On one of the earliest days in April, Abner, gaunt and tottering, went
home to Flatfield. Leverett Whyland's own carriage took him to the
station and Medora Giles's own hands arranged his cushions and coverlets.
"Spring is spring everywhere," said Whyland; "but it's just a little
worse right here than anywhere else. If you're going to pick up now,
home's the place to do it."
"It's only three hours," said Abner. "I can stand that."
He shook Whyland's hand gratefully at parting and held Medora's with a
firm pressure as long as he dared and longer than he realized. It was a
pressure that seemed to recognise her at last as an individual woman, and
what his hand did not say his face said and said clearly. And as soon as
he was a man again his tongue should say something too, and say it more
clearly still.
Medora's image travelled along with him on the dingy window-pane and
intercepted all the well-beloved phenomena of earliest-awakening spring.
One slide followed another, like the pictures of a magic lantern. Now she
was pouring tea, now she was baking bread; sometimes she was playing the
violin, sometimes--and oftenest--she was measuring medicines or on guard
against draughts. In any event the sum total was a matchless assemblage
of grace, charm, talent, sympathy, efficiency. "I am not worthy of her,"
he said humbly. "But I must have her," he added, with resolution. He was
not the author of this ruthless masculine paradox.
After another month of rest and of home nursing Abner undertook a second
tour (in Iowa and Wisconsin, this time) to make sure of his
re-established health and to build up again his shattered finances,--for
sickness, even in the lap of luxury, is expensive.
He had refused as considerately as he could an offer from Whyland himself
to do literary work. The Pence-Whyland syndicate had lately secured
control of one of the daily newspapers, and Whyland had suggested
semi-weekly articles at Abner's own figure. But Abner could not quite
bring himself to print in a sheet that was the open and avowed champion
of privilege and corruption.
"You think you won't, then?" asked Whyland, at the door of the Pullman.
"I don't believe I can," replied Abner mournfully.
"Oh, yes, you can too," returned Whyland. "In a week or two more you'll
be as strong as ever."
"I--I think I'd rather not," said Abner, tendering an apologetic hand.
He wrote to Medora endless plaints about the discomforts of country
hotels; and she, remembering how he had once luxuriated in these very
crudities--he had called them authentic, characteristic, and other long
words ending in _tic_--smiled broadly. It seemed as if that fortnight in
the Whyland house had finally done for him.
"He will become quite like the rest of us in time," she said;--"and in no
great time, either!"
In the early days of June Abner spoke. Medora listened and considered.
"I am like Clytie Summers----" she began slowly.
"You are not a bit like her!" interrupted Abner, with all haste.
"In one respect," Medora finished: "when I get married I want to get
married for good. As Clytie says, it is the most satisfactory way in the
long run, and the long run is what I have in mind."