Part 5 (2/2)
”Yes,” he answered jubilantly, ”Of course little Mistake is only two and a quarter and Crimie can just toddle on his hocks at one and a fifth years; but the two little crimes are here, and are going to stay. Billy Bob is down at the club getting his back slapped off about it. He's accessory you understand. He says Milly is radiant and wants all of you to come and see them right away. But what I want to see is Grandma Shelby--won't she rage? I'm going to send her a message of congratulations and then stand away. Just watch for--”
”Why--I don't quite understand,” said Caroline Darrah as she leaned forward with puzzled eyes.
”Neither do any of the rest of us,” answered David gleefully. ”We didn't understand how Billy Bob managed to pluck Mildred from the golden-dollar Shelby stem in the first place, at a salary of one twenty-five a month out at Hob's mills. But Billy Bob is the brave boy and he marched right up and told the old lady about the first kid as soon as he came. Then she glared at him and said in an awful tone, 'Mistake.' Billy Bob just oozed out of that door and Mistake the youngster has been ever since. I named the next Crimie before _she_ got to it. But watch her rage, poor old dame! It's up to somebody to remonstrate with Milly about this unbecoming conduct it seems to me,” and David glanced around the little circle for his laugh which he promptly received.
Only Phoebe sat with her head turned from him and Caroline Darrah exclaimed in distress:
”How could her mother not care for them?”
”Tempie,” said Mrs. Buchanan, ”pack up a basket of every kind of jelly.
Get that little box I fixed day before yesterday; you know it; wasn't it fortunate that I embroidered two? And tell Jeff I want the carriage at six.”
”And, Tempie, tell Jeff to get you two bottles of that seventy-two brandy; no, maybe the sixty-eight will be better; it's apple, and apples and colic bear a synthetic relation which in this case may be reversed.
Those children must be started off in life properly.” And the major's eyes shone with the most amused interest.
”What's that?” asked David in the general excitement that had arisen at a farther realization of his news. ”Don't you want them to join the 'state wide' band, Major? Aren't you going to give them a chance to fly a white ribbon?”
”Well, I don't know,” answered the major with a judicial eye, ”temperance is a quality of mind and not solely of throat. Let's depend somewhat on eradication by future education and not give the colic a start.”
”Don't you think it would be nice for you girls to drive down with me and take the babies some congratulations and flowers, Phoebe?” asked Mrs.
Buchanan an hour later as they all lingered over the empty cups. ”Will you come too, David?”
”Yes,” answered Phoebe, ”I think it would be lovely, but you and Caroline drive down and I will walk in with David, I think. Ready, David?” And Phoebe gathered up her m.u.f.f and gloves and gave her hand to the major.
”David,” she said after they had reached the street and were swinging along in the early twilight; and as she spoke she looked him full in the face with her gray level glance that counted whenever she chose to use it, ”is it your idea--do you think it fair to ridicule Mildred about--the babies?”
”Why,” answered the completely floored Kildare, ”I just haven't any idea on the subject. Everybody was laughing about it--and isn't it--er--a little funny?”
”No,” answered Phoebe emphatically, ”it isn't _funny_ and if you begin to laugh everybody else will. It may hurt Milly, she is so gentle and dear, and you are their best friend. I won't have it! I won't! I'm tired, anyway, of having fun made of all the sacred things in life. All of us swing around in a silly whirl and when a woman like Mildred begins to live her life in a--er--natural way, we--ridicule! She is brave and strong and works hard; and she has the _real_ things of life and makes the sacrifices for them. While we--”
”Oh, heavenly hope, Phoebe!” gasped David Kildare, ”don't rub it in! I see it now--a lot of magazine stuff jogging the women up about the kids and all--and here Milly is a hero and we--the jolly fun-pokers. I've got to help 'em some way! Wish Billy Bob would sell me this last bunch; guess he would--one, anyway?” And the contrite David gazed down at Phoebe in whose upturned eyes there dawned a wealth of mirth.
”David,” she said, perhaps more softly than she had ever spoken to him in all the days of his pursuit, ”I know--I felt sure that you felt all right about it. I couldn't bear to have you say or do--”
”Now, I'll 'fess a thing to you that I didn't think wild horses could drag out of me, Phoebe. I was down there an hour ago in the back hall of that flat and Billy Bob let me hold the pair of 'em and squeeze 'em. I guess we both--just shed a few, you know, because he was so excited. Men are such slobs at times--when women don't know about it.” And David winked fiercely at the early electric light that glowed warm against the winter sky.
”And you are a very dear boy, David,” said Phoebe softly as her hand slipped out of her m.u.f.f and dropped into his and rested there for just one enchanting half-second. ”Dearer than you know in some ways. No, don't think of coming up with me, you've paid your visit of welcome. Good night! Yes, I think so--in the afternoon about three o'clock and we can go on to Mrs. Pepton's reception. Good night again!”
”Phoebe,” he called after her, ”the one with the yellow fuzz is the girl, buy her for me if you can flimflam Milly into it! Any old price, you know. Hurrah, America for the Anglo-Saxons! Hurrah for Milly and Dixie!”
CHAPTER IV
ACCORDING TO SOLOMON
”And it was by this very pattern, Caroline, I made the dozen I sent Mary Caroline for you. See the little slips fold over and hold up the petticoats,” and Mrs. Buchanan held up a tiny garment for Caroline Darrah to admire. They sat by the sunny window in her living-room and both were sewing on dainty cambric and lace. Caroline Darrah's head bent over the piece of ruffling in her hand with flower-like grace and the long lines from her throat suggested decidedly a very lovely Preraphaelite angel.
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