CHAPTER XXI.

THE LOSS OF POWER.

Wych Hazel ordered an early lunch for herself, and a fire in the red

room, and fresh flowers for its adornment; and with these last she

was busy—humming over them the spell of an old German

choral—when Rollo came in. The air was dainty with fragrance

and sweet sounds. He smiled at it, and at Hazel; but after the first

greeting was grave again.

'I have got news for you to-day,' he said.

'Have you?' said Hazel, intent on placing a Safrano rose. Then the

tone caught her attention and she looked up hastily.

'Not more sickness?'

He shook his head. 'Paul Charteris has stopped work.'

'Is that all?' said Wych Hazel. 'The wonder to me is that such men

ever go on.'

'He has not failed. He has stopped work. That is enough, of you

knew what it means.'

'Not that all his men are turned adrift?'

'Just that. Three or four hundred families.'

'But they cannot move off and find work in the dead of winter!—

What is the man thinking of?'

'Only, I suppose, of what are called the exigencies of business.

There is not a good market, just now, for his cloths; he would be

largely out of pocket presently if he went on paying out, with

nothing coming in.'

'_Could_ he do it?'

'I cannot tell.'

She bent thoughtfully over her flowers for a minute, touching them

here and there; then looked up again.

'Have the same exigencies come near you?'

He smiled. 'No. I am sound yet.'

'But——I have heard business enough talked, if I could only

remember it!—does not such a state of things by and by touch _all_

goods and mills and mill-owners?'

'Sometimes. But nothing threatens me at present. Perhaps Charteris

is less strong than he has been supposed. Perhaps he has been

speculating.'

Hazel finished her flowers with another touch or two, and

gathering up the scattered rose leaves—crimson and white and

buff—showered them gently down upon the hand that rested near

her on the table. Then she glanced up with a laugh.

'You know,' she said, 'the Charteris mills are _my_ department.'

'Indeed! How am I to understand that statement?'

'O—you thought Christmas was not susceptible of extensions.

Gentlemen's ideas, being so strong, sometimes move slowly.'

'Ladies' thoughts, being so subtle, are sometimes difficult to

pursue,' said Dane; but his brow was grave.

'I am talking nonsense,' said the girl, 'but I mean sense. There is

money enough,—and those people cannot starve, either with

hunger or cold. And you have all your own men on your own

hands,—and—I begin to understand what Dr. Arthur meant by

"possible corners." Don't you see that the other part of the Hollow

falls naturally to me? What is the matter? Are you afraid I will

support them on pound-cake and sugarplums?'

Dane's eyes leapt, and darkened, and lightened; but after all, his

answer was sober.

'That will do; but you cannot permanently support Mr. Charteris's

mill hands on charity. The only sure method of relief would be to

buy up the mills.'

'Then we can run them against each other!' said Wych Hazel.

'What a splendid thought! I shall be a better neighbour that Mr.

Charteris. I will only undersell you just a little.'

Dane smiled, but this time he said nothing. Only watched her

continually.

'Then as Mr. Falkirk's consent might be difficult to get,—he is a

little insane upon mills just now,—perhaps the purchase had better

be made with the remains of my last winter's legacy. Over which,

you know, nobody has any control but my own wise self.'

'How much do you suppose the purchase of those mills might

require?'

'I have no idea. The legacy was large—and there is a good deal

left.'

'A few hundred thousands?'

No, not so much as that. Well,—then I must have another ugly talk

with Mr. Falkirk. He would not listen to _you_, one minute.'

'I should not listen to you, either, Wych; and I should have to be

taken into consultation, you know.'

'Is not your consent enough, without consultation?'

'I could not properly give it.'

'Dear me,' said the girl, 'what a word 'properly' is! I think I never

wanted to do anything, or go anywhere, that it did not rise up

before me like a five-barred gate. What can I 'properly' do, sir, if

you please, in the premises?'

Looking with his mighty gray eyes into her face,—soft they were

too, and persuading, as well as mighty,—he said in a sort of

whisper,

'Go with me to New York, Wych! Then we can make it all right.'

Her face grew suddenly grave with a frightened look, as if she had

stepped into a net, or caught herself in a trap.

'We were not talking of that,' she said hurriedly,—'and there is no

need to talk of that. And you promised.'

'There is no need to talk about it, if it is ever to be done,' said Dane

smiling. 'If you will think about it—which I believe you never do,

you will perceive that unless we are to be separated all our lives,

we must some time or other be married. And the best way with

anything you are afraid of, is to do it, and have it over!'

He had smiled, and his accent was very winning; but he grew

grave again, and stood with folded arms looking at Wych Hazel.

Even then he would not use persuasions; he would not have her

against her will; but he watched her anxiously. If she refused him

now, it might be long before he brought up the subject again. He

would not tell her that, either; he left her free; and waited to see

how the delicate balances of her mind would turn. But he sighed a

little as she hesitated, and then smiled again as he spoke; a smile

very frank and sweet.

'Be brave, Hazel! If you are ever going to trust me, you may as

well do it at once.'

Hazel turned away and sat down on her foot-cushion, and buried

her face in her hands. Was she ever to be done with fights and

perplexities? was she ever to be quietly happy, like other people?

Last night she had been sober for very joy, at first; and now after

all those long, bitter two months, there was no sweet sunshine to

follow. For being married did not look at all sweet to Hazel: it was

true, she had hardly thought of it at all. Well, she could do as she

pleased. Yes,—but she knew, without seeing, the disappointment

to somebody else. That she did not quite understand it, did not hide

the fact. And can a woman who loves, ever really prefer her own

pleasure? She looked up with even a pale face, and the wet

eyelashes that so few people had ever seen.

'You do not remember'—she said. 'You do not seem to

understand!'

'You are the shyest bird that ever flew without wings!' said Dane

drawing another low seat to her side. 'I understand wet eyes too

well. I remember only that I have been waiting a year and half for

you. But if I wait all my life, Hazel, I will not have you at such

cost as that. If your heart is not as mine,—that it would be our

happiness to be together,—I will go back to my work and wait

another six months.'

He spoke gently and gravely, and stooped as he spoke to kiss the

wet eyes.

'Statements'—said the girl, in an impatient tone which yet faltered

and broke before it got through.

'You shall make the statements,' said Dane, getting her hand in his,

and holding it with that gentle, firm clasp which, in some hands,

expresses so much; soothing and steadying and sympathizing, and

claiming too; all at once. 'What is the matter, my little Wych?'

Hazel paused, summoning her courage; enforcing quiet.

'It is no use to bring up such things,' she said, speaking very

slowly. 'To talk of trust—and—liking to be together—mixing them

up with 'if' and 'but.' Unless I have proved all that, I never can. But

there are a great many reasons,—and you would call them fudge.

And I know they are not fudge. And if you were to knock them

down fifty times, they would rise up, fresh and strong as ever, after

all.'

'I shall not play at that game of ten-pins. Do you think in your

conscience I have any reasons?'

'Something that goes by the name, I daresay,' said Hazel sedately.

'But it is all different on your side,—you wait, or you hurry, just

which you choose; and you are free through the one and through

the other, and after both.'

'Free? As a man whose heart is chained, and whose hands are

fettered. Was I free to marry you a year ago? or even to speak my

thought? Am I 'free' now, Hazel?'

She half laughed.

'How would you like to cut short the one time of your life when

you had a little power, even to say no? And—Mr. Rollo—you

have been away two months. And October was very short.'—The

girlish voice grew low and timid: Hazel knew that her arguments

were strong only to her.

Dane lifted to his lips the little fingers he held.

'And so you have made up your mind that your power will be at an

end when you are married? Am I going to love you less?—or will

you love me less?'

'I did not mean power over you,' said Hazel; 'I meant independent

power. And I have not much now, except when you happen not to

care about using your own. As last night at tea.'

Dane could not help laughing a little again, but below that he was

desperately serious.

'I will not have you troubled,' he said. 'Rather than that, I will go

back and wait for you as Jacob did for Rachel; though I will not

emulate his estimate of time, the circumstances being not similar.

But, Hazel, there is something more to be thought of, which we

have not touched. I cannot have you living alone here as you have

been for the last three weeks or more.'

'Mr. Falkirk may be back. And you will be near enough to exercise

any amount of supervision. And I will be good. If I can!'

'Mr. Falkirk writes that he may be detained indefinitely. And at

twelve miles off, I am quite too far to be an efficient protector.

Winter days would give me only short and late visits to Chickaree,

except occasionally. And you know how it has been, Wych, since

and before Mr. Falkirk went away; it is not fitting that you should

be alone as you are; and exposed— As your guardian, I cannot let

this go on any longer.'

It fell to Dingee just then, to appear as a witness for the plaintiff.

He came in, bearing a handful of wonderful hot-house flowers and

a card.

'I done told him you was engaged—des'pate!—Miss Hazel,' said

Dingee,—'and he beg for jes' three minutes.'

'Say I cannot possibly give him three minutes!'—Hazel's brows

were as near a frown as they could come.

'Then he say, tomorrer,' pleaded Dingee. 'Any hour Miss Kennedy

please. Three minutes, one minute. He done set out for home, Miss

Hazel.'

'I hope he will have a short, safe passage,' said Hazel: 'say that.

And that I cannot see him either to-night or to-morrow or any day

before he goes. And, Dingee!—not a word more or less!'—She

waited till the boy was out of sight, and then flung the flowers

from where she sat full into the fire.

If there was not a frown on Rollo's brow, there was a quiet set of

the lips which told as much. But he waited. Knowing well that it

made against her cause, but knowing too that it was his right,

Hazel turned and laid the card in his hand: it was Sir Henry

Crofton's. The frown came then, and the card was crumpled up in

Rollo's hand and followed the flowers.

'Well, Hazel?' he said. 'You must feel the justice of what I said just

now. There are only two remedies that I know. One of these you

startle at. The other, is that you should take up your abode at Dr.

Maryland's for the winter.'

'I could not do that!' she said hastily. 'But—Olaf—I have tried to

do just right all these weeks. And if you think I do not know what

discretion means, you can ask Mrs. Bywank.'

'I do not need to ask anybody for testimony concerning you, in that

or any other respect. It is no question of discretion; except in your

guardians; and that forbids them to leave you so.'

'Mr. Falkirk is not Mr. Falkirk!' Hazel broke out. 'He is all

changed.'

Rollo left this statement to take care of itself.

'What do you think we had best do?' he asked cheerfully, after a

minute. 'I will not tease you and hurry you—Shall I leave the

question to be settled by a note from you, when you have thought

it over? If you choose to go to Dr. Maryland's, I will make the

necessary arrangements. If you can make up your mind to go with

me, we'll arrange that. What do you say?'

'But you said you were going next week!—'

'I must. The day after Christmas. I wait to see these apples and

pounds of tea safe home first. Then we will go and take care of

New Year.'

Wych Hazel leaned her head down in her hands again. How easily

he talked of it!—this matter that her whole mind hardly found

room for. Yet she knew, better than he did,—better than she liked

to tell him,—that it was not the thing for her to live there alone.

Even discretion could not hinder what Mrs. Bywank called "a

raid," at home; nor keep her from being met and followed and

waited on whenever she ventured out. But she could not live at Dr.

Maryland's. To the tips of her fingers, Hazel knew that she should

fly at the end of a week there—up the chimney, if no other way

appeared. Prim's calm advice, and Mrs. Coles' sharp watch; even

the good doctor's easy discussion of her and her affairs; could not

be borne. She tried to smother the sigh that came up from the

depths of her heart, but enough escaped to betray the trouble and

perplexity.

'Shall I leave it?' said Dane very gently, though he on his part was

swallowing deep mortification, not hindered by the fact that he did

understand and feel for Wych Hazel's distress, in some measure.

'Shall I leave it? and you will write to me?'

'What about?' said the girl quickly. 'As you put it, I have no choice.

Because I will not go to Dr. Maryland's. Neither now—nor ever—

for safe keeping.'

'I do not want you to marry me just for safe keeping,' Dane said

with a half smile. 'How would _you_ put it, Hazel? Would you like to

take time to think about it?'

'But there is no time to take!—And thinking for ever will not make

two alternatives out of one.'—So thought Hazel to herself, but the

words did not come out. She sat resting her cheek on her hand,

studying this last hopeless fact; then by way of facing all her

difficulties at once, looked up at her companion. Not meeting his

eyes exactly,—a wistful, examining gaze; trying to strengthen her

courage with the sight of what—after all—she loved best in all the

world. For a second. Then hastily, as if still doubting her own

resolution, she put out her hand and laid it timidly on his. Dane did

not shew her the leap his heart made; and she could not see the

flush that mounted to his brow. He made no demonstrations

whatever, except to the hand which had come to him appealing in

its surrender, and those were outwardly very quiet. And then,

clasping the hand, he sat quite still; waiting to let Wych Hazel

grow calm, if that could be, and ready for further talk.

Perhaps it was well, however (for a young lady of her wayward

moods and tenses) that the next thing she had to do was to jump up

and receive Dr. Arthur, who had come by appointment to dine at

Chickaree. Dinner followed presently, and thus hostess cares and

responsibilities for a time took the first place. But so grave a young

hostess at the head of that table was a new thing. She did not forget

one of her smallest gracious duties and offices; and she talked—at

least as much as sometimes; but her face kept its soberness. The

eyes did not flash and the lips did not curl. Dr. Arthur gave her a

keen glance once or twice, at first; but finding a certain

complement to all this in the face at the foot of the table, he turned

at least his outward attention to other matters.

'Charteris takes it hard that you intend to keep running, Dane,' he

said.

'Some other people find it hard that _he_ don't.'

'Hard things affect people differently: they don't agree with him.

And he announces that he will try how they agree with you.'

'I don't see what he can do to me at present.'

'Self-confidence is not one of your undeveloped graces. But I wish

you had bought that gore at the top of the Hollow, as I bade you.'

'Powder did not care about selling it, at one time; and latterly I

have had my hands too full. Why do you wish that just now,

Arthur?'

'Because Powder _has_ sold it now. And if I remember, your lease of

the water power has not long to run.' Wych Hazel was listening,

intently, with a sparkle in her eyes at last.

'I have no lease of water power. What I own I own. But anybody

above me on the stream could make me trouble. To whom has

Powder sold?'

'Just what I cannot find out,' said the doctor, 'though I went to

himself. 'It is no matter,' he said, 'so long as the property was not in

the market.' But of course it is Charteris. Josephine's marriage

makes that pretty sure.'

Rollo laid down his knife and fork for a moment and sat with his

head leaning upon his hand.

'As the Lord will!' he said. 'But I will not give up until I know

more. I do not believe my poor people and I are to be in that man's

power. I will wait and see.'

But the interest of the dinner was gone for one member of the

party; and the attention he gave to other people or things was a

preoccupied and shadowed attention.

Wych Hazel stood it a little while, watching him, much wishing

that there was nobody else to hear: then she could not bear it any

longer. After all, Dr. Arthur was just his brother.

'Mr. Rollo,' she said timidly, 'what means do you think the Lord

can use to prevent this—that you fear?'

It was worth something, to get the look he flashed across the table

to her; it was so brilliant with meaning and so sweet with

confidence.

'A thousand things!' he said heartily; 'and you remind me that I am

a fool to allow myself to be disturbed about it. I was thinking of

those hundreds of families. And I half forgot for a moment that the

Lord thinks of them too. I believe he will take care.'

'Would you like to know how?' said Wych Hazel. The tone was

indescribably sweet, but the eyes had gone down before his.

'Would I like it?' said Dane watching her. 'Yes! I am afraid I am

foolish enough still to like to know that, if I could. But I believe it

anyhow, Hazel.'

'Governor Powder sold the land to me.'—

'To you!' said Dane in great amazement. 'What did you buy it for?'

'I thought it was well it should be bought,' said Hazel demurely.

'When did you do that?'

'A good while ago. Before the sickness in the Hollow.'

She got another look, if she could see it, which it was also worth

while to get. After which Dane remarked sedately,

'I am curious to know how Mr. Falkirk liked that investment.'

'Mr. Falkirk never knew. It is a great comfort sometimes,' she went

on, the loveliest roses waking up now all over her face, 'to have a

little independent power. And to be able to act without one's

guardians. Mr. Falkirk was not consulted,—any more than Mr.

Rollo.'

Rollo's lips twitched and curved, but on the whole he maintained a

decorous composure.

'We don't know our privileges, Arthur,' he remarked.

'No,' said his friend concisely. 'How ever in the world came

Governor Powder to let the lady have the land? Why he has

refused half the county!'

'I do not know,' said Wych Hazel. 'I think I made him.'

Listening to her, looking at her, Dr. Arthur thought that extremely

likely.

'And did he tell you Charteris wanted it?' he said.

'O yes,—and that, perhaps, Mr. Rollo might.'

'But he did not know that he was playing into my hands, in letting

you have it?' Rollo enquired.

'Of course not! I merely told him I wanted it more than Mr. Rollo,

and would give more than Mr. Charteris.'

'Witchcraft!—when all's done,' said Dr. Arthur. 'Dane, when _your_

independent power is in the market, let me know.'—He followed

them into the red room, and took a cup of coffee there, standing;

but then went off at once to see some patient, promising to call for

Rollo on his way home.

And for once Wych Hazel would have been quite willing to have

him stay. 'What would her "other guardian" say to her, for such

meddling in his affairs? such tampering with masculine business?'

She retreated behind her salver, and sat there sugaring Mr. Rollo's

empty cup, but not counting the lumps this time. Rollo however

hardly justified her fears. He did come and sit own beside her, and

he did relieve her hand of the sugar tongs and kiss it, and from

there the kiss did come to her lips; but it was all done so gently and

gracefully and deferentially, as if he had been a knight and she a

lady of olden time.

'How am I going to thank you, Wych?' he said.

'There is never a good way of doing needless things.'

'No. But hardly anything at this moment could have given me

equal satisfaction. The way is cleared for me to work without

hindrance. I'll plant the banks with wych hazel!'

'You will have a grand clearing away again, if you do. Then you

really are glad, Mr. Rollo?'

'You do not mean to say that you will pull up what I plant?'

'I said _you_ would. See,' she said, not ready for repartee or

discussion or much of anything else to-night, 'you have cut short

your allowance of sugar, and quite prevented the cream. Give me

the sugar tongs, please.'

Divining that it was in some sort a help to her, he quietly let her

have her way; and did not tell her how fully creamed and sugared

he tasted his cup to be that night.

'I have learnt a lesson,' he drily said after he had watched her.

'Whenever I want to give you anything, I shall know henceforth

that you would like nothing so well as power.'

She smiled a little bit, looking down at her folded hands, but she

did not say a word. And Dane drank his coffee, for form's sake,

without knowing whether there was either sugar or cream in it.

And then he took Wych Hazel away from the table, and talked of

things as far as possible from weddings and journeyings; till

Arthur came again.

Dr. Arthur did not come in. But when his friend, in obedience to

the summons, had reached the door of the red room, his progress

was stayed.

'Mr. Rollo,'—came falteringly from the grave figure he had left

standing by the fire,—'could you stop one minute?'

It is needless to say that Rollo's steps paused and came back

instantly.

'Nobody to speak but me,— nobody to consult but him!' the girl

thought as he approached her. It was rather hard, just now. But

things had to be done.

'I will not detain you,' she said, hesitating over her words,—'not

long,—but you did not tell me—will you tell me—how much time

I have?'

As gently as if it had been her mother's, Rollo's arm came round

her.

'Just as much time as you choose!' he answered. 'I must go to New

York the day after Christmas,—that is, Friday; but the times that

concern you are in your own hand. I was going to write you a note

to-morrow, to ask you about it. Supposing that you go with me, we

must be married either Friday morning, before we set out; or

Christmas evening. I must be all Christmas day busy in the

Hollow; but I could be here by five o'clock. What would you like

best?'

Hard to say!—

'The Marylands were coming here to spend Christmas,' said

Hazel,—'and they were so pleased—I do not like to forbid them.

So it cannot be Thursday. How early Friday?'

'Six miles to drive to the station, and must take the morning train.

It's not quite an "owl train"—but comes along. I believe, by eight

o'clock. Why Hazel, if the Marylands will be all here Christmas,

that will just fit.'

'Fit Friday. You could reach the train in time still, could you not?'

she said timidly. It was dreadful to mix herself up with other

people's business in this way!

'It shall be as you like, Hazel. It would be a little sharp work, to

drive Dr. Maryland over here in the morning, time enough for

breakfast and for the other drive afterwards. The words to be said,

that you dread so much, I suppose will take very few minutes; but

they must have a few. I could drive all night contentedly, with

them in prospect; but it is somewhat different for him.'

Dr. Maryland!—Yes, Hazel saw that at a glance. She had left him

quite out of her calculations. It must be Christmas.

'Then will you tell them they cannot come?' she said. 'Only do not

say why. Do not tell anybody that, till the last minute.'

'Tell them not to come? Why no, you do not mean that? Will you

forbid Prim, and Arthur, to be with us?'

'I am forgetting everything but myself,' said the girl with a gesture

of impatience. Of course,—they were in effect his brother and

sister. And she could not be so discourteous as to bid them dine at

home. 'But you will not tell them, beforehand?' she said eagerly.

'Not a word!' he said smiling. 'But when shall we have the thing

done? before dinner, or after?'

'After. You know,' said Hazel, explaining her strange request,

'there is nobody in the world who loves me much, to say words or

send tokens,—and I could not bear them from other people. You

may tell Dr. Arthur—if you must tell somebody.'

'I shall not tell anybody,' said Dane comfortingly. 'Dear Dr.

Maryland, I suppose, would like a little forewarning of what is

coming upon him; but he has married enough people in his time to

be used to it. I shall tell nobody until the time comes.'

'I will not keep you—' Hazel said then, after a minute's silence. 'I

have kept you too long now.' Then two impetuous words rushed

out. 'If only!—'

'Well?' said Dane, without stirring.

'Nothing,—it is not anything you could grant. I know it is

impossible; but if only I need not be at that dinner!—'

'You need not, if you do not choose,' said Dane caressingly. 'I will

do my best to be head and foot of the table at once. But when the

time comes, you will choose to be there, Hazel. Christmas day,—

and such a glad one for you and me!—'

There came a quiver round the mouth and a glitter behind the

eyelashes, but Hazel kept her voice.

'Go now, please,' she said, laying her fingers on his hand. 'You

have had enough of my whims for one day,—just go—and forget

them all.'