Bee and Butterfly Part 24

Adele was at her best. She knew that she was beautiful, and accepted homage as her right. She had grown to expect admiration and devotion as her due. So she chatted brightly, or listened with pretty deference whenever one of her elders spoke.

She knew that her uncle admired her. That he did so beyond his own daughter did not seem at all unusual or amiss. Bee had always been second. It seemed but natural to Adele that she should be second with her father also. Bee's feelings on the subject were not considered. They never had been. Mrs. Medulla turned suddenly from her, and laid her hand lightly upon Beatrice's arm.

"I could scarcely keep Percival at home today," she said. "He insisted that it was his duty to call to see how you were."

"I should have been glad to see him," responded Bee. "Where is he?"

"I hear him coming," replied the mother.

"My daughter tells me that he is a violinist," remarked the scientist.

"Yes; Percival plays well," returned his mother simply. "He was worn out with his recitals last season, and we came here that he might have the benefit of outdoor air and exercise. He practices every day in the garden, and I think him much improved."

"Percival," as the boy entered the room, "do you see who has come?

Doctor Raymond, this is my son. Miss Adele, this is Percival."

"Gee!" whispered the boy to Beatrice after he had made his devoirs.

"That cousin of yours is pretty, Beefly, but I don't like her as much as I do you."

"You don't?" Beatrice was plainly amazed. "Why not, Percival?"

"Because a girl like that never thinks of anything but herself," he announced. "She couldn't be chums with me like you. I know 'em,"

concluded this experienced young man.

"How do you know?" asked Bee so delightedly that Mrs. Medulla glanced at her with a smile, well pleased to see her so bright.

"Would it be asking too much to desire your son to play for us?"

inquired Adele sweetly. "We would like to be favored as well as Bee.

Wouldn't we, Uncle William?"

"Certainly," answered the naturalist as in duty bound.

"I will play one piece, and no more," said the lad, taking his violin from the case and adjusting his music. "I am not in the mood, but because of b.u.t.terfly I will play."

Adele glanced at him quickly, showing plainly that she thought he alluded to her; but the boy's smile and nod toward Bee were unmistakable.

"How funny that you should call Bee that?" she exclaimed.

"That is what she does," explained Percival. "Gee! I saw her catch one, one day, and the jump she made with the net was a corker. Remember, b.u.t.terfly--Beefly, I mean? It was the first day that we became friends, though I had watched for a chance to speak for a long time. She is the nicest girl I know."

Beatrice's eyes misted suddenly. How loyal he was! He acknowledged Adele's beauty, but it made no difference in his liking for herself.

Doctor Raymond was slightly astonished, but he merely smiled at the boy's enthusiasm, then settled himself to listen politely as Percival, without more ado, began to play. His interest was aroused, however, by the first notes, and soon he was leaning forward eagerly.

Adele fidgetted as she saw how rapt everyone became, and that no one was paying the slightest attention to her. It was a new experience to have any one else be the center of attraction while she was about.

"That is wonderful playing, my lad," exclaimed the naturalist, as Percival finished. "Wonderful!"

"It was certainly very fine," agreed Adele. "I should like to kiss you for it, Master Percival."

"No, you don't," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Percival. "I am not going to be mauled around by a silly girl."

Adele's eyes flashed; then she recovered herself.

"Of course, if you do not choose, I will not," she said, retiring gracefully from her defeat. "I merely wished to show how much I appreciated your playing."

"I don't care much for such appreciation," remarked the boy scornfully.

"I get enough of it in the cities. Beatrice isn't a bit like you."

"No?" Adele's lip curled ever so slightly. "Bee is so sensible."

"Yes; she is," cried the lad, glaring at the other spoiled child fiercely. "I'd rather play to her than to a dozen like you. She knows how to appreciate music. Her eyes are full of tears now, and she scarcely breathed all the time I played, but she doesn't want to kiss me. Phew! it's silly!"

"Percival," interposed his mother quickly, "wouldn't you like to show Beatrice and her cousin your new pony?"

"Gee! I had forgotten it," cried the boy, restored to good humor instantly. "Come on, Beefly! You may come, too," he added to Adele.

For the merest second Adele hesitated. Then, as she saw that both Bee and Percival were waiting, and that the lady and her uncle looked at her expectantly, she arose and accompanied the two from the room.

"What a warm-hearted child she is," observed the lady to the doctor.

"She is indeed," agreed he. "And as beautiful as warm-hearted. Would that Beatrice were more like her."

"Pardon me, Doctor Raymond; I was not speaking of your niece, but of your daughter." The lady's surprise was obvious. "Your niece is an exceedingly beautiful girl, but she has not the depth of character that your daughter has. What Percival said of her appreciation of music was true, although the boy should not have uttered it. Beatrice's judgment is much better in such things than her cousin's."

"You amaze me, madam," gasped the scientist. "Adele seems to me to be very sensitive to the beautiful, and extremely appreciative of the poetry of life. Beatrice is of a more practical turn of mind. A mind of much vigor and strength, I grant, but still uninclined toward those things that make life graceful."

"Doctor Raymond," spoke Mrs. Medulla quickly, "there is no nature that is deficient in its musical phrase, least of all a personality like your daughter's. In her direct and genuine nature there is a 'Leitmotif' of pure sweet melody that will enrich the life of its discoverer. It awaits only the master touch. Will you be the one to give it?"

"What do you mean?" asked the Lepidopterist.

"This," she said, speaking warmly. "Beatrice is a warm-hearted, loving, impulsive girl. She needs very tender guidance just at this time to develop into the n.o.ble woman that she is capable of becoming. The child is doing much for herself, but you should aid her. No doubt you will consider the liberty unwarranted, but it must be excused by the interest I take in her. Your niece is a very lovely girl. Any other girl who is brought into relations.h.i.+p with her falls into second place unless she is as beautiful. Beatrice was a.s.sociated with her for ten years in her home. Naturally she took second place there. If you are not careful she will be second in your home and heart also."

"Really," began Doctor Raymond with some stiffness.

"Mamma, mamma!" Percival broke into the room followed by the two cousins. "I don't like Adele one bit. She is wearing Beatrice's new hat; and she shouldn't."

"Percival!" exclaimed Mrs. Medulla in shocked tones.

"I don't care," cried the lad shrilly. "I don't want her to wear my chum's things."

"I said that she might," protested Bee, while Adele stood speechless with mortification. "If there was another boy who lived with you, Percival, you would often wear each other's things."

"You are rude, Percival," reprimanded his mother in severe accents. "It is just as Beatrice says: girls always do it."

Percival said no more, but he glanced so significantly at the hat as he bade Adele farewell that the blood rushed to her face, and her adieu was very constrained.

"I don't like those people," she exclaimed as they pa.s.sed beyond hearing. "Bee, how can you bear the way Mrs. Medulla p.r.o.nounces your name? It sounds like Beyoutricky."

Bee opened her lips to reply, but before she could do so, her father spoke: