Part 52 (1/2)

A tear fell on the thin hand that Magsie was patting. Through dazzled eyes she saw the future: reckless buying of gowns--brief and few farewells--the private car, the adoring invalid, the great sunny West with its forests and beaches, the plain gold ring on her little hand. In the whole concerned group--doctor, nurse, valet, mother, maid--young Mrs. Gardiner would be supreme! She saw herself flitting about a California bungalow, lending her young strength to Richie's increasing strength in the sunwashed, health- giving air.

She put her arms about him, laid her rosy cheek against his pale one.

”And you really want me to go out,” Magsie began, smiling through tears, ”and get a nice special license and a nice little plain gold ring and come back here with a nice kind clergyman, and say 'I will'---”

But at this her tears again interrupted her, and Richard, clinging desperately to her hand, could not speak either for tears. His mother who had silently entered the room on Magsie's last words suddenly put her fat arms about her and gave her the great motherly embrace for which, without knowing it, she had hungered for years, and they all fell to planning.

Richard could help only with an occasional a.s.sent. There was nothing to which he would not consent now. They would be married as soon as Magsie and his mother could get back with the necessities. And then would he drink his milk, good boy--and go straight to sleep, good boy. Then to-morrow he should be helped into the softest motor car procurable for money, and into the private car that his mother and Magsie meant to engage, by hook or crook, to-night. In six days they would be watching the blue Pacific, and in three weeks Richie should be sleeping out of doors and coming downstairs to meals. He had only to obey his mother; he had only to obey his wife. Magsie kissed him good-bye tenderly before leaving him for the hour's absence. Her heart was twisting little tendrils about him already. He was a sweet, patient dear, she told his mother, and he would simply have to get well!

”G.o.d above bless and reward you, Margaret!” was all Mrs. Gardiner could say, but Magsie never tired of hearing it.

When the two women went down the hospital steps they found Billy Pickering, in her large red car, eying them reproachfully from the curb.

”This is a nice way to act!” Billy began. ”Your janitor's wife said you had come here. I've got two men--” Magsie's expression stopped her.

”This is Mr. Gardiner's mother, Billy,” Magsie said solemnly. ”The doctors agree that he must not stand this climate another day. He had another sinking spell yesterday, and he--he mustn't have another! I am going with them to California--”

”You ARE?” Billy e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed in amazement. Magsie bridled in becoming importance.

”It is all very sudden,” she said with the weary, patient smile of the invalid's wife, ”but he won't go without me.” And then, as Mrs. Gardiner began to give directions to the driver of her own car, which was waiting, she went on inconsequentially, and in a low and troubled undertone, ”I didn't know what to do. Do--do you think I'm a fool, Billy?”

”But what'll the other man say?” demanded Billy.

Magsie, leaning against the door of the car, rubbed the polished wood with a filmy handkerchief.

”He won't know,” she said.

”Won't know? But what will you tell him?”

”Oh, he's not here. He won't be back for ever so long. And--and Richie can't live--they all say that. So if I come back before he does, what earthly difference can it make to him that I was married to Richie?”

”MARRIED!” For once in her life Billy was completely at a loss.

”But are you going to MARRY him?”

Magsie gave her a solemn look, and nodded gravely. ”He loves me,”

she said in a soft injured tone, ”and I mean to take as good care of him as the best wife in the world could! I'm sick of the stage, and if anything happens with--the other, I shan't have to worry-- about money, I mean. I'm not a fool, Billy. I can't let a chance like this slip. Of course I wouldn't do it if I didn't like him and like his mother, too. And I'll bet he will get well, and I'll never come back to New York! Of course this is all a secret. We're going right down to the City Hall for the license now, and the ring---There are a lot of clothes I've got to buy immediately--”

”Why don't you let me run you about?” suggested Billy. ”I don't have to meet the men until six--I'll have to round up another girl, too; but I'd love to. Let Mama go back to Mr. Gardiner!”

”Oh, I couldn't,” Magsie said, quite the dutiful daughter. ”She's a wonderful person; she's arranging for our own private car, and a cook, and I may take Anna if I can get her!”

”All righto!” agreed Billy.

A rather speculative look came into her face as the other car whirled away. She suddenly gave directions to the driver.

”Drive to Miss Clay's apartment, where you picked me up this morning, Hungerford!” she said quickly. ”I--I think I left something there--gloves--”

”I wonder if you would let me into Miss Clay's apartment?” she said to the beaming janitor's wife fifteen minutes later. ”Miss Clay isn't here, and I left my gloves in her rooms.”