CHAPTER II.
THE ORCHARD HOME.
"R. F. D., late as usual," laughed Molly, as Mr. Bud Woodsmall's veryramshackle Ford runabout came careening through the lane and up the hillto the yard gate. "I fancy he has had to stop and talk war at every mailbox on his route."
"I think I'll go meet him," said Professor Edwin Green, ratherreluctantly arising from the chaise longue that seemed to have beenbuilt to fit his lack of curves, he declared. He had been sitting on theporch of the bungalow, eyes half closed to shut out everything from hisvision but the picture of Molly holding the sleeping baby in her arms.
"You know you want to gossip with him--now 'fess up!"
"Well, I do like to hear his views of the situation in Europe. Theyare original, at least. He says Yankee capitalists are the cause of itall. Don't you want me to put Mildred down? She has been asleep forhalf an hour," and the young husband and father stood for a moment andlooked down on his treasures with what Judy Kean always called hisfaithful-collie-dog eyes.
"I know I oughtn't to hold her while she is asleep, but she seems sowonderful I can't bear to let her go. I think she is growing more likeyou, Edwin."
"Like me! Nonsense! That would be a sad thing to have wished on the poorinnocent when there are so many handsome folks in the Carmichael andBrown family from whom she could inherit real beauty."
"But Edwin, you are handsome, I think. You are so noble looking."
"All right, honey, have it your own way," and he stooped and kissed her."I will allow that the baby has inherited my bald head if you like--Hithere!" he called to Mr. Woodsmall, who was preparing to unlock themail box, "I'll come get it," and he sprinted down the walk where thegarrulous postman held him enthralled for a good fifteen minutes. A blueenvelope with a foreign postmark told him there was a letter from JuliaKean that would be eagerly welcomed by Molly, but there was no stoppingthe flow of R. F. D.'s eloquence. The causes of the war being thoroughlythreshed out, he finally took his reluctant departure.
"A letter from Judy Kean! Now you will have to put the baby down!"
So little Mildred was tenderly placed in her basket on the porch andMolly opened the voluminous epistle from the beloved Judy.
"Oh, Edwin, she is not coming home! I was afraid she would want to dosomething Judyesque. Only listen!" and Molly read the Giverny letter toher husband.
"What do you think Kent will say to this? I know he is very uneasy abouther anyhow since the war broke out, and now--well, I'm glad I'm not inhis shoes. She is not very considerate of him, I must say."
"Oh, you men folks!" laughed Molly. "I can't see how she could leaveFrance until she knows something about her mother and father, and afterall, I don't believe Kent and Judy are engaged."
"Not engaged! What do you think Kent has been doing this whole year inParis if he wasn't getting engaged?"
"Studying Architecture at the Beaux Arts. Sometimes persons can know oneanother a long time and be together a lot and not get engaged," sheteased. It was a very well-known fact that Professor Edwin Green hadbeen in love with Molly Brown for at least five years, and maybe longer,before he put the all important question.
"Yes, I know, but then----"
"Then what? My brother Kent is certainly not able to support a wife yet,and maybe they are opposed to long engagements."
"Well, all the same I am sorry for Kent. It was bad enough when you wentabroad and the ocean was between us and I knew you were being well takencare of by your dear mother,--but just suppose it had been war time andyou had been alone! The news from France is very grave. It looks asthough the Germans would eat Christmas dinner in Paris as they boastthey will."
"Oh, Edwin, no!" and Molly turned pale.
"Well, look at these head lines in to-day's paper. It looks veryominous. When did you say you were expecting Kent home?"
"By to-morrow at latest. He wrote Mother he was to stay some time in NewYork to try to land a job that looked very promising."
"Here she comes now!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy as italways did when his mother-in-law appeared on the scene.
Mrs. Brown was coming through the orchard from Chatsworth. Her hair hadturned a little greyer since Molly's marriage, but not much; her stepwas still light and active; her grey eyes as full of life; and in herheart the same eternal youth.
"Well, children! Did you get any mail? How is my precious littlegranddaughter? I've a letter from Kent. It just did beat him home. Paul'phoned from Louisville that he is in town now, just arrived and willbe here with him this afternoon. I am so excited!"
Dear Mrs. Brown's life was made up of such excitements now: her childrenalways going and returning. Mildred, Mrs. Crittenden Rutledge, had leftfor Iowa only two days before, having spent two months with her littlefamily at Chatsworth; now Kent was almost home; and in less than a monththe Greens would make their annual move to Wellington. Sue, the eldestdaughter, married to young Cyrus Clay, lived within a few miles ofChatsworth and seemed the only one who was a fixture. Paul's newspaperwork kept him in Louisville most of the time and John, the doctor, madeflying visits to his home but had to make his headquarters in the cityfor fear of missing patients. Ernest, the eldest son, was threatening tocome home and settle at Chatsworth, but that was still an uncertainty.
"I must read you Judy's letter, Mother. I know you will feel as uneasyas we do about her. Edwin thinks she should come home, but I think shecould hardly leave, not knowing something more definite about hermother and father, who may be bottled up in Germany indefinitely."
"Only think of the sizzle Mr. Kean will make when they finally draw thecork," laughed Mrs. Brown; but when Molly read the whole of Judy'sletter to her, the laughter left her countenance and she looked verysolemn and disturbed.
"Poor Kent!" she sighed.
"I wonder what he will do," from Molly.
"Do? Why, he will do what the men of his blood should do!" Mrs. Brownheld her head very high and her delicate nostrils quivered in the wayher family knew meant either anger or high resolve. "He will go toFrance and either stay and protect Judy or bring her back to hismother."
"But, Mother, are you going to ask this of him? Maybe he won't think itis the right thing to do."
"Of course, I am not going to ask it of him. I just know the 'mettle ofhis pasture.'"
"But the expense!"
"Expense! Molly, you don't sound like yourself. What is expense whenyour loved ones are in danger?"
"But I can't think that Judy could be in real danger."
"I can't think anything else. You surely have not read the morningpaper. The Germans are advancing so rapidly.... The atrocities inBelgium! Ugh! I can't contemplate our Judy being anywhere in theirreach."
"But, Mother, they must be exaggerated! People could not do what theysay they have done, not good, kind German soldiers."
"Molly! Molly! Your goodness will even let you love the Germans. I amnot made that way. The Anglo Saxon in me is so uppermost and I feel sucha boiling and bubbling in my veins that nothing but my grey hairs keepsme from joining the Red Cross myself and helping the Allies!"
"Well, then you don't blame Miss Judy Kean," laughed Professor Green,who never loved his mother-in-law more than when, as old Aunt Maryexpressed it, "her nose was a-wuckin'."
"Blame her! No, indeed! If I were her age, I'd do exactly what she isdoing, but I should certainly have expected Molly's father to come overand protect me while I was being so foolhardy."
"Judy doesn't say she is going as a nurse," said Molly, referring to theletter. "Jo Williams is to fly and Judy seems uncertain what she isgoing to do,--just see the fight, as far as I can make out. I know Judyso well I just can't feel uneasy about her. You mustn't think I ammercenary, Mother, or careless of my friend. Judy always lands on herfeet and is as much of an adept in getting out of scrapes as she is ingetting in them."
"My darling, of course I didn't mean you were mercenary," cried Mrs.Brown, seeing in Molly's blue eyes a little hurt look at the vigoroustone she had
taken when Molly merely suggested expense. "I just think inyour desire to think well of every one, nations as well as individuals,that you are blind to the terrors of this war. If Judy will only go toSally Bolling, she will be taken care of. I fancy Sally is at La RocheCraie now."
"Oh, I had forgotten to think of what this must mean to Cousin Sally!"exclaimed Molly. "The truth of the matter is that it is so peaceful heremy imagination cannot picture what it is over there. I am growingselfish with contentment. Of course Philippe d'Ochte will join hisregiment and poor Cousin Sally and the Marquis will suffer agonies overhim."
"Yes and over France!" said Edwin solemnly. "I remember so well aconversation I had with the Marquis d'Ochte on the subject of hiscountry. I believe he really and truly puts his country above even hisadored wife and son. That is more patriotism than I could be capableof----"
"Not a bit of it, my dear Edwin," broke in Mrs. Brown.
"'I could not love thee half so well Loved I not honour more.'
"Molly and your little baby Mildred are but a part of your country, andif the time should come and your country called you, you would answerthe call just as I hope my own sons would."
"Oh, Mother, you are a Spartan! I am not so brave, I am afraid," saidMolly. "Even now at the thought of war, I am thanking God my Mildredbaby is a girl."
Little Mildred, at mention of her name, although it would be many a daybefore she would know what her name was, awakened and gave aninarticulate gurgle. Mrs. Brown dropped the role of Spartan Mother andturned into a doting grandmother in the twinkling of an eye.
"And was um little tootsie wootsies cold? Come to your Granny and lether warm them. Molly, this baby has grown a foot, I do believe, and lookwhat a fine, strong, straight back she has! And does oo want your Grannyto rub your back? Only look, her eyes have brown lights in them! I saidall the time she would have brown eyes."
"And not Molly's blue eyes! Oh, Mother, that is very bad news to me.Why, the baby's eyes are as blue as the sea now. They could not change,"and Edwin Green peered into his offspring's face with such intentnessthat the little thing began to whimper.
The proper indignation being expressed by the females and the babydangled until smiles came and a crow, Mrs. Brown informed the ignorantfather that all young animals have blue eyes and there is no determiningthe actual colour of a baby's eyes until it is several months old, butthat the minute brown or golden lights begin to appear in blue eyes, youcan get ready to declare for a brown-eyed youngster.
"Well, she will surely have Molly's hair," he insisted.
"That we can't tell, either," said the all-knowing grandmother. "Yousee, she is almost bald now except for this tiny fringe that is rapidlybeing worn off in the back. That does seem a little pinkish."
"Pinkish! Oh, Mother-in-law, what a word to express my Molly's hair!"
"Can't you see she is getting even with you for making Mildred almostcry?" laughed Molly. "I know she is going to have my hair because whenyou slip a little bit of blue under that little lock that is on theside, where it hasn't rubbed off, the 'pink' comes out quite plainly. MyMildred will be a belle. I have always heard it said that a girl withbrown eyes and golden hair is born to be a belle. Oh, yes, I will callthe baby's hair golden although I have always called my own red."
"I don't know whether I want her to be a belle or not," objected Edwin."She might be frivolous."
"Frivolous with your eyes! Heavens, Daddy, she couldn't be!"
Mrs. Brown contentedly smiled and rocked the baby, who crowed and cooedand kicked her pretty pink tootsies. The sun shone on the orchard homeand a particularly obliging mocking bird burst into song from one of thegnarled old apple trees, heavy with its luscious fruit. Mocking birdsare supposed not to sing in August, but sometimes they do, and whenthey do, their song is as wonderful and welcome as an unlooked-forlegacy.
Molly looked over the fields of waving blue grass to the dark beechwoods that bordered the pasture, a feeling of great happiness andcontentment in her heart. How peaceful and sweet was life! She leanedagainst her husband, who put an ever-ready arm around her, and togetherthey gazed on the fruitful landscape. Mrs. Brown crooned to the baby asong ever dear to her own children and one that had been sung to her byher own negro mammy.
"Mammy went away--she tol' me ter stay, An' tek good keer er de baby, She tol' me ter stay an' sing dis away: Oh, go ter sleepy, little baby!
Oh, go ter sleep! sleepy little baby, Oh, go ter sleepy, little baby, Kaze when yer wake, yo'll git some cake, An' ride a little white horsey!
We'll stop up de cracks an' sew up de seams-- De Booger Man never shall ketch you! Oh, go ter sleep an' dream sweet dreams-- De Booger Man never shall ketch you!
Oh, go ter sleep! sleepy little baby, Oh, go ter sleepy, little baby, Kaze when you wake, you'll git some cake, An' lots er nice sugar candy!"
How could whole countries be at war and such peace reign in any spot onthe globe?
The whirr of an approaching motor awoke them from their musings andstopped the delightful song before one-third of the stanzas had beensung. It was Kent with John in the doctor's little runabout.
"My boy! my boy!" and Mrs. Brown dropped the baby in her basket and flewacross the grass to greet the long-absent Kent.
"I couldn't wait for Paul but had to get old Dr. John to bring me out.Mumsy, how plump and pink you are. I declare you look almost as young asthe new baby," said Kent after the first raptures of greeting were over."And Molly, you look great! And 'Fessor Green, I declare you are gettingfat. I bet you have gained at least three-quarters of a pound since yougot married. Positively obese!"
"You haven't said much about the baby," objected Molly.
"Well, there's not much to say, is there? She is an omnivorous biped, Igather, from the two feet I can see and her evident endeavor to eatthem, at least, I fancy that is why she is kicking so high. She has gotEdwin's er--er--well--his high forehead----"
"She is not nearly so bald-headed as you were yourself," declared hismother. "You were such a lovely baby, Kent, the loveliest of all mybabies, I believe. I always adored a bald-headed baby and you had a headlike a little billiard ball."
They all laughed at this and Kent confessed that if he had beenbald-headed himself, he believed the little Mildred must be, after all,very charming.
"Any letters for me?" he asked, and Molly thought she detected a note ofanxiety below all the nonsense he had been talking.
"No, I have not seen any."
"Well, have you heard from--from Judy Kean?"
"Yes," confessed Molly. "I got a letter to-day."
"Please may I see it?"
"Yes, of course you may."
But Molly felt a great reluctance to show Julia Kean's letter to herbrother. She knew very well he was uneasy already about their friendand was certain this letter would only heighten his concern. Kent waslooking brown and sturdy; he seemed to her to have grown even tallerthan the six feet one he already measured when he went abroad. Hisboyish countenance had taken on more purpose and his jaw had an addedsquareness. His deep set grey eyes had a slight cloud in them that Mollyand her mother hated to see.
"It is Judy, of course," they said to themselves.
"I landed my job in New York," he said, as he opened the little blueenvelope.
"Splendid!" exclaimed Molly.
Mrs. Brown tried to say splendid, too, but the thought came to her:"Another one going away from home!" and she could only put her armaround her boy's neck and press a kiss on his brown head.
They were all very quiet while Kent read the letter. Dr. John, alone,seemed disinterested. He very professionally poked the infant in theribs to see how fat she had grown and, also, much to the indignation ofMolly, went through some tests for idiocy, which, of course, the tinybaby could not pass.