CHAPTER XII.
_JOHN'S PROMISE._
Thus the few days before Christmas passed busily on, while Agnes beganto feel less anxiety as to her charge during their parents' absence.
The nearness of her grandmother and aunt were an untold comfort, but hermother had said to her before she left, "Do not run in to them withevery little tittle-tattle, but remember there is a nearer Friend alwaysclose. Should any great emergency arise, be thankful that He has soplaced you that you can ask advice of them."
The whole family, according to the usual custom, were to spendChristmas-day at Mrs. Headley's, next door, to which pleasure the youngpeople looked forward in their different ways.
On Christmas-eve, while John, Hugh, and Alice were making and putting upthe ivy and holly wreaths, Agnes and Minnie set forth on their errand ofcarrying the Christmas parcels to the poor people for whom they hadprepared them; and when they came in, wet and cold, the others gatheredround to know what they had done, and how the parcels had been received.
"It is bitterly cold to-night," said Agnes, coming forward to the fire;"you will let us get warm first, before we say a word, the wind blowsthrough you."
"You should have let us go," said John. "I knew it was more fit for Hughand me than for that little scrap of humanity!"
"But Minnie was promised," answered Agnes, "and I am _very_ glad Iwent--very glad."
"So am I," answered Minnie earnestly.
"Why?" asked Hugh.
"I must tell you another day; to-night I feel as if I could only thankGod for all our mercies."
She sat down by the fire and looked into it abstractedly, while Minniestood near her very soberly too.
"Were they so pleased?" asked Alice.
Agnes looked round on the warm room, with its comfortable curtains,clean wall-paper, tidy carpet, all lighted up with the glow of the logof wood which Alice had put on the fire to welcome her.
"If you could have seen!" she said, "how thankful you would all feel for_our_ blessings."
At six o'clock the next morning the Christmas bells of joy rang out onthe still morning air. They woke Alice, and she started up in bed andcalled to Minnie, who, after sundry groans and sighs, came to herself,and asked, "What is the matter?"
"Nothing's the matter, only don't you want to hear the Christmas bells?"
"Not very much," answered Minnie sleepily.
"You are a goose!" said broad-awake Alice. "But all the same, I wish youa happy Christmas."
"So do I," answered Minnie, trying to be polite; "but when I really wakeup to-morrow morning I'll say it better."
"Why it _is_ to-morrow morning," laughed Alice.
After breakfast, just as they were going to open a package on which theyhad ventured many conjectures, a ring at the front door interruptedthem.
"Perhaps it's another parcel," said Minnie, running to the window, whileAgnes exclaimed:
"Oh, Minnie, don't expect things, pray. I should not like to be countingon presents--it is horrid!"
Minnie looked round astonished. "I didn't know----" she said, confused.
But the ring was quickly explained.
"Please, Master Hugh," said the housemaid, "there's a young gentleman inthe hall, and he wants to know if you'll go out for a walk with him?"
"Who is it?" asked Hugh, vexed. "Did he say his name?"
"I'll enquire, Master Hugh."
"It's Master Tom Radnor," she said, returning.
Hugh threw down the string he was untying, and followed the maid intothe hall.
"Holloa, Tom!" he said.
"I've nothing to do to-day," said the other; "and you said you'd go fora walk."
"You're remarkably early, or else we're remarkably late."
"Don't you want to go?"
"Oh, yes; but I'm busy just this minute."
"Not done breakfast?" asked Tom, grinning.
"You're wrong there! Look here, Tom, I'll call for you in half an hour,will that do?"
"All right."
So the front door opened and closed, and Hugh came back.
"What did he want?" asked Alice.
"To go for a walk."
"On Christmas-day? How funny."
"Not funny that I know of."
"Did you ask him to?" said Minnie.
"Yes--no--at least he said something about it when I met him yesterday."
"I should have said I couldn't," said Alice decidedly; "but never mindnow, Hugh, let's open our things."
They gathered round the table, and soon had forgotten all about Tom intheir interest in the presents their mother and father had prepared forthem.
A beautiful work-basket for Agnes; a book for John; a new paint-box forHugh; a desk, fitted-up, for Alice; and a long-shaped box for Minnie, onwhich was written, "Care--great care--little Minnie."
"What can it be?" exclaimed the child, peeping round it, and enjoyingher anticipations.
And then John untied the string and raised the cover, while Minnie'slittle fingers tenderly lifted some tissue-paper, and disclosed to viewa baby-doll of surpassing loveliness.
Agnes and the rest admired and exclaimed to the heart's content of thelittle mother, and then She took her doll away to show it to theservants.
Just then Hugh discovered that the half hour was nearly over, andstarted up.
"Are you not coming to church?" asked Alice.
Hugh stopped short for a moment, "Are you?" he asked.
"Yes, we are going with Aunt Phyllis."
"But I can't get out of this, Agnes, and father wouldn't mind?"
"No; he thinks Christmas-day is not like Sunday, and we need not feelbound about going to God's house as we are then; but for my own part Ishould like to."
"So should I," said Alice.
"Is John going?" asked Hugh, looking crest-fallen and vexed.
"Yes; I don't know that I had intended it though, for I look uponChristmas-day as a blessed holiday, but I've other reasons."
"Then you think I can go with Tom?"
"As far as that is concerned," said John; "but I should hardly think Tomwas a nice companion for you."
"Why not?" exclaimed Hugh, turning red.
"There are several things about him that are not satisfactory, and Ishould not like him for my friend."
"He is not 'my friend' exactly; but that's always the way with you,John, you despise other people."
"I'm sure I don't; but I've always told you. Hugh, that that boy's ahumbug."
"How do you know he is?" Hugh answered angrily.
"He never looks you in the face for one thing."
"Nonsense. Did ever you hear such an absurd thing, Agnes, to judge by afellow's looks?"
"Then he does not go with the good set at school, you can't say hedoes," pursued John.
"He goes with me, and I should like you to tell me I belong to the badset."
"You will if you go on with him," John answered quickly; and then he sawAgnes move suddenly and raise her eyes from the table, where they hadbeen fixed during the altercation.
One flash of thought, one glance at his sister, and then John stoodstill with firmly-closed lips.
Agnes felt deeply thankful, but she said not a word.
"Have you anything more to say?" asked Hugh bitterly, "or have youexhausted all your powers in that last effort?"
John was still silent, but an earnest supplication went up that he mightknow his Lord's will and do it.
"Eh?" exclaimed Hugh, coming close to him and speaking to him in hotanger.
"I was thinking, Hugh," answered John slowly, "wondering whether I hadbeen unkind in what I said, or right in warning you?"
"Warning me! If you had had a grain of sense in your body, you'd havewarned me in private, and not before a pack of girls."
"Yes," answered John, hesitating a little, "I think I ought not--notlike that, but it never occurred to me; we got into it before I knew."
"That is a very poor excuse for annoying your brother, and a verycowardly way of getti
ng out of it."
"Cowardly?" said Alice, beneath her breath, to Agnes.
But John answered, "Having acknowledged that I should have told you inprivate, Hugh, will you forgive me? and may I come up with you and talkit over?"
"No," exclaimed Hugh; "never mention the subject to me again."
And with that he gathered his painting materials together, and walkedoff, followed by Alice, who was looking grieved enough.
"Oh, Agnes!" said John, turning to her, "I meant to do right, but afterall I have broken my promise on Christmas-day!"
"I can't see that you have," answered Agnes gently; "no one can guardagainst all difficulties."
"But I've quarrelled with him, and offended him more deeply than everbefore, when I meant----"
"But I do not see that you quarrelled, John, after all."
"It was far nearer to words than I ever dreamed of going."
Agnes felt very sorrowful, but at last she looked up.
"I wonder what _He_ would have us do?" pointing to the text.
John followed her glance for a moment, then he left the room abruptly,and she heard his footsteps going three at a time up the stairs.
"Hugh," he said, entering their joint room, and closing the door, "Ifeel more sorry than words can say about this."
His brother was sullenly preparing to go out, and did not turn round."Then you shouldn't speak to a fellow so," he muttered.
"Hugh," answered John, seriously, "I dare not unsay what I _said_; thatpart of it was right. But I was wrong to have exposed your schoolaffairs before anyone else. Can't you let us be friends again onChristmas-day? I would not have had it happen for any money, and I amsorry I have vexed you."
John's tone was so earnest, and Hugh's anger had cooled down, so that hefelt he could not do less than say, uncomfortably, "Oh, well, there isno need to make such a fuss; I'm sure I don't want to bother about it,so there, we'll say no more."
John sat on the edge of the bed, looking dejected, and Hugh finished hispreparations, and turned to the door. "Why do you mind so much?" heasked suddenly, coming back again; for, after all, he was a kind-heartedboy, and did not like to see his brother annoyed.
"I have made two promises," said John, "and have not succeeded inkeeping either."
"Two promises?" echoed Hugh.
"One to Agnes, and one to God," said John in a low tone half to himself.
"There!" exclaimed Hugh, "I'm sorry I was so cross; and--and I'll taketo heart what you said about Tom. I'm off now."