We climbed into the little cart, still covered with its pageant finery, and drove slowly down the dusty road, discussing the events of the day.
“O Justice,” said I, “did you ever see anything so touching as the pride some of those poor women took in their boys and girls? They fairly glowed, some of them. And did you see that one poor woman who tried to fix herself up for the occasion? She had nothing to wear but her faded old blue calico dress, but she had pinned a bunch of roses on the front of it to make herself look festive.”
“We’ve started something, I think,” said Justice thoughtfully. “We’ve taught the people how to get together and have a good time, and they like it. They’ll be doing it again.”
“I hope so,” I replied. Then I added, “I wonder where Absalom was?”
“You see, your scheme didn’t work after all,” said Justice, in an I-told-you-so tone of voice. “Absalom wasn’t impressed with the honor of being your right-hand man. He took the occasion to play hookey. It’s a wonder he didn’t try to play some trick on the rest of us; but I suppose he didn’t dare, with his father there. He’s afraid to draw a crooked breath when the old man’s around.”
“I’m disappointed,” I said pensively, leaning my head back and letting the cool wind blow the hair away from my face. It had been a strenuous day and I was tired out. The strain of being afraid every minute that I would do something ridiculous or had left something undone that was of vital importance had nearly turned my hair grey. Now that it was all over without mishap, the people had enjoyed it and my Camp Fire girls had covered themselves with glory, I relaxed into a delicious tranquillity and gave myself over to enjoyment of the quiet drive in the sweet evening air.
“Why so deucedly pensive?” inquired Justice, after we had jogged along for some minutes in silence.
“Just thanking whatever gods there be that I didn’t make a holy show of myself somehow,” I replied lazily. “Isn’t this evening peaceful, though? Who would ever think that down around the other side of this sweet smelling earth men are killing each other like flies, and the night is hideous with the din of warfare?”
Above us the big white stars twinkled serenely, approvingly; all nature seemed in tune with my placid mood. Justice fell under the spell of it, too, and leaned back in silent enjoyment.
What was that sudden glare that shone out against the sky, over to the south? That red, lurid glare that dimmed the glory of the stars and threw buildings and barns into black relief?