The Quest of Happy Hearts Part 6

"We'll find him and tell him," Janey planned.

"We had a delightful picnic with Jerry and Marty; that made us forget about looking for the ferns for decorating."

"After all the party is some time off, and you can make another expedition to find those."

"I thought you'd say that," and Janey looked lovingly at the sweet face before her.

"It would have done your heart good to see how Jerry and Marty enjoyed your delicious lunch."

"To say nothing of ourselves!" Don supplemented.

"Well, you may have another as soon as you like, and I'll be sure to include the Greyson's next time."

"Land's End is the most delightful place in the world--" Janey threw her arms around Aunt Janice impulsively, while sudden tears brimmed over and splashed down her cheeks.

"Why, my dear, you must be all tired out," the old lady began sympathetically. But Janey shook her head.

"I was thinking that we don't deserve the jolly time you're giving us--at first when Dad told us of your invitation we--we--didn't want to come at all!"

Nora looked crestfallen, also.

Aunt Janice seeing the cause of their woe, immediately set their hearts at rest.

"Why I don't blame you, not even a little bit, my dears--Land's End doesn't sound a bit inviting, if you don't really know anything about it; no wonder you felt regretful!"

Janey's tears were quickly dried.

"We didn't know you then, Aunt Janice."

"Nor this lovely old castle and garden--"

"Nor the forest--with Marty and Jerry living in it--"

"Neither did we know that we were setting out, like Nora's story, on a quest for happy hearts."

"I think that is a lovely quest to be traveling on; how far have you gone on the way?" Aunt Janice was all interest, as she included the whole group in the question.

For a moment everyone was silent, then Nora broke the pause shyly--"We put you as the first Aunt Janice, on the quest for happy hearts, because you said we had brought gladness into your life. You're the golden link that began our chain of happiness."

"Quite right--quite right--" Aunt Janice agreed heartily, almost overcome herself. "But now it's bedtime, so let us first of all thank our heavenly Father for our happiness and then go to bed. We all need a refreshing sleep."

For a few minutes they all listened devoutly as Aunt Janice read the Twenty-third Psalm, after which they joined her in prayer and in the singing of the doxology. Then bidding Aunt Janice a hasty good-night, tired out with the day's adventure, the Merediths trooped away to enjoy the great blessing of sleep and rest.

CHAPTER VIII

THE STORY OF THE TOWER ROOM

"Tell us a story, please tell us a story, Aunt Janice!"

"A story, Janey? . . . . What shall it be about?"

"About the old castle in the long ago," Beth hastened to beg, for she too, dearly loved the story hour.

The quiet moment seemed to have at last arrived, as they all gathered together on the broad veranda, in the twilight.

The old lady smiled. "A story of long ago! It seems I shall hardly know just where to begin; in the long ago, there used to be merry parties, but--" just there she paused, and linked it up with the present--"now since you young people have come, it seems more as it did then."

Aunt Janice's face was thoughtful, and for a few moments no one interrupted the thread of her thoughts.

Outside the twilight deepened, and the stars began to shine down through the rustling trees, in the garden.

"Do you think Dad may get here in time for the party?" Alice's tone was a tiny bit mournful, and Aunt Janice hastened to dispel any feeling of homesickness.

"Who can tell? Perhaps he may surprise us at any time now; anyway, I'm sure he wants you to spend happy days at the old place."

"We are, indeed we are!" chorused the Merediths together.

Alice placed an arm around Aunt Janice's shoulder, and began coaxingly--"Tell us the story of the Tower room, please." In vain Nora shook her head, but Alice did not look up. "The first day that we went through the gardens, Janey saw something white waving from the window, but we hurried by, as you said, we must. Nora said, it was only a pigeon!"

Alice had completely forgotten her promise, and dismayed, but helpless to stop her, the others sat around, speechless.

Aunt Janice's face whitened with the request, but she patted gently the golden head against her shoulder.

"The story of the tower room is a long one, dearie, but perhaps you should know it. I shall try and hurry through it. Your own father could tell you much of those happy days gone by; Harry, his brother, and senior by a good many years, married Gwendolyn Arlington, and they had one son, beloved by his parents to almost a painful degree. When he was about sixteen years old perhaps, he insisted that the only thing that he wanted to do, was to go to sea, and although it almost broke his mother's heart, they gave in to his whim. With his departure, the life of the old place also seemed to go.

"In just a few months after that, a report was received that the vessel on which he had gone was lost with all the crew and pa.s.sengers.

"After the terrible news, your Aunt Gwen's health failed, and she lost interest in everything; finally after the death of your uncle Harry, she went into a complete melancholy, and retired to the seclusion of the tower room, with an attendant. In all of these seven years since the tragedy, she has remained there; only at night sometimes, she wanders around the old gardens. Perhaps if Janey hadn't seen the handkerchief waving from the window, I should never have told the sad story of the tower room!

"The seasons have come and gone quietly since then, but this year I could stand it no longer. I had long wanted to see all of you dear nieces and nephews, and wrote asking your father's permission to have you for a long visit.

"He consented, and wrote of his business call that came just about the same time. He has come by to see me now and then, but for this same feeling of gloom that it has cast over the place he has never told you the sad story either, nor had we planned your coming before for the same reason."

Aunt Janice drew a breath of relief, as though after all in the telling a burden had rolled away.

The rustling trees broke the surrounding stillness, then the tinkling of a silvery bell at the gate.

"Who could be out on a visit so late?" The old lady peered through the shadows, as two figures advanced. The light streaming out from the hall revealed Donald Meredith and his brother Harry's son, supposed to have been lost seven years before!

The Meredith's sprang forward to greet their father, while Aunt Janice, the story warm on her lips that she had just been telling, sat quite still, scarcely believing what her eyes saw.

"Welcome, Donald--and--can it really be, or am I dreaming?"

She stretched out her arms, while the stalwart form of Harry and Gwendolyn's son walked straight into the shelter of their love.