THE MISSING GUEST.
As Trif was a prudent wife and housekeeper, she had been moaning to
herself for days about the expense of the Southern trip. Nevertheless,
she arranged for a lunch party regardless of expense, as befitted an
occasion when two happy couples, newly made so, were to be her guests.
She promised herself that she would pay for it by not buying a single
new article of clothing, not even a new frock, for the coming season.
She would economize in any and every way; she would let her house,
furnished, for a few months, and take Trixy and Fenie and herself to
some out-of-the-way place where everything was cheap, and the other
boarders would not know her old clothes from the newest. Further, as
she would have to send home for more money, she sat down and wrote an
ecstatic confession to her husband, telling him that she really thought
it her duty, as a member of society, to complete the matches which were
as good as made between Harry and Fenie, Kate and Jermyn.
Then she sent to Jermyn such a note as only a great-hearted,
good-hearted woman could write, after which she insisted on helping to
array Kate as a queen should be dressed for her formal coronation. She
was as earnest as she was sentimental, so she talked so strongly as
well as romantically to Kate that the latter grew sweeter and handsomer
every moment, until finally she felt as if the occasion would be one of
consecration instead of a mere meeting with the man who already seemed
a very old acquaintance.
Trif told her she looked like a goddess, a sacrifice, an angel, a
queen--everything a good woman could be while trying to devote her
love and life to a worthy man. Trif had been telling her, and Kate
was in a condition of mind to believe it, that marriages were made in
heaven, and despite all future ceremonies that might be necessary her
obligations were already recorded above, and Kate rose to the dignity
of the occasion, and looked sweeter and felt happier, although more
humble and earnest than in all her life before, for were not all who
were to be present quite near to her?--her brother, who seemed in the
seventh heaven of happiness; Fenie, who appeared almost too beautiful,
in her happiness and devotion, to be merely human; Trif, the woman who
had known love for years and rejoiced in it with a nobility surpassing
that of any other woman Kate had ever met; and Trixy--oh, Kate could
take even Trixy to her heart. Mischief-making though the child had
been, Trixy's hands and no others should strew flowers when the day
came for Kate and Jermyn to be made husband and wife. What a heaven on
earth this much-abused old world was, to be sure!
"Oh, Kate," exclaimed Trif, reappearing for about the twentieth time,
"what do you suppose it can mean? Before breakfast I wrote Jermyn,
asking him to lunch with us at noon, and I've just received word that
he is not at the fort. He has gone away--gone to New York."
Kate almost tottered, so Trif hurried to support her. Suddenly Kate
changed her manner and exclaimed:
"What a grand fellow he is!"
"What do you mean?" asked Trif, almost doubting her own senses. Kate
looked proud, then pensive, after which she said softly:
"Last night I sent him word of what had happened--the remarks of those
inquisitive women, you know, who got hold of what Trixy had said, and
I told him it would be necessary for me to return--that I would go to
New York this morning. He has started at once to follow me. I might
have imagined, in advance, that he would do exactly that. The splendid
fellow!"
"The unhappy fellow, I should say," wailed Trif. "There he goes,
probably on the very train he supposed you would take, and he is
looking for you, and his heart is aching as if----"
"Oh!" gasped Kate, with the manner of a tragedy queen. "I never, never
thought of that."
"De lunch is served, ladies," said the colored waiter who had been
busying himself in the room for some moments.
"Come along, dear," said Trif. "If you love him as I loved Phil the day
after he proposed you'll have him in your heart very safely, no matter
how far away he may be. The more trouble you think him in, the dearer
you will love him. As to the rest of us, we will promise to talk of him
only."
"Indeed, yes," added Fenie, who had heard the unwelcome news, and
hastened to offer consolation. "I won't say a word about any one
else--even about Harry."
"Neither will I," volunteered Trixy, who had followed her aunt into the
room. "He----"
"You little--" interrupted Kate, moving toward the child with vengeful
gesture, but Trixy continued:
"He looked so splendid last night when he kissed you that I haven't
thought of anythin' since except the way papa kisses mamma."
Then both women blushed, and Fenie looked so oddly at Harry that the
young man blushed too, but recovered sufficiently to ask Fenie whether
they shouldn't set the others a good example by leading the way to
the table. Although very little time elapsed before the remainder
of the party followed them, Fenie was found with brilliant roses in
her cheeks, while upon her finger was a ring which none of the party
but Harry had ever seen before, and Harry was looking as proud as a
king, and Fenie was regarding him as if she were his most adoring and
obedient subject.
"If my loss," said Kate gayly, after several significant glances from
Trif had compelled her to see the brilliant upon Fenie's hand, "has
been to the gain of any one else, or even to two other people, I shall
endeavor to endure it bravely. I've always been sacrificing myself for
my brother; I shall be glad if my long vigil is to end."
So the party became quite happy despite the missing guest, and there
was so much of the merry joking that brothers and sisters can exchange
that Fenie and Harry soon began to talk as if they had been engaged for
months instead of moments. And how Trif, the happy wife, and Kate, the
proud betrothed, did enjoy the spectacle! Kate, indeed, soon began to
hold herself to account for forgetting absolutely, for at least half
an hour, the loyal soul that was vainly following her and might not be
able to find her until--when? She became very pensive and thoughtful;
Harry must find out for her, at the fort, if possible, how to
communicate with Jermyn. She would remain at the hotel, be stared at,
talked about, anything, if only that the man who loved her should not
remain unhappy a single moment longer than was absolutely necessary.
She thought so seriously that Trixy finally remarked:
"Mamma, dear, I don't believe Miss Trewman likes this kind of lobster."
"Card for you, ma'am," said the waiter suddenly to Trif.
Trif took the card and read aloud:
"Admiral Allison; 'just for a moment.' How odd! Perhaps, Kate, 'tis
something about Jermyn. You may say I'll be down in a moment."
"He's right outside de do', ma'am," the waiter replied.
"The business-like way of some men!" exclaimed Trif. "Still, it must
be something important. By the way, girls, the Admiral is a delightful
gentleman, and he knows the two secrets that are in our hearts to-day,
and we have a vacant place at the table--show him in, waiter."
The party arose. The Admiral entered the room, and behind him came----
"Jermyn!" shouted Kate. How ridiculously thin armor is when there
is a healthy heart under it! Kate rushed at Jermyn, threw her arms
about him, and kissed him as affectionately as if he were a long-lost
relation.
"How did you come to be here?" she finally asked.
"The Admiral brought me," Jermyn replied.
Then, shocking, yet truthful to relate, Kate kissed the Admiral also.
She was the taller of the two, so she had to lean over him, but no one
laughed or seemed astonished--no one but Trixy, who exclaimed, "My!"
but no notice was taken of it.
"Ladies and gentleman," said the Admiral, gravely, after the excitement
had subsided a little, and he stood with a lapel of his coat drawn
back while he drew from his pocket a medal which hung from a clasp, "I
thought when this medal was presented to me by my country that I had
gained the highest honor of which an American was capable, but I am now
compelled to change my opinion. Miss Trewman, the goddess of liberty
will hereafter owe you a grudge."
"But, Admiral," said Kate, all blushes and brilliancy, "how could you
know that he had gone, and that--that--oh, that I wanted him back?"
"Oh, I chanced to meet him, very early this morning, learned that he
was going, and the reason of his sudden departure."
"And you prevented him?"
"How could I? He said that you had gone unexpectedly, and that he
thought it his duty to follow you. I should have felt as he did, in
similar circumstances, so I bade him God-speed."
"But he started. I don't----"
"I did, my dear," said Jermyn, "but the Admiral, with a special boat,
chased our craft and the train, found me, stopped the train, and
brought me back, and--here I am."
"Oh, you are, indeed! Admiral, you're an angel."
The Admiral bowed profoundly and said:
"I cannot contradict a lady."
"But how did you know--Oh, do explain what I'm sure none of us yet
understand."
"The Spaniards have a saying," the old gentleman replied, "that
fortunes, like miseries always travel in couples. While I was
breakfasting this morning, and feeling an almost impertinent interest,
I must confess, in the affairs of an estimable couple who seemed to
have encountered contrary winds, Trixy----"
"Trixy?"
"Really, Miss Trewman," said Trixy, with a troubled yet appealing face,
"I didn't tell him anything awful. He said you'd gone to New York, and
I said he was mistaken, 'cause mamma had made you change your mind, and
that mamma was goin' to give a luncheon party this mornin' to you and
Mr. Jermyn, and--and--that was all I said--wasn't it, Admiral?"
"Absolutely all. Whatever has happened since has been entirely through
what Trixy said."
Then Kate kissed Trixy, and told her that she was the dearest little
thing that ever was born, and the information seemed to do the child a
lot of good. Afterward it occurred to Kate that the man who had been
the principal subject of her thoughts during the day was getting very
little of her attention, and as the Admiral insisted upon departing,
and Harry and Fenie had eyes only for each other, and Trif seemed
entirely happy with no one to talk to, the meal passed delightfully
although slowly to its close. When general conversation chanced again
to begin, Fenie remarked:
"It does seem that none of us can have any more misunderstandings.
There never would have been any but for Trixy, but she certainly can do
no harm in the future."
"Trixy certainly has learned her lesson," said Trif.
"Papa says that some folks never get through with their lessons till
they die," observed Trixy, while all the rest looked serious.