To both Mistress Mehitable and Barbara the new order of things proved
itself, all through that first day, supremely satisfactory; and each
vowed most solemnly in her heart that she, at least, would not be the
one to blame if it did not last. During the afternoon, when Doctor
John and Doctor Jim were drinking a pot of tea with them, and wondering
delightedly at the unexpected atmosphere of peace, Barbara asked,
suddenly:
"How did you ever manage, Aunt Hitty, to get Doctor John and Doctor Jim
off after me so quickly. I thought I had _such_ a good start! And how
_did_ you know which way I was going?"
Both men looked meaningly at Mistress Mehitable, but failed to catch
her eye. Doctor Jim began to shake his head violently, but stopped in
confusion under Barbara's look of questioning astonishment. But
Mistress Mehitable, serenely unconscious, answered at once:
"Old Debby Blue," said she, "with whom you breakfasted, rode over as
fast as she could to Doctor Jim with the news. The poor old woman was
nearly dead from her exertions, I think you told me, Jim. She has a
good heart, and truly loves you, Barbara. I am sorry if I have seemed
harsh to her at times."
Barbara's eyes grew wide, her face darkened ominously, and her full,
bowed lips drew together to a straight line of scarlet. Doctor John
sat up straight, with twinkling eyes, expecting the outbreak of a
characteristic Barbara storm, such as he always enjoyed in his big, dry
way. But Doctor Jim made haste to interpose.
"You mustn't be too hard on Debby, Barbara, because she told what she
had promised not to tell. What else _could_ she do? You know well
enough she couldn't stop you herself, you headstrong baggage. I won't
have you unfair to Debby. She loves you, and nearly killed herself to
save you!"
Barbara's look of anger changed to a sort of obstinate sullenness for
an instant. Then with an effort she forced herself to smile, while
tears sprang into her eyes.
"Of course, Debby was right," she acknowledged. "But I wish she'd done
it some other way. She shouldn't have let me trust her. She _fooled_
me when I trusted her. Oh, I'll _forgive_ her, of course," she
continued, bitterly, "but never, never, will I _trust_ her again!"
Then she sprang up impetuously, and ran and flung both arms around
Mistress Mehitable. "_Of course_ I'd forgive her, anyway, because if
she hadn't fooled me I might have never found out how lovely you
were,--honey!"
Both Doctor John and Doctor Jim were breathless with amazement for a
moment. What was this miracle? Whence came this understanding and
this sympathy, all in a night? They saw a new glad warmth in Mistress
Mehitable's eyes. They exchanged significant glances.
"All I can say, Barbara," growled Doctor Jim, at length, "is that
you've been a long while finding out what ought to have been as plain
as the nose on your face,--eh, what?"
"For a young lady who was able to discern at first glance the
fascinations of Jim Pigeon," chimed in Doctor John, "I think you have
been rather undiscriminating, Barbara!"
"She could see two battered old tallow dips, when she couldn't see the
moon!" added Doctor Jim, solemnly.
There was always a relish of peril in rallying Barbara, whose audacity
in retort was one of the scandals of Second Westings. She flashed her
white teeth upon them in a naughty smile, and her eyes danced as she
kissed Mistress Mehitable on both cheeks.
"Of _course_," she cried. "Nobody knows better than you two great big
dears what a perfect little fool I've been, not to be in love with Aunt
Hitty all this time."
"Barbara!" protested Mistress Mehitable, in a tone of rebuke,--and then
again, bethinking herself, "Barbara, child!" in a tone of appeal.
"But now, you can tell a hawk from a handsaw, eh, baggage?" chuckled
Doctor John; while Doctor Jim exploded noisily, and then, checking
himself, cast upon Mistress Mehitable a glance of apprehension.
But Barbara had heeded neither the rebuke nor the appeal.
"I know, I know," she went on, clapping her hands with delight. "You
didn't _want_ me to find her out,--you didn't want me to know how
lovely she is! Conspirators! I won't love you any more, either of
you. And I'm going to keep Aunt Hitty all to myself here; and not let
you even _see_ her; and make you both so jealous you'll wish you had
let me run away in the canoe and get drowned in the rapids."
"Barbara, Barbara," murmured Mehitable.
Doctor Jim wagged his great head, and growled inarticulately.
"It's we who are the victims of conspiracy, John," said he. "If
Mehitable and Barbara have discovered each other, what becomes of us,
I'd like to know! But it sha'n't last. We'll sow seeds of dissension
presently,--eh, what?"
"Just let us wait till Bobby Gault comes!" suggested Doctor John, with
gentle malice.
Barbara's face grew grave on the instant.
"Of course, Aunt Hitty, they have told you all about Robert," she said,
earnestly, "but all they know about his reasons is what he told them
himself, you know. And he was determined to shield me, of course. But
it was _all_ my fault. How could he know how bad and foolish I was? I
just mixed him all up; and it makes me ashamed to think how horrid I
was; and I will never forgive myself. But you mustn't let them
prejudice you against Robert, honey,--but just wait and see what you
think of him yourself, won't you, please?"
Mistress Mehitable smiled, and exchanged looks with Doctor John and
Doctor Jim.
"Really, dear," said she, "they have not given me any very bad
impressions of Robert. I think both Doctor John and Doctor Jim knew
where to put the blame. And _I_ know, too!"
Barbara looked at her doubtfully. Such complete acceptance of her
position almost seemed unkind and critical. But her aunt's smile
reassured her. This was not criticism, but something as near raillery
as Mistress Mehitable would permit herself.
"I believe they have been abusing me behind my back,--and they
pretending to love me!" cried Barbara, tossing her head in saucy
challenge.
"Never, child; we hug our delusions, Jim Pigeon and I," said Doctor
John.
"No, hug me," laughed Barbara, darting around the tea-table and seating
herself on his lap.
"You are our worst delusion, baggage!" said Doctor Jim, shaking a large
finger at her. "And now I see you're setting out to delude your poor
aunt, after making life a burden to her for two years. And poor Bobby
Gault,--he'll find you a delusion and a snare!"
"I think you are unkind, even if you are just in fun," protested
Barbara, half offended, half amused. But at this moment both men rose
to go. Doctor John, as he raised his towering bulk from the chair,
lifted Barbara with him as if she had been a baby, held her in his arms
for a moment while he peered lovingly and quizzically into her swiftly
clearing face, gave her a resounding kiss, and set her on her feet.
"Bless the child!" said Doctor Jim, noticing now for the first time the
change in appearance. "What's become of our little Barbara? How she's
grown up over night!"
"And how her petticoats have grown down!" added Doctor John, backing
off to survey her critically. "Tut, tut, the wanton hussy! How did
she dare to kiss me! Goodness gracious! To think I had a young woman
like that sitting on my lap!"
"You had better be careful what you say, Doctor John," retorted
Barbara, firmly, "or I _will_ be grown up, and never kiss you or let
you hold me on your lap any more!"
"I humbly crave your pardon, gracious fair. I am your most devoted,
humble servant!" said Doctor John, setting his heels together at a
precise right angle, and bowing profoundly over her hand till his
brocaded coat-tails stuck out stiffly behind him.
Barbara rather liked this hand-kissing, after Robert's initiation, and
took it with composure as her due. Why should she not have her hand
kissed, as well as Aunt Hitty? But Doctor Jim made his farewell in
different fashion.
"I won't have her grow up this way!" he growled, snatching her up and
holding her as if he feared she would be taken away from him. "She's
just our little Barby, our little, thorny brier-rose! Eh--what?"
"Our _barby_ brier-rose, you mean!" interjected Doctor John, with a
chuckle.
But every one ignored this poor witticism, and Doctor Jim continued,
while Barbara softly kicked her toes against his waistcoat. "It would
break my heart to have her grown up, and young missish, and prim. What
have you done to her, Mehitable?"
Mistress Mehitable gave a clear little ripple of laughter, flute-like
and fresh. She was feeling younger and gayer than she had felt for
years.
"I have just tried to carry out your own suggestion, Jim!" said she,
cheerfully. "I must say, I think it was a very wise suggestion. I
have handed Barbara over to her own care, that's all. I am sorry you
don't like the results!"
"Don't worry, Doctor Jim!" cried Barbara, purchasing her release by
kissing him hard on both cheeks. "Don't worry about me being changed.
I was _born_ bad, you know. And I'm afraid I'll be just as bad as ever
by to-morrow--except to Aunt Hitty! If I'm bad to you any more,
dear,"--and she turned impetuously to Mistress Mehitable,
"I'll--I'll--" and feeling a sudden imperious threat of tears, she fled
away to her own room. It had been a wonderful, wonderful day for her,
and she felt that she must have a little cry at once. On her white bed
she wept deliciously. Then she thought, and thought, and thought, and
made resolves, in sympathetic communion with her pillow.
In the parlour below, Doctor Jim had said, before leaving:
"I think you are going to get a lot of comfort out of her now,
Mehitable, eh, what?"
And Doctor John, troubled by a maudlin kind of moisture about his eyes,
had said nothing.
And Mistress Mehitable had said, fervently:
"I hope she is going to get a lot of comfort out of me, Jim. I see
that I have been greatly in the wrong!"