The Carter Girls' Mysterious Neighbors Part 16

The medicine chest at the great house furnished castor oil and paregoric for all the sick pickaninnies for miles around; Miss Louise had to make up great jars of her wintergreen ointment so that the aching joints of many an old aunty or uncle might find some ease; while Miss Ella's willow bark and wild cherry tonic warded off chills and fevers from the mosquito infested districts down in the settlement in the swamps.

The older members of the community of negroes appreciated the real goodness and kindness of the two old ladies and overlooked their overbearing ways, but the younger generation, who cared not for the ointment or tonic, could see nothing but arrogance in the really harmless old spinsters.

Most of the former slaves, who had at one time belonged to Grantly, had pa.s.sed away. The few who remained were old and feeble and these had many arguments with the younger ones, trying to make them see the real kindness and goodness of Miss Ellanlouise.

"You done got fat on castor ile out'n the chist at Grantly whin you was a sickly baby," old Uncle Abe Hanks would say to his refractory grandson Jeemes. "An' you an' yo' paw befo' you was pulled from the grabe by parrygoric from dat same chist, an' now you set up here an' say: 'Down with southe'n 'ristocrats!' Humph! You'd better be a-sayin': 'Down with the castor ile an' parrygoric!' 'Down with the good strong soup an' fat back Miss Ellanlouise done sent yo' ol' gran'pap las' winter whin there warn't hide or har er his own flesh an' blood come nigh him!' Yes! They went down all right--down the red lane. You free n.i.g.g.e.rs is got the notion you kin live 'thout the 'ristocrats. Why don't you go an' live 'thout 'em then? n.o.body ain't a-holdin' you. As fer me--gib me 'ristocrats ev'y time!"

"The Count de Lestis is as 'ristocratical as those ol' tabbies," the grandson would reply sullenly, "and he doesn't treat a colored gemman like he was a houn' dog."

"'Ristocratical much! That furrener? You ain't got good sinse, boy. That there pretty little count didn't even come from Virginny an' all the 'ristocrats done come from Virginny one time er anudder. I done hear Ol'

Marster say dat time an' time agin."

"The count say he gonter sell us all the lan' we want. An' he say he gonter fetch over some nice, kind white folks ter live neighbors to us; white folks what is jes' as good as these white folks 'roun' here but who ain't a-gonter hol' theyselves so proudified like."

"Yes! I kin see him now tu'nnin' loose a lot er po' white Guinnies what will take the bread out'n the mouth er the n.i.g.g.e.r. Them po' white furreners kin live on buzzard meat, an' dey don' min' wuckin' day in an'

day out, an' if'n dey gits a holt in the lan' the n.i.g.g.e.r'll hab ter go.

As fer a-livin' long side er n.i.g.g.e.rs,--I tell you now, son, that the white folks what don't min' a-livin' long side er n.i.g.g.e.rs is wuss'n n.i.g.g.e.rs, an' I can't say no mo' scurrilous thing about them than that--wuss'n n.i.g.g.e.rs!"

A strong discontent was certainly brewing among the younger generation of negroes. Conversations similar to the one between Uncle Abe Hanks and James were not uncommon in the settlement that lay midway between Grantly and Weston. This settlement was known by the exceedingly appropriate name of Paradise. There were about a dozen cabins there, some of them quite comfortable and neat, others very poor and forlorn.

There was a church, the pride of their simple hearts because it was built of brick; also a ramshackled old building known as "The Club."

This club had originally been a tobacco barn, built, of course, without windows, for the curing of tobacco. In converting it into a club house, windows had been cut in the sides but with no fixed plan. Wherever a member decided it would be nice to have a window, a window was cut. No two were the same size or on the same level. Most of them were more or less on the slant, giving the building the appearance of having survived an earthquake.

In this club house the secret societies met to hold their mysterious rites. Here they had their festivals and bazaars and sometimes, when the effects of protracted meetings had worn off and the unG.o.dly were again to the fore, they would have dances that threatened to bring down the walls and roof of the rickety building. It was whispered through the county that a blind tiger was also operated there but this was not proven. Certainly there was much drunkenness at times in Paradise, considering the state was dry.

Count de Lestis was very popular in Paradise. He always had a kind word for old and young. Then, too, he had work for them and paid them well.

His fame spread and actually there was a boom in Paradise. Other negroes in settlements near by were anxious to move to Paradise. Town lots were in demand and the club had a waiting list for membership. The church was full to overflowing when on Sunday Brother Si took his stand in the little pulpit.

Night school at Weston was something new and something to do, so the darkies flocked to it. Herz, the secretary, had his hands full trying to teach the mob that congregated three times a week to sit at the feet of learning. He did get angry occasionally when his pupils, tired out no doubt after a hard day's work, would fall asleep with audible attestations.

CHAPTER XII

HERZ

Herz was in such strong contrast to his employer, the count, that he gave Helen and Douglas quite a shock when they first met him. They had walked over to Weston with their father, who had been prevailed upon to take the order for the restoration of the old mansion. Dr. Wright had been consulted as to the advisability of his trying to do this work and had approved of it as being something to occupy his patient without making him nervous. It meant many trips to Weston on the part of Mr.

Carter and equally many to Valhalla on the part of the count.

De Lestis had done very little talking about Herz, mentioning him usually rather in the tone of one speaking of a servant, but Helen came to the opinion the moment she looked at him that there was nothing servile about him; on the contrary, he was evidently the more intellectual of the two men. He was a little younger than the count, much taller, with broad spare shoulders and a back as straight as a board. His blue eyes were very near sighted, necessitating the wearing of very thick lenses in his large gold-rimmed spectacles. His hair was yellow and grew straight up on his head like wheat stubble. His brow was broad and high and well shaped. He really was a handsome man except that his mouth was too full lipped and so very red. His English was perfect with no touch of accent as with the count. He said he had been born in Cincinnati and his father was a naturalized American, so even Douglas, the strong pro ally, had to accept him as German in name only.

Weston was a good three miles from Grantly by the road, but much closer if one took a path through the woods, skirting Paradise and approaching the old house from the rear. Truly it had been a grand estate in its day and de Lestis was determined to restore it to its pristine glory. He had owned the place about a year and had accomplished much in that time.

The fences and gates were in perfect repair; the fields showed that good farming theories had already been put into practice; the woods, that some knowledge of forestry had been applied, as the undergrowth had been cleared away and useless timber been cut down to give room to valuable trees.

"What a lot of money must have been spent here," said Douglas, noting the new fencing and well-built barns as they approached the house.

"Yes, de Lestis seems to have unlimited supplies of cash. I fancy he is a man of great wealth," said Mr. Carter. "I have ordered a Delco light to be installed in his house. He spares no expense in restoring the old place. I was rather opposed to having the new lighting system. It seems such an anomaly in a colonial mansion."

"But, Daddy, you wouldn't want the count to grope his way around with tallow dips," laughed Helen. "I fancy that was what was used when Weston was first built."

"I'd have him do it rather than ruin the architectural effect of such a wonderful old house; but de Lestis has his own ideas about things and all he wants of me, after all, is to do the work of a contractor. As for Herz,--he has better taste than de Lestis, I believe."

"Tell us about Herz, Daddy. You never have told us what he is like,"

demanded Helen.

"You judge for yourselves," answered the father.

The truth was that Mr. Carter had not known just what to make of Herz.

Clever he was certainly and no underling, as they had gathered from de Lestis.

This was the girls' first visit to Weston although the count had urged their coming many times. Douglas's school was dismissed for the Christmas holidays and she felt like a bird out of the cage: two whole weeks of delightful freedom ahead of her!

Teaching had come easy to her and she had conquered Bobby and the other unruly pupils and felt that she was in a way getting on top of her work. The days pa.s.sed rapidly and her school was in a fine condition, enthusiastic pupils and eager students. Nevertheless it was great to be having a holiday and she meant to make the most of it. She and Helen were planning a trip to Richmond after Christmas to visit Cousin Elizabeth Somerville. Lewis was stationed there with his company and his duties not being so very arduous, he hoped to spend much time with his favorite cousin. Valhalla was very lovely and the girls had grown very fond of it. Their plans for their father were working out and they knew they had done right in taking the place and moving the family to the country, but nevertheless they were looking forward with pleasure to the visit to Richmond and release from all of their duties for a few days.

What glowing girls they were! Robert Carter looked at them with pardonable pride as they tramped through the woods, their cheeks crimson with the exercise in the cold air. How they had shown the "mettle of their pasture" when the time came for them to take hold! He had always known that Douglas had a certain bulldog tenacity that would make her keep her grip no matter what happened, but Helen had astonished him.

When something had snapped in his tired brain he had instinctively turned to Douglas as the person to decide for the family welfare, but Helen had shown herself capable far beyond his hopes. He well knew that her part of the work was most difficult, and he saw with wonder her patience with her mother and with the seemingly impossible Chloe.

"I'll make it all up to them," he said to himself.

The doctor's prescription of country life and freedom from care with plenty of occupation for his hands was working wonders. This work he had been doing for de Lestis was not taxing his mind at all, and he suddenly realized that it was not because it was so easy but because his mind was in working order again. He felt his old power coming back to him, the power of concentration, of initiative. Sometimes he would try to lie awake at night just for the pleasure of feeling himself to be well.

His illness had been a blessing in disguise since it had brought out all this latent fineness in his girls. It had somehow made them more beautiful, too, at least they seemed so in the eyes of their doting father.

Approaching Weston from the rear, no one was in sight. Smoke arising from the kitchen chimney gave evidence of a servant's being somewhere.

The yard was in perfect order, with no unsightly ash pile or tin cans to offend the eye. To one side Mr. Carter pointed out the rose garden that the count had taken much care of, spending hundreds of dollars on every known variety that would flourish in that lat.i.tude. Beyond were greenhouses and hot beds that furnished lettuce and cauliflower and spinach through the winter for the master's delicate palate.

"Isn't it lovely?" gasped Helen. "It must be splendid to be rich."

Mounting the broad steps leading to the pillared gallery they heard voices speaking in some foreign language, they could not tell whether it was German or not, and then a loud laugh and "Ach Gott!" in the count's unmistakable baritone. Through the window they saw the two men, de Lestis and Herz, bending over a table spread with papers. Herz was pointing out something to his employer which seemed to delight him, as he was laughing heartily. This was gathered only by one glance, as immediately the Carters pa.s.sed beyond the angle through which they could view the interior of the room and Mr. Carter knocked on the front door.

The door was not opened for several minutes. Evidently the count employed servants for such tasks and did not believe in opening doors with his own august hands. Helen gave an impatient rat tat again. She was not fond of waiting. The door was opened suddenly and by the count.

"Ah! My good friends!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "I did not expect you until tomorrow, my dear Mr. Carter."

"I came a day sooner because my daughters could come with me."

"And what an honor!"

He ushered them into the room where they had viewed him for the moment in pa.s.sing. There were no papers on the table now and everything was in perfect order. The secretary was standing at attention, awaiting an introduction to the ladies.

He bowed from his waist up, shutting up like a jack-knife. He had not the easy, graceful manners of the count, but seemed much blunter and less polished. One could not fancy his kissing the hand of a lady as the count was famous for doing.

Love at first sight is supposed to happen only in books but it does happen sometimes in real life, and on that frosty day in December it came to pa.s.s in the library at Weston, came like a flash of lightning, came without warning and without being wanted. Certainly the secretary had not wanted to stop the work he was engaged in that seemed to be so engrossing; he did not even want to meet these Carter girls but had been forced into it by his employer. What good would it do him to fall in love? He cared not a whit for women, anyhow, despised them in fact. But the little blind G.o.d, Cupid, took none of these things into consideration. He simply let fly his dart and as Adolph Herz straightened himself up after making his stiff, jack-knife bow, the arrow hit him square in his heart.

It was a toss of the penny which sister it should be; both of them were lovely, both of them rosy and charming. He looked at Douglas first, however, and never saw Helen at all, at least, seemed not to.

He did not take his eyes from Douglas's face during the entire call.