The next two days were busy ones. There were a great many last little
things to be done, and Julia Cloud would have worked herself out, had
not the children interfered and carried her off for a ride every
little while. The intervening Sabbath was spent at Ellen Robinson's.
The handsome hand-bag and wallet served to keep Ellen from being very
disagreeable. In fact, at the last, when she began to realize that
Julia was really going away, and would not be down at the old house
any more for her to burden and torment, she really revealed a gleam of
affection for her, and quite worried poor Julia with thinking that
perhaps, after all, she ought not to go away so far from her only
sister. When Ellen sat down on the bare stairs in the old hall Monday
morning, and gave vent to a real sob at parting, Julia had a swift
vision of her little sister years ago sitting on that same stair
weeping from a fall, and herself comforting her; and she put her arms
around Ellen, and kissed her for the first time in many reticent
years.
But at last they were off, having handed over the keys to the new
tenant, and Julia Cloud leaned back on the luxurious cushions and
laughed. Not from mirth, for there were tears in her eyes; and not
from nervousness, for she was never subject to hysteria; but just from
sheer excitement and joy to think that she was really going out in the
world at last to see things and live a life of her own.
The two young people felt it, and laughed with her, until the
blackbirds, swirling in a rustling chorus overhead on their way south,
seemed to be joining in, and a little squirrel whisked across the road
and sat up inquiringly on a log framed in scarlet leaves.
They went straight to the city, for Mr. Luddington had promised to
meet them there and confer with them further about their plans. But,
when they reached the hotel, they found only a telegram from him
saying that business had held him longer than he expected and that he
should have to arrange to meet them farther along in their journey. He
suggested three colleges, either one of which he should favor, and
outlined their journey to take in a stop at each. He promised to
communicate with them later, and gave his own address in case they
decided to remain at either the first or the second place visited.
"Now," said Julia Cloud after the telegram was disposed of, "I want to
get a new dress and a few things before we go any farther. I know you
children don't like these old black things, and we might as well start
out right. It won't take me long, and I shall be ready to go on my way
right after lunch."
Leslie was delighted, and the two spent two hours of happiness in
shopping, while Allison drove to a garage to have his car looked over
thoroughly, and laid in a supply of good things for the journey. He
also spent a profitable half-hour studying a road-map and asking
questions concerning the journey.
They tried to make Julia Cloud take a nap before they started, but she
declared she would rather rest in the car; and so they started off,
feeling like three children going to find the end of the rainbow.
It was a wonderful afternoon. The air was like wine, and the autumn
foliage was in all its glory. As they flew along, it seemed as if they
were leaving all care behind. A soft pink color grew in Julia Cloud's
cheeks, and she sat with her hands folded and her eyes bright with the
beauty of the day.
"Oh, but you're a beauty, Cloudy, dear!" exclaimed Leslie suddenly.
"See her, Allison! Just look at her. Isn't she great? She was all
right in those black things, of course, but she's wonderful in the
gray things!"
For Julia Cloud had laid aside in the very bottom of her new trunk the
prim black serge that Ellen had bought, and the black funeral gloves
and coat and hat; and she was wearing a lovely soft gray wool jersey
dress with white collar and cuffs. The big gray coat was nestled by
her side ready for use when the wind grew colder, and she was wearing
the new gray hat and gloves, and looked a lady every inch. Allison
turned slowly, and gave her a look that made her blush like a girl.
"I should say she _is_ great! She's a peach!" he agreed. "That hat is
a cracker jack! It looks like a pigeon's wing. I like it; don't you,
Cloudy? But say, Leslie, she's something more than a beauty. She's a
good scout. That's what she is. Do you realize she hasn't opened her
lips about the car once? 'Member the time I took Mrs. Luddington down
to the office for Guardy, how she squeaked every time another car
went by, and cautioned me to be careful and go slow, and asked me how
many times I had ever driven before, and if I wasn't exceeding the
speed-limit, and no end of things? But Cloudy hasn't batted an eye.
She just sits there as if she was riding a cloud and enjoyed it."
"Well, I do," said Julia Cloud, laughing; "and I never thought of
being afraid. I didn't know enough to. Ought I to? Because I'm having
such a good time that I'm afraid I'd forget to be frightened."
"That's what I said. You're a good sport. I believe you like to go
fast."
Julia Cloud admitted shamedly that she did.
"He's a splendid driver, and so am I," Leslie explained earnestly.
"Guardy had us taught ages ago, and we're driven a lot; only of course
we didn't have our own car. We just had the regular car that belongs
to the house. But we made that work some. And Allison took a full
course in cars. He knows how to repair them, and put them together,
and everything."
"Shall I let her go, Cloudy?" asked Allison eagerly. "Will you be
afraid?"
"I should love it," said Julia Cloud eagerly, and then with a sober
look at the boy: "Don't do anything crazy, dear! Don't do anything
that you oughtn't to do."
"Of course not!" said Allison gravely, sitting up with a manly look in
his handsome young face. And by the look he gave her she knew that she
had put him upon his honor, and she knew that he would take no risks
now that she had trusted him. If she had been a squealing, hectoring
kind of woman, he might have been challenged into taking risks, but
not here, when she trusted him and the responsibility was all his.
Julia Cloud, as she drew a long breath and prepared, to enjoy the
flight down the white ribbon of road, up a hill and down another,
registered the thought that here was a clew to this boy's character.
Trust him, and he would be faithful. Distrust him, and you wouldn't be
anywhere. It did not come to her in words that way, but rather as a
subconscious fact that was incorporated into her soul, and gave her a
solid and sure feeling about her boy. She had seen all that in his
eyes.
He turned around presently, and told her how fast they had been going;
and her eyes were shining as brightly as Leslie's.
"You're a pretty good pard, Cloudy," he said. "We'll make you a member
of the gang and take you everywhere. See! You're being initiated now,
and you're making good right along. I knew we did a good thing when we
came after you. Didn't we, Les?"
And Leslie turned and flung herself into Julia Cloud's arms with one
of her enthusiastic hugs.
It was just evening when they entered the little town about twenty
miles from a larger city, where was located a seat of learning,
co-educational, which had been highly recommended to Mr. Luddington,
and which seemed to him to have a great many good points in its
favor.
The sign-posts warned them of their approach; and the three sat
silently watching, judging the place from the outskirts. Big square
houses and lawns multiplied as they progressed. Some streets had
fences. Substantial churches rose here and there, and the college
grounds became visible as they neared the centre of the town. The
buildings were spacious and attractive, with tall old elms and maples
shading the broad walks. There was an ideal chapel of dark-red stone
with arches and a wonderful belfry, and one could easily imagine young
men and maidens flitting here and there.
The two young people studied the scene as the car drove slowly by, and
said nothing. Allison went on to the other end of town till the houses
grew farther apart, and nothing had been said. Then Leslie drew a big
sigh.
"Turn around, brother, and let's go back past there again."
Allison turned around, and drove slowly by the college grounds again.
"There are tennis-courts at the back," said Leslie, "and that looks
like a gym over there. Do you suppose that's the athletic field over
at the back?"
They drove slowly around the block, and Julia Cloud sat silently,
trying to think of herself in this strange environment, and feeling
suddenly chilly and alone. There would be a lot of strange people to
meet, and the children would be off at college all day. She hadn't
thought of that.
"Try some of the side streets," ordered Leslie; "I haven't seen our
house yet."
They came to the business part of the town, and found the stopping-place
suggested in Mr. Luddington's directions.
"We can't tell much about it to-night," said Allison gravely. "I guess
we better get some supper and let Cloudy Jewel get rested for a while.
Then to-morrow we can look around."
They were wise words, and Julia Cloud assented at once; but it was
quite plain that neither he nor Leslie was much elated at the place.
Allison slipped out for a walk through the college grounds after the
others had gone to their rooms, and came back whistling gravely.
"He doesn't like it, Cloudy," whispered Leslie as the sound floated in
through the transom. "He won't have anything to do with it. You see!"
"What makes you think so, dear? He's whistling. That sounds as if he
liked it."
"Yes, but look what he's whistling. He always begins on 'The Long,
Long Trail' if he isn't pleased or has to wait when he's in a hurry to
get anywhere. Now, if he had been pleased, you would have heard 'One
grasshopper hopped right over th' other grasshopper's back.' I can
always tell. Well, I don't care; do you, Cloudy? There's plenty of
other colleges, and I didn't see our house in any of the streets we
went through, did you?"
Julia Cloud had to confess that she had not been in love with anything
she had seen yet.
"Well, then, what's the use of going over the old college? I say let's
beat it in the morning."
But Julia Cloud would not hear to that. She said they must be fair
even to a college, and Mr. Luddington would want them to look the
place over thoroughly while they were there. So after breakfast
the two reluctant young people went with Julia Cloud to make
investigation.
They went through the classrooms and the chapel and the library and
gymnasiums. They visited the science halls and workshops. They even
climbed up to the observatory, and took a squint at the big telescope,
and then they came down and went with a real-estate dealer to see some
houses. But at twelve o'clock they came back to their boarding-house
with a sigh of relief, ate a good dinner, and, climbing into their
car, shook the dust of the town, as it were, from their feet.
"It may be a very nice town, but it's not the town for me," chanted
Leslie, nestling back among the cushions.
"Here, too!" said Allison, letting the car ride out under full power
over the smooth country road. But, though Julia Cloud questioned
several times, she could get no explanation except Allison's terse
"Too provincial," whatever he meant by that. She doubted whether he
knew himself. She wondered whether it were that they each felt the
same homesick feeling that she had experienced.
They stayed that night at a little country inn, and started on their
way again at early morning, for they had a long journey before them to
reach the second place that Mr. Luddington had suggested. Late that
afternoon they stopped in a small city, and decided to rest until
morning; for the children wanted to stretch their limbs, and they felt
that their aunt was very weary though she declared she was only
sleepy.
The sun had quite gone down the next evening, and the twilight was
beginning to settle over everything as they drove at last into the
second college town of their tour, and the church bells were pealing
for prayer meeting. Church bells! The thought of them sent a thrill
through Julia Cloud's heart. There was somehow a familiar, home-like
sound to them that made her think of the prayer meetings that had
cheered her heart through many lonely days.
It had really been for many years her one outing to go to prayer
meeting. Even after her mother had become bedridden she had always
insisted on Julia's going off to prayer meeting, and a neighbor who
was lame and sometimes stayed with her would come hobbling in and send
her off. The old cracked church bell at home had always sounded sweet
to her ears because it meant that this hour was her own quiet time to
go away alone and rest. And it had been real heart-rest always, even
though sometimes the meetings themselves had been wofully prosy. There
had always been the pleasant little chat and the warm hand-shake
afterwards, and then the going home again beneath the stars with a bit
of the last hymn in one's soul to sing one to sleep with,
"Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee;
E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me;"
and the burden had grown less, and her heart had grown light with the
promise of her Father. Those meetings had been to Julia Cloud very
real meetings with her Christ; and now, as the evening bells pealed
out, her heart leaped to meet and answer the call.
"Oh! I'd like to go to prayer meeting!" she said impulsively as they
passed the lighted church, and saw a few faithful going in at the
door.
"Do you mean it?" asked Allison, bringing the car to a stop. "Do you
_mean_ it, Cloudy? Then let's go. We can size the people up, and see
if we like their looks. I guess we can stand a prayer meeting unless
you are too tired."
With the eagerness of a child Julia Cloud got out of the car and went
into the house of the Lord. It was like a bit of heaven to her. She
didn't realize what a bore it might be to her two companions.
It was a good little meeting as such meetings go. Very little
enthusiasm, very few present, mostly elders and their wives, with an
old saint or two almost at the journey's end, and a dignified
white-haired minister, who said some good things in a drony, sleepy
tone. The piano was played by a homely young woman who wore
unfashionable clothes, and made frightful mistakes in the bass
occasionally; but that did not seem to trouble the singers, who sang
with the heart rather than with their voices.
Allison sat solemnly, and refrained from looking at his sister; but
both stole occasional glances at their aunt, and admired her new
clothes and the beautiful light on her face. For Julia Cloud felt as
if she were glimpsing into heaven and seeing her Lord in this bit of
communion with some of His saints; and, when she bowed her head in the
closing prayer, she was thanking Him for all His mercies in bringing
this wonderful change into her gray life, and giving her these two
dear children to love her and be loved by her. As she rose to come
out, her face was glorified by that vision on the mount.
The gentle-faced minister came and spoke to them, and welcomed them to
the church, although Allison told him quite curtly that they were only
passing through the town; but Julia Cloud trod the neat brown ingrain
carpet of the aisle as if it were golden pavement.
"Of all the stupid places!" said Allison as they got into the car.
"What do they have prayer meetings for, anyway? Did you manage to keep
awake, Cloudy?"
And suddenly like a pall there fell upon Julia Cloud's bright soul the
realization that these children did not, would not, feel as she did
about such things. They had probably never been taught to love the
house of God, and how was she ever to make them see? Perhaps it had
been prosy and dull to one who did not hear the Lord's voice behind
the Bible words. Perhaps the old minister had been long and tiresome,
and the children were weary with the journey and sleepy; she ought not
to have let them stop now; and she began to say how sorry she was.
But, when they saw from her words that she had really enjoyed that
dull little meeting, they were silent.
"Well, Cloudy, I'll hand it to you," said Allison at last. "If you
could stand that meeting and enjoy it, you're some Christian! But I'm
glad for one that we went if you liked it; and I guess, if you can go
a football game now and then, I ought to be able to stand a prayer
meeting. So now here goes for seeing the town. It's only nine o'clock,
and I believe that's the college up there on the hill where all those
lights are. Shall we drive up there?"
The car slipped through the pleasant evening streets, turning a
corner, slowing up at a crossing to take a view of the town, and
keeping all the time in view the clusters of lights on the hill, which
Allison conceived to be the college. Suddenly Leslie leaned forward,
and cried:
"O Allison, stop! Stop! There it is, just there on the right. And it's
for sale, too! Oh, let's get right out and get the name of the agent,
so we won't lose it again."
Allison stopped the car suddenly, and turned to look. There in the
full blaze of an electric arc-light, nestled among shrubbery and tall
trees, with a smooth terrace in front, was a beautiful little cottage
of white stone, with a pink roof, and windows everywhere.
"Why, that's not the college, Les; what's the matter with you?" said
Allison, putting his hand on the starter again. "Better wake up. Don't
you know a college when you don't see one?"
"College nothing!" said his sister. "That's our house. That's our
_home_, Allison. The very house I've dreamed of. It looks a little
like the houses in California, and it is the very thing. Now, there's
no use; you've got to get out and get that agent's name, or I'll jump
out myself, and get lost, and walk the rest of the way!"
"It is lovely!" said Julia Cloud, leaning over to look. "But it looks
expensive, and you wouldn't want to _buy_ a house, you know, dear; for
you might not stay."
"Oh, yes, we would if we liked it. And, besides, houses can be sold
again when you get done with them, though I'd never want to sell that!
It's a perfect little duck. Allison, will you get out or shall I?"
"Oh, I'm game," said Allison, getting out and jumping the hedge into
the pretty yard.
He took out his pencil, and wrote down the address in his note-book,
stepped up the terrace and glanced about, then went close to the
street sign, and found out what corner it was near.
"It is a pippin, sure thing," he said as he sprang into the car again;
"but, Leslie, for the love of Mike, don't find any more houses
to-night! I'm hungry as a bear. That prayer meeting was one too many
for me; I'm going to make for the nearest restaurant; and then, if you
want to go house-hunting after that, all right; but I'm going to find
the eats first."
They asked a group of boys where the restaurant was, and one pointed
to an open door from which light was streaming forth.
"There's the pie-shop," they said, and the party descended hungry and
happy with the delicious uncertainty of having found a dream of a
house in the dark, and wondering what it would turn out to be in the
daytime. They inquired the way to the inn, and decided to stop further
investigations until morning.