Lavender and Old Lace Part 22

Winfield looked unutterable things at Ruth, but n.o.bly fulfilled the obligation. Uncle James beamed upon Ruth in a way which indicated that an attractive idea lay behind it, and Winfield created a diversion by tipping over a vase of flowers. "He shan't," he whispered to Ruth, "I'll be darned if he shall!"

"Ruth," said Aunt Jane, after a close scrutiny of Winfield, "if you'

relayin' out to marry that awkward creeter, what ain't accustomed to a parlour, you'd better do it now, while him and the minister are both here."

Winfield was willing, but Ruth said that one wedding at a time was enough in any family, and the minister, pledged to secrecy, took his departure. The bride cut the wedding cake and each solemnly ate a piece of it. It was a sacrament, rather than a festivity.

When the silence became oppressive, Ruth suggested a walk.

"You will set here, Niece Ruth," remarked Aunt Jane, "until I have changed my dress."

Uncle James sighed softly, as she went upstairs. "Well," he said, "I'm merried now, hard and fast, and there ain't no help for it, world without end."

"Cheer up, Uncle," said Winfield, consolingly, "it might be worse."

"It's come on me all of a sudden," he rejoined. "I ain't had no time to prepare for it, as you may say. Little did I think, three weeks ago, as I set in my little store, what was wuth four or five hundred dollars, that before the month was out, I'd be merried. Me! Merried!" he exclaimed, "Me, as never thought of sech!"

When Mrs. Ball entered, clad in sombre calico, Ruth, overcome by deep emotion, led her lover into the open air. "It's bad for you to stay in there," she said gravely, "when you are destined to meet the same fate."

"I've had time to prepare for it," he answered, "in fact, I've had more time than I want."

They wandered down the hillside with aimless leisure, and Ruth stooped to pick up a large, grimy handkerchief, with "C. W." in the corner.

"Here's where we were the other morning," she said.

"Blessed spot," he responded, "beautiful Hepsey and n.o.ble Joe! By what humble means are great destinies made evident! You haven't said you were glad to see me, dear."

"I'm always glad to see you, Mr. Winfield," she replied primly.

"Mr. Winfield isn't my name," he objected, taking her into his arms.

"Carl," she whispered shyly, to his coat collar.

"That isn't all of it."

"Carl--dear--" said Ruth, with her face crimson.

"That's more like it. Now let's sit down--I've brought you something and you have three guesses."

"Returned ma.n.u.script?"

"No, you said they were all in."

"Another piece of Aunt Jane's wedding cake?"

"No, guess again."

"Chocolates?"

"Who'd think you were so stupid," he said, putting two fingers into his waistcoat pocket.

"Oh--h!" gasped Ruth, in delight.

"You funny girl, didn't you expect an engagement ring? Let's see if it fits."

He slipped the gleaming diamond on her finger and it fitted exactly.

"How did you guess?" she asked, after a little.

"It wasn't wholly guess work, dearest." From another pocket, he drew a glove, of grey suede, that belonged to Ruth's left hand.

"Where did you get that?"

"By the log across the path, that first day, when you were so cross to me."

"I wasn't cross!"

"Yes you were--you were a little fiend."

"Will you forgive me?" she pleaded, lifting her face to his.

"Rather!" He forgave her half a dozen times before she got away from him. "Now let's talk sense," she said.

"We can't--I never expect to talk sense again."

"Pretty compliment, isn't it?" she asked. "It's like your telling me I was brilliant and then saying I wasn't at all like myself." "Won't you forgive me?" he inquired significantly.

"Some other time," she said, flushing, "now what are we going to do?"

"Well," he began, "I saw the oculist, and he says that my eyes are almost well again, but that I mustn't use them for two weeks longer.

Then, I can read or write for two hours every day, increasing gradually as long as they don't hurt. By the first of October, he thinks I'll be ready for work again. Carlton wants me to report on the morning of the fifth, and he offers me a better salary than I had on The Herald."

"That's good!"

"We'll have to have a flat in the city, or a little house in the country, near enough for me to get to the office."

"For us to get to the office," supplemented Ruth.

"What do you think you're going to do, Miss Thorne?"

"Why--I'm going to keep right on with the paper," she answered in surprise.

"No you're not, darling," he said, putting his arm around her. "Do you suppose I'm going to have Carlton or any other man giving my wife an a.s.signment? You can't any way, because I've resigned your position for you, and your place is already filled. Carlton sent his congratulations and said his loss was my gain, or something like that. He takes all the credit to himself."

"Why--why--you wretch!"

"I'm not a wretch--you said yourself I was nice. Look here, Ruth," he went on, in a different tone, "what do you think I am? Do you think for a minute that I'd marry you if I couldn't take care of you?"

"'T isn't that," she replied, freeing herself from his encircling arm, "but I like my work and I don't want to give it up. Besides--besides--I thought you'd like to have me near you."

"I do want you near me, sweetheart, that isn't the point. You have the same right that I have to any work that is your natural expression, but, in spite of the advanced age in which we live, I can't help believing that home is the place for a woman. I may be old-fashioned, but I don't want my wife working down town--I've got too much pride for that. You have your typewriter, and you can turn out Sunday specials by the yard, if you want to. Besides, there are all the returned ma.n.u.scripts--if you have the time and aren't hurried, there's no reason why you shouldn't do work that they can't afford to refuse."