OLD FRIENDS
“There is one thing I don’t understand,” remarked Aunt Charlotte at the
breakfast table, “and that is how one of the Grayson servants happened
to come over here to ask about the children yesterday.”
“It was Thompson, I guess,” said Caro who was eating her oatmeal,
stopping every other minute to smile at her grandfather.
“Who is Thompson?” he asked.
“He is the one who takes care of Walter, and he is very nice. Why
grandpa, he is almost as good as Kellar; he can do all sorts of
sleight-of-hand tricks!”
“But how do you know anything about him or Walter either?” asked Aunt
Charlotte.
Then Caro remembered that she had not told anyone about all that had
gone on in the garden, and she couldn’t think where to begin.
“Can’t you answer your aunt,” said her grandfather.
“Why yes--Aunt Charlotte,--I know them,--I got acquainted with them a
long time ago.”
“With Walter Grayson? Why no one ever sees him; you must be mistaken,”
Miss Barrows exclaimed.
“But I _went_ to see him,” said Caro. “It wasn’t wrong, was it grandpa?
You know you said to be a candle was to take a little cheer to lonely
people--and I was sure he must be lonely. I thought maybe he’d like to
see Trolley ’cause he lived there once, so I took him. Do you think it
was wrong?”
“My dear I don’t know what to say--” the president put down his knife
and fork and looked at Aunt Charlotte, and then at his granddaughter.
“You mean to say you took the cat to see Walter Grayson?”
Caro nodded; “Yes, grandpa.”
“I’d like to know what she’ll do next!” cried Miss Barrows.
“But how did he treat you?” questioned her grandfather. “Did he tell
you you were an officious little girl?”
“I think he liked to see me, ’cause after that we had a picnic.”
In the midst of these explanations a note was brought in to the
president. It read:
“Dear Dr. Barrows,--If you can spare the time will you not come to
see me within the next day or two? I am anxious to have a talk with
you. If you have forgotten the way Caro will come with you I am sure.
“Your friend,
“WALTER GRAYSON.”
Dr. Barrows read it aloud, and then looked at his sister again.
“Grandpa he must think you are pretty stupid if you could forget that
little way,” Caro said laughing.
“I fear I am rather stupid sometimes,” he said smiling; “Well Pigeon
we’ll go over there after lunch.”
So it came about that Caro and her grandfather hand in hand, went over
to the Grayson’s that afternoon. Dr. Barrows still felt puzzled, and
half believed he was dreaming, but his granddaughter was very wide
awake indeed. She quite hoped they would see haughty Miss Elizabeth
again, for with her grandfather beside her she was ready to face
anything.
The lady however was not to be seen, and they found Walter alone in the
library.
“My dear boy,” was all the president said as he grasped the hand
stretched out to him.
“There’s not much left of me, but what there is is very glad to see
you,” was Walter’s greeting.
It was well that Caro was there to help out the conversation at first,
her grandfather was kept so busy clearing his glasses. She was as full
of life as the gray squirrel she resembled.
“Did you know we got lost yesterday?” she asked.
“Yes; though I didn’t hear it till you were found. What were you doing
in the chapel?”
“It was open you know and so we went in to look at Annette’s window.”
“And weren’t you afraid when you found the door shut?”
“Yes, a little, when it began to get dark--and Marjorie was too. I
thought it would be so _dreadfully_ dark after a while, and then the
electric light shone out, straight through the window! We could see the
Good Shepherd just as plain as day, and I wasn’t afraid any longer;
then pretty soon they found us.”
“‘For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave,’”
Walter quoted, smiling at Dr. Barrows.
“Particularly when they are looking in the right direction,” he
answered.
“I suppose Caro has told you how we became acquainted,” Walter said;
“and I have found it so pleasant to have a friend that I want more--I
want my old friends again. I can’t be of any use--” he was silent for
a minute, then went on, “I asked you to come because I knew you could
help me. My sister has given her consent to anything I wish, but it is
hard for her.”
“She will be happier in the end. She is too fine a woman to shut
herself in--the world needs her,” answered Dr. Barrows.
“She _is_ good, nobody knows it so well as I,” said Walter.
“And now my boy anything I can do I will do gladly,” the president
added.
“It is just to let my friends know that I shall be glad to see them,
and that on our side all feeling about the old quarrel is put away.
And” he added almost gaily, “I think I shall get Caro to help me with a
Christmas party.”
“A Christmas party here? how lovely!” she cried dancing up and down.
“I should like to see the old house look really cheerful again. Do
you remember the parties we used to have when we were children, Dr.
Barrows?”
“Do you mean a tree, and Santa Claus?” Caro asked coming to Walter’s
side after whirling around the room.
“Certainly, and all the other things that belong to Christmas,” was his
reply.
Caro rather changed her mind about Miss Elizabeth who met them in the
hall as they were leaving.
“Dr. Barrows,” she said holding out her hand, “I know what Walter has
said to you--perhaps I have been wrong--I don’t know, but I should
never acknowledge it except for him--”
The president interrupted her, “My dear,”--and Caro wondered how he
could call anyone so stately my dear,--“say no more. Let us simply
forget that anything ever came between us.”
And then Miss Elizabeth turned to Caro and took her hand; “This is your
granddaughter, Elinor’s child,” she said, “I hope she will come often
to see my brother, he has taken a great fancy to her.”
When they reached home Aunt Charlotte met them with a letter in her
hand. “What do you think? Elinor writes that she will probably spend
Christmas with us!”
“Is mamma coming? How perfectly lovely! Oh grandpa aren’t you glad?”
Caro was so full of delight she could hardly listen to her mother’s
letter in which Mrs. Holland said that as they could not get their
family together at home, she would come to spend the holidays at her
father’s with Caro, while Mr. Holland joined the boys.
“I believe it is going to be the best Christmas that ever happened,”
Caro exclaimed.
The weeks before Christmas were merry ones. As if to make up for his
delay winter came in earnest with a heavy snow followed by freezing
weather, which made endless fun for the children. To Caro snow that lay
on the ground for any length of time was a delightful novelty, and she
wanted to be out from morning till night.
The cold kept Walter Grayson housed for the greater part of the time
but he was enlivened by frequent visits from the children. For his
benefit they built a remarkable snow man on the lawn outside the
library windows and Miss Elizabeth said not a word, although her
order-loving eyes found the grotesque object almost painful. It amused
Walter, and so she could endure it.
He and Caro spent hours over plans for the Christmas party, to which
his sister had offered no objection, but she asked no questions and
shrank from having anything to do with it.
The days flew by as they always do at this time of year, with so much
to prepare for and look forward to.
“Trolley,” Caro said one evening, “I am sorry for you, because
you don’t know what fun Christmas is. Just think! Mamma is coming
to-morrow, and Charlie and Alice, and we are going to have the best
time!”
Trolley only purred contentedly. All days were alike to him, if he had
plenty to eat and a comfortable nap, and the society of his friends.