CHAPTER IX
PHYLLIS
“Aunt Rachel,” said Dick, marching to the library, “will you dosomething for me?”
“Probably I will, my boy. What is it?”
“I want you to come and take a walk with me.”
“But it’s nearly supper-time, Dicky; quite time for you to go and brushyour hair, and put on a fresh collar. Where’s Dolly?”
“Oh, Aunt Rachel, please come,—it’s very important!”
Noticing the serious expression on Dick’s earnest little face, AuntRachel became frightened.
“What is the matter, Dick?” she exclaimed. “Has anything happened toDolly? Has she hurt herself?”
“No; she hasn’t hurt herself; but come, please, Aunt Rachel,—do!”
Throwing a light shawl round her, Miss Rachel went with Dick, quite surethat some accident had befallen Dolly. It was quite a little walk to thewoods, and Dick began to wonder whether Phyllis would have waited, orwhether she would have become scared and gone home. She seemed like atimid little thing, and Dick well knew that Miss Rachel’s anger was aformidable thing to brave. He felt far from calm himself.
“Where are you taking me?” said Aunt Rachel, as they crossed theorchard.
“To the woods,” replied Dick, briefly; “Dolly is there.”
And Aunt Rachel said no more, but walked rapidly along by Dick’s side,her mind full of horrible imaginings of Dolly, perhaps fallen from atree, or in some other dreadful plight. When she reached the wood shesaw the two little girls, seated on the flat stone, their arms abouteach other, and their faces red and tear-stained. Indeed, the big tearseven now rolled down Dolly’s cheeks, as she saw the stern expressionthat came over Aunt Rachel’s face.
“Phyllis Middleton!” exclaimed the angry-looking lady; “what does thismean? You know you are forbidden to step foot on my property!”
“Yes’m,” began Phyllis, timidly, but Dick took the helm.
“Aunt Rachel,” he said, “I asked you to come out here, ’cause Phylliswouldn’t go to the house. And I want to ask you to let her be Dolly’sfriend; they love each other a heap.”
Then Aunt Rachel’s wrath was turned toward her niece.
“Dolly,” she said, severely, “you know I positively forbade you to speakto Phyllis Middleton.”
“Yes, Auntie; b-but I didn’t know it was Phyllis, when I first spoke toher.”
“Well, you know it now. Come away from her at once. Phyllis, go straighthome, and don’t ever dare come here again.”
The case was hopeless.
Phyllis withdrew herself from Dolly’s embrace, and rose to go away.
Jack Fuller stood by, unable to help, and very nearly crying himself insympathy with the two forlorn little girls.
Aunt Rachel, in her surprise and indignation, had seated herself on theedge of a big stone, opposite Dolly and Phyllis, and sat with frowningface, waiting for the unwelcome visitor to depart.
In her extremity of despair, Dolly had an inspiration. With a cry of,“Oh, _please_, Auntie Rachel!” she sprang at her aunt, and threw herarms around the neck of the irate lady. She squeezed her until shenearly choked her; she showered kisses on her face and neck; shewhispered in her ear, “Please, dear Auntie, oh, _please_ let me have herfor my little friend; I love her so! _Please_, Auntie!”
Dick, anxiously watching Miss Rachel’s face, saw a change. Not only didit become warm and red from the strangling hugs she was undergoing, buthe felt sure there was a relenting expression in her eyes.
Partly out of gratitude for this, and partly from a desire to furtherDolly’s cause, he too rushed at his aunt, and added his affectionatedemonstrations to those of his sister. His arms somehow found room, too,round her neck, and he industriously kissed the other side of her face,while he cried, “_Please_, Auntie Rachel, even if you don’t like theMiddletons, please let Phyllis and Dolly be friends! _Please_, Auntie!”
So cyclonic was the beginning of this performance, and so vigorous itscontinuance, that Miss Rachel was soon on the verge of physicalcollapse, and wildly waved her hands, in a futile endeavour to shake offthe besiegers.
Phyllis and Jack were appalled at the scene, and were almost uncertainwhether the attack was really affectionate or of a hostile nature.
“For gracious’ sake, Dolly, _do_ stop!” cried Miss Rachel, at last, asher glasses flew off, and her carefully arranged coiffure became awreck. “Dick, let go of me!”
“Yes, Auntie,” he said, kneeling at one side, and possessing himself ofone of her hands, while Dolly did the same with the other; “but, Auntie,do say yes, won’t you?”
“Won’t you, Auntie?” echoed Dolly; “won’t you, Auntie? Please, dearAuntie Rachel, won’t you? _Please!_”
The words, repeated so often, seemed to become meaningless, but not sothe beseeching expression on the two upturned, pleading little faces.
Aunt Rachel looked at them,—Dick’s eager hopeful gaze; Dolly’s tearful,despairing eyes,—and her hard heart melted.
IN THE GARDEN (Page 82)]
She put an arm round each of the quivering little bodies, and saidsoftly:
“Wait a minute, dears, let me think it over.”
If Miss Rachel needed further incentive, the joy that flashed into thetwins’ faces must have given it to her, for she went on almostimmediately:
“You cannot understand the grown-up part of this; you cannot be toldabout why Mrs. Middleton and I are not on friendly terms; but this Iwill grant. If Phyllis’s mother will let her be Dolly’s friend, I shallbe glad to have it so. If Phyllis is allowed to come to Dana Dene, Dollymay also visit her and you may play together all you like. There isreally no reason why you children should suffer for the sake of yourelders, and I see that clearly now. Come here, Phyllis.”
Phyllis rose and went to Miss Rachel, who looked her over with evidentinterest.
“You are a nice child,” she said, at last, with a nod of approval. “Ishall be glad to have you become Dolly’s friend. Do you think yourmother will object?”
“I know she will, Miss Dana,” said Phyllis, sadly; “I am sure she won’tlet me go to Dana Dene.”
“Then I shall go to see her, myself, and I fancy I can persuade her.”
Miss Rachel said this with a majestic air, yet with a grim smile, andthe children felt that though they certainly did not understand the“grown-up part of it,” yet their cause was won, and Dolly and Phylliswould be permitted to play together to their hearts’ content.
“Thank you, Miss Rachel,” said Phyllis, timidly taking her hand, andfeeling that she ought to show her gratitude by some demonstration,after the example set her by the twins.
Miss Rachel kissed her gently on the forehead, and then put her hand inDolly’s; bidding the two little girls seal their friendship with a kiss,and then say good-bye until to-morrow.
“Scamper home, across the orchard, Phyllis,” she went on, “and tell yourmother all about it, if you choose; and say I shall call on her thisevening.”
Jack went with Phyllis, as that was the way toward his own home, and thethree Danas went back to the house.
“Oh, Auntie, you are so good,” said Dolly, as, with her arm round heraunt’s waist, she walked by her side. “It was lovely of you to give upyour favourite feud for me!”
Miss Rachel smiled at Dolly’s choice of words, but she only said:
“It is right, dearie. It would be very foolish to keep you two littlegirls apart because of what happened to your ancestors, twenty yearsago.”
“Yes’m; and are you going to keep on feuding with Mrs. Middleton?”
“I don’t know yet,” said Miss Rachel, smiling again; “if I do, it willbe because she insists upon it. But I feel sure I can persuade her tofeel as I do, about you children.”
“You’re a brick, Auntie,” declared Dick, who walked at her other side.“I was ’most sure you’d cave in when you saw how the girls felt aboutit.”
“It was really the way you two felt about it, that persuaded me; indeed,if I hadn’t ‘caved in,’ as you call it, I think you would have squeezedme to pieces.”
“Yes, we’re good coaxers,” said Dick, modestly. “We used to coax AuntieHelen that way; but she always got to laughing.”
“It wasn’t a humorous occasion, to-day,” said Aunt Rachel, and then theyall went in to supper.
Aunt Abbie, who was wondering what had become of them, was then told thewhole story, which greatly interested her.
“And now,” said Dolly, as everything had been explained, “you see why Iwas asking about fairies last night. I didn’t really think Phyllis was afairy, but she came so—so unexpected, you know, and she wouldn’t tellme her name, and she told me to keep it all a secret.”
“I think that part of it was a little naughty,” said Aunt Abbie,judicially.
“Yes’m,” agreed Dolly. “But you see she ’pented, and to-day she came totell me that she had ’cided it _was_ naughty, and she wasn’t coming anymore. So that took away the naughtiness, didn’t it, Auntie Rachel?”
“Yes, I think it did, dearie. I feel sure Phyllis is a conscientiouslittle girl, and will be a good friend for you in every way.”
“But I’ll always call her Pinkie,” said Dolly; “’cause I called her thatat first, and Phyllis is such a grown-up name. Will you go over and seeabout it right away, Auntie?”
“After a while, Dolly. But I shall not return until after you’ve gone tobed, so don’t think any more about it till morning.”
Aunt Rachel spoke calmly, but the children little knew what it meant toher to subdue her pride and make the advance toward a truce with Mrs.Middleton. Their quarrel, though it had occurred many years ago, was asbitter as ever, and reconciliation seemed impossible. Neither had everbeen willing to suggest such a thing, and though kind-hearted friendshad tried to bring it about, their efforts had met with no success. MissAbbie was, of course, amazed at the way things were going, but her offerto accompany her sister was met with a gentle but decided refusal.
And so, nobody ever knew what passed between the two neighbours thatevening. Whatever way she humiliated herself, or whatever arguments sheused, Miss Rachel never told; but, at least, her main errand wassuccessful, and Mrs. Middleton agreed to let Phyllis and Dolly playtogether all they liked, and visit at each other’s homes whenever theychose.
As for the two ladies themselves, they didn’t at once forgive and forgetall of their long-standing unpleasantness, but they agreed to be, atleast, calling acquaintances, for the children’s sake; and I may as wellsay here that eventually the breach was healed, and by degrees theybecame really friendly neighbours.
Dolly was too excited and anxious to sleep, so when she heard MissRachel come in, though it was late, she sprang out of bed, and throwinga blue kimono over her little frilled nightgown, she ran out into thehall, and called down over the banisters:
“Is it all right, Auntie Rachel? Is it all right?”
“Yes, it’s all right, Dolly. Go back to bed, you’ll catch cold.”
By this time, Dick had bounced out of his room. A bath-robe was roundhim, over his pink-striped pajamas, and as he heard Aunt Rachel’sassurance that their cause was won, he whispered to Dolly, “Let’s godown and hug her!”
“Let’s!” replied Dolly, and the two bare-footed, dressing-gowned littlefigures flew downstairs and precipitated themselves upon the alreadyexhausted lady.
“Don’t, children!” cried Aunt Abbie, as Miss Rachel was almost lost tosight in clouds of eider-down flannel, and four eager, waving arms.“Don’t! you’ll wear Auntie Rachel out, she’s almost collapsed now.”
“No, Abbie; let them be. I like it,” gasped Aunt Rachel, from behind twocurly heads that seemed to be devouring her.
So Aunt Abbie only laughed, inwardly rejoicing that the children hadbrought about an amicable adjustment of the old quarrel, and glad, too,that her reserved and undemonstrative sister enjoyed the wild antics ofthe two little savages.
“Auntie Abbie next!” shouted Dick, gleefully, and Aunt Rachel received arespite, as the twins’ attentions were showered upon their other aunt.
But she wouldn’t stand quite so much.
“Be off with you!” she cried. “You’re worse than a pair of littlebear-cubs!”
“We are bear-cubs,” cried Dick, enchanted with the suggestion. Then hegrowled, and pawed and clawed at Aunt Abbie, winding up with a hug thatnearly cracked her bones.
Dolly, always ready to take her cue, was also a bear-cub, and betweenthem they made Aunt Abbie’s life miserable for a few minutes.
“Scamper now!” she cried, as she emerged, laughing, from the latestonslaught. “Run to bed, both of you. I’ve had enough of this!”
So, with final pats and kisses all round, the twins went upstairs, andwere soon snugly in bed once more.
Dolly thought she should never go to sleep, she was so happy in thethoughts of her new friend.
Dear Pinkie! She was so pretty and sweet, and Dolly smiled to herself atthought of all the fun they could have playing together. They wouldalways be friends, even after they grew up to be young ladies, and theywould never have a foolish quarrel, as Pinkie’s mother and Auntie Rachelhad had. And so, fairly revelling in happy anticipations, Dolly fellasleep.
Downstairs, the two sisters talked long and earnestly.
“It’s a blessing those two children ever came here,” said Miss Abbie, atlast.
“It is a blessing in some ways,” said Miss Rachel, “but they’re going tobe a terrible responsibility. Such overflowing spirits I never saw! Theycan’t be still a second. And we must stop these fearful tornadoes ofaffection!”
“Oh, I thought you enjoyed them!”
“I do enjoy their hearty demonstrations and endearments. They’re so realand spontaneous. But we must curb them, for it isn’t good for thechildren to be allowed such savagery. For it is savagery.”
“It is, indeed!” agreed Aunt Abbie, ruefully. “My arm’s lame yet, fromtheir squeezing.”
“Well, we’ll correct them. But I don’t want to be too harsh, poor littlemotherless things.”
“Yes, and fatherless, too. We must be very good to them, Rachel, but itisn’t true kindness to be too indulgent, you know.”
“No, of course not. We must be firm, yet gentle.”
And so the two ladies discussed the management of the twins, notrealising at all, that on the contrary, the twins were managing them!For though good and obedient children, Dick and Dolly generallysucceeded in getting their own sweet way, as witness the case of PhyllisMiddleton.