Cloudy Jewel Part 36

"Be careful, Allison, some one is coming. I think it's that Mr.

Terrence."

"Dog-gone his fool hide!" muttered Allison. "I wish he'd take himself home! I certainly would like to tell _him_ where to get off. Leslie's as sick of him as I am, and as for Cloudy, she's about reached the limit."

"Why, Allison, isn't Leslie interested in him? He told Howard that they were as good as engaged."

"Leslie interested in that little cad? I should say not. If she was I'd disown her. You say he told Howard they were engaged! What a lie!

So that's what's the matter with the old boy, is it? I thought something must be the matter that he got so busy all of a sudden.

Well, I'll soon fix that! Come on up to Cloudy's porch, quick, while he's in his room. Cloudy won't mind. We'll be by ourselves there till dinner is ready!"

CHAPTER x.x.x

But matters came to a climax with Howard Letchworth before Allison had any opportunity to do any "fixing."

The next afternoon was Cla.s.s Day and there were big doings at the college. Howard kept out of the way, for it was a day on which he had counted much, and during the winter once or twice he and Leslie had talked of it as a matter of course that they would be around together.

His Cla.s.s Day had seemed then to be of so much importance to her--and now--now she was going to attend it in Clive Terrence's company!

Terrence had told him so, and there seemed no reason to doubt his word. She went everywhere with him, and he was their guest; why shouldn't she? So Howard went glumly about his duties, keeping as much as possible out of everyone's way. If he had not been a part of the order of exercises, and a moving spirit of the day, as it were, he would certainly have made up an excuse to absent himself. As it was, he meditated trying to get some one else to take his place, and was on his way to arrange it, just before the hour for the afternoon exercises to begin, when suddenly he saw, coming up the wide asphalt walk of the campus, young Terrence, and the girl who had come to be known among them as the "Freshman Vamp." His eyes hastily scanned the groups about, and searched the walk as far as he could see it, but nowhere could he discover Leslie.

With a sudden impulse he dashed over to Julia Cloud, and forgetful of his late estrangement spoke with much of his old eagerness; albeit trying his best to appear careless and matter-of-fact:

"Isn't Leslie hereabouts somewhere, Miss Cloud? I believe I promised to show her the ivy that our cla.s.s is to plant."

It was the first excuse he could think of. But Julia Cloud was full of sympathy and understanding, and only too glad to hear the old ring of friendliness in his voice. She lowered her tone and spoke confidentially:

"She wouldn't come, Howard: I don't just know what has taken her. She said she would rather stay at home----"

"Is she down there now?"

Julia Cloud nodded.

"Perhaps you----"

"I _will_!" he said, and was off like a flash. On his way down the campus he thrust some papers into a cla.s.smate's hands.

"If I don't get back in time, give those to Halsted and tell him to look out for things. I'm called away."

Never in all his running days had he run as he did that day. He made the station in four minutes where it usually took him six, and was at the Cloud Villa in two more, all out of breath but radiant. Something jubilant had been let loose in his heart by the smile in Julia Cloud's eyes, utterly unreasonable, of course, but still it had come, and he was entertaining it royally. It was rather disheartening to find the front door locked and only Cherry to respond to his knock.

"Isn't Miss Leslie here?" he asked, a blank look coming into his eyes as Cherry appeared.

"Miss Leslie done jes' skittered acrost de back yahd wid a paddle in her han'. I reck.u.m she's gone to de crick. Miss Jewel, she'll be powerful upset ef she comes back an' finds out. She don't like Miss Leslie go down to them canoes all by her lonesome."

"That's all right, Cherry," said Howard, cheering up; "I'll go down and find her. Got an extra paddle anywhere, or did she take them both?"

"No, sir, she only took de one. Here's t'other. I reck.u.m she'll be right glad to see yeh, Mas'r Howard. We-all hes missed you mighty powerful lot. That there little fish-eyed lady-man wot is visitin' us ain't no kind of substoote 'tall fer you----"

Howard beamed on her silently and was off like a shot, forgetful of the chimes on the clock of the college, which were now striking the hour at which he was to have led the procession down the ivy walk to the scene of festivities.

Over two fences, across lots, down a steep, rocky hill, and he was at the little landing where the Cloud canoe usually anch.o.r.ed. But Leslie and her boat were gone. No glimpse of bright hair either up or down stream gave hint of which she had taken, no ripple in the water even to show where she had pa.s.sed. But he knew pretty well her favorite haunts up-stream where the hemlocks bowed and bent to the water, and made dark shadows under which to slip. The silence and the beauty called her as they had always called him. He was sure he would find her there rather than down-stream where the crowds of inn people played around, and the tennis courts overflowed into canoes and dawdled about with ukeleles and cameras. He looked about for a means of transport. There was only one canoe, well-chained to its rest. He examined the padlock for a moment, then put forth his strong young arm and jerked up the rest from its firm setting in the earth. It was the work of a second to shoot the boat into the water, fling the chains, boat-rest and all into the bow, and spring after. Long, strong, steady strokes, and he shot out into the stream and away up beyond the willows; around the turn where the chestnut grove bloomed in good promise for the autumn; beyond the railroad bridge and the rocks; past the first dipping hemlocks; around the curve; below the old camp where they had had so many delightful picnics and watched the sunset from the rocks; and on, up above the rapids. The current was swift to-day.

He wondered if Leslie had been able to pa.s.s them all alone, yet somehow he felt she had and he would find her up in the quiet haven where few ever came and where she would be undisturbed. Paddling "Indian" he came around the curve silently and was almost upon her, but was unprepared for the little huddled figure down in the bottom of the boat, one hand grasping the paddle which was wedged between some stones in the shallow stream bed to anchor the frail bark, the other arm curved about as a pillow for the face which was hidden, with only the bright hair gleaming in the stray rays of sunshine that crept through the young leaves overhead.

"Leslie, little girl--my darling--what is the matter?"

He scarcely knew what he was saying, so anxiously he watched her. Was she hurt or in trouble, and if so, what was the trouble? Did the vapid little guest and the Freshman Vamp have anything to do with it?

Somehow he forgot all about himself now and his own grievance--he only wanted to comfort her whom he loved, and it never entered his head that just at that moment the anxious Halsted was inquiring of everyone: "Haven't you seen Letchworth? Cla.s.s Day'll be a mess without him! Something must have happened to him!"

Leslie lifted a tear-stained face in startled amaze. His voice! Those precious words! Leslie heard them even if _he_ took no cognizance of them himself.

"I--you--WELL, YOU ought to know----!" burst forth Leslie and then down went the bright head once more and the slender shoulders shook with long-suppressed sobs.

It certainly was a good thing that the creek was shallow at that point and the canoes quite used to all sorts of conditions. Howard Letchworth waited for no invitation. He arose and stepped into Leslie's boat, pinioned his own with a dextrous paddle, and gave attention to comforting the princess. It somehow needed no words for awhile, until at last Leslie lifted a woebegone face that already looked half-appeased and inquired sobbily:

"What made you act so perfectly horrid all this time?"

"Why--I----" began Howard lamely, wondering now just why he _had_----!

"Why, you see, Leslie, you had company and----"

"Company! _That!_ Now, Howard, you weren't jealous of that little excuse for a man, were you?"

Howard colored guiltily:

"Why, you see, Leslie, you are so far above me----"

"Oh, I was, was I? Well, if I was above _you_, where did you think that other ridiculous little simp belonged, I should like to know?

_Not_ with _me_, I hope?"

"But you see, Leslie----" somehow the great question that had loomed between them these weeks dwarfed and shrivelled when he tried to explain it to Leslie----

"Well----?"

"Well, I've just found out you are very rich----"

"Well?"

"Well, _I'm_ POOR."

"But I thought you just said you _loved_ me!" flashed Leslie indignantly. "If you do, I don't see what rich and poor matter. It'll all belong to us both, won't it?"

"I should _hope_ not," said the young man, drawing himself up as much as was consistent with life in a canoe. "I would _never_ let my wife support me."

"Well, perhaps you might be able to make enough to _support yourself_," twinkled Leslie with mischief in a dimple near her mouth.

"Leslie, now you're making fun! I mean this!"