In the haste of packing up her poor and scanty wardrobe, she heard her sister"s voice saying to the clergyman: "Oh! how _could_ you send her away? You know she has no home, she has nowhere to go. How _could_ you do it?" All Lydia caught of his reply was: "Not another night, not another meal, in this house while _I_ am its master."
Presently her sister came upstairs carrying a plate of pudding.
Her eyes were red with tears, and her hands trembled. "Do eat this, my dear; some tea is coming presently," she said.
But Lydia only shook her head, strapped her little box, and, putting on her bonnet, she commanded her voice sufficiently to say: "I am going now. I"ll send for this box later."
"Where are you going to?" her sister"s voice trembled.
"I--don"t know," said the girl. "But wherever I do go, it will be a kindlier place than this. Good-bye, sister." She kissed the distressed wife softly on each cheek, then paused at the bedroom door to say, "The man I am to marry loves me, honors me too much to treat me as a mere possession. I know that _he_ will never tell me he is "master." George Mansion may have savage blood in his veins, but he has grasped the meaning of the word "Christianity" far more fully than your husband has."
Her sister could not reply, but stood with streaming eyes and watched the girl slip down the back stairs and out of a side door.
For a moment Lydia Bestman stood on the pavement and glanced up and down the street. The city was what was known as a garrison town in the days when the British regular troops were quartered in Canada.
Far down the street two gay young officers were walking, their brilliant uniforms making a pleasant splash of color in the sunlight. They seemed to suggest to the girl"s mind a more than welcome thought. She knew the major"s wife well, a gracious, whole-souled English lady whose kindness had oftentimes brightened her otherwise colorless life. Instinctively the girl turned to the quarters of the married officers. She found the major"s wife at home, and, burying her drawn little face in the good lady"s lap, she poured forth her entire story.
"My dear," blazed out the usually placid lady, "if I were only the major for a few moments, instead of his wife, I should--I should--well, I should just _swear_! There, now I"ve said it, and I"d _do_ it, too. Why, I never heard of such an outrage! My dear, kiss me, and tell me--when, how, do you expect your young chief to come for you?"
"Next week," said the girl, from the depths of those sheltering arms.
"Then here you stay, right here with me. The major and I shall go to the church with you, see you safely married, bring you and your Hiawatha home for a cosy little breakfast, put you aboard the boat for Toronto, and give you both our blessing and our love." And the major"s wife nodded her head with such emphasis that her quaint English curls bobbed about, setting Lydia off into a fit of laughter. "That"s right, my dear. You just begin to laugh now, and keep it up for all the days to come. I"ll warrant you"ve had little of laughter in your young life," she said knowingly. "From what I"ve known of your father, he never ordered laughter as a daily ingredient in his children"s food. Then that sweet Elizabeth leaving you alone, so terribly alone, must have chased the sunshine far from your little world. But after this," she added brightly, "it"s just going to be love and laughter. And now, my dear, we must get back the rosy English color in your cheeks, or your young Hiawatha won"t know his little white sweetheart. Run away to my spare room, girlie. The orderly will get a man to fetch your box.
Then you can change your frock. Leave yesterday behind you forever.
Have a little rest; you look as if you had not slept for a week.
Then join the major and me at dinner, and we"ll toast you and your redskin lover in true garrison style."
And Lydia, with the glorious recuperation of youth, ran joyously upstairs, smiling and singing like a lark, transformed with the first unadulterated happiness she had ever felt or known.
PART III.
Upon George Mansion"s arrival at the garrison town he had been met on the wharf by the major, who took him to the hotel, while hurriedly explaining just why he must not go near Lydia"s sister and the clergyman whom George had expected would perform the marriage ceremony. "So," continued the major, "you and Lydia are not to be married at the cathedral after all, but Mrs. Harold and I have arranged that the ceremony shall take place at little St. Swithin"s Church in the West End. So you"ll be there at eleven o"clock, eh, boy?"
"Yes, major, I"ll be there, and before eleven, I"m afraid, I"m so anxious to take her home. I shall not endeavour to thank you and Mrs. Harold for what you have done for my homeless girl. I can"t even--"
"Tut, tut, tut!" growled the major. "Haven"t done anything. Bless my soul, Chief, take my word for it, haven"t done a thing to be thanked for. Here"s your hotel. Get some coffee to brace your nerves up with, for I can a.s.sure you, boy, a wedding is a trying ordeal, even if there is but a handful of folks to see it through.
Be a good boy, now--good-bye until eleven--St. Swithin"s, remember, and G.o.d bless you!" and the big-hearted, bl.u.s.tering major was whisked away in his carriage, leaving the young Indian half overwhelmed with his kindness, but as happy as the golden day.
An hour or so later he stood at the hotel door a moment awaiting the cab that was to take him to the church. He was dressed in the height of the fashion of the early fifties--very dark wine broadcloth, the coat shaped tightly to the waist and adorned with a silk velvet collar, a pale lavender, flowered satin waistcoat, a dull white silk stock collar, a bell-shaped black silk hat. He carried his gloves, for throughout his entire life he declared he breathed through his hands, and the wearing of gloves was abhorrent to him. Suddenly a gentleman accosted him with:
"I hear an Indian chief is in town. Going to be married here this morning. Where is the ceremony to take place? Do you know anything of it?"
Like all his race, George Mansion had a subtle sense of humor. It seized upon him now.
"Certainly I know," he replied. "I happened to come down on the boat with the chief. I intend to go to the wedding myself. I understand the ceremony was arranged to be at the cathedral."
"Splendid!" said the gentleman. "And thank you, sir."
Just then the cab arrived. Young Mansion stepped hastily in, nodded good-bye to his acquaintance, and smilingly said in an undertone to the driver, "St. Swithin"s Church--and quickly."
"With this ring I thee wed," he found himself saying to a little figure in a soft grey gown at his side, while a gentle-faced old clergyman in a snowy surplice stood before him, and a square-shouldered, soldierly person in a brilliant uniform almost hugged his elbow.
"I p.r.o.nounce you man and wife." At the words she turned towards her husband like a carrier pigeon winging for home. Then somehow the solemnity all disappeared. The major, the major"s wife, two handsome young officers, one girl friend, the clergyman, the clergyman"s wife, were all embracing her, and she was dimpling with laughter and happiness; and George Mansion stood proudly by, his fine dark face eager, tender and very n.o.ble.
"My dear," whispered the major"s wife, "he"s a perfect prince--he"s just as royal as he can be! I never saw such manners, such ease.
Why, girlie, he"s a courtier!"
"Confound the young rogue!" growled the major, in her ear. "I haven"t an officer on my staff that can equal him. You"re a lucky girl. Yes, confound him, I say!"
"Bless you, child," said the clergyman"s wife. "I think he"ll make you happy. Be very sure that you make _him_ happy."
And to all these whole-hearted wishes and comments, Lydia replied with smiles and care-free words. Then came the major, watch in hand, military precision and prompt.i.tude in his very tone.
"Time"s up, everybody! There"s a bite to eat at the barracks, then these youngsters must be gone. The boat is due at one o"clock--time"s up."
As the little party drove past the cathedral they observed a huge crowd outside, waiting for the doors to be opened. Lydia laughed like a child as George told her of his duplicity of the morning, when he had misled the inquiring stranger into thinking the Indian chief was to be married there. The little tale furnished fun for all at the pretty breakfast in the major"s quarters.
"Nice way to begin your wedding morning, young man!" scowled the major, fiercely. "Starting this great day with a network of falsehoods."
"Not at all," smiled the Indian. "It was arranged for the cathedral, and I did attend the ceremony."
"No excuses, you bare-faced scoundrel! I won"t listen to them. Here you are happily married and all those poor would-be sight-seers sizzling out there in this glaring August sun. I"m ashamed of you!"
But his arm was about George"s shoulders, and he was wringing the dark, slender hand with a genuine good fellowship that was pleasant to see. "Bless my soul, I love you, boy!" he added, sincerely.
"Love you through and through; and remember, I"m your white father from this day forth."
"And I am your white mother," said the major"s wife, placing her hands on his shoulders.
For a second the bridegroom"s face sobered. Before him flashed a picture of a little old Indian woman with a broadcloth folded about her shoulders, a small carven pipe between her lips, a world of sorrow in her deep eyes--sorrow that he had brought there. He bent suddenly and kissed Mrs. Harold"s fingers with a grave and courtly deference. "Thank you," he said simply.
But motherlike, she knew that his heart was bleeding. Lydia had told of his parents" antagonism, of the lost Mansion t.i.tle. So the good lady just gave his hand a little extra, understanding squeeze, and the good-byes began.
"Be off with you, youngsters!" growled the major. "The boat is in--post haste now, or you"ll miss it. Begone, both of you!"
And presently they found themselves once more in the carriage, the horses galloping down to the wharf. And almost before they realized it they were aboard, with the hearty "G.o.d bless you"s" of the splendid old major and his lovable wife still echoing in their happy young hearts.
It was evening, five days later, when they arrived at their new home. All about the hills, and the woods, above the winding river, and along the edge of the distant forest, brooded that purple smokiness that haunts the late days of August--the smokiness that was born of distant fires, where the Indians and pioneers were "clearing" their lands. The air was like amethyst, the setting sun a fire opal. As on the day when she first had come into his life, George helped her to alight from the carriage, and they stood a moment, hand in hand, and looked over the ample acres that composed their estate. The young Indian had worked hard to have most of the land cleared, leaving here and there vast stretches of walnut groves, and long lines of majestic elms, groups of st.u.r.dy oaks, and occasionally a single regal pine tree. Many a time in later years his utilitarian friends would say, "Chief, these trees you are preserving so jealously are eating up a great deal of your land.
Why not cut away and grow wheat?" But he would always resent the suggestion, saying that his wheat lands lay back from the river.
They were for his body, doubtless, but here, by the river, the trees must be--they were for his soul. And Lydia would champion him immediately with, "Yes, they were there to welcome me as a bride, those grand old trees, and they will remain there, I think, as long as we both shall live." So, that first evening at home they stood and watched the imperial trees, the long, open flats bordering the river, the nearby lawns which he had taken such pains to woo from the wilderness; stood palm to palm, and that moment seemed to govern all their after life.
Someone has said that never in the history of the world have two people been perfectly mated. However true this may be, it is an undeniable fact that between the most devoted of life-mates there will come inharmonious moments. Individuality would cease to exist were it not so.
These two lived together for upwards of thirty years, and never had one single quarrel, but oddly enough, when the rare inharmonious moments came, these groups of trees bridged the fleeting difference of opinion or any slight antagonism of will and purpose; when these unresponsive moments came, one or the other would begin to admire those forest giants, to suggest improvements, to repeat the admiration of others for their graceful outlines--to, in fact, direct thought and conversation into the common channel of love for those trees. This peculiarity was noticeable to outsiders, to their own circle, to their children. At mere mention of the trees the shadow of coming cloud would lessen, then waste, then grow invisible. Their mutual love for these voiceless yet voiceful and kingly creations was as the love of children for a flower--simple, nameless, beautiful and powerful beyond words.
That first home night, as she stepped within doors, there awaited two inexpressible surprises for her. First, on the dining-room table a silver tea service of seven pieces, imported from England--his wedding gift to her. Second, in the quaint little drawing-room stood a piano. In the "early fifties" this latter was indeed a luxury, even in city homes. She uttered a little cry of delight, and flinging herself before the instrument, ran her fingers over the keys, and broke into his favorite song, "Oft in the Stilly Night." She had a beautiful voice, the possession of which would have made her renowned had opportunity afforded its cultivation. She had "picked up" music and read it remarkably well, and he, Indian wise, was pa.s.sionately fond of melody. So they laughed and loved together over this new luxurious toy, until Milly, the ancient Mohawk maid, tapped softly at the drawing-room and bade them come to tea. With that first meal in her new home, the darkened hours and days and years smothered their haunting voices. She had "left yesterday behind her," as the major"s royal wife had wished her to, and for the first time in all her checkered and neglected life she laughed with the gladness of a bird at song, flung her past behind her, and the grim unhappiness of her former life left her forever.