Part 29 (1/2)
”I suppose you are detesting ht,” he remarked as they seated themselves ”You have all my sympathy I should detest ood h ti to fly?” dick asked with interest ”I could put up with getting married myself if ht I could chuck her out if I didn't like her,” he added, with a grin
”The very first time I ever flew in my life,” Major Caaht which I arey Would you like to hear about it?”
”Ra-_ther_!” dick and Jerry replied together (Now perhaps the ht be explained)
So Major Campbell told them the story that they already knew nearly as well as he did himself--in fact, Mollie found herself on the point of correcting him upon one or two points He told it well, better than he had done on that agitating occasion so e theto be endured Mollie had to keep repeating to herself ”A Guide's Word is _Always_ to be Trusted,” as she reflected upon thatproo, surely a question, one question, would not matter now Unfortunately it was also, as Mollie expressed it to herself ”so short ago” that she could remember Prue's words only too plainly: ”_You must not ask questions however much you want to_” It is true that she had broken the rule once, but it had been in forgetfulness, not deliberately dick and Jerry were perhaps less picturesque in the manner of their vows, but they certainly had no intention of breaking them It was Aunt Mary who unconsciously came to the rescue:
”And what _was_ the blood that wasn't blood?”
”Oh, that! That was an to laugh
”Merely what? Be quick,” said dear Aunt Mary, ”we are longing to know”
”I am sorry--I hate to let you down, but it was only dye Desmond had a notion that he could etable dyes, you know But it never ca I think it is rather a pity he didn't persevere; hewith it”
Dye! Well, of all the prosaic endings to a thrilling tale! And yet, when the children came to think of it, what else could it have been?
They were annoyed at the Major Caain when he saw the blank look on three faces
”It's a poor end-up, isn't it?” he said ”Why did you force me into it? But there is still the stone, if you would like to see it You will find it over there on the writing-table”
dick fetched the stone--the identical stone they had last seen in Hugh's hand forty years ago After all, the end was not so prosaic!
It looked little the worse for its adventures through Time and space as it lay in dick's hand An inscription had been scratched in and inked over:
Hugh Caust 4th, 1880
Desmond O'Rourke } Mary Gordon 1910
They looked at in silence for a minute
”It reminds me of a tombstone,” dick remarked cheerfully, ”if you wrote 'Wife of the Aboves' under Aunt Mary's nahter of one of the aboves would be more appropriate,”
Major Carey head with one hand, while with the other he gave a gentle tug to a stray lock of Aunt Mary's pretty brown hair
”Fiddlesticks!” Aunt Mary said briskly ”We'll get you a wig if you feel so badly about it, or perhaps Desht red No--I'll tell you ould be really interesting--if you could write on your stone the names of all the people whose lives it dropped into that day There are Desmond and Prue and their children” (Jerry looked up with a startled glance), ”and their wonderful grandchild” (Jerry's eyes were round with dismay
Farewell, Romance!), ”and Grizzel and Jack and _their_ children, for Grizzel would never have met Jack if Prue hadn't ot tangled up with the O'Rourkes we should probably never have rands were such friends Then we may add dick's name to our list, for I mean to have him out in Australia one of these days, and perhaps Jerry too--who knows! And MollieO'Rourkes--Brian would do nicely” Aunt Mary laughed mischievously at Mollie
”That _would_ be a sermon in stones and no mistake,” Major Caular palimpsest to hold them all Think of Grizzel and all the pies she loves to have her fingers in--all those people on their fruit farm for instance, mostly people who have been down on their luck one way or another
And the young persons she has helped hat she calls their artistic careers And Prue with her arh one little stone,” Aunt Mary said, taking the stone into her own hand and looking at it thoughtfully