CHAPTER XXVII
A REALIZED HOPE
One afternoon Mr. Evringham did not return from the city at the usualtime. Jewel, watching for him, was surprised after a while to see himwalking up from the gate.
"Why, what's happened?" she asked. "Zeke went for you."
"Yes; but he found he had to leave Dick to be shod."
"Then are you going to saddle Essex Maid yourself? Oh, can I see you doit, grandpa?" She hopped with anticipation.
"I don't know that I'll ride just now. It's an excellent day forwalking. It seems rather strange to me, Jewel, that you've never shownme the Ravine of Happiness. You talk a good deal about it."
"Oh, would you like to come?" cried the child, flushing. "Good! I havethe pond all fixed in Anna Belle's garden, and the ferns droop over itjust like a fairy story."
"Have you put up a sign for the fairies to keep out?"
"No--o," returned Jewel, drawing in her chin and smiling.
"Oh well, you may be sure they're at it, then, every moonlight night.They haven't a particle of respect, you know, for anything. If I were inAnna Belle's place, I should put up a sign, 'Private Grounds.'"
"Oh, she's so unselfish she wouldn't. If they only won't break theflowers she won't care," returned the child, entering into the fancywith zest.
Mr. Evringham took the doll from her arms, and carrying it up the stepsdeposited it in the piazza chair.
"Isn't she going?" asked Jewel soberly.
"No, not this time. She doesn't care, she's been there so much. Just seehow cheerful and comfortable she looks!"
There was, indeed, a smile of almost cloying sweetness on Anna Belle'scountenance, and she seemed to be seeing pleasing visions.
"I never saw such a good child!" said Jewel with an admiring sigh; thenshe put her hand in her grandfather's and they strolled out into thepark and up the shady road. Just before reaching the bend around whichlay the gorge, Mr. Evringham surprised his companion by breaking in uponher lively chatter with a tune which he whistled loudly.
It was such an unusual ebullition that Jewel looked up at him. "Why,grandpa, I never heard you whistle before," she said.
"You didn't? That's because you never before saw me out on a lark. Itell you, I'm a gay one when I get started," and forthwith there burstagain from his lips a gay refrain, that sounded shrilly up the leafypath. They rounded the bend in the road, and the broker looked down intothe eyes that were bent upon him in admiration.
"You whistle almost as well as Mr. Bonnell," said the child.
"Give me time and I dare say I shall beat him out," was the swaggeringresponse. "Ah, here's your ravine, is it?"
"Yes, that's"--began Jewel, and went no further.
A couple of rods from where she suddenly came to a standstill was anobject which for a moment rooted her to the spot. A small horse, blackas jet, with a white star in his forehead and a flowing, wavy mane andtail, stood by the roadside. His coat, gleaming like satin, set off thepure white leather of his trappings. On his back was fastened a sidesaddle, and he was tethered to the rail of the light fence.
Mr. Evringham appeared not to see him. He was looking down the rocks andgrass of the steep incline.
"Is there any sort of a path?" he asked, "or do you descend it as youwould a cellar door? I think you might have told me, so I could changethese light trousers."
"Grandpa!" exclaimed Jewel in a hushed tone, pointing before her. "Seethat horse--just like the coal black steed the princess rides in a fairystory."
"Why, that's so. He is a beauty. Where do you suppose the princess is?"
"She's probably gone down the ravine," returned the child, her feetdrawn forward as if by a magnet. "Let's not go down yet."
The broker allowed himself to be led close to the pony, who turned hisfull bright eyes upon the pair curiously.
"Do you think I might touch him, grandpa?" asked the child, still in thehushed voice.
"If he's a fairy horse he might vanish," returned Mr. Evringham. "Let'ssee how he stands it." So saying he gave the shining flank some sturdylove pats. "Oh, he's all right. He's good substantial flesh and blood."
"But the lady," said Jewel, looking about, the pupils of her eyesdilated with excitement.
"Oh, I don't think a very big lady has been riding in that saddle. Youcan do as you'd be done by, I fancy."
Upon this Jewel stroked the pony over and over lovingly, and he nosedabout her in a friendly way.
"Grandpa, see him, see him! And oh grandpa, see his beautiful star,white as a snowflake!"
"Well, upon my word, if this isn't lucky," remarked Mr. Evringham. "Hereis some sugar in my pocket, now." He passed some lumps to the child.
"Would it be right?" she asked, glancing down the ravine. "Had I betterwait till the girl comes up?"
"She won't mind, I'll wager," returned Mr. Evringham; so the child,thus encouraged, fed the coal black steed, who, for all his poeticalappearance, had evidently a strongly developed sweet tooth.
"Hello, what's this!" exclaimed the broker, stepping to the fence andtaking up something black and folded. When he shook it out, it proved tobe a child's riding skirt.
"She's left it there," said Jewel eagerly. "We ought not to touch it.It's very hard on clothes going down the ravine, and she's left itthere. Don't you think, grandpa, you _ought_ to put it back?" for to hergreat surprise her punctilious and particular relative was shaking thefine skirt about recklessly and examining it.
"Here's a name," he said, bringing his prize to Jewel and showing her anoblong bit of white cloth, much as tailors use inside dresses. "What doyou make of it?"
The child, disturbed by such daring, and dreading to see the owner ofthese splendid possessions scramble up the bank, looked reluctantly.
The name was a long one, but so familiar that she recognized it at once."Evringham."
She lifted her eyes to her grandfather. "It's the same as ours."
"There isn't another Evringham in Bel-Air," returned the broker. "Thefairies dropped this for you, I guess, Jewel. It certainly won't fit me.Let's try it on."
He slipped it over the head of the dazed child and hooked it around herwaist.
"'It fitted her exactly,'" murmured Jewel. "They always say so in fairystories.
"Look here," said her grandfather. He put his hand into the stirrup anddrew out a folded bit of paper. He handed it to the child, who began towonder if she was dreaming.
DEAR JEWEL (she read),--I believe you expected Divine Love to send you ahorse. I have come to belong to you, and my name is STAR.
It was astonishing what a large, round penmanship the pony possessed.There was no possibility of mistaking a word.
Jewel read the note over twice as she stood there, the long, scantskirt, making her look tall. Mr. Evringham stood watching her. His partin the comedy was played. He waited.
She looked up at him with eyes that seemed trying to comprehend a facttoo large.
"Grandpa, have you given me this horse?" she asked solemnly, and hecould see her hands beginning to tremble.
"Oh, am _I_ to get some credit for this?" returned the broker, smilingand twisting his mustache. "I didn't expect that."
He knew her lack of motion would not last long, and was bracing himselffor the attack when, to his surprise, she pulled up the impeding skirtand made a rush, not for him, but for the pony. Hiding her face on thecreature's satin shoulder, she flung her arm around his throat, andseizing his rippling mane, sobbed as if her heart would break.
Mr. Evringham had not spent weeks in selecting and testing a horse forhis granddaughter without choosing one whose nervous system would beproof against sudden assaults of affection; but this onslaught was soenergetic that the pony tossed his head and backed to the end of histether.
His new mistress stumbled after him, her face still hidden. She wastrying heroically to stifle the sobs that were shaking her from head tofoot.
"Jewel, Jewel, child!" ejaculated her grandfather, much dismayed. "Come,come, what's th
is?"
He drew her with a strong hand, and she deserted the pony, much to thelatter's relief, and clasping Mr. Evringham as high up as she couldreach, began bedewing his vest buttons with her tears.
"Oh, gra--grandpa, I c--can't have him!" she sobbed. "There isn't anyroo--room for him in our--our fla--fla--flat!"
"Well, did you expect to keep him in the flat?" inquired Mr. Evringham,stooping tenderly, his own eyes shining suspiciously, as he put his armsaround the little shaking form.
"N--no; but we--we haven't any bar--barn."
The broker smiled above the voluminous, quivering bows.
"Well, hasn't some good livery man in your neighborhood a stable?"
"Ye--yes." Jewel made greater efforts to stop crying. "But I--I talkedwith mo--mother once about cou--could I ha--have a horse sometime beforeI grew up, and she said she might buy the horse, but it would cost somuch--much money every week to board it, it would be error."
Mr. Evringham patted the heaving shoulder.
"Ah, but you don't know yet all about your horse. In some respects I'venever seen a pony like him."
"I--I never have," returned the child.
"Oh, but you'll be surprised at _this_. This pony has a bank account."
Jewel slowly grew quiet.
"Nobody has to pay for _his_ board and clothes. He is very independent.He would have it that way."
"Grandpa!" came in muffled tones from the broker's vest.
"So don't you think you'd better cheer up and look at him once more, andtell him you won't cry on his shoulder very often?"
In a minute Jewel looked up, revealing her swollen eyes. "I'm ashamed,"she said softly, "but he was--so--be--_autiful_--I forgot to remember."
"Well, I guess you did forget to remember," returned Mr. Evringham,shaking his head and leading the child to her pony's side.
He lifted her into the saddle and arranged her skirt, brushing away thedust.
"Grandpa!" she exclaimed softly, with a long, quivering sigh, "I'm so_happy_!"
"Have you ever ridden, Jewel?"
"Oh, yes, a thousand times," she answered quickly; "but not on a realhorse," she added as an afterthought.
"H'm. That might make a difference." Mr. Evringham loosed the ponyand put the white bridle in the child's hands; then he led the prettycreature down the woodland road.
"I'm _so_ happy," repeated Jewel. "What will mother and father say!"
"You'll be a regular circus rider by the time they come home."
As the broker spoke these words Zeke appeared around the bend in theroad, riding Essex Maid. His face was alight with interest in the sightthat met him.
Jewel called to him radiantly. "Oh, Zeke, what do you think?"
"I think it's great," he responded. "Hello, little kid," he said, as hecame nearer and perceived the signs in the child's face. "Pony do anyharm, Mr. Evringham?" he asked with respectful concern.
"No; Jewel cried a little, but it was only because I told her she couldnot sleep nights in Star's manger."
The child gave one look of astonishment at the speaker's gravecountenance, and then shouted with a laugh as spontaneous as though notear had ever fallen from her shining eyes.
"See Essex Maid look at my pony, grandpa!" she said joyously. "She looksso proud and stuck _up_."
"Look away, my lady," said the broker. "You'll see a great deal more ofthis young spring before you see less."
Zeke dismounted.
"Now then," Mr. Evringham looked up at the child. "I'm going to let goyour bridle."
"I want you to," she answered gayly.
Mr. Evringham mounted his horse. "We'll take a sedate walk through thewoods," he said. "Zeke, you might lead her a little way."
"No, no, _please_," begged the child. "I know how to ride. I _do_."
"Well, let her go then," smiled the broker, and Essex Maid trottedslowly, noting with haughty bright eyes the little black companion,who might have stepped out of a picture book, but whose easy canter wastossing Jewel at every step.
"I haven't--any--whip!" The words were bounced out of the child's lips,and Mr. Evringham's laugh resounded along the avenue.
"I believe she'd use it," he said to Zeke, who was running along besidethe black pony.
"I guess she would, sir," grinned the young fellow responsively.
It was not many days before Jewel had learned to stay in the saddle. Shehad an efficient teacher who worked with her _con amore_, and the sightof the erect, gray-haired man on his famous mare, always accompaniedby the rosy little girl on a black pony, came to be a familiar sight inBel-Air, and one which people always turned to follow with their eyes.
Eloise had her talk with Mr. Evringham one evening when Jewel wasexcluded from the library, and she emerged from the interview with amore contented heart than she had known for a year.
She endeavored to convey the situation to her mother in detail, but whenthat lady had learned that there were no happy surprises, she declinedto listen.
"Tastes differ, Eloise," she said. "I am one who believes that whereignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise." Mrs. Evringham had regained aquite light-hearted appearance in the interest of expending a portion ofher windfall on her own and Eloise's summer wardrobe.
"Well, you shan't be bothered then," returned her daughter. "You have meto take care of our money matters."
"I prefer to let father do it," returned Mrs. Evringham decidedly. "Heis a changed being of late, and we are as well situated as we could hopeto be. I don't feel quite satisfied with the lining of the brougham, butsome day I mean to speak of it."
Eloise threw up both hands, but she laughed. She and her grandfather hadan excellent understanding, and she knew that the mills of the gods wereabout to grind.
One evening the broker called his daughter-in-law into the library.
"I hope it isn't on business," she remarked flippantly as she entered."I tell you right at the start, father, I can't understand it." Her eyeswandered about the room curiously. It was strange to her. She took up awoman's picture from the desk. "Who is this?" she asked.
"How do you like the face?" he returned.
The dark eyes and sweet mouth looked back at her. She frowned slightly.She did not like the situation in which she had found the photograph. Itwas far too intimate for a stranger, and made her a little nervous.
"If he is going to marry again, then good-by indeed!" she thought.
"I think it is rather sentimental," she returned, with an air ofengaging candor, "don't you? Just my first impression, you know; butit's a face I shouldn't trust. Who is it?"
"It is Jewel's mother," returned the broker quietly, "my daughter Julia.Jewel brought it down last night, also a lot of little letters hermother had put in the pockets of the child's dresses when she packedthem."
"Ah!" exclaimed Mrs. Evringham triumphantly. "Didn't I say she wassentimental? About that sort of thing my perceptions are always sokeen."
"H'm. I read the letters, and I judged from them that one can trust her.Will you be seated?" He placed a chair. "I should like to ask your plansfor the summer."
Mrs. Evringham looked up quickly, startled. "Oh, I haven't any. Haveyou?"
"Yes. I always seek some cool spot. You have an invitation to ViewPoint, I understand. You could scarcely do better."
"I have reasons, father," impressively, "reasons for declining that."
"Then where are you going?"
"I would just as lief stay here and take care of your house as not,"declared the lady magnanimously.
"Ha! Without any servants?"
"Why, what do you mean?"
"They are going away for a vacation. I am intending to have the housewired, and Mrs. Forbes and Zeke will hold sway in the barn. She doesn'twish to leave him."
Mrs. Evringham was silenced and dismayed. She felt herself being firmlyand inexorably pushed out of this well-lined nest.
Her eyes fell before the impenetrable ones regarding her.
"How did Jewel ever win him?" sh
e thought. The picturesque pony, withhis arched neck and expensive trappings, had outraged her feelings fordays.
"About the View Point plan," continued Mr. Evringham deliberately."I think there are influences waiting for you there that will be ofbenefit. There is a new philosophy percolating in these days through ourworldly rubbish which you and I would be the better for grasping. Yourchances are better than mine, for you are young still. Your daughter isexpanding like a flower already, in the first rays of her understandingof it. This young man whom you fancy you can avoid is a help to her. Mr.Reeves was talking to me about him last night. He says that so far ashis business is concerned, young Bonnell is proving the square peg inthe square hole. I don't know what Eloise's sentiments are toward him,but I do know that she shall be independent of any one's financial helpbut mine."
Mrs. Evringham lifted her eyes hopefully.
"I shall eke out the little income which is left to you with sufficientfor you to live--not as you have done--but comfortably."
The eager light faded from his listener's eyes.
"Eloise and I have arranged that," he continued, "and she is satisfied.Take my advice, Madge. Go to View Point."
"I suppose Eloise doesn't need horses so long as Jewel has them," saidMrs. Evringham rising.
Her host followed her example. "She thinks not," he returned concisely;then he opened the library door, and his daughter-in-law swept from hispresence with all the dignity she could muster.
CHAPTER XXVIII
AT TWILIGHT
It was Sunday, and Mr. Bonnell was dining at Bel-Air Park. Had Jewelthought of it, she might have contrasted the expression of Mrs. Forbes'sface as she waited at table this evening with the look it wore on theday she first arrived; might have noted the cheerful flow of talk whichenlivened the board, in distinction from the stiff silence or bitterrepartee which once chilled her. As she responded to the smiles hoveringnow about Eloise's lovely lips, she might have remembered the oncesombre sadness of those eyes. Even Mrs. Evringham had buriedthe Macbethian dagger, and wore the meek and patient air of onemisunderstood; but nothing would have amazed the child so much as to betold that she had had anything to do with this metamorphosis.
Anna Belle,--deserted often now, perforce, on account of the pony,whose life was a strenuous one, owing to the variety of Jewel'sattentions,--Anna Belle was petted with extra fondness when her turncame; and she sat at table now in a pleasing trance, her smile animpartial benediction upon all.
It had been a glorious June day, the park was at its best. After dinnerthe family strolled out toward the piazza.
Mrs. Forbes had attended her own Baptist church that morning, and thefamiliar Sunday-school tune that the children sang floated through hermind as she looked after the group.
"When He cometh, when He cometh, To make up His jewels, All His pure ones, all His bright ones, His loved and His own.
"Little children, little children, Who love their Redeemer, Are the jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own."
"What is Mr. Evringham going to do without that child?" she thought.
The broker was invaded with the same problem as Jewel lingered withhim on the piazza, while the others walked on toward a seat beneath aspreading maple.
He ensconced himself in his favorite chair. The thrushes were singingvespers. The pure air was faintly and deliciously scented.
"Grandpa, is it too late to bring Star out for a nibble?" asked thelittle girl wistfully.
"No, I guess not," returned the broker as he opened his cigar case."Star may have a short life, but he's certainly experiencing a merryone. There's no moss gathering on that pony."
Jewel had not waited for more than the permission. She was fleeingtoward the barn.
Mr. Evringham lighted his cigar, and then his eye fell upon the doll,too hastily set down, and fallen at a distressing angle. Her eyes wereclosed as if her sensibilities had been shocked overmuch.
"Anna Belle, Anna Belle, has it come to this!" he murmured, pickingup the neglected one, who, with her usual elasticity and exuberanceof spirit, at once opened her eyes and beamed optimistically on herrescuer. He set her, facing him, on his knee. "Such is youth!" hesighed. "When she throws you down, I feel that I'm not going to beso recuperative as you, Anna Belle. I have a plan, however, a plan ofself-defense; but if it weren't for your discretion, I shouldn't tell itto you, for I'm an old bird, young lady, and can't be caught with chaff.There are many worthy persons who may rise to lofty heights in eternity,who nevertheless, meanwhile are not desirable to sit opposite a man athis breakfast table. A visit, Anna Belle, a short visit from my daughterJulia is all I shall ask for at first, and I shall test her, test her,my dear. I'll look at her through a magnifying glass. Of course, ifthey'd give me Jewel, it would be all I'd ask for; but they won't. Thatis self-evident."
Here the child came around the corner of the house, leading her pet by ahalter, but with her hand in his mane as she pressed close to his side,caressing and talking to him. In fact it was the harassing problem ofthe pony's life to manage to avoid stepping on her. Zeke lounged in thebackground on account equally of his orders and his inclination.
Star began cropping the grass, and Mr. Evringham continued hisdisquisition to the bright-eyed young person on his knee:--
"My son Harry is turning out a pretty good sort, I fancy. I'm notparticularly shy of giving him a trial, provided he'll do the same byme; but I suppose he will have to go West at first, anyway. Julia is adifferent thing. I can't whistle her on and off with the same frankness;and I must be careful, Anna Belle. Do you understand? Careful! And I'mgoing to be, by Jove, in spite of the way it makes me cringe to thinkof this big house, empty as a drum. It wasn't empty before, that's themischief of it. What has happened to me? I thought things were wellenough in those days. Nobody whom I knew was particularly happy. Whyshould I be?"
The thrushes stopped, for Jewel's childish voice floated out on theevening air.
Mr. Evringham knew what had happened. He knew that Zeke had asked her tosing. They two were sitting on the ground, while the pony cropped awayat the sweet grass.
"From tired joy and grief afar, And nearer Thee, Father, where Thine own children are I love to be!"
The broker listened for a minute.
"I'll take Jewel and her mother to the seashore somewhere; for I mustleave the house, if only to let Madge down easily, and too, I wish tostudy Julia outside her atmosphere. Poor Madge, she's a light weight,but I think there are better times coming for her. At View Point she'llfind friends."
Time passed, and at last Mr. Evringham called, "That will do, Jewel."
"Do you want Star to go in?" she returned.
The broker nodded, and the child sprang up and began patting andsmoothing the little horse with energetic affection.
"It's your bedtime, Star," she said, "but morning's coming." She kissedhis sleek shoulder. "We'll have such a good time in the morning. I don'tbounce a bit now, do I, Zeke?" she asked, turning to him.
"Well, I guess not," returned Zeke scornfully. "You ain't the kind thatgets bounced after a fellow knows you," he added, smiling. He took thepony's halter. "Good-night, Jewel."
"Good-night, Zeke." She ran across the lawn and up the piazza steps."How kind of you, grandpa, to amuse Anna Belle!" she exclaimedgratefully, observing the doll on his knee. At the same time she mostabruptly whisked that patient person into a neighboring chair andusurped her place. Cuddling down in her grandfather's arms, she nestledher head against his shoulder and sighed happily.
The light began to fade, the last smoke from the broker's cigar curledout into the summer air. He tossed it away and pressed the child moreclosely to him.
"Sing once again the song you sang for Zeke." he said.
And she began softly in her true, clear voice:--
"From tired joy and grief afar, And nearer Thee, Father, where Thine own children are I love to be!"
"Amen," breathed Mr. Evring
ham.
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