Meg of Mystery Mountain Part 3

Jane marveled at the courage of her father, for he was actually smiling at the little old lady who sat at his side. "Mother mine," he said, "if this isn't the same kind of a meat pudding that you used to make for me as a special treat, long ago, when I had been good. Have I been good today?"

There were sudden tears in the fading blue eyes and a quiver in the corners of the sweet old mouth as the grandmother replied, "Yes, Dan, you have been very good. And all the while I was making it I was thinking how proud and pleased your father would be if he only knew, and maybe he does know, how good you've been. When you weren't more than knee high to your Dad, he began to teach you that it was better to have folks know that your word could be depended on than to be praised for smartness, and that's how 'tis, Danny, and I'm happy and proud."

The dear little old lady wiped her eyes with a corner of her ap.r.o.n; then she smiled up brightly, and pretended to eat the meat pie, which was in danger of being neglected by all except Julie, who prattled, "We've set away two big pieces, one for brother Dan, when he comes home from the city, and one for Gerry. Umm, won't they be glad when they see them?

They'll be hungry as anything! I like to be awful hungry when there's something extra special to eat, don't you, Janey?" Almost timorously this query was ventured. Julie did not like to have the big sister look so sad. The answer was not encouraging. "Oh, Julie, I don't want to talk,"

the other girl said fretfully.

"Nor eat, neither, it looks like," the old lady had just said when the front door bell pealed. Julie leaped up, looking eagerly at her father.

"Oh, Dad, may I go?" But, being nearest the door, he had risen. "I'll answer it, Julie," he replied. "It is probably some one to see me." But Mr. Abbott was mistaken. A messenger boy stood on the porch. After the yellow envelope had been signed for, it was taken to Jane, to whom it was addressed.

Eagerly the girl tore it open, the others watching her with varied emotions, although Julie's was just eager curiosity. "Ohee," she squealed, "telegrams are such fun and so exciting. What's in it, Janey, do tell us!"

Mr. Abbott noted that a red spot was burning in each cheek of the daughter who had been so pale. She glanced up at him, her eyes shining.

"Dad," she cried, "you won't have to give me $300. Listen to this. Oh, Merry is certainly wonderful!" Then she read:

"Dearest Jane: Aunt Belle has changed her plans. She has rented a cottage just beyond the hotel grounds and is going to take her own cook and I want you to come as our guest, because, darling girl, I owe you a visit, since you gave me such a wonderful time in the country with you last year, and, what is more, we are going Friday, so pack up your trunk today, and be at the Central Station tomorrow at 4:00. Lovingly, your intimate friend--Marion Starr.

"P. S.--Who, more than ever, is living up to her nickname, Merry.--M.

S."

During the reading of the "night letter" Mr. Abbott had quickly made up his mind just what his att.i.tude would be. "That's splendid, Jane, isn't it?" he said, and not even his watchful mother noted a trace of disappointment in his voice. "If I were you I would pack at once. You would better go over to the city in the morning and that will give you time to buy a new summer dress, for I am sure that you must need one."

Jane started to reply, but something in her throat seemed to make it hard for her to speak, and so she left the room hurriedly without having more than touched her plate. Julie followed, as she adored packing. When they were gone, the man sighed deeply. "Mother," he said, "I have decided to send Julie with Dan. She can cook the simple things he will need and some one must go with the boy. I would go myself, but I would be of little use. In a few days, as soon as I can pull myself together, I am going back to the city to start in some occupation far from Wall Street."

The old lady reached out a comforting hand and placed it on that of her son nearest her. "Dan," she said in a low voice, "Jane doesn't know a thing about your long illness, does she? n.o.body's told her, has there?"

The man shook his head. "Jane has been so interested in her own problems, and in finding a way to do as she wished, that she has not even wondered why I am working about in the garden instead of going to the city daily, as I always have done. But don't tell her, mother. She does not seem to care, and, moreover, I am now much stronger. My only real worry is Dan, and I do feel confident that if he can be well cared for, the mountain air will restore his health."

Rising, he stooped to kiss his mother's forehead, then left the room, going through the kitchen to the garden. As he worked he glanced often at the open windows of the room above the tree tops. He saw the two girls hurrying about, for Jane had gladly accepted Julie's offer of service, and the trunk packing was evidently progressing merrily. This a.s.surance was brought to him when he heard Jane singing a s.n.a.t.c.h of a school song.

It sounded like a requiem to the man in the garden below. He leaned on his hoe as he thought, self-rebukingly, "It is all my fault. I have spoiled Jane. My love has been misdirected. It is I who have made her selfish. I wanted to give her everything, for she had lost so much when she lost her mother. I have done as much for the other three children, but somehow they didn't spoil."

The comfort of that realization was so great that the father soon returned to his self-imposed task, and, an hour later, when Dan appeared, he told the boy Jane's decision, saying: "Son of mine, it would be no comfort to you to have her companionship if her heart were elsewhere."

The shadow of keen disappointment in the lad's eyes was quickly dispelled. Placing a hand on his father's shoulder he said cheerfully, "It's all right, Dad. Julie is a great little pal."

But even yet the matter was not decided.

That Thursday night, after the younger members of the household were asleep, Mr. Abbott and his mother talked together in his den.

"Julie was the happiest child in this world when I told her she was to go with Dan." The old lady smiled as she recalled the hoppings and squealings with which the small girl had expressed her joy. "Luckily I'd washed and ironed her summer clothes on Monday and Tuesday, and this being only Thursday, she hadn't soiled any of them."

Then her tone changed to one of tenderness. "Dan," she said, "Julie and Jane aren't much alike, are they? That little girl didn't hop and squeal long before she thought of something that sobered her. Then she told me, 'I don't like to go, Grandma, and leave Gerald at home. He's been wishing and wishing and wishing he could go, but he wouldn't tell Dad 'cause he wants to stay home and earn money to help.'"

To the little old lady's surprise, her companion sprang up as he exclaimed: "Mother, I won't be gone long. Wait up for me!" Seizing his hat from the hall "tree," he left the house. "Well, now, that's certainly a curious caper," the old lady thought. "He couldn't have been listening to a word I was saying. He must have thought of something he'd forgotten, probably it's something for Jane. Well, there's nothing for me to do but wait." She glanced at the clock on the mantle. Even then it was late. She was usually asleep at ten. There had been time for many a little cat-nap before she heard her son returning. His expression a.s.sured the old lady that he was satisfied with the result of his errand.

"Why, Dan Abbott," she exclaimed, "whatever started you off in that way?

'Twasn't anything I said, was it?"

The man sank down in his chair again and took from his pocket a telegram.

"That's what I went after, mother," he told her. "I wired Bethel for one more pa.s.s, as I had a small son who also wished to go West, and this is his answer:

"'Glad indeed to accommodate you, Dan, and I'm sending one more, just for good measure. Happened to recall that you have four children. Let me do something else for you, old man, if I can.'"

The grandmother looked up with shining eyes as she commented: "Bert Bethel's a true friend, if there ever was one. Won't Gerry be wild with joy?

"But, goodness me, Danny, that means more packing to do. There's room enough in Julie's trunk for the things Gerald will need, and I do believe I'll go right up and put them in while the boy's asleep." Then she paused and looked at her son inquiringly. "Will it be quite fair to Mr. Peterson to have Gerry leave his store without giving notice?"

"I've attended to that, mother," the man replied. "While I was waiting for an answer from Bert, I walked over to the grocery and told Jock Peterson all that had happened, and he was as pleased as he could be. He wants Gerald to come over there first thing in the morning to get a present to take with him.

"He didn't say what it would be. I don't even suppose that he had decided when he spoke. I was indeed happy to have him praise Gerald as he did. He said that he would trust our boy with any amount of money. He has watched Gerald, as he always does every lad who works in the store. He said that nearly all of them had helped themselves to a piece of candy from the showcase when they had wished, but that Gerald had never once touched a thing that did not belong to him. Mr. Peterson was so pleased that he asked Gerald about it one day, saying: 'Don't you like candy, lad?' And our boy replied: 'Indeed I do, Mr. Peterson! I don't buy it because I want to save all my money to help Dad.'

"Gerald hadn't even thought of helping himself as he worked around the store."

"Of course, Gerry wouldn't," the old lady replied emphatically, "for isn't he your son, Daniel?"

"And your grandson, mother?" the man smilingly returned. "But we must get some sleep," he added, as the chimes on the mantle clock told them that it was eleven. "Tomorrow is to be a busy day."

It was also to be a day of surprises, although this, these two did not guess.

CHAPTER VII.

GERRY'S SURPRISE

Grandmother Abbott had indeed been right when she prophecied that Gerald's joy, upon hearing that he could accompany Dan and his sister Julie, would be unbounded. She told him before breakfast while they were waiting for the others to come down. They had planned telling him later, but when his father saw how hard the small boy was trying to be brave; how the tune he was endeavoring to whistle wavered and broke, he could stand it no longer, and, putting a hand on each of the boy's shoulders, he looked down at him as he asked: "Son, if you could have your dearest wish fulfilled, what would it be?"

The lad hesitated, then he said earnestly: "There's two things to wish for, Dad, and they're both awful big. I want everything to be all right for you, but, oh, how I do want brother Dan to get well."

Tears sprang to the eyes of the little old lady, and placing a hand affectionately on the boy's head she asked: "Isn't there something else, dearie, something you'd be wishing just for yourself?"

It was quite evident to the two who were watching that a struggle was going on in the boy's heart. He had a.s.sured himself, time and again, that his dad must not know how he wished that he could go with Dan. He even felt guilty, because he wanted to go, believing that his dad needed his help at home, and so he said nothing. His father, surmising that this might be the case, asked, with one of his rare smiles: "If you knew, son, that I thought it best for you to go with Julie, to help her take care of Dan, would you be pleased?"

Such a light as there was in the freckled face, but, even then, the boy did not let himself rejoice. "Dad," he said, "don't you need me here?"

"No, son, your grandmother has decided to stay all summer. She has found a nice family to take care of her farm. Indeed I shall feel better, knowing that you are with Julie, if Dan should be really ill."

For a moment the good news seemed to stun the little fellow. But when the full realization of what it meant surged over him, he leaped into his father's arms and hugged him hard, then turning, he bolted for the stairway, and went up two steps at a time.

"Hurray!" he fairly shouted. "Dan, Jane, Julie, I'm going to Mystery Mountain!"

This unexpected news was received joyfully by Julie and Dan, but Jane, who was putting the last touches to her traveling costume, merely gave a shrug, which was reflected back to her in the long mirror. "Well, thanks be, I'm not going," she confided to that reflection. "I'd be worn to rags by the end of the summer if I had to listen to such shrieking. I'm thankful Merry's Aunt Belle has no children. They may be all very well for people who like them, but I think they are superlative nuisances."

The entire family had gathered in the dining room when Jane descended, and, after the grace had been said, the two youngest members began to chatter their excitement like little magpies. Dan, who sat next to Jane, smiled at her lovingly. "I suppose you are going to have a wonderful time, little girl," he said. "I have heard that Newport is a merry whirl for society people in the summer time, with dances, tallyho rides, and picnic suppers."

Jane's eyes glowed, and she voiced her agreement. "I've heard so, too, and I've always been just wild to have a wee taste of that gay life, and now I can hardly believe that I am to be right in the midst of it for three glorious months." Then, as she saw a sudden wearied expression in her brother's face, she added: "You're very tired, Dan, aren't you? If only you were rested, I should try to plan some way to have you go with me. I'm wild to have you meet Merry. I do believe she is just the kind of a girl whom you would like. You never have cared for any girl yet, have you? I mean not particularly well?"

There was a tender light in the gray eyes that were so like their father's. Resting a hand on Jane's arm, he said in a low voice, "I care right now very particularly for a girl, and she is my dear sister-pal."