A Little Mother to the Others by L. T. Meade (best contemporary novels .TXT) 📕

up the last dwop of milk. Here now, isn't you better?"

"I am really, truly," said Orion; "but are you quite certain it's true, Di?"

"K'ite. Do you think I would tell a lie? I is the gweat Diana. You is sort of forgetting, Orion."

"No, I aren't," said Orion. "Oh, I am happy now!"

"Well, lie down. I'll make up your bed, and you shall go to s'eep. We has a lot to do to-morrow, hasn't we?"

"Yes, a lot," answered Orion, with a little laugh. "Oh, Di! will they let us?"

"Course they'll let us," said Diana. "I has it all settled beautiful. Now, go to s'eep, p'ease, Orion."

Orion did very soon enter the land of dreams, but little Diana lay broad awake. She was thinking hard, and her thoughts were wonderfully sensible for such a baby.

The performance at the circus had turned out a great success. Diana had already appeared once or twice on Greased Lightning's back, but Ben Holt now kept her out of sight on purpose. He had caused rumors to be spread about her wonderful riding; his aim was to make people very anxious to see her again. He wanted the public to have a sort of craving for her. He hoped that when she finally appeared, dressed as the great Diana, with the bow and arrows, and when little Orion accompanied her with his girdle round his waist, and a sword in his hand, and when the two children rode round and round the circus on the fleetest horses in the company, that they would in very truth bring down the house—in short, that crowds would come to see them.[215]

Uncle Ben was full of hope with regard to Diana, but he was by no means so sure as far as Orion was concerned. If Orion would not play his part well, and look what he was—one of the prettiest boys in England, and one of the very youngest who had ever appeared in a circus—why, half the effect would be lost. He began to perceive, however, that cruelty had little or no effect on the child, and he was inclined to allow that little genius, Diana, to manage him in her own way.

That night when the entertainment had come to an end, and Uncle Ben was seated at his cozy supper, he was much surprised when the door of the room was pushed suddenly open and a small girl, clad in a little white nightdress, made her appearance.

"Is my dear Uncle Ben anywhere about?" called out the clear little voice.

"My word! if that aint little Diana," said the man. "Come here this minute, you little romp, and get on my knee."

Diana flew up to him, climbed on his knee, put her arms round his neck, and kissed him.

"You's sort o' fond of me, I'm thinking," she said.

"Yes, that I be, missy," he answered; "you are the 'cutest little gal I ever seed, and you are fond of poor Uncle Ben, eh?"

"It all apends," replied Diana.

"Now what do you mean by that, missy?"

"It all apends," she repeated.

"Wife, can you understand her?" questioned the man.

"I think she means that it all depends, Ben."

"Oh, depends—on what now, my dear?"

"On whether you is good to my bwother or not."[216]

"Oh, is that all? Well, I'll be good to 'im."

"He's awfu' fwightened of you."

"Well, he needn't be. If you'll manage him I won't say a word."

"Won't you twuly? Then I love you," said Diana. "Now, listen to me—I has been a-talking to him."

"That's right, missy. Have a sip of my stout, won't you?"

"No; I don't like it; it's black, nasty stuff. Put it away; I won't touch it. Well, now, listen to me, Uncle Ben. It apends altogether on whether you is good to Orion to-morrow or not whether he wides well, or whether he wides badly, and what I think is this—"

"Well, missy, you are a very wise little miss for your age."

"What I think is this," repeated Diana. "Let Orion wide G'eased Lightning and let me wide Pole Star."

"But you can do anything with Greased Lightning," said the man. "Why, the 'orse fairly loves you, and Pole Star's a rare and wicious sort of beast."

"I aren't fwightened; that aren't me," said Diana, in her usual proud, confident tone. "Orion isn't to wide a wicious sort of beast."

She slipped down from the man's knees and stood before him.

"It aren't me to be fwightened of any horse," she said. "I never was and I never will be."

"I believe yer, miss," said Uncle Ben, gazing at her with great admiration.

"But Orion he is—he is awfu' fwightened of Pole Star, and he sha'n't wide him. Now, G'eased Lightning, he'll do anything for me, and so what I say is[217] this—let Orion wide him, and if he begins to dance about and get sort of fidgety, why, I'll stwoke him down. You know I could pwactice widing a little on Pole Star in the morning."

"To be sure you could, missy."

"Oh, my dear Ben," said Aunt Sarah at that moment, "you are never a-going to let either of them little kids ride a 'orse like Pole Star?"

"You let me manage my own affairs," said the man, scowling angrily.

"Well, I call it a shame," answered the woman.

"Poor Aunt Sawah! you needn't be fwightened," said Diana. "I is never fwightened; that aren't me. I'll wide Pole Star, and Orion, he'll wide G'eased Lightning, only—now, Uncle Ben, is you listening?"

"Yes, to be sure I am, missy," said Uncle Ben, taking another deep draught from his big glass of stout. "What's the 'only,' little miss?"

"Let's pertend," said Diana.

"Pretend what, missy?"

"That after Orion has done it, after he has wode G'eased Lightning, he may go 'way."

"Go away, missy?"

"Yes, let's pertend it. If he thinks he's going away after he has done it, why, there's nothing he won't twy to do, 'cos, you see, he's longing to go. Let's say this to him: 'Orion, you's good boy, you's darlin' boy, and when you has done what I want you to do, you shall go way'—then he'll do it beaut'ful."

"But he aint a-going," said the man, "he's my property. I has bought him; I has bought you both. You are sort of slaves to me."

"No, I aren't a slave to nobody," said Diana, whose fierce little blood could not brook this word.[218]

"Well, you are a very good little gal, and so I am to pretend to Orion that he's going away; but now, when I don't mean him to go, that seems sort of cruel."

"Oh, you leave it to me!" said Diana; "let him think he's going away and I'll manage. Tell Susan to tell him, and tell Aunt Sawah to tell him, and you tell him, and I'll tell him, and then he'll be as good as good, and as bwave—as bwave as a big giant."

"Well, my dear, manage it your own way," said Uncle Ben; "but, all the same, it seems a shame. I aint what's called a very soft sort of man, but it seems a shame to deceive a little kid; only you manage it your own way, little missy."

"I'll manage it my own way," echoed Diana. "I'm awfu' 'bliged."

She tripped gayly out of the room.

[219]

CHAPTER XXI. POLE STAR.

The next day, at an early hour, the different performers had a grand rehearsal of their parts. It was a dress rehearsal. Holt was in high spirits, and Aunt Sarah, who stood just in front of the circus, petted and encouraged both Diana and Orion as much as possible. Orion felt shaky and looked very white, but the delicious thought that, after he had gone through those few minutes of agony, he might really be free to run away, to leave the dreadful, terrible circus forever, sustained him wonderfully. Diana had assured him that this could be managed. She had told him that Uncle Ben had promised that if he was a brave boy and sat well on Greased Lightning, and stood up when necessary, and, in short, went through the ordeal set him to do, without a murmur, he should be allowed to leave the circus that evening. It mattered nothing at all to little Orion that he did not know where he was to go, that he was a penniless and very small, very ignorant boy. The one object on which all his hopes were centered was the desire to get away from Uncle Ben and the terrible horses which he was forced to ride.

"Now, 'member, you is to be bwave," said Diana; "you isn't to be fwightened. If you's fwightened, Uncle Ben won't let you go. You just be as bwave as possible, and never mind nobody. Now, then, it's your turn. Come 'long."[220]

Orion looked charming in his pretty dress. He wore a little sky-blue tunic, with small, tight knickers of white; his little legs and feet were bare, round his waist was a crimson girdle, and at his side was attached a toy sword.

Diana wore a silk skirt and tights, her curling black hair fell partly over her forehead; her bold, black eyes were full of a strange mixture of frolic, affection, and defiance. She looked the personification of healthy life and courageous fire. In her hand she held the bow of Diana, and round her neck was slung a couple of arrows. She was a wonderfully graceful child in all her movements, and looked charming in her picturesque dress.

The call for the children came, and the two bounded on the stage. The moment they did so, Diana ran up to Uncle Ben and took hold of the great whip which he carried.

"You must let me do it my own way," she said; "you have pwomised. Orion won't be bwave boy if I don't manage him. Give me that whip."

"Oh, but I say, little missy——"

"Give me that whip," repeated Diana, flashing her eyes up at the man. "I is the gweat Diana and I order you. Give me the whip; I'll slash it; I know how. Ah, here comes G'eased Lightning. Come 'long, you beauty; come 'long, you darlin'."

Diana ran fearlessly up to the horse, fondled its nose, and looked into its eyes; the creature stood perfectly still, bent its graceful head, and licked her little hand.

"And it's a perfect brute to everyone else," thought Uncle Ben to himself, but this time he did not utter a word.[221]

The horse stood perfectly motionless until little Orion was mounted on its back.

"Now, G'eased Lightning, you has got to be a good horse," said Diana, speaking to him in a confiding voice. "You isn't to fwighten Orion; 'member he's a giant, and it's a gweat honor for you to carry him, 'cos most times he lives up in the stars."

"Come, missy, we have no time for that sort of nonsense," said Uncle Ben, who began to get impatient. "Give me back my whip."

"No; I is going to slash the whip. Come, G'eased Lightning; twot, twot, p'ease."

The horse began to amble gently forward. Little Diana went and stood by Uncle Ben's side.

"I's managing," she said; "you shall have whip to-night; but I's managing now."

The other performers stood round in breathless silence. Orion kept his seat manfully. Greased Lightning was as gentle as a lamb.

"Good boy!" called out Diana; "vedy good little boy. Good horse, G'eased Lightning! you is a vedy good horse. Now then, go faster." Diana gave the whip a crack.

The horse looked at her out of his big, intelligent eyes, and began to trot, but still very gently, round and round the circus.

"Good boy," repeated Diana; "good horse! Now then, Orion, get up on to yous two foots; don't be fwightened. 'Member what will happen when it's over. Get up on to yous foots this minute."

Poor little Orion scrambled in deadly terror on to his small feet; but the horse still went swift and smooth, neither budging nor turning to the right or the left. Diana once again cracked her whip. He[222] went faster and faster. Orion began to lose his fear; he even laughed with excitement; the rose bloom came out on his delicate little face. The terrible hoops were brought, and the child made a manful effort to get through them. Diana cracked her whip and called out and encouraged him, and finally brought him successfully through the ordeal. He was taken off the stage wet with perspiration, and trembling all over, but at the same time he had a wild sort of triumph in his little heart.

"I did it well; didn't I, Aunt Sarah?" he said.

"You did it splendidly, my little love," said Aunt Sarah; "but I never did see a little gal like your sister.