Volume I Part 5 (2/2)

”No,” said he, clasping her more tenderly, ? ”no ? it would be wicked in me to doubt it. He has blessed me all my life long with a great many more blessings than I deserved; and if he chooses to take away the suns.h.i.+ne of my last days, I will bow my head to his will, and believe that he does all things well, though I cannot see it.”

”Don't, dear grandpa,” said Fleda, stealing her other arm round his neck and hiding her face there, ? ”please don't!”

He very much regretted that he had said too much. He did not, however, know exactly how to mend it. He kissed her, and stroked her soft hair, but that and the manner of it only made it more difficult for Fleda to recover herself, which she was struggling to do; and when he tried to speak in accents of cheering, his voice trembled. Fleda's heart was breaking, but she felt that she was making matters worse, and she had already concluded, on a mature review of circ.u.mstances, that it was her duty to be cheerful. So, after a few very heartfelt tears which she could not help, she raised her head and smiled, even while she wiped the traces of them away.

”After all, grandpa,” said she, ”perhaps Mr. Jolly will come here in the morning with some good news, and then we should be troubling ourselves just for nothing.”

”Perhaps he will,” said Mr. Ringgan, in a way that sounded much more like ”Perhaps he wont!” But Fleda was determined now not to _seem_ discouraged again. She thought the best way was to change the conversation.

”It is very kind in aunt Lucy, isn't it, grandpa, what she has written to me?”

”Why, no,” said Mr. Ringgan, decidedly; ”I can't say I think it is any very extraordinary manifestation of kindness in anybody to want you.”

Fleda smiled her thanks for this compliment.

”It might be a kindness in me to give you to her.”

”It wouldn't be a kindness to me, grandpa.”

”I don't know about that,” said he, gravely. They were getting back to the old subject. Fleda made another great effort at a diversion.

”Grandpa, was my father like my uncle Rossitur in anything?”

The diversion was effected.

”Not he, dear!” said Mr. Ringgan. ”Your father had ten times the man in him that ever your uncle was.”

”Why, what kind of a man is uncle Rossitur, grandpa?”

”Ho dear! I can't tell. I ha'n't seen much of him. I wouldn't judge a man without knowing more of him than I do of Mr.

Rossitur. He seemed an amiable kind of man. But no one would ever have thought of looking at him, no more than at a shadow, when your father was by.”

The diversion took effect on Fleda herself now. She looked up pleased.

”You remember your father, Fleda.”

”Yes, grandpa, but not very well always. I remember a great many things about him, but I can't remember exactly how he looked, except once or twice.”

”Ay, and he wa'n't well the last time you remember him. But he was a n.o.ble-looking man ? in form and face too ? and his looks were the worst part of him. He seemed made of different stuff from all the people around,” said Mr. Ringgan, sighing, ”and they felt it too, I used to notice, without knowing it. When his cousins were 'Sam,' and 'Johnny,' and 'Bill,' he was always, that is after he grew up, '_Mr. Walter_.' I believe they were a little afeard of him. And with all his bravery and fire he could be as gentle as a woman.”

”I know that,” said Fleda, whose eyes were dropping soft tears and glittering at the same time with gratified feeling. ”What made him be a soldier, grandpa? ”

”Oh, I don't know, dear! ? he was too good to make a farmer of ? or his high spirit wanted to rise in the world ? he couldn't rest without trying to be something more than other folks. I don't know whether people are any happier for it.”

”Did _he_ go to West Point, grandpa?”

”No, dear! ? he started without having so much of a push as that; but he was one of those that don't need any pus.h.i.+ng; he would have worked his way up, put him anywhere you would, and he did, ? over the heads of West Pointers and all, and would have gone to the top, I verily believe, if he had lived long enough. He was as fine a fellow as there was in all the army.

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