A TALK THAT WAS NOT AN EXPLANATION
THE Suffrage meeting was fairly interesting, but then both Meg and Betty
had been believers in equal rights for men and women ever since their
Camp Fire days and there were few new arguments to be heard on the
subject.
When they came out from the crowded hall, however, it was still too
early to call for Anthony. There could be no hope of getting hold of him
before half-past five o'clock. So it was Meg Emmet's suggestion that she
and Betty stop by and see her father for a few moments. Professor
Everett had a slight cold and his daughter was a little uneasy about
him.
They found the old gentleman in his library sipping hot tea and
re-reading a letter from his son, Horace, whom Betty could not ever
think of by any more serious name than "Bumps." She always saw a vision
of the small boy dragging around at his sister Meg's heels and tumbling
over every object in their way. However, "Bumps" had grown up to be a
very clever fellow and had a better record at college than his brother
John ever had. The young man was to graduate in law at Cornell in the
coming spring. The present letter was to say, however, that he expected
to spend Christmas in Concord with his father. He had been doing some
tutoring at Cornell and had earned the money for his trip himself.
Plainly Professor Everett was much pleased by this news. He had always
been a devoted father to all his three motherless children, but Horace
was his "Benjamin."
Moreover, they were still talking of "Bumps" when unexpectedly John
Everett made his appearance. He was looking rather fagged, but explained
that there was nothing going on at his office and so he had quit for the
day.
Nevertheless tea had a reviving effect upon him, as it had upon both Meg
and Betty, so that Betty was surprised to discover that it was twenty
minutes past five o'clock when her visit seemed scarcely to have begun.
It was quite dark, however, as it was toward the middle of December when
the days are short, so that John Everett insisted upon accompanying his
sister and friend, even though they were in Betty's carriage.
Meg's home was nearer. They drove there first and later John went on to
the Capitol, where Betty sent in to inquire if the Governor were free to
return home with her.
There was a little time to wait before the answer came, so that in the
meanwhile Betty and John continued talking.
It was Betty who asked the first important question.
"I do hope, John, that your new business is succeeding," she said
carelessly, although of course she felt a friendly interest in John's
success and in that of Meg's husband.
However, John Everett hesitated a moment before replying.
"Oh, our success depends on your Governor and so perhaps on you," he
answered in a half joking tone. "I don't know whether you happen to have
heard anything about it, but we are trying to get a bill through the
Legislature this season which will give us the chance to build the new
roads in the state of New Hampshire for the next few years. But we don't
know just yet how the Governor feels about it, whether he is going to
oppose our bill or work with us. He has a big lot of influence."
"Oh," Betty replied vaguely. She sincerely hoped that John Everett was
not going to try persuade her to ask her husband to assist him for the
second time. Surely if he did she would refuse. For in the first place
she did not wish to confess that she believed herself to have no real
influence with her husband and in the second she wouldn't try to
interfere in anything so important as a bill to be gotten through the
Legislature unless she knew everything about it. Formerly she had taken
an intense interest in all the political affairs that interested her
husband, yet recently Anthony had not been discussing matters with her
very often. Moreover, she had a sudden feeling that she did not wish to
be mixed up again with John Everett's concerns.
So fortunately before Betty had a chance to reply Anthony came down the
length of stone steps to his wife's carriage.
He seemed pleased at seeing her, but not very enthusiastic over her
companion.
However, John Everett said good-bye and left at once.
They had only fairly started on the road toward home when Anthony said
suddenly:
"I do wish, Betty, that you would not be seen so often with John
Everett. Oh, I know you don't realize it, but it seems to me that you
are very often with him. I know he is Meg's brother and that you are
devoted friends, but I tell you I don't like the fellow. The more I know
him, the less I like him. So I simply won't have my wife in his
society."
Betty caught her breath and her cheeks flushed hotly in the darkness.
How unkind Anthony was to her these days! Could it be possible that he
did not love her any more? He certainly could not be jealous of John
Everett; that idea was too absurd to be considered. For she never had
cared for any one in her life except her husband and he must know it.
However, she had no intention of being bullied.
"Don't be silly, Anthony," Betty replied petulantly. "I don't see very
much of John Everett. Besides, if I did what difference would it make?
Of course, if you know anything actually against him you would tell me?"
"So you no longer wish to do things just because I wish them? I'm sorry,
Betty," Anthony returned. Then they drove the rest of the way home in
silence, both behaving like sullen children in spite of the fact that
they were entirely grown-up people, the Governor of the state and his
clever and charming wife.
For the truth was that Anthony Graham was jealous of John Everett and
yet was ashamed to speak of it. He would never have dreamt of such a
feeling if only he and Betty had not been estranged for the past few
weeks. Besides, he was missing the opportunity to spend as much time
with her as he formerly had before his election to office. Surely Betty
must understand that. How could he help hating to have another fellow
drinking tea with her on any number of afternoons when he was slaving
at his office--especially a man like John Everett?
Oh, of course Anthony realized that this was rather a dog-in-the-manger
attitude on his part and that he ought to laugh over it with his wife.
Moreover, if he had, Betty would have understood and forgiven him. She
might even have been a little pleased, since she believed that Anthony
did not miss the loss of her society half so much as she had the loss of
his. If he had even told her the special reason he had for disliking
John Everett doubtless she would have been convinced, in spite of her
natural loyalty to her old friends.
But Anthony did not even do this. He had an idea that he was saving
Betty trouble by not telling her of the loss of the papers by which he
could prove that the bill which ex-Governor Peyton, Jack Emmet and John
Everett were trying to get through the Legislature was an effort to
cheat the state.
Yet in consequence Betty cried herself into a headache and was therefore
unable to come down to dinner, while Anthony decided that she would not
come simply because she was too angry with him.
So can people in this world manage to misunderstand each other, even
after they have been married a number of years and are very deeply and
truly in love with each other.