Little women

CHAPTER FOURTEEN SECRETS

Jo was very busy in the garret, for the October days began to growchilly, and the afternoons were short. For two or three hours the sun laywarmly in the high window, showing Jo seated on the old sofa, writingbusily, with her papers spread out upon a trunk before her, while Scrabble,the pet rat, promenaded the beams overhead, accompanied by his oldestson, a fine young fellow, who was evidently very proud of his whiskers.Quite absorbed in her work, Jo scribbled away till the last page was filled,when she signed her name with a flourish and threw down her pen,exclaiming... 

"There, I've done my best! If this won't suit I shall have to wait till Ican do better." 

Lying back on the sofa, she read the manuscript carefully through,making dashes here and there, and putting in many exclamation points,which looked like little balloons. Then she tied it up with a smart redribbon, and sat a minute looking at it with a sober, wistful expression,which plainly showed how earnest her work had been. Jo's desk up herewas an old tin kitchen which hung against the wall. In it she kept herpapers, and a few books, safely shut away from Scrabble, who, beinglikewise of a literary turn, was fond of making a circulating library of suchbooks as were left in his way by eating the leaves. From this tin receptacleJo produced another manuscript, and putting both in her pocket, creptquietly downstairs, leaving her friends to nibble on her pens and taste herink. 

She put on her hat and jacket as noiselessly as possible, and going tothe back entry window, got out upon the roof of a low porch, swung herselfdown to the grassy bank, and took a roundabout way to the road. Oncethere, she composed herself, hailed a passing omnibus, and rolled away totown, looking very merry and mysterious.

If anyone had been watching her, he would have thought hermovements decidedly peculiar, for on alighting, she went off at a greatpace till she reached a certain number in a certain busy street. Havingfound the place with some difficulty, she went into the doorway, looked upthe dirty stairs, and after standing stock still a minute, suddenly dived intothe street and walked away as rapidly as she came. This maneuver sherepeated several times, to the great amusement of a black-eyed younggentleman lounging in the window of a building opposite. On returning forthe third time, Jo gave herself a shake, pulled her hat over her eyes, andwalked up the stairs, looking as if she were going to have all her teeth out. 

There was a dentist's sign, among others, which adorned the entrance,and after staring a moment at the pair of artificial jaws which slowlyopened and shut to draw attention to a fine set of teeth, the younggentleman put on his coat, took his hat, and went down to post himself inthe opposite doorway, saying with a smile and a shiver, "It's like her tocome alone, but if she has a bad time she'll need someone to help herhome."

In ten minutes Jo came running downstairs with a very red face and thegeneral appearance of a person who had just passed through a trying ordealof some sort. When she saw the young gentleman she looked anything butpleased, and passed him with a nod. But he followed, asking with an air ofsympathy, "Did you have a bad time?" 

"Not very." 

"You got through quickly." 

"Yes, thank goodness!" 

"Why did you go alone?" 

"Didn't want anyone to know." 

"You're the oddest fellow I ever saw. How many did you have out?" 

Jo looked at her friend as if she did not understand him, then began tolaugh as if mightily amused at something.

"There are two which I want to have come out, but I must wait a week."

 "What are you laughing at? You are up to some mischief, Jo," saidLaurie, looking mystified. 

"So are you. What were you doing, sir, up in that billiard saloon?"