"No, Richard, we never forget," Mrs. Yocomb breathed softly.
"Do you think, sir, that I forget the unquestioning hospitality that brought me here? Can you think, Mrs. Yocomb, I ever forget the words you spoke to me in yonder parlor on the evening of my arrival? or that I should have died but for your devoted and merciful care? This day, with its hopes, teaches me how immeasurable would have been my loss, for my prospects then were not bright for either world. Rest a.s.sured, dear friends, I have my memories too. The service I rendered you any man would have given, and it was my unspeakable good-fortune to be here. But the favors which I have received have been royal; they are such as I could not receive from others, because others would be incapable of bestowing them."
"You are right, Mr. Morton," Miss Warren began impetuously, her lovely eyes full of tears. "I, too, have received kindnesses that could not come from others, because others would not know how to confer them with your gentleness and mercy, Mrs. Yocomb. Oh! oh! I wish I could make you and your husband know how I thank you. I, too, never forget. But if we talk this way any more, I shall have to make a hasty retreat." "Well, I should say this _was_ a thanksgiving dinner," remarked Reuben sententiously.
Since we couldn"t cry, we all laughed, and I thanked the boy for letting us down so cleverly. The deep feeling that memories would evoke in spite of ourselves sank back into the depths of our hearts. The shadow on our faces pa.s.sed like an April cloud, and the sunshine became all the sweeter and brighter.
"If Adah were only here!" I cried. "I miss her more and more every moment, and the occasion seems wholly incomplete without her."
"Yes, dear child, I miss her too, more than I can tell you," said Mrs.
Yocomb, her eyes growing very tender and wistful. "She"s thinking of us. Doesn"t thee think she has improved? She used to read those magazines thee sent her till I had to take them away and send her to bed."
"I can"t tell you how proud I am of Adah. It was like a June day to see her fair sweet face in the city, and it would have had done your hearts good if you could have heard how she spoke of you all."
"Adah is very proud of her big brother, too, I can tell thee. She quotes thy opinions on all occasions."
"The one regret of my visit is that I shall not see her," Miss Warren said earnestly. "Mrs. Yocomb, I have those roses she gave me the day before I left you last summer, and I shall always keep them. I told Cousin Adelaide that they were given to me by the best and most beautiful girl in the world."
"G.o.d bless the girl!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr. Yocomb; "she has become a great comfort and joy to me;" and his wife smiled softly and tenderly.
"Adah is so good to me," cried Zillah, "that if Emily hadn"t come I wouldn"t have half enjoyed the day."
"What does thee think of that view of the occasion, Richard?" asked Mr.
Yocomb.
"Zillah and I always agreed well together," I said; "but I wish Adah knew how much we miss her."
"She shall know," said her mother. "I truly wish we had all of our children with us to-day; for, Richard, we have adopted thee and Emily without asking your consent. I think the lightning fused us all together."
I looked with a quick flash toward Miss Warren, but her eyes were on the mother, and they were full of a daughter"s love.
"Dear Mrs. Yocomb," I replied, in a voice not over-steady, "you know that as far as fusing was concerned I was the worst struck of you all, and this day proves that I am no longer without kindred."
But how vain the effort to reproduce the light and shade that filled the quaint, simple room! How vain the attempt to make the myriad ripples of that hour flow and sparkle again, each one of us meanwhile conscious of the depths beneath them!
CHAPTER XXI
RIPPLES ON DEEP WATER
After dinner was over, Reuben cried, "Come, Zillah, I"m going out with Dapple, and I"ll give thee a ride that"ll settle thy dinner. Emily, thee hasn"t petted Dapple to-day. Thee"s very forgetful of one of thy best friends."
"Do you know," said Miss Warren to me as we followed the boy, "Reuben sent Dapple"s love to me every time he wrote?"
"It"s just what Dapple would have done himself if he could. Did you refuse to receive it?"
"No, indeed. Why should I?"
"Oh, I"m not jealous; only I can"t help thinking that the horse had greater privileges than I."
She bit her lip, and her color deepened, but instead of answering she tripped away from me toward the barn. Dapple came prancing out, and whinnied as soon as he saw her.
"Oh, he knows thee as well as I do," said Reuben. "He thinks thee"s a jolly good girl. Thee"s kind of cut me out; but I owe thee no grudge.
See how he"ll come to thee now," and sure enough, the horse came and put his nose in her hand, where he found a lump of sugar.
"I won"t give you fine words only, Dapple," she said, and the beautiful animal"s spirited eyes grew mild and gentle as if he understood her perfectly.
"Heaven grant that she gives me more than words!" I muttered.
While Reuben was harnessing Dapple, Miss Warren entered the barn, saying:
"I feel a little remorseful over my treatment of Old Plod, and think I will go and speak to him."
"May I be present at the interview?"
"Certainly."
Either the old horse had grown duller and heavier than ever, or else was offended by her long neglect, for he paid her but little attention, and kept his head down in his manger.
"Dapple would not treat you like that, even if you hadn"t a lump of sugar in your hand."
"Dapple is peculiar," she remarked.
"Do you mean a little ill-balanced? He was certainly very precipitate on one occasion."
"Yes, but he had the grace to stop before he did any harm."
"But suppose he couldn"t stop? Did Old Plod give you any more advice?"
"Mr. Morton, you must cub your editorial habit of inquiring into everything. Am I a dragon?"
"I fear you more than all the dragons put together."
"Then you are a brave man to stay."
"Not at all. To run away would be worse than death."
"What an awful dilemma you are in! It seems to me, however, the coolest veteran in the land could not have made a better dinner while in such peril."
"I had scarcely eaten anything since yesterday morning. Moreover, I was loyally bound to compliment Mrs. Yocomb"s efforts in the only way that would have satisfied her."
"That reminds me that I ought to go and help Mrs. Yocomb clear away the vast debris of such a dinner."
"Miss Warren, I have only this afternoon and evening."
"Truly, Mr. Morton, the pathos in your tones would move a post"