TWO BUGGIES
It was with difficulty that the two visitors were able to take their
leave that afternoon, and only the promise to come again and stay
longer gave them liberty to go without hurting the feelings of these
old friends. The little lad from Mackenzie had been dismissed long
before, and it was Mr. Dick Goldsborough himself who insisted upon
setting them upon their way. The dear old judge stood on the porch to
wave a last farewell and to repeat his promise to look into the matter
of Talbot plantations.
Linda wondered how it must seem to Miss Ri to be driving behind the
horses of her former lover, himself holding the reins. She tried to
place herself in a like position but when she attempted to replace Mr.
Goldsborough in her mind with some other, two quite different persons
would appear, and she could decide on neither.
Instead of going around by the old church they took the shorter way to
the village which brought them to the borders of a stream where Mr.
Goldsborough left them to be ferried across, thus saving some miles
of travel. It was a very usual way of getting about in that part of
the country where waterways were so numerous. From the old church at
Talbot's Angles one could watch many of the congregation approaching
in boats from the opposite shore of the creek, and when, before an
approaching gale the tide would rise to cover the road, the little
boats would be rowed in through the gateway half way up the path that
they might land their passengers. It was therefore no novelty to be
transported to the upper end of the village by means of the little
boat, though it involved a walk down the long street to the lower end.
Miss Ri looked at her watch as they started on this walk. "It is
earlier than I thought," she remarked. "The days are getting so short
one cannot realize the time. The train doesn't leave till seven, and we
have over an hour to spare. What shall we do with ourselves?"
"We don't want to go to the postoffice to be stared at," returned
Linda, "so perhaps we'd better entertain one another as best we can at
the station; it seemed rather a horrid little place, but what better
can we do?"
However, this experiment was spared them, for they had not gone more
than half way to their destination when they were pleasantly accosted
by a man who was coming from the other direction. "I believe you
are the ladies who came from Sandbridge on the train this morning,"
he began. "I am Mr. Brown, the agent of the railroad, and as such I
feel that I must extend you such hospitality as we have to offer. Our
accommodations at the station are rather poor, and you have a long wait
before you, for I suppose you take the seven o'clock train."
"Yes, we intended to," Miss Ri told him.
"Then I beg that you will make yourselves comfortable at my house. It
is only a step away. I am sure you will find it a better place to wait
than the station." He was so evidently anxious for the good repute of
the village, and was so earnestly sincere in his invitation that there
was but one thing to do, and that to accept.
Mr. Brown conducted them up on the porch of a neat little house, opened
the door and ushered them into an orderly sitting-room where he saw
that they were provided with the most comfortable of the chairs and
then he settled himself to entertain them. But a very few remarks had
been exchanged before he sprang to his feet with a shocked expression
on his face. "Ladies," he exclaimed, "I am entirely forgetting that
you will not be able to get any supper before you reach home, and that
it will be then very late. What was I thinking of? We have only just
finished our own meal, and--Excuse me, but I must speak to Mrs. Brown,"
and before they could utter a word of protest he rushed from the room.
"Do you suppose he has gone to fetch the keys of the city?" whispered
Linda. "What are we to do, Aunt Ri? We can't run, for there is nowhere
that we can escape, and--"
She was interrupted by the entrance of their host with his wife, who,
though somewhat less importunate, was nevertheless quite determined
that the strangers should not leave the town without being properly
fed, and this in spite of Miss Ri's protest that they had brought some
fruit and biscuits with them, and that they really needed nothing more.
Mr. Brown waved all such suggestions aside. Therefore, seeing that it
would be less rude to accept the proffered hospitality they followed
Mrs. Brown to the small dining-room where a dainty little meal was soon
spread for them, served by Mrs. Brown and her sister, Miss Weedon.
The rain, which the gathering clouds in the west had threatened that
morning, and which had begun to drop before they entered the house,
was coming down in torrents by the time the meal was over, and was
accompanied by heavy rolls of thunder and vivid lightning. At each
resounding peal and sharp flash the hostess and her sister would
disappear within the recesses of a darkened room somewhere beyond,
issuing only when there was a lull in the storm.
"It is rather unusual to have so heavy a thunderstorm this late in the
season," Miss Ri was remarking when from the station someone came in
haste to say that lightning had struck the building and would Mr. Brown
come at once. He hurried off, though not without the parting assurance
that he would soon return, leaving his wife and Miss Weedon divided
between the responsibility of remaining with their guests and their
desire to escape to the darkened room.
The storm, however, seemed to have spent its fury in hurling a final
bolt at the station, and the timid women had the hardihood to remain
in the outer room while only sullen mutterings once in a while reached
them. Miss Ri and Linda did their best to reassure them, but in the
face of the fact that lightning had struck so near, this was not easy
to do.
It was getting on toward train time, and though the station was but a
short walk the two visitors wondered how they were to reach it without
umbrellas, but in spite of the confusion occasioned by the lightning
shock, they were not forgotten by good Mr. Brown, who, true to his
feeling of responsibility as agent, appeared with umbrellas at the
proper moment, and bore them off with the manner of one who would
furnish a band of music if he could. He was faithful to the last,
piloting them to seats in the car, telling the conductor to look after
them, and at the last expressing regret at the coming of the storm as
if he were in some way accountable for it. He came to the car window
to urge them to come again when it should be made more agreeable for
them, then as the train began to move off, he stood, hat in hand till
darkness hid him from sight.
"That is what I call a true Maryland gentleman," said Miss Ri. "Did you
ever meet such beautiful hospitality, and isn't it worth while to find
out that it has not entirely disappeared from the land?"
"I wouldn't have missed it for anything," declared Linda. "It has been
a wonderful trip, Aunt Ri, from beginning to end."
"And the end is not yet," responded Miss Ri with prophetic vision.
"I don't see what more could happen," rejoined Linda.
What could happen was made very obvious as they stepped from the train
at Boxford, for they had hardly alighted before Berkley Matthews
rushed up to them. "Here you are," he cried, as if it were quite to be
expected that he would meet them. "It has been a pretty bad storm and I
didn't know whether you would venture or not, but I thought I'd be on
the safe side. Now--"
But he had not finished his sentence when another figure loomed up in
the doorway of the dimly lighted waiting-room, and who should come
forward but Wyatt Jeffreys. The two men looked at one another and
each gave a little embarrassed laugh. "I didn't know you were here,
Jeffreys," said Berkley.
"Nor did I know you were," was the reply. "How long since you came?"
"Oh, half an hour or so. When did you get in?"
"Just at this moment. I suppose I don't know the road quite as well as
you do."
"Linda, will you give me the pleasure of taking you to Sandbridge in my
buggy," broke in Berkley with visible haste.
Miss Ri chuckled. "Go with him, Linda, and I'll give Mr. Jeffreys the
inestimable privilege of taking me, that is, if he intends going back
to-night. Perhaps you were going on by train, Mr. Jeffreys?"
"Oh, no, I came up--I came up," he was not so ready to announce his
purpose as Berkley. "I thought you ladies might not be provided against
the storm," he continued, "and it seemed to me that I might perhaps be
of use in some way."
"And you were quite right," Miss Ri returned. "It saves me the bother
of hunting up a team from the stables, or of deciding upon the other
alternative of spending the night in Boxford, something I would much
prefer not to do. Where is your buggy? I know the road perfectly." So
Mr. Jeffreys was forced to hide whatever disappointment he might feel
while Berkley bore off Linda to where his buggy, well provided with
rain-proof covers, stood under shelter of the station's shed.
Well protected from the weather Linda and her escort drove off hidden
behind the oilcloth curtains on which the rain pattered steadily. The
lights of the buggy sent long beams over the wet shell road, the air
had a mingled odor of salt marsh and moist, fallen autumn leaves. From
the clouds rolling off overhead, once in a while rumbled muffled peals
of thunder. Berk's horse responded to his master's slightest word,
and on a worse night and over worse roads could be depended upon, so
Berkley assured his companion.
"So you've been to see the old judge," said the young man by way of
beginning conversation. "Isn't he a fine old fellow?"
"He is the dearest old man I ever saw," returned Linda
enthusiastically. "He has such a beautiful head, and if one wanted to
meet the very pattern of an old time courtly gentleman he would have to
go no further than Judge Goldsborough."
"I quite agree with you, and I wish I could ever hope to become
anything like him, but nature has not endowed me with his fine presence
nor with his brains."
"But you can hope to be J. S. D., you know."
"I don't know. The some day seems a very far cry, just now." He was
silent a moment before he asked: "What did the judge have to say to
you, Linda?"
"Miss Ri asked him about the Talbot estates and he appeared quite sure
that there could be no complications as regards Talbot's Angles, at
least. He said he had some old papers which might give him some points
about the other places."
"He ought to know if anyone does," returned Berkley. "Suppose there
should be complications, Linda, and suppose it should be Talbot's
Angles that Jeffreys lays claim to, and that he proved a legitimate
claim, what then?"
"I'd not be much worse off than I am now."
"Oh, yes, you would. There is the chance of your sister-in-law marrying
again."
"Which I don't think she is liable to do. I don't know that I would
mind Mr. Jeffreys' having it any more than I do that Grace should. He,
at least, is of the Talbot blood."
"There is something in that. I wish it were all yours; I can't bear the
idea of your wearing yourself out teaching, Linda." The words came with
caressing concern.
"I am more fortunate than most. Think of my having a home with Miss Ri,
and among my own people. I suppose it actually isn't so much that the
teaching is difficult as that I am so constituted that I can't really
love it. It is a great thing to make one's living in the way one likes
best; that seems to me to be half the battle."
"And what is it you like best?"
"To scribble."
"Have you sent out any more of your work?"
"No, but I intend to."
"And I hope you will finally meet such success that you can give
yourself up to that kind of work. I agree with you that one ought to
discover what are his best powers and make the best use of them he
possibly can; if he would be happy."
"You are happy in your work, Berk, aren't you?"
"Yes, I love it, thank fortune, and I am beginning to see glimpses of a
future."
"That is good," returned Linda with satisfaction. "You deserve success,
Berk."
"No more than others."
"Much more than most others. Was ever a better son, or brother, if it
comes to that?"
"Oh, nonsense, it is no sacrifice to do things for those you love; in
fact, I've been rather selfish in pleasing myself, indulging my love of
bestowing. It is really no credit to give because one enjoys it."
"Then there is no such thing as unselfishness in the world."
"Oh, yes, there is; when one does a thing he doesn't like, or gives up
something he really wants very much; that is my idea of unselfishness."
"Then am I or am I not to consider that you have performed a selfish
act in coming all the way to Boxford for me in all this rain?" asked
Linda laughing. There may have been a little coquetry in the question,
but she was hardly prepared for the seriousness of the reply.
"It was purely and entirely selfish on my part. It was the one thing I
wanted most to do, and I would go much further and through a thousand
greater difficulties for you. In fact, there is nothing I wouldn't do
to make you happy, Linda Talbot."
"There's chivalry for you," returned Linda, determined to take the
answer as lightly as possible.
The warmth but not the earnestness had gone out of his tones when he
made the next remark: "I wish I could make it possible for you to stop
teaching, Linda."
"Marry Grace off and get back Talbot's Angles for me, and I will stop,"
she replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Then would you go down there to live?"
"No, I'd still let Phillips have the place, but I would go down there
often, and it would bring me enough to live on. I could persuade Miss
Ri to spend part of the year there, maybe, and--oh, wouldn't it be
lovely?"
Berkley did not reply, but spoke to his horse, "Go on there, Jerry."
They had been driving so slowly that the other buggy had passed them
though Berkley's was the fleeter horse. But now they sped along over
the hard wet road, silence between them. Linda's imagination was busy
picturing the delights of having the old homestead for her very own,
and was fancying days spent there with Miss Ri and Mammy, for of course
Mammy would go.
She was roused by hearing Berkley say in a hard dispassionate voice,
"Then your dearest wish on earth is to possess Talbot's Angles."
"I really think it is. I don't suppose it is very nice of me to feel so
about what belongs to another, but I confess to you, Berk, that I can't
help counting a little on Grace's marrying again."
"That is perfectly natural, and it isn't half so bad as wishing her
dead, though some might think so," he added. Then after a moment's
silence: "Linda, I was selfish to carry you off this way without giving
you any choice in the matter. Perhaps you would rather have gone with
Jeffreys. It isn't too late to change now, if you say so. We can easily
overtake his buggy."
"At the eleventh hour? No, I thank you, not after I am comfortably
settled and safe from the rain. You have tucked me in so well, Berk.
I don't believe Mr. Jeffreys could have done it half so well, but
probably he has not had the experience you have. I might enjoy variety
of companionship, but my bodily comfort is worth more to me." Linda
was very skilful in giving non-committal replies it seemed.
Berkley drew a little sigh; whether of relief or disappointment Linda
could not determine.
They had nearly overtaken the other two by now and soon had passed
them, reaching home before the others. Berkley refused to come in;
spite of inducements in the shape of hot coffee and sandwiches. Mr.
Jeffreys, however, was not averse to joining in a late supper, and
taking his horse around to shelter, he returned to the house while
Berkley bade all good-night and drove off in the rain.
Anyone noticing the little office opposite the Jackson House would have
seen a light there burning nearly all night, and could he have looked
in he would have observed a young man whose earnest eyes were bent upon
pages of yellow manuscript. These absorbed him so closely that the
clock in the church tower struck three before he aroused himself. Even
then he did not leave the place, but sat with elbows on desk and head
in hands for another hour. Then, turning out the light and locking the
door he crossed the street to the hotel where the watchman, snoring in
his chair, paid no heed to the quiet entrance of this late guest.
Long before this Linda had said good-night to her departing relative,
but the words which haunted her before she dropped asleep were not
his unemotional and polite phrases, but the words spoken softly,
caressingly yet with subdued fire: "There is nothing I would not do
to make you happy, Linda Talbot." Was there a confession? Dared she
understand it so?