Part 20 (1/2)
”Well then-” her voice sank very low. ”There can't be any other fellow!
There!”
”Nellie!” he cried. Then he would have caught her in his arms, but she held him back.
”Wait, Tom. I understand, and I am very, very glad,” she said, earnestly.
”But mamma-she is a little bit old-fas.h.i.+oned, you know. She made both of us-Grace and I-promise not to-to become engaged until we were twenty or twenty-one.”
”Oh!”
”So we'll have to wait a little longer.”
”I see. But we understand each other, don't we, Nellie?”
”Yes, I'm sure we do.”
”And when you are old enough--”
”We'll talk it over again,” she answered, and took his arm as if to walk back to the others.
”All right,” he said. Then of a sudden he turned and faced her. ”And is that all?” he pleaded.
”Oh, Tom, it ought to be!” she murmured.
”But, Nellie!” he pleaded, and drew her a little closer. Then for just an instant her head went down on his shoulder and she allowed him to kiss her. Then they joined the others, both feeling as if they were walking on air.
An hour later found everybody either in the house or on the veranda. Dora sat down to the piano and the other young folks gathered around to sing one favorite song after another, while the old folks listened. They sang some of the Putnam Hall songs, and tried several that were popular at Brill and at Hope.
”I like that even better than the fireworks,” murmured Mrs. Stanhope, to Anderson Rover.
”Well, I think I do, myself, Mrs. Stanhope,” he answered. And then he drew his rocking-chair a little closer to where the widow was sitting.
”It seems to me that d.i.c.k and Dora match it off pretty well,” he continued, in a lower tone.
”Yes, Mr. Rover. And d.i.c.k is a fine young man-your sons are all fine young men. I shall never forget what they have done for me and for Dora.”
”Well, they are bright lads, if I do say it myself,” answered the father, proudly. ”And let me say, too, that I think Dora is a very dear girl. I shall be proud to take her for a daughter.”
”No prouder than I shall be to take d.i.c.k for a son, Mr. Rover.”
”I am glad to hear you say that-glad that the idea is agreeable all around,” returned Anderson Rover.
”I shouldn't be surprised if, some day, Nellie and Grace married your other sons.”
”Possibly. But they are rather young yet to think of that. d.i.c.k is older, even though they go to college together. You see, he got behind a little at Putnam Hall because, when I was sick, he had to attend to a lot of business for me. But he is going ahead fast now. He came out at the head of his cla.s.s.”
”So Dora told me. Oh, he will make his mark in the world, I am sure of it.”