"I thought of that. But I called on three other leaders of Mother"s party--"
"Yours and your mother"s, you mean?"
"Yes, of course. I called on three of our leaders. Two of them were in and I talked with them. I could learn nothing from either about the election. They would not discuss it, except to say that everything would be all right. They behaved so oddly and were so embarra.s.sed. It was perfectly obvious that they wanted to get rid of me. I can"t understand it."
"There"s lots of things we can"t understand in this world. Don"t fret your mother about it."
"I shan"t, of course. But what is troubling you, Daddy? Something, I know."
"Look that way, do I? My looks don"t belie me, then. See here, Gertie, I"m stumped. I"ve been goin" over back bills and the bankbook and the checkbook and--and--well, I"m on my beam ends, that"s where I am."
"Why? Don"t the books balance?"
"They balance all right. That"s what"s kicked me over. If they"re true--course they can"t be, but IF they are--we"ve spent close to five thousand dollars since we made this town."
"Indeed! Well?"
"WELL! Five thousand dollars! I"m sayin" five THOUSAND; do you understand?"
"I understand. I"m not surprised. Living as we do, and moving in the--in the best society as we have, the expense is large, naturally. You must expect that."
"Expect! Gertie Baker Dott, STOP talkin" that way! Our income, not countin" what the store at Trumet is fetchin" in, ain"t over six thousand at the outside. Six thousand a YEAR, that is. And we"ve got rid of five thousand in a few months! We"ve got a thousand or so to live the rest of this year on. One thousand--"
"Hush, Daddy! Don"t shout and wave your arms. We shall have to use a part of the princ.i.p.al, I presume."
"Part of the prin--Oh, my soul and body! Use part of it this year, and some more next year, and some more the next, and--and--Do you know where we"ll be ten year from now? In the poorhouse, that"s where."
"Oh, I hope not as bad as that. And, besides, think what a beautiful time we shall have during those ten years. Just as beautiful as we have had so far; better, no doubt, for we have really only begun."
"Ger-tie DOTT!"
"Just think of it, Daddy. We have only begun."
"I--I won"t think of it! I"ll stop it, that"s what I"ll do!"
Gertrude smilingly shook her head.
"Oh, no, you won"t, Daddy," she said. "You never stop anything."
She turned to go. Captain Dan sat, speechless in his chair, staring at the bills, the figures, the checkbook, and the prospect of the poorhouse. Then he felt her hand upon his shoulder.
"Never mind, Daddy, dear," she said softly. "I wouldn"t worry any more, if I were you. I think--I am beginning to hope that YOUR worries are almost over."
She kissed him and hurried out before he could collect his senses sufficiently to ask what she meant. He did ask her at their next meeting, but she only smiled and would not tell him.
The next morning Serena"s first remark was concerning the election, which was to take place that evening. All that day she spoke of little else, and when the evening came she insisted upon Gertrude"s leaving for the hall immediately after dinner. Laban went with her as escort, Mr.
Hungerford"s former enviable duty, and one which that gentleman had appeared to enjoy more than did its present occupant, who grumbled at missing his "after supper" smoke. Laban returned early. Gertrude did not.
It was after ten when the young lady appeared. She was very grave when her father met her in the hall.
"How is Mother?" she asked. "Asleep, I hope."
Daniel nodded. "Yes," he said, "she"s asleep, for a wonder. She vowed and declared she was goin" to stay awake until you came, but I read out loud to her and she dropped off while I was doin" it."
"Then don"t wake her, for the world. Tell her I have returned, that I am tired and have gone to bed, and will give her the news in the morning."
"That won"t do. She"ll want to know to-night. What is the news? Can"t you leave some message? She won"t rest if you don"t."
Gertrude pondered. "Tell her," she began slowly, "tell her Mrs. Black is elected. That is all to-night. Perhaps she will take--other things for granted."
But when morning, very early morning, came, Captain Dan summoned his daughter from her room.
"She"s wide awake, Gertie," he said, "and she wants to know it all.
You"d better come and tell her."
But Gertrude had been thinking. "I think you had better tell her first, Daddy," she said. "I think it may be wiser for you to tell her. Things were said and done at that election which she must not know. They were so mean, so contemptible that she ought never to know. If I am not there she cannot ask about them. I will tell you the result and how it came about and you can tell her. Perhaps that will be sufficient. I hope it may be. Listen, Daddy."
Daniel listened. "My soul and body!" he exclaimed, when the tale was ended. "My G.o.dfreys! and those were the folks she figgered were her friends!"
"Yes."
"And Annette Black--"
"She was the moving spirit in the whole of it, I"m certain."
"My G.o.dfreys! And she--and she--well, I guess maybe Serena"ll be willin"
to go back to Trumet NOW. She wanted to go before; "twas only loyalty to that gang that kept her from goin". She"s sick of society, and sick of politics, and sick of Scarford. She said she"d give anything to go back to the old house and be comfortable same as we used to be; she said--"
"Daddy!" Gertrude seized his arm. She was strangely excited. "Did she--did Mother really say that?" she demanded eagerly.
"Sure, she said it! Twice she told me so."
"And she meant it?"
"She acted as if she did. Course we both realized "twould be hard for you, Gertie, but--"
"Go! Go and tell her about the election. Quick! quick!" She fairly pushed him from her. "Don"t wait," she urged, "go."
Daniel was on his way when she called him back.
"I almost forgot, Daddy, dear," she said repentantly. "I was so gl--I mean--well, never mind. What I want to say is that if you think the news will be too great a shock, if you think she is not strong enough to hear it now--"
Her father interrupted. "She"s stronger than I"ve seen her for a fortnight," he declared. "And one thing"s sure, she won"t rest till she does hear it. I shall tell her, and get it over."
"Then be as gentle as you can, won"t you?"
"I"ll try. But, Gertie, what did you mean by sayin" you was so--so glad?
That was what you was goin" to say, wasn"t you? I don"t see as there"s much to be glad about."