CHAPTER V.
KATY VISITS MRS. GORDON, AND GETS RID OF DR. FLYNCH.
Katy gazed with wonder and admiration at the rich furniture of thehouse, and thought that perhaps her grandfather lived in as good styleas Mrs. Gordon, and that she might some day go to Liverpool and be aninmate of just such a palace. The door of the sitting-room was open,and she had an opportunity to look at all the fine things it contained.She had never seen anything so luxurious before, and I must say thatshe regretted the poverty of her lot, which deprived her mother andherself of them.
All round the room hung pictures in costly frames. Some of them wereportraits; and one which hung over the mantelpiece directly before her,soon attracted her attention, and made her forget the soft divans, thebeautiful carpet, and the rich draperies of the windows. It was theportrait of a lady, and her expression was very like that of hermother--so like that she could almost believe the picture had beenpainted for her mother. Yet that could not be, for the lady was young,and plump, and rosy, and wore rich laces, and a costly dress. Sheseemed to look down upon her from the golden frame with a smile ofsatisfaction. There was something roguish in her eye, as though she wason the point of bursting into a laugh at some mischief she hadperpetrated. O, no! that could not be her mother; she had never seenher look like that. But there was something that seemed very much likeher; and the more she looked at it, the more the picture fascinatedher. She tried to look at something else, but the lady appeared to havefixed her gaze upon her, and, whichever way she turned, those laughingeyes followed her, and brought back her attention to the canvas again.
In vain she attempted to fasten her mind upon some of the otherportraits. There was an elderly gentleman, with a full red face; butthe jealous lady would not let her look at him. She turned round andlooked out the windows at the side of the door; but the spell of thelady was upon her, and she could not resist the charm. The more shestudied the portrait, the more convinced she became that it looked likeher mother, though there was something about it which was as unlike heras anything could be. "What makes you keep looking at me?" said Katy toherself, or rather to the lady on the canvas. "You needn't watch me soclosely; I shall not steal anything."
The lady, however, insisted on watching her, and kept her roguishglance fixed upon her with a steadiness that began to make her feelnervous and uneasy; and she was greatly relieved when she heardfootsteps on the stairs.
"Mrs. Gordon will be down in a moment," said Miss Grace, in kind tones."Won't you come into this room and sit down?"
Katy thanked her, and Grace led her to a small chair directly under themischievous-looking lady in the frame; and she felt a kind ofsatisfaction in being placed out of her sight. But it seemed, eventhen, as she cast a furtive glance upward, that those roguish eyes weretrying to peer over the picture frame, and get a look at her.
"Well, little girl, what do you wish with me?" said Mrs. Gordon, abenevolent looking lady, apparently of more than forty years of age,who now entered the room.
The expression of her countenance was very pleasant, and though therewere a few wrinkles on her brow and she wore a lace cap, Katy came tothe conclusion that the portrait had been taken for her. She wonderedif such a dignified lady could ever have been so roguish as the pictureindicated.
"Please, ma'am," stammered she, rising from her chair, "I come to seeyou about the house we live in."
"What is your name, child?"
"Katy Redburn, ma'am."
"In what house do you live in?"
"In one of yours in Colvin Court. Mother is a poor woman, and has beensick so much this summer that she can't pay the rent."
"I am very sorry for you, my child, but I refer you to my agent, Dr.Flynch. I do not like to meddle with these things, as I have given himthe whole care of my houses. You will find him a very good man, and onewho will be willing to consider your case. He will extend to you allthe lenity your case requires."
"We have told Dr. Flynch all about it, ma'am and he says if the rent isnot paid by one o'clock to-day, he shall turn us out of the house."
"Indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Gordon; and Grace actually jumped out of herchair with astonishment and indignation.
"Yes, ma'am; that's just what he said," added Katy, satisfied with theimpression she had produced.
"Is your mother ill now?" asked Mrs. Gordon.
"Yes ma'am; she has not been off her bed for twelve weeks."
"What does Dr. Flynch say, my child?"
"He says my mother deceived him; that she told him a falsehood; andthat she had money, when she didn't have a cent."
"It is too bad, mother!" exclaimed Grace.
"Hush, Grace; probably Dr. Flynch knows best, for he certainly wouldnot turn a poor sick woman out of doors because she did not pay therent. There may be, as he says, some deception about it, which he canpenetrate and we cannot."
"There is no deception about it, ma'am," pleaded Katy, much disturbedby this sudden damper upon her hopes. "She has not got a single cent.She wouldn't tell a lie, and I wouldn't either."
There was something in the eloquence and earnestness of the child thatdeeply impressed the mind of the lady, and she could hardly resist theconclusion that her agent had, in this instance, made a mistake. Butshe had great confidence in Dr. Flynch, and she was very unwilling tobelieve that he could be so harsh and cruel as the little girlrepresented. She had heard of the tricks of the vicious poor, and whileshe was disposed to be very tender of a needy tenant, she must be justto her agent.
"It is now half-past ten," continued Mrs. Gordon.
"You shall remain here, my child, and I will send Michael down toColvin Court to inquire into the situation of your mother. He must beimpartial for he knows nothing about the case."
"Thank you, ma'am," said Katy, with a promptness which assured Grace,if not her mother, that the little girl was honest.
Mrs. Gordon rang the bell, and when Michael answered the summons, sheattended him to the street door, where she instructed him to call uponMrs. Redburn, and also to inquire of the grocer at the corner, and ofher neighbors, what sort of a person she was. The lady returned to thesitting-room when he had gone, and asked Katy a great many questionsabout herself and her mother, and thus nearly an hour was consumed, atthe end of which time Michael returned. Katy had answered all thelady's questions fairly, though without betraying her family history,which her mother had cautioned her to keep to herself, that she wasprepared to receive a favorable report from her man.
"Well, Michael, did you find the woman at home?" asked Mrs. Gordon, asthe man presented himself.
"Indeed, I deed, marm."
"What was she doing?"
"She was fast in bed, and told me she hadn't been out of it for twelveweeks come Saturday."
"What does the grocer say?"
"He says she is a very good woman, but poor and proud. She always paidhim every cent she owed him, and he'd trust her for half he has in hisshop."
"That will do, Michael; you may go;" and the man retired with arespectful bow.
Katy's face wore a smile of triumph, as Michael was dismissed. Hermother's truthfulness had been vindicated, and it was the proudestmoment she had known for many a day.
"How long has your mother lived in my house?" asked Mrs. Gordon.
"About three years, ma'am; and she always paid her rent till thismonth," replied Katy.
"If she had not, Dr. Flynch would have turned her into the street,"added Grace; and it was evident the beautiful young lady had no specialregard for that worthy gentleman.
"We have tried hard enough to pay the rent this month," continued Katy;and she proceeded to tell the story of the silver watch, that hadbelonged to her father.
"This is dreadful, mother; let us do something about it," said Grace."What a wretch the broker must have been!"
"We will endeavor to get the watch back for her," replied Mrs. Gordon,as she seated herself at a table and wrote a few lines on a piece ofpaper. "Here, my child, is a receipt for your month's rent.
When Dr.Flynch comes for the money, you show him this, and he will besatisfied;" and she handed her the receipt.
Katy took it, and thanked the good lady, assuring her that her motherwould certainly pay the money as soon as she got well.
"My mother is poor and proud, just as the grocer said, and she don'task any one to give her anything. I am going to earn some money myself,and I hope I shall be able to pay the next month's rent," added Katy,as she moved towards the door.
"But the watch, mother?" interposed Grace.
"If the little girl will come here this afternoon or to-morrow morning,we will take her to the mayor who will have the case attended to."
"I will come any time, ma'am."
"The mayor is my friend, and I will call at his house with you thisafternoon at three o'clock."
Katy could not but think the mayor had a great many friends, for therewas Master Simon Sneed, and Mrs. Gordon, and she knew not how manymore. She thanked the lady very warmly for her kindness, and promisingto come at the time stated, she took her leave.
She was followed to the door by Grace, who detained her there.
"Katy, I am sure you are a very good little girl, and here is a dollarfor you. It will buy something good for your mother."
"I thank you very much, Miss Gordon. I am poor, but proud, like mymother," replied she, as a flush of shame mantled her cheek.
"What a foolish little girl!" laughed Grace. "Take it; you will obligeme very much by taking it."
"No, ma'am, I can't; my mother wouldn't own me if I should take moneyas a gift."
"But you must take it, Katy; I shall be angry if you don't."
The little girl looked up into her pretty eyes beaming with pity andlove; and she could hardly resist the temptation to oblige her byaccepting the gift; but since she had heard the story of her mother'slife, she understood why she was so much prouder than other poorpeople; and as she thought of her grandfather in his fine house in thegreat city of Liverpool, she felt a little of the same spirit--she toowas poor and proud. Besides, as Grace jingled the two half dollarstogether, there was a harmony in the sound that suggested a great heapof good things for her mother. And there was another powerfulconsideration that weighed with great force upon her mind. One of thosehalf dollars would be a sufficient capital upon which to commence hercandy speculation. It would buy ever so much molasses of the very bestquality. As she thought of this, she was disposed, at least, tocompromise with Miss Grace.
"I cannot accept the money as a gift, but you may lend it to me, if youplease," said Katy, after she had reflected a moment.
"Just as you like," laughed Grace; "but I shall not feel bad if younever pay me."
"I shall certainly pay it again," persisted the embryo candy merchant."I would not take it if I thought I could not."
"Very well; but you must know I think you are a very singular littlegirl."
"I am poor and proud; that's all."
Katy took the loan, and with her fancy fired with brilliantexpectations in regard to the candy operation, ran home to her motheras fast as her feet would carry her. Mrs. Redburn was much displeasedwith her at first for what she had done. Her pride revolted at thethought of begging a favor; but Katy explained the matter so well thatshe was satisfied, though nothing was said about the loan she hadobtained.
Punctually at the appointed hour came Dr. Flynch for the rent.
"Have you got the money?" he demanded in his usual bland tones, thoughKaty thought she could see a wicked purpose in his little gray eye.
"No, sir; but----"
"That's all I desire to know, Mrs. Redburn," interrupted the agent."You must leave the house."
"But, sir, I have something that will do as well as the money," addedthe sick woman.
"Have you, indeed?" sneered Dr. Flynch "I think not."
"Will you read that, sir?" said Katy, handing him Mrs. Gordon's receipt.
The agent took the paper, and as he read, the wonted serenity of hisbrow was displaced by a dark scowl. His threats had been disregarded,and he had been reported to his employer.
"So you have been fawning and cringing upon Mrs. Gordon," growled he."Probably you have told her more lies than you dared tell me."
"I told her nothing but the truth, and she sent her man down here tofind out all about us, said Katy, smartly.
"Very well; this paper will only delay the matter for a few days; whenI have exposed you to her, she will acquiesce in my views;" and Dr.Flynch threw down the receipt and left the house.
"We are well rid of him, at any rate," said Katy.
"Now I will get you some dinner, for I must be at Mrs. Gordon's atthree o'clock; and I want to tell you about my plan too, mother."
The active little girl made a cup of tea for her mother, and the dinnerwas soon dispatched.