Part 2 (1/2)
”I chose her,” corrected Embury, ”and don't take that wrong! I mean that I swooped down and carried her off under their very noses! Didn't I, Firebrand?”
”The only way you could get me,” agreed Eunice, saucily.
”Oh, I don't know!” and Embury smiled. ”You weren't so desperately opposed.”
”No; but she was undecided,” said Aunt Abby; ”why, for weeks before your engagement was announced, Eunice couldn't make up her mind for certain. There was Mason Elliott and Al Hendricks, both as determined as you were.”
”I know it, Aunt. Good Lord, I guess I knew those boys all my life, and I knew all their love affairs as well as they knew all mine.”
”You had others, then?” and Eunice opened her brown eyes in mock amazement.
”Rather! How could I know you were the dearest girl in the world if I had no one to compare you with?”
”Well, then I had a right to have other beaux.”
”Of course you did! I never objected. But now, you're my wife, and though all the men in Christendom may admire you, you are not to give one of them a glance that belongs to me.”
”No, sir; I won't,” and Eunice's long lashes dropped on her cheeks as she a.s.sumed an absurdly overdone meekness.
”I was surprised, though,” pursued Aunt Abby, still reminiscent, ”when Eunice married you, Sanford. Mr. Mason is so much more intellectual and Mr. Hendricks so much better looking.”
”Thank you, lady!” and Embury bowed gravely. ”But you see, I have that--er--indescribable charm--that n.o.body can resist.”
”You have, you rascal!” and Miss Ames beamed on him. ”And I think this a favorable moment to ask a favor of your Royal Highness.”
”Out with it. I'll grant it, to the half of my kingdom, but don't dip into the other half.”
”Well, it's a simple little favor, after all. I want to go out to Newark to-morrow in the big car--”
”Newark, New Jersey?”
”Is there any other?”
”Yep; Ohio.”
”Well, the New Jersey one will do me, this time. Oh, Sanford, do let me go! A man is going to will another man--blindfolded, you know--to find a thingumbob that he hid--n.o.body knows where--and he can't see a thing, and he doesn't know anybody and the guide man is Mr.
Mortimer--don't you remember, his mother used to live in Cambridge?
she was an Emmins--well, anyway, it's the most marvelous exhibition of thought transference, or mind-reading, that has ever been shown--and I must go. Do let me?--please, Sanford!”
”My Lord, Aunt Abby, you've got me all mixed up! I remember the Mortimer boy, but what's he doing blindfolded?”
”No; it's the Hanlon man who's blindfolded, and I can go with Ferdinand--and--”
”Go with Ferdinand! Is it a servants' ball--or what?”
”No, no; oh, if you'd only listen, Sanford!”
”Well, I will, in a minute, Aunt Abby. But wait till I tell Eunice something. You see, dear, if Hendricks does show up, I can pump him judiciously and find out where the Meredith brothers stand. Then--”
”All right, San, I'll see that he stays. Now do settle Aunt Abby on this crazy scheme of hers. She doesn't want to go to Newark at all--”