Home!
He had reached the top of the mountain road, and the setting sun was
striking him full in the face. To right and left, before and behind,
across the broad waters, stood the dim ghosts of England, Scotland,
Ireland and Wales. But what did he care for these greater scenes?
Down yonder was Ballamoar, and to him, as to his father, it was
enough to be Deemster of Man and Judge of his own people.
News of his home-coming had been telegraphed from Douglas, and when
his car shot out of the glen the church bells were ringing all over
the Curagh. People working in the fields climbed the hedges to wave
as he went by, and feeble old men came to the doors of the cottages
to lift up the hooked handles of their sticks to him.
On reaching the entrance to Ballamoar he found a crowd waiting at the
gate, and a streamer from post to post, saying--
WELCOME TO
HIS FATHER'S SON.
The hum of the automobile awakened the colony of rooks in the tall
trees, and, swirling above the lawn, they raised a deafening clamour.
This brought from the porch Janet (back from Castletown) with a
flutter of black frocks and white aprons behind her.
A great company of the people of the parish were at tea in the hall,
chiefly women, but of all classes, from the nervous wife of the Vicar
to the widow of the cowman.
"Don't get up," cried Stowell.
He had entered with a shout, tossing his hat on to the settle and
saluting everybody by name, just as he used to do when he was a boy
and annexed them all for relations.
"Sit here, Auntie Kitty. This is your seat, Alice. Parson, won't
you take the bottom of the table? And, Dad" (this to Robbie Creer in
his Sunday homespun), "take my place by Mrs. Creer while I help Jane
with the teacups."
"Did thou hear that, mistress?" said Robbie behind his hand to Janet,
who was turning the tap of the tea urn. "They may make him Dempster,
but he doesn't forget his old friends for all."
In a moment everybody was talking and laughing. It was just as if a
fresh breeze had come down from the mountains on a hot day in harvest.
During tea Joshua Scarff arrived with a green portfolio under his arm.
"I've brought some documents you'll wish to look at before the Court
sits, your Honour."
"Good! Put them on the desk in the library and then come back and
have some tea."
The twilight deepened and the company prepared to go. Stowell stood
at the door, with Janet beside him, while the young girls of the
choir of the Methodist chapel ranged themselves in front of the house
and sang in their sweet young voices, which floated through the
gathering gloom, "God be with you till we meet again."
"Good-night, all!"
"Good-night, your Honour!"
Night! The great day had dropped asleep; the clock on the landing
was striking nine; dinner was over; Janet (she had "a head") had gone
to her room, and Stowell was stepping on to the piazza.
The wind had fallen and the night was silent, almost breathless. The
revolving light on the Point of Ayre was answering to the gleam on
Galloway; and the moon, which was almost at the full, was glistening
on the waters that rolled between.
How beautiful, how limpid! It was just such a night as that on which
Fenella and he had sat out there together. He could still see her as
she was then--the slim young girl in a white dress and satin
slippers, with her intoxicating face in the frame of the silk
handkerchief which she had bound about her head. And now she was to
become his wife!
A great new vista was opening out to him. Life was about to begin in
earnest. With that splendid woman by his side he was going to rise
(if God would be so good to him) out of the muddy imperfections of
his lower nature. His breast swelled; his throat tightened; his
heart sang; he was entirely happy.
Suddenly he remembered Alick Gell. He had not seen him at Castletown
that day, or at all since he returned from London. Why was that?
Could it be possible that the matter they had spoken about on the
steamer ....
No, no! Still he must fulfil his promise. He would step into the
library and write a line saying he was ready to go down to Derby
Haven if necessary.
As he passed through the dining-room he framed the words of his
letter: "Where were you, you old scoundrel, that you were not at the
Swearing-in? I suppose the matter you mentioned has righted itself
since I went away, but if not and you still want me...."