It took Isabel nearly a month to throw off the effect of her aunt's
angry departure. At the end of that time the cheery French woman arrived
to take the place of Mrs. Grace, who had gone from the town to St.
Barnabas. Still later, Isabel heard with strange relief that her aunt no
longer enjoyed California and was about to seek excitement in New York.
She felt glad that Mrs. Grace would be at the far side of the continent
before the coming of Philip Barry.
Isabel had not kept her engagement with Ned Hartley the morning after
the trouble; but the next day and for days following she toured in the
machine with the elate boy and his mother. Mrs. Lewis and Gay were often
of the party. To spin through a country growing fresher, more enchanting
with each welcome rain was a tonic. Isabel rebounded. And at last Philip
had started for home. She now thought of little else and her heart grew
light as days slipped away. To restore the man whom she had unduly
influenced; to bring him in touch with happiness; to lead him in his new
career to honor, even to fame, grew into a passionate hope as time went
by. Philip was already hers. She would make him forget, help him to
consecrate his talents anew to art and letters. He must write books and
be glad that he was no longer a priest, bound with forms and obsolescent
vows. His brilliant mind should be free to develop, his manhood to grow
unrestrained. Isabel's own unorthodox view was so wholly conceived out
of intellect and evolving mercy that retribution and remorse were not
pictured as possible punishments reserved for an apostate Catholic once
a priest.
Her one thought was to make the man who had suffered from an almost
fatal mistake happy. When once he felt the surging joy of love,
opportunity, his past life would cease to trouble him. Isabel was young
and confident. She felt sure of everything. The day, wonderfully bright
and exhilarating, called her into the garden, where she found Reginald.
The boy had dug a flower bed with a tiny spade; then, too impatient to
think of seeds, had broken full blooming geraniums into stubby shoots
and planted each one with a shout of laughter.
"See my garden! mother dear," he cried, as Isabel approached. "It's all
weddy--growed beau-ti-ful!" He clapped dirt-stained hands and bounced
about in his blue overalls.
Maggie raised a tear-stained face from where she was sitting. Her only
outlet seemed to be weeping. "To think that I must leave him!" she
sobbed. "It breaks my heart to go, and nothing but Mike insisting that
we get married could part me from my boy." She wound her arms about her
little charge. Mrs. Doan saw that the girl held a letter. "It's to San
Francisco he bids me come," she went on. In her excitement she had
lapsed into old-country expression. "And he thinks I can get married
with no warnin'. Married indeed! Married without a stitch but store
clothes. I would like to send him walkin' back East, with the chance of
a better man."
"You must not do that," said Mrs. Doan, now reconciled to the girl's
departure. Reginald was growing fast, and with Madame Sabot and an
English nurse in readiness to fill the Irish maid's place, the boy would
find his daily education an easy matter.
"Poor Maggie's so sick, mother dear," the little fellow explained. He
threw his arms about the neck of his weeping nurse, kissing her loudly.
"Now poor Maggie is all well!" he exulted. "Didn't Reggie give Maggie a
nice, big, fat kiss!" He went back satisfied to his miniature garden,
while at the same moment Ned Hartley rushed down the terrace. "Where are
you all?" he cried. His manner had grown free and confident since his
first tea-drinking in Mrs. Doan's drawing-room. This morning his boyish
face glowed with expectation. "Do hurry," he begged. "You are surely
coming? 'The mater' is waiting in the machine and the day's bully." He
pressed his wish at Isabel's side. She led him beyond the range of
Maggie's ears.
"I am afraid that I cannot go; Reginald's nurse is leaving at once," she
explained.
"But I have found your horses!" young Hartley tempted. "You must come
and pass judgment on the finest span in the country. They are
beauties--perfect beauties! I ran the owner down by mere chance; and
we'll find him on a foothill ranch, with the pair in question, saddle
horses, too. You simply must come if you really wish for a snap." His
enthusiasm was contagious.
"You are good," Isabel answered.
"Then you should reward me with your company. Bring old madame and the
boy."
Reginald's ears had caught the invitation. "Come, mother dear!" he
cried. "Come wight away." His glee bubbled. The uncomprehended tears of
his nurse were forgotten as he placed his hand in Ned's.
"See the mischief you have wrought," said Isabel. "It is too late for
Reggie to go from home--almost time for his bath and nap," she announced
decidedly.
"But, mother dear," the blue eyes flashed mutiny, "But, mother dear,
Reggie _must_ have a good time!" The ruling passion of the age possessed
the infant's soul; to enjoy life topped every other thought.
The child drew Hartley forward with all his strength. "Come right away,"
he coaxed. "I want to get my red coat."
"But darling," Isabel protested, "you cannot go in the machine this
morning. Here comes Maggie to give you your bath; go with her at once."
A struggle was on. "You must go with nurse. You may not have a good time
this morning. Another day you shall ride in the automobile if you are
obedient."
The child surveyed his mother. She showed no sign of weakening. For an
instant his lips trembled; a cry half escaped them, then he rushed into
Maggie's arms.
"To-morrow Reggie may go, to-morrow!" he repeated with baby confidence.
Two sturdy, adorable legs went peaceably forward across the lawn. With
every step the boy evoked some happy future day--a glad to-morrow.
"You're the slickest mater on record!" exclaimed Hartley. "How do you do
it? I believe you might subdue a labor strike if you tried. No man could
resist you long. And any fellow would be bound to do things, make
something of himself, if only he might have you to keep him level." That
he had known Mrs. Doan but a short time escaped his mind. Suddenly he
was pushing his cause with youthful ardor. "If you could only care for
me!" he cried. "Only believe that I really would amount to something if
you gave me the chance. Why can't I prove it to you? Indeed, I would do
everything that you wished me to--be as good as Reg--upon my word!"
Isabel raised startled eyes in mute entreaty. "Let me finish," the boy
implored. "I know just what you think, so please do not tell me. You
have heard about the scrape at college, all about my getting fired, my
father's anger, everything abominable. And it is true, all true,--I was
an ass, a perfect ass. I admit it. But you see I'm different now. I can
be a man, even if I didn't get through college by the skin of my teeth.
If you would only marry me father would overlook everything! set me up
in any kind of business I liked. And besides, 'the mater' has much more
money than dad. She's simply crazy about you--almost as crazy as I am."
"My dear boy," cried Isabel, feeling very wise and old, "you must stop.
If you say another foolish word our pleasant friendship will have to end
right here."
"But it isn't foolish to love you, to be mad with good resolutions for
your sake," he pleaded. "Of course, if you won't listen to me now I must
wait. And I will wait--wait just like Reg--until to-morrow!" His whole
being reflected new resolve.
"Then be reasonable. Go back to college; finish the course your position
in life demands; please your father; be good." They moved slowly to the
house.
"And I may hope when I get my sheepskin?"
"No! no!" she cried. "I meant nothing of the kind. I could never, never
marry you. Even if----" she hesitated--"it can never be," she finished.
"Then there is some one else?"
"There is some one else," she answered in a voice so true that its
cadence hurt the more.
Ned looked upon the ground; then he lifted hopeless eyes. "Of course I
am an ass; I always was one. But you will come out in the machine? I
haven't the nerve to explain; and I'll help you find the horses--for the
other man----" he choked out.
Isabel could not refuse the humble request.