“Behold the result of your maiden speech!” exclaimed Ralph when he came home with the good news.
“Newly married speech,” laughed Ruth; but as Ralph went on to tell of the large preparations which were being made she shook her pretty head and “hoped Schwarmer would not be so idiotic as to put all his donation into a splendid building and leave nothing for books. A good plain, commodious building is what we want. Not a palatial, monumental thing that will make our homes look like hovels and turn out to be a monument for himself, for us to keep in order.”
“Seneca the Sensible,” were Ralph’s next words, “but, you are right, dear love,” he added, “Schwarmer needs watching. ‘Eternal vigilance’ is the price when you deal with such a man. The corporation is not obliged to accept his library unless it is properly furnished and endowed. I’ll speak to the Golden Rule President about that, at once. Bless your heart for putting it into my head.”
“Who in the world is Dombey bringing us?” exclaimed Ruth as her dog came leaping and frisking up the walk. “He acts as though he had secured a great prize.”
“Millionaire Schwarmer’s daughter as I live,” exclaimed Ralph! “Isn’t it comical though. I never knew before that dogs could be obsequious! See that brute trying to smile.”
The girl came on slowly and rather timidly up the long walk, while the dog rushed backward and forward and indulged in all sorts of joyous antics.
“Excuse me for coming,” she said when she got within speaking distance, “but the dog would have it so.”
“Dombey knew you would be welcome,” replied Ruth.
“He met me at the train and followed me all around to every place I went, but when I got to this street he took the lead. I went on but he came after me and cried and took hold of my dress. I guessed what he wanted so I came a little way with him; but when I turned to go back he whined and made such a time of it, that I gave up and came home with him.”
“And now he wants you to come up on the verandah and rest,” laughed Ruth, looking down into the blue eyes. She thought she had never seen any so blue and true looking.