CHAPTER VI
THE DIE IS CAST
"Oh, grandpa, we've had the most, _fun_!" cried Jewel that afternoon as sheran down the veranda steps to meet the broker, getting out of the brougham.
Harry and Julia were standing near the wicker chairs watching the welcome.They saw Mr. Evringham stoop to receive the child's embrace, and noted theattention he paid to her chatter as, after lifting his hat to them, heslowly advanced.
"Father and I played in the ravine the longest while. Wasn't it a nicetime, father?"
"It certainly was a nice, wet time. I am one pair of shoes short, and shallhave to travel to Chicago in patent leathers."
As Julia rose she regarded her father-in-law with new eyes. All sense ofresponsibility had vanished, and her present passive role seemeddelightful.
"I know more about this beautiful place than when you went away," she said."I feel as if I were at some picturesque resort. It doesn't seem at all asif work-a-day people might live here all the time."
"I'm glad you like it," returned the broker, and his quick, curt manner ofspeech no longer startled her. "Have you been driving?"
"No, we preferred to have Jewel plan our campaign, and she seemed to thinkthat the driving part had better wait for you."
The broker turned and looked down at the smooth head with billowy ribbonbows behind the ears. Noting his expression, or lack of it, Julia wondered,momentarily, if she might have dreamed the episode of kissing into thetelephone.
"What is your plan, Jewel?" he asked.
She balanced herself springily on her toes. "I thought two of us in thephaeton and two on horseback," she replied, with relish.
"H'm. You in the phaeton and I on Star, perhaps."
"Oh, grandpa, and your feet dragging in the road!" The child's laugh was agush of merriment.
The broker looked back at his daughter-in-law and handed her the largewhite package he was carrying. "With my compliments, madam."
Julia flushed prettily as she unwrapped the box. "Oh, Huyler's!" sheexclaimed. "How delicious. Thank you so much, father."
Jewel's eyes were big with admiration. "That's just the kind Dr. Ballardused to give cousin Eloise," she said, sighing. "Sometime I'll be grownup!"
Mr. Evringham lifted her into his arms with a quick movement. "That's a farday, thank God," he murmured, his mustache against her hair; then loweringher until he could look into her face: "How have you arranged us, Jewel?Who drives and who rides?"
"Perhaps father would like to drive mother in the phaeton," said the child,again on her feet.
Harry smiled. "Your last plan, I thought, was that I should ride the mare."
"Yes," returned Jewel, with some embarrassment. "You won't look so nice asgrandpa does on Essex Maid," she added, very gently, "but if it would be a_pleasure_ to you, father"--
Her companions laughed so heartily that the child bored the toe of one shoeinto the piazza, and well they knew the sign.
"Here," said her father hastily, "which of these delicious candies do youwant, Jewel? Oh, how good they look! I tell you you'll have to be quick ifyou want any. I have only till to-morrow to eat them."
"Really to-morrow, father!" returned the child, pausing aghast."To-morrow!"
"Yes, indeed."
"To Chicago, do you mean?"
"To Chicago." He nodded emphatically.
Jewel turned appealing eyes on her mother. "Can't we help it?" she asked ina voice that broke.
"I think not, dearie. Business must come before pleasure, you know."
Her three companions looking at the child saw her swallow with an effort.She dropped the chocolate she had taken back into the box.
A heroic smile came to her trembling lips as she lifted her eyes to theimpassive face of the tall, handsome man beside her. "It's to-morrow,grandpa," she said softly, with a look that begged him to remember.
He stooped until his gaze was on a level with hers. She did not touch him.All her forces were bent on self-control.
"I have been asking your mother," said Mr. Evringham, "to stay here a whileand take a vacation. Hasn't she told you?"
Jewel shook her head mutely.
"I think she will do it if you add your persuasion," continued the brokerquietly. "She ought to have rest,--and of course you would stay too, totake care of her."
A flash like sunlight illumined the child's tears. Mr. Evringham expectedto feel her arms thrown around his neck. Instead, she turned suddenly, andrunning to her father, jumped into his lap.
"Father, father," she said, "don't you want us to go with you?"
Harry cleared his throat. The little scene had moistened his eyes as well."Am I of any consequence?" he asked, with an effort at jocoseness.
Jewel clasped him close. "Oh, father," earnestly, "you know you are; andthe only reason I said you wouldn't look so nice on Essex Maid is thatgrandpa has beautiful riding clothes, and when he rides off he looks like aking in a procession. You couldn't look like a king in a procession in theclothes you wear to the store, could you, father?"
"Impossible, dearie."
"But I want you to ride her if you'd like to, and I want mother and me togo to Chicago with you if you're going to feel sorry."
"You really do, eh?"
Jewel hesitated, then turned her head and held out her hand to Mr.Evringham, who took it. "If grandpa won't feel sorry," she answered. "Oh, Idon't know what I want. I wish I didn't love to be with so many people!"
Her little face, drawn with its problem, precipitated the broker's plansand made him reckless. He said to his son now, that which, in hiscarefully prepared programme, he had intended to say about three monthshence, provided a nearer acquaintance with his daughter Julia did not provedisappointing.
"I suppose you are not devotedly attached to Chicago, Harry?"
The young man looked up, surprised. "Not exactly. So far she has treated melike a cross between a yellow dog and a step-child; but I shall be devotedenough if I ever succeed there."
"Don't succeed there," returned the broker curtly. "Succeed here."
Harry shook his head. "Oh, New York's beyond me. I have a foothold inChicago."
"Yes," returned the broker, who had the born and bred New Yorker's contemptfor the Windy City. "Yes, I know you've got your foot in it, but take itout."
"Great Scott! You'd have me become a rolling stone again?"
"No. I'll guarantee you a place where, if you don't gather moss, you'lleven write your_self_ down as long-eared."
Harry's eyes brightened, and he straightened up, moving Jewel to one side,the better to see his father. "Do you mean it?" he asked eagerly.
The broker nodded. "Take your time to settle matters in Chicago," he said."If you show up here in September it will be early enough."
The young man turned his eyes toward his wife and she met his smile withanother. Her heart was beating fast. This powerful man of whom, until thismorning, she had stood in awe, was going to put a stop to the old life andlift their burdens. So much she perceived in a flash, and she knew it wasfor the sake of the little child whose cheeks were glowing like roses asshe looked from one to another, taking in the happy promise involved in thewords of the two men.
"Father, will you come back here?" she asked, breathing quickly.
"I'd be mighty glad to, Jewel," he replied.
The child leaned toward the broker, to whose hand she still clung. Starrylights were dancing in her eyes.
"Grandpa, are father and mother and I going to live with you--always?" sheasked rapturously.
"Always--if you will, Jewel."
He certainly had not intended to say it until autumn leaves were falling,and he should have made certain that it was not putting his head into anoose; but the child's face rewarded him now a thousand-fold, and made themoment too sweet for regret.
"Didn't we _know_ that Divine Love would take care of us, grandpa?" sheasked, with soft triumph. "We _did_ know it--even when I was crying, weknew it. Didn't we?"
The broker drank
in her upturned glance and placed his other hand over theone that was clinging to him.