The Gold of Chickaree

by Susan Warner; Anna Bartlett Warner

CHAPTER XXI.

THE LOSS OF POWER.

Wych Hazel ordered an early lunch for herself, and a fire in the red room, and fresh flowers for its adornment; and with these last she was busyhumming over them the spell of an old German choralwhen Rollo came in. The air was dainty with fragrance and sweet sounds. He smiled at it, and at Hazel; but after the first greeting was grave again.

'I have got news for you to-day,' he said.

'Have you?' said Hazel, intent on placing a Safrano rose. Then the tone caught her attention and she looked up hastily.

'Not more sickness?'

He shook his head. 'Paul Charteris has stopped work.'

'Is that all?' said Wych Hazel. 'The wonder to me is that such men ever go on.'

'He has not failed. He has stopped work. That is enough, of you knew what it means.'

'Not that all his men are turned adrift?'

'Just that. Three or four hundred families.'

'But they cannot move off and find work in the dead of winter!
What is the man thinking of?'

'Only, I suppose, of what are called the exigencies of business. There is not a good market, just now, for his cloths; he would be largely out of pocket presently if he went on paying out, with nothing coming in.'

'Could he do it?'

'I cannot tell.'

She bent thoughtfully over her flowers for a minute, touching them here and there; then looked up again.

'Have the same exigencies come near you?'

He smiled. 'No. I am sound yet.'

'ButI have heard business enough talked, if I could only remember it!does not such a state of things by and by touch all goods and mills and mill-owners?'

'Sometimes. But nothing threatens me at present. Perhaps Charteris is less strong than he has been supposed. Perhaps he has been speculating.'

Hazel finished her flowers with another touch or two, and gathering up the scattered rose leavescrimson and white and buffshowered them gently down upon the hand that rested near her on the table. Then she glanced up with a laugh.

'You know,' she said, 'the Charteris mills are my department.'

'Indeed! How am I to understand that statement?'

'Oyou thought Christmas was not susceptible of extensions.
Gentlemen's ideas, being so strong, sometimes move slowly.'

'Ladies' thoughts, being so subtle, are sometimes difficult to pursue,' said Dane; but his brow was grave.

'I am talking nonsense,' said the girl, 'but I mean sense. There is money enough,and those people cannot starve, either with hunger or cold. And you have all your own men on your own hands,andI begin to understand what Dr. Arthur meant by "possible corners." Don't you see that the other part of the Hollow falls naturally to me? What is the matter? Are you afraid I will support them on pound-cake and sugarplums?'

Dane's eyes leapt, and darkened, and lightened; but after all, his answer was sober.

'That will do; but you cannot permanently support Mr. Charteris's mill hands on charity. The only sure method of relief would be to buy up the mills.'

'Then we can run them against each other!' said Wych Hazel.
'What a splendid thought! I shall be a better neighbour that Mr.
Charteris. I will only undersell you just a little.'

Dane smiled, but this time he said nothing. Only watched her continually.

'Then as Mr. Falkirk's consent might be difficult to get,he is a little insane upon mills just now,perhaps the purchase had better be made with the remains of my last winter's legacy. Over which, you know, nobody has any control but my own wise self.'

'How much do you suppose the purchase of those mills might require?'

'I have no idea. The legacy was largeand there is a good deal left.'

'A few hundred thousands?'

No, not so much as that. Well,then I must have another ugly talk with Mr. Falkirk. He would not listen to you, one minute.'

'I should not listen to you, either, Wych; and I should have to be taken into consultation, you know.'

'Is not your consent enough, without consultation?'

'I could not properly give it.'

'Dear me,' said the girl, 'what a word 'properly' is! I think I never wanted to do anything, or go anywhere, that it did not rise up before me like a five-barred gate. What can I 'properly' do, sir, if you please, in the premises?'

Looking with his mighty gray eyes into her face,soft they were too, and persuading, as well as mighty,he said in a sort of whisper,

'Go with me to New York, Wych! Then we can make it all right.'

Her face grew suddenly grave with a frightened look, as if she had stepped into a net, or caught herself in a trap.

'We were not talking of that,' she said hurriedly,'and there is no need to talk of that. And you promised.'

'There is no need to talk about it, if it is ever to be done,' said Dane smiling. 'If you will think about itwhich I believe you never do, you will perceive that unless we are to be separated all our lives, we must some time or other be married. And the best way with anything you are afraid of, is to do it, and have it over!'

He had smiled, and his accent was very winning; but he grew grave again, and stood with folded arms looking at Wych Hazel. Even then he would not use persuasions; he would not have her against her will; but he watched her anxiously. If she refused him now, it might be long before he brought up the subject again. He would not tell her that, either; he left her free; and waited to see how the delicate balances of her mind would turn. But he sighed a little as she hesitated, and then smiled again as he spoke; a smile very frank and sweet.

'Be brave, Hazel! If you are ever going to trust me, you may as well do it at once.'

Hazel turned away and sat down on her foot-cushion, and buried her face in her hands. Was she ever to be done with fights and perplexities? was she ever to be quietly happy, like other people? Last night she had been sober for very joy, at first; and now after all those long, bitter two months, there was no sweet sunshine to follow. For being married did not look at all sweet to Hazel: it was true, she had hardly thought of it at all. Well, she could do as she pleased. Yes,but she knew, without seeing, the disappointment to somebody else. That she did not quite understand it, did not hide the fact. And can a woman who loves, ever really prefer her own pleasure? She looked up with even a pale face, and the wet eyelashes that so few people had ever seen.

'You do not remember'she said. 'You do not seem to understand!'

'You are the shyest bird that ever flew without wings!' said Dane drawing another low seat to her side. 'I understand wet eyes too well. I remember only that I have been waiting a year and half for you. But if I wait all my life, Hazel, I will not have you at such cost as that. If your heart is not as mine,that it would be our happiness to be together,I will go back to my work and wait another six months.'

He spoke gently and gravely, and stooped as he spoke to kiss the wet eyes.

'Statements'said the girl, in an impatient tone which yet faltered and broke before it got through.

'You shall make the statements,' said Dane, getting her hand in his, and holding it with that gentle, firm clasp which, in some hands, expresses so much; soothing and steadying and sympathizing, and claiming too; all at once. 'What is the matter, my little Wych?'

Hazel paused, summoning her courage; enforcing quiet.

'It is no use to bring up such things,' she said, speaking very slowly. 'To talk of trustandliking to be togethermixing them up with 'if' and 'but.' Unless I have proved all that, I never can. But there are a great many reasons,and you would call them fudge. And I know they are not fudge. And if you were to knock them down fifty times, they would rise up, fresh and strong as ever, after all.'

'I shall not play at that game of ten-pins. Do you think in your conscience I have any reasons?'

'Something that goes by the name, I daresay,' said Hazel sedately. 'But it is all different on your side,you wait, or you hurry, just which you choose; and you are free through the one and through the other, and after both.'

'Free? As a man whose heart is chained, and whose hands are fettered. Was I free to marry you a year ago? or even to speak my thought? Am I 'free' now, Hazel?'

She half laughed.

'How would you like to cut short the one time of your life when you had a little power, even to say no? AndMr. Rolloyou have been away two months. And October was very short.'The girlish voice grew low and timid: Hazel knew that her arguments were strong only to her.

Dane lifted to his lips the little fingers he held.

'And so you have made up your mind that your power will be at an end when you are married? Am I going to love you less?or will you love me less?'

'I did not mean power over you,' said Hazel; 'I meant independent power. And I have not much now, except when you happen not to care about using your own. As last night at tea.'

Dane could not help laughing a little again, but below that he was desperately serious.

'I will not have you troubled,' he said. 'Rather than that, I will go back and wait for you as Jacob did for Rachel; though I will not emulate his estimate of time, the circumstances being not similar. But, Hazel, there is something more to be thought of, which we have not touched. I cannot have you living alone here as you have been for the last three weeks or more.'

'Mr. Falkirk may be back. And you will be near enough to exercise any amount of supervision. And I will be good. If I can!'

'Mr. Falkirk writes that he may be detained indefinitely. And at twelve miles off, I am quite too far to be an efficient protector. Winter days would give me only short and late visits to Chickaree, except occasionally. And you know how it has been, Wych, since and before Mr. Falkirk went away; it is not fitting that you should be alone as you are; and exposed As your guardian, I cannot let this go on any longer.'

It fell to Dingee just then, to appear as a witness for the plaintiff. He came in, bearing a handful of wonderful hot-house flowers and a card.

'I done told him you was engageddes'pate!Miss Hazel,' said
Dingee,'and he beg for jes' three minutes.'

'Say I cannot possibly give him three minutes!'Hazel's brows were as near a frown as they could come.

'Then he say, tomorrer,' pleaded Dingee. 'Any hour Miss Kennedy please. Three minutes, one minute. He done set out for home, Miss Hazel.'

'I hope he will have a short, safe passage,' said Hazel: 'say that. And that I cannot see him either to-night or to-morrow or any day before he goes. And, Dingee!not a word more or less!'She waited till the boy was out of sight, and then flung the flowers from where she sat full into the fire.

If there was not a frown on Rollo's brow, there was a quiet set of the lips which told as much. But he waited. Knowing well that it made against her cause, but knowing too that it was his right, Hazel turned and laid the card in his hand: it was Sir Henry Crofton's. The frown came then, and the card was crumpled up in Rollo's hand and followed the flowers.

'Well, Hazel?' he said. 'You must feel the justice of what I said just now. There are only two remedies that I know. One of these you startle at. The other, is that you should take up your abode at Dr. Maryland's for the winter.'

'I could not do that!' she said hastily. 'ButOlafI have tried to do just right all these weeks. And if you think I do not know what discretion means, you can ask Mrs. Bywank.'

'I do not need to ask anybody for testimony concerning you, in that or any other respect. It is no question of discretion; except in your guardians; and that forbids them to leave you so.'

'Mr. Falkirk is not Mr. Falkirk!' Hazel broke out. 'He is all changed.'

Rollo left this statement to take care of itself.

'What do you think we had best do?' he asked cheerfully, after a minute. 'I will not tease you and hurry youShall I leave the question to be settled by a note from you, when you have thought it over? If you choose to go to Dr. Maryland's, I will make the necessary arrangements. If you can make up your mind to go with me, we'll arrange that. What do you say?'

'But you said you were going next week!'

'I must. The day after Christmas. I wait to see these apples and pounds of tea safe home first. Then we will go and take care of New Year.'

Wych Hazel leaned her head down in her hands again. How easily he talked of it!this matter that her whole mind hardly found room for. Yet she knew, better than he did,better than she liked to tell him,that it was not the thing for her to live there alone. Even discretion could not hinder what Mrs. Bywank called "a raid," at home; nor keep her from being met and followed and waited on whenever she ventured out. But she could not live at Dr. Maryland's. To the tips of her fingers, Hazel knew that she should fly at the end of a week thereup the chimney, if no other way appeared. Prim's calm advice, and Mrs. Coles' sharp watch; even the good doctor's easy discussion of her and her affairs; could not be borne. She tried to smother the sigh that came up from the depths of her heart, but enough escaped to betray the trouble and perplexity.

'Shall I leave it?' said Dane very gently, though he on his part was swallowing deep mortification, not hindered by the fact that he did understand and feel for Wych Hazel's distress, in some measure. 'Shall I leave it? and you will write to me?'

'What about?' said the girl quickly. 'As you put it, I have no choice. Because I will not go to Dr. Maryland's. Neither nownor ever for safe keeping.'

'I do not want you to marry me just for safe keeping,' Dane said with a half smile. 'How would you put it, Hazel? Would you like to take time to think about it?'

'But there is no time to take!And thinking for ever will not make two alternatives out of one.'So thought Hazel to herself, but the words did not come out. She sat resting her cheek on her hand, studying this last hopeless fact; then by way of facing all her difficulties at once, looked up at her companion. Not meeting his eyes exactly,a wistful, examining gaze; trying to strengthen her courage with the sight of whatafter allshe loved best in all the world. For a second. Then hastily, as if still doubting her own resolution, she put out her hand and laid it timidly on his. Dane did not shew her the leap his heart made; and she could not see the flush that mounted to his brow. He made no demonstrations whatever, except to the hand which had come to him appealing in its surrender, and those were outwardly very quiet. And then, clasping the hand, he sat quite still; waiting to let Wych Hazel grow calm, if that could be, and ready for further talk.

Perhaps it was well, however (for a young lady of her wayward moods and tenses) that the next thing she had to do was to jump up and receive Dr. Arthur, who had come by appointment to dine at Chickaree. Dinner followed presently, and thus hostess cares and responsibilities for a time took the first place. But so grave a young hostess at the head of that table was a new thing. She did not forget one of her smallest gracious duties and offices; and she talkedat least as much as sometimes; but her face kept its soberness. The eyes did not flash and the lips did not curl. Dr. Arthur gave her a keen glance once or twice, at first; but finding a certain complement to all this in the face at the foot of the table, he turned at least his outward attention to other matters.

'Charteris takes it hard that you intend to keep running, Dane,' he said.

'Some other people find it hard that he don't.'

'Hard things affect people differently: they don't agree with him.
And he announces that he will try how they agree with you.'

'I don't see what he can do to me at present.'

'Self-confidence is not one of your undeveloped graces. But I wish you had bought that gore at the top of the Hollow, as I bade you.'

'Powder did not care about selling it, at one time; and latterly I have had my hands too full. Why do you wish that just now, Arthur?'

'Because Powder has sold it now. And if I remember, your lease of the water power has not long to run.' Wych Hazel was listening, intently, with a sparkle in her eyes at last.

'I have no lease of water power. What I own I own. But anybody above me on the stream could make me trouble. To whom has Powder sold?'

'Just what I cannot find out,' said the doctor, 'though I went to himself. 'It is no matter,' he said, 'so long as the property was not in the market.' But of course it is Charteris. Josephine's marriage makes that pretty sure.'

Rollo laid down his knife and fork for a moment and sat with his head leaning upon his hand.

'As the Lord will!' he said. 'But I will not give up until I know more. I do not believe my poor people and I are to be in that man's power. I will wait and see.'

But the interest of the dinner was gone for one member of the party; and the attention he gave to other people or things was a preoccupied and shadowed attention.

Wych Hazel stood it a little while, watching him, much wishing that there was nobody else to hear: then she could not bear it any longer. After all, Dr. Arthur was just his brother.

'Mr. Rollo,' she said timidly, 'what means do you think the Lord can use to prevent thisthat you fear?'

It was worth something, to get the look he flashed across the table to her; it was so brilliant with meaning and so sweet with confidence.

'A thousand things!' he said heartily; 'and you remind me that I am a fool to allow myself to be disturbed about it. I was thinking of those hundreds of families. And I half forgot for a moment that the Lord thinks of them too. I believe he will take care.'

'Would you like to know how?' said Wych Hazel. The tone was indescribably sweet, but the eyes had gone down before his.

'Would I like it?' said Dane watching her. 'Yes! I am afraid I am foolish enough still to like to know that, if I could. But I believe it anyhow, Hazel.'

'Governor Powder sold the land to me.'

'To you!' said Dane in great amazement. 'What did you buy it for?'

'I thought it was well it should be bought,' said Hazel demurely.

'When did you do that?'

'A good while ago. Before the sickness in the Hollow.'

She got another look, if she could see it, which it was also worth while to get. After which Dane remarked sedately,

'I am curious to know how Mr. Falkirk liked that investment.'

'Mr. Falkirk never knew. It is a great comfort sometimes,' she went on, the loveliest roses waking up now all over her face, 'to have a little independent power. And to be able to act without one's guardians. Mr. Falkirk was not consulted,any more than Mr. Rollo.'

Rollo's lips twitched and curved, but on the whole he maintained a decorous composure.

'We don't know our privileges, Arthur,' he remarked.

'No,' said his friend concisely. 'How ever in the world came Governor Powder to let the lady have the land? Why he has refused half the county!'

'I do not know,' said Wych Hazel. 'I think I made him.'

Listening to her, looking at her, Dr. Arthur thought that extremely likely.

'And did he tell you Charteris wanted it?' he said.

'O yes,and that, perhaps, Mr. Rollo might.'

'But he did not know that he was playing into my hands, in letting you have it?' Rollo enquired.

'Of course not! I merely told him I wanted it more than Mr. Rollo, and would give more than Mr. Charteris.'

'Witchcraft!when all's done,' said Dr. Arthur. 'Dane, when your independent power is in the market, let me know.'He followed them into the red room, and took a cup of coffee there, standing; but then went off at once to see some patient, promising to call for Rollo on his way home.

And for once Wych Hazel would have been quite willing to have him stay. 'What would her "other guardian" say to her, for such meddling in his affairs? such tampering with masculine business?' She retreated behind her salver, and sat there sugaring Mr. Rollo's empty cup, but not counting the lumps this time. Rollo however hardly justified her fears. He did come and sit own beside her, and he did relieve her hand of the sugar tongs and kiss it, and from there the kiss did come to her lips; but it was all done so gently and gracefully and deferentially, as if he had been a knight and she a lady of olden time.

'How am I going to thank you, Wych?' he said.

'There is never a good way of doing needless things.'

'No. But hardly anything at this moment could have given me equal satisfaction. The way is cleared for me to work without hindrance. I'll plant the banks with wych hazel!'

'You will have a grand clearing away again, if you do. Then you really are glad, Mr. Rollo?'

'You do not mean to say that you will pull up what I plant?'

'I said you would. See,' she said, not ready for repartee or discussion or much of anything else to-night, 'you have cut short your allowance of sugar, and quite prevented the cream. Give me the sugar tongs, please.'

Divining that it was in some sort a help to her, he quietly let her have her way; and did not tell her how fully creamed and sugared he tasted his cup to be that night.

'I have learnt a lesson,' he drily said after he had watched her. 'Whenever I want to give you anything, I shall know henceforth that you would like nothing so well as power.'

She smiled a little bit, looking down at her folded hands, but she did not say a word. And Dane drank his coffee, for form's sake, without knowing whether there was either sugar or cream in it. And then he took Wych Hazel away from the table, and talked of things as far as possible from weddings and journeyings; till Arthur came again.

Dr. Arthur did not come in. But when his friend, in obedience to the summons, had reached the door of the red room, his progress was stayed.

'Mr. Rollo,'came falteringly from the grave figure he had left standing by the fire,'could you stop one minute?'

It is needless to say that Rollo's steps paused and came back instantly.

'Nobody to speak but me, nobody to consult but him!' the girl thought as he approached her. It was rather hard, just now. But things had to be done.

'I will not detain you,' she said, hesitating over her words,'not long,but you did not tell mewill you tell mehow much time I have?'

As gently as if it had been her mother's, Rollo's arm came round her.

'Just as much time as you choose!' he answered. 'I must go to New York the day after Christmas,that is, Friday; but the times that concern you are in your own hand. I was going to write you a note to-morrow, to ask you about it. Supposing that you go with me, we must be married either Friday morning, before we set out; or Christmas evening. I must be all Christmas day busy in the Hollow; but I could be here by five o'clock. What would you like best?'

Hard to say!

'The Marylands were coming here to spend Christmas,' said
Hazel,'and they were so pleasedI do not like to forbid them.
So it cannot be Thursday. How early Friday?'

'Six miles to drive to the station, and must take the morning train. It's not quite an "owl train"but comes along. I believe, by eight o'clock. Why Hazel, if the Marylands will be all here Christmas, that will just fit.'

'Fit Friday. You could reach the train in time still, could you not?' she said timidly. It was dreadful to mix herself up with other people's business in this way!

'It shall be as you like, Hazel. It would be a little sharp work, to drive Dr. Maryland over here in the morning, time enough for breakfast and for the other drive afterwards. The words to be said, that you dread so much, I suppose will take very few minutes; but they must have a few. I could drive all night contentedly, with them in prospect; but it is somewhat different for him.'

Dr. Maryland!Yes, Hazel saw that at a glance. She had left him quite out of her calculations. It must be Christmas.

'Then will you tell them they cannot come?' she said. 'Only do not say why. Do not tell anybody that, till the last minute.'

'Tell them not to come? Why no, you do not mean that? Will you forbid Prim, and Arthur, to be with us?'

'I am forgetting everything but myself,' said the girl with a gesture of impatience. Of course,they were in effect his brother and sister. And she could not be so discourteous as to bid them dine at home. 'But you will not tell them, beforehand?' she said eagerly.

'Not a word!' he said smiling. 'But when shall we have the thing done? before dinner, or after?'

'After. You know,' said Hazel, explaining her strange request, 'there is nobody in the world who loves me much, to say words or send tokens,and I could not bear them from other people. You may tell Dr. Arthurif you must tell somebody.'

'I shall not tell anybody,' said Dane comfortingly. 'Dear Dr. Maryland, I suppose, would like a little forewarning of what is coming upon him; but he has married enough people in his time to be used to it. I shall tell nobody until the time comes.'

'I will not keep you' Hazel said then, after a minute's silence. 'I have kept you too long now.' Then two impetuous words rushed out. 'If only!'

'Well?' said Dane, without stirring.

'Nothing,it is not anything you could grant. I know it is impossible; but if only I need not be at that dinner!'

'You need not, if you do not choose,' said Dane caressingly. 'I will do my best to be head and foot of the table at once. But when the time comes, you will choose to be there, Hazel. Christmas day, and such a glad one for you and me!'

There came a quiver round the mouth and a glitter behind the eyelashes, but Hazel kept her voice.

'Go now, please,' she said, laying her fingers on his hand. 'You have had enough of my whims for one day,just goand forget them all.'