“What an enthusiast! Take my advice, little one, and until this grand, this glorious home can be ours, help us with your lofty aspirations, and help us not to despise our more limited advantages and privileges. In the meantime we will try to become more worthy of so perfect a home—as some years must of necessity elapse ere it can be completed.”
“Have I not said it is only a dream? How can I dare to hope it could ever be realized; and when I come to this home, day after day, and realize what privileges are ours the feeling sometimes comes to me, how wrong-headed I am to be constantly sighing for still more.”
Owen shook his head,
“You are mistaken, Miss Hilda. Your sentiments and aspirations are not wrong. Harmonious and beautiful as is the life that has been granted you through the mutual understanding and sympathy of our kind host and hostess, it is by no means complete. So dream on, plan on, and if there is an architect in our circle he shall transfer these plans to paper, and, as soon as practicable, we will look about us for a suitable site, and when the spring sunshine calls all nature again to life, work shall begin, and what has so long been only a vague dream shall, all in good time, bloom into a living reality.”
All eyes hung on the lips of the speaker. All ears drank in his words. Could such a thing be possible? Only Cora seemed to understand. Pressing close to his side, she drew his hand with a caressing motion to her smiling lips. With a hasty movement he withdrew the hand to lay it on the head covered with the soft fluffy hair; he pressed it close to him. Hilda drew a step nearer and extending both hands,
“You mean——O, Mr. Hunter! do you really mean that it can be done? that the home can and shall be ours? But how? how?”
Cora slipped down upon her knees at Hilda’s side and caught both hands in hers.
“Did I not tell you long ago, when I told you that story of my heartaches and my noble lover, that he possessed almost limitless wealth? He could not be one of us did he not consecrate some of his millions to the happiness of others. It is in his power to lay the foundation stone for the future ideal society, giving to the world an example of how people should live. Don’t you see, my Hilda? Owen is wealthy, and is going to build us our home.”
CHAPTER XXXXIII.
From that day forth a new life entered the charmed and charming circle. Lawrence proved to be the architect required, though he had never called his talent in this line to a practical account. Guided by Hilda’s vivid imagination, inspired by her enthusiasm and aided by the practical suggestions of Owen, the plan grew, and by the time the first green of the young spring appeared upon the landscape they were ready for action. Margaret had left them at the call of duty, and could only from afar share in the excitement and enthusiasm. Every heart was beating high with hope, and with the advent of warmer weather, Owen, Wilbur, Lawrence and Norman kissed their loved ones good bye and started on a prospecting tour.