CHAPTER XXVIII. THE BEST SURPRISE OF ALL
As the four young people neared the home cabin, they were amazed tobehold Miss Moore seated in a rocker on the front porch and, instead ofher house dress, she had on her traveling suit. Dories leaped up thesteps, exclaiming, "Why, Aunt Jane, what has happened?"
The old woman replied suavely: "Nothing at all, my dear; that is, nothingstartling. Mr. Strait drove over this morning with some mail for me and Iasked him to return at two. Now hurry and pack up your things. We'regoing home."
Dories put her hand to her heart. "O," she exclaimed, "I was afraid therehad been bad news from Mother." Then, hesitatingly, "I thought we weren'tgoing home until Monday."
"We are going now," was all that her aunt said.
Dories ran back to the beach to explain to the three standing there, thenthe girls bade the boys good-bye and hastened up to the loft to packtheir satchels and don their traveling costumes.
"What can it mean?" Dories almost whispered. "There must have beensomething urgent in the letter Aunt Jane received this morning," sheconcluded.
Nann snapped down the cover of her suitcase, then flashed a bright smileat her friend. "To tell you the truth," she confessed, "I am glad that weare going today. Since your Aunt Jane will not travel on Sunday, andsince the mysteries have all been solved, there would be nothing to dofrom now until Monday."
Before the other girl could reply Nann, with eyes glowing, continuedenthusiastically: "And how wonderfully the old ruin mystery turned out,didn't it? I feel ever so sure that Carl Ovieda and his sister will provegood friends." Then, teasingly, "Carl seemed to like you especiallywell."
Dories' surprised expression was sincere. "Me?" she exclaimeddramatically, then shook her head. "Of course you are wrong! You are somuch prettier and wittier and wiser, Nann, boys _always_ like you betterthan they do your friends."
"I hold to my opinion," was the laughing response. "But come along now, Ihear the rattly old stage coming. If we are to make the 3:10 train,Spindly will have to make good time." Nann glanced at her wrist watch asshe spoke; then, taking their suitcases, they went down the ricketystairs. On the front porch they found Miss Moore waiting among her bags;her heavy black veil thrown back over her bonnet. Gib's father, havingleft the stage at the beach end of the road, was coming for the baggage."O, Aunt Jane!" Dories suddenly exclaimed, "aren't we going to put thecovers on the furniture and fasten the blinds?"
It was Mr. Strait who answered: "Me'n Amandy'll tend to all them things,Miss. We'll come over fust off Monday an' take the key back to thestore."
Miss Moore nodded her assent. Then, with the help of the two girls, shepicked her way through the sand to the stage and was soon seated betweenthe two black bags as she had been three weeks previous, but now howdifferent was the expression on the wrinkled old face. On that other ridethe girls had been justified in believing her to be a grouchy old woman,but today Dories noticed that when her aunt smiled across at her, therewas a wistful expression in the grey eyes that could be so sharp and aquivering about the thin lips. "Poor Aunt Jane," was the thought thataccompanied her answering smile, "she dreads going back to her lonelymansion of a home, but of course I am to remain with her for a few days,or, at least, until I hear from Mother."
When Siquaw was reached the girls saw that the train was even thenapproaching the small station, and, in the rush that followed, they quiteforgot to look for Dick and Gibralter to say good-bye. It was not untilthey were seated in the coach, and the train well under way, that Doriesexclaimed: "We didn't see the boys! Don't you think that is queer, Nann?They knew we were going on that train. I wonder why they weren't at thestation to see us off."
A merry laugh back of them was the unexpected answer. Seated directlybehind them were the two boys about whom they had been talking. Rising,they skipped around and took the seat facing the girls.
"Well, where did you come from?" Dories began, then noticed that Gib worehis one best suit and that he was carrying a funny old hand satchel. Hisfreckled face was shining from more than a recent hard scrubbing. Nanninterpreted that jubilant expression. "Gibralter Strait," she exclaimed,"you're going away to school, aren't you?" Then impulsively she held outher hand. "You don't know how glad I am. I have great faith in you. Iknow you will amount to something."
As the country lad was squirming in very evident embarrassment, hisfriend drew the attention of the girls to himself by saying: "I suppose,Mistress Nann, that you don't expect _me_ to amount to anything." Thegood-looking boy tried so hard to assume an abused expression that thegirls laughingly assured him that they had some slight hope of hisultimate success in life.
Dories glanced across at the seat where her aunt was sitting and,excusing herself, she went over and sat with the elderly woman, althoughNann could see that they talked but little, her heart warmed toward herfriend, who was growing daily more thoughtful of others. After a timeMiss Moore said: "Dories, dear, I think I'll try to take a little nap.You would better go back to your friends. I am sure that they are missingyou."
Then as the old lady did close her eyes and seem to sleep, the four youngpeople talked over the past three weeks in quiet voices and made plansfor the future. "I hope we will be friends forever," Dories exclaimed,and Nann added, "Perhaps, when we have made the acquaintance of Mr.Ovieda's sister, we can form a sort of friendship club with six members.We could meet now and then, and have merry times." Dories' dolefulexpression at this happy suggestion caused Nann to add, as she placed ahand on her friend's arm, "I know what you are thinking, dear. That allthe rest of us will be in Boston, but that you will be in Elmwood. Butsurely you will come to visit your Aunt Jane often during vacations."
Before Dories could reply the boys informed them that they were enteringthe city. Dories, who had traveled little, was eager to stand on theplatform at the back of the car that she might have a better view, andlater when the young people returned to the coach it was time to collecttheir baggage and prepare to descend. First of all, Dick and Gib assistedMiss Moore to the platform and then carried out her bags. Then theyhailed a taxi driver at her request. Then Miss Moore surprised the girlsby saying hospitably: "Come over and see us tomorrow, Dick and Gibralter.You know where I live." She actually smiled at the older boy. "Dorieswill be with me for a few days, I suppose, and Nann as well." Then, whenthe older girl started to speak, the old woman said firmly, "You acceptedan invitation to be my guest for one month, and only three weeks of thatmonth have passed." This being true, Nann did not protest.
Dories squeezed her friend's arm ecstatically. She had dreaded the momentwhen Nann would leave for the hotel where her father stayed. Gib liftedhis cap as he saw Dick doing when the taxi drove away.
Then the old woman addressed the girls. "They're fine boys, both ofthem!" she said. "That's why I was willing you should go anywhere withthem that you wished. I knew they would take as good care of you as theywould of their sisters."
Dusk came early that autumn afternoon, and so, try as she might, Doriescould see little of the neighborhoods through which the taxi was takingthem. It was a long ride. At first it was through a business districtwhere many lights flashed on, and where their progress was very slowbecause of the traffic. Then the noise gradually lessened, big elm treescould be seen lining the streets, and far back among other trees and onwide lawns, lights from large homes flickered. At last the taxi turned inbetween two high stone gate posts. Miss Moore was sitting ram-rodstraight and the girls, watching, found it hard to interpret herexpression. Dories asked: "Aunt Jane, have we reached your home?"
They were surprised at the bitterness of the tone in which the reply wasgiven: "Home? No! We have reached my house. A place where there is only ahousekeeper and a maid to welcome you is _not_ a home."
Dories slipped a hand in her aunt's and held it close. She wanted to saysomething comforting, but could think of nothing. The taxi had stoppedunder the portico by the front steps, and, when she had been helped out,Mis
s Moore paid the driver. Then they went upon the wide stone porch,followed by the man, laden with their baggage. "I can't understand whythere isn't a light in the house. The maids knew I was to return almostany day." Miss Moore rang the bell as she spoke.
Suddenly lights within were flashed on. The heavy oak door was thrownopen and a small boy leaped out and hurled himself at one of the girls."Dori! Hello, Dori!" he cried jubilantly. "Here's Mother and me waitingto surprise you all." And truly enough, there back of him was Mrs. Moore,smiling and holding out her hand to the old woman, who stood as onedazed. Then, comprehending what it all meant, she went in, tears fallingunheeded down her wrinkled cheeks. She took the outstretched hand as shesaid tremulously, "My Peter's wife is here to welcome me _home_." She wasso deeply affected that Mrs. Moore, after stooping to quietly kiss herdaughter, led the old woman into a formally furnished parlor and sat withher on a handsome old lounge. Then to the small boy in the doorway shesaid, "Little Peter, show Dori and Nann up to their room."
What those two women had to say to each other, no one ever knew, but thatit drew them very close together was evident by the loving expression inthe grey eyes of the older woman when she looked at the younger.
Meanwhile the two girls, led by the small boy, entered a large upper roomwhich seemed to overlook a garden. Like the rooms below, it was formallyfurnished after the style of an earlier period, but it seemed very grandindeed to Dories.
Her eyes were star-like with wonderment. "Nann," she half whispered in anawed voice when Peter had gleefully displayed the wardrobe where thegirls were to hang their dresses and had opened each empty bureau drawerthat they were to use, "do you suppose that Mother, Peter and I are tolive here forever?"
"I'm sure of it!" Nann replied. "And O, Dori, isn't it wonderful?"
Just then a bell in some room below tinkled musically. "That's the supperbell," the small boy told them. "Hilda's the cook, and O, Dori, such nicepuddings as she can make. Yum! Jum!" Then he cried excitedly: "Quick!Take off your hats. Here's the bathroom that belongs to you. Honestly,Dori, you have one all to yourself, and Mother and I, we have one."
The girls smiled at the little fellow's enthusiasm. Dories felt as thoughshe must be dreaming. It all seemed so unreal.
A few moments later they went downstairs and found that Miss Moore, whoseroom was on the first floor, had changed to a house dress. She was seatedin a comfortable chair by the fireplace, on which a log was burning, andshe looked content, at peace with the world. She was saying to hernephew's wife: "I do love Dories; she is a dear girl, but I will confessthat I was disappointed because she does not look like the lad I had soloved."
Hearing a sound at the door, the old woman turned, and for the first timereally beheld the small boy who appeared in front of the girls.
"Peter!" was her amazed exclamation; the light of a great joy in hereyes. Then she pointed to a life-size painting over the mantle in whichwas a pictured boy of about the same age. "They are so alike," she said,with tears in her eyes, as she looked up at Mrs. Moore, who, havingrisen, was standing by the older woman's chair. Dories, gazing up at thepicture, thought that it might have been a painting of her small brotherexcept for the old-fashioned costume.
The elderly woman was holding out her arms to the little fellow, and,unafraid, he went to her trustingly. "My cup of joy is now full!" shesaid, her voice tremulous with emotion. Then, smiling over the boy's headat his mother, she asked: "Niece, shall we tell our plan to the girlsthat _their_ cup of joy may also be full?"
Mrs. Moore nodded and the old woman continued: "Nann, your father haswritten to Dories' mother for advice. It seems that a change in hisbusiness will take him traveling about the country for at least a year,and he wanted to know what she thought would be best for you. He wasthinking of sending you to some distant relatives, but we, my Peter'swife and I, have decided to keep you as a sister-companion for our Dori."Then, before the girls could express their joy, the old woman concluded,as she held little Peter close: "And so, at last, after many years ofdesolate loneliness, this old house among the elms is to be a real_home_."
THE END.