CHAPTER XXIV
A NEW ACQUAINTANCE
MRS. BENDER insisted that Mr. Peabody should sit down on her shadyfront porch while she set the table and got luncheon. Betty followedher like a shadow, and while they were laying the silver together thewoman smiled at the downcast face.
"What is it, dear?" she asked gently. "You don't want to go back toBramble Farm; is that it?"
Betty nodded miserably.
"Why do I have to?" she argued. "Can't I go and stay with the Guerins?They'd like to have me, I'm sure they would."
"Well, we'll see what Mr. Bender has to say," answered Mrs. Benderdiplomatically. "Here he comes now. You call Bob and Mr. Peabody, andmind, not a word while we're at the table. Mr. Bender hates to have anargument while he's eating."
The luncheon was delicious, and Mr. Peabody thoroughly enjoyed it, ifthe service was rather confusing. He thought the Benders were veryfoolish to live as they did instead of saving up money for their oldage, but since they did, he was glad they did not retrench when theyhad company. That, by the way, was Mr. Peabody's original conception ofhospitality--to save on his guests by serving smaller portions of food.
"We'll go into the living-room and have a little talk now," proposedthe recorder, leading the way into the pleasant front room where a bigdivan fairly invited three to sit upon it.
"Betty and Bob on either side of me," said Mr. Bender cordially,pointing to the sofa, "and, Mr. Peabody, just roll up that big chair."
Mrs. Bender sat down in a rocking chair, and the recorder seatedhimself between the two young folks.
"Betty doesn't want to come back with me," said Mr. Peabodyresentfully. "I can tell by the way she acts. But her uncle sent herup to us, and there she should stay, I say, till he sends for heragain. It doesn't look right for a girl to be gallivanting all over thetownship."
"I could stay with the Guerins," declared Betty stubbornly. "Mrs.Guerin is lovely to me."
"I should think you'd have a little pride about asking 'em to take youin, when they've got two daughters of their own and he as hard up asmost country doctors are," said the astute Mr. Peabody. "Your unclepays me for your board and I certainly don't intend to turn over anychecks to Doc Guerin."
Betty flushed. She had not thought at all about the monetary sideof the question. She knew that Doctor Guerin's practice was largelyamong the farmers, who paid him in produce as often as in cash, and,as Mr. Peabody said, he could not be expected to take a guest for anindefinite time.
"You know you could stay with me, Betty," Mrs. Bender broke in quickly,"but we're going away for a month next week, and there isn't time tochange the plans. Mr. Bender has his vacation."
"Gee, Betty," came from Bob, "if you're not coming back, what'll I do?"
"Work," said Mr. Peabody grimly.
Betty's quick temper flared up suddenly.
"I won't go back!" she declared passionately. "I'll do housework, I'llscrub or wash dishes, anything! I hate Bramble Farm!"
"Now, now, sister," said the recorder in his even, pleasant voice."Keep cool, and we'll find a way. There's this letter Mr. Peabodyspeaks about. Perhaps that will bring you good news."
"I suppose it's from Uncle Dick," admitted Betty, wiping her eyes."Maybe he will want me to come where he is."
"Well now, Betty," Mr. Peabody spoke persuasively, "you come alonghome with me and maybe things will be more to your liking. PerhapsI haven't always done just as you'd like. But then, you recollect, Iain't used to girls and their notions. Your uncle won't think you'refit to be trusted to travel alone if I write him and tell him you runaway from the farm."
Betty looked dumbly at Mr. Bender.
"I think you had better go with Mr. Peabody," he said kindly, answeringher unspoken question. "You see, Betty, it isn't very easy to explain,but when you want to leave a place, any place, always go openly andas far as possible avoid the significance of running away. You do nothave to stay for one moment where any one is actively unkind to you,but since your uncle placed you in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Peabody, ifyou can, it is wiser to wait till you hear from him before making anychange."
"Make him be nicer to Bob," urged Betty obstinately.
"I aim to send him to school this winter," said Mr. Peabody, rushingto his own defense. "And I can get a man now to help out with thechores. He's lame, but a good milker. Can get him right away, too--thisafternoon. Came by asking for work and I guess he'll stay all winter.Bob can take it easy for a day or two."
"Then he can drive over with Betty Saturday afternoon and spend Sundaywith us." Mrs. Bender was quick to seize this advantage. "That willbe fine. We'll see you, Betty, before we go away. And, dear, you mustwrite to me often."
So it was settled that Betty was to return to Bramble Farm. The Benderswere warmly interested in both young folks, and they were not the sortof people to lose sight of any one for whom they cared. Mr. Peabodyknew that Bob and Betty had gained friends who would be activelyconcerned for their welfare, and he was entirely sincere in promisingto make it easier for them in the future.
He and Bob and Betty and the crated chickens drove into the laneleading to Bramble Farm about half-past four.
Betty's first thought was for her letter. The moment she saw thehand-writing, she knew it was from her uncle.
"Bob, Bob! Where are you?" she called, running out to the barn, wavingthe letter wildly after the first reading. "Oh, Bob, why aren't youever where I want you?"
Mr. Peabody and his wife were still busy over the chickens.
Bob, it seemed, was engaged in the unlovely task of cleaning the cowstables, after having, on Mr. Peabody's orders, gone after the lameman to engage him for the fall and winter work. But Betty was so eagerto share her news with him that she stood just outside the stable andread him bits of the letter through the open window.
"Uncle Dick's in Washington!" she announced blithely. "He's been therea week, and he hopes he can send for me before the month is up. Won'tthat be fine, Bob? I'm not going to unpack my trunk, because I wantto be able to go the minute he sends me word. And, oh, yes, he sendsme another check. Now we can have some more goodies from the grocerystore, next time you go to Glenside."
"You cash that check and put the money away where you and no one elsecan find it," advised Bob seriously. "Don't let yourself get out offunds again, Betty. It may be another long wait before you hear fromyour uncle."
"Oh, no, that won't happen again," said Betty carelessly. "He's inWashington, so everything must be all right. But, Bob, isn't it funny?he hasn't had one of my letters! He says he supposes there's a pileof mail for him at the lawyer's office, but he hasn't had time to runup there, and, anyway, the lawyer is ill and his office is in greatconfusion. Uncle Dick writes he is glad to think of me enjoying thedelights of Bramble Farm instead of the city's heat--Washington ishot in summer, I know daddy used to say so. And he sends the kindestmessages to Mr. and Mrs. Peabody--I wish he knew that old miser! I'vewritten him all about you, but of course he hasn't read the letters."
All through supper and the brief evening that followed Betty waslight-hearted and gay. She re-read her Uncle Dick's letter twentytimes, and because of the relief it promised her found it easy to begracious to Mr. Peabody. That man was put out because his new hiredhand refused to sleep in the attic, declaring that the barn was cooler,as in fact it was.
"If I catch you smoking in there, I'll wring your neck," was thefarmer's amiable good-night to the lame man as he limped out toward hisselected sleeping place.