`` Then you may come , and I 'll teach you to knit as the Scotchmen do . There 's a demand for socks just now , '' added Jo , waving hers like a big blue worsted banner as they parted at the gate . That night , when Beth played to Mr. Laurence in the twilight , Laurie , standing in the shadow of the curtain , listened to the little David , whose simple music always quieted his moody spirit , and watched the old man , who sat with his gray head on his hand , thinking tender thoughts of the dead child he had loved so much . Remembering the conversation of the afternoon , the boy said to himself , with the resolve to make the sacrifice cheerfully , `` I 'll let my castle go , and stay with the dear old gentleman while he needs me , for I am all he has . '' CHAPTER FOURTEEN SECRETS Jo was very busy in the garret , for the October days began to grow chilly , and the afternoons were short . For two or three hours the sun lay warmly in the high window , showing Jo seated on the old sofa , writing busily , with her papers spread out upon a trunk before her , while Scrabble , the pet rat , promenaded the beams overhead , accompanied by his oldest son , 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 wo n't suit I shall have to wait till I can 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 red ribbon , 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 here was an old tin kitchen which hung against the wall . In it she kept her papers , and a few books , safely shut away from Scrabble , who , being likewise of a literary turn , was fond of making a circulating library of such books as were left in his way by eating the leaves . From this tin receptacle Jo produced another manuscript , and putting both in her pocket , crept quietly downstairs , leaving her friends to nibble on her pens and taste her ink . She put on her hat and jacket as noiselessly as possible , and going to the back entry window , got out upon the roof of a low porch , swung herself down to the grassy bank , and took a roundabout way to the road . Once there , she composed herself , hailed a passing omnibus , and rolled away to town , looking very merry and mysterious . If anyone had been watching her , he would have thought her movements decidedly peculiar , for on alighting , she went off at a great pace till she reached a certain number in a certain busy street . Having found the place with some difficulty , she went into the doorway , looked up the dirty stairs , and after standing stock still a minute , suddenly dived into the street and walked away as rapidly as she came . This maneuver she repeated several times , to the great amusement of a black-eyed young gentleman lounging in the window of a building opposite . On returning for the third time , Jo gave herself a shake , pulled her hat over her eyes , and walked 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 slowly opened and shut to draw attention to a fine set of teeth , the young gentleman put on his coat , took his hat , and went down to post himself in the opposite doorway , saying with a smile and a shiver , `` It 's like her to come alone , but if she has a bad time she 'll need someone to help her home . ''
In ten minutes XXXXX came running downstairs with a very red face and the general appearance of a person who had just passed through a trying ordeal of some sort .
David Jo Laurence Scotchmen afternoon afternoons hours left omnibus twilight