CHAPTER XV
LETTY’S FUTURE
When Letty and Jane reached Sunnycrest they found grandmother climbinginto the carriage to drive to Hammersmith, fully convinced that theworst had happened. Gathering Jane, silent and frightened, into herarms, grandmother felt half comforted. But a cold dread still clutchedat her heart. Where was Christopher?
“Oh, why did we let him go off like that!” she cried. “And yourgrandfather away. I did think Jo Perkins was to be trusted. What canhave happened? Joshua, you must go in search of them. Oh, Janey, Janey,if only your grandfather were here!” and she burst into tears.
Jane’s heart grew big and tight with all kinds of alarms. It was so veryunusual for grandmother to be upset. She was generally calm in the faceof any calamity, however great. Why, even that time when the wholekettleful of raspberry jam fell off the kitchen range and splashed onthe cat, grandmother had only said:—“Mercy me, it’s lucky the kittensweren’t there, too.”
“Oh, Mrs. Baker,” exclaimed Letty in distress, “I don’t believe anythingserious has happened. Mrs. Carpenter said she thought that they had justforgotten about the time; she said boys never could keep track of thetime when they were off on a picnic; and she did not seem at all worriedabout Billy.”
“She was just cross,” added Jane. “She said she was going to spank himwhen he did get home. Shall you spank Kit, grandmother?”
“Bless the boy, he will have to be punished some way,” replied Mrs.Baker, drying her tears. “If only he comes home safe and sound,” sheadded mournfully, watching the carriage disappear down the road into thedusk. “Letty dear, don’t you think you would better start back home?There is enough worry on hand without giving Mrs. Hartwell-Jones afright about you.”
“I don’t believe she will worry, Mrs. Baker. She said I might stay aslong as I could be of any use here and I should like to wait until Kitgets back,” answered Letty earnestly. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Just talk a bit, you and Jane,” said grandmother, “if you think it allright to remain. It will keep my mind off imagining all sorts of horrorsabout that blessed boy. How did the party go off, Janey, dear? I haven’tasked a single word about it.”
Jane was in the middle of an elaborate account of the party when theywere interrupted by the sound of wheels. Grandmother had been sitting onthe veranda steps with Jane in her lap and Letty on another step closebeside them.
“Can Joshua be coming back for something?” exclaimed grandmother,rising.
Jane had already climbed out of her lap and was running down the drive.
“It’s Kit, it’s Kit!” she cried joyfully.
Grandmother kissed Christopher first, and cried over him. Then she tookhim aside and gave him a long, serious lecture. Christopher knew that hehad been disobedient, but he did not realize that he had also beenselfish until grandmother pointed out to him how much upset every onehad been by his long absence.
“We did not mean any harm, grandmother,” he said. “We only wanted tohave a good time. Is it always wrong to have a good time?”
“Why no, dear, of course not. It is right to enjoy oneself and be happy,if one can do so without causing pain or discomfort to others. But it iswrong to do things that are sure to distress or worry other people.”
“Bill Carpenter did not seem to think it was wrong. He said he had oftenbeen out later than this. I don’t believe his folks will even scoldhim.”
Grandmother repressed a smile as she remembered what Billy Carpenter’smother had said was in store for that boastful young gentleman.
“Billy Carpenter has been brought up differently, Kit——” she began.
“Yes, without being tied to a girl’s apron-strings,” broke inChristopher bitterly.
He did not mean to be rude to his grandmother, but he was tired, hungryand a bit conscience-stricken; all of which are apt to make any one feela little out of temper.
Grandmother did not reprove him. A new and not very pleasant idea hadbeen suggested by Christopher’s words. Had they made too much of agirl-boy of him? Pampered him and watched him too closely? she askedherself.
She sent Christopher up-stairs to tidy himself while she saw Letty offfor home and sent Jo Perkins on horseback to find Joshua and bring himback from his fruitless search. Joshua had taken the main road and somissed the truants on the short cut through Birch Lane.
Jane did not know how to treat her brother. She was so glad to have himsafe at home that she longed to hug and kiss him and cling to him. Buthe had been naughty and she supposed she must not speak to him. She eyedhim askance and when he was not looking, felt of his arms and legsgently, to assure herself that he was whole. Her brother rubbed theplaces she touched and said:—“Shucks!” without turning around.
Christopher himself was surprised at being allowed to come to the suppertable. He had fully expected to be sent to bed without any supper atall, but grandmother did not think it healthful to send growing childrento bed without anything to eat. She allowed Christopher to have all thebread and butter and minced chicken that he wanted. It was only thesweets of which he was deprived.
Grandmother was very silent and thoughtful all evening and the twinswere miserable. When bedtime came she kissed them both good-night verygravely and said:
“You must consider yourself a sort of prisoner all day to-morrow, Kit. Ishall trust you not to go off the place. Your grandfather will be hometo-morrow night and I am leaving your punishment to him.”
Jo Perkins, too, suffered the tortures of suspended judgment all thenext day. He fulfilled his usual daily tasks about the stable, butJoshua gave him no instructions and Perk found a great many idle hourshanging heavily on his hands. He felt sadly left out of the busyfarm-life.
In the afternoon, Letty drove Mrs. Hartwell-Jones out to see grandmotherand to find out if Mrs. Baker were any the worse for her scare. Lettydrove the ponies down to the stable and found Perk moping by himself inthe harness room.
“Hello, what’s the matter?” she asked sympathetically.
“I’m wondering what I’ll do when I leave here,” replied Perk bluntly.
“Why, Perk, are you going away? I hadn’t heard that.”
“I guess I’ll get sent away—after yesterday’s doings.”
“Oh, no you won’t. Of course you did not do as you should have doneyesterday, but Mr. and Mrs. Baker will forgive you, I’m sure. They arenot the kind to shunt a person off without more of a trial than that.You just go to Mr. Baker when he gets home and tell him straight outthat you’re sorry and will try to do better next time.”
“I ’most let Kit drown, too,” said Perk, and related the incident of theswimming pool, which Letty had not heard before.
“Well of course it was naughty to take Kit in swimming when you knew hisgrandfather did not allow it. But it was not really your fault about hiscramp. And besides, Kit had had some lessons in swimming, you say. Itwas not as if he did not know anything at all about it. Anyway, you makea clean breast of it all to Mr. Baker. That’s the best way, always, andI’m pretty sure that he’ll forgive you and let you stay.”
But Perk could not be cheered so easily, and set about unharnessing theponies in a glum fashion so different from his usual whistling gayetythat even Punch and Judy felt the difference.
Letty went straight to Mrs. Baker and told her how badly Perk felt.
“I hope you and Mr. Baker won’t send him away,” she pleaded. “He’s agood boy, but it will make him reckless and bitter if he should beturned off now. He’ll think that if people make so much of a smallmatter, there won’t be much punishment left for big wrongs, and that itisn’t worth while to be good. Please, dear Mrs. Baker, don’t think I’mtrying to preach to you, but I heard my brother talk that way once—hehad been dismissed from a situation for some little carelessness—andalthough I was very young at the time, I’ve never forgotten how he feltabout it. I hope you won’t send Perk away?”
Letty’s cheeks were very red and her voice trembled, ha
lf with eagernessin pleading Perk’s cause, and half with fear at her own daring.
“Such a thing never entered my mind, Letty,” replied grandmotherearnestly. “Of course we should do nothing so severe. But Jo must bemade to realize how serious his wrong-doing of yesterday was. For it isvery wrong indeed to neglect or betray a trust, you know, however slightthe consequences may prove. And Letty, dear, remember that it is thelittle things, after all, that count in life. The pennies go to make thedollars and the swift little seconds form years. Think of theinfinitesimal animals at work in the sea, adding bit to bit through thecenturies to make those wonderful coral islands we read about.
“And it is the same with the naughtinesses in the world. If a wee sin iscommitted here and another there, and pardoned or overlooked with thethought, ‘oh, that did no harm—it was not really wrong,’ why in time theconscience will become hardened and the first thing one knows, one is ina condition to commit any wicked deed.”
Letty looked up with a serious face, from Mrs. Baker to Mrs.Hartwell-Jones, who had sat quietly by during grandmother’s littlehomily.
“I never thought before how very great the little things are, Mrs.Baker,” she said. “I hope I can learn to be more careful after this.”
“You are a good, faithful child, and my lecture was not meant for you,dear. I am glad you spoke for Jo Perkins. Of course we shall not dismisshim. It would be wrong to set him adrift for so slight an offense; wemust make the punishment fit the wrong-doing. The offense this time isslight because it turned out all right, but it might have proved veryserious. You know that Christopher tried to swim and was taken with acramp in his arm?”
“Perk told me just now. He feels awfully about it.”
“That is news to me,” exclaimed Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. “No wonder you arefeeling nervous and upset over the ‘might-have-beens.’”
“Yes,” replied grandmother with a little shudder. “I don’t know what tosay about it because of course Christopher was not actually forbidden toswim. We did not think about such a question arising. But grandfatherwill be home to-night, and then everything will be all right.”
“What a comfort to have a strong arm to lean upon,” sighed Mrs.Hartwell-Jones wistfully. Then she turned to Letty. “Run off now andplay, child. Jane is hopping her toes through her shoes withimpatience.”
Letty ran off and the two ladies discussed every detail of Christopher’smishap, and how seriously it might have turned out.
“Children can be the greatest sort of cares,” Mrs. Hartwell-Jones saidat length, half laughing but wholly in earnest, “almost nuisancessometimes; but they are a blessing for all that!” She paused a momentand then added: “Have you noticed what a fine nature Letty has, Mrs.Baker? What a splendid chance for the development of a noble character?”
“I think that what you have agreed to do for her is a wonderfulopportunity for the child.”
“But I should like the tie to be still closer, Mrs. Baker,” exclaimedMrs. Hartwell-Jones impulsively. “I am wondering—I desire something verymuch, and yet I am not sure that it is wise. I have no one to go to foradvice except my lawyer. I have consulted him, but he is so cold andbusinesslike. Might I talk it over with you, Mrs. Baker?”
“Do you mean,” asked grandmother, a look of eager interest kindling inher eyes, “do you mean that you are considering the question of adoptingLetty?”
“Just that,” replied Mrs. Hartwell-Jones solemnly. “I am thinking aboutit a great deal—all the time, in fact. You see, there are so many, manyreasons why I should do it, and so few why I should not; that is, that Ican see.”
“That is apt to be the way with things we want very much to do,” saidgrandmother mildly. “But as far as I understand the matter, I agree withyou. Will you tell me all about it, please?”
And while Letty played out in the orchard with Jane at being Knights ofthe Round Table, her fairy godmother (as she secretly thought of Mrs.Hartwell-Jones) revealed to Grandmother Baker a plan which, if carriedout, would bring to Letty a more wonderful future than any of which shehad ever dreamed.