He stopped and lifted his hat with a shy smile. "I begyour pardon," he said. "I thought there was no onehere."Charity stood before him, barring his way. "You can'tcome in. The library ain't open to the publicWednesdays.""I know it's not; but my cousin gave me her key.""Miss Hatchard's got no right to give her key to otherfolks, any more'n I have. I'm the librarian and I knowthe by-laws. This is my library."The young man looked profoundly surprised.
"Why, I know it is; I'm so sorry if you mind mycoming.""I suppose you came to see what more you could say toset her against me? But you needn't trouble: it's mylibrary today, but it won't be this time tomorrow. I'mon the way now to take her back the key and theregister."Young Harney's face grew grave, but without betrayingthe consciousness of guilt she had looked for.
"I don't understand," he said. "There must be somemistake. Why should I say things against you to MissHatchard--or to anyone?"The apparent evasiveness of the reply caused Charity'sindignation to overflow. "I don't know why you should.
I could understand Orma Fry's doing it, because she'salways wanted to get me out of here ever since thefirst day. I can't see why, when she's got her ownhome, and her father to work for her; nor Ida Targatt,neither, when she got a legacy from her step-brotheron'y last year. But anyway we all live in the sameplace, and when it's a place like North Dormer it'senough to make people hate each other just to have towalk down the same street every day. But you don'tlive here, and you don't know anything about any of us,so what did you have to meddle for? Do you suppose theother girls'd have kept the books any better'n I did?
Why, Orma Fry don't hardly know a book from a flat-iron! And what if I don't always sit round here doingnothing till it strikes five up at the church? Whocares if the library's open or shut? Do you supposeanybody ever comes here for books? What they'd like tocome for is to meet the fellows they're going with ifI'd let 'em. But I wouldn't let Bill Sollas from overthe hill hang round here waiting for the youngestTargatt girl, because I know him...that's all...even ifI don't know about books all I ought to...."She stopped with a choking in her throat. Tremors ofrage were running through her, and she steadied herselfagainst the edge of the desk lest he should see herweakness.
What he saw seemed to affect him deeply, for he grewred under his sunburn, and stammered out: "But, MissRoyall, I assure you...I assure you..."His distress inflamed her anger, and she regained hervoice to fling back: "If I was you I'd have the nerveto stick to what I said!"The taunt seemed to restore his presence of mind. "Ihope I should if I knew; but I don't. Apparentlysomething disagreeable has happened, for which youthink I'm to blame. But I don't know what it is,because I've been up on Eagle Ridge ever since theearly morning.""I don't know where you've been this morning, but Iknow you were here in this library yesterday; and itwas you that went home and told your cousin the bookswere in bad shape, and brought her round to see how I'dneglected them."Young Harney looked sincerely concerned. "Was thatwhat you were told? I don't wonder you're angry. Thebooks are in bad shape, and as some are interestingit's a pity. I told Miss Hatchard they were sufferingfrom dampness and lack of air; and I brought her hereto show her how easily the place could be ventilated. Ialso told her you ought to have some one to help you dothe dusting and airing. If you were given a wrongversion of what I said I'm sorry; but I'm so fond ofold books that I'd rather see them made into a bonfirethan left to moulder away like these."Charity felt her sobs rising and tried to stifle themin words. "I don't care what you say you told her. AllI know is she thinks it's all my fault, and I'm goingto lose my job, and I wanted it more'n anyone in thevillage, because I haven't got anybody belonging to me,the way other folks have. All I wanted was to putaside money enough to get away from here sometime.
D'you suppose if it hadn't been for that I'd have kepton sitting day after day in this old vault?"Of this appeal her hearer took up only the lastquestion. "It is an old vault; but need it be? That'sthe point. And it's my putting the question to mycousin that seems to have been the cause of thetrouble." His glance explored the melancholy penumbraof the long narrow room, resting on the blotched walls,the discoloured rows of books, and the stern rosewooddesk surmounted by the portrait of the young Honorius.
"Of course it's a bad job to do anything with abuilding jammed against a hill like this ridiculousmausoleum: you couldn't get a good draught through itwithout blowing a hole in the mountain. But it can beventilated after a fashion, and the sun can be let in:
I'll show you how if you like...." The architect'spassion for improvement had already made him lose sightof her grievance, and he lifted his stick instructivelytoward the cornice. But her silence seemed to tell himthat she took no interest in the ventilation of thelibrary, and turning back to her abruptly he held outboth hands. "Look here--you don't mean what you said?
You don't really think I'd do anything to hurt you?"A new note in his voice disarmed her: no one had everspoken to her in that tone.
"Oh, what DID you do it for then?" she wailed. Hehad her hands in his, and she was feeling the smoothtouch that she had imagined the day before on thehillside.
He pressed her hands lightly and let them go. "Why, tomake things pleasanter for you here; and better for thebooks. I'm sorry if my cousin twisted around what Isaid. She's excitable, and she lives on trifles: Iought to have remembered that. Don't punish me byletting her think you take her seriously."It was wonderful to hear him speak of Miss Hatchard asif she were a querulous baby: in spite of his shynesshe had the air of power that the experience of citiesprobably gave. It was the fact of having lived inNettleton that made lawyer Royall, in spite of hisinfirmities, the strongest man in North Dormer; andCharity was sure that this young man had lived inbigger places than Nettleton.
She felt that if she kept up her denunciatory tone hewould secretly class her with Miss Hatchard; and thethought made her suddenly simple.
"It don't matter to Miss Hatchard how I take her. Mr.
Royall says she's going to get a trained librarian; andI'd sooner resign than have the village say she sent meaway.""Naturally you would. But I'm sure she doesn't mean tosend you away. At any rate, won't you give me thechance to find out first and let you know? It will betime enough to resign if I'm mistaken."Her pride flamed into her cheeks at the suggestion ofhis intervening. "I don't want anybody should coax herto keep me if I don't suit."He coloured too. "I give you my word I won't do that.
Only wait till tomorrow, will you?" He looked straightinto her eyes with his shy grey glance. "You can trustme, you know--you really can."All the old frozen woes seemed to melt in her, and shemurmured awkwardly, looking away from him: "Oh, I'llwait."