Girls of the Forest Part 55

Since Pauline's illness she had very often not been down in time for breakfast. The fact, therefore, that she did not appear on this special morning caused no excitement in the mind of any one. Miss Tredgold was so much absorbed in the task which lay before her that she scarcely noticed the little girl's absence; nurse would see to her, would take her a proper meal, would do all that was necessary. Very often nurse did not disturb Pauline until long after the others had breakfasted, for the doctor had said that she ought never to be wakened when asleep, and that she ought to have as much rest and sleep as possible. So breakfast came to an end. There was a weight in the air. Now, it happened that the day was a specially fine one, for the skies, after crying so many tears, had cleared up, the sun had come out, and the few flowers that were left held up their heads gayly and tried to forget the storm through which they had lived and the winter days which were before them.

Mr. Dale had, of course, forgotten what he had promised his sister-in-law to do on the previous night. But Miss Tredgold had not the slightest idea of letting him off.

"Come, Henry," she said; "we will go into the schoolroom to prayers."

Accordingly they went, and Mr. Dale read prayers in his somewhat sleepy tones. The children, with the exception of Pauline, were all present. At last family worship was finished and the servants were allowed to leave the room. As nurse was going she looked at Verena.

"Miss Pauline is sleeping longer than usual," she said. "She asked me a few days ago never to waken her, and said she would ring her bell when she wanted breakfast or hot water. I had better find out if she is awake."

"Yes, do, nurse," said Miss Tredgold briskly; "and ask her to be quick and come downstairs. I want all the children except little Marjorie to be present."

"Oh, my dear Sophia!" said Mr. Dale at that moment, "you cannot expect me to wait here with all my morning's work neglected while one of the girls chooses to dress herself."

"Here's a very interesting paper on Plato," said Miss Tredgold suddenly, and as she spoke she handed Mr. Dale the last number of the _Spectator_.

"I thought you might like to see it."

"Eh? What?" he cried. "An article on Plato. By whom?"

"By the great cla.s.sical scholar, Professor Mahaffy," replied Miss Tredgold calmly.

Mr. Dale was in an intense state of excitement.

"When did this come?"

"On Sat.u.r.day morning."

"But this is Wednesday. How is it I did not see it before?"

"To tell you the truth, Henry, I read it and kept it back on purpose. I want to keep your attention until all the family are a.s.sembled. Here is your chair, here are your spectacles, and here is the paper."

Mr. Dale took the paper, muttering to himself:

"Mahaffy--Mahaffy; one of the greatest scholars of the time;" and then he was lost to external things.

Yes, Mr. Dale of The Dales, the head of an ancient house, the father of a large family, forgot everything on earth except a certain disputed pa.s.sage in which he and Professor Mahaffy diametrically disagreed. He continued to forget everything else, even when nurse rushed into the room.

"Why, she has gone!" cried the good woman. "She ain't in her bed; and what's more, she's been out of it for hours, and the window is open. Oh, whatever has come to the child? Where in the world is she?"

Miss Tredgold looked terribly startled. Verena's face turned like a sheet. Briar and Patty clasped each other's hands. Pen said to herself:

"This is the time for a good sort of child like me to do something."

Then a clatter of horse's hoofs was heard on the gravel outside, and a stoutly built, rubicund man, on a very large horse, drew rein at the front door.

"It's Farmer King!" cried Verena.

"Yes, it's Farmer King," said Pen.

"Penelope, be quiet," said her aunt.

The next moment the door was opened, and the parlor-maid said that Farmer King had come and was anxious to see Mr. Dale and Miss Tredgold.

"Show him in here," said Miss Tredgold. "Henry, have the goodness to give me that paper."

"But I---- My dear Sophia, I have not finished reading it. I don't agree a bit with Mahaffy--not a bit. He takes the text in its literal meaning.

He ought to read it with the context. Now, there is not the slightest manner of doubt that Plato meant----"

"Henry! Are you mad? Give me that paper."

It is to be regretted that Miss Tredgold s.n.a.t.c.hed the _Spectator_ from Mr. Dale's unwilling hand.

"Now, Henry, wake up," she said. "Pauline is lost, and Farmer King has come to speak to us both on a matter of importance."

Just then Farmer King came into the room. Now, the Kings may have been the humble retainers of the Dales for generations, but there was not the slightest doubt that Farmer King made a far more imposing appearance at that moment than did Mr. Dale of The Dales; for Mr. Dale stood up, thin, bewildered, shivering, his mind in the past, his eyes consumed by a sort of inward fire, but with no intelligence as far as present things were concerned; and Farmer King was intensely wide awake, and, so to speak, all there.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Dale," he said. "And I beg your pardon, miss. I presume I am speaking to Miss Tredgold?"

"You are, Mr. King," said that lady.

"Good-day to you all, misses," said the farmer.

He looked round at the somewhat frightened little group of sisters in the background.

"I have come to say something," said the farmer. "It is something about Miss Pauline. It is something about myself and Nancy, and it has to do with you, sir"--here he bowed low to Mr. Dale--"and with you, madam"--his bow was not quite so reverential when he turned to the lady.

"What is it? Please speak," said Miss Tredgold. "We are very anxious about Pauline. Our nurse has just told us that she is not in her bedroom.

Do you know where she is?"

"Well, madam, about half an hour ago I left Miss Pauline seated in my warm kitchen, in the company of my good daughter, Nancy, and eating as good a breakfast as I could provide for her. She did not eat much, madam, but it is there for her acceptance. The young lady is heartily welcome.

She prefers us to you for the time being. She did not want you to know anything about it, but that ain't quite my way, so I came to explain."

"Please, please, Aunt Sophy, don't be too angry," here came from Verena's lips.

"Silence, Verena!" said her father.

Surely there was quite a new note in his voice! He rose; his languor left him; he came up to Farmer King and held out his hand.

"Why, good old friend," he said, "it seems ages since we met. Do you remember that day when we were boys together and went in search of robins' eggs?"

"Don't I?" said the farmer.

He gave an embarra.s.sed laugh, which ended in a sort of roar.

"And haven't I the eggs safe still?" he said. "I have parted with many things, but not with the eggs the young squire and I took together."

"It is ages since we met," said Mr. Dale. "You are looking very well, Robert--admirably well. I am pleased to see you. Sit down, won't you?

Pray sit down."