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Wait and Hope: or, A Plucky Boy's Luck
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"I should think there would be."
"Will you go? I think of going, and would like your company."
"No, I guess not," said Ben. "It would be too much for Emma. She is only a little girl, and could not stand the fatigue."
"I wouldn't dare to go up so high, Ben," said Emma timidly.
Here a well-dressed lady, who had heard the discussion said: "If you would like to go up, young man, I will take care of the little girl till you come down. Will you stay with me, my dear?"
She smiled pleasantly, and Emma's confidence was won.
"Yes, Ben, I will stay with her," she said; "only don't be gone too long."
Ben hesitated. He wanted to go up, and was not sure when he would have another opportunity. He could see no reason to doubt that Emma would be entirely safe under the care of the stranger.
"I don't like to give you so much trouble," said Ben.
"It will be no trouble," said the lady politely. "I am fond of children."
It was twenty-five minutes before Ben descended. He looked for
Emma, and his heart gave a great bound of dismay.
Neither Emma nor the lady was to be seen.
Chapter XVII
The Strange Captor
This was what had happened.
When Ben was fairly on his way up the monument, the lady addressed
Emma.
"My dear," she said, "are you fond of candy?"
"Ever so much," said Emma.
"Suppose we go to a candy store and get some?"
"But I don't want to leave Ben," said the little girl.
"Oh, we will be back before he returns," said the lady. "Will you come?"
"If you are certain sure you will be back in time."
"Oh, yes, my dear."
The lady's manner was so kind that Emma felt entire confidence in her promise.
"Yes, I will go."
They walked down the hill in a different direction from that which they had come up. This brought them to a street on which were some shops. The lady entered one, leading Emma by the hand.
"Give us one half-pound of assorted candy," she said.
The girl behind the counter weighed out the candy and handed it to her.
They left the shop.
"Now are we going back to Ben?" asked Emma.
"I have sent word to him to come to my house and take supper, my dear child. Come with me, and you will see him soon."
How should Emma know that this was not true? She was a little girl, with no experience of the world, accustomed to put confidence in those she met, and the lady was very kind in her manner.
"Is your home far off?" she asked.
"No, it is quite near."
This proved to be true.
The lady turned up a street lined with neat dwellings and rang the bell.
A servant answered the bell.
"Is it you, mum?" she said.
"Yes, Jane."
Jan looked inquiringly at the little girl, and was on the point of asking who she was; but she knew her mistress was peculiar and said nothing.
"This little girl will stay to tea," said the lady. "Put on an extra plate."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And isn't Ben coming, too?" asked Emma, noting the omission.
"Yes, Jan, you may put on two extra plates."
Emma followed her new acquaintance up-stairs, and was led into a neat bedchamber. The lady entered it, bade Emma enter, locked the door, and then, sinking on the floor before the astonished child, exclaimed with evident emotion: "Have I found you at last, my dear, dear child?"
Emma was startled at the lady's tone, and for the fist time felt alarmed.
"I ain't your child," she said. "What makes you call me so?"
"Are you not my dear little Mary?" said the lady.
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Книга дельная. Без воды, приводятся реальные кейсы и способы их разрешения. Много практичных полезных советов и методик. Кое-что уже испробовала в дел...
Далее