Hilda's Mascot Part 16

"I have thought of that, dear, and intend Cecil to drive over and tell Mrs. Merryman that you are here."

"Oh, please let me go with him!" said Hilda eagerly; "I will put on my pink cashmere dress and ask Norah to curl my hair."

"Certainly, my dear, if you wish it, but you look very neat to have been in school all day."

With happiness heightening the beauty of her expressive face, Hilda turned to go.

"Tell Mrs. Merryman not to be anxious about your coming home this evening," enjoined Mrs. Courtney; "we will take you in the carriage."

"Come in and see the table before you go, honey," said Chloe, leading the way to the supper room and watching for Hilda's admiring glance when the table came in view.

"Oh, Chloe, it is splendid!" she said in delight. "I never saw china and gla.s.s glisten so."

"Yes, honey, it do glisten, and so do the silver. Jes' you wait till the lamps are lighted and you see that table with the fried chicken and oysters and pounded biscuit and m.u.f.fins and raspberry jam. Be sure and hurry back, honey! Come as soon as ever you can!"

As eager to be among all these triumphs as was Chloe to have her, Hilda promised, when a new thought came to her.

"Chloe, will there be little bouquets at the plates and a large one in the center of the table as Mrs. Courtney likes to have at home?"

"I 'spect so, honey. Mis' Emma allus sees to the flowers. There's oceans of 'em growin' wild in the yards and garden."

"Oh, Chloe, I have the loveliest pink rosebuds at home. I will bring them to put at Mr. Valentine's plate."

"Where did you get them, honey?"

"The miller's wife gave the bush to me. She asked Miss Jerusha Flint for it, because it had been planted by Aunt Ashley. And Miss Jerusha gave it, although she knew it was for me. I knew nothing of it until I came one evening from school and found it in my flower bed. It was very kind of them."

"I 'spect, honey, Miss Flint don't care for flowers, or you wouldn't have it now."

Hilda smiled and was hurrying away when she caught sight of Chloe's first guest.

"Why, there is Archie!" she cried, "dear, dear Archie!" and running to him, she took his hand in her soft little palms.

"Does you know him, honey?" asked Chloe, full of surprise.

"Know him? Oh, Chloe, he saved my life!"

"Yes, honey, I done heard that some old body found you in the snow.

Mighty fine girl he saved; he ought to be proud of that find."

"Archie is proud," said the old man who had waked at the first sound of Hilda's voice. "Archie looks all the time for people in the snow since he found her."

By this time Cecil, who had finished bringing in the baskets, was waiting for her. She ran out, stepped into the carriage and was driven away.

"I hope we won't meet any boys," thought Cecil. "They would never stop plaguing me."

Mrs. Merryman was glad that Hilda had the prospect of this pleasant visit and entertained Cecil while she ran up to her room to dress, keeping in remembrance the roses she was to take.

"I am so glad you will be there, Miss Hilda," said Norah joyously as she curled the girl's beautiful hair. "I am to go as soon as our supper is over, and will stay all night with aunt, for Mrs. Merryman, bless her kind heart, says that aunt will feel strange and lonely at first."

"I am glad you are coming, Norah; I am sure your aunt will be glad to have you."

Looking very fair and sweet in her becoming toilet and with rosebuds in hand, Hilda reached "My Lady's Manor" and was a.s.sisted from the carriage by Mr. Valentine Courtney, who was watching for her.

"My little Hilda expected to welcome me. Instead I welcome, gladly welcome her to my home," and, taking her hand in his, they went up the broad path to the entrance.

"Thank you, sir," smiled Hilda. "When I went past here to school this morning I never thought of being here this evening."

"I hope it is as much pleasure to you to be here as it is to me to welcome you," he said kindly.

"Yes, I love to be here. I think 'My Lady's Manor' the loveliest place in the world."

"Then I hope you will come very often," he returned smiling with pleasure. "You are fond of reading, I am sure."

"Oh, yes, I do love a pretty book; I am reading a beautiful story now."

"Here is a large collection and suitable for every age," said Mr.

Courtney as they reached the library, which since the days of Mr.

Reginald Farnsworth was on the first floor, across the hall from the parlor-"you can read here when it suits you, or you can take any books home with you that you wish."

The glad light in Hilda's eyes and the flush upon her cheek showed her appreciation of the offer, for which she thanked him in her naturally graceful manner.

It was one of the happiest hours of Mr. Courtney's life when, in company with his sister, her husband and sons and Hilda, they sat at supper in his own home for the first time.

Mrs. Courtney did the honors, and Roy and Cecil, though accustomed to Kitty's and Chloe's culinary achievements all their lives, considered the supper the best they ever tasted.

Twilight came and the whistle of a departing train had scarcely died upon the air, when Norah, who had gone to the Dorton Station, was seen coming with her aunt. Hilda ran to the gate to meet them, and Mrs.

Courtney received Mrs. Flynn kindly, introduced her to her employer, and asked Norah to take her to her room while Chloe prepared her supper.

Mrs. Courtney admired the neat-looking woman with the stamp of goodness in her face and felt satisfied that she was a suitable person to manage her brother's household.

Hilda had never enjoyed an evening so thoroughly, as she flitted like a bird through the s.p.a.cious rooms. She was now in the parlor listening to the cheerful conversation, now in the tea room with Mrs. Flynn and Norah, then in the kitchen where Chloe was putting all in order for the night, and Archie was resting in his chair.

"What's to be done about him, honey?" asked Chloe in a whisper, nodding her gay turban toward the sleeper. "He's gwine to stay all night, that's certain; I knowed that as soon as he was done supper, 'cause he never sighted his ol' hat and cane in the corner, but made straight back to his chair."

"Will I ask Mrs. Courtney, Chloe?" whispered Hilda.

"Ax Ma.r.s.e Val, honey, 'cause the house is his'n now."

Hilda returned to the parlor and stood beside Mr. Valentine Courtney until he finished something he was saying to Rev. Carl.

"Chloe wishes to know if Archie is to stay over night," she said somewhat anxiously; "he does not say anything about going away."

"Certainly he can stay," replied Mr. Courtney. "Please tell Chloe to see that he has a comfortable bed," and Hilda sped away, well pleased with her mission.

"It would be a poor beginning to my housekeeping to turn a fellow pilgrim away, would it not?" he asked, with a smile, of Rev. Carl.

"I think so, indeed. You are doing right to invite him to stay and to make him comfortable."