Part 42 (1/2)

”Dear,” he went on, ”have you and I just been playing at life?”

”Oh, it seems so,” she cried. ”I know I am unhappy, groping.” She stood up and put out her hands to him. He took them, drew her close to him.

”Ina,” he said, ”let me go with you and the children to the seash.o.r.e.

Let's try to know one another better.”

A radiance came upon her, filling her eyes. She did not speak, only she held very fast to his hand, as though in the clasp she found an anchor.

There came the glorious summer day marked for the journey to the seash.o.r.e. Suzanna, Maizie, and Peter waited for the Bartlett carriage which was to convey them to the depot. At last they heard it coming. At last it stood before the gate, and Daphne put her small head out of the carriage window. Then Graham opened the door and sprang to the ground.

He said a word to David who was driving, and ran up the path.

Maizie began to dance, Peter to whistle. But Suzanna stood quite still, the glow of antic.i.p.ation falling from her face.

”Are you quite ready, Suzanna?” asked Mrs. Procter.

At the words Suzanna's control broke. With a little cry she ran into her mother's arms. ”Oh, mother, mother,” she sobbed, ”I can't go away, so far away and leave you--a whole month!”

Mrs. Procter held the small figure close. Her own eyes were wet, but she spoke calmly:

”Why, little girl, mother will be here waiting for your return, and longing to hear all about your good time. Come, dry your eyes and think how happy you're going to be.”

”But I know you'll be lonesome, mother, and so shall I be for you.”

”But when you grow lonesome,” Mrs. Procter whispered, ”just think how lovely it will be to return home; and remember that father's machine will be given its great test before you come back. Mr. Bartlett and Mr.

Ma.s.sey have made all arrangements.”

Suzanna's face brightened; the clouds dispelled themselves, so she was able to greet Graham with much of her old smile.

”All ready?” he cried as he ran up the steps. ”Father and mother and a maid are following in another carriage. Nancy is with us.”

He was quite plainly excited by some thought deeper than the mere fact of going to the seash.o.r.e. Suzanna's companions.h.i.+p was promised for long days to come; he knew her eye for beauty hidden from others; her quaint speech. And then, too, a new relations.h.i.+p had come to pa.s.s between himself and his mother. Between them an understanding that made him glow.

It seemed but a moment before they were all together in the train.

Suzanna settled herself to look out of the window at the pa.s.sing landscape, so exhilaratingly new to her. Maizie sat beside her, Peter across the aisle with Graham. Little Daphne was cuddled close to Mrs.

Bartlett. Mr. Bartlett was in the dining-car.

Maizie whispered to her sister: ”We've come to the future now, haven't we, Suzanna?”

”Why, you can't ever come to the future,” returned Suzanna.

Maizie puzzled a moment. ”But don't you remember, mother said we might travel on a train some time in the future? So now we're doing it, why haven't we come to the future?”

”Because you never can come to the future,” Suzanna repeated. She leaned forward and spoke to Mrs. Bartlett. ”When you're living a day it's the present, isn't it, Mrs. Bartlett?”

Mrs. Bartlett looked long at the two children. ”Maizie thinks the future an occasion, I think,” she said, and then, because lucid explanation was beyond her, she continued: ”You know we have a big cottage at the seash.o.r.e, and the cottage is close to the water.”