“If he don’t I will,” said Mr. Livingstone, upon which his wife, who had not spoken before, wondered “where he’d get it.”
By this time Carrie had comforted herself with the assurance that as ’Lena was now Durward’s sister, he would not, of course, marry her, and determining to make the best of it, she replied to her brother, who rallied her on her crestfallen looks, that he was greatly mistaken, for “she was as pleased as any one at ’Lena’s good fortune, but it did not follow that she must make a fool of herself, as some others did.”
The closing part of this remark was lost on John Jr., who had left the room. In the first excitement, he had thought “how glad Nellie will be,” and acting, as he generally did, upon impulse, he now ordered his horse, and dashing off at full speed, as usual, surprised Nellie, first, with his sudden appearance, second, with his announcement of ’Lena’s parentage, and third, by an offer of himself!
“It’s your destiny,” said he, “and it’s of no use to resist. What did poor little Meb die for, if it wasn’t to make room for you. So you may as well say yes first as last. I’m odd, I know, but you can fix me over. I’ll do exactly what you wish me to. Say yes, Nellie, won’t you ?”
And Nellie did say yes, wondering, the while, if ever before woman had such wooing. We think not, for never was there another John Jr.
“I have had happiness enough for one day,” said he, kissing her blushing cheek and hurrying away.
As if every hitherto neglected duty were now suddenly remembered, he went straight from Mr. Douglass’s to the marble factory, where he ordered a costly stone for the little grave on the sunny slope, as yet unmarked save by the tall grass and rank weeds which grew above it.
“What inscription will you have?” asked the engraver. John Jr. thought for a moment, and then replied; “Simply ‘Mabel.’ Nothing more or less; that tells the whole story,” and involuntarily murmuring to himself, “Poor little Meb, I wish she knew how happy I am,” he started for home, where he was somewhat surprised to find Mrs. Graham.
She had also received a letter from her husband, and deeming secrecy no longer advisable, had come over to Maple Grove, where, to her great satisfaction, she found that the news had preceded her. Feeling sure that Mrs. Graham must feel greatly annoyed, both Carrie and her mother began, at first, to act the part of consolers, telling her it might not be true, after all, for perhaps it was a ruse of Mr. Graham’s to cover some deep-laid, scheme. But for once in her life Mrs. Graham did well, and to their astonishment, replied, “Oh, I hope not, for you do not know how I long for the society of a daughter, and as Mr. Graham’s child I shall gladly welcome ’Lena home, trying, if possible, to overlook the vulgarity of her family friends!”
Though wincing terribly, neither Mrs. Livingstone nor her daughter were to be outgeneraled. If Mrs. Graham could so soon change her tactics, so could they, and for the next half hour they lauded ’Lena to the skies. They had always liked her—particularly Mrs. Livingstone—who said, “If allowed to speak my mind, Mrs. Graham, I must say that I have felt a good deal pained by those reports which you put in circulation.”