Part 47 (2/2)

”Didn't--didn't thee like what mother said?” Reuben asked, after a while, a little hurt.

I felt at once that he misunderstood my silence, and I put my arm around his neck as I said, ”Reuben, love and honor your mother the longest day you live. She is one among a million. 'Liked!' It mattered little whether I liked it or not; she made it seem G.o.d's own truth.”

”And to think, Richard, that if it hadn't been for thee--”

”Hush, Reuben. To think rather that she waited on me for days and nights together. Well, I could turn Catholic and wors.h.i.+p one saint.”

”I'm glad she's only mother,” said the boy, with a low laugh; ”and, Richard, she likes me to have a good time as much as I do myself. She always made me mind, but she's been jolly good to me. Oh, I love her; don't thee worry about that.”

”Well, whatever happens,” I said, with a deep breath, ”I thank G.o.d for the day that brought me to her home.”

”So do I,” said the boy; ”so do we all; but confound Emily Warren's grandfather! I don't take to him. He thinks we're wonderfully simple folks, just about good enough to board him and that black-eyed witch of his. I do kind of like her a little bit, she's so saucy-like sometimes.

One day she commenced ordering me around, and I stood and stared at the little miss in a way that she won't forget.”

”She'll learn to coax by and by, and then you'll do anything for her, Reuben.”

”P'raps,” he said, with a half smile on his ruddy face.

CHAPTER XIV

LOVE TEACHING ETHICS

On reaching the farmhouse I went directly to my room, and I wished that I might stay there the rest of the day; but I was soon summoned to dinner. In Miss Warren's eyes still lingered the evidences of her deep feeling, but her expression was quiet, firm, and resolute. The effect of the sermon upon her was just what I antic.i.p.ated in case my hope had any foundation--it had bound her by what seemed the strongest of motives to be faithful to the man who she believed had the right to her fealty.

”Well,” I thought bitterly, ”life might have brought her a heavier cross than marrying a handsome millionaire, even though considerably her senior. I'm probably a conceited fool for thinking it any very great burden at all. But how, then, can I account--? Well, well, time alone can unravel this snarl. One thing is certain: she will do nothing that she does not believe right; and after what Mrs. Yocomb said I would not dare to wish her to do wrong.”

Mrs. Yocomb did not come down to dinner, and the meal was a quiet one.

Mr. Yocomb's eyes glistened with a serene, happy light, but he ate sparingly, and spoke in subdued tones. He reminded me of the quaint old scripture--”A man's wisdom maketh his face to s.h.i.+ne.” Whatever might be said against his philosophy, it produced good cheer and peace. Adah, too, was very quiet; but occasionally she glanced toward Miss Warren as if perplexed and somewhat troubled. Mr. Hearn seemed wrought up into quite a religious fervor. He was demonstratively tender and sympathetic toward the girl at his side, and waited on her with the effusive manner of one whose feelings must have some outlet. His appet.i.te, however, did not flag, and I thought he seemed to enjoy his emotions and his dinner equally.

”Mr. Morton,” he said impressively, ”you must have liked that sermon exceedingly.”

”Indeed, sir,” I replied briefly, ”I have scarcely thought whether I liked it or not.”

Both he and Miss Warren looked at me in surprise; indeed all did except Reuben.

”I beg your pardon, but I thought Mrs. Yocomb expressed herself admirably,” he said, with somewhat of the air of champions.h.i.+p.

”She certainly expressed herself clearly. The trouble with me is that the sermon is just what Mrs. Yocomb would call it--a message--and one scarcely knows how to dodge it. I never had such a spiritual blow between the eyes before, and think I'm a little stunned yet.”

A smile lighted up Miss Warren's face. ”Mrs. Yocomb would like your tribute to her sermon, I think,” she said.

”What most bewilders me,” I resumed, ”is to think how Mrs. Yocomb has been waiting on me and taking care of me. I now feel like the peasant who was taken in and cared for by the royal family.”

”I think our friend Mr. Morton is in what may be termed 'a frame of mind,'” said Mr. Hearn a little satirically.

”Yes, sir, I am,” I replied emphatically. ”I believe that adequate causes should have some effects. It does not follow, however, that my frame of mind is satisfactory to any one, least of all to Mrs. Yocomb.”

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