TOMMY DUDGEON ON THE WATCH.
It will be remembered that, after bursting into the back-room with the
declaration, "She's come back!" Tommy Dudgeon had suddenly pulled himself
up and substituted the commonplace statement that he had "seen the
sec'tary." In fact, though, on marking the manner in which Miss Owen had
stepped out of the house and walked along the street, he had, for an
instant, imagined that little Marian had actually returned, the calmer
moments which followed had shown him what seemed the folly of such a
supposition. What real resemblance could there be between a child of five
and a young woman of eighteen? He had, indeed, seemed to see, this
afternoon, the very same determined look, and the pretty purposeful step,
with which the little maid whom he had loved had passed out of his sight
so long ago. But he now assured himself that "it was only the sec'tary
after all."
The child, for whom he had not ceased to mourn, would certainly come back,
but not like that. It was inevitable that unimaginative Tommy Dudgeon
should at first dismiss the possibility that little wild-flower Marian
should have returned in the person of the lady-secretary. But, none the
less, the sight of the secretary had brought back to him the vision of
little Marian as he had seen her last; and thenceforth he was supplied
with matter for much perplexing thought.
Fortunately the occupants of the room into which he had burst with his
hasty exclamation, who consisted of his brother and his brother's wife
alone, had but indistinctly caught his words. Consequently no one was any
the wiser, and he was able to assure himself that his first impression
with regard to the "sec'tary" was still the secret of his own breast.
It was a secret, however, which gave him no little trouble. The vanishing
of the child had occasioned him bitter grief. He had not only mourned in
respectful sympathy with the stricken father, but he had also sorrowed on
his own account. He had very tenderly loved little Marian Horn. She had
come to him like a fairy, scattering clouds of care, and diffusing joy;
and, since her departure, it had seemed as though the sunshine had ceased
to visit the narrow street upon which he looked out through the window,
and from the doorway, of his little shop.
And Tommy's regret for the loss of the child was rendered keener by a
haunting consciousness that a measure of responsibility for it belonged
to himself. Might he not have prevented her departure? He could not,
indeed, have been supposed to know that she was running away. But he did
not allow himself to plead any excuse on that account. He ought to have
known, was his continual reflection, that she would come to harm--going
away by herself like that; and, at least, he might have questioned her as
to where she was going. Through all the years, he had not ceased to
afflict himself with such thoughts as these. Once he actually mentioned
his self-accusing thoughts to "Cobbler" Horn. It was on one of the rare
occasions when the afflicted father had spontaneously spoken of his lost
child to his humble friend. He gazed blankly at the little huckster, for
a moment, as though he had not understood. Then, perceiving his drift, he
gently answered, "My dear friend, you could not help it. Please do not
speak of it again."
Tommy had always yearned for the recovery of the child; and, the wish
being father to the thought, he fully shared with "Cobbler" Horn himself
the expectation that she would eventually return. This expectation kept
him on the alert; and there is little cause to wonder that even so slight
a sign as the poise of the secretary's head, or the manner in which she
walked, should have induced him to think, for some passing moments, that
his long-cherished desire had been fulfilled at last.
And now, although he had dismissed that belief, it had left him more
vigilant than ever. It may be questioned, indeed, whether he had actually
dismissed it, or whether, having been dismissed, it had really gone away.
There are visitors who will take no hint to depart. It would seem that
here was such a visitor. The discarded impression that little Marian had
come back in the person of "Cobbler" Horn's secretary refused to be
banished from Tommy Dudgeon's mind. Henceforth he would have no peace
until he had set the fateful question at rest once for all.
To this end he watched for the young secretary day by day. A hundred times
a day he went to the shop-door, to gaze along the street; and at frequent
intervals he craned his neck to get a better view through the window. He
would leave the most profitable customer, at the sound of a footstep
without, or at the shutting of a neighbouring door. He gave himself to
deep ponderings, in the midst of which he became oblivious of all around.
His anxiety told upon his appetite, and affected his health. His friends
became alarmed; but, when they questioned him, he only shook his head.
His very character seemed to be changed. Hitherto he had been the most
transparent of men; now he moved about with the air of a conspirator, and
bore himself like one on whose heart some mysterious secret weighed.
It was a long time before Tommy's watching and pondering produced any
definite result. Miss Owen seldom visited the street in which "the little
Twin Brethren" had their shop. By the desire of her employer she never
came to him in his old workshop, except upon business which could not
be delayed. Two or three times only, hitherto, had Tommy Dudgeon been
privileged to feast his eyes on the dainty little figure, which, on his
first sight of it, had awakened such tender memories in his mind. On each
occasion those memories had returned as vividly as before; but the only
result had been that his perplexity was sensibly increased.
All through the winter, the perturbation of the little huckster's mind
remained unallayed; but there came a day in early spring which set his
questionings at rest. In that joyous season there was born to Mr. and Mrs.
John Dudgeon an eighth child. The fact that, this time, the arrival did
not consist of twins was no less gratifying to the happy father, than to
his much-enduring spouse. But the child was a fine one, and his birth
almost cost his mother's life. As may be supposed, "the Golden Shoemaker"
did not forget his humble friends in their trouble. He engaged for them
the ablest doctor, and the most efficient nurse, that money could command.
Every day he sent messages of enquiry, and the messengers were never
empty-handed. Sometimes it was a servant who came; and sometimes it was
the coachman--not Bounder, but his successor, who was quite a different
man--with the carriage.
On the day of which we speak, the carriage had stopped at the door, and
Tommy Dudgeon, on the watch as usual, observed that a young lady was
sitting amongst its cushions. It was the four-wheeler, and its fair
occupant, basket in hand, alighted nimbly as soon as it stopped. Tommy
vigorously rubbed his eyes. Yes, it was the "sec'tary!" Now, perhaps, his
opportunity had come. As yet, he had never spoken to the "sec'tary," or
heard her speak. He made his most polite bow, as she stepped into his
shop. But how his heart thumped! He was shy with ladies at the best; but
now, hope and fear, and a vague feeling that, with the entrance of this
sprightly little lady, the past had all come back, increased his habitual
nervousness a hundredfold. Surely it was not the first time that little
tossing dusky head, with its black sparkling eyes, had presented itself in
his doorway!
She paused a moment on the step, gazed around with a bewildered air, and
shot a startled glance into the honest, eager face of the little man, who
quivered from head to foot as he met her gaze. "That strange feeling
again!" she thought, "I can never have been _here_ before, at any rate!"
Tommy Dudgeon's own confusion prevented his perceiving the momentary
discomposure of his visitor. The next minute, however, she was speaking to
the little man in her cordial, unaffected way.
"You are Mr. Dudgeon, I expect," she said, holding out her neatly-gloved
hand. "How are you, this afternoon? But," she continued after a pause,
"which Mr. Dudgeon is it--the one with a wife, or the one without? My
name," she added in her lively way, "is Owen--Mr. Horn's secretary, you
know. You've heard of me, no doubt, Mr. Dudgeon?"
Tommy Dudgeon had not yet found his tongue.
"But," she broke out again, "I'm not giving you a chance to tell me who
you are. Is it Mr. Dudgeon, or Mr. John? You see I know all about you."
Tommy Dudgeon was in no condition to answer Miss Owen's question, even
yet, simple though it was. If the sight of her had brought back the
past, what thronging memories crowded upon him at the sound of her
voice--wooing, wilful, joyously insistent! But that she was so womanly and
ladylike, and that he knew she was "only the sec'tary," he would have been
ready to advance upon her with outstretched hands, and ask her if she had
quite forgotten Tommy Dudgeon--her old friend, Tommy? As it was, he stood
staring like one bewitched. Miss Owen, wondering at his silence, and his
fixed gaze, repeated her question in another form.
"I don't wish to be rude; but are you the husband, or is it your brother?"
Tommy pulled himself together with a gasp.
"My name is Thomas, miss. It is my brother who is married, and whose wife
is ill."
"Then, Mr. Thomas, I'm glad to make your acquaintance. How is your
brother's wife to-day? I've brought a few little things from Miss Horn,
with her respects."
Miss Owen herself would have said "love," rather than respects. But it was
a great concession on the part of Miss Jemima to send anything at all to
"those Dudgeons," with or without a message of any kind, and was quite a
sign of grace.
"It's very kind of Miss Horn," said Tommy, who was still perturbed; "and
of you as well, miss. Perhaps you will see my sister-in-law? She's much
better, and sitting up--and able to converse."
As he spoke, he led the way into the kitchen, in the doorway of which the
young girl once more paused, and looked around in the same bewildered way
as before. But she instantly recovered herself; and, at the invitation of
a woman who was in attendance, proceeded to mount the narrow stairs.
Miss Owen was performing a thoroughly congenial errand. It was her
delight to be, in any way, the instrument of the wide-spread benevolence
and varied Christian ministrations of her beloved employer. Nor was it
an insignificant service which she therein performed. Her tender
companionship had been of scarcely less benefit to the crippled girl than
the almost daily rides which the generosity of "Cobbler" Horn enabled the
poor invalid to enjoy; and her presence and sensible Christian talk were
quite as helpful to Mrs. John Dudgeon, as were the delicacies from Miss
Jemima's kitchen.
John Dudgeon, who was acting as temporary nurse, rose to his feet as the
secretary entered, and stole modestly downstairs. Miss Owen followed him
with her eyes in renewed perplexity. What could it all mean? These dear,
funny little men! Had she known them in a former state of existence, or
what? She came downstairs when she was ready to leave, and in the kitchen
she paused once more. On one side of the fire-place was an old arm-chair
with a leather cushion. Seized with a sudden fancy, Miss Owen addressed
the woman, who was waiting to see her out.
"May I sit in that chair a moment?" she asked.
"Certainly, miss," was the civil reply; and, in another moment, the young
secretary had crossed the room, and seated herself in the chair.
"How strange!" she murmured. "How familiar everything is!"
At that moment, Tommy Dudgeon came in from the shop; and, on seeing Miss
Owen in the old arm-chair, he stopped short, and uttered a cry.
"I beg your pardon, miss; I thought----"
It was in that very chair, standing in exactly the same spot as now, that
little Marian had been accustomed to sit, when she used to come in and
delight the two little bachelors with her quaint sayings, and queen it
over them in her pretty wilful way. For her sake, the old chair had been
carefully preserved.
"You thought I was taking a liberty, no doubt, sir," said Miss Owen,
jumping to her feet, with a merry laugh; "and quite right too."
Tommy was horrified at the bare suggestion of such a thing. He begged her
to sit down again, and she laughingly complied, insisting that he should
sit in the opposite chair. Presently John came in, and stood looking
calmly on. He was visited by no disturbing memories. Having chatted gaily,
for a few minutes, with the two little men, Miss Owen took her leave.
"It's all so strange!" she thought, as the carriage bore her swiftly away.
Then she knitted her brows, and clenched her hands in her lap.
"Oh," she half-audibly exclaimed, "what if I _have_ been here before? What
if----" and she shivered with the excitement of the thought.
* * * * *
As for Tommy Dudgeon, all his doubts were put to flight at last.