'Why, Jerry, what have you done?' and 'Oh, Jerry, how you look!' were
the ejaculatory remarks which greeted her next morning, when she went
down to her breakfast of bread and water, for she would take nothing
else.
'Why did you do it?' Mrs. Crawford asked a little angry and a good deal
astonished; but Jerry only answered at first with her tears, as Harold
jeered at her forlorn appearance and called her a picked chicken.
'Maude's hair is short, and all the girls', and mine was always in my
eyes and snarled awfully,' she said at last, and this was all the excuse
she would give for what she had done; while for her persisting in a
bread and water diet she would give no reason for three or four days.
Then she said to Harold, suddenly:
'You told me that the one who stole the diamonds would have to eat bread
and water and have his head shaved, and I am trying to see how it would
seem--am playing that I am the man, and in prison; but I find it very
hard, I don't believe I can stand it. Oh, Harold, do you think they will
ever find the diamonds? I am so tired and hungry, and the blackberry pie
we had for dinner did look so good!'
'Jerry,' Harold exclaimed, in amazement, and but dimly comprehending her
real meaning, 'you are crazy, to be playing you are a convict! And is
that what you have been doing?'
'Ye-es,' Jerry sobbed; 'but I can't bear it, and I hope they will not
find him,'
'Him! Who?' Harold asked.
Pages:
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320