Madame Grundy was saying that winter that at last Kenneth Landor had
settled down, though why he should take the trouble to burden himself
with business cares when he had a rich, indulgent father was, from her
point of view, wholly incomprehensible. Other people who knew Kenneth
better saw that his life had become full of purpose and regarded it as
the natural outcome of a nature like his--rich in possibilities. To the
father who was just learning to know the son, there was much that was
surprising in the intelligent way in which he grasped the great
commission business and little by little made himself familiar with
every detail, showing that in his composition was much practical
ability--talents unquestionably inherited. Of any ulterior motive which
had led him on to these things Mr. Landor had no suspicion nor indeed
had any one save Dr. Ware, who kept his own counsel, and possibly Jack,
whose fanciful imagination wove endless romances, the thread of which
became wretchedly entangled, for what could a poor boy do with two
heroines to one hero?
That was the stumbling block of our young author, for he never could
make up his mind to choose between the Dale girls. First he would write
out a beautiful story in which his hero (and there was only one hero to
him) married Julie and was as happy as the day is long. This would have
been eminently satisfactory if it had not been for a sort of feeling of
slighting Hester, who seemed to be lurking in the background of his tale
gazing at him with reproachful eyes. Jack the tender-hearted could not
stand that, so zip!--would go all the paper, torn to shreds, and he
would patiently start all over again to give Hester a chance. But
however he arranged it, one was left out. He couldn't have it on his
conscience to make his hero a Mormon and so to one and one alone could
he belong. This was all wrong, from Jack's point of view, but he did not
know how to make it any different and as it seemed to be a subject he
could not discuss with any of the three persons most concerned the poor
boy gave it up in despair.
But if Jack was racked with indecision it was not so with Kenneth
Landor, who had fallen in love with Hester at first sight. One hears
that to fall in love at first sight is an experience belonging to bygone
days, and is quite unknown to the practical common-sense young people of
whom in this generation one hears so much. Be that as it may, Kenneth,
in spite of his worldly experience, was old-fashioned enough to be full
of sentiment and treasured in his mind every meeting with Hester down to
their first walk when she had dismissed him so summarily under the
lamp-post. He could count them on the fingers of one hand, the actual
hours he had spent with her, but between Dr. Ware and Jack he managed to
keep as well informed concerning her life as if he were in daily
intercourse with her; and it was his sole aim and ambition to put her
struggles to an end. The generous fellow had not Grémond's idea of
taking one of them away--he could not conceive of the little family
being separated and his admiration of Julie was rapidly growing into an
affection that made him long to cast her life, too, in sunny places and
make a snug little home for them all. These were Kenneth's hopes and
dreams--air-castles which sometimes took grim, fantastic shapes and
often tottered to the ground when he remembered that Hester might not
deign to look at him.
Suddenly into all this work and dreaming entered a new element,
threatening to disturb the future with a terrible upheaval, for the
necessity that our country should go to war with Spain was talked of
openly throughout the land. Rumors that war would be, had been, never
would be declared were rife, suggested and contradicted in a breath,
while the uncertainty of national affairs produced an excitement that
pervaded all classes and conditions of men.
Kenneth was one of those who believed in the war and whose whole spirit
was fired with a desire to do his part toward jealously guarding his
country's honor. At the same time, if he hoped to win Hester and make a
home for her it scarcely seemed as if it would accrue to his advantage
to go away. These things were so in his mind that he longed for a chance
to see and talk with her, and then, as always, in his thoughts of her he
was confronted by the fearful consciousness that she might take no
interest in so unimportant a thing as himself. Nevertheless, he meant to
make himself important to her and it was therefore to him as to Grémond,
a great disappointment that the girls had not put in an appearance at
Miss Ware's reception and he had spent an anxious night speculating as
to the cause of their non-appearance.
He managed by rising earlier than usual to get around to Dr. Ware's
office on his way to business the morning after the reception; but,
contrary to habit, that individual was already off. Much perturbed he
worked harder than ever at the office and regretted that he had promised
to drive out of town to a wedding. He was in no mood for society, even
so charming as that of the Lennoxes. He was not a man who broke his
engagements, however, and therefore went home about three o'clock to
dress. When the Lennoxes called for him he sauntered out in his usual
charming manner and made the greater effort to be agreeable to each
member of the party from the mere fact that it _was_ an effort. This is
a form of unselfishness, trivial perhaps, but necessitating a
willingness to put aside one's personal inclination, to thrust aside
one's mood for the general good. Some people call it adaptability, some
tact, some a desire to please, but in Kenneth Landor, as in many others,
it was an unselfish wish to contribute his share to the general
entertainment. He was a man who recognized the duty of a guest to his
hostess and did not look upon it as being all the other way. Having
adjusted himself to a purely impersonal philosophical attitude toward
the expedition, imagine his revulsion of feeling when Mrs. Lennox told
him that the party would not be complete until they had picked up Miss
Hester Dale whose sister, unfortunately, was unable to go with them. As
we know, she delegated him to escort Hester down and we may know too,
though no one on the coach suspected it, that he went up the four
flights of stairs two steps at a time and nearly ran down Jack who was
hobbling up on his crutches.
What if, when he and Hester went into the street together she was
immediately appropriated by their host and given the seat of honor
beside him. Couldn't Kenneth _see_ her--every turn of her pretty
head--and wasn't he inwardly proud that she was chosen for this
distinction and didn't he know that it would be his own fault if he did
not monopolize her later on?
As for Hester, she had never been in a merrier mood and chattered on
like a little magpie, forgetful of her sister's warning "not to talk
herself black in the face." Every now and then she would heave a little
sigh and audibly wish Julie were there--a wish promptly seconded by her
host, who nevertheless was amply satisfied with his companion.
The mere sensation of bowling along over smooth roads and through the
beautiful environs of Radnor was in itself a novelty and delight to
Hester but she was raised to the seventh heaven of bliss when Mr.
Lennox, after a talk they had had about horses, said:
"Wouldn't you like to take the ribbons, Miss Dale?"
"Oh!" she gasped, "but my gloves--I can't drive in these," holding up
two white kid hands. She did not think it necessary to add that they
were her only pair.
"Take them off and I'll give you mine. You can manage even if they are
big. Try."
She tried and in another moment the gloves were on, the ribbons slipped
into her fingers and the control of four superb horses lay within her
hands. Ah! how delicious it was to feel their strength and hers!
"What would Mrs. Lennox say if she knew I were driving?"
"She would not mind, but the others might. We'll never tell."
"Never."
They swung along at an even pace, but presently, as if conscious that
the ribbons had changed hands, the horses became restive and finally
taking fright at an imaginary object, the leaders shied and plunged
forward madly.
"Give them their heads!" commanded Mr. Lennox peremptorily.
"Don't drive at quite such a mad pace, please Mr. Lennox," cried a girl
from the rear, "you frighten us nearly to death."
"Oh! it's all right," reassuringly, "they'll quiet down in a moment."
Hester with set lips and feet firmly planted was struggling to get them
under control. She did not speak nor did Mr. Lennox again, but he
watched her narrowly, alert and ready in a second to relieve her. He
thought her equal to the emergency and she was, for after half a mile of
tearing madly over the ground, she succeeded in regaining control of
them and the horses, recognizing the strength of an experienced hand,
quieted down into the old habit of obedience.
"Good!" cried Mr. Lennox, "you're a crack whip, as I thought."
A little color came back into Hester's white face. "I'm so grateful to
you for not taking them away from me," she said. "I should have died of
humiliation if you had."
"I thought I could trust you to pull through, but now that you have
proved your prowess--and I believe you just got the animals to playing
tricks to show what you _could_ do, you sly young person--aren't you a
bit tired? Shan't I drive?"
"Oh! thank you, yes, but I--I enjoyed it."
She was very quiet after that, and presently when they reached the house
and Landor sprang off and turned to lift her down, the two bright red
spots in her cheeks did not escape him nor the subdued manner so unusual
to her.
As they passed into the house Hester saw in the hall a large table piled
high with small white boxes and she shuddered as she thought how they
had spent half the night over the completion of those innocent looking
things. The satin bows actually had a "perky" look as if the ribbon had
just tied itself without any trouble whatever! Turning her back on them
abruptly she followed Mrs. Lennox into the drawing-room, where the
ceremony took place a few moments after their arrival.
It was a simple wedding with no bridesmaids nor ushers nor adjuncts of
any kind, and the bridegroom had so large a family connection that only
intimate friends had been added to the list so that the reception took
on the informal character of a large family gathering. When the bride
had been kissed all around, including every male cousin, in spite of the
laughing protests of the bridegroom, she led the way into the
dining-room for supper.
"May I take you out, Miss Dale?" asked a dapper young fellow who had
just been presented to Hester.
"Thank you, I--"
"You can't walk off with Miss Dale in that calm fashion, Charley," said
a voice back of them, "she's promised to come to supper with me."
Hester had no recollection of any such compact so she looked up and said
mischievously, "What a wonderful memory you have, Mr. Landor," turning
the while as if to move off with the younger man.
"You come with me, won't you?" urged Charley Bemis, "Landor always
claims the earth and never gives us younger fellows a chance. We'll have
to hurry a bit, Miss Dale," looking at her entreatingly, "if we want to
see the bride cut the cake."
"The cake!" she repeated, suddenly shrinking back. "Oh! Mr. Bemis, you
go on without me, will you? I--"
"Run along, Charley," said Landor. "Miss Dale and I will follow. The
dining-room will never begin to hold us all anyway, so if we do not get
in you look us up and tell us who got the ring. You may get it yourself
if you hurry, who knows!"
"Oh!" said Hester when the man had departed, "I couldn't go in there--I
just couldn't."
"Of course not," emphatically, "it is much too crowded. They've covered
in the piazza by the dining-room. Won't you let me bring you something
to eat out there?"
"How could you fib to that boy so!" exclaimed the girl at the same time
signifying her willingness to be led to some less crowded spot.
Kenneth laughed. "You drove me to it. Do you suppose I intended to let
him walk off with you under my very eyes?"
"Why not? I'm sure he seemed a very _nice_ boy," with marked emphasis.
"Oh! yes, he's nice enough," cheerfully, "quite nice, now you mention
it, but I'm not just yearning for his society at the present moment."
"Perhaps I am," getting a wistful far-away expression in her eyes that
was tantalizing.
"Here we are," said the man abruptly as they reached a semi-circular
piazza where tables and chairs had been placed. "If you will sit down,
Miss Dale, I'll look up Mr. Bemis immediately."
"Thank you," demurely, "but if it _should_ happen that you found the
supper first, would you mind bringing that instead? I am _so_ hungry,"
with a pathetic droop at the corners of her mouth.
He went off on air, returning followed by a waiter almost before she had
a chance to miss him.
And what a gay little supper that was! They had a small table quite to
themselves, where Landor played host and was solicitous in providing for
all her wants. Mr. Lennox, wandering about with an eye to his party,
smiled across the piazza at her and reported to his wife that Hester was
being well taken care of. Half unconsciously the girl herself was aware
that her slightest wish was anticipated and she caught herself wondering
as she played with her ice, whether it was chance or design that led Mr.
Landor to avoid having any cake served at their table. It was everywhere
else in abundance; hundreds of colored frosted cakes that seemed to
Hester like so many little imps grinning at her and crying, "You made
me--you made me!" This fantastic notion wrought itself into her tired
brain until she wanted to scream out from very nervousness and caused
Kenneth to say, as if divining her thoughts:
"You are tired, Miss Dale. I am afraid you had an anxious night of it. I
hope your father is better this morning."
"How did you know?"
"We--we missed you at the reception," evasively, "and when Dr. Ware went
off I had my suspicions."
"It was not Daddy," she said quietly, "it was--other things." Then in a
lighter tone, "Don't look so solemn, please, I want to be gay and forget
last night."
"What would happen, Miss Dale, if I were to lecture you?" smiling at
her.
"Try and see," teasingly. "Probably I shall laugh. I usually do when
Julie scolds me and then she laughs too and that spoils the effect.
Well, begin. What is the greatest of my enormities? Have you made out a
list?"
"Will you promise me something?" earnestly, leaning forward with a
pleading expression on his handsome face.
"Perhaps. I am in a most docile mood at this moment."
"Then promise me you will do no more driving. You are not equal to it
to-night, indeed you are not, and it takes all the strength out of you."
"How do you know I drove? Did Mr. Lennox tell you?" regarding him with
raised eyebrows.
"No--but I knew."
"If you are one of those mysterious persons who always know everything,
I am going to avoid you," she laughed, feeling herself flush under his
earnest scrutiny.
"You have not promised," he persisted.
"Did I promise to promise?" with a swift provoking glance from under her
long lashes.
"Miss Dale," pleading, "I never asked a favor of you before."
"Why should you?" wrinkling up her forehead and wishing he had not so
persuasive a voice.
"I know--probably you think it is impertinent, but" coaxingly, "if you
would just this once,--"
"Well, is this where you sneaked off to?" cried a voice beside them; "a
pretty chase you've led me!" and Charley Bemis dropped into the nearest
chair and held out a plate to Hester. "See here, Miss Dale, you wouldn't
go to the mountain, so I've brought the mountain to you. The bride cut
the cake long ago but I saved my piece to eat with you. Landor doesn't
get a crumb."
Landor looked as if he would like to stuff the whole slice down the
man's throat. The girl smiled and resigned herself to at least make a
pretense of eating the thing she had tried so desperately to avoid.
"There is something in your half," suggested young Bemis significantly.
"Is there?" replied Hester, wishing his enthusiasm were less. "You find
it for me."
He cut her piece and pulled out something wrapped in paraffine paper
which proved to be a shining gold dollar.
"Oh! you've got it!" he cried. "Miss Dale's got the money," turning to
announce it to the whole piazza, "she's going to be rich!"
"How nice of you to prophesy such good fortune," she replied picking up
the coin and rising. "Won't you come and help me find Mrs. Lennox and
tell her about it? I am sure Mr. Landor will excuse us?"
Kenneth, who had risen, bowed low and wondered how so adorably pretty a
girl could be so stony-hearted. He was utterly confounded when, as she
brushed by him she slipped something in his hand with a whispered
"That's for luck," and vanished with Bemis in attendance. A quick
indrawing of his fingers into the palm of his hand told Landor a little
coin lay within his grasp. A half-smothered ejaculation escaped him! Her
luck she had passed on to him! Did he dare attribute to it any
significance? No outward sign betrayed his inward perturbation as he
sauntered into the house to join the other guests.
Whether it was Kenneth's skillful management or a preconceived
arrangement on Mrs. Lennox's part or just Fate, deponent saith not, but
the fact remains that when the coach started off again that evening,
Hester found herself ensconced on the back seat with Landor, the rest of
the party chatting gayly in front of them, the guards well in the rear.
"Miss Dale," Landor said when they had ridden some moments in silence,
"are you too tired to-night to let me talk to you a little, seriously?"
He had no desire to lose any time.
"Then you think I can be serious?"
"I know you can, only you never choose to be with me."
"I _am_ an awful tease," she admitted, touched by his wistful tone, "but
I can be the most serious person in the world and I should like to have
you to talk to me, only--you are not going to scold me any more, are
you, Mr. Landor? I think I am really too tired for that." Her low
musical voice seemed to drift to him plaintively through the darkness.
"I was going to be selfishly egotistical and talk about--about a friend
of mine," hoping she had not detected how near he had come to
blundering. "I wanted to ask your advice about him if you are quite sure
you are not too tired to listen, Miss Dale."
"Of course I am not. I should like to hear about your friend, Mr.
Landor."
Was there ever a voice so sweet, he thought, or a girl so full of
contradictions? One moment bewitchingly, aggravatingly whimsical, the
next revealing unfathomable depths of a nature which to him seemed the
purest and noblest in the world. Aloud he said:
"My friend is torn by a divided duty. He wants to go to the war but--"
"You think there will be war? Can't he go?" she interrupted. "It seems
to me every man must go who can."
"Yes, he can, but there are people whom he loves whom he hates to
leave--more than that whom he wants to stay and protect. It is as if his
whole future were at stake--not only his but theirs, and he can't seem
to see his way clear."
"Are they old and dependent on him for support, these people?"
"No, but he wants them to become dependent on him and how can that be if
he goes away?"
"If they love him," the girl said emphatically, "they will not stand in
his way."
"But he does not know that they love him or that they will ever love
him. He only knows that he loves them and--oh! Miss Dale," sweeping
aside this strangely complicated case, "if you had a brother in times
like these, what would you do?"
"Do?" she cried; "why, I'd help him off to the front without a moment's
hesitation! Julie and I would be the proudest girls in the world if we
had a brother to go to the war! If Daddy were well he would go--there
never was a finer officer than Daddy. Oh! Mr. Landor, you know us so
little that you've no idea how strongly we feel about these things.
We've tried in our own small way, Julie and I, to be soldiers ourselves
and we think no sacrifice too great to make for one another and for our
country." In her earnestness she had forgotten the man beside her, the
friend and everything save the inspiration of those principles which
were as the very air she breathed.
He made no reply, fearing to break the spell and startle her back into
her old elusiveness. This revelation of her inner self was very precious
to him.
Presently she said: "Perhaps I know a little how your friend feels,
because I have always thought if ever I lived in war times I should go
as a nurse, but now I could not consider such a thing."
"You? You are too young," he gasped, never dreaming of this possibility.
"No, I am not too young, but Julie could not carry on our business and
take care of Daddy, too, all alone, and my duty is here."
"You are doing active service in a field much harder than anything they
may see in Cuba," he said intently.
"Oh! no, don't say that; I do not deserve it; but you have talked to me
so frankly about your friend that I wanted you to know I understand a
little, though I do not believe I have been of any help. But this much I
know, if I were one of those people whom he loves, however much I might
need him and perhaps want him,"--was her voice faltering?--"I should
urge him to go and love him the better for going and believe that his
future and all connected with him would be the richer and the brighter
for the personal sacrifice."
There was an exultant ring in her low voice that set the man's heart to
throbbing with a pain strangely new and exquisite and so great was his
emotion that for some time he did not trust himself to speak. When he
did he said very gently:
"You _have_ helped my friend, Miss Dale, more than you have any idea and
I thank you for him. Some day, perhaps, you will let him thank you
himself. I--I shall always remember your kindness to-night" (poor
fellow, it was not easy to pick his words calmly when he longed to pour
his heart out to her). "I may not see you again for awhile; I--I am
going away."
The coach drew up at her door and she was brought to a sudden
realization of her surroundings by the laughing salutations of the party
as they said goodnight. Kenneth had sprung to the ground and was waiting
to assist her to alight. She was not conscious of the gentle, almost
tender manner in which he lifted her down, but as he stood with bared
head holding the door open, for her, she stopped a moment and put out
her hands impulsively.
"Is this good-by?" she said, her beautiful eyes looking full into his.
"Yes," with her hands close in his, "I shall go out with the first
regiment from Radnor."