THE LAST
“‘All’s well that ends well,’” quoted Mr. Burns from his easy chair.
“So it’s a boy, and mother and son doing well, eh? And what does Philip
say? Doing the proud father? Eh, what?”
Mrs. Lane, who had once been Annie Barrimore, had just come to Hawk’s
Nest from the White House, where a son had come for Eweretta and Philip.
It was again nearing the end of November, just a year since the events
of the last chapter.
“Oh, there is great rejoicing, I assure you!” cried Mrs. Lane. “I
came in to tell you before going home. And my dear Ted has such good
news too! Phyllis is most happy with her husband, and according to
Arbuthnot, is an altogether model wife! And I have yet another piece
of news for you. To-day is a day of good news, I think. That dear old
Thomas Alvin has ‘struck oil,’ he says in a letter. I don’t know how
exactly, but he has made money, and says he is coming over this ‘fall’
to spend Christmas at the White House. I never shall understand how
they all kept the secret of Eweretta’s identity, or why Eweretta chose
to personate her dead sister. I told her that her romantic idea of
winning her lover for the second time in the person of Aimée, might
have cost the poor fellow his life. But they are very happy, and,
as you say, ‘All’s well that ends well.’ You know, don’t you, that
Philip’s new book is out? Eweretta says it will make her husband
famous. And Philip says, ‘Not so famous as Dan’s “Madonna” has made
him.’”
“Dan! Ah, you don’t know the news about Dan!” broke in Uncle Robert. “I
got that to-day. He is going to marry a charming woman--the daughter of
a big painter--I forget his name.”
Uncle Robert fumbled in his pocket to find the letter, but failed.
“Anyway, the father of the girl is a big painter, and the girl has
a pile of money, though Dan does not need it now. Mrs. Webster and
Miss Linkin are going to take up their permanent abode at Nice, for
Isabel--nice girl, Isabel--is going to marry one of the masters at
Dulwich College.”
“Oh, I am so glad!” said Mrs. Lane. “Really everything seems to be
happening like a fairy-tale. But I must hurry away to tell my news to
Ted.”
Uncle Robert smiled to himself when his sister had gone. He smiled so
much that Mrs. Henderson, who came in, was quite curious to know what
was amusing him so, and asked him the question.
“It’s a poor heart that never rejoices,” said Uncle Robert. “By the
way, those boys will soon be home for their holidays. Sit down a
minute--I am sure you have time, though you do seem always to have
your hands full. I want to talk about the boys. We can only be young
once, you know, though you seem to be picking up a second youth from
somewhere--but that is not the point. I want to make those boys very
happy these holidays. They have done extremely well at school, and
they have done us credit. I want to give them something they greatly
wish for--a Christmas present, you know, and I want to talk to you
about it. You are a nervous little woman, you know, and you might
find it alarming--the present, I mean--considering what daring young
rascals those boys are, and I want to assure you that I shall take
every necessary precaution to ensure their safety. I shall get their
word that they will run no risks, and those boys understand honor, and
their word will be quite sufficient. Also, I shall get a reliable man
to accompany them. Now don’t you want to know what the present is?”
Mrs. Henderson’s eyes filled. She was, as she constantly was, overcome
by this man’s goodness and generosity.
“I can’t find words,” she said. “You have been so good--so very good to
us all, I----”
“Tut! tut!” said Uncle Robert. “I amuse myself in my own way. That is
all. But the present? Well, I am going to buy a couple of pretty ponies
and have a man from Russell’s to teach Will and Eric to ride. It will
be good for them too, for they are to be soldiers. Independently of
that, it is good for boys to learn to ride. I used to be fond of it,
but I am too stout now. Thank goodness, I can still swim. I did enjoy
the swims with those boys in the summer! Plucky little beggars they
are!”
“They will be in the seventh heaven!” exclaimed Mrs. Henderson. “They
have always wished so much to ride.”
Uncle Robert beamed.
“I do hope those boys will grow up to be a comfort to you,” said Mrs.
Henderson fervently. “You have done so much for us all, and there is
nothing we can give you in return.”
“What should I have done without you?” cried Uncle Robert. “There Annie
goes off and marries her Colonel. Philip forsakes the Nest--Hawk’s
Nest, I should have been left stranded with no one to look after me
but you! And you keep the home for me as comfortable as Annie did,
which is saying a good deal, for there are few women so capable as
Annie.”
“But that is so little!” said Mrs. Henderson.
“Then there is something greater you can do--if you will,” he told her.
“What is it?” she asked eagerly.
“Be my wife!”
THE END
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Transcriber’s Notes
Errors and omissions in punctuation have been fixed.
Page 18: “she anwered” changed to “she answered”
Page 27: “argument his sister’s income” changed to “augment his
sister’s income”
Page 37: “But you musn’t” changed to “But you mustn’t”
Page 82: “Visited the cateen” changed to “Visited the canteen”
Page 89: “interruped the farmer.” changed to “interrupted the farmer.”
Page 92: “Phillis clasped” changed to “Phyllis clasped”
Page 107: “receives smypathy” changed to “receives sympathy”
Page 120: “he generouslly made allowances” changed to “he generously
made allowances”
Page 128: “commision to paint her.” changed to “commission to paint
her.”
Page 135: “How startingly like her” changed to “How startlingly like
her”
Page 143: “Carlye called theirs” changed to “Carlyle called theirs”
Page 146: “Aune Lizzie” changed to “Aunt Lizzie”
Page 160: “found a postcript” changed to “found a postscript”
Page 248: “all over Hastinsg” changed to “all over Hastings”
Page 257: “was the rejoiner” changed to “was the rejoinder”
Page 269: “Uucle Robert” changed to “Uncle Robert”
Page 275: The sentence ending in “true brother and sister.” is missing
the remainder in the original.
Page 293: “for from being affronted” changed to “far from being
affronted”
Page 299: “extremely puzled” changed to “extremely puzzled”
Page 306: “a litle curtly” changed to “a little curtly”