Page:Her Benny - Silas K Hocking (Warne, 1890).djvu/176

152 "Golly!" he ejaculated, picking himself up with a bewildered air, and scratching his head. "I's floored, to a sartinty." "You tried to go too fast to begin with," laughed Eva; you'll do better next time.

"May I try again?" he questioned.

"Oh, yes," was the reply; "I want you to enjoy yourself."

And enjoy himself he did, to his heart's content. After awhile Eva said, "Now, Benny, I want to know more about you: won't you tell me something about yourself and about your little sister?" "Ay, that I will, if you wish," said Benny, sitting down in a low chair before the fire. And in his simple childish way he told her all the story with which the reader is acquainted—for he had lost all shyness now—told it with a simple eloquence and pathos that brought the tears again and again to his listener's eyes. Ay, he wept himself when he told of his little sister, of her goodness and of her love. He did not even hide from his listener the story of his temptation, and how but for his little Nelly he would have been a thief in act as well as in heart.

With the account of little Nelly's death Eva was much affected, and Benny sobbed again as the recollection of his loss came back to him.

"I thought I should ha' died when she were took," said he, between his sobs.

"Poor little boy!" said Eva, soothingly; "but you see your little sister's words have come true, after all."

"What words, miss?"