The Whole Family Part 22

She waited a moment, and then lifted her clear blue eyes to mine. "No, Uncle Gerrit, I don't hate him half as much as I hate myself. Really, I don't hate him at all. I'm sorry for him."

"So am I, my dear," said I, stretching my interest in the negligible youth a little. "But he is getting well, and he is going West as soon as possible. Look, is that the boy yonder, sitting on the terrace with a fat lady, probably his mother? Do you feel that you could bow to him, just to oblige me?"

She flashed a look at me. "I'll do it for that reason, and for another, too," she said. And then she nodded her red head, in the prettiest way, and threw in an honest smile and a wave of her hand for good measure. I was proud of her. The boy stood up and took off his hat. I could see him blush a hundred feet away. Then his mother evidently asked him a question, and he turned to answer her, and so EXIT Mr. Goward.

The end of our drive was even pleasanter than the beginning. Peggy was much interested in a casual remark expressing my pleasure in hearing that she had recently met the nephew of one of my very old friends, Stillman Dane.

"Oh," she cried, "do you know HIM? Isn't that lovely?"

I admitted that he was a very good person to know, though I had only seen a little of him, about six years ago. But his uncle, the one who lately died and left a snug fortune to his favorite nephew, was one of my old bachelor cronies, in fact, a member of the firm that published my books. If the young man resembled his uncle he was all right. Did Peggy like him?

"Why, yes," she answered. "He was a professor at our college, and all the girls thought him a perfect dandy!"

"Dandy!" I exclaimed. "There was no sign of an excessive devotion to dress when I knew him. It's a great pity!"

"Oh!" she cried, laughing, "I don't mean THAT. It is only a word we girls use; it means the same as when you say, 'A VERY FINE FELLOW INDEED."'

From that point we played the Stillman Dane tune, with variations, until we reached home, very late indeed for supper. The domestic convulsion caused by the formal announcement of Talbert's sudden decision had pa.s.sed, leaving visible traces. Maria was flushed, but triumphant; Alice and Billy had an air of conscience-stricken importance; Charles Edward and Lorraine were sarcastically submissive; Cyrus was resolutely jovial; the only really tranquil one was Mrs. Talbert. Everything had been arranged. The whole family were to go down to New York on Thursday to stop at a hotel, and see the travellers off on Sat.u.r.day morning--all except Peggy, who was to remain at home and keep house.

"That suits me exactly," said I, "for business calls me to town to-morrow, but I would like to come back here on Thursday and keep house with Peggy, if she will let me."

She thanked me with a little smile, and so it was settled. Cyrus wanted to know, when we were sitting in the arbor that night, if I did not think he had done right. "Wonderfully," I said. He also wanted to know if he might not give up that extra state-room and save a couple of hundred dollars. I told him that he must stick to his bargain--I was still in the game--and then I narrated the afternoon incident at the hospital. "Good little Peggy!" he cried. "That clears up one of my troubles. But the great objection to this European business still holds.

She shall not be driven." I agreed with him--not a single step!

The business that called me to New York was Stillman Dane. A most intelligent and quick-minded young gentleman--not at all a beauty man--not even noticeably academic. He was about the middle height, but very well set up, and evidently in good health of body and mind; a clean-cut and energetic fellow, who had been matured by doing his work and had himself well in hand. There was a look in his warm, brown eyes that spoke of a heart unsullied and capable of the strongest and purest affection; and at the same time certain lines about his chin and his mouth, mobile but not loose lipped, promised that he would be able to take care of himself and of the girl that he loved. His appearance and his manner were all that I had hoped--even more, for they were not only pleasant but thoroughly satisfactory.

He was courteous enough to conceal his slight surprise at my visit, but not skilful enough to disguise his interest in hearing that I had just come from the Talberts. I told him of the agreement with Cyrus Talbert, the subsequent conversation with Mrs. Talbert, Peggy's drive with me to Whitman, and her views upon dandies and other cognate subjects.

Then I explained to him quite clearly what I should conceive my duty to be if I were in his place. He a.s.sented warmly to my view. I added that if there were any difficulties in his mind I should advise him to lay the case before my dear friend the Reverend George Alexanderson, of the Irving Place Church, who was an extraordinarily sensible and human clergyman, and to whom I would give him a personal letter stating the facts. Upon this we shook hands heartily, and I went back to Peggy on Thursday morning.

The house was delightfully quiet, and she was perfection as a hostess. I never pa.s.sed a pleasanter afternoon. But the evening was interrupted by the arrival of Stillman Dane, who said that he had run up to say good-bye. That seemed quite polite and proper, so I begged them to excuse me, while I went into the den to write some letters. They were long letters.

The next morning Peggy was evidently fl.u.s.tered, but divinely radiant.

She said that Mr. Dane had asked her to go driving with him--would that be all right? I told her that I was sure it was perfectly right, but if they went far they would find me gone when they returned, for I had changed my mind and was going down to New York to see the voyagers off. At this Peggy looked at me with tears sparkling in the edge of her smile. Then she put her arms around my neck. "Good-bye," she whispered, "good-bye! YOU'RE A DANDY TOO! Give mother my love--and THAT--and THAT--and THAT!"

"Well, my dear," I answered, "I rather prefer to keep THOSE for myself.

But I'll give her your message. And mind this--don't you do anything unless you really want to do it with all your heart. G.o.d bless you!

Promise?"

"I promise, WITH ALL MY HEART," said she, and then her soft arms were unloosed from my neck and she ran up-stairs. That was the last word I heard from Peggy Talbert.

On Sat.u.r.day morning all the rest of us were on the deck of the Chromatic by half-past nine. The usual farewell performance was in progress.

Charles Edward was expressing some irritation and anxiety over the lateness of Stillman Dane, when that young man quietly emerged from the music-room, with Peggy beside him in the demurest little travelling suit with an immense breast-plate of white violets. Tom Price was the first to recover his voice.

"Peggy!" he cried; "Peggy, by all that's holy!"

"Excuse me," I said, "Mr. and Mrs. Stillman Dane! And I must firmly request every one except Mr. and Mrs. Talbert, senior, to come with me at once to see the second steward about the seats in the dining-saloon."

We got a good place at the end of the pier to watch the big boat swing out into the river. She went very slowly at first, then with astonishing quickness. Charles Edward and Lorraine were standing on the hurricane-deck, Peggy close beside them. Dane had given her his walking-stick, and she had tied her handkerchief to the handle. She was standing up on a chair, with one of his hands to steady her. Her hat had slipped back on her head. The last thing that we could distinguish on the ship was that brave little girl, her red hair like an aureole, waving her flag of victory and peace. "And now," said Maria, as we turned away, "I have a lovely plan. We are all going together to our hotel to have lunch, and after that to the matinee at--"

I knew it was rude to interrupt, but I could not help it.

"Pardon me, dear Maria," I said, "but you have not got it quite right.

You and Tom are going to escort Alice and Billy to Eastridge, with such diversions by the way as seem to you appropriate. Your father and mother are going to lunch with me at Delmonico's--but we don't want the whole family."