Soon after he had gone, Mrs Null went up Pine Top Hill, and sat down on the rock to have a "think." "Now, then, Freddy," she said, "everything depends on you. If you don"t stand by me I am lost--that is to say, I must go away from here before Junius comes; and you know I don"t want to do that. I want to see him on my account, and on his account too; but I don"t want him crammed down my throat for a husband the moment he arrives, and that is just what will happen if you don"t do your duty, Mr Null. Even if it wasn"t for you, I don"t want to look at him from the husband point of view, because, of course, he is a very different person from what he used to be, and is a total stranger to me.
"It is actually more than twelve years since I have seen him, and besides that, he is just as good as engaged to that niece of Mr Brandon"s, who is a horrible mixture of a she-wolf and a female mule, if I am to believe Aunt Keswick, but I expect she is, truly, a very nice girl. Though, to be sure, she can"t have much spirit if she consented to break off her marriage just on account of the back-handed benediction which Aunt Keswick told me she offered her as a wedding gift. If I had wanted to marry a man I would have let the old lady curse the heels off her boots before I would have paid any attention to her. Cursing don"t hurt anybody but the curser.
"What I want of Junius is to make a friend of him, if he turns out to be the right kind of a person, and to tell him about this Mr Croft who is so anxious to find him. The only person I have met yet who seems like an ordinary Christian is old Mr Brandon, and he"s a sly one, I"m afraid.
Aunt Keswick thinks he stopped here on his way somewhere, but I don"t believe a word of it. I believe he came for reasons of his own, and went right straight back again. You are almost as much to him, Freddy, as you are to me. It would have made you laugh if you could have seen how his face lighted up when he heard we were happy together, and that I would not listen to a divorce. And yet I am sure he has promised Aunt Keswick to see what he can do about getting one. He wants me to stay here and make friends of Aunt Keswick and Junius, but he wouldn"t like that if it were not for you, Mr Null. You make everything safe for him.
"And now, Freddy, I tell you again, that all depends upon you. If I"m to stay here--and I want to do that, for a time any way, for although Aunt Keswick is so awfully queer, she"s my own aunt, and that"s more than I can say for anybody else in the world--you must stiffen up, and stand by me. It won"t do to give way for a minute. If necessary you must take tonics, and have a steel rod down your back, if you can"t keep yourself erect without it. You must have your legs padded, and your chest thrown out; and you must stand up very strong and st.u.r.dy, Freddy, and not let them push you an inch this way or that. And now that we have made up our minds on this subject, we"ll go down, for it"s getting a little cool on the top of this hill."
CHAPTER IX.
On the morning of her uncle"s departure from Midbranch, Roberta came out on the porch, and took her seat in a large wooden arm-chair, putting down her key basket on the floor beside her. The day was bright and sunny, and the shadows of two or three turkey buzzards, who were circling in the air, moved over the field in front of the house. In this field also moved, not so fast, nor so gracefully as the shadows, two ploughs, one near by, and the other at quite a distance. The woods which shut out a great part of the horizon showed many a bit of color, but the scene, although bright enough in some of its tones, was not a cheering one to Roberta; and she needed cheering.
Had it not been for the delay of her father in making his winter visit to New York, she would now be in that city, but if things had gone on as she expected they would, she would have been perfectly satisfied to remain several weeks longer at Midbranch. Junius Keswick, who had not visited the house for a long time, had come to them again; and, now that the subject of love and marriage had been set aside, it was charming to have him there as a friend. They not only walked in the woods, but they took long rides over the country, Mr Brandon having waived his objections in regard to his niece riding about with gentlemen. She had even been pleased with the unexpected return of Lawrence Croft, for, for reasons of her own, she wished very much to have a talk with him. But he had not fulfilled his promise to her, and had gone away in a very unsatisfactory manner.
This morning she felt a little lonely, too, for Junius had left the place before breakfast, and she did not know where he had gone; and her uncle had actually ridden away to see that horrible widow Keswick, merely stating that his errand was a business one, and that he would be back the next day. Roberta knew that there had been a great deal of business, particularly that of an unpleasant kind, between the two families, but she did not believe that there was any ordinary affair concerning dollars and cents which would require the presence of her uncle at the house of his old enemy. She was very much afraid that he had gone there to try to smooth up matters in regard to Junius and herself. The thought of this made her indignant. She did not know what her uncle would say, and she did not want him to say anything. He could not make the horrible old creature change her mind in regard to the marriage, and if this was not done, there was no use discussing the matter at all, and she did not wish people to think she was anxious for the match.
It was plain, however, that her uncle"s desire for it had experienced a strong revival; and the unexpected return of Lawrence Croft had probably had a great effect on him. He had not objected to the visits of that gentleman during the summer, but he had never shown any strong liking for him, and Roberta said to herself that she could not see, for her part, why this should be; Mr Croft was a thorough gentleman, an exceedingly well educated and agreeable man.
As to Junius, she was afraid that he had not the spirit which she used to think he possessed. There was something about him she could not understand. In former days, when Junius was in New York, she compared him with the young men there, very much to his advantage, but now Mr Croft seemed to throw him somewhat in the background. When Croft wanted to do anything he did it; even his failure to come to her when he said he would do so showed strength of will. If Junius had promised to come he would have come, even if he had not wanted to do so, and there would have been something weak about that.
While she thus sat thinking, and gazing over the landscape, she saw afar off, on a portion of the road which ran along-side the woods, a vehicle slowly making its way to the house. Roberta had large and beautiful eyes, but they were not of the kind which would enable her to discover at so great a distance what sort of vehicle this was, and who was in it.
As the road led nowhere but to Midbranch she was naturally desirous to know who was coming. She stepped into the hall, and, taking a small bell, rang it vigorously, and in a moment her youthful handmaiden, Peggy, appeared upon the scene. Peggy"s habit of projecting her eyes into the far away could often be turned to practical account for her vision was, in a measure, telescopic.
"What is that coming here along the road?" asked Miss Roberta, stepping upon the porch, and pointing out the distant vehicle.
Peggy stood up straight, let her arms hang close to her sides, and looked steadfastly forth. "Wot"s comin", Miss Rob," said she, "is the buggy "longin" to Mister Michaels, at de Springs, an" his ole mud-colored hoss is haulin" it. Dem dat"s in it is Mahs" Junius an"
Mister Crof"."
"Are you sure of that?" exclaimed Miss Roberta in astonishment. "Look again."
"Yaas"m," replied Peggy. "I"s sartin shuh. But dey jes gwine behin" de trees now."
The road was not again visible for some distance, but when the buggy reappeared Peggy gave a start, and exclaimed: "Dar"s on"y one pusson in it now, Miss Rob."
"Which is it?" exclaimed her mistress quickly, shading her eyes, and endeavoring to see for herself.
"It"s Mister Crof"," said Peggy. "Mahs" Junius mus" done gone back."
"It is too bad!" exclaimed Miss Roberta. "I will not see him. Peggy,"
she said, s.n.a.t.c.hing up the key basket, and stepping toward the hall door, "when that gentleman, Mr Croft, comes, you must tell him that I am up-stairs lying down, that I am not well, and cannot see him, and that your Master Robert is not at home."
"Ef Mahs" Junius come, does you want me to tell him de same thing?"
"But you said he was not in the buggy," said her mistress.
"No"m," answered Peggy, "but p"raps he done cut acrost de plough fiel", an" git h"yar fus"."
"If he comes first," said Miss Roberta, a shade of severity pervading her handsome features, "I want to see him." And with this, she went up-stairs.
Peggy, with her shoes on, possessed the stolid steadiness of a wooden grenadier, for the heaviness of the ma.s.sive boots seemed to permeate her whole being, and communicated what might be considered a slow and heavy footfall to her intellect. Peggy, without shoes, was a panther on two legs, and her mind, like her body, was capable of enormous leaps.
Slipping off her heavy brogans, she made a single bound, and stood upon the railing of the porch, and, throwing her arm around a post, gazed forth from this point of vantage.
"Bress my eberlastin" soul!" she exclaimed, "if Mister Crof ain"t got ter de road gate, and is a waitin" dar fur somebody to come open it!
Does he think anybody gwine to see him all de way from de house, and come open de gate? Reckin" he don" know dat ole mud-color hoss. He mought git out and let down de whole fence, an" dat ole hoss ud nebber move. Bress my soul moh" p"intedly! ef Mahs" Junius ain"t comin" "long ter open de gate!"
For a few moments Peggy stood and stared, her mind not capable of grasping this astounding situation. "No, he ain"t nudder!" she presently exclaimed with an air of relief. "Mahs" Junius done tole him dat ef he want dat gate open he better git down and open it hese"f. Dat"s right Mahs" Junius! Stick up to dat! Dar go Mahs" Junius into de woods an"
Mister Crof" he git out, an" go after him. Dey"s gwine to fight, sartin, shuh! Lordee! wot fur dey "low dem bushes ter grow "long de fence to keep folks from seein" wot"s gwine on!"
There was nothing now to be seen from the railing, and Peggy jumped down on the porch. Her activity seemed to pervade her being. She ran down the front steps, crossed the lawn, and mounted the stile. Here she could catch sight of the two men who seemed to be disputing. This was too much for Peggy. If there was to be a fight she wanted to see it; and, apart from her curiosity, she had a loyal interest in the event. Down the steps, and along the road she went at the top of her speed, and soon reached the gate. Her arrival was not noticed by any one except the mud-colored horse, who gazed at her inquiringly; and looking through the bars, without opening the gate, Peggy had a good view of the gentlemen.
The situation was a more simple one than Peggy had imagined. The road, for the last half mile, had been an up-hill one, and Keswick, as much to stretch his own legs as to save those of the horse, had alighted to walk, while Lawrence, as in duty bound, had waited for him at the gate.
Here a little argument had arisen. Keswick, who did not wish to be at the house, or indeed about the place while Roberta was having her conference with Mr Croft, had said that he had concluded not to go up to the house at present, but would take a walk through the woods instead. Lawrence, who thought he divined his reason, felt an honorable indisposition to accept this advantage at the hands of a man who was, most indisputably, his rival. If they went together it would not appear as if he had waited for Keswick"s absence to return; and there would still be no reason why he should not have his private walk and talk with Miss March.
At all events, it seemed to him unfair to leave Keswick at the gate while he went up to the house by himself, and the notion of it did not please him at all. Keswick, however, was very resolute in his opposition. He objected even to seeing Roberta and Croft together. He thought, besides, if he and Croft came to the house at the same time it would appear very much as if he, Junius, had brought the other, and this was an appearance he wished very much to avoid. He had walked away, and Lawrence had jumped from the buggy to continue the friendly argument which was not finished when Peggy arrived. Almost immediately after this event Keswick positively insisted that he would go for a walk, and Lawrence reluctantly turned toward the vehicle.
Peggy"s mind was filled with horror. Master Junius had been frightened away, and the other man was coming up to the house! She could not stand there and allow such a catastrophe. Jerking open the gate, she rushed into the road and confronted Keswick.
"Mahs" Junius," she exclaimed, "Miss Rob"s orful sick wid her back an"
her j"ints, an" she say she can"t see no k.u.mp"ny folks, an" Mahs" Robert he done gone away to see ole Miss Keswick. I jes run down h"yar to tell you to hurry up."
Keswick started. "Where did you say your Master Robert had gone?"
"To ole Miss Keswick"s. He went dis mawnin"."
Junius turned slightly pale, and addressing Mr Croft, said: "Something very strange must have happened here! Miss March is ill, and Mr Brandon has gone to a place to which I think nothing but a matter of the utmost importance could take him."
"In that case," said Mr Croft, "it will be highly improper for me to go to the house just now. I am very glad that I heard the news before I got there. I will return to the Springs, and will call to-morrow and inquire after Miss March"s health. Do not let me detain you as your presence is evidently much needed at the house."
"Thank you," said Keswick, hurriedly shaking hands with him. "I am afraid something very unexpected has happened, and so beg you will excuse me. Good-morning." And pa.s.sing through the gateway, he rapidly strode toward the house, while Lawrence prepared to turn his horse"s head toward the Springs.
But, although Junius Keswick walked rapidly, Peggy, who had started first for the house, kept well in advance of him. Away she went, skipping, running, dancing. Once she stopped and turned, and saw that the buggy, with the mud-colored horse, was being driven away, and that Master Junius was coming along the road to the house. Then she started off, and ran steadily, the rapid show of the light-colored soles of her feet behind her suggestive of a steamer"s wake. Up the broad stile she went, two steps at a time, and down the other side in a couple of jumps; a dozen skips took her across the lawn; and she bounded up to the porch as if each wooden step had been a springing board. She rushed up-stairs, and stood at the open door of Miss Roberta"s room where that lady reclined upon a lounge.
"Hi", Miss Rob!" she exclaimed, involuntarily snapping her fingers as she spoke. "Mahs" Junius comin", all by hese"f, an" I done sent de udder gemman clean off, kitin"!"
CHAPTER X.
Junius Keswick was received by Miss Roberta in the parlor. Her face was colder and sterner than he had ever seen it before, and his countenance was very much troubled. Each wished to speak first, and ask questions, but the lady went immediately to the front.
"How did it happen that you and Mr Croft were coming here together?
Where had you been?"