CHAPTER XIX
THREE LITTLE WOMEN'S SUCCESS
How quickly things come about in this world. Barely an hour had passedsince good old Mammy watched her "baby" ride away so happily. Never werehearts lighter than those of the riders. The girl mounted upon thebeautiful thoroughbred bay horse, which had grown to know and love hervoice and touch as he knew and loved his master's; his splendid headtossing up and down in his delight; his superb neck arching in pride;his delicate nostrils distended to draw in delicious whiffs of thepine-scented air; his dainty hoofs barely touching the ground! Grace,beauty, strength incarnate as the play of the great muscles beneath thatsatiny coat carried him forward--one of God's most perfect creatures. Thegirl riding cross-saddle felt the thrill of his action to herfinger-tips. Her body swayed with every motion of the beautiful horse.She seemed a very part of him; he of her. The man riding beside her uponhis fine gray was fully alive to the beauty of both rider and horse, andhis eyes rested upon them with intense admiration. The soft light of thewoods seemed reflected in the eyes she turned toward him--its mystery inthe smile which curved his lips. It was a happy world, and these twocould enjoy its beauty.
The horse Hadyn rode was a high-strung, nervous creature, alert to everysound or motion about him. As they passed through the town he had shiedmore than once, and required firm handling; but up in this silentmountain road there was little to excite him, and Comet's example had aquieting influence. They had nearly reached the summit of the mountain,and just ahead the road made a sharp turn. They were close upon it whena warning honk! honk! caused Haydn to tighten his hold upon his reins.Then around the turn whirled a huge touring car. It was all over in amoment. The car skidded, hurled itself against the riders, the chauffeurmade a desperate attempt to control his machine, but failed, and it toreon down the mountain entirely beyond his control, leaving behind it aprone horse and a madly excited one, which, in spite of its rider'sstrenuous efforts to control it, dashed on a quarter of a mile up themountain before he could stop it, turn and gallop back to the spot wherethe accident occurred. Those minutes seemed like years to Hadyn.Flinging himself from the horse, though still holding the bridle rein,he cried:
"My God, my darling!" as he caught Constance in his arms. She did notappear to notice his act or his words, but stood, white and trembling,pointing to Comet.
"But you, you, my little girl! my little girl!"
"No, no! I'm not hurt a particle. Quick! tie that mad brute to a treeand _do_ something. I slid off as Comet fell. I'm not hurt; but he, _he_is dying. Oh, Comet! Comet!" And with a heart-breaking sob she fell uponher knees beside the horse. The radiator of the car had struck hisforehead and stunned him, but the heavy lantern had torn that jaggedwound in the perfect foreleg just below the shoulder, and from it hislife blood was gushing with every heart-throb.
"But, Constance! Constance! my little girl, you must be hurt!" criedHadyn, bending over her.
"I'm not! I'm not, I tell you," she cried, impatiently. "Go tie thathorse and come here. We _must_ save Comet!"
With the keenest anguish he had ever known Hadyn hurried the stillrestless horse to a sapling, tied him securely, and then returned toConstance, who was upon her knees striving to stanch the red streamflowing from the powerful leg. Puny effort! A moment before the splendidcreature lying there upon the ground had been life, strength, vigor,beauty incarnate. Now--an inanimate mass.
"My little one, oh, my little one, come away! come away! This is noplace for you," begged Hadyn, striving to draw her from the scene. Sheturned upon him like a fury, echoing indignantly:
"Come away! come away! What are you saying, Hadyn? With Comet dying? Forhe is. Quick! help me. We must stop this! I'm afraid an artery issevered. Make a tourniquet of your handkerchief or something. Oh, _do!do!_" she urged, frantically.
"Oh, this is horrible! horrible! I would rather have him die a hundreddeaths than have you pass through all this!" cried Hadyn, as he tied hishandkerchief about the horse's leg and sought to twist it tight enoughto stop the flow. It was useless. It needed a stouter bandage than that.The girl saw this, and the next instant had unbuckled the bridle rein,and was kneeling and binding it around the leg above that ragged wound.Then quickly slipping her riding-crop through the loop with Hadyn'sassistance, she turned it tighter and tighter, and presently had the joyof seeing that red flow lessen. "Oh, for help! Is _no_ one within ahundred miles of us?" she moaned. "Hold this, Hadyn, and let me ride forsomeone," she cried.
"Constance! Never! Do you realize the state you are in?"--for the girlhad given no thought to self in her excitement. One glance at her habitwas enough.
"And do you think I would let you mount that mad brute? Had he notplunged aside, he, instead of Comet, would be lying before us thisminute.
"Then you must go. Go at once, Hadyn. Ride to Pringle's for theambulance and help."
"And leave you here alone on this mountain road with that horse, whichmay revive from this blow and struggle? Constance, are you mad?"
"No, I was never saner in all my life; but, unless you go, _I_ shall. Hewon't struggle; he knows my voice, and he is already too weak fromthis--_this_ awful thing to try to struggle," and she pointedshudderingly at the discolored earth. "Hadyn, dear, dear Hadyn, please,please go," she implored, turning up to him a pair of eyes swimming intears. "I shall know what to do. Oh, please trust me! Please, do!"
For one moment the man looked at the woman dearer to him than all theworld beside, then stooping over her he rested his lips first upon oneeyelid then the other, and said very, very gently:
"God bless and guard you, my darling. I shall go as quickly as thatbeast can take me, and I shall never forget _this_. Comet, Comet, oldman, we've fought some tough fights; but this is the toughest of all,"and, bending over the horse, he ran his hand along the silky neck.
The faintest flutter of the nostrils acknowledged the caress, and thenext second Hadyn had flung himself upon Lightfoot, and was riding downthat mountain road at a pace which threatened destruction. Constance hadnever for a second lessened her firm hold upon the riding-crop, but hereyes followed the rider, and her lips murmured:
"A moment ago I was a girl and did not realize. Now I know. Oh, Hadyn,Hadyn, come safely back to us!" and still holding that life-savinglittle riding-crop she laid her head down upon the beautiful neck andsobbed as though her heart would break.
Animals which are constantly with human beings learn to understand thetones which varying emotions govern, just as a human being learns tounderstand the wonderful language of the so-called dumb creatures. Comethad been Hadyn's closest companion for years, and during the past sixmonths had been petted and cared for by all in Mrs. Carruth's home. Butit was Constance whom he had grown to love best; Constance who rode himwhen Hadyn was at his office; and many a delightful hour's exercise hadshe taken on the splendid horse.
Very gradually Comet came back to the world of real things around him.The great eyes opened and the delicate nostrils quivered. There was aslight effort to rise, but close to his ear murmured the voice he hadlearned to love and obey as an army horse obeys the voice of his master.
"Steady, Comet! Dear, dear Comet, keep quiet. There, old fellow! There!Steady! steady!"
The ears were turned to catch each tone; the eyes shone with a humanintelligence; the nostrils breathed audibly, but the horse lay as quietas though life had departed, and Constance did not move.
How long the minutes seemed! How far away from human aid that mountainroad! How solemn, how silent the great woodland, stretching, stretchingaway in a vista of glorious colors! Overhead the soft October windswhispered and sighed in the tree-tops; and with each sigh a fewbrilliant leaves fluttered to the ground--dear Nature's coverlid for somebaby growth to be nestled for its long winter's sleep. Far away thecrows cawed and called to one another. Overhead, ominous shadow! a hawkcircled. And then, as though to dispel a sign so baleful, clear, sweet,exquisite as a voice from Paradise, came the liquid notes of a hermitthrush--a late lingerer whom his mates
had left behind when they tookflight to sunnier climes against the coming of bitter days.
The notes brought comfort to the girl. She had always loved them. Noother bird-call meant so much to her as this, for it was associated withsome of the sweetest and, yes, the saddest experiences of her life, andnow it held a meaning it had never before held. All her life these noteswould stand above all others. The experience was, indeed, bittersweet.She did not know how long she had lain there, for time seemed at astandstill, when along the ground she heard the rapid thud, thud of ahorse's flying feet, and raising her head she saw Hadyn returning,Lightfoot in a lather and his flanks heaving. Hadyn flung himself fromthe horse, which was now too spent to do anything but stand and pant,and hurried to Constance's side. Dropping upon his knees beside her, hedrew her into his arms as she rose to her knees from her prone position,though she never for an instant relaxed her hold upon the crop. Cometnickered faintly, but for the first time in his life failed to hear hismaster's response to that greeting.
Like a weary little child Constance let her head fall, upon the shoulderso near it, and whispered:
"Oh, Hadyn, the minutes have seemed so long to us!"
"My little girl! my little girl! Dear, dear heart!--so courageous, sobrave, so strong! So perfect a woman in your tenderness combined withyour strength. This hour has shown me what you are to me; what lifewould be without you. I thought I knew before, but I did not. And you,dear heart?"
There was no answer, but the softly perfumed hair nestled still closeragainst him. His arm tightened about her, and he said gently:
"I've waited four years for this moment, dear, but I never dreamed ofsuch a setting for it. No words are necessary to tell me what I've wonby waiting; but--the Ambulance is not far behind, and will be here in afew moments. My sign and seal, dear. May I claim it now? Then let mehold the crop and you go ever yonder."
Without a word the pure, beautiful face was raised to his, and in thatmoment Hadyn Stuyvesant felt that Paradise could not be far removed fromsuch lips, for none could be purer or holier, and into his life at thatinstant came all that is best in manhood.
"Now go, my darling." Constance shook her head and smiled a gentlerefusal.
"Please."
"No, dear; not until the Veterinary takes it from my hands. Yours aretrembling, and it might loosen. There comes the Ambulance now. It willonly be a moment longer."
When the panting horses which drew the Ambulance came to a standstillthe Veterinary sprang from it and hurried to the group.
"By George, Miss Carruth, have _you_ done this?" he exclaimed. "Well,you can thank this young lady, Stuyvesant, for saving a valuable horse'slife. Now, turn your patient over to me, Miss Carruth, and we will gethim into the Ambulance and down the hill as fast as we can. There,that's right. Now, Stuyvesant, get her away from this place. A carriageis right behind us, and you must take her home. What an experience for agirl! Jo, you take charge of Lightfoot yonder."
Hadyn bent over to stroke his pet, and Constance knelt to press her lipsto the great neck, then with Hadyn's aid struggled to her feet. She wascramped and stiff, but Hadyn's arm supported her, and more than one pairof eyes followed the girl admiringly as he led her to the carriage whichjust then drew up.
"Don't give a thought to this, Stuyvesant. We will do everythingpossible, and Miss Carruth needs you more than Comet does now," theVeterinary called after them.
"I'll have her safely home in twenty minutes!" Hadyn called back.
Neither ever forgot that drive down the mountain. Until the strain wasremoved the girl did not realize how great it had been during theforegoing hour. Constance was thankful for the sheltering cover of thatdepot carriage and the strong arm encircling her. Her own strengthseemed suddenly to have left her. Only Mrs. Carruth and Mammy were athome when they reached there. Hadyn half carried Constance to them.
"Bress Gawd! what done happen?" cried Mammy, almost taking the worn-outgirl in her arms. "Has you done fell off Comet?"
"Hadyn, what is it?" cried Mrs. Carruth.
"She is not harmed, but is nervously exhausted. Will you believe me, andlet Mammy put her to bed for a few hours? Go, rest, my darling," hesaid, taking Constance's face in his hands and pressing his lips toher's.
"Glory be ter Gawd! Come wid me, baby. D'ere's nothin' wrong wid you, Iknows. Ef you's done had a fright, _he_ gwine be de bes' medicinebimeby. Go 'long wid yo' boy, Miss Jinny--yo's got one now--an' leave dishyar chile ter me."
"Constance, darling, tell me first that you are not injured," said Mrs.Carruth, tenderly taking the girl in her arms.
Constance nestled against her and whispered softly:
"Not hurt a particle, Mother, only a little shaky, and, oh, _so_ happy!Let Mammy help me while Hadyn tells you," and smiling through her tearsthe girl was led upstairs by Mammy's ever ready, loving arms.
Mrs. Carruth's eyes followed her a moment, then turned to encounterHadyn's looking at her with a tenderness she never forgot as he extendedhis arms and said:
"My little mother! My little mother! Will you let these serve and holdyou henceforth? May I be, as dear old Mammy says, 'your boy?' You do notknow how I have longed to be that in reality all these years that I havebeen waiting. Come!"
"In the beautiful days of long ago," When all this world was so new and fair, An Angel came from the world above To bestow the gift of all gifts most rare. And what was this blessing?--this priceless boon, To bring to mortals the greatest good? Ah! need I whisper that name so dear-- God's precious gift of Motherhood?
Perhaps but once in her life can a woman know a more precious momentthan that in which she gives her daughter into the love and keeping ofthe man she has learned to love, and this mother realizes that he is nowher son. The sense of rest, peace, protection that came to Mrs. Carruthwhen this strong man held her in his arms, and called her by thattenderest of all names, "Mother," passes all power to describe. Fromthat instant he _was_ "her boy," for the man ever remains "the boy" inthe mother's love, and Hadyn had rich store of Mrs. Carruth's.
Leading her to a settee, with arm still circling her, he told her thewhole story. When it was ended he asked gently:
"And can the heart find room for another son, little Mother?"
Taking the fine, strong face in her hands, she kissed him very tenderly,saying:
"I think you have always been that to me, dear. Yes, from the first hourI knew you. I am very, very happy in my newest son, and can trust mylittle girl to his care with all faith and confidence."
"God bless you!" whispered Hadyn.
"Who is here?" cried Jean at the door of the library, and running incame to a sudden standstill. Neither her mother nor Hadyn spoke, and fora moment Jean stood motionless in the middle of the room, her eyesturned first upon one face then upon the other, her expressive facechanging as her emotions changed. Then impulsively as she dideverything, she ran toward them and, dropping upon her knees besideHadyn, clasped her arms around his neck, and, nestling her cheek againsthis, cried:
"Now I _know_ you are all mine, and everyone may know how hard I loveyou, for any girl may love a brother all she wants to."
That was a wonderfully sweet moment for Hadyn.
Does much more remain to be told?
Yes, but that is another story.
THE END.
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