Jeff had to rise and sit down on a shelf of rock to escape some of Bounce"s overwhelming affection. Presently Bounce"s owner appeared, and went through something of a similar performance--humanised, however, and with more of dignity.
"I can"t tell "ee how glad I am to see you again, Jeff," said Bowers, sitting down beside him, and grasping his hand. "But oh, man, how thin--"
The huge coastguardsman choked at this point, as Wilson had done before him; but, being more ready of resource, he turned it into a cough, and declared, sternly, that night-work must have given him a cold, or "suthin" o" that sort." After which he made a great demonstration of clearing his throat and blowing his nose.
"But you"ll soon be yours--at least, somethin" like your old self, before long, Jeff. The doctor told us that, the last time he was at the station."
"If G.o.d wills," returned Jeff, softly; "I am in His hands, and willing to be what He chooses. You remember, David, the talk we once had about Miss Millet"s argument, that G.o.d brings good out of evil. I didn"t believe it then; I believe it now. I"ve bin to school since I last saw you, David, and I"ve learned a good lesson, for I can say from my heart it has been good for me that I was afflicted."
Bowers did not reply, but looked at his friend with an expression of puzzled surprise.
"Yes," continued Jeff, with rising enthusiasm; "I have lost my health-- the doctor thinks permanently. I"ve lost the strength that I used to be so proud of, and with it the hope of being able to make a living in any active line of life; and I"ve lost much more besides. But what I have found in my Saviour far more than makes up for it all."
In the "much more besides," poor Jeff mentally referred to his loss of all hope of ever gaining the hand of Rose Millet; for if his chance seemed small before, how immeasurably was it reduced now that his health was shattered, and his power even of supporting himself gone. No; he felt that that door was closed--that he must avoid the girl as much as possible in future; and, above all, be particularly careful not to fall in love with her. Of course, it was only a pa.s.sing fancy as yet, and, like fruit, would never ripen unless the sun shone. He would avoid the sunshine! Meanwhile, of all these rapidly fleeting thoughts, he said never a word to his friend David Bowers, but after a little more conversation, begged him also to go away and let him rest.
All very good, friend Jeff; but what if the sun should shine in spite of you?
Just about that time, in the course of his eager and somewhat erratic wanderings among solicitors and other men of business, Captain Millet made a sudden pause, and, by way of taking breath, rushed down to Folkestone, brought Rose up to Cranby, hired a dog-cart, and drove along the sands at low tide, in the direction of his sister"s cottage.
"I think it probable that you may see him today, Rosebud," he said, "though I"m not quite sure, for the doctor is afraid of a relapse, and friends are not yet allowed to visit him. To be sure bein" only a little girl, you probably wouldn"t disturb him at all--"specially if you didn"t speak. Anyhow, you"ll see auntie, which will be more to the purpose."
"Father," said Rose, whose name seemed remarkably appropriate at that moment, "I should like to get down here, and walk the rest of the way.
By the time I arrive, you"ll have had a little talk with poor Jeff and auntie. Besides, there is a pretty cave that I used to gather sh.e.l.ls in when I was last here. I would like so much to pay it a visit in pa.s.sing."
Of course the captain had no objection, and thus it came to pa.s.s that Jeff"s fourth visitor on that unquiet morning was the Rosebud!
How feeble are written words to convey ideas at times! If you could have obtained one glance of Rose and Jeff at that moment, reader, words would not be required. No peony ever blushed like that Rose--to say nothing of the blank amazement in those wide blue eyes. Jeff, still seated on the rock, became petrified.
Recovering first, as women always do, Rose hurried forward with--"I"m _so_ glad, Mr ---," but there she stopped abruptly, for the unexpected sight of that stalwart coastguardsman, reduced to a big skeleton with pale face, hollow cheeks, cavernous eyes, and an old-man stoop, was too much for her. She covered her face with her hands and burst into tears.
What could Jeff do? He forgot his prudent resolves. He forgot his weakness because his strength seemed to have suddenly returned. He sprang up, intending to comfort the poor girl in a brotherly sort of way. Somehow--he never could clearly remember how--he had her seated on the rock beside him, with his arm round her waist and her head on his shoulder.
A few moments later--he never could tell how many--the wickedness of his conduct came down upon Jeff like a thunderbolt. He removed his arm, drew away from her about three inches, and looked in her surprised face with a solemn, self-condemned expression.
"Forgive me, Rose," he said, in the deep, hollow voice which had become natural to him since his illness began; "my love for you proved too strong to be restrained just now: but believe me, I had fully made up my mind never to open my lips to you on the subject; for what right have I, a helpless, and, I fear, hopeless, invalid, to dare to aspire--"
There must have been something peculiar in the very slight, almost pathetic, smile which overspread the tearful face of Rose at that moment: for the arm was suddenly replaced, the three inches were reduced to nothing, the fair head again rested on the once stalwart shoulder, and thus they remained until the cavern was filled with the sounds:--
"Hi! Ho! Hallo! Rose--Rosebud ahoy! That girl would worry any man to death! Where are you? Hi! Ship ahoy! Hallo-o-o!"
We need scarcely remark that Rose did not wait for the last stentorian halloo! Bounding from her lover"s side, she ran to meet her father--red at first and then pale--exclaiming, "Oh! father I"ve found him!"
"Found who, child?"
"Jeff--I mean Mister--"
"Not dead?" exclaimed the Captain, interrupting with awful solemnity.
He was answered by the invalid himself coming out of the cavern, and wishing him good-morning with a confused and guilty air.
"Well now," said Captain Millet after a moment"s pause, while he glanced from the one to the other, "this beats the polar regions all to sticks and stivers. Rose, my dear, you go round the p"int, an" wait by the dog-cart till I come to "ee."
"So, young man," he said, turning sternly to Jeff, "you"ve bin cruisin"
after my little girl without leave."
"I am guilty, Captain Millet," said Jeff humbly, "but not intentionally so. Long ago, when I learned that there was no hope of recovering my old strength, I had determined to give up all thoughts of dear Rose; but I was taken by surprise this morning--was off my guard--and, I confess, wickedly took advantage of my opportunity to tell her how dearly I loved her. Yet it was done under a sudden, irresistible impulse. I do not excuse myself. I would give worlds to undo the evil I may have done.
But after all it _may_ be undone. Rose may have mistaken her extreme sympathy and pity for love. If so, she will not suffer much, or long.
Indeed, now I think of it, she won"t suffer at all, except regret at having been led to raise false hopes in my breast."
The mere thought of this was so depressing, that Jeff, who was already almost worn out with excitement, leaned heavily on his stick for support.
"Jeff," returned the captain severely, "how could you do it?"
"I hardly know," rejoined Jeff, feeling something of the old Adam rising in his breast; "but my intentions were honourable, whatever my conduct may have been under impulse and strong temptation. Perhaps I might appeal to your own experience. Have you never done that which you did not mean to under the power of impulse?"
"You"ve hit me there, boy, below the water-line," said the captain, relaxing a little: "for I not only put the question to my old woman without leave, but carried her off with flyin" colours against orders; but it came all right at last, though I didn"t deserve it. However, Jeff, you"ve no need to look so blue. My little girl has raised no false hopes in your breast. Moreover, let me tell you, for your comfort, that I saw the doctor this morning, and he says that your const.i.tution is so strong that you"re in a fair way to pull through in spite of him, and that you"ll be fit for good service yet--though not exactly what you were before. So, keep up your heart, Jeff! Never say die, and you shall wed my Rosebud yet, as sure as my name"s d.i.c.k Millet."
There was need for these words of comfort, for the poor youth was obliged to sit down on the sand for a few minutes to recover strength.
"I"ve had a pretty stiff morning altogether, captain," he said apologetically; "but I"m thankful--very thankful--for the succession of events that have brought me to this happy hour."
"And yet, Jeff," said the captain, sitting down beside him, "you and I thought these events--the wreck, and the loss of employment, and the overturning o" the lifeboat, and the thump on the ribs, and the long illness--nothing but misfortunes and full of evil _at first_. There,-- I"m not goin" to draw no moral. I never was good at that. Come, now, if you"ve rested enough, we"ll up anchor and away. I"ve got a dog-cart beatin" off an" on round the p"int there, an" my Rosebud will be gettin"
impatient."
This was true--Rose was becoming not only impatient but anxious. When, however, she saw her father and lover approach, all her anxieties vanished.
CHAPTER EIGHT.
CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER.
The wonder-working power of Time is proverbial. Behold Jeffrey Benson once again, looking like his old self, at the hospitable board of Miss Millet. It is an occasion of importance. Opposite to her sits her brother. Jeff is on her right hand. On the left sits Rose--prettier, brighter, and more womanly than ever. A gold circlet on one of the fingers of her left hand proclaims a great fact. A happy smile on her face proves that her confidence has not been misplaced.
Jeff is nearly as stout and strong as he ever was; of his severe illness scarcely a trace remains. The doctor does not know what it was, and it is not to be expected that we should know. Sufficient for us to state the fact that it is gone.
But our hero is not now a coastguardsman. Listen, and the captain will explain why.
"Molly, my dear, another cup of your superb tea, to web my whistle before I begin. It ought to be good, for I know the man that grew it, and the firm through which it came. Well, now, both you and Rosebud will nat"rally want to know about the situation which I"ve obtained for Jeff. You"ll be surprised to hear that he is now Secretary of State to King Richard Longpurse."
"In other words," interrupted Jeff, with a laugh, "your brother thinks--"
"If _you_ think, sir," interrupted the captain in his turn, "that King Richard cannot explain matters in his own words, you had better say so at once, and I will abdicate in your favour."
"Go on, sire--I submit," said Jeff.
"Well then, Molly, I was about to say, when my secretary interrupted me, that he and I have at last come to an agreement. After much explanation, I have got him to understand that a king cannot possibly manage all his own affairs with his own hands, and that I am forced to have a secretary, who can at least do the `three R"s" pretty well. You see, although my edication has not been neglected, it still remains a fact that I can"t read without specs, that in cipherin" I am slow--slow, though sure--and that in the matter of penmanship I am neither swift nor legible. Therefore, seein" that in such things I don"t differ much from other kings and great men, Jeff has generously consented to refuse the lucrative sitooation under Goverment, with nothin" partik"lar to do, which has been offered to him, and to accept the secretary of state-ship, now at the disposal of King Richard, who will give him at least as good a salary as Government, and at the same time keep his nose closer to the grindstone."