked their mother a dozen questions, receiving about as many slaps in return. For the remainder of the day, Mrs. Jason was undeniably cross.
"That girl'll turn out just like her father," she said to Jenny. "She hasn't a bit of gratitude."
"And I hope the old woman will be as queer as they make them," returned Jenny with a laugh. ”

“ Jenny’s arms were strangling Deb, Jenny’s scorching lips were on Deb’s cheek and neck, Jenny’s half-sobbing half-laughing runs and murmurings of incoherence were thrown upon the unnatural silence ... “You darling—darling—darling! I’ve wanted to hug you like this since the first night you crept into the lounge. You’re such a beautiful little thing ... isn’t she? Isn’t she? Oh, I’m so happy you’re here—do let’s all three be pals—I hate everyone else in this beastly place ... ”

“ Poor Jenny had no idea that Mrs Jane used a very moderate amount of them, as contrasted with most fashionable ladies of her day.
“I must have a word with you, Jenny, as to your manners,” said Mrs Jane, more gravely. “I can’t do to have you falling in love with anybody. It would be very inconvenient, and, in fact, there’s nobody here for you. Remember now, you are above Featherstone and all the men-servants; and you must not set your cap at the chaplain, because he’s Mrs Millicent’s property.” ”

“ About twelve years afterwards, when Jenny was a married woman, happening to be left alone with her for a short time one day, I recalled the incident to her memory, in fact I believe she never forgot it, as she used always to regard me with a most peculiar kind of look. How she blushed at first; outputting my arms round her waist, I asked her to kiss and forgive me, if it was such a long time ago.
"You know, Jack, I will. You were such a tit then," she replied, as she permitted me to take the kiss. ”

“ It was when you saw her across a room that you recognised that girlhood had gone, and that there was a woman in the full ripeness of her beauty.
"Yes," she said, and her listlessness began to disappear. She turned away from the mirror. "Come, Jenny!" she cried, with a hopeful smile. She was saying to herself, "I have still a chance." ”

“ Helge has not had a happy home, Jenny. I don't mind telling you this, for if you have not already understood it, you will soon see it for yourself. You are a sensible girl. Helge's experience of his own home will teach him, perhaps, to value your love and try to keep it. ”

“ Jennifer brought a big brown filly from the stable, and set out with no more harness than a halter, and a sack for a saddle. Mrs. Jennifer held the farm-gate open for them, looking up at John Gore very kindly with just a glimmer of tears in her eyes, for though Winnie Jennifer had a strong arm and a rough, brown face, she was as warm-hearted a creature as ever creamed the milk. ”