the littleflat and went to bed. She slept scarcely at all that night, and awokein the morning quite determined with regard to one thing--that she musteither find her mother before the evening, or get the five pounds fromsome one else to return to Nat Carter.
As she was dressing she thought, for the first time almost since she hadleft him, of Silas Lynn. She remembered his generosity with regard tothe flowers. That basket of flowers was really a splendid gift, and,although Jill meant to give him back at least ten shillings thismorning, she could not but own that he had been more than kind to her.As to his outspoken words of admiration, she gave them very smallconsideration. She was accustomed to broad compliments from men of allsorts, and mere words made little or no impression on her. She thoughtnow, however, with a certain little warm comforting thrill of hope, thatperhaps Silas would be induced to lend her the princely sum of fivepounds, to be paid back day by day in small instalments, until the wholedebt was discharged.
Silas had been kind to Jill for a long time now, and several of theflower girls had joked her about the great, coarse, ugly-looking fellow.If she could induce Silas to help her in her present awful dilemma, shefelt no service would be too great for her to render him. If Silas lenther five pounds, she might conceal the knowledge of what her mother haddone from Nat, and they might be married some day, if not at once.
Jill hastened her toilet when this thought came to comfort her. Shesnatched up a piece of dry bread to eat, instead of breakfast, and,munching it as she went, hurried down-stairs. She reached the marketquite an hour earlier than she had done on the previous day, and wasrewarded at once by a broad stare from Silas. His stare was presentlyilluminated by a smile, which ended in a wink, and, stretching out onebig hand, he beckoned to Jill to approach.
"I'm going to order breakfast for two," he said, "and there's a cosyseat here, under this rose-tree. I'll fill yer basket, my gel, so youneedn't go no further. You set there, and take the world easy. Myword! you mind me o' my mother more nor ever this mornin'. There's awaiter over there, I'll call him. Hi, Sam! You come here this minute.Now then, I want a rare feed for me and this young 'ooman.--Wot have yougot?"
"Kidneys, rashers and heggs, sorsiges, homlettes," called the waiter offon his fingers.
"Wot's yer mind?" asked Silas, turning to Jill. "Have a hegg done to aturn, and a little juicy slice of curled-up bacon on the top o' it? Andsee yere, waiter, I'll have a chump chop, and two heggs, and make thecoffee strong, wotever you do. Now be quick, there's a good chap."
The waiter nodded, grinned, and disappeared. When Silas had givenorders about his breakfast, he turned and looked at Jill with that slow,grave smile, which, nevertheless, was sweet enough to transform hisrough face.
"I'm puzzled to know what flower to liken yer to," he said. "Seems tome maybe as you most takes arter one o' they dainty toolips afore theycomes out into full bloom. Of all flowers under the sun, there seems tome to be more in a toolip than in any other. For one thing, it comesarter the dead, cold winter; then it's so prim and yet so gay--so properall round, and yet there's sech a frolicsome look 'bout the little tipso' the flowers jest where they half opens to let in the sunlight and thesunshine. Yes, you mind me o' one o' them dark red, rich-lookingtoolip-buds as comes in the spring."
Jill scarcely replied to these words from Silas. She was thinking ofthe request she was about to make him, and wondering in what languageshe could best make known her sore want. She sat very still under thelarge rose-tree where he had placed her, her rich, dark head wasslightly bent forward, her brown, yet shapely hands were folded over hermany-coloured apron, her olive-tinted face was paler than its wont, thethick, heavy fringe of eyelashes caused a shadow on her cheek.
Silas gave her another quick, admiring glance.
"She's a toolip, and a carnation, and a bit of a rose-bud all in one,"he murmured under his breath. "Never seen her like afore. See howquiet she sets, and how little she minds all I says to her. She's hardto win, like one of them skittish colts at home. But why compare her toa colt? she's a flower out and out. One o' they cuttings werry preciousand hard to strike in strange soil. I like her all the better for it.There's breeding in every bit o' her."
"What shall I put in the basket to-day?" he continued. "How did thelilies go? and did the ladies wonder how you come by they choicerose-buds?"
These words roused Jill.
"You don't know what that basket wor," she said; "I sold off the flowersas fast as ever I could. They were lovely; there worn't sech a basketto be seen with any other flower girl."
Silas laughed. "Ha, ha." He said, "We'll do better'n that to-day; Iha' thought the subjec' of that basket o' yourn out and out. I ha'planned one most cunning for to-day. You leave it to me, Jill, I'llfill it for yer. What do you say to a border all round o' thesedelicate green ferns, and then a row o' deep crimson carnations, andagen 'em something white, and then a mass o' blue forget-me-nots, andthe centre all roses--every sort, cream, white, pink, blush, crimson?Wot do yer say to that sort o' basket, Jill Robinson?"
"It'd be more beautiful than a picter," said Jill, her eyes smiling."Oh, Mr Lynn, what lovely thoughts you has! I can most fancy I seethat ere basket."
"You leave it to me, and you'll see it in real 'arnest," said Silas."Ah, here comes breakfast. Now then, Jill, you shall pour out thecoffee."
Jill stood up at once to perform her office. She did it without a scrapof self-consciousness. She was quite impervious to the glances ofamusement which came from many pairs of eyes at the rough-looking flowermerchant and the handsome girl. Her mind was too absorbed withsomething else to notice any of these outside matters; but Silas felthis heart swell within him as he took the large cup of coffee fromJill's little hands. He noticed fast enough how the folks looked atthem both. These glances, these significant nods gave him intense prideand pleasure.
"Seems to me," he said under his breath, "as ef the little cuttin' wasa-beginning to strike."
The meal was nearly over when Jill spoke again. "Yere's ten shillin'sfor the flowers you give me yesterday, Silas Lynn," she said. "Tenshillin's, and my werry best thanks; and ef you will fill my basket withfive shillin's worth more flowers of the common sort, I'll be muchobleeged."
While she was speaking, Silas's face, which had resembled a greatbeaming sun a moment ago, grew black.
"You keep that ten shillin's, or you'll anger me," he growled. "Ef youmust give it back, give it back another day, but not now. Tell yerwhat, ef yer give it to me now, I'll put it in my mouth and swaller it;so there."
There was something so ferocious in the man's change of tone and changeof face that Jill felt sick. She knew that she must humour him if therewas the least chance of his acceding to her request.
"Mr Lynn," she said suddenly, "I'll keep that money, and give you tenshillin's worth o' thanks instead. I don't mind saying as I come hereto-day hoping as you'd do me a kindness."
Silas's brow cleared as if by magic.
"The little cuttin's a-strikin', not a doubt on it," he muttered.
"Do you a kindness, Jill Robinson?" he said aloud. "Well, that's quitearter my style. Let's hear wot you wants, lass. Say the words as lowas you like, my pretty, I'm all a-listenin'." Silas bent down towardsJill as he spoke. "There," he said, "speak up, don't be afeared."
"I'm in a good bit o' trouble," she said, her lips trembling. "I toldyer yesterday that I had lost some money. It worn't stole--don't yerthink that, but it wor lost. I want to pay that money back againto-night. Will yer lend it to me, Mr Lynn? Oh, there's nought underthe sun I wouldn't do for yer ef you'd lend me that money what gotlost."
"There's nought you wouldn't do for me," said Silas. "Them words ispleasant to hear--werry, werry pleasant. I has took a fancy to yer, andI like to hear yer say `there's nought you wouldn't do for me'; sech,for instance, as pouring out my coffee for me, eh? There, you'reblushin', my gel; never mind never mind. How much is the money youwant?"
"Maybe I ought not to ask,
" said Jill, starting from her seat andspeaking nervously; "it's an orful lot--it's five pounds."
When Jill named the sum which she required, Silas could not help givinga start of astonishment. Flower girls like Jill had seldom anything todo with so large a sum of money. Silas was naturally a close man, and,much as he was taken with the pretty flower girl,