"Yes, I think so. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
"No, indeed. Anything you like."
"Well, first, are you a Christian?"
"Not the kind you are, Mr. Starr. My parents were Christians, but I"ve never thought much about it myself because I was young and full of fun.
I have never been especially directed to religion. I go to church, and I believe the Bible,--though I don"t know much about it. I seldom read it.
But I"ll get busy now, if you like, and really study it and--try to come around your way. I know Prudence would make me do that." And he smiled again.
"Do you drink?"
"I did a little, but I promised Prudence this morning I would quit it. I never got--drunk, and I have not formed the habit. But sometimes with the boys, I drink a little. But I do not care for it, and I swore off this morning.--I smoke, too,--not cigarettes, of course. Prudence knows it, but she did not make me promise to quit that?" His voice was raised, inquiringly.
"Would you have promised, if she had asked it?" This was sheer curiosity.
"I suppose I would." He flushed a little. "I know I was pretty hard hit, and it was such a new experience that I would have promised anything she asked. But I like smoking, and--I don"t think it is wicked."
"Never mind the smoking. I only asked that question out of curiosity.
We"re not as strait-laced as we might be perhaps. The only things I would really object to, are those things that might seriously menace your happiness, yours and hers, if the time does come. But the next question,--can you pa.s.s a strict physical examination?"
"Yes, I can. I"ll go with you to your physician to-night if you like.
I"m all right physically, I know."
"Tell me about your relations with your mother when she was living."
"She has been dead four years." Jerrold spoke with some emotion. "We were great chums, though her health was always poor. I wrote her three times a week when I was away from home, and she wrote me a note every day. When I was in school, I spent all my vacations at home to be with her. And I never went abroad until after her death because she did not like the idea of my going so far from her."
"Jerrold, my boy, I do not want to seem too severe, but--tell me, has there been anything in your life, about women, that could come out and hurt Prudence later on?"
Jerrold hesitated. "Mr. Starr, I have been young, and headstrong, and impulsive. I have done some things I wish now I hadn"t. But I believe there is nothing that I could not explain to Prudence so she would understand. If I had thought beforehand of a girl like her, there are things I would not have done. But there is nothing, I think, that would really hurt, after I had a chance to talk it over with her."
"All right. If you are the man, G.o.d bless you. I don"t suppose you are worthy of Prudence, for she is a good, pure-hearted, unselfish girl,--there could be none better. But the real point is just whether you will love each other enough!--I like your coming up here like this.
I think that was very decent and manly of you. And, do you mind if I just suggest that you go a little slow with Prudence? Remember that she has been sound asleep, until this morning. I do not want her awakened too rudely."
"Neither do I," said Jerrold quickly. "Shall I go down now? The girls have invited me to stay for supper, and Prudence says I am to come back to-morrow, too. Is that all right? Remember, I"ll be going home on Monday!"
"It is all right, certainly. Spend as much time here as you like. You will either get worse, or get cured, and--whichever it is, you"ve got to have a chance. I like you, Jerrold. Prudence judges by instinct, but it does not often fail her."
Prudence heard him running down the stairs boyishly, and when he came in, before she could speak, he whispered, "Shut your eyes tight, Prudence.
And do not scold me, for I can"t help it." Then he put his hands over hers, and kissed her on the lips. They were both breathless after that.
Prudence lifted her lashes slowly, and gazed at him seriously. It was she who spoke first.
"I was never really kissed before," she whispered, "not really."
Then they sat in silence until Fairy announced that supper was ready.
"But I won"t promise it is eatable," she a.s.sured them, laughing.
"I wish I could go to the table, too," said Prudence, looking at her father wistfully, "I could lie on the old lounge out there."
"And have your supper on a tray, of course. Can you carry her, father?"
"I can!" volunteered Jerrold promptly. "I have done it."
"I think between us we can manage. We"ll try it." And Prudence heroically endured the pain of being moved, for the sake of seeing Jerrold at the table with her parsonage family. For to her surprise, she realized that she could not bear that even a few minutes should pa.s.s, when she could not see the manly young face with the boyish mouth and the tender eyes!
Prudence, at last, was aroused from her slumber.
CHAPTER XIII
SHE ORDERS HER LIFE
"Prudence, are you going to Aunt Grace"s early in the summer, or late?"
demanded Fairy.
"Oh, let"s not talk of that now. There"s plenty of time."
"No, there isn"t. School will be out in a week, and Babbie wants to give a house party and have our little bunch at his home for a few days this summer. He wants to set the date, and I can"t tell him when because I do not know when you are going to auntie"s."
They sat around the breakfast table, Prudence and Fairy and their father, talking of the summer. The twins and Connie had long since excused themselves, and even now could be heard shouting gaily in the field beyond the old red barn.
Prudence looked restlessly from one to the other, when her sister insisted upon an answer.
"Why," she began, "I"ve about decided not to go to Aunt Grace"s this summer."
Fairy rapped on the table with the spoon she held in her hand. "Don"t be silly! You have to go. You"ve never had a vacation in your life, and father promised Aunt Grace on his reputation as a minister, didn"t you, papa?"
"Yes, I promised all right."
"But, papa! I do not have to go, do I? A whole month,--oh, honestly, I do not want to."
"Why don"t you? Last fall you were wild about it. Don"t you remember dreaming----"
"Oh, but that was last fall," said Prudence, smiling softly, and unconsciously she lifted one hand to where a bulky letter nestled inside her dress. "I didn"t know I was going to sprain my ankle, and be so useless. It may be two weeks yet before I can walk on it."
"What has that got to do with it?"
"Do you really prefer to stay at home, Prudence?" queried her father.
"The whole summer?"
Prudence blushed most gloriously. "Oh, well," she began slowly. Then she took the plunge recklessly. "Why, you see, father, Jerry lives with his aunt in Des Moines,--he told you that, didn"t he? And they have quite a big house, and--he wants to take me and the twinnies to Des Moines in the car for a week or ten days. And Fairy will take care of you and Connie. And--if I can do that--I do not want any more vacation. I couldn"t bear to stay at auntie"s a whole month, away from you and the parsonage." She felt very guilty, for she did not add, as she was thinking, "Besides, Jerry is coming every two weeks, and if I were away, we would miss a visit!"
Fairy laughed in an irritating, suggestive way, but Mr. Starr only nodded.
"I am sure you will not mind that, will you father? His aunt must be a perfectly good and nice woman, and--such a long drive in the auto, and--to see all over Des Moines." But Prudence paused guiltily, for she did not add, "With Jerry!" although the words were singing in her heart.