CHAPTER XVIII
JACK AS CHAMPION
MISS HELEN had not met Mr. Kirk before, but she had heard all abouthim, of how he had come upon Jean in the lobby of a theatre in New Yorkwhen she was looking for her friends--she had escaped from them inorder to visit the fairy queen of a little play to which Mr. Pinckneyhad taken the Corner girls--of how Jean had been taken under the youngman's wing, and how she had dined with him and had finally been broughtback safely to Mr. Pinckney's house. Because of all this Mr. Pinckneyhad invited the young man to Christmas dinner and so his acquaintancewith them all began. Miss Helen did not know, however, neither did theCorners, that it was partly on account of this young Marylander thatMr. Pinckney had brought his granddaughter abroad, and that it wasbecause of his presence that he had kept the first and third gondolasapart. For, kind-hearted though he was, and devoted though he might beto his granddaughter, when it became apparent that young Harold Kirkhad more than a passing interest in the lovely Dolores, Mr. Pinckneystraightway bore her off to Europe, hoping that it would be "out ofsight, out of mind" on both sides.
To be sure he was only carrying out a plan which he had determinedupon some time before, when he took his granddaughter abroad, and hehoped she would not discover any other than the original intention.He meant to stay long enough to "put a stop to any foolishness," sohe told himself. Some day in the indefinite future she might marry,but not yet. He had no special objection to Harold Kirk, in fact herather liked him, but he wanted no man to step in to take his place inthe affections of the granddaughter he had lately discovered. When,therefore, the young man made his appearance upon the scene, Mr.Pinckney was annoyed, to say the least. He had promised himself a goodtime here in Venice with the Corner children, of whom he was very fond,but now all his plans were upset. He would leave at once.
So he sat silently meditating upon the turn of affairs while thegondolas slipped through the water, and Jack and Jo chatted to CarterBarnwell. Jack adored Carter, and she was a great favorite of his.They had been fast comrades in California and were ready to resume thecomradeship on the old footing. After the first few questions which Mr.Pinckney put to Carter about Mrs. Roberts, Mr. Pinckney's daughter,with whom Carter had been making his home, the old gentleman let theyoung people have it all their own way, seldom making a remark unlessin answer to some question put directly to him.
Meanwhile those in the gondola, which was in the lead, were talking ofmany things. Harold Kirk put a few polite questions about the movementsof the party, but at first made no reference to the Pinckneys. MissHelen was a stranger to him, and his own affairs were to be set asidewhile he entertained the two with him.
"What I want to know," said Nan after a while, "is how you happened tocome across Carter. You know his mother is an old school friend of AuntHelen's, and we met him in California. He and Jack are the greatestcronies."
"He has talked to me a great deal about Jack. He is a cousin of mine,you know."
"I didn't know. Oh, you must be his Cousin Hal we have heard him speakof. I didn't recognize the abbreviation." Nan was just at the age whenshe rather liked to use big words.
"His mother and mine are sisters." Mr. Kirk gave the information.
"Then you are Byrd Carter's son," exclaimed Miss Helen. "I have mether, for you know your aunt, Mrs. Barnwell, is a great friend of mine."
This put them all on a closer footing. There were questions to ask andto answer about families and friends, and at last Nan came back to theoriginal subject of how he and Carter happened to come over together.
"Carter looked me up in New York," Mr. Kirk told them. "His father hasgiven him this trip, and the doctor said he was so much better that itwould do him no harm, so long as he avoided harsh climates. He will getback home before the November winds become too much for him. I thinkin time the boy will outgrow that early tendency to lung trouble whichtook him to California. Yet he likes it out there, and will probablysettle down for good. Well, he urged me to come with him, said hehated to make the trip alone, said he would meet the Corner familysomewhere--and--well, the temptation was too great, so I came to spendmy summer holiday here instead of going to Maine or the Catskills."
"Had you met the Pinckneys here in Venice before you came across us?"asked Nan innocently.
"No."
"Why, we are all together, you know. Mr. Pinckney is in that nextgondola, and Miss Dolores is with mother and Mary Lee in the one behindthat."
Mr. Kirk was silent for a moment. "Do you know how long they are goingto stay?" he asked after a moment.
"Oh, for some time." Nan was positive. "As long as we do and we shallbe here at least a week or ten days, shan't we, Aunt Helen?"
Miss Helen assured her that they would stay not less time than that.
"Then we shall all have jolly times together," said Nan delightedly."Now, don't you want to see mother and Miss Dolores and Jean? Supposewe tell our gondolier to turn back and go alongside, shall we, Mr.Kirk?"
The young man agreed very readily. There were many gondolas out uponthe canal, and in the process of turning others came between them andthe one in which Mr. Pinckney sat, so he did not observe but that Mr.Kirk's was still in the lead, and was not in the least aware that Mr.Kirk had greeted Miss Dolores and the rest of the way was sitting byher side while Nan and her aunt drifted on solely in each other'scompany.
"Where is Hal?" asked Carter as the gondola in which he was at laststopped at the Riva della Schiavoni to discharge its passengers. "Ithought he was just ahead," he added looking around.
Mr. Pinckney frowned, for no gondola was near, but after a few minutesup came two. From the first stepped Mr. Kirk who helped Mrs. Cornerashore, then Jean, then Miss Dolores. Mr. Pinckney's frown grew deeper,and it was quite light enough for Jack to catch the expression.
"Oh, how cross you look," she cried. "I never saw you look so cross.Don't you like the gondolier, Mr. St. Nick? Did he cheat you?"
"No," growled Mr. Pinckney, "but some one else did."
Jack wondered who it could be. Maybe it was one of the old men theycalled "Rampini," who drew the gondolas ashore with his iron hook.It was clearly her duty to put Mr. St. Nick in a good humor. She haddeserted him for Carter and maybe he didn't like it. So she caught holdof his hand and smiled up into his face.
"I think you are awfully nice, even when you frown, Mr. St. Nick," shesaid, "and I should like Carter to look just like you when he growsold."
"You should, should you?" Mr. Pinckney had to look a little morepleasant for Miss Dolores was walking with Mary Lee and Carter, whileMr. Kirk was escorting Miss Helen and Mrs. Corner. "Then I suppose youexpect to see him around then just as you do now."
"Of course," replied Jack. "I am going to marry him, you know."
"You are? Well, all I have to say is that you are looking pretty farahead."
"I like to look ahead," Jack informed him. "I like to think of nextChristmas and of my birthday and of our getting back home and all thenice things. Don't you like to look ahead, Mr. St. Nick?"
"No, I can't say that I do. I prefer to enjoy the present moment."
"Are you enjoying the present moment?"
"You little outrageous coquette! here you've been talking to thatboy all the evening, and now you're trying to make up with me. I seethrough your wiles."
Jack looked very serious. "But you see," she began by way of excuse,"I hadn't seen Carter for such a long while; not since we were inCalifornia, you know. He has written to me lots of times, but thatisn't like seeing a person. Let's talk about what we're going to doto-morrow," she said after a moment, and setting aside what was auselessly unpleasant subject. "I think we shall have a lovely timeto-morrow. Will you go with us to feed the pigeons the first thing?"
Mr. Pinckney was silent for a little. "We shall probably not be here,"he said presently.
"Not be here?" Jack dropped his hand in her surprise. "Why, Mr. St.Nick, I think that is awfully mean when we have just come. Where areyou going?"
"I am not
prepared to say exactly."
Jack looked up at him earnestly. She was a shrewd little body, strongin her intuitions. Early in the evening there had been plenty of plansdiscussed. What should suddenly decide Mr. St. Nick to go? At allevents she would do her best to persuade him to stay. "But you're notgoing right after breakfast, are you?" she asked.
"Probably."
"And you won't do any of the things you said you would? You won't takeus to the bead shop nor the glass factory nor anywhere?" This was themore astonishing that Mr. St. Nick was the one who always delighted indoing anything and everything he could for the children's entertainment.
But there was no time for a reply just then as they had reached theirlodgings and the good-nights must be said. Jack noticed that neitherCarter nor Mr. Kirk accompanied Mr. Pinckney and Miss Dolores, but thatMr. St. Nick hurried Miss Dolores away, leaving the young people stillmaking their farewells. She kept her counsel, however, until she andher sisters were in their rooms; then she whispered to Nan, "I want totell you something. May I get in bed with you?"
Nan consented and for half an hour there was much whispering going on,then Jack crept into the other bed where Jean was already sound asleep.It was all very puzzling and provoking, but perhaps Mr. St. Nick wouldchange his mind before the next day.
Nan and the twins occupied one room, Mary Lee and Jo the otheradjoining, but Mary Lee and Nan were talking earnestly in the largerroom when Jack opened her eyes the following morning. They were talkingabout Miss Dolores, she soon ascertained.
"I think it is a shame," said Mary Lee. "I know she likes him and Iknow he came over because she was here, and did you see how cross helooked?"
Jack wondered who these various hes could be. Who was it that had comeon Miss Dolores' account? She knew well enough who it was who hadlooked cross, and Mary Lee had noticed the frown, too.
"And don't you think it is horrid for him to jerk her away just as hehas come?" said Nan. "He told Jack they were going to-day, and didn'tsay where."
"He did?" More hes and hers and a puzzling mix up of pronouns. Jacklistened more eagerly. Of course she could easily make out that it wasMr. St. Nick who had told of going away.
"I don't see what makes him act so," Mary Lee went on. "He never waslike this before in all the time we have known him. I'm sure Mr. Kirkis just as nice as can be, and in the beginning he treated him socordially and now just because he and Miss Dolores are in love witheach other you would suppose the poor fellow had committed a crime."
So that was it; Miss Dolores and Mr. Kirk were in love with each otherand Mr. St. Nick was cross about it. Why couldn't he let them marry andall of them live together? Jack was sure it was a beautiful plan, andone that he had probably never thought of. He was supposing that Mr.Kirk would want to take Miss Dolores away. There wasn't the slightestneed of that she could tell him and so she would. She decided not todelay the matter. Jack always wanted to rush a thing through as soon asan idea came into her head. She jumped up, not noticing the "Sh!" withwhich Nan warned Mary Lee that she was not to continue the subject, andwas not long in making herself ready for the day.
The hotel where the Pinckneys were stopping was not far away, and to itJack hastened, not staying to notice the effect of the morning lightupon the water, the sun-touched buildings on the islands opposite, northe boatmen out early. She was bent upon her errand. It was a directway along the Riva della Schiavoni, as Jack well remembered, for herbump of locality did not often lead her astray. As at all large hotelsover the Continent, English was spoken, the little girl was nothingdaunted when she walked in and asked for Mr. Pinckney. She knew thesenorita preferred to take her chocolate and rolls in her own room, butthat Mr. Pinckney had not taken kindly to this habit, and would followthe custom of going to the breakfast-room. She would be asked to joinhim, no doubt, and it was with some pleasure that she considered theprospect. She would take an orange, jam for her bread, and some weak,very much sweetened coffee, also a very hard-boiled egg.
She did not have to wait long before the old gentleman came trottinginto the room where she was waiting, fresh and rosy from his toilet.He was always immaculate, and since the discovery of his granddaughterhe was more than ever particular about his personal appearance; hisbeard was more closely trimmed, his neckties and waistcoats morecarefully chosen.
"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed, "this is a surprise. Come to havebreakfast with me? Let's go right in. This is an attention I didn'texpect."
"You see," began Jack diplomatically, "I thought if you were going awayto-day I shouldn't have any time at all to see you if I didn't comeearly."
Mr. Pinckney seated himself and began drumming thoughtfully on thetable while the waiter stood expectant. Presently the old gentlemansmiled across at Jack. "Now, what will you have?" he asked. "This isnice, to be sure. Instead of eating a solitary breakfast, I have one ofmy best friends to join me."
Jack's mind was already made up so she did not hesitate long in givingher order. Mr. Pinckney added his and the waiter went off.
"By the way," said Mr. Pinckney, "did you happen to leave word whereyou had gone so early? I know your way of skipping off, and I am notgoing to have the family set by the ears, or have them lose theirappetites on my account. I can send some one to telephone them whereyou are if they don't know."
"Oh, they know," said Jack calmly. "I wrote a note to Nan."
"What did you say?" There was a little twinkle in Mr. Pinckney's eye.He knew Jack well.
"I said: 'I am going to see Mr. St. Nick. You know why. Don't come forme.'"
Mr. Pinckney looked puzzled and glanced at Jack's plate by the sideof which the waiter was just setting the dishes she had ordered. Hewondered if she had craftily desired some special dainty which herown boarding place did not furnish, and if she had taken this way ofgetting it, but Jack's order was a modest one, he perceived, so shecould not have come merely because of the breakfast. "She knew why?" hesaid, "and what is the why?"
Jack added a fourth lump of sugar to her coffee and looked at himgravely. "You know I said if you were going away this morning Ishouldn't have any time to see you if I didn't come early, and I hadsomething very particular to say to you."
"You had? Out with it." Mr. Pinckney was amused. Jack alwaysentertained him.
"Well," said Jack, covering a small piece of bread with a large amountof jam, "I s'pose you're thinking that Mr. Kirk is in love with MissDolores, and that he will want to take her off somewhere away from you,and that is why you looked so cross last night."
Mr. Pinckney laid down his knife and fork and looked at the child,amazed that she should put her finger with such directness uponthe point of his annoyance. "Caesar's ghost!" he exclaimed, "what ayoungster."
"Yes," Jack went on, "I think that is just it. Now, I don't supposeit ever came into your head to think how awfully nice it would be forthem to get married and live with you. Lots and lots of times I'veheard you say that if you only had a son or a grandson he would besuch a comfort and help, and here when there is one standing aroundjust dying to be your grandson you get cross about it. I don't want tohurt your feelings, Mr. St. Nick, when you are having your breakfast,because there isn't anything that makes you not enjoy your breakfastand dinner like hurt feelings, I know because I've had them often, butyou know--your son--Miss Dolores' father--you know about his gettingmarried when you didn't want him too, and how awfully----"
She stopped short, for Mr. Pinckney was looking at her so sternly nowthat she hastily gulped a large mouthful of coffee before she went on."Don't you love Miss Dolores?" she asked.
"Mercy, child," her friend murmured, "of course I do. Life has been adifferent matter since I found her."
"Then don't you want her to be happy? Mother and Aunt Helen and Nanand Mary Lee always tell us that if we love a person very much we willdo the things to make them happy, and not the things to make themunhappy." Jack had a little severe air quite like Mary Lee when she waslecturing her younger sisters.
Mr. Pinckney looked a
ctually confused, picked up his napkin, wiped hismouth, took a sip of coffee, looked at his chop but did not touch it.Then he frowned. "It seems to me," he said, "that you're talking aboutsomething you don't know anything about."
"If I don't know anything about it," said Jack, "won't you please tellme? Isn't Mr. Kirk an awfully nice young man, or what is the matter? Ifhe is poor that won't make any difference when you have so much money,though I don't think he can be so very poor, for he is Carter's cousin,and Carter has plenty, enough to buy a house with; he told me so."
Mr. Pinckney stirred his coffee silently. "Oh, I suppose he is niceenough," he said presently, "but little girls like you don't knowanything about such things."
"I don't suppose we do very much," returned Jack nothing daunted,"but you always tell me about things I don't know about, when no oneelse will." This was quite true, and Mr. Pinckney was aware that hehad encouraged Jack to talk as freely to him as she would to one ofher own age, but he had not expected such results to come from theencouragement.
Jack still persisted, though she received no answer to her last remark."Won't you tell me, please, just why you want to take Miss Doloresaway, and why you don't want her to see Mr. Kirk, if it isn't becauseyou're afraid he will marry her?"
"Heavens!" ejaculated Mr. Pinckney, "am I on the witness stand or not?"Yet he felt uncomfortable under Jack's cross-questioning. This came ofallowing her to ply him with questions on any subject. He had alwaysscorned the old saw that children should be seen and not heard, but atthis present moment, he heartily wished he had been less indulgent.Jack had fixed innocent questioning eyes upon him and presently heblurted out, "No, I don't want her to marry him."
"Why not?" persisted Jack.
"Because I don't want to lose her just as I've found her."
"But didn't I tell you it would be awfully nice to have them both livewith you?"
"Perhaps I don't think it would."
"But you like Mr. Kirk. You did at first. You kept saying he was fine,and you invited him to your house, and used to have him take lunch withyou at your club and all that. What made you get mad with him? Was itbecause he liked Miss Dolores so much?"
"That may be one reason."
"But don't you want her to be happy?"
"Of course, of course, but I don't want another man to be taking up allher time and attention, and absorbing all the interest and affection Ihave just won."
"But he wouldn't be taking up all her time; he couldn't when he hasto be at his office all day. Do you mean that you think she couldn'tlove you both? Why, I love Nan and Jean bushels and bushels, but I lovemother most. There was Nan, too, she has always loved mother and hasloved me more than anything, yet when Aunt Helen came all of a sudden,she loved her awfully hard, and it didn't make a bit of differenceabout her loving us first. Are you afraid Miss Dolores hasn't enoughlove to go around?"
"Dear me, child, I never knew such heart-searching questions. Youought to have been a lawyer or a Methodist exhorter. Now, I willask you something. How do you know this Mr. Kirk wants to marry mygranddaughter? Has he ever told you so?"
"No," returned Jack doubtfully. "Of course he wouldn't tell a littlegirl like me, but if he doesn't, then what in the world is the use ofyour going off in such a hurry as soon as he comes when you meant tostay here just as long as we do?"
Then Mr. Pinckney laughed. "Child," he said, "you're too much for me.There haven't been generations of lawyers in your family for nothing.I think, after all, we won't go to-day." And he fell to eating hisbreakfast without noticing that it was nearly cold.
CHAPTER XIX
A YOUTHFUL GUIDE]