“Yes, it was hard to think that all those old-fashioned standards of beauty were the correct ones. I was sort of bewildered at first, because I had lived with artists who don’t admire such things, but now I don’t care, and there is no one in the world who is as much to me as you are.”
“That is a satisfaction to me. Well, Ellen, I reckon we’ll hit it off pretty well as long as we are destined to live together. When the time comes to separate, as it must some day, neither of us will feel like chuckling,” which was as near as Miss Rindy could come to expressing her real affection. “Come along, now,” she added, changing the subject abruptly, “it is long past bedtime; we won’t want to get up in the morning.”
They went up to their rooms. The scent of roses and honeysuckle was wafted into their windows. Ellen went to hers and knelt down to look up at the quiet stars. “Dear Mother, dear Father,” she murmured, “I hope that you can see me, and that you know how good a home I have. It will comfort you to know.”
Then suddenly upon the balmy air of the June night came the sound of music near, very near. Jeremy Todd was playing on his violin directly under the windows. Ellen ran to her cousin’s room. “Cousin Rindy, Cousin Rindy,” she whispered, “do you hear? It is Mr. Todd, and he is serenading you.”
“Now isn’t that just like Jeremy Todd to do a sentimental thing like that? The end of a perfect day, I suppose he’d call it.”
“But isn’t that just what it is?” said Ellen.
“Well, yes, I suppose it is; it’s the end, anyway.” She did not object, however, to kneeling down with Ellen by the open window into which the light from a half moon streamed.
“Isn’t it lovely?” sighed Ellen, as Jeremy, with a high, fine, long-drawn note, finished what he was playing. Then he began the air of one of the Schumann songs. Ellen leaned out to toss a rose to the serenader. “Troubadour, troubadour,” she called, “I’m coming down.”
“Why in the world do you want to do that?” inquired Miss Rindy.
“I’ll show you when I get down there. Now please do stay just where you are. I won’t be gone very long. Please stay, Cousin Rindy.” And Miss Rindy stayed.