“Please do come, Black Lace Lady!” urged Ben in his most persuasive tone, while Alice, leaning far over the edge of the sleigh at the great risk of falling out, echoed “Please” most pleadingly.
“‘BUT WE WANT YOU!’ WAILED THE CLUB.”
It was hard indeed to resist their urgent begging, but Miss Ruth said steadily: “It will soon be over, and after all, children, your having thought of the presents for the Convalescent children means far more than the giving of the presents.”
Still the Club refused consolation. “We just won’t go without you,” said Betty passionately, kicking the snow with the toe of her rubber. “I will not get back into the sleigh.”
By this time Mr. Danforth, who realized what was going on, had the basket and boxes packed under the sleigh seats.
“But I want you to go, children,” Ruth Warren was urging.
“The Club must do as its president wishes,” Mr. Danforth said quickly, now that everything was ready. “All clubs do that,—or at least they ought to. You must honour your president by carrying out her wishes.” With this, he settled the question by lifting Betty into the back seat of the sleigh, jumping in after her, and saying to Ben: “Start along, sir, or we shall be late to our appointment. Do you think Jerry can take us out there in fifteen minutes?”
This settled it. Ben said, “G’long, Jerry!” The well-brushed horse started off briskly, the reluctant children looking backward as long as they could to see Miss Ruth standing there on the curb-stone.
The thoughts which those disappointed children had, even on Christmas morning, about Miss Virginia were not very pleasant thoughts. How much of Miss Virginia’s feelings on that same morning were due to nervousness, and how much to a desire not to have her beloved niece drive out again in that old, country-like pung no one yet knows. It is true, however, that Miss Virginia said when Ruth came back up-stairs: “I am wholly surprised that such a distinguished-looking gentleman as Mr. Danforth could be willing to go off in that sleigh and with that crowd of children.”