The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary Page 24

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - TWO ARE COMPANY

  To the large square room where he had slept (on and off) during a goodlyportion of his boyhood life, Jack went to repose from his journey, thereto meditate the situation which he had come to comfort, and to try anddevise a way to better its existing circumstances.

  It was a pleasant room, one window looking down the driveway, and theother leading forth to a square balcony that topped the little porch ofthe side entrance. There were lambrequins of dark blue with fringe thatalways caught in the shutters, and a bedroom suite of mahogany that hadcome down from the original John Watkins's aunt, and had been polished byher descendants so faithfully that its various surfaces shone likemirrors. Over the bed hung a tent drapery of chintz; over the washstandhung a crayon done by Arethusa in her infancy--the same representing a ladyengaged in the pleasant and useful occupation of spinning wheat with ahand composed of five fingers, and no thumb. In the corner stood acheval-glass which Jack had seen shrink steadily for years until now itcould no longer reflect his shoulders unless he retired back for some twoyards or more. There was a delectable closet to the room, all paintedwhite inside, with shelves and cupboards and little bins for shoes andwaste paper and soiled clothes.

  Oh! it was really an altogether delightful place in which to abide, andthe pity was that its owner had spent so little time therein of lateyears.

  To-night--returning to the scene of many childish and boyishmeditations--Jack placed his lamp upon the nightstand at the head of thebed and sat himself down on a chair near by.

  It was late--quite midnight--for he and Aunt Mary's new maid had talked longand freely ere they separated at last. From his room he could hear thelittle faint sounds below stairs, that told of her final preparations forLucinda's morning eye, and he rested quiet until all else was quiet andthen leaned back upon the chair's hind legs and, tipping slowly to and froin that position, tried to see just what he had better do the first thingon the following day.

  [Illustration 7]

  "'Yesterday I played poker until I didn't know a blue chip from a white one.'"

  It was a riddle with a vengeance. It is so easy to say "I'll cut thatGordian knot!" and then pack one's tooth-brush and start off unknotting,but it is quite another matter when one comes face to face with theproblem and is met by the "buts" of those who have previously beenessaying to disentangle it.

  "She won't let me go," Mrs. Rosscott had declared, "she won't consider itfor a minute."

  "But she must," Jack had declared on his side. "My dearest, you can't stayand play maid to Aunt Mary indefinitely, and you know that as well as Ido."

  "Yes, I know that," the whilom Janice then murmured. "It's getting to bean awful question. They want me to come home for Thanksgiving. They thinkthat I've been at the rest-cure long enough."

  Jack had laughed a bit just there, and then he suddenly ceased laughingand frowned a good deal instead.

  "You were crying when I came," he said. "The truth is you are workingyourself to death and getting completely used up."

  "It is wearing, I must confess," she answered. "Yesterday I played pokeruntil I didn't know a blue chip from a white one, and she won the wholepot with two little bits of pairs while I was drawing to a king. I beginto fear that my mind will give way. And yet, I really don't see how tostop. She is so sick and tired of life here and she isn't strong enough togo to town."

  "I know a very short way to put an end to everything," said Jack. "I seetwo ways in fact,--one is to tell her the truth."

  "Oh, don't do that," cried his fiancee affrightedly. "The shock would killher outright."

  "The other way,--" said Jack slowly, "would be for me to marry you and lether think that you _are_ Janice in good earnest."

  "Oh, that wouldn't do at all," said the pretty widow. "In the first placeshe would go crazy at the idea of her darling nephew's marrying hermaid,--and in the second place--"

  "Well,--in the second place?"

  "I wouldn't marry you,--I said I wouldn't and I won't. You're too young."

  "But you've promised to marry me some day."

  "Yes, I know--but not till--not till--"

  "Not till when?"

  "I haven't just decided," said Mrs. Rosscott, airily. "Not for a goodwhile, not until you seem to require marrying at my hands."

  "I never shall require marrying at anyone else's hands," the lover vowed,"but if you are so set about it as all that comes to, I shall not cut uprough for a while. Aunt Mary is the main question just now--not you."

  "I know," said his lady in anything but a jealous tone, "and as she is thequestion, what are we to do?"

  "You will go to bed," he said, kissing her, "and I will go to think."

  "Can you see any way?" she asked anxiously.

  Then he put his hands on either side of her face and turned it up to hisown.

  "You plotted once and overthrew my aunt," he said. "It's my turn now."

  "Are you going to plot?"

  "I'm going to try."

  "I'll pray for your success," she whispered.

  "Pray for me," he answered, and shortly after they had achieved the featof saying good-night and parting once more, and the result of it all hadbeen that Jack found himself tipping back and forth on the small chair, inthe big room, at half-past midnight, puzzled, perturbed, and very muchperplexed as to what to do first when the next morning should have becomea settled fact. He was not used to conspiring, and being only a man, hehad not those curious instinctive gifts of inspiration and luminousconception which fairly radiate around the brain of clever womankind.

  It was some time--a very long time indeed--before any light stole in uponhis Stygian darkness, and then, when the light did come, it came inskyrocket guise, and had its share of cons attached to its very evidentpros.

  "But I don't care," he declared viciously, as he rose and began toundress; "something's got to be done,--some chances have got to betaken,--as well that as anything else. Perhaps better--very likely better."

  Then he laughed over his unconscious imitation of his aunt's phraseology,and made short work of finishing his disrobing and getting to bed.

  It was when Lucinda crept forth to begin to unlock the house at 6.30 uponthe morning after, that the fact of the nephew's arrival was first knownto anyone except Janice.

  Lucinda saw the coat and hat,--recognized the initial on the handkerchiefin the inside pocket, threw out her arms and gave a faint squeak in utterbewilderment, and then tore off at once to the barn to tell Joshua.

  She found Joshua milking the cow.

  "What do you think!" she panted briefly, with wide-open eyes and upliftedhands; "Joshua Whittlesey, what do you think?"

  "I don't think nothin'," said Joshua. "I'm milkin'."

  "What would you say if I told you as he was come."

  "I'd say he was here."

  "Well, he is. He must 'a' come last night, an' Lord only knows how he evergot in, for nothing was left open an' yet he's there."

  Joshua made no comment.

  "I wonder what he came for?"

  Joshua made no comment.

  "I wonder how long he'll stay?"

  Still Joshua made no comment.

  "Joshua Whittlesey, before you get your breakfast, you're the meanest manI ever saw, and I'll swear to that anywhere."

  "Why don't you get me my breakfast then?" said Joshua calmly; and theeffect of his speech and his demeanor was to cause Lucinda to turn andleave him at once--too outraged to address another word to him.

  Aunt Mary herself did not awake until ten o'clock. She rang her bellvigorously then and Janice flew to its answering.

  "I dreamed of Jack," said the old lady, looking up with a smile. "Idreamed we was each ridin' on camels in a merry-go-round."

  Janice smiled too, and then set briskly to work to put the room in orderand arrange its occupant for the day.

  "Did there come any mail?" Aunt Mary inquired, when her coiffure was m
adeand her dressing-gown adjusted. "I feel jus' like I might hear from Jack.Seems as if I sort of can't think of anythin' but him."

  "I'll go and see," said Janice pleasantly, and she went to the dining roomwhere the Reformed Prodigal sat reading the newspaper with his feet on thetable--an action which convinced Lucinda that he had not reformed so verymuch after all.

  "Suppose you go to her--instead of me," suggested the maid, pausing beforethe reader and usurping all the attention to which the paper should havelaid claim.

  "Suppose I do," said Jack, jumping up, "and suppose you stay away and letme try what I can accomplish single-handed."

  "Only--" began Janice--and then she stopped and lifted a warning finger.

  Jack listened and a stealthy creak betrayed Lucinda's proximity somewherein the vicinity.

  It was plain to be seen that there were many issues to be kept in mind,and the young man grit his teeth because he didn't dare embrace hisbetrothed, and then walked away in the direction of Aunt Mary's room.

  If she was glad to see him! One would have supposed that ten years and twooceans had elapsed since their last meeting the month before.

  She fairly screamed with joy.

  "Jack!--You dear, dear, dear boy! Well, if I ever did!--When did you come?"

  He was by the bed hugging her. "And how are they all? How is the city? Oh,Jack, if I could only go back with you this time!"

  "Never mind, Aunt Mary; you'll be coming soon--in the spring, you know."

  Aunt Mary sank back on the pillows.

  "Jack," she said, "if I have to wait for spring, I shall die. I ain'tstrong enough to be able to bear livin' in the country much longer. I'vepretty much made up my mind to buy a house in town and just keep thisplace so's to have somewhere to put Lucinda."

  "Do you think you'd be happy in town, Aunt Mary?" Jack yelled; "I mean ifyou lived there right along?"

  "I don't see how I could be anythin' else. I don't see how anyone could beanythin' else. I want a nice house with a criss-cross iron gate in frontof it an' an automobile. An'--I don't want you to say nothin' about this toher jus' yet--but I'm goin' to keep Granite to look after everythin' forme. I don't ever mean to let Granite go again. Never. Not for one hour."

  Jack smiled. He felt as if Fate was playing into his hands.

  "I want you to live with me," Aunt Mary continued, "an' I want the housebig enough so's Clover an' Mitchell an' Burnett can come whenever theyfeel like it and stay as long as they like. I don't want any house exceptfor us all together. Oh, my! Seems like I can't hardly wait!"

  She leaned back and shut her eyes in a sort of impatient ecstasy of joysbeen and to be.

  Jack reached forward to get a cigarette from the box on the table at thebedside.

  "Do you smoke now, Aunt Mary?" he inquired, as he took a match.

  "No, Granite does."

  "Janice does!" he repeated, quickly knitting his brows.

  "Yes, she does it for me--I'm so happy smellin' the smell. They made her alittle sick at first but she took camphor and now she don't mind. Notmuch--not any."

  Jack arose and walked about the room. The idea of his darling sickeningherself to provide smoke for Aunt Mary braced him afresh to the conflict.

  "What do you do all day?" he asked, presently.

  "Well, we do most everythin'. When Lucinda's out she does Lucinda for mean' when Lucinda's in she does Joshua. It's about as amusin' as anythin'you ever saw to see her do Lucinda. I never found Lucinda amusin', Lordknows, but I like to see Granite do her. An' we play cards, an' shedances, an'--"

  "Aunt Mary," said Jack abruptly, "do you know the people who had Janicewant her back again?"

  "I didn't quite catch that," said his aunt, "but you needn't bother torepeat it because I ain't never goin' to let her go. Not never."

  Jack came back and sat down beside the bed, and took her hand.

  "Aunt Mary," he said in a pleading shriek, "don't you see how pale andthin she's getting?"

  "No, I don't," said his aunt, turning her head away, "an' it's no usetellin' me such things because it's about my nap-time and I've always beena great believer in takin' my nap when it's my nap-time. As a generalthing."

  Jack sighed and watched her close her eyes and go instantly to sleep.Janice came in a few minutes later.

  "No--no," she whispered hastily, as he came toward her,--"you mustn't--youmustn't. I don't believe that she really is asleep and even if she is,Lucinda is _everywhere_."

  "Where can we go?" Jack asked in despair. "It's out of all reason toexpect me to behave _all_ the time."

  "We can't go anywhere," said Mrs. Rosscott; "we must resign ourselves.I've learned that it's the only way. Dear me, when I think how long I'vebeen resigned it certainly seems to me that you might do a little in thesame line."

  "Well, but I haven't learned to resign myself," said her lover, "and whatis more, I positively decline to learn to resign myself. You should do thesame, too. Where is the sense in humoring her so? I wouldn't if I wereyou."

  Janice lifted up her lovely eyes.

  "Oh, yes, you would," she said simply. "If somebody's future happinessdepended upon her you would humor her just as much as I do."

  Jack was touched.

  "You are an angel of unselfishness," he exclaimed, warmly, "and I don'tdeserve such devotion."

  "Oh, don't be too grateful," she replied, dimpling. "The person to whosefuture happiness I referred was myself."

  They both laughed softly at that--softly and mutually.

  "Nevertheless," Jack went on after a minute, "if to all the other puzzlesis to be added the torture of being unable to see you or speak freely toyou, I think the hour for action has arrived."

  "For action!" she cried; "what are you thinking of doing?"

  "This," he said, and straightway took her into his arms and kissed her ashe had kissed her on the night before.

  "Oh, if Lucinda has heard or your aunt has seen!" poor Janice cried,extricating herself and setting her cap to rights with a species offluttered haste that led Jack to wonder suddenly why men didn't fall inlove with maids even oftener than they do. "I do believe that you havegone and done it this time."

  "Nobody heard and nobody saw," he assured her, but he didn't at all meanwhat he said, for his prayers were fervent that his kiss had been publicproperty.

  And such was the fact.

  Lucinda bounced in on Joshua with a bounce that turned the can of harnesspolish upside down, for Joshua was oiling the harnesses.

  "He kissed her!" she cried in a state of tremendous excitement.

  "Well, she's his aunt, ain't she?" Joshua demanded, picking up the can andprivately wishing Lucinda in Halifax.

  "I don't mean her;--I mean Janice."

  "I don't see anythin' surprisin' in that," said Joshua,--"not if he got agood chance."

  "What do you think of such goin's on?"

  "I think they'll lead to goin's offs."

  "I never would 'a' believed it," said Lucinda; "Well, all I can say is Iwish he'd 'a' tried it on me."

  "You'll wish a long time," said Joshua, placidly; and his tone, as usual,made Lucinda even more angry than his words; so she forthwith left him andtore back to the house.

  Aunt Mary had also had her eyes open, and in this particular case it wasimpossible to have one's eyes open without having one's eyes opened. SoAunt Mary had both.

  She shut them at once and reflected deeply, and when Janice went out ofthe room at last she immediately sat up in bed and addressed her nephew.

  "Jack, what did you kiss her for?"

  Jack was fairly wild with joy at the brilliant way in which he had begun.Mrs. Rosscott had laid one scheme for the overthrow of Aunt Mary and herplan of attack had been absolutely successful. Now it was his turn and he,too, was in it to win undying glory or else--well, no matter. Therewouldn't be any "also ran" in this contest.

  "You don't deny that you kissed her, do you?" said his aunt severely."Answer this minute. I'm a great believer in answerin' when you're
spokento."

  "Yes, I kissed her," he said easily.

  [Illustration 8]

  "Aunt Mary had also had her eyes open."

  "Well, what did you do it for?"

  "I'm very fond of her;" the words came forth with great apparentreluctance.

  "Fond of her!" said Aunt Mary with great contempt.

  Jack lifted his eyes quickly at the tone of her comment.

  "_Fond_ of her! Do you think a girl like that is the kind to be fond of!Why ain't you in _love_ with her?"

  The young man felt his brains suddenly swimming. This surpassed hismaddest hopes.

  "Shall I say that I am in love with her?" he cried into the ear-trumpet.

  Aunt Mary raised up in bed,--her eyes sparkling.

  "Jack," she said, almost quivering with excitement, "_are_ you in lovewith her?"

  "Yes, I am," he owned, wondering what would come next, but feeling thatthe tide was all his way.

  Aunt Mary collapsed with a joyful sigh.

  "My heavens alive," she said rapturously, "seems like it's too good to betrue! Jack," she continued solemnly, "if you're in love with her you shallmarry her. If there's any way to keep a girl like that in the family Iguess I ain't goin' to let her slip through my fingers not while I've gota live nephew. You shall marry her an' I'll buy you a house in New Yorkand come an' live with you."

  Jack sat silent, but smiling.

  "Do you think she will want to marry me?" he asked presently.

  "You go and bring her to me," said the old lady vigorously. "I'll soonfind out. Just tell her I want to speak to her--don't tell her what about.That ain't none of your business an' I'm a great believer in people's notinterfering in what's none of their business. You just get her and thenleave her to me."

  Jack went and found Janice. He was sufficiently mean not to tell her whathad happened, and Janice--being built on a different plan from Lucinda--hadnot kept near enough to the keyhole to be posted anyway.

  "Mr. Denham says you want me," she said, coming to the bedside with hercustomary pleasant smile.

  "I do," said her mistress. "I want to speak to you on a very serioussubject and I want you to pay a lot of attention. It's this: I want you tomarry Jack."

  Poor Janice jumped violently,--there was no doubt as to the genuineness ofher surprise.

  "Well, don't you want to?" asked Aunt Mary.

  "I don't believe I do."

  At this it was the old lady's turn to be astonished.

  "Why don't you?" she said; "my heavens alive, what are you a-expectin' tomarry if you don't think my nephew's good enough for you?"

  "But I don't want to marry!" cried poor Janice, in most evident distress.

  Aunt Mary looked at her severely.

  "Then what did you kiss him for?" she asked, in the tone in which oneplays the trump ace.

  Janice started again.

  "Kiss--him--" she faltered.

  Aunt Mary regarded her sternly.

  "Granite," she said, "I ain't a-intendin' to be unreasonable, but I mustask you jus' one simple question. You kissed him, for I saw you; an' willyou kindly tell me why, in heaven's name, you ain't willin' to marry anyman that you're willin' to kiss?"

  "There's such a difference," wailed the maid.

  "I don't see it," said her mistress, shaking her head. "I don't see it atall. Of course I never for a minute thought of doin' either myself, but ifI had thought of doin' either, I'd had sense enough to have seen that I'dhave to make up my mind to do both. I'm a great believer in never doin'things by halves. It don't pay. Never--nohow."

  Janice was biting her lips.

  "But I don't want to marry!" she repeated obstinately.

  "Then you shouldn't have let him kiss you. You've got him all started tolovin' you and if he's stopped too quick no one can tell what may happen.I want him to settle down, but I want him to settle down because he'shappy an' not because he's shattered. He says he's willin' to marry youan' I don't see any good reason why not."

  Janice's mouth continued to look rebellious.

  "Go and get him," said Aunt Mary. "I can see that this thing has got to besettled pleasantly right off, or we shan't none of us have any appetitefor dinner. You find Jack, or if you can't find him tell Lucinda thatshe's got to."

  Janice went out and found Jack in the hall.

  "Is this a trap?" she asked reproachfully.

  Jack laughed.

  "No," he said "it's a counter-mine."

  "Your aunt wants you at once," said Janice, putting her hands into herpockets and looking out of the window.

  "I fly to obey," he said obediently, and went at once to his elderlyrelative.

  "Jack," she said, the instant he opened the door, "I've had a little talkwith Granite. She don' want to marry you, but she looks to me like shereally didn't know her own mind. I've said all I can say an' I'm too tiredholdin' the ear-trumpet to say any more. I think the best thing you can dois to take her out for a walk an' explain things thoroughly. It's no goodour talkin' to her together; and, anyway, I've always been a greatbeliever in 'Two's company--three's none.' That was really the big reasonwhy I'd never let Lucinda keep a cat. You take her and go to walk and Iguess everything'll come out all right. It ought to. My heavens alive!"

  Jack took the maid and they went out to walk. When they were beyondearshot the first thing that they did was to laugh long and loud.

  "Of all my many and varied adventures!" cried Mrs. Rosscott, and Jack tookthe opportunity to kiss her again--under no protest this time.

  "We shall have to be married very soon, now, you know," he said gayly."Aunt Mary won't be able to wait."

  "Oh, as to that--we'll see," said Mrs. Rosscott, and laughed afresh. "Butthere is one thing that must be done at once."

  "What's that?" Jack asked.

  "We must tell Aunt Mary who I am."

  "Oh, to be sure," said the young man.

  "I hope she won't take it in any way but the right way!" the widow saidthoughtfully.

  "My dearest, in what other way could she take it? I think she has provedher opinion of you pretty sincerely."

  "Yes," said Mrs. Rosscott, with a little smile, "I certainly have cause tofeel that she loves me for myself alone."

  When they returned to the house they went straightway to Aunt Mary's room,and the first glance through the old lady's eye-glasses told her that herwishes had all been fulfilled. She sat up in bed, took a hand of each intoher own, and surveyed them in an access of such utter joy as nearly causedall three to weep together.

  "Well, I _am_ so glad," was all she said for the first few seconds, andnobody doubted her words forever after.

  Then Mrs. Rosscott removed her hat and jacket, and when she returned tothe bedside her future aunt made her sit down close to her and hold one ofher hands while Jack held the other.

  "I'm _so_ glad you're to have the runnin' of Jack," the old lady declaredsincerely. "All I ask of you is to be patient with him. I always was. Thatis, _most_ always."

  "Dear Aunt Mary," said Mrs. Rosscott, slipping down on her knees besidethe bed, "you are so good to me that you encourage me to tell you mysecret. It isn't long, and it isn't bad, but I have a confession to make."

  "Oh, I say," cried Jack, "if you put it that way let me do the owning up!"

  "Hush," said his love authoritatively, "it's my confession. Leave it tome."

  "What is it?" said Aunt Mary, looking anxiously from one to the other;"you haven't broke your engagement already, I hope."

  "No," said Mrs. Rosscott, "it's nothing like that. It's only rather asurprise. But it's a nice surprise,--at least, I hope you'll think that itis."

  "Well, hurry and tell me then," said the old lady. "I'm a great believerin bein' told good news as soon as possible. What is it?"

  "It's that I'm not a maid," said the pretty widow.

  "Not--a--" cried Aunt Mary blankly.

  "I'm a widow!" said Janice. "I'm Burnett's sister."

  "Wh--
a--at!" cried Aunt Mary. "I didn't jus' catch that."

  "You see," screamed Jack, "she was afraid to have me entertain you in NewYork,--afraid you wouldn't be properly looked after, Aunt Mary, so shedressed up for your maid and looked after you herself."

  "My heavens alive!"

  "Wasn't she an angel?" he asked.

  "But whatever made you take such an interest?" Aunt Mary demanded ofJanice.

  Janice rose from her knees and, leaning over the bed, drew the old ladyclose in her arms.

  "I'll tell you," she screamed gently. "I loved Jack, and so I loved hisaunt even before I had ever seen her."

  Aunt Mary's joy fairly overflowed at that view of things, and, putting herhands to either side of the lovely face so close to her own, she kissed itwarmly again and again.

  "I always knew you were suthin' out of the ordinary," she declaredvigorously. "You know I wouldn't have let him marry you if I hadn't beenpretty sure as you were different from Lucinda an' the common run."

  And then she beamed on them both and Jack beamed on them both and Mrs.Rosscott kissed each of them and dried her own happy eyes.

  "Now I want to know jus' how an' where you learned to love him?" the auntasked next.

  "I loved him almost directly I knew him," she answered, and at that AuntMary seemed on the point of applauding with the ear-trumpet against theheadboard.

  "It was jus' the same with me," she said delightedly. "He was only a babythen, but the first look I took I jus' had a feelin'--"

  "Yes," said Mrs. Rosscott sympathetically, "so did I."

  They all laughed together.

  "An' now," said Aunt Mary, laying back and folding her arms upon herbosom, "an' now comes the main question,--when do you two want to bemarried?"

  "Oh!" said the widow starting, "we--I--Jack--"

  "Well, go on," said Aunt Mary. "Say whenever you like. An' then Jack cando the same."

  The two young people exchanged glances.

  "Speak right up," said Aunt Mary. "I'm a great believer in not hangin'back when anythin' has got to be decided. Jack, what do you think?"

  "I want to get married right off," said Jack decidedly.

  "I think he's too young," put in Mrs. Rosscott hastily.

  "I don't know," said Aunt Mary, looking at her nephew reflectively. "Seemsto me he's big enough, an' I'm a great believer in never dilly-dallyin'over what's got to be done some time. Why not Thanksgiving?"

  "Thanksgiving!" shrieked Mrs. Rosscott.

  "Yes," said Aunt Mary. "I think it would be a good time, an' then I cancome and spend Christmas with you in the city."

  "Great idea!" declared her nephew; "me for Thanksgiving."

  "What do you say?" said Aunt Mary to the bride-to-be.

  "Oh, I don't see--" began the latter, wrinkling her pretty forehead in aprettier perplexity and looking helplessly back and forth between theirdouble eagerness.

  "Well, why not?" said the aunt. "It ain't as if there was any reason forwaitin'. If there was I'd be the first to be willin' to do all I could tobe patient, but as it is--even if you an' Jack ain't in any particularhurry, I am, an' I was brought up to go right to work at gettin' what youwant as soon as you know what it is."

  "But this is so sudden," wailed Mrs. Rosscott.

  Aunt Mary glanced at her sharply.

  "That's what they all say, a'cordin' to the papers," she said calmly, "an'it never is counted as anythin' but a joke."

  "But I'm not joking," Janice cried.

  "Then you jus' take a little time an' think it over," proposed the oldlady,--"I'll tell you what you can do. You can get me Lucinda because Iwant to tell her suthin' and then you and Jack can sit down together an'think it over anywhere an' anyhow you like."

  "Do you really want Lucinda," said Janice, rising to her feet, "or is itsomething that I can do? You know I'm yours just the same as ever, AuntMary. Next to being good to Jack, I want to always be good to you."

  Aunt Mary looked up with a light in her eyes that was fine to see.

  "Bless you, my child," she said heartily. "I know that, but I really wantLucinda, an' you an' Jack can take care of yourselves for a while.Leastways, I hope you can. I guess you can. I presume so, anyway."

  It was late that afternoon that Lucinda, looking as if she had beenaccidentally overtaken by a road-roller, joined Joshua in the potatocellar.

  "Well, the sky c'n fall whenever it likes now!" she said, sitting down onan empty barrel with a resigned sigh.

  "That's a comfort to know," said Joshua.

  "She's got it all made up for 'em to marry each other."

  "That ain't no great news to me," said Joshua.

  "Joshua Whittlesey, you make my blood boil. Things is goin' rackin' andruinin' at a great pace here an' you as cold as a cauliflower over itall."

  Joshua sorted potatoes phlegmatically and said nothing.

  "S'posin' I'd 'a' wanted to marry him?"

  Joshua continued to sort potatoes.

  "Or, s'posin' you wanted to marry her?"

  Joshua looked up quickly.

  "Which one?" he said.

  "Janice!"

  "Oh," he said in a relieved tone.

  "Why did you say 'oh,'--did you think I meant her?"

  "I didn't know who you meant."

  "Why, you wouldn't think o' marryin' her, would you?"

  "No," said Joshua emphatically. "I'd as soon think o' marryin' youyourself."

  Lucinda deliberated for a minute or so as to whether to accept this insultin silence or not, and finally decided to make just one more remark.

  "I wonder if she'll send any word to Arethusa 'n' Mary."

  "They'll know soon enough," said Joshua oracularly.

  "How'll they know, I'd like to know?"

  "You'll write 'em."

  Lucinda was dumb. The fact that the letter was already written only madethe serpent-tooth of Joshua's intimate knowledge cut the deeper.