A few hours later, however, as he went out for a stroll with Van Dorn, while his brother and Houston started out in the direction of Jack’s cabin, his astonishment found expression.
“Great Scott! but I never was so dumfounded in my life! I tell you what, Van, I believe people lose their wits when they are in love!”
“On whose experience do you base your highly original remark, your brother’s or your own?”
“Well, both, and lots of others besides. I never yet saw a person who was in love that didn’t act just the reverse of what you would expect, or of what they would under ordinary circumstances. Now, look at us two, for instance. Look at me! Everybody calls me rash and impetuous, and Mort is always lecturing me for it, and it’s always my way to rush head-first into anything that comes along, and here I’ve been making love, in the regular, orthodox fashion, to a girl I’ve known ever since I wore knickerbockers, and playing propriety and all that to my prospective father-in-law; and now see Mort! the most precise, deliberate fellow you ever saw, never says or does anything that isn’t exactly suited to the occasion, you know; and here he goes and tumbles head over heels in love with a pretty girl the first time he sees her, and when he doesn’t know a blessed thing about her, and, by George! engages himself to her before he’s known her a week! If that isn’t a case of clear-gone lunacy, then I never saw one.”
Van Dorn laughed; “Well, of the two, I should prefer your brother’s form of lunacy to yours; if I ever was to be in love, I should want the misery over as quickly as possible.”
As Houston and his friend, having made a brief call at the cabin, rose to take their leave, the former observed Jack watching Rutherford’s face with a degree of interest unusual for him to manifest in a stranger.
“I want you and my friend, Rutherford, to know each other the little time he will be here,” he said, addressing Jack, “for though I have never known what it was to have a brother in reality, he seems to me to more nearly fill that position than any one I have known, and I have told him of your kindness and assistance, and the strange bond that has seemed to unite us from the first, though we met as strangers, so he naturally wishes to meet you.”
There was a peculiar quiver of the lips under the heavy, black beard, as Jack replied, in deep, full tones, “Mr. Rutherford’s face carries with it its own recommendation, and the fact that he is as a brother to yourself will insure him a double welcome here as often as he pleases to come during his stay.”
Houston passed onward into the outer room, pausing to chat with Mike, while Morton Rutherford lingered, and extending his hand to Jack, said in low tones:
“I have another reason for wishing to meet you. From what Lyle has told me, I know you to have been, until very recently, her only friend, and to you, as to her friend, and perhaps, in one sense, her guardian, I wish to state that I love her, and have been so fortunate as to win her love in return; and that I hope before very long, my home will be hers.”