It was some time-a very long time indeed-before any light stole in upon his Stygian darkness, and then, when the light did come, it came in skyrocket guise, and had its share of cons attached to its very evident pros.
"But I don"t care," he declared viciously, as he rose and began to undress; "something"s got to be done,-some chances have got to be taken,-as well that as anything else. Perhaps better-very likely better."
Then he laughed over his unconscious imitation of his aunt"s phraseology, and made short work of finishing his disrobing and getting to bed.
It was when Lucinda crept forth to begin to unlock the house at 6.30 upon the morning after, that the fact of the nephew"s arrival was first known to anyone except Janice.
Lucinda saw the coat and hat,-recognized the initial on the handkerchief in the inside pocket, threw out her arms and gave a faint squeak in utter bewilderment, and then tore off at once to the barn to tell Joshua.
She found Joshua milking the cow.
"What do you think!" she panted briefly, with wide-open eyes and uplifted hands; "Joshua Whittlesey, what do you think?"
"I don"t think nothin"," said Joshua. "I"m milkin"."
"What would you say if I told you as he was come."
"I"d say he was here."
"Well, he is. He must "a" come last night, an" Lord only knows how he ever got in, for nothing was left open an" yet he"s there."
Joshua made no comment.
"I wonder what he came for?"
Joshua made no comment.
"I wonder how long he"ll stay?"
Still Joshua made no comment.
"Joshua Whittlesey, before you get your breakfast, you"re the meanest man I ever saw, and I"ll swear to that anywhere."
"Why don"t you get me my breakfast then?" said Joshua calmly; and the effect of his speech and his demeanor was to cause Lucinda to turn and leave him at once-too outraged to address another word to him.
Aunt Mary herself did not awake until ten o"clock. She rang her bell vigorously then and Janice flew to its answering.
"I dreamed of Jack," said the old lady, looking up with a smile. "I dreamed we was each ridin" on camels in a merry-go-round."
Janice smiled too, and then set briskly to work to put the room in order and arrange its occupant for the day.
"Did there come any mail?" Aunt Mary inquired, when her coiffure was made and her dressing-gown adjusted. "I feel jus" like I might hear from Jack.
Seems as if I sort of can"t think of anythin" but him."
"I"ll go and see," said Janice pleasantly, and she went to the dining room where the Reformed Prodigal sat reading the newspaper with his feet on the table-an action which convinced Lucinda that he had not reformed so very much after all.
"Suppose you go to her-instead of me," suggested the maid, pausing before the reader and usurping all the attention to which the paper should have laid claim.
"Suppose I do," said Jack, jumping up, "and suppose you stay away and let me try what I can accomplish single-handed."
"Only-" began Janice-and then she stopped and lifted a warning finger.
Jack listened and a stealthy creak betrayed Lucinda"s proximity somewhere in the vicinity.
It was plain to be seen that there were many issues to be kept in mind, and the young man grit his teeth because he didn"t dare embrace his betrothed, and then walked away in the direction of Aunt Mary"s room.
If she was glad to see him! One would have supposed that ten years and two oceans had elapsed since their last meeting the month before.
She fairly screamed with joy.
"Jack!-You dear, dear, dear boy! Well, if I ever did!-When did you come?"
He was by the bed hugging her. "And how are they all? How is the city? Oh, Jack, if I could only go back with you this time!"
"Never mind, Aunt Mary; you"ll be coming soon-in the spring, you know."
Aunt Mary sank back on the pillows.
"Jack," she said, "if I have to wait for spring, I shall die. I ain"t strong enough to be able to bear livin" in the country much longer. I"ve pretty much made up my mind to buy a house in town and just keep this place so"s to have somewhere to put Lucinda."
"Do you think you"d be happy in town, Aunt Mary?" Jack yelled; "I mean if you lived there right along?"
"I don"t see how I could be anythin" else. I don"t see how anyone could be anythin" else. I want a nice house with a criss-cross iron gate in front of it an" an automobile. An"-I don"t want you to say nothin" about this to her jus" yet-but I"m goin" to keep Granite to look after everythin" for me. I don"t ever mean to let Granite go again. Never. Not for one hour."
Jack smiled. He felt as if Fate was playing into his hands.
"I want you to live with me," Aunt Mary continued, "an" I want the house big enough so"s Clover an" Mitch.e.l.l an" Burnett can come whenever they feel like it and stay as long as they like. I don"t want any house except for us all together. Oh, my! Seems like I can"t hardly wait!"
She leaned back and shut her eyes in a sort of impatient ecstasy of joys been and to be.
Jack reached forward to get a cigarette from the box on the table at the bedside.
"Do you smoke now, Aunt Mary?" he inquired, as he took a match.
"No, Granite does."
"Janice does!" he repeated, quickly knitting his brows.
"Yes, she does it for me-I"m so happy smellin" the smell. They made her a little sick at first but she took camphor and now she don"t mind. Not much-not any."
Jack arose and walked about the room. The idea of his darling sickening herself to provide smoke for Aunt Mary braced him afresh to the conflict.
"What do you do all day?" he asked, presently.
"Well, we do most everythin". When Lucinda"s out she does Lucinda for me an" when Lucinda"s in she does Joshua. It"s about as amusin" as anythin"
you ever saw to see her do Lucinda. I never found Lucinda amusin", Lord knows, but I like to see Granite do her. An" we play cards, an" she dances, an"-"
"Aunt Mary," said Jack abruptly, "do you know the people who had Janice want her back again?"