CHAPTER XII
There was a long silence during which Rosanna studied her uncle closely.She even forgot the puppy. What if anything should happen to UncleRobert? As she looked at him it flashed over her that she cared for himwith all her heart. She would not know what to do without him. She feltvery sad, and when Uncle Robert looked up and surprised the worriedexpression on her face he laughed, and said:
"Cheer up, sweetness! I am all right, and I want you to promise me thatyou won't tell mother what I have just told you. I don't want to worryher."
"I promise, Uncle Robert; and I always keep my promises," said Rosanna.
"That is a good thing," said Uncle Robert. "I wish I had known thatbefore. I would have had you make me some." But he wouldn't explain thatremark, and soon went out, not seeming to care for the rest of the newswhich, being all about the Scouts, Rosanna had left until the last asthe most important.
The Girl Scouts were very busy now getting ready for Christmas. Therewas a cast-iron rule in that particular troop that all Christmaspresents should be finished and wrapped up three weeks before Christmas.
So with all their own work well out of the way, they were busy as beesmaking tarleton stockings and collecting toys and dolls for theparticular orphanage they had assumed the care of. Louisville is full oforphanages, and every year the girls were in the habit of choosing oneof them for their attention. They dressed a tree, and secured presentsfor each of the children. These presents were often dolls and toys thathad been cast aside by more fortunate children, but the girls took themand mended and painted and dressed them until you would have beensurprised at the result. At least they never offered anything thatlooked shabby. The stockings were filled with popcorn and candy, and abig golden orange gladdened each little heart.
Rosanna worked harder than anyone. School went right on as it alwaysdoes whether or not Girl Scouts are busy at other things, and everyspare moment was spent with the dear little puppy that her uncle hadbrought her. Mr. Horton still complained to Rosanna about his heart, butwas unable to go east as he had planned. He often asked Rosanna if MissHooker had returned, although Rosanna had told him a good many timesthat she did not expect to come back before spring.
But news came from Gwenny. She was so much better that she could comeback. As Miss Hooker was away, and Uncle Robert always seemed to havetime to do things, the Girl Scouts made him a committee to go and paythe doctor and the hospital bills, and see that Gwenny and her motherreached home safely.
Uncle Robert dashed off to Cincinnati that very night. The next day hereturned without Gwenny, and with a queer look on his face asked Rosannato ask their Lieutenant, who was in charge of the troop, to call ameeting that very afternoon or evening. Rosanna called Miss Jamieson up,and between them they were able to get word to all the girls. Rosannawas as excited as any of them, because Uncle Robert would not tell herwhat the matter was. When the girls all gathered in Rosanna'ssitting-room, he came in, looking very mysterious and important.
"I have news for you girls--quite remarkable news, I think. To begin, Iwent down to Cincinnati and found Gwenny so improved that I actually didnot know her. Of course she is still in a wheel chair, and will have tostay there most of the time for the next year but every day she goesthrough certain exercises, and soon will begin to take a few steps.Doctor Branshaw assured me that she will some day be as well as any ofyou. They have taught Mrs. Harter just how to rub her, and help her withher exercises.
"After I had seen Gwenny I went down and paid the hospital bill. It cameto a little over two hundred dollars. I have the items in my pocket.Then I went to Doctor Branshaw's office, and asked him for his bill. Hesaid, 'Sit down. I want to have a talk with you.' Well, girls, he wantedto know all about you, and the work you are doing, and how many thereare of you in the troop that is taking care of Gwenny. I told him aboutthe benefit, and he said he had heard about that from Gwenny, and hermother as well.
"I didn't want to bore him, so after we had talked you pretty well out,and over, I asked him again for his bill, and he said, 'Horton, there isno bill.' I said, 'Well, sir, whenever you will have it made out, I willgive a check for it. The money the girls made is banked in my name forthe sake of convenience.'
"'How much is there?' asked the doctor. I thought he didn't want tocharge over the amount we have so I told him. He fiddled with a pencilfor awhile, then he said:
"'Horton, I make the rich pay, and pay well, but I do not intend to askthose girls of yours a cent for this operation.'"
A great "O-o-o-o-h!" went up from the girls.
Uncle Robert went on.
"Then the doctor said, before I could thank him, 'I wonder if the girlswould mind if I make a suggestion,' and I assured him that you wouldlike it very much.
"'Well then,' said the doctor, 'here it is. Gwenny will require a greatdeal of care for many months to come, rubbing and so forth. Why don'tthose good girls take the money and buy a little house somewhere on theedge of the city, or on a quiet street, where the Harters could live andwhere Mrs. Harter would not have to work so hard to earn the rent? Fromwhat she says, the boys earn nearly enough to feed the family. What doyou think of that?'
"I told him that I thought it was a splendid idea, and would see whatcould be done about it. Then he made the finest suggestion of all. Hesaid that another week in the hospital would be of great benefit toGwenny, and why didn't I come home and see you and if you all approve,we can buy a small house and settle it and Gwenny can be moved rightthere."
A shriek of delight went up, and everyone commenced to talk at once.
"Order, order!" cried Mr. Horton. He could scarcely make himself heard.
At last after much talking, it was settled that Mr. Horton should lookat a number of houses, and when he had seen them he was to select thethree that seemed most promising and take all the girls to see them. Buthe stipulated that a couple of older ladies should look them over withhim, and Mrs. Breen and Mrs. Hargrave were chosen by unanimous vote.
"Now, girls, how are you going to thank the Doctor?" he asked.
No one knew and finally Rosanna suggested that it would be well to thinkit over. So they all trooped home, Uncle Robert promising to make areport at the end of three days.
It was a long three days, but it passed finally, and Uncle Robertappeared with an account of three little bungalows that seemed all thathe had hoped for, and more. One of them he thought was the one for themto take, as it was right on a good part of Preston Street where thechildren could easily get to school. It was brand new, and had neverbeen occupied. Indeed it was not finished but would be within two orthree days. After the girls had seen the three houses, Mr. Horton saidhe would tell them which one Mrs. Hargrave and Mrs. Breen liked thebest. Of course all the girls piled into the automobiles of the girlswho had them, and made the rounds, and equally of course they alldecided on the Preston Street house which was the very one that Mrs.Hargrave and Mrs. Breen had liked. It was all done except the plumbingin the kitchen, so Mr. Horton went right over to see Minnie who wasstill keeping house for the Harter children. Minnie heard all about thenew plan, and Mr. Horton asked:
"Now, Minnie, do you feel like moving these people all over there,before Mrs. Harter and Gwenny come home, or is it too much to ask you?"
"Just you fetch me a moving van the day you want we should move," saidMinnie, "and I will do the rest." She cast an eye around thedilapidated, shabby room. "My, my! What a piece of good luck for the_deservingest_ woman! I tell you, Mr. Robert, the time I've been herehas been a lesson to me. The way she has scrimped, and saved, andpatched, and turned, and mended, and went without! My young man and meon his wages ought to put away fifty dollars every month of our lives.And so I told him we was going to do. Of course I will move 'em! And Mr.Robert, if it was so I could go around and see the house, perhaps Icould tell better how to pack."
"That's right, Minnie. Suppose we go over now," said Mr. Horton.
Minnie was overjoyed when she saw the little house, and at once pick
edout a room for Gwenny. The other children could double up, but Gwennyshould have a room to herself. Minnie seemed thoughtful all the wayhome, and finally said, "Mr. Horton, up in your garret, there is a pileof window curtains that don't fit anywhere, and they will never be used.I have handled 'em a million times while I worked for your mother. Andthere's a square table with a marble top that your mother can't abidethe sight of, and a couple of brass beds put up there when they went outof date. If your mother would spare any of those things I could fix thathouse so tasty."
"I don't suppose she wants any of them," said Robert heartily. "I willspeak to her about them when I go home, and after supper Rosanna and Iwill take a joy ride over here and tell you what her answer is."
The answer was that Mrs. Horton was only too glad to get rid of thethings Minnie had mentioned, and suggested that before settling thehouse Minnie might go through the attic and see if there was anythingelse that she thought would be of service. Mrs. Horton, knowing thatMinnie would know better than she could, just what the Harters wouldappreciate, refrained from making any suggestions; and Minnie found manytreasures in the attic. There were portieres, and a soft low couch, thevery thing for Gwenny to rest on in the pleasant sitting-room, and thebeds, and a table and two bureaus. And she found two carpet rugs.
She set Mary and Myron to work with a pot of cream colored paint, and intwo days the shabby old dining-room table and shabbier chairs were allwearing bright new coats.
As soon as ever she could, she called on Mr. Robert for the moving van,and moved everything over to the new house. Settling was a joy, therewere so many to help. All the Girl Scouts wanted to do something, andbetween them they outfitted Gwenny's dresser (a walnut one that was putthrough the paint test and came out pretty as could be). The two carpetrugs were laid down in the living-room and the dining-room, and lookedscarcely worn at all after Minnie had finished scrubbing, and Tommy andMyron had whipped them. The dining-room rug was dark blue, and how thattable and those chairs did show up on it. The springs were broken downin the couch Minnie had picked out, but she turned it over and her youngman nailed a new piece of webbing underneath, and in five minutes it wasas good as new. Rosanna helped her as much as she could. When they werebusy putting up the curtains Minnie said, "Rosanna dear, I think yourUncle Robert looks thin."
"I think he does too," said Rosanna, but remembering her promise wouldsay no more.
"In love," said Minnie, wisely nodding her head.
"Of course _not_," said Rosanna. "He doesn't like girls."
"No, he doesn't. Oh no!" said Minnie. "Of course he is in love! Do youmean to tell me, Rosanna, that you don't know that he is in love withlittle Miss Hooker? Don't tell me that!"
"I _do_ tell you," said Rosanna. "He doesn't even like her, sweet as sheis."
"My good land, hear the child!" said Minnie, sitting down on the topstep of the ladder, and letting the stiffly starched curtain trail tothe floor.
"Do you remember the day she came to see you when you were sick afteryour accident, and your grandmother had said you could be a Girl Scout?Do you remember that your Uncle Robert was there when she came in? Well,believe me, Rosanna, your Uncle Robert fell in love with her that veryday and hour and minute, and that's the truth."
"I wish it was," sighed Rosanna. "I _do_ wish it was, but he truly doesnot like her. I don't know why."
"Well, that beats me!" said Minnie, picking up the slack of the curtainagain, and sadly hanging it. "I certainly am disappointed, for she isthe _sweetest_ little bit I ever hope to see, and it would be a mercy tosee that good, kind, nice actin' young man get the likes of her ratherthan some high nosed madam, who would look down on all his humblefriends (as friends we _are_, Rosanna, as you may well believe)."
Rosanna did not answer. She was too low in her mind. She knew that UncleRobert did not care for anyone, but what if someone _should_ grab himanyhow? Rosanna felt that life was full of perils.
Two days later the little house was in perfect order, and Uncle Robertwent again to Cincinnati after Gwenny. It was decided that no one shouldmeet them on account of tiring Gwenny after her journey, so Uncle Robertcarried Gwenny to the automobile and took her home to the little newhouse, her mother looking back with her sweet, anxious smile from thefront seat of the automobile. When they reached the Preston Streethouse, and Mary and Myron and boisterous Tommy and little Luella allfiled out quite quiet, but brimming with happiness, Mrs. Harter couldonly stare.
"This is Gwenny's house, Mrs. Harter, deeded to her. Come in!" said Mr.Horton, as Minnie rushed out and led the dazed woman into all theglories of the new home.
Mr. Horton carried Gwenny straight to her own room, and laid her down onthe sparkling, gleaming brass bed, where he left her listening to Mary'srapid explanations. When he went downstairs he found Mrs. Harter in thekitchen, crying silently.
"Now, now, Mrs. Harter, you must not do that!" he said. "Brace up like agood woman! Gwenny will need a lot of care for a few days, and you willneed all your strength."
"Oh, but I am so thankful that my heart feels as though it would break!"said Mrs. Harter.
Mr. Horton laughed. "It won't break," he said. "Minnie, shall I take youhome?"
"Thank you, sir, but my Tom is coming over a little later. I have supperall fixed, so we will have a small feast to celebrate, after Gwenny isattended to and safe in bed, so I will get home nicely, thank you."
"Good night then," said Mr. Horton. "Don't let those Girl Scouts runover you, Mrs. Harter." He raised his hat and ran down the stepswhistling.
"There goes one good man," said Minnie solemnly. "Come, dear, and takeoff your hat in your own house, and see the ducky closet under thestairs to keep it in."
And so it was that Gwenny came home.
Mr. Horton sped to his own home as fast as he dared drive the car, thechauffeur sitting silently beside him. Robert was too happy to letanyone else handle the wheel. Once more he dashed up the steps three ata time, whistling. Rosanna was at the door.
"Be careful of your heart, Uncle Robert," she whispered, looking aroundto see that her grandmother was not within hearing. "Were they pleased?"
"_Were_ they?" said Uncle Robert. "I should say they _were_! Everybodyperfectly happy! Gwenny staring around her pretty room, and Mrs. Hartercrying in the sink. Yes, everybody is happy. Teedle-ee, teedle-oo!"warbled Uncle Robert.
"How good and kind you are, dear Uncle Robert!" said Rosanna tenderly.
"Yes, _ain't I_?" said Uncle Robert, deliberately ungrammatical. "Oh,yes, I _be_!" he went on chanting, as he sat down and fished out acigarette. Then changing to a sober tone, "Rosanna, whom do you think Ifound in Cincinnati? Up there at that Hospital as large as life?"
"I don't know," said Rosanna.
"Well, if you will believe me, there was that bad little bit of a MissHooker, who had come back from Atlantic City to see that Gwenny was allright. She helped me bring them home. And Rosanna, perhaps I didn't _geteven_ with her, for what she said about my being funny! You know I toldyou I would. I did! It was hard, hard work but I done it, I done it!Tra-la-de-lu-de-lu-de-i-i-i-i-i!" yodeled Uncle Robert, whisking the ashoff his cigarette.
"What did you do to her?" asked Rosanna in a small, fearful voice.
Uncle Robert looked very sternly at Rosanna.
"What did I do?" he asked. "What did I _do_? Well, I made her promise tomarry me; _that's_ what I did! Pretty smart uncle, hey, Rosanna?"