WHERE IS ERNESTINE?
The odor of hot cakes brought everybody in a hurry, when Kat opened the
dining-room door, and shouted, "supper!" as though she was a pop-gun and
the single word a deadly fire, and everybody had fallen to work at
demolishing the pile of aforesaid cakes, before Bea looked up suddenly
and asked:
"Where is Ernestine?"
Nobody knew, but Kat ventured, that perhaps she was going to supper it,
on gloves and feathers.
"You better call again, Kat, perhaps she didn't hear."
So Kat rushed to the door, and shouted:
"Er-nes-tin-e-e, cakes are getting cold," with an amount of energy and
noise that might have reached that young lady, had she been sitting on
the top-most round of the farthest chimney; but there was no response
of any kind, neither was there any indications of a light up stairs, so
Kat went back, remarking, as she again fell to work:
"She's put on her new toggery, most likely, and gone somewhere."
"But where should she go?" asked Bea with a strange uneasiness.
"Anywhere, just so people see her new things, and say how pretty she
looks," answered Kat, who was not uneasy.
So they eat supper and waited; but no appearance of the delinquent. The
twins began to clear up, putting a good supply in the oven to keep warm;
but the dishes were through with, and all put away, and no Ernestine.
Kittie began to feel anxious and worried, but Kat made fun of her,
though she herself began to grow more quiet, as the evening went on.
Eight. Nine. No Ernestine. What should they do?
Bea sprang up from her seat at the window, all in a pale tremor.
"I cannot stand it. Oh, Olive, what shall we do?"
"Why, I don't know," said Olive, putting down the book in which she had
read nothing. "Have you looked for her hat and cloak?"
No. No one had. So they all rushed up stairs, as though it required five
pairs of eyes to discover a hat and cloak, which was found lying on the
bed, just as she had thrown them on coming up stairs. Bea went to her
boxes, with a vague idea that the gloves and feather were in some way
connected with the mystery; but they were put away with greatest
possible care, and Kat, who always did the absurd things in hasty
moments, reported that all her clothes and dresses were in their places,
so she couldn't have gone away.
"Of course not; there's no place for her to go to," answered Olive.
"Mrs. Dane's, perhaps," suggested Kittie.
This was plausible.
"But what would she go for?" asked Bea in a moment. "And without any hat
or shawl, and stay so late?"
Nobody knew, and all looked irresolute and anxious.
"Her blue shawl is gone," exclaimed Kat, in the midst of her second
rummage in the closet; for what, no one knew, since it was impossible
for Ernestine to be hanging over a hook; or settled in one of her
pockets. "And her straw hat!"
At that, all five dived into the closet, with no clearly defined
purpose, but it seemed the only thing to do just then; and in the
scramble that followed, the missing straw hat was found on the floor,
but no blue shawl kept its company. They all took hold of it in turn,
looking at it solemnly, and turning it over and over, as though it
possessed the secret of its missing mistress. But if it knew, it kept
its knowledge, and only flapped its ribbons in feeble protest at being
twisted about so. No one said any thing, until Bea discovered two long
golden hairs clinging to the straw, then she threw it down, and burst
into tears. Everybody looked aghast, and Bea cried out between her sobs:
"I can't help it--indeed--I feel as if something dreadful had
happened--and I'm so frightened."
Just then the clock struck ten, such slow solemn strokes, echoing
through the still house, and everybody shivered drearily, and looked
fearfully out into the dark hall; wishing, oh, how fervently, that
mother was home. Bea stopped crying with a great effort, and seemed to
feel that she must do something--but what? She looked at the girls in
anxious inquiry. Kittie and Kat were sitting on the bed, trembling and
frightened. Olive was so dreadfully pale and still; and Beatrice was
nearly at her wits end.
"Perhaps--perhaps--" ventured Kittie, looking around as though her voice
frightened her: "she may be trying to frighten us; you know we were a
little fussy when she came up stairs this afternoon."
Nobody seemed to think so, it might be a rather good joke, but Ernestine
wouldn't keep it up until ten o'clock.
"Let's look in the rooms and then go down stairs, said Olive taking up
the light. Perhaps she has gone to Mrs. Dane's after all, and is staying
late to frighten us, as Kittie says. Come on, and when she comes, don't
pretend to be surprised or a bit scared."
This being Olive's first suggestion, it was received as bearing some
weight, as indeed suggestions and advice always are when they come from
people who do not always have them at tongue's end, ready for all, or
any occasions. A little brighter feeling dawned upon the forlorn group,
as they went to the twin's and Olive's rooms, without finding any trace,
and then returned to the sitting-room. Bea half hoped and expected that
they would find Ernestine sitting by the fire, full of laugh, and ready
to tease them on their fright and search; but she was disappointed, for
the room was dreary and lonely, the light wood fire having died of
neglect; and everything looked unutterably forlorn to their anxious
eyes. In an ominous silence all four sat down on the lounge, closely
huddled together, and tried to talk; but it was a vain attempt. It
seemed impossible to bring any voice low enough so as that it did not
sound like a trumpet in the painful stillness of the house; every one
jumped when any one spoke, so by and by, they were perfectly still,
while the clock ticked so loudly and every moment brought a deeper fear
and trembling anxiety.
Eleven! Twelve!
"Let us go to bed," whispered Olive. Somehow it seemed that whispering
was the only admissible thing then. "See, the lamp was not filled fresh
to-day, and it's burning down; we'll be in the dark in a few minutes."
"Oh, I'm so afraid," quavered Kat. "Let's all sleep together."
No one seemed to object, for really it was something to chill even a
brave heart. Those four girls alone in the great still house at
midnight, with the terrible fear at their hearts, and their wildest
imagination in full play. They went up stairs as softly as though
Ernestine lay dead in the house; and all went with their eyes shut
except Olive, who carried the lamp, and even she kept her eyes away from
everything save right where she walked. No one had cried yet but Bea; so
when they knelt about the bed for prayer, each one broke down, and they
finally dropped asleep, sobbing softly, with their arms about each
other.
Morning came, with the brightest of sunshine, and put a more cheerful
face upon things, as daylight always does. The girls jumped up merrily,
quite convinced that it was all a joke, and that they were foolish to
have been so frightened. Ernestine had gone to Mrs. Dane's and stayed
all night; she would be home pretty soon and they would all have a good
laugh over it. So they thought, and flew about lively with their work;
but breakfast was over and cleaned up, the house was all in order, and
the day fairly begun; still no Ernestine had arrived, and Olive had not
gone.
"Seems to me, I can't go until we know something," she said, standing in
the door and looking down the street. "I will be home to dinner, and
surely she will be here by that time."
"I suppose so, of course," said Bea, feeling last night's fear beginning
to tug at her heart again.
"Seems to me nothing could happen with a morning so lovely as this,"
said Kittie, looking anxious and sleepy.
"Well, I suppose I must go," said Olive at last. "I'm an hour late now,
and I don't know what to tell Mr. Dane; but then, it's the first time
I've ever been tardy, so he may not speak of it."
"If she comes pretty soon, I'll trot down and tell you," volunteered
Kat, who was stretching on the stairs, and pretty near strangling with a
succession of gasps.
"All right," said Olive, going out reluctantly.
Morning went slowly and heavily; the girls tried to study as usual, but
found it impossible. There was only one thought in their minds;
Ernestine! Ernestine! where was she?
"Kittie," said Bea, when it was nearly noon, "Olive is so tired, I
expect, being worried and up so late, and then bothering over her
business this morning, suppose you take her dinner down to her, and then
go round by Mrs. Dane's?"
"All right," answered Kittie, glad of something to work off her
feverish impatience. "You fix the basket, while I run up stairs and get
ready; it will only take me a minute."
Olive was sitting at her desk, very pale and tired, when Kittie came in.
She looked up eagerly, but in a glance, each saw that the other knew
nothing.
"I brought your dinner," said Kittie, putting down the basket,
"because--she hasn't come, and we thought you'd be so tired."
"I am, and so much obliged," answered Olive, with a grateful smile,
thinking, as she put the lunch aside, how kind it was, for Kittie was
tired too; and thinking also, that a few weeks ago they wouldn't have
done so; but that had been much her own fault, she was quite convinced
of it now.
"Mr. Dane went to the city on this morning's train," she said in a
moment, "so I have not seen him."
"I'm going there," answered Kittie. "Mrs. Dane's, I mean. If Ernestine
is there, I'll come back by here and tell you, and if I don't come
you'll know that I haven't heard anything."
They both felt that nothing would be heard, but each said good-bye
cheerfully, and Kittie hurried away.
Mrs. Dane was a dear, motherly-hearted lady who had no children of her
own, and consequently felt a warm interest in any one's else. She had
kept a watchful, loving eye on the Dering girls, especially, since
their troubles, going to see them frequently, and dropping much comfort
and encouragement in all that she said and did. When she saw Kittie
coming, she met her at the door, with a warm, cheery smile and inquired
gayly:
"Good morning, my dear; what is going to happen that you are without
your mate? and which one are you?"
Kittie laughed as she went up the neat little walk, with early violets
blooming either side, but Mrs. Dane noticed that she looked anxiously
beyond her, into the house, and that her face was pale and worried,
something unheard of, for either of the twins.
"I'm Kittie, and Kat was too busy to come," answered Kittie, as they
went in, and she wondered what she should say next.
"It looks strange to ever see you without each other," said Mrs. Dane,
detecting an uneasiness. "All well at home, dear?"
"Yes'm, pretty well, except spring fever."
"I saw Ernestine down town yesterday afternoon, and I thought she looked
quite pale, but very pretty," continued Mrs. Dane.
"Yes'm," said Kittie again, with her heart jumping into her throat.
"Mama is going to have her go out to Mrs. Raymond's for two weeks. Has
she been by here this morning?"
"Not that I have seen. I should think it a very good plan for her to be
in the country a while, if she will only be quiet; the Raymond home is a
very lovely one. I notice here lately that she coughs a good deal."
"Yes'm," answered Kittie, guiltily conscious that she hadn't noticed it.
"I hope it isn't much though."
"Nothing more than a spring cold, I fancy; you must all be very careful.
Now, my dear, take off your hat, and stay to dinner with me. I'm all
alone, to-day."
"I should like to; thank you, Mrs. Dane, but Bea will be expecting me
home, and I guess I had better go," said Kittie, so intensely
disappointed with her call that she could hardly keep the tears back. So
she went, and Mrs. Dane soliloquized, as she recalled the troubled face.
"Something the matter, I am quite positive; and those poor, dear, brave
little girls all alone. I shall go over this evening and see if I am
needed."
Kat was at the gate, and started out the moment she saw Kittie coming,
to meet her. She was quite as ashy colored as ever brown-faced,
rosy-cheeked Kat could be, and she was trembling as with a fit of ague,
and as Kittie saw her, the question died on her lips, and she could only
look her fear, as Kat burst forth:--
"She hasn't come--don't know anything about her; but Bea went up in the
garret this morning to open the windows, and ever since she came down,
she's been crying and pretty near fainted; won't tell me anything, and
I thought you never would come. What _shall_ we do?"
"Oh, I don't know; why didn't I tell Mrs. Dane? I felt as if I ought
to," cried Kittie, standing still in despair for a moment; then pulling
off her hat and shawl, she put them on her sister in a hurry.
"There, Kat, run; I'm so tired, you can go the fastest; go to Mr.
Phillips, ask him to take Prince and go for mama, quick;" and, without a
second thought, Kat dashed down the street at her most breathless flying
speed, not caring who saw, or what they thought, and feeling as though
she had done the right thing. Kittie hurried into the house; she was
alarmed, indeed, at the violence of Bea's crying, and after trying in
vain to find some cause, or give some comfort, gave up in despair.
"Don't ask me," Bea would cry, when questioned. "I can't tell! Oh, if
mama was only here! What shall I do?"
"I've sent for her!" exclaimed Kittie, with a great sigh of relief. "Kat
has gone now to ask Mr. Phillips, and she'll be here this afternoon, I
know."
Bea looked up for an instant, with a flash of relief in her face, then
burst out again, crying more bitterly than ever, and with a vehemence
that shook her from head to foot.
"What ever can it be?" thought Kittie, flying up stairs, and off to the
garret in desperation; but, pausing as she reached the door, and
shaking with a sudden terror. What if Ernestine should be in there dead,
or something? She shook and hesitated, but finally opened the door, for
Kittie was brave, and looked in!
Nothing seemed to be the matter. The sunshine came warmly in at the
windows and illumined every corner. The little black trunk stood there,
but it was closed, and she did not notice it, though she went all
around, and amazed to find nothing out of place. Over in an unused
corner, for the garret was very large, stood a big dry-goods box that
Mr. Dering had long kept some things packed in, but on the very day
before his sudden death, he had been up in the garret, unnailed the
heavy cover, and gone to the bottom for some things that he wanted, and
then hurried away, intending to repack, and nail up, on his return; but
in the little act, was a mighty working of Providence, or fate; the box
had remained just so, with its dislodged contents at its side, the
little black trunk among them, and the garret having been rarely entered
during the winter, it had not been noticed or remedied.
Kittie, happening to glance that way, saw it; and with a vague idea that
Ernestine might be in the box, went over to it, pushed the little black
trunk nearer, and stood on it to look in; but saw only a confused lot of
things, tumbled up in her father's haste, and so she got down, and left
the garret slowly, more perplexed and bewildered than ever.
As she went down the stairs, she heard, she surely heard an unmistakable
moan, that stopped her in an instant, and made her heart beat fast and
loud with terror; and as she stood and listened, it came again, and it
did not come from the garret either.
As I said, Kittie was brave. Kat would have torn wildly down stairs, and
declared that the house was haunted; but she stood there, quite still,
until that feeble moan came again; then with a thought as quick as
lightning, she cleared the remaining steps with one jump, flew across
the hall, and into the spare room!
There, at last, after all these hours of painful anxiety and fright,
there, so near, that by simply opening an unused door, they would have
found her--lay Ernestine.
As Kittie burst into the room, Ernestine tossed her arms above her head,
and uttered that feeble moan again; and too astonished to utter a word
of any kind, Kittie saw that she was unconscious, that her face was
scarlet with fever, and that the dazed, wide open eyes recognized
nothing.
She never exactly remembered how she got down stairs, and told Bea; or
how it happened that Kat was with them when they went back; she only
knew that Bea threw down her handkerchief, and worked swift and silent,
that she helped, and that Kat flew off again to bring Mrs. Dane, and was
back in just a moment, for that lady, being so forcibly impressed with
an idea that something was wrong, had started over, and met Kat just a
few minutes after she came tearing out of the gate.
It did not take long to get Ernestine into her own bed, to bathe her
burning hands and face, and smooth her tangled hair, that lay all over
the pillow like stray sun-beams. She submitted passively to all of it,
and appeared to notice no one, except now and then to turn her eyes to
Mrs. Dane, with a puzzled, pleading look, and mutter with a wistful
longing: "It isn't so, is it? I know it isn't;" then would drift into
some unintelligible murmurings, or lay quiet with no expression of any
kind in her face.
"She was perfectly well yesterday," said Bea, in answer to Mrs. Dane's
questions. "She came up stairs singing, about four o'clock, and that was
the last we saw of her until just now, when Kittie found her."
"Poor child! What did you do all night?"
"We sat up until twelve o'clock, and it seemed like a week nearly, Olive
said, and we all hoped that she had gone to spend the night with you,
and that is what kept us from giving up entirely. We were having a
little argument when she left us," added Bea, dropping her eyes, but
feeling that a little explanation was necessary. "So we thought perhaps
she went off without saying anything, so as to frighten us."
Kittie looked at Bea in curious amazement. She was so rejoiced that
Ernestine was found, that she wondered why Bea should still be so white
and tremble, and sit down every once in a while, as though too faint to
stand. Finally concluding that it was fatigue and worrying, Kittie
hurried down to the kitchen, built a fire, and had water boiling for tea
in a hurry, and in just a little while, brought a cup of that
invigorating beverage, and insisted on Bea's drinking it, and another,
too, if she could.
"How kind you are," said Bea, looking grateful, and trying to smile, but
failing utterly. "You better go and drink some yourself. Where is Kat?"
"She rushed right off again to tell Olive," answered Kittie, sitting
down on the floor. "Poor dear, she will be tired to death. Oh, Bea,
aren't you glad we found her before mama came?"
Bea nodded yes, and hid her face in the tea-cup, while Kittie hearing
Kat down stairs, hurried down to have a social and rejoicing cup of tea
with her.
Mrs. Dering arrived late in the afternoon; the twins threw open the big
gate, shouting the good news as they did so, and Prince came gayly up
the old familiar drive with a joyous whisk of his tail, and a loud neigh
of recognition, and as Kittie and Kat fell to hugging him wildly, Mrs.
Dering hurried into the house, and was met by Bea at the door.
"Were is she? What does it all mean?" cried the terrified mother.
"She was in the spare room--sick--we found her this afternoon," answered
Bea, speaking as though the words choked her. "Come--come into the
sitting-room, mama, and--let me tell you."
Mrs. Dering followed, with a terrible fear at her heart, and was obliged
to sit down, so trembling and faint was she; and Beatrice meeting that
anguished, imploring look, could not utter a word, but simply put her
hand in her pocket, and drew out a worn, faded letter.
Mrs. Dering looked at it for an instant, then uttered a broken cry, and
threw out her hands beseechingly.
"Oh, Beatrice! my daughter! Not that, not that, surely!"
"Yes, mama."
Mrs. Dering dropped her face in her hands with a moan that came from the
depths of her heart, and overcome with the confirmation of her fears,
Bea sank into a chair and burst into tears; and nothing but her sobs
were heard for several moments.
Under all circumstances, Mrs. Dering was a woman of wonderful self
control; so in a moment she looked up and asked:
"Do you know anything about it?"
"No, mama," answered Bea, then repeated the circumstances in the case,
adding, with a look of loving sympathy into the grief-stricken face
opposite, "When I went up into the garret this morning, I saw one of
your trunks open, and your green silk and white lawn lying on the floor
by the little black trunk, which was open also, and the letter was
dropped on the floor, and I knew she had been there, and thought perhaps
it was something she had left, so I read--only a part of it, and--oh,
mama!"
Mrs. Dering vouchsafed no explanation, as Bea paused with a sob; but
looked out of the window with a world of puzzled inquiry in her face,
and murmured to herself:
"How did it ever come out of the box?"
"Papa," answered Bea, catching the words, "He was up there the day
before he--died, and I remember when he came down with what he wanted,
he said that he had gone clear to the bottom of the big box for it, and
that he would put things back, and nail it up when he came back home,
and they were all left just that way, mama; and oh--please tell me--is
it true?"
"Yes, Beatrice, it is true, too true," answered Mrs. Dering, sadly, then
went up stairs, and left Bea sobbing on the lounge.
In just a few minutes Kittie came running in, and paused astonished at
the sitting-room door, but as she surveyed her sister, and heard how
bitterly she was sobbing, she went in and knelt by the lounge.
"Bea, can't you tell me yet, what the matter is?"
"No-o," sobbed Bea.
"Well, please tell me just one thing: I'm so frightened about something,
I don't know what. But, is Ernestine very very sick, and is that what
you are crying about? or--or, _has_ something happened that we don't
know anything about? Please tell me just this, Bea, and I won't ask any
more."
"Yes, something has," was Bea's answer; and Kittie went sorrowfully away
to tell Kat and Olive not to rejoice so much, yet.
It was quite late that night, and every one had gone to bed, except Mrs.
Dering, who sat sleeplessly beside the bed, holding Ernestine's hot
hand, and Bea, who nestled quietly in a large rocking chair, equally
sleepless, and looking alternately from the loving, watchful face of
mother, to the flushed, restless one on the pillow, while the big tears
dropped unheeded down her cheeks.
The doctor had said, on leaving in the evening, that when Ernestine
awoke, she would be herself, and for some time Mrs. Dering had been
watching the feverish flush give way to pallor, and the restless, uneasy
tossing to quiet slumber, and she knew, that before long, Ernestine
would be herself, and ask a dreaded question. The house was painfully
still. Bea shivered as the clock's ticking sounded loudly through the
halls, and thought of last night when they all stood there, in that
same room, and wondered where Ernestine was; and Mrs. Dering shivered,
though, for quite another reason, for her mind held far different
memories.
Just then, Ernestine turned, as though awakening, and the clock began to
strike twelve. Through the dozen slow strokes she did not move again,
but the moment they ceased, she moaned just a little bit, in a feeble,
tired way, and opened her eyes.
At the same instant, Mrs. Dering held a tiny glass to her lips, raised
the pillow and said quietly:
"Drink, dear."
Ernestine did so, unresistingly, and lay for several minutes perfectly
quiet, with her eyes wide open; and then they began to grow startled,
and went suddenly to Bea's face, and stopped there. Bea smiled,
notwithstanding she was trembling violently, and leaving her seat, came
to the bed. But Ernestine was not noticing her now; she was looking all
about the room in a terrified way, and suddenly sat up straight in bed,
pushed her hair back, and saw her mother. For an instant she did not
seem to know what it was she wanted; but it came to her suddenly, and
with a beseeching cry, she threw out her arms.
"Oh, mama, mama! is it true? Am I somebody else's child?"
Bea turned away, and fell into her chair again, unable to see that
pitiful, anguished face; and Mrs. Dering, sitting down on the bed, drew
the trembling figure closely to her heart.
"My darling, you are my own dear little girl--" but Ernestine
interrupted, with a pitiful cry:
"Oh! tell me if that letter is so, or if it means some other Ernestine?
just tell me that, quick, mama, oh please do!"
What could Mrs. Dering say, with those clinging arms about her neck, and
that pleading face, and the despairing eyes never moving from hers?
"You are dreaming, darling," she began soothingly; but Ernestine threw
her head back, and her voice rose to a terrified shriek:
"You won't tell me; you won't tell me," she cried wildly. "Oh, I must
know if it is true; I must. Oh, mama, say it isn't; tell me that you are
my own mama, that the letter don't mean me; oh mama! mama!"
"Ernestine, darling, listen;" said Mrs. Dering, with the tears running
down her pale face. "You shall know the truth. You have been my little
girl ever since you were two months old, but your own mother gave you to
me just before she went to heaven, and she was my--;" but it was
needless to say more; Ernestine gave a little moan, and dropped her
head, and Mrs. Dering was sobbing, as she laid her back on the pillow;
while Bea ran for some water.