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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3602-h.zip b/3602-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..03ab149 --- /dev/null +++ b/3602-h.zip diff --git a/3602-h/3602-h.htm b/3602-h/3602-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b07db0 --- /dev/null +++ b/3602-h/3602-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2631 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of Cupid's Understudy, by Edward Salisbury Field +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + font-size: small ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Cupid's Understudy, by Edward Salisbury Field + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cupid's Understudy + +Author: Edward Salisbury Field + +Posting Date: April 20, 2009 [EBook #3602] +Release Date: January, 2003 +First Posted: June 6, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CUPID'S UNDERSTUDY *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +CUPID'S UNDERSTUDY +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +by +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +Edward Salisbury Field +</H2> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<TABLE ALIGN="center" WIDTH="60%"> +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="33%"> +<A HREF="#chap01">CHAPTER I</A> +</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="33%"> +<A HREF="#chap02">CHAPTER II</A> +</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="33%"> +<A HREF="#chap03">CHAPTER III</A> +</TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap04">CHAPTER IV</A> +</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap05">CHAPTER V</A> +</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap06">CHAPTER VI</A> +</TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap07">CHAPTER VII</A> +</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap08">CHAPTER VIII</A> +</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap09">CHAPTER IX</A> +</TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap10">CHAPTER X</A> +</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap11">CHAPTER XI</A> +</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap12">CHAPTER XII</A> +</TD> +</TR> + +</TABLE> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter One +</H3> + +<P> +If Dad had been a coal baron, like Mr. Tudor Carstairs, or a +stock-watering captain of industry, like Mrs. Sanderson-Spear's husband, +or descended from a long line of whisky distillers, like Mrs. +Carmichael Porter, why, then his little Elizabeth would have been +allowed the to sit in seat of the scornful with the rest of the Four +Hundred, and this story would never have been written. But Dad +wasn't any of these things; he was just an old love who had made +seven million dollars by the luckiest fluke in the world. +</P> + +<P> +Everybody in southern California knew it was a fluke, too, so the +seven millions came in for all the respect that would otherwise have +fallen to Dad. Of course we were celebrities, in a way, but in a +very horrid way. Dad was Old Tom Middleton, who used to keep a +livery-stable in San Bernardino, and I was Old Tom Middleton's girl, +"who actually used to live over a livery-stable, my dear!" It sounds +fearfully sordid, doesn't it? +</P> + +<P> +But it wasn't sordid, really, for I never actually lived over a +stable. Indeed, we had the sweetest cottage in all San Bernardino. I +remember it so well: the long, cool porch, the wonderful gold-of-Ophir +roses, the honeysuckle where the linnets nested, the mocking +birds that sang all night long; the perfume of the jasmine, of the +orange-blossoms, the pink flame of the peach trees in April, the +ever-changing color of the mountains. And I remember Ninette, my +little Creole mother, gay as a butterfly, carefree as a meadow-lark. +'Twas she who planted the jasmine. +</P> + +<P> +My little mother died when I was seven years old. Dad and I and my +old black mammy, Rachel, stayed on in the cottage. The mocking-birds +still sang, and the linnets still nested in the honeysuckle, but +nothing was ever quite the same again. It was like a different +world; it was a different world. There were gold-of-Ophir roses, +and, peach blossoms in April, but there was no more jasmine; Dad had +it all dug up. To this day he turns pale at the sight of it—poor +Dad! +</P> + +<P> +When I was twelve years old, Dad sold out his hardware business, +intending to put his money in an orange grove at Riverside, but the +nicest livery-stable in San Bernardino happened to be for sale just +then, so he bought that instead, for he was always crazy about +horses. +</P> + +<P> +To see me trotting about in Paquin gowns and Doucet models, you'd +never think I owed them to three owlish little burros, would you? +But it's a fact. When Dad took over the livery-stable, he found he +was the proud possessor of three donkeys, as well as some twenty-odd +horses, and a dozen or so buggies, buckboards and surries. The +burros ate their solemn heads off all winter, but in May it had been +the custom to send them to Strawberry Valley in charge of a Mexican +who hired them out to the boarders at the summer hotel there. +Luckily for us, when Fortune came stalking down the main street of +San Bernardino to knock at the door of the Golden Eagle Stables, +both dad and the burros were at home. If either had been out, we +might be poor this very minute. +</P> + +<P> +It is generally understood that when Fortune goes a-visiting, she +goes disguised, so it's small wonder Dad didn't recognize her at +first. She wasn't even a "her"; she was a he, a great, awkward Swede +with mouse-colored hair and a Yon Yonsen accent—you know the kind—slow +to anger; slow to everything, without "j" in his alphabet—by +the name of Olaf Knutsen. +</P> + +<P> +Now Olaf was a dreamer. Not the conventional sort of a dreamer, who +sees beauty in everything but an honest day's work, but a brawny, +pick-swinging dreamer who had dug holes in the ground at the end of +many rainbows. That he had never yet uncovered the elusive pot of +gold didn't seem to bother him in the least; for him, that tender +plant called Hope flowered perennially. And now he was bent on +following another rainbow; a rainbow which; arching over the +mountains, ended in that arid, pitiless waste known in the south +country as Death Valley. +</P> + +<P> +He wouldn't fail this time. No, by Yimminy! With Dad's three burros, +and plenty of bacon and beans and water—it was to be a grub-stake, +of course—he would make both their fortunes. And the beautiful part +about it was, he did. +</P> + +<P> +No doubt you have heard of the famous Golden Eagle mine. Well, +that's what Olaf and the three burros found in Death Valley. Good +old Olaf! He named the mine after Dad's livery-stable in San +Bernardino, and he insisted on keeping only a half interest, even +though Dad fought him about it. You see, Dad didn't have the +reputation of being the squarest man in San Bernardino for nothing. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Two +</H3> + +<P> +My mother's family had never approved of her marriage with Dad, but +Dad, poor and running a hardware shop or a livery-stable, and Dad +with a fortune in his hands were two very different people—from +their standpoint, at least; so as soon as Olaf and the three burros +struck it rich, Dad sold his livery-stable, and mammy Rachel and I +were bundled off to Ninette's relations in New Orleans. I didn't +like it a bit at first, but one can get used to anything in time. +Ninette's maiden sister, Miss Marie Madeline Antoinette Hortense +Prevost, was awfully nice to me; so was grandmere Prevost. I lived +with them till I was sixteen, when I was sent to France. +</P> + +<P> +If I wanted to (and you would let me) I could personally conduct you +to Paris, where if you were ten feet tall and not averse to staring, +you could look over a certain gray stone wall on the Boulevard des +Invalides, and see me pacing sedately up and down the gravel walks +in the garden of the Convent of the Sacred Heart. That is, you could +have seen me three years ago. I'm not there now, thank goodness! I'm +in California. +</P> + +<P> +And just one word before we go any further any further. I don't want +you to think for a minute that I came back from Paris a little +Frenchified miss. No, indeed! I'm as American as they make them. +When I boasted to the other girls, whether in Paris or New Orleans, +I always boasted about two things: Dad and California. And I've an +idea I'll go on boasting about them till my dying day. +</P> + +<P> +Of course, when I returned from Paris, Dad met me in New York. It +was a good thing he was rich, for it took a lot of money to get me +and my seven trunks through the custom-house. It might have taken +more, though, if it hadn't been for a young man who came over on the +same boat. +</P> + +<P> +He was such a good-looking young man; tall and broad-shouldered and +fair, with light-brown hair, and the nicest eyes you ever saw. It +wasn't their color so much (his eyes were blue) as the way they +looked at you that made them so attractive. He was awfully well +bred, too! He noticed me a lot on the boat (I had a perfect love of +a Redfern coat to wear on deck), but he didn't try to scrape +acquaintance with me. He worshipped from afar (a woman can always +tell when a man's thinking about her), and while I wouldn't have had +him act otherwise for the world, I was crazy to have him speak to +me. +</P> + +<P> +Our boat docked at Hoboken, and by tipping right and left I managed +to be the very first passenger down the gangway. I half ran, half +slid, but I landed in Dad's arms. +</P> + +<P> +My boxes and bags passed through the custom-house with flying +colors. But my trunks—I couldn't even find them all. Five of them +were stacked in the "M" division, but the other two.... Then +there was my maid's trunk to look for under the "V's" (her name is +Valentine). Dad and I were commencing at "A," prepared to got +through the whole alphabet, if necessary, when the nice young man +stepped up and, raising his hat, asked if he might be of any +service. He asked Dad, but he looked at me. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, If you please!" I said "I've lost two trunks. My brand is a +white, 'M' in a red circle." +</P> + +<P> +"I noticed them in the 'R' pile" he replied. "I'll have them moved +to the 'M's' right away." +</P> + +<P> +"Now that's what I call being decent," said Dad, as soon as the +young man had left us. "Did you notice, he didn't wear a uniform? +Probably an inspector, or something of the sort, eh, Elizabeth?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well—er—not exactly," I managed to say. "The fact is, Dad, he +came over on the boat with me, and—" +</P> + +<P> +Dad looked thoughtful. +</P> + +<P> +"He never spoke to me once the whole trip," I added hastily. +</P> + +<P> +Dad looked less thoughtful. +</P> + +<P> +"It was nice of him to wait till I had you with me, wasn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +Dad smiled. "If you think it was, it probably was, my dear," he +said. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Three +</H3> + +<P> +The nice young man did more than find my missing trunks; he found a +custom-house officer, and, after asking me privately which trunks +contained my most valuable possessions and how much I had thought of +declaring, he succeeded in having them passed through on my own +valuation without any undue exposure of their contents. +</P> + +<P> +By this time Dad had grown very respectful. To see his little +Elizabeth treated like a queen, while on all sides angry women were +having their best gowns pawed over and mussed; was a most wholesome +lesson. He paid the thousand and odd dollars duty like a little man. +</P> + +<P> +We'd been saved a lot of bother, and nobody hates a lot of bother +more than Dad. So when the trunks were locked and strapped and ready +to be sent to our hotel, Dad went up to the nice young man and said: +"I'm Tom Middleton, from California, and this is my daughter +Elizabeth. We're both very grateful to you, and if you should ever +happen to come to California, I hope you'll look us up." +</P> + +<P> +That's Dad all over! +</P> + +<P> +I never saw anybody look so pleased as the young man: "My name's +Porter," he said, "Blakely Porter. If my mother were in New York I +would ask if she might call on Miss Middleton, but, as it happens, +she's in California, where I intend to join her, so I shall look +forward to seeing you there." +</P> + +<P> +Then Dad did just the right thing. "What's the use of waiting till +we get to California?" he said. "Why not dine with us to-night!" +</P> + +<P> +There are people, merely conventional people, who could never +appreciate the fine directness and simplicity, of Dad's nature—not +if they lived to be a thousand years old. But Mr. Blakely Porter +understood perfectly; I know he did, for he told me so afterwards. +"It was the greatest compliment I ever had paid me in my life," he +said. "Your father knew nothing about me, absolutely nothing, yet he +invited me to dine with him—and you. It was splendid, splendid!" +</P> + +<P> +The dear boy didn't know, perhaps, that honesty shone in his eyes, +that one could not look at him and deny he was a gentleman. And, of +course, I didn't enlighten him, for it is well for men, +particularly, young men, to feel grateful, and the least bit humble; +it keeps them from being spoiled. +</P> + +<P> +But to return to the dinner invitation: Mr. Porter accepted it +eagerly. "It is more than kind of you," he said. "My mother is away, +and her house is closed. It is my first home-coming in four years, +and I should have been lonely to-night." +</P> + +<P> +And poor Dad, who has been lonely—oh, so lonely!—ever since +Ninette died, shook hands with him, and said: "If my daughter and I +can keep you from feeling lonely, we shall be so glad. We are +stopping at The Plaza, and we dine at half past seven." +</P> + +<P> +Then Mr. Porter found us a taxi-cab, and away we went. +</P> + +<P> +It was good to be in America again. I made Dad stop the car, and +have the top put back, even though it was freezing cold, for I had +never been in New York before (when I'd gone to France, I had sailed +from New Orleans) and I wanted to see everything. The tall +buildings, the elevated, even the bad paving till we got to Fifth +Avenue, interested me immensely, as they would any one to whom. +Paris had been home, and New York a foreign city. Not that I had +ever thought of Paris as my real home; home was, where my heart +was—with Dad. I tried to make him understand how, happy I was to be +with him, how I had missed him, and California. +</P> + +<P> +"So you missed your old father; did you, girlie?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Dad." +</P> + +<P> +"And you'll be glad to go to California?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, so glad!" +</P> + +<P> +"Then," said Dad, "we'll start tomorrow." +</P> + +<P> +Our rooms at the hotel were perfect; there was a bed room and bath +for me a bed room and bath for Dad, with a sitting room between, all +facing the Park. And there were roses everywhere; huge American +Beauties, dear, wee, pink roses, roses of flaming red. I turned to +Dad, who was standing in the middle of the sitting room, beaming at +me. "You delightful old spendthrift!" I cried. "What do you mean by +buying millions of roses? And in the middle of January too! You +deserve to be disciplined, and you shall be." +</P> + +<P> +"Discipline is an excellent thing; even if it does disturb the set +of one's tie," Dad remarked thoughtfully, a moment later. +</P> + +<P> +"I couldn't help hugging you, Daddy." +</P> + +<P> +"My dear, that hug of yours was the sweetest thing that has happened +to your dad in many a long year." +</P> + +<P> +And then, of course, I had to hug him again. +</P> + +<P> +After luncheon (we had it in our sitting room) Dad asked if I would +enjoy a drive through the Park. +</P> + +<P> +"I should enjoy it immensely," I said, "but I can't possibly go." +</P> + +<P> +You see, there was a trunk to unpack, the one holding my prettiest +dinner gown. Of course Valentine was quite capable of attending to +the unpacking. Still, one likes to inspect everything one is to +wear, especially when one is expecting a guest to dinner. "Then," +said Dad, "I think I'll order dinner, and go for a walk, shall we +have dinner here?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, by all means! This is so much more homelike than a public +dining room." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll not be gone more than an hour or two... Hullo! Come in." +</P> + +<P> +A small boy entered, carrying a box quite as big as himself. "For +Miss Middleton," he said. +</P> + +<P> +"Another present from you, Dad?" +</P> + +<P> +"Open it, my dear." +</P> + +<P> +"I thought so," he remarked, as the removal of the cover displayed +more American Beauties. (There were five dozen;) I counted them +after Dad had gone. Another million roses and in the middle of +January! "Who's the spendthrift this time, Elizabeth?" +</P> + +<P> +"His name," I said, slipping a card: from the envelope that lay on a +huge bow of red ribbon, "is Mr. Blakely Porter." +</P> + +<P> +Although I know, now, there are many things more beautiful, I +believed, then, that nothing more beautiful had ever happened; for +it was the first time a man had ever sent me roses. Nineteen years +old, and my first roses! They made me so happy. Paris seemed very +far away; the convent was a mythical place I had seen in a dream; +nothing was real but Dad, and America, and the roses somebody, had +sent. Somebody! +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Four +</H3> + +<P> +Mr. Porter arrived on time to the minute, looking perfectly splendid +in a wonderful furlined coat. And if his eyes were anxious, and his +manner a bit constrained at first, it didn't last long; Dad's +greeting was too cordial, not to make him feel at home. Indeed, he +talked delightfully all through dinner, and with the coffee, half +laughingly, half apologizingly told us the story of his life. "For," +said he, "although I feel as if I'd known you always," (he looked at +Dad, but I was sure he meant me, too) "you may not feel the same in +regard to me—and I want you to." +</P> + +<P> +It was sweet to see Dad grow almost boyish in his insistence that he +felt as Mr. Porter did. "Nonsense!" he said. "It seems the most +natural thing in the world to have you here. Doesn't it Elizabeth!" +</P> + +<P> +It was rather embarrassing to be asked such a question in Mr. +Porter's presence, but I managed to murmur a weak "Yes, indeed!" +Inside, though, I felt just as Dad did, and I was fearfully +interested in Mr. Porter's account of himself. I could see, too, +that he belittled the real things, and magnified the unimportant. +According to his narrative, the unimportant things were that he was +a civil engineer, that he had been in Peru building a railroad for +an English; syndicate, and that the railroad was now practically +completed; he seemed, however, to attach great importance to the +cable that had called him to London to appear before a board of +directors, for that had been the indirect means of his taking +passage on the same ship with me. Then there was the wonderful fact +that he was to see us in California. He had been in harness now for +four years, he said, and he felt as if he'd earned a vacation. At +all events, he meant to take one. +</P> + +<P> +As neither he nor Dad would hear of my leaving them to their cigars, +I sat by and listened, and loved it all, every minute of it. I +didn't know, then (I don't know to this day) whether I liked Mr. +Porter best for being so boyish, or so manly. But manly men who +retain all the enthusiasms of youth have a certain charm one likes +instinctively, I think. +</P> + +<P> +There is no doubt that Mr. Porter quite captivated Dad. "You make me +feel like a boy," he said, after listening to a delightfully +whimsical account of conditions in Peru. "By George, that's a +country for you! And Ecuador, I've always thought that must be an +interesting place. Have you ever been there?" +</P> + +<P> +Yes, Mr. Porter had been to Ecuador. And there was a certain +rail-road in India he had helped put through. India! Now that WAS a +place! Had Dad ever been to India? +</P> + +<P> +No, Dad had never been to India, but... "Good Lord, boy, how old +are you, anyway?" +</P> + +<P> +"Thirty-two." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I never would have guessed it. Would you, Elizabeth?" +</P> + +<P> +This, too, was rather embarrassing, but I managed to say I thought +Mr. Porter didn't look a day over twenty-eight. +</P> + +<P> +"It's the life he leads," Dad declared with an air of +proprietorship—"out of doors all day long. It must be great!" +</P> + +<P> +"It IS interesting. But I think I like it best for what it has done +for one; you see, I was supposed to have lungs once, long ago. Now +I'm as sound as a dollar." +</P> + +<P> +"He looks it, doesn't he, Elizabeth!" +</P> + +<P> +If Dad hadn't been such a dear, I should have been annoyed by his +constant requests for my opinion where it was so obviously +unnecessary. But Dad is such a dear. To make it worse, Mr. Porter +seemed to consider that whether he was, or was not, as sound as a +dollar, depended entirely on my answer. +</P> + +<P> +"One would think I was a sort of supreme court from the way Dad +refers all questions to me. But I warn you, Mr. Porter; my 'yes' or +'no' makes little difference in his opinions." +</P> + +<P> +"You are my supreme court, and they do," declared Dad. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm sure they do," said Mr. Porter, +</P> + +<P> +"When the novelty of having me with you has worn off, you'll be your +same old domineering self, Daddy dear." +</P> + +<P> +"Domineering! Hear the minx! I'm a regular lamb, Porter. That +reminds me: When are you going to California!" +</P> + +<P> +"I hadn't thought. That is, I had thought... That is, I've wished... +I mean I've wondered..... I hope you won't think me presumptuous, +Mr. Middleton, but I've wondered if you'd allow me to go on the same +train with you and Miss Middleton." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, my dear boy, we'd be delighted. Wouldn't we, Elizabeth!" +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Porter turned to me. "You see, Miss Middleton, you are the +supreme court, after all," his lips said. But his eyes told me why +he wanted to go on the same train with Dad and me, told me plainer +than words. Perhaps I should have remembered I had never spoken to +him till that morning, but..... +</P> + +<P> +"The supreme court congratulates the inferior court on the wisdom of +its decision," I said, with an elaborate bow to Dad to hide my +confusion. +</P> + +<P> +"It's settled!" cried Dad. "This is quite the nicest thing that ever +happened," said Mr. Porter. "If only you knew how grateful I am. I +feel like—like giving three cheers, and tossing my hat in the air." +</P> + +<P> +"The inferior court rules against hat-tossing as irrelevant, +immaterial, and incompetent." +</P> + +<P> +"Ruling sustained," I said. +</P> + +<P> +"And they call this a free country!" +</P> + +<P> +"The newspapers don't. Read the newspapers my boy." +</P> + +<P> +"At any rate, I now belong to the privileged class. When do we +leave, Mr. Middleton?" +</P> + +<P> +"Elizabeth says to-morrow. We go by rather a slow train." +</P> + +<P> +"But why?" I began. +</P> + +<P> +"Because, my dear, an all-wise Providence has decreed that express +trains shall not haul private cars." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I say!" exclaimed Mr. Porter. "That makes all the difference in +the world." +</P> + +<P> +"Only a day's difference." +</P> + +<P> +"I mean....." +</P> + +<P> +"You're going as our guest, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"But really, Mr. Middleton, I never....." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't be absurd, my boy." +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Mr. Blakely Porter, "I won't be absurd. I shall be more +than glad to go as your guest." +</P> + +<P> +"That's the way it should be. Isn't it, Elizabeth!" +</P> + +<P> +"I didn't know you owned a private car, Dad." +</P> + +<P> +"Pshaw!" said Dad. "What's a private car?" +</P> + +<P> +I smiled at what I was pleased to term "Dad's magnificence," little +thinking I was soon to look on private cars as one of the most +delectable of modern inventions. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Five +</H3> + +<P> +Our train left Grand Central Station at two o'clock next afternoon; +it was bitter cold, I remember, and I drove to the station, +smothered in furs. But our car was wonderfully cozy and comfortable, +and it warmed my heart to see how proud Dad was of it: I must +inspect the kitchen; this was my stateroom, did I like it? I mustn't +judge Amos by his appearance, but the way he could cook—he was a +wonder at making griddle cakes. Did I still like griddle cakes? "And +do look at the books and magazines Mr. Porter brought. And a box of +chocolates, too. Wasn't it kind of him?" Dear Dad! He was like a +child with a new toy. +</P> + +<P> +I'm sure he enjoyed every minute of the trip. Mr. Porter played +cribbage with him (Dad adores cribbage) by the hour; they talked +railroads, and politics, and mining—I don't think Dad had been so +happy in years. I know I had never been so happy, for I was sure Mr. +Porter loved me. I couldn't help being sure; his heart was in his +eyes every time he looked at me. +</P> + +<P> +When we started from New York, we were Mr. Middleton, and Mr. +Porter, and Miss Middleton to one another; at Chicago, it was Tom, +and Blakely, and Miss Middleton; I became Elizabeth in Utah (I made +him call me that.) And when we reached Nevada..... +</P> + +<P> +It happened so naturally, so sweetly. Dad was taking a nap after +luncheon, and Blakely and I were sitting on the rear platform of our +car, the last car in the train. It was a heavenly day of blue sky +and sunshine; the desert was fresh from recent rain. And then a few, +dear, faltered words changed the desert into a garden that reached +to the rim of the world. +</P> + +<P> +"I love you. I didn't mean to tell you quite yet, but I..... +I....." +</P> + +<P> +"I know. And it makes me so happy." +</P> + +<HR ALIGN="center" WIDTH="60%"> + +<P> +You never saw anybody so delighted as Dad was when we told him. +"This makes me glad clear through," he said. "Blakely, boy, I +couldn't love you more if you were my own son. Elizabeth, girl, come +and kiss your old Daddy." +</P> + +<P> +"And you aren't surprised, Dad?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not a bit." +</P> + +<P> +"He's known I've loved you, all along. Haven't you, Tom?" +</P> + +<P> +"I may have suspected it." +</P> + +<P> +"But I'm sure he never dreamed I could possibly care for you," I +said. And then, because I was too happy to do anything else, I went +to my state-room, and had a good cry. +</P> + +<P> +I have read somewhere that Love would grow old were it not for the +tears of happy women. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Six +</H3> + +<P> +When we flew down the grade into California, everything seemed settled; +we were going to Santa Barbara where Dad was building a little palace +for his Elizabeth as a grand surprise (Blakely's mother was in Santa +Barbara); we would take rooms at the same hotel; I would be presented +to Mrs. Porter, and as soon as the palace on the hill was completed—a +matter of two or three months—Blakely, and Dad, and I would move into +it. Only, first, Blakely and I were going to San Bernardino on our +wedding trip. +</P> + +<P> +Wasn't that sweet of Blakely? When I told him about San Bernardino, +and the livery-stable, and the cottage where Dad and I used to live, +he said he'd rather spend our honeymoon there than any place in the +world. Of course Dad had never sold the cottage, and it was touching +to see how pleased he was with our plan. +</P> + +<P> +"You'll find everything in first-class condition," he said; "I go +there often myself. I built a little house in one corner of the +garden for the caretakers. You should see that gold-of-Ophir rose, +Elizabeth; it has grown beyond belief." +</P> + +<P> +When we reached Oakland—where our car had to be switched off and +attached to a coast line, train—we found we had four hours to kill, +so Dad and Blakely and I (it was Blakely's idea) caught the boat +across to San Francisco. +</P> + +<P> +What do you suppose that dear boy wanted us to go over there for? +And where do you suppose he took us? He took us straight to +Shreve's, and he and Dad spent a beautiful two hours in choosing an +engagement ring for me. So when we finally landed in Santa Barbara I +was wearing a perfect love of a ruby on the third finger of my left +hand. I was wearing my heart on my sleeve, too; I didn't care if all +the world saw that I adored Blakely. We arrived in Santa Barbara in +the morning, and it was arranged that Blakely should lunch with his +mother and devote himself to her during the afternoon, but he was to +dine with us in our rooms. Naturally, I had a lot to do, supervising +the unpacking of my clothes, and straightening things about in our +sitting-room so that it wouldn't look too hotelish. Then Dad +wouldn't be happy till I'd inspected my new palace on the hill. +</P> + +<P> +It was an alarming looking pile. If anybody but Dad had been +responsible for it, I should have said it was hideous. Poor old Dad! +He knows absolutely nothing about architecture. But of course I +raved over it, and, really, when I came to examine it closer, I +found it had its good points. Covered with vines, it would have been +actually beautiful. Virginia creeper grows like mad in California +and with English ivy and Lady Banksia roses to help out, I was sure +I could transform my palace into a perfect bower in almost no time. +I was awfully glad I had seen it first, for now. I could break the +bad news gently to Blakely. If I were a man, I couldn't love a girl +who owned such a hideous house. +</P> + +<P> +But I didn't have a chance to talk house to Blakely for some time. +When he came in to dinner that night he looked awfully depressed; he +brightened up a lot, though, when he saw me. I had on my most +becoming gown, and Dad had ordered a grand dinner, including his own +special brand of Burgundy. If Dad knew as much about architecture as +he does about wine, they'd insist on his designing all the buildings +for the next world's fair. +</P> + +<P> +All through dinner Blakely wasn't quite himself—I could see it; I +think Dad saw it, too-but I knew he would tell us what was the +matter as soon as he had an opportunity. One, of the sweetest things +about Blakely is his perfect frankness. I couldn't love a man who +wasn't frank with me. That is, I suppose I could, but I should hate +to; it would break my heart. Well, after dinner, when Dad had +lighted his cigar, and Blakely his cigarette, it all came out. +</P> + +<P> +"Tom!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, my boy." (I think Dad loved to hear Blakely say Tom almost as +much as I loved to hear him say Elizabeth.) +</P> + +<P> +"Tom, I've got you and Elizabeth into a deuce of an unpleasant +position. I've told you what a fine woman my mother is, and how +she'd welcome Elizabeth with open arms, and now I find I was all +wrong. My mother isn't a fine woman; she's an ancestor-worshiping, +heartless, selfish snob. I'm ashamed of her, Tom. She refuses to +meet Elizabeth." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Seven +</H3> + +<P> +I never was so sorry for anybody in my whole life as I was for +Blakely; I would have done anything to have saved him the bitterness +and humiliation of that moment. As for Dad, he couldn't understand +it at all. That Blakely's mother should refuse to meet his Elizabeth +was quite beyond his comprehension. +</P> + +<P> +"This is very strange," he said, "very strange. There must be some +mistake. Why shouldn't she meet Elizabeth?" +</P> + +<P> +"There is no reason in the world," Blakely answered. +</P> + +<P> +"Then why—?" +</P> + +<P> +"She probably has other plans for her son, Daddy dear," I said. "And +no doubt she has heard that we're fearfully vulgar." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we ain't," said Dad in a relieved voice; "and as for those +plans of hers, I reckon she'll have to outgrow them. Buck up, my +boy! One look at Elizabeth will show her she's mistaken." +</P> + +<P> +"You don't know my mother," Blakely replied; "I feel that I haven't +known her till now. It's out of the question, our staying here after +what has happened. Let's go up to Del Monte, and let's not wait four +months for the wedding. Why can't we be married this week? I'm done +with my mother and with the whole tribe of Porters; they're not my +kind, and you and Elizabeth are." +</P> + +<P> +"Tom, I never felt, that I had a father till I found you. Elizabeth, +girl, I never knew what happiness was till you told me you loved me. +My mother says she would never consent to her son's marrying the +daughter of a man who has kept a livery-stable. I say that I'm done +with a family that made its money out of whisky. My mother's father +was a distiller, her grandfather was a distiller, and if there's any +shame, it's mine, for by all the standards of decency, a livery-stable +is a hundred times more respectable than a warehouse full of +whisky. You made your money honestly, but ours has been wrung out of +the poor, the sick, the ragged, the distressed. The whisky business +is a rotten business, Tom, rotten!" +</P> + +<P> +"It was whisky that bought an ambassadorship for my mother's +brother; it was whisky that paid for the French count my sister +married; it was whisky that sent me to college. Whisky, +whisky—always whisky!" +</P> + +<P> +"I never thought twice about it before, but I've done some tall +thinking today. I'm done with the Porters, root and branch. +Elizabeth and I are going to start a little family tree, of our own, +and we're not going to root it in a whisky barrel, either. +We're—we're—" +</P> + +<P> +"There, there!" said Dad. "It's all right, Blakely, boy. It ain't so +bad as you think. You ain't going to throw your mother over and your +mother ain't going to throw you over. I take it that all mothers are +alike; they love their sons. Naturally, you're sore and disappointed +now, but I reckon that mother of yours is sore and disappointed, +too. As for our going to Del Monte, I never heard of a Middleton yet +that cut and ran at a time like this, and Elizabeth and I ain't +going to start any precedent." +</P> + +<P> +"No, my boy, we're going to stay right here, and you're going to +stay here with us. There's lots of good times ahead for you and +Elizabeth, and in the meantime, I want you to be mighty sweet to +that mother of yours. She's the only mother you've got, boy. You +don't know what it means for us old folks to be disappointed in our +children. Now, don't disappoint me, lad. You be nice to that mother +of yours, and keep on loving Elizabeth, and it will all come right, +you see if it don't. If it don't come one way, it will come another; +you can take my word for it." As if Dad knew anything about it. He +thought then that every woman possessed a sweet mind and a loving +heart; he thinks so now. But one glimpse of Blakely's mother was +enough for me. She had a heart of stone; everything about her was +militant, uncompromising; her eyes were of a piercing, steely blue; +the gowns she wore were insolently elegant; she radiated a superb +self-satisfaction. When she looked at you through her lorgnette, you +felt as if you were on trial for your life. When she ceased looking, +you knew you were sentenced to mount the social scaffold. If it +hadn't been for Blakely and Dad, I should have died of rage during +the first two weeks of our stay in Santa Barbara. +</P> + +<P> +It was a cruel position for me, and it didn't make it easier that +before we had been there three days the whole hotel was talking +about it. Of course, every woman in the hotel who had been snubbed +by Blakely's mother instantly took my part, and as there were only +two women who hadn't been snubbed by her—Mrs. Tudor Carstairs and +Mrs. Sanderson-Spear—I was simply overwhelmed with unsolicited +advice and undesirable attention. Indeed, it was all I could do to +steer a dignified course between that uncompromising Scylla, +Blakely's mother, and the compromising Charybdis of my self-elected +champions. But I managed it, somehow. Dad bought me a stunning big +automobile in Los Angeles, and Blakely taught me how to run it; +then, Blakely was awfully fond of golf; and we spent loads of time +at the Country Club. And of course there was the palace on the hill +to be inspected every little while. +</P> + +<P> +Poor Blakely! How he did hate it all! Again and again he begged Dad +to give his consent to our marrying at once. But Dad, as unconscious +of what was going on round him as a two-months-old baby, would +always insist that everything would come out all right. +</P> + +<P> +"Give her time, my boy," he would say, "give her time. Your mother +isn't used to our Western way of rushing things, and she wants a +little time to get used to it." +</P> + +<P> +"What if she never gets used to it?" Blakely would ask. +</P> + +<P> +Then Dad would answer: "You're impatient, boy; all lovers are +impatient. Don't I know?" +</P> + +<P> +"But things can't go on this way forever." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course they can't," Dad would agree. "When I think things have +gone long enough, I'll have a little talk with your mother myself. +She's a dashed fine-looking woman, your mother—a dashed +fine-looking woman! Be patient with her, boy." +</P> + +<P> +Poor Dad! Blakely and I were resolved that he should never have that +little talk he spoke of with so much confidence. Ideals are awfully +in the way sometimes, but nobody with a speck of decency can bear to +stand by and see them destroyed. Dad's deals had to be preserved at +any price. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Eight +</H3> + +<P> +And so another two weeks passed. Then, one day, a comet of amazing +brilliancy shot suddenly into our social orbit, and things happened. +That this interesting stellar phenomenon was a Russian grand duke, a +nephew of the Czar, but added to the piquancy of the situation. +</P> + +<P> +The hotel was all in a flutter; the manager was beside himself with +joy; bell-boys danced jig steps in the corridors; chambermaids went +about with a distracted air—and all because the grand duke, +Alexander Melovich, was to arrive on the morrow. It was an +epoch-making event. It was better than a circus, for it was free. Copies +of the Almanach de Gotha appeared, as if by magic. Everybody was +interested. Everybody was charmed, until— +</P> + +<P> +The rumor flew rapidly along the verandas. It was denied by the head +waiter, it was confirmed by the chief clerk; it was referred to the +manager himself and again confirmed. Alas, it was true! The Grand +Duke Alexander was coming, not to honor the hotel, but to honor Mrs. +Carmichael Porter; she would receive him as her guest, she would pay +the royal hotel bill, she would pay the bills of the royal suite. +Yes, Blakely's mother had captured the grand duke. +</P> + +<P> +A wave of indignation swept the columns of the rank and file. They +didn't want the grand duke themselves, but they didn't want +Blakely's mother to have him; Blakely's mother and Mrs. Sanderson-Spear, +and Mrs. Tudor Carstairs. In a way, it was better than a +comic opera; it was fearfully amusing. +</P> + +<P> +The grand duke, accompanied, according to the newspapers, "by the +Royal Suite and the Choicest Flower of San Francisco Society," +arrived on a special train direct from Del Monte. Having captured a +grand duke, these "Choicest Flowers" (ten in number) were loath to +lose him, so they accompanied him. They did more; they paid for the +special train. Blakely's mother greeted them, one and all, in a most +friendly manner. There was an aristocratic air about the whole +proceeding that was distinctly uplifting. +</P> + +<P> +And now began a round of gaieties, the first being a tea were real +Russian samovars were in evidence, and sandwiches of real Russian +caviar were served. Real Russian cigarettes were smoked, real +Russian vodka was sipped; the Czar's health was drunk; no bombs were +thrown, no bonds were offered for sale, the Russian loan was not +discussed; the Japanese servants were not present, having been given +a half holiday. Oh, it was a little triumph, that tea! Blakely's +mother was showered with congratulations. The "Choicest Flowers" +vied with one another in assurances of their distinguished approval. +</P> + +<P> +Indeed, they were all crazy about it—except the grand duke. Blakely +said the grand duke was bored to death, and that he had led him off +to the bar and given him a whisky-and-soda out of sheer pity. From +that time on the duke stuck to him like a postage stamp, so that +Blakely had an awful time escaping that night to dine with Dad and +me. He told us all about the tea at dinner, and I was surprised to +learn (I hadn't seen him yet) that the duke was just Blakely's age, +and, as Blakely put it, "a very decent sort." Not that there is any +reason why a grand duke shouldn't be a decent sort, but Rumor was +busy just then proclaiming that this particular grand duke was a +perfect pig. +</P> + +<P> +The next day I had a chance to judge for myself. It seems the duke +noticed me as I got into my automobile for my morning ride, and +after finding out who I was, sent for Blakely and demanded that I be +presented to him. +</P> + +<P> +Blakely was awfully angry. He said: "Look here, I don't know what +you've been used to, but in this country, where a man wishes to meet +a young lady, he asks to be presented to her. Not only that, but he +doesn't take it for granted that she'll be honored by the request. +Miss Middleton is my fiancee. I don't know whether she cares to meet +you or not. If she does, I'll let you know." The duke was terribly +mortified. He apologized beautifully. +</P> + +<P> +Then Blakely apologized for getting angry, and they became better +friends than ever, with the result that the duke was presented to me +that very afternoon. +</P> + +<P> +The Grand Duke Alexander was short and fat and fair, with a yellow +mustache of the Kaiser Wilhelm variety. It was rather a shock to me, +for I had expected a dashing black-haired person with flashing eyes +and a commanding presence. No, he wasn't at all my idea of what a +grand duke should look like; he looked much more like a little +brother to the ox (a well-bred, well-dressed, bath-loving little +brother, of course) than a member of an imperial family. Not that he +didn't have his points: he had nice hands and nice feet, and his +smile was charming. +</P> + +<P> +You should have seen his face light up when he found I spoke French. +The poor fellow wasn't a bit at home in the English language and the +eagerness with which he plunged into French was really pathetic. +Luckily, Blakely spoke French, too—not very well, but he understood +it lots better than he spoke it—so we three spent a pleasant hour +together on the veranda. Of course, in a way, it was a little +triumph for me; the women whom Blakely's mother had snubbed enjoyed +the sight immensely, and when she appeared, accompanied by Mrs. +Sanderson-Spear and some of the "Choicest Flowers," and saw what was +happening to her duke, she was too angry for words. Heavens, how +that woman did hate me that afternoon! +</P> + +<P> +The next morning six more "Choicest Flowers" arrived from San +Francisco (rare orchids whose grandfathers had come over from +Ireland in the steerage). The third son of an English baronet who +owned a chicken-ranch near Los Angeles and a German count who sold +Rhine wines to the best families also appeared; for that night +Blakely's mother was to give such a dinner as had never before been +given in Santa Barbara. +</P> + +<P> +Under the heading: +</P> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +SANTA BARBARA NOW THE MOST COSMOPOLITAN CITY IN AMERICA +</H4> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +an enterprising Los Angeles newspaper devoted a whole page to the +coming event. Adjective was piled on adjective, split infinitive on +split infinitive. The dinner was to be given in the ballroom of the +hotel.... The bank accounts of the assembled guests would total +$400,000,000.... The terrapin had been specially imported from +Baltimore.... The decorations were to be magnificent beyond the +wildest dream.... The duke was to sit on the right of his +hostess.... Mr. Sanderson-Spear, the Pierpont Morgan of +Pennsylvania, who would arrive that morning from Pittsburg in his +private car, would sit on her left.... Count Boris Beljaski, +intimate friend and traveling companion of the grand duke, would +appear in the uniform of the imperial guard.... The Baroness +Reinstadt was hurrying from San Diego, in her automobile.... As a +winter resort, Santa Barbara was, as usual, eclipsing Florida, +etc., ... Blakely and I read the paper together; we laughed over it +till we cried. +</P> + +<P> +"It would be lots funnier if it wasn't my mother who was making such +a holy show of herself," Blakely said. "Do you know, my dear—" +</P> + +<P> +He was silent for a moment. When he did speak, there was a wicked +gleam in his eyes. "By Jove," he cried, "I'll do it!" +</P> + +<P> +"Do what?" I asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, nothing much. I'll tell you all about it later—if there's +anything to tell. Now I must run away. Good-by, dear." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Nine +</H3> + +<P> +At a quarter to four I received a note from Blakely saying it would +be impossible for him to come in to tea as he had planned. It was +the first time he had ever broken an engagement with me, and I was a +wee bit unhappy over it, though I knew, of course, there must be +some good reason why he couldn't come. Still, his absence rather put +me out of humor with tea, so I sent Valentine for a box of +chocolates. When she returned I sat down with them and a novel, +prepared to spend the rest of the afternoon alone. +</P> + +<P> +The novel wasn't half as silly as some I've read—the hero reminded +me of Blakely—and the chocolates were unusually good; I was having +a much better time than I had expected. Then some one knocked at the +door. +</P> + +<P> +"Bother!" I thought. "It can't be anybody I wish to see; I'll not +let them in." +</P> + +<P> +The knock, was repeated. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe +Blakely had changed his plans and had come for tea after all. +</P> + +<P> +"Come in," I called. +</P> + +<P> +The door opened slowly, and there, standing on the threshold, +was— Had I gone quite mad? I rose from my chair and stared +unbelievingly—at Blakely's mother. +</P> + +<P> +"May I come in?" she asked in her even, well-bred voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Why—yes," I faltered. +</P> + +<P> +Closing the door behind her, she walked over to the fireplace. +</P> + +<P> +"Won't you sit down?" I asked. "No, I thank you. This is not an +afternoon call, Miss Middleton, it is—But of course you +understand." +</P> + +<P> +I didn't understand at all, and her manner of saying I did made me +furious. +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps I am very stupid," I said, "but I cannot imagine why you +are here." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you know where my son is?" +</P> + +<P> +"I do not." +</P> + +<P> +"You have no idea?" +</P> + +<P> +"I have no idea where your son is, nor why you are here." +</P> + +<P> +She eyed me intently. How cold and determined she looked and how +handsome she was. +</P> + +<P> +"If I thought you were telling the truth—" +</P> + +<P> +"Mrs. Porter!" +</P> + +<P> +She handed me a letter. "Please read that," she said. +</P> + +<P> +"I will not read it," I replied. "I must beg that you leave me." +</P> + +<P> +"There, there, child, I did not mean to be rude." +</P> + +<P> +"You are more than rude, you are insolent." +</P> + +<P> +"I am distracted, child. Please read the letter." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," I said, "I'll read it." +</P> + +<P> +This was the letter: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"MY DEAR MOTHER: This will be handed to you at four o'clock. At +that hour I shall be in Ventura, accompanied by the Grand Duke +Alexander, and, as we are making the trip by automobile, it may be +that we shall neither of us return in time for your dinner this +evening." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"If, however, on reading this you will wire me at Ventura your full +consent to my marriage with Miss Middleton, I think I can guarantee +that your dinner party will be a success." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"I shall be in Ventura till half past four. Should I fail to hear +from you by that time, we shall continue our journey toward Los +Angeles as fast as our six-cylinders will take us." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"It grieves me more than I can tell you to employ this cavalier +method against you, but my softer appeals have been in vain." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"While not a party to the plot, the duke, I find is something of a +philosopher; I do not look for any resistance on his part. If he +does resist, so much the worse for him." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"Your affectionate son, BLAKELY PORTER." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"P. S. Please do not think that Miss Middleton has any knowledge of +this plan. She has not." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"P. S. Remember! We leave Ventura for Los Angeles at 4:50 p.m. +sharp." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Mrs. Porter," I said when I had finished reading the letter, "I am +deeply humiliated that Blakely should have done this." +</P> + +<P> +"Still, I suppose you would marry him if I gave my consent." +</P> + +<P> +"I would not," I replied hotly. "I might marry him without your +consent, for I love him dearly; but I would never consider you had +given your consent if it were forced from you by trickery." +</P> + +<P> +"You wouldn't?" +</P> + +<P> +"I would not." +</P> + +<P> +"But if he doesn't bring the duke back my dinner will be ruined." +</P> + +<P> +"I will telegraph him myself," I said. +</P> + +<P> +"Supposing he won't come?" +</P> + +<P> +"Blakely will come if I ask him to." +</P> + +<P> +"And you will do this for me?" +</P> + +<P> +"No; I am not doing it for you." +</P> + +<P> +"Then why—" +</P> + +<P> +"Because I cannot bear to have Blakely act so ungenerously toward +his mother." +</P> + +<P> +"He has but used my own weapons against me," she remarked +thoughtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Your weapons are quite unworthy of him, Mrs. Porter." "The telegram +must be dispatched at once," she announced, glancing impatiently at +her watch. +</P> + +<P> +"If you will call the office and ask them to send up a boy with some +forms, I will think over what I wish to say," I said. +</P> + +<P> +When the boy arrived I had decided upon my message. It was: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"BLAKELY PORTER, Ventura." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"If you do not return at once with your captive I shall consider +that we have never met." +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +"ELIZABETH." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +I wrote it out on a form and handed it to Mrs. Porter. "Will that +do?" I asked. +</P> + +<P> +She read it at a glance. "Yes," she said, "it will do. Here, boy, +see that this is rushed." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm glad it was satisfactory," I said. "Good afternoon, Mrs. +Porter." +</P> + +<P> +"My dear girl....." +</P> + +<P> +"Good afternoon, Mrs. Porter." +</P> + +<P> +Still she did not go. I realized her predicament, and was childish +enough to enjoy it, for Blakely's mother could not bear to accept a +favor from a social inferior. Had I been a child, she would have +patted me on the head and presented me with a sugar plum. As matters +stood she was quite at sea; she wished to do something gracious—she +didn't know how. +</P> + +<P> +To make her position more impossible, who should come stalking into +the room but Dad,—dear, unsuspecting Dad. When he saw Mrs. Porter +he immediately jumped at a whole row of conclusions. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well well!" he said. "This is a sight that does me good. I'm +very glad indeed to see you, Mrs. Porter. Your son has had an idea +that you were opposed to meeting Elizabeth; but I knew he couldn't +be right. And here you are; calling on her? Well, well, well! +Elizabeth, haven't you any tea to offer Blakely's mother!" +</P> + +<P> +"Mrs. Porter was just leaving," I managed to say. "She has been here +some time." +</P> + +<P> +Dad beamed on us both. +</P> + +<P> +"I told Blakely, Elizabeth couldn't marry him until you consented," +he blundered on, "but now I suppose it is all arranged. These +children of ours are wonderfully impatient. I'm as fond of Blakely +as if he were my own son, and you'll feel the same about Elizabeth +when you've known her longer." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't let Dad keep you, Mrs. Porter," I said. "I'm sure you have +many things to attend to." +</P> + +<P> +Blakely's mother who had been standing like one in a dream, now woke +up. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," she said, "I must be going. I called informally on Elizabeth +to beg you both to come to my dinner to-night." +</P> + +<P> +"I told her we couldn't possibly come," I began. "Nonsense! Of +course we can come," Dad declared. "It will quite upset Blakely if +you don't come, and I shall be so disappointed." +</P> + +<P> +"There, there," said Dad, "you're not going to disappoint Blakely's +mother by refusing." +</P> + +<P> +"No," I replied. "If Mrs. Porter really wants us we shall be +delighted to come." +</P> + +<P> +"If either of you fails me it will make me most unhappy," she said, +and there was a note of sincerity, in her voice that was +unmistakable. +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you," I murmured. "We shall not fail you." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Ten +</H3> + +<P> +When Blakely returned with the grand duke, he came straight to me. +What he expected was an explanation; what he actually received was +the worst scolding of his life. But the poor boy was so apologetic +and so humble, I finally relented, and kissed him, and told him all +about his mother's call, and its surprising consequences. +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose I should be grateful," I said, "but the idea of going to +the ducal dinner fills me with rage." +</P> + +<P> +"Let's be ill, and dine together." +</P> + +<P> +"I can't, I've given my word. And then there's Dad; he feels now +that all the prophecies he has uttered in regard to your mother have +at last come true. It's only my wicked pride that's talking, dear. +Please don't pay any attention to it." +</P> + +<P> +And then Blakely said one of the sweetest things he ever said to me. +Of course, it wasn't true but it made me so happy. "Dearest," he +said "everything I should love best to be, you are." +</P> + +<P> +Before dressing for dinner, Dad came to my room "to talk things +over," as he put it. He was so superbly satisfied with himself and +the world, I could hardly forbear a smile. +</P> + +<P> +"Naturally, I should be the last person to say 'I told you so', +Elizabeth, but you see what patience has done. It is always best to +be patient, my child." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Dad." "Blakely's mother has acted very handsomely toward us, +considering—" +</P> + +<P> +"Very handsomely, CONSIDERING," I agreed. +</P> + +<P> +"And we must try to meet her half way." "Yes, Dad." +</P> + +<P> +"No doubt she had her reasons for behaving as she did." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm sure of it." +</P> + +<P> +"You see, my dear, I've understood the situation from the very +first." +</P> + +<P> +"You sweet old simpleton, of course you have! But here it is half +past seven, and you haven't begun to dress. Be off with you." +</P> + +<P> +Although, at first, I had felt it would be all but impossible for me +to attend Mrs. Porter's dinner, my talk with Blakely had so raised +my spirits that now I was able to face the ordeal with something +very like serenity. What did it matter? What did anything matter, so +long as Blakely loved me? Then, too, I knew I was looking my very +best; my white lace gown was a dream; Valentine had never done my +hair so becomingly. +</P> + +<P> +When Blakely called at our rooms for Dad and me, I was not at all +unhappy. And the dear boy was so relieved to see it! I will confess, +however, to one moment of real terror as we approached the drawing +room where we were to join our hostess. But her greeting was most +cordial and reassuring. And when she begged me to stand up with her, +and help her receive her guests, I almost felt at home, for I knew +it meant her surrender was unconditional. +</P> + +<P> +After, that, it was like a beautiful dream. Except that some of the +"Choicest Flowers" of San Francisco society were fearfully and +fashionably late, nothing occurred to disturb the social atmosphere. +And when, on entering the dining room, I saw how the guests were +placed, I could have hugged Blakely's mother. For where do you +suppose she had put Dad? On her left! Of course the duke, as guest +of honor, was on her right; and I sat next to the duke, and Blakely +sat next to me. +</P> + +<P> +By placing us so, Mrs. Porter had supplied the balance of the table +with a topic of conversation, always a desirable addition to a +dinner party; I noted with amusement the lifted eyebrows, the +expressions of wonder and resentment on the faces of some of the +guests. Nor did it seem to add to their pleasure that their hostess +devoted herself to Dad, while the duke and Blakely developed a +spirited, though friendly, rivalry as to which should monopolize +little Mimi. +</P> + +<P> +But the real sensation was to occur when the champagne was poured. +(I could hardly believe my eyes, of my ears, either). For who should +rise in his place but Dad! Yes, there he stood, the old darling, a +brimming champagne glass in his hand, a beatific expression on his +face. And this is what he was saying: +</P> + +<P> +"Our hostess has asked me to do something, which is to announce the +engagement of my daughter and her son. Let us drink to their +happiness." +</P> + +<P> +"Bravo!" cried the Duke. "I give the American three cheers: Rah, +rah, rah!" "How delightfully boyish the dear Duke is," observed Mrs. +Sanderson-Spear, beaming at him from across the table. +</P> + +<P> +"So ingenious, I mean so ingenuous," assented a languid lady from +San Francisco. "But we must stand up; toute le monde is standing up, +my dear." +</P> + +<P> +And so it was, standing up to drink our healths, Blakely's and mine, +while Blakely held my hand under the table. +</P> + +<P> +"Bravo!" cried the Duke. "It ees delightful. I cannot make the +speech, mais, mademoiselle, monsieur—I drink your health." He +drained his glass, then flung it, with a magnificent gesture, over +his shoulder. "It ees so we drink to royalty," he said. +</P> + +<P> +Such a noble example naturally had its effect; there followed a +perfect shower of glasses. Indeed, I think every one at table +indulged in this pretty piece of extravagance except the third son +of an English baronet, who was too busy explaining how it was done +at home: "Purely a British custom, you understand—the wardroom of a +man-of-war, d'ye see.—They were officers of a Scotch regiment, and +they drank it standing on their chairs, with one foot on the table. +And, by gad, I didn't care for it!"—No doubt I should have learned +more concerning this purely British custom if the Pierpont Morgan of +Pennsylvania hadn't called on Blakely for a speech, just then. Poor +Blakely! He didn't know at all how to make a speech. Thought I must +say I was rather glad of it; the most tiresome thing about Americans +is their eternal speechmaking, I think. +</P> + +<P> +Blakely having faltered his few words of thanks, some one proposed +the duke's health; but that had to wait till new glasses were +brought in and filled. Altogether, then, instead of being a solemn, +dignified affair, such as one might have expected, it was a +tremendously jolly dinner—a little rowdy, perhaps, but delightfully +friendly. If I had entered the dining room as Old Tom Middleton's +daughter, "who actually used to live over a livery stable, my dear," +it was not so I left it; for the nimbus of the sacred name of Porter +had already begun to shed its beautiful light on my many graces and +social accomplishments. Indeed, when I retired with my hostess to +the drawing room, it was to hold a sort of reception; Mrs. Tudor +Carstairs vied with Mrs. Sanderson-Spear in assurances of regard, +"Choicest Flowers" expressed approval, the German baroness, bless +her, conferred the distinction of a motherly kiss. And Blakely's +mother was so gracious, so kind and considerate, it was hard to +believe we had faced each other, five hours before, with something +very like hatred in our eyes. +</P> + +<P> +When Blakely and Dad, and the other men joined us, I was so happy I +could have kicked both my slippers to the ceiling. I might have +disgraced myself doing it, too, if the third son of the English +baronet hadn't come up just then to felicitate me. He would have +done it charmingly if he hadn't felt constrained to add that +Americans always say "dook" instead of "duke," that nobody present +seemed to realize the proper way to address a nephew of the Czar was +to call him Monseigneur, that the Olympic games in London had been +conducted admirably, arid that he didn't believe in marriage, +anyway. +</P> + +<P> +But the sweetest thing to me of all that wonderful evening was to +see the love and gratitude in Blakely's eyes when he looked at his +mother; for a man who doesn't love his mother misses much, and I +love Blakely so tenderly, I couldn't bear to have him miss the last +then that makes for contentment and happiness. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Eleven +</H3> + +<P> +When I awoke, late next morning, it was to find myself, if not +famous, at least conspicuous; in the Los Angeles newspaper Valentine +brought me with my coffee, much space was devoted to the ducal +dinner. +</P> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +GRAND DUKE SMASHES CHAMPAGNE GLASSES +</H4> + +<P> +Miss Middleton Toasted in Truly Royal Fashion by Distinguished +Nephew of Russia's Reigning Czar. +</P> + +<P> +Brilliant Dinner Reaches Climax in Shower of Costly Crystal While +Hostess Smiles Approval. +</P> + +<P> +Disgusting as it was, I couldn't help laughing at the pen-and-ink +sketch which accompanied it—a sketch of the duke, with crowned +head, and breast covered with decorations, smiling fatuously from +within a rakish border of broken champagne glasses. +</P> + +<P> +But there was worse to come. On another page under the heading: +</P> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +WHIRLWIND WOOING WINS WESTERN GIRL +</H4> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +a distorted Cupid supported pictures of Blakely and me, while +beneath our pictures, a most fulsome chronicle of untruths was +presented. "Mr. Porter first met his fiancee on shipboard..... +Being of that fine old New York stock which never takes 'no' for an +answer, he followed her to Santa Barbara..... If rumor is to be +credited, the Grand Duke Alexander, as well as Cupid, was concerned +in this singularly up-to-date love affair..... Mr. Porter's sister, +the Countess de Bienville, is a well-known leader in exclusive +Parisian circles..... Miss Middleton an only daughter of Thomas +Middleton, the mining magnate..... Although slightly indisposed, +His Imperial Highness granted an interview to our representative +late last evening. If the time-worn adage, in vino veritas, is to be +believed; it is certain that the wedding will not only take place +soon, but that the favorite nephew of the Czar of all the Russias +will himself appear in this charming romance of throbbing hearts, +playing the role of best man." +</P> + +<P> +It was really too dreadful; my cheeks burned with mortification and +anger. +</P> + +<P> +People had assured me the horrid little American newspaper published +in Paris was not typical of America—that it was no more than a paid +panderer to seekers after notoriety. Yet here in California, my own +dear California, a newspaper had dared print my picture without my +consent, had thrown its ugly light on the sweet story of my love +serving it up in yellow paragraphs for the benefit of the bootblack, +the butcher, the waiter in cheap restaurants. What a hideous world! +</P> + +<P> +Pleading a sick headache, I stayed in my room till tea time. +</P> + +<P> +We had tea at five, Blakely and I, on the roof of the hotel. I +looked across the channel to the distant islands, followed the sweet +contour of the shore, watched the aimless flight of sea-gulls; +turning, I scanned the friendly hills, the mountains painted in the +tender colors of late afternoon—I looked into Blakely's eyes. It +was a beautiful world, after all. "Let's try and forget that awful +newspaper," I said. +</P> + +<P> +"I forgot it long ago, dear." +</P> + +<P> +"You also seem to have forgotten that some one may appear any +minute." +</P> + +<P> +"Let's try and forget that some one may appear any minute." +</P> + +<P> +"I can't." +</P> + +<P> +"You shouldn't say 'I can't,' Elizabeth; you should say 'I'll try'." +</P> + +<P> +It is really surprising what one can do when one tries. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Chapter Twelve +</H3> + +<P> +"What would we have done without the duke?" I murmured a moment +later. +</P> + +<P> +"There's a more important question than that to be answered," said +Blakely; "we have still to decide what we shall do with the duke." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't understand." +</P> + +<P> +"It's my charming way of breaking news gently, sweetheart." +</P> + +<P> +"Bad news?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not exactly. It may annoy you." +</P> + +<P> +"It annoys me that you seems afraid to tell it," I said. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm not afraid, not the least bit. I'm a little ashamed, though. +You see mother is....." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't dare adopt an apologizing attitude towards your mother. +Hasn't she done everything in the world for us?" +</P> + +<P> +"There are some things one would rather do for oneself, girlie. I +had quite set my heart on Perry Arnold being best man at our +wedding." +</P> + +<P> +"And so he shall be." +</P> + +<P> +"I wrote him a week ago, and his answer came this morning. He was +delighted, poor chap! He's in Denver, now, and could be here in +three days." "You won't need him for three months," I warned. "But +why can't you have him, dear?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because mother has already engaged the duke in that capacity." +</P> + +<P> +"Not really?" +</P> + +<P> +"It's the gospel truth. Perry will think me no end of a snob. I +won't know what explanation to make." +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense! I'll explain it to him myself." +</P> + +<P> +"Then you feel I ought to accept mother's arrangements?" +</P> + +<P> +"You must, if it will make her happy." +</P> + +<P> +"She assured me she would be most miserable if I didn't." +</P> + +<P> +"Then it's settled," I said. +</P> + +<P> +"That's not all, Elizabeth; the duke is sailing for Japan on the +twenty-sixth of February." +</P> + +<P> +"And this is the twentieth!" I gasped. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, sweetheart. And mother has arranged our wedding for the +twenty-fourth." +</P> + +<P> +I was silent from sheer indignation. +</P> + +<P> +"I told mother you wouldn't like it. But will you.....? Do you.....? +Would you mind very much being married on the twenty-fourth?" +</P> + +<P> +"Would you mind?" I asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Mind? I should love it above everything! Life is so uncertain, each +day is so precious, and I've waited so long for you, Elizabeth." +</P> + +<P> +"You've only known me a little over a month." +</P> + +<P> +"But I've waited years for you;" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," I said, "I believe you have: It shall be as you wish, dear." +</P> + +<P> +And then, as a woman's greatest happiness lies in making the man she +loves happy, and as no one ever looked so radiantly happy as +Blakely, I was so glad I had said "yes," I didn't know what to do. +</P> + +<P> +But Blakely knew exactly what to do; he kissed me. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Cupid's Understudy, by Edward Salisbury Field + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CUPID'S UNDERSTUDY *** + +***** This file should be named 3602-h.htm or 3602-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/0/3602/ + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cupid's Understudy + +Author: Edward Salisbury Field + +Posting Date: April 20, 2009 [EBook #3602] +Release Date: January, 2003 +First Posted: June 6, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CUPID'S UNDERSTUDY *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + +CUPID'S UNDERSTUDY + + +by + +Edward Salisbury Field + + + + +Chapter One + + +If Dad had been a coal baron, like Mr. Tudor Carstairs, or a +stock-watering captain of industry, like Mrs. Sanderson-Spear's husband, +or descended from a long line of whisky distillers, like Mrs. +Carmichael Porter, why, then his little Elizabeth would have been +allowed the to sit in seat of the scornful with the rest of the Four +Hundred, and this story would never have been written. But Dad +wasn't any of these things; he was just an old love who had made +seven million dollars by the luckiest fluke in the world. + +Everybody in southern California knew it was a fluke, too, so the +seven millions came in for all the respect that would otherwise have +fallen to Dad. Of course we were celebrities, in a way, but in a +very horrid way. Dad was Old Tom Middleton, who used to keep a +livery-stable in San Bernardino, and I was Old Tom Middleton's girl, +"who actually used to live over a livery-stable, my dear!" It sounds +fearfully sordid, doesn't it? + +But it wasn't sordid, really, for I never actually lived over a +stable. Indeed, we had the sweetest cottage in all San Bernardino. I +remember it so well: the long, cool porch, the wonderful gold-of-Ophir +roses, the honeysuckle where the linnets nested, the mocking +birds that sang all night long; the perfume of the jasmine, of the +orange-blossoms, the pink flame of the peach trees in April, the +ever-changing color of the mountains. And I remember Ninette, my +little Creole mother, gay as a butterfly, carefree as a meadow-lark. +'Twas she who planted the jasmine. + +My little mother died when I was seven years old. Dad and I and my +old black mammy, Rachel, stayed on in the cottage. The mocking-birds +still sang, and the linnets still nested in the honeysuckle, but +nothing was ever quite the same again. It was like a different +world; it was a different world. There were gold-of-Ophir roses, +and, peach blossoms in April, but there was no more jasmine; Dad had +it all dug up. To this day he turns pale at the sight of it--poor +Dad! + +When I was twelve years old, Dad sold out his hardware business, +intending to put his money in an orange grove at Riverside, but the +nicest livery-stable in San Bernardino happened to be for sale just +then, so he bought that instead, for he was always crazy about +horses. + +To see me trotting about in Paquin gowns and Doucet models, you'd +never think I owed them to three owlish little burros, would you? +But it's a fact. When Dad took over the livery-stable, he found he +was the proud possessor of three donkeys, as well as some twenty-odd +horses, and a dozen or so buggies, buckboards and surries. The +burros ate their solemn heads off all winter, but in May it had been +the custom to send them to Strawberry Valley in charge of a Mexican +who hired them out to the boarders at the summer hotel there. +Luckily for us, when Fortune came stalking down the main street of +San Bernardino to knock at the door of the Golden Eagle Stables, +both dad and the burros were at home. If either had been out, we +might be poor this very minute. + +It is generally understood that when Fortune goes a-visiting, she +goes disguised, so it's small wonder Dad didn't recognize her at +first. She wasn't even a "her"; she was a he, a great, awkward Swede +with mouse-colored hair and a Yon Yonsen accent--you know the kind--slow +to anger; slow to everything, without "j" in his alphabet--by +the name of Olaf Knutsen. + +Now Olaf was a dreamer. Not the conventional sort of a dreamer, who +sees beauty in everything but an honest day's work, but a brawny, +pick-swinging dreamer who had dug holes in the ground at the end of +many rainbows. That he had never yet uncovered the elusive pot of +gold didn't seem to bother him in the least; for him, that tender +plant called Hope flowered perennially. And now he was bent on +following another rainbow; a rainbow which; arching over the +mountains, ended in that arid, pitiless waste known in the south +country as Death Valley. + +He wouldn't fail this time. No, by Yimminy! With Dad's three burros, +and plenty of bacon and beans and water--it was to be a grub-stake, +of course--he would make both their fortunes. And the beautiful part +about it was, he did. + +No doubt you have heard of the famous Golden Eagle mine. Well, +that's what Olaf and the three burros found in Death Valley. Good +old Olaf! He named the mine after Dad's livery-stable in San +Bernardino, and he insisted on keeping only a half interest, even +though Dad fought him about it. You see, Dad didn't have the +reputation of being the squarest man in San Bernardino for nothing. + + + + +Chapter Two + + +My mother's family had never approved of her marriage with Dad, but +Dad, poor and running a hardware shop or a livery-stable, and Dad +with a fortune in his hands were two very different people--from +their standpoint, at least; so as soon as Olaf and the three burros +struck it rich, Dad sold his livery-stable, and mammy Rachel and I +were bundled off to Ninette's relations in New Orleans. I didn't +like it a bit at first, but one can get used to anything in time. +Ninette's maiden sister, Miss Marie Madeline Antoinette Hortense +Prevost, was awfully nice to me; so was grandmere Prevost. I lived +with them till I was sixteen, when I was sent to France. + +If I wanted to (and you would let me) I could personally conduct you +to Paris, where if you were ten feet tall and not averse to staring, +you could look over a certain gray stone wall on the Boulevard des +Invalides, and see me pacing sedately up and down the gravel walks +in the garden of the Convent of the Sacred Heart. That is, you could +have seen me three years ago. I'm not there now, thank goodness! I'm +in California. + +And just one word before we go any further any further. I don't want +you to think for a minute that I came back from Paris a little +Frenchified miss. No, indeed! I'm as American as they make them. +When I boasted to the other girls, whether in Paris or New Orleans, +I always boasted about two things: Dad and California. And I've an +idea I'll go on boasting about them till my dying day. + +Of course, when I returned from Paris, Dad met me in New York. It +was a good thing he was rich, for it took a lot of money to get me +and my seven trunks through the custom-house. It might have taken +more, though, if it hadn't been for a young man who came over on the +same boat. + +He was such a good-looking young man; tall and broad-shouldered and +fair, with light-brown hair, and the nicest eyes you ever saw. It +wasn't their color so much (his eyes were blue) as the way they +looked at you that made them so attractive. He was awfully well +bred, too! He noticed me a lot on the boat (I had a perfect love of +a Redfern coat to wear on deck), but he didn't try to scrape +acquaintance with me. He worshipped from afar (a woman can always +tell when a man's thinking about her), and while I wouldn't have had +him act otherwise for the world, I was crazy to have him speak to +me. + +Our boat docked at Hoboken, and by tipping right and left I managed +to be the very first passenger down the gangway. I half ran, half +slid, but I landed in Dad's arms. + +My boxes and bags passed through the custom-house with flying +colors. But my trunks--I couldn't even find them all. Five of them +were stacked in the "M" division, but the other two.... Then +there was my maid's trunk to look for under the "V's" (her name is +Valentine). Dad and I were commencing at "A," prepared to got +through the whole alphabet, if necessary, when the nice young man +stepped up and, raising his hat, asked if he might be of any +service. He asked Dad, but he looked at me. + +"Oh, If you please!" I said "I've lost two trunks. My brand is a +white, 'M' in a red circle." + +"I noticed them in the 'R' pile" he replied. "I'll have them moved +to the 'M's' right away." + +"Now that's what I call being decent," said Dad, as soon as the +young man had left us. "Did you notice, he didn't wear a uniform? +Probably an inspector, or something of the sort, eh, Elizabeth?" + +"Well--er--not exactly," I managed to say. "The fact is, Dad, he +came over on the boat with me, and--" + +Dad looked thoughtful. + +"He never spoke to me once the whole trip," I added hastily. + +Dad looked less thoughtful. + +"It was nice of him to wait till I had you with me, wasn't it?" + +Dad smiled. "If you think it was, it probably was, my dear," he +said. + + + + +Chapter Three + + +The nice young man did more than find my missing trunks; he found a +custom-house officer, and, after asking me privately which trunks +contained my most valuable possessions and how much I had thought of +declaring, he succeeded in having them passed through on my own +valuation without any undue exposure of their contents. + +By this time Dad had grown very respectful. To see his little +Elizabeth treated like a queen, while on all sides angry women were +having their best gowns pawed over and mussed; was a most wholesome +lesson. He paid the thousand and odd dollars duty like a little man. + +We'd been saved a lot of bother, and nobody hates a lot of bother +more than Dad. So when the trunks were locked and strapped and ready +to be sent to our hotel, Dad went up to the nice young man and said: +"I'm Tom Middleton, from California, and this is my daughter +Elizabeth. We're both very grateful to you, and if you should ever +happen to come to California, I hope you'll look us up." + +That's Dad all over! + +I never saw anybody look so pleased as the young man: "My name's +Porter," he said, "Blakely Porter. If my mother were in New York I +would ask if she might call on Miss Middleton, but, as it happens, +she's in California, where I intend to join her, so I shall look +forward to seeing you there." + +Then Dad did just the right thing. "What's the use of waiting till +we get to California?" he said. "Why not dine with us to-night!" + +There are people, merely conventional people, who could never +appreciate the fine directness and simplicity, of Dad's nature--not +if they lived to be a thousand years old. But Mr. Blakely Porter +understood perfectly; I know he did, for he told me so afterwards. +"It was the greatest compliment I ever had paid me in my life," he +said. "Your father knew nothing about me, absolutely nothing, yet he +invited me to dine with him--and you. It was splendid, splendid!" + +The dear boy didn't know, perhaps, that honesty shone in his eyes, +that one could not look at him and deny he was a gentleman. And, of +course, I didn't enlighten him, for it is well for men, +particularly, young men, to feel grateful, and the least bit humble; +it keeps them from being spoiled. + +But to return to the dinner invitation: Mr. Porter accepted it +eagerly. "It is more than kind of you," he said. "My mother is away, +and her house is closed. It is my first home-coming in four years, +and I should have been lonely to-night." + +And poor Dad, who has been lonely--oh, so lonely!--ever since +Ninette died, shook hands with him, and said: "If my daughter and I +can keep you from feeling lonely, we shall be so glad. We are +stopping at The Plaza, and we dine at half past seven." + +Then Mr. Porter found us a taxi-cab, and away we went. + +It was good to be in America again. I made Dad stop the car, and +have the top put back, even though it was freezing cold, for I had +never been in New York before (when I'd gone to France, I had sailed +from New Orleans) and I wanted to see everything. The tall +buildings, the elevated, even the bad paving till we got to Fifth +Avenue, interested me immensely, as they would any one to whom. +Paris had been home, and New York a foreign city. Not that I had +ever thought of Paris as my real home; home was, where my heart +was--with Dad. I tried to make him understand how, happy I was to be +with him, how I had missed him, and California. + +"So you missed your old father; did you, girlie?" + +"Yes, Dad." + +"And you'll be glad to go to California?" + +"Oh, so glad!" + +"Then," said Dad, "we'll start tomorrow." + +Our rooms at the hotel were perfect; there was a bed room and bath +for me a bed room and bath for Dad, with a sitting room between, all +facing the Park. And there were roses everywhere; huge American +Beauties, dear, wee, pink roses, roses of flaming red. I turned to +Dad, who was standing in the middle of the sitting room, beaming at +me. "You delightful old spendthrift!" I cried. "What do you mean by +buying millions of roses? And in the middle of January too! You +deserve to be disciplined, and you shall be." + +"Discipline is an excellent thing; even if it does disturb the set +of one's tie," Dad remarked thoughtfully, a moment later. + +"I couldn't help hugging you, Daddy." + +"My dear, that hug of yours was the sweetest thing that has happened +to your dad in many a long year." + +And then, of course, I had to hug him again. + +After luncheon (we had it in our sitting room) Dad asked if I would +enjoy a drive through the Park. + +"I should enjoy it immensely," I said, "but I can't possibly go." + +You see, there was a trunk to unpack, the one holding my prettiest +dinner gown. Of course Valentine was quite capable of attending to +the unpacking. Still, one likes to inspect everything one is to +wear, especially when one is expecting a guest to dinner. "Then," +said Dad, "I think I'll order dinner, and go for a walk, shall we +have dinner here?" + +"Oh, by all means! This is so much more homelike than a public +dining room." + +"I'll not be gone more than an hour or two... Hullo! Come in." + +A small boy entered, carrying a box quite as big as himself. "For +Miss Middleton," he said. + +"Another present from you, Dad?" + +"Open it, my dear." + +"I thought so," he remarked, as the removal of the cover displayed +more American Beauties. (There were five dozen;) I counted them +after Dad had gone. Another million roses and in the middle of +January! "Who's the spendthrift this time, Elizabeth?" + +"His name," I said, slipping a card: from the envelope that lay on a +huge bow of red ribbon, "is Mr. Blakely Porter." + +Although I know, now, there are many things more beautiful, I +believed, then, that nothing more beautiful had ever happened; for +it was the first time a man had ever sent me roses. Nineteen years +old, and my first roses! They made me so happy. Paris seemed very +far away; the convent was a mythical place I had seen in a dream; +nothing was real but Dad, and America, and the roses somebody, had +sent. Somebody! + + + + +Chapter Four + + +Mr. Porter arrived on time to the minute, looking perfectly splendid +in a wonderful furlined coat. And if his eyes were anxious, and his +manner a bit constrained at first, it didn't last long; Dad's +greeting was too cordial, not to make him feel at home. Indeed, he +talked delightfully all through dinner, and with the coffee, half +laughingly, half apologizingly told us the story of his life. "For," +said he, "although I feel as if I'd known you always," (he looked at +Dad, but I was sure he meant me, too) "you may not feel the same in +regard to me--and I want you to." + +It was sweet to see Dad grow almost boyish in his insistence that he +felt as Mr. Porter did. "Nonsense!" he said. "It seems the most +natural thing in the world to have you here. Doesn't it Elizabeth!" + +It was rather embarrassing to be asked such a question in Mr. +Porter's presence, but I managed to murmur a weak "Yes, indeed!" +Inside, though, I felt just as Dad did, and I was fearfully +interested in Mr. Porter's account of himself. I could see, too, +that he belittled the real things, and magnified the unimportant. +According to his narrative, the unimportant things were that he was +a civil engineer, that he had been in Peru building a railroad for +an English; syndicate, and that the railroad was now practically +completed; he seemed, however, to attach great importance to the +cable that had called him to London to appear before a board of +directors, for that had been the indirect means of his taking +passage on the same ship with me. Then there was the wonderful fact +that he was to see us in California. He had been in harness now for +four years, he said, and he felt as if he'd earned a vacation. At +all events, he meant to take one. + +As neither he nor Dad would hear of my leaving them to their cigars, +I sat by and listened, and loved it all, every minute of it. I +didn't know, then (I don't know to this day) whether I liked Mr. +Porter best for being so boyish, or so manly. But manly men who +retain all the enthusiasms of youth have a certain charm one likes +instinctively, I think. + +There is no doubt that Mr. Porter quite captivated Dad. "You make me +feel like a boy," he said, after listening to a delightfully +whimsical account of conditions in Peru. "By George, that's a +country for you! And Ecuador, I've always thought that must be an +interesting place. Have you ever been there?" + +Yes, Mr. Porter had been to Ecuador. And there was a certain +rail-road in India he had helped put through. India! Now that WAS a +place! Had Dad ever been to India? + +No, Dad had never been to India, but... "Good Lord, boy, how old +are you, anyway?" + +"Thirty-two." + +"Well, I never would have guessed it. Would you, Elizabeth?" + +This, too, was rather embarrassing, but I managed to say I thought +Mr. Porter didn't look a day over twenty-eight. + +"It's the life he leads," Dad declared with an air of +proprietorship--"out of doors all day long. It must be great!" + +"It IS interesting. But I think I like it best for what it has done +for one; you see, I was supposed to have lungs once, long ago. Now +I'm as sound as a dollar." + +"He looks it, doesn't he, Elizabeth!" + +If Dad hadn't been such a dear, I should have been annoyed by his +constant requests for my opinion where it was so obviously +unnecessary. But Dad is such a dear. To make it worse, Mr. Porter +seemed to consider that whether he was, or was not, as sound as a +dollar, depended entirely on my answer. + +"One would think I was a sort of supreme court from the way Dad +refers all questions to me. But I warn you, Mr. Porter; my 'yes' or +'no' makes little difference in his opinions." + +"You are my supreme court, and they do," declared Dad. + +"I'm sure they do," said Mr. Porter, + +"When the novelty of having me with you has worn off, you'll be your +same old domineering self, Daddy dear." + +"Domineering! Hear the minx! I'm a regular lamb, Porter. That +reminds me: When are you going to California!" + +"I hadn't thought. That is, I had thought... That is, I've wished... +I mean I've wondered..... I hope you won't think me presumptuous, +Mr. Middleton, but I've wondered if you'd allow me to go on the same +train with you and Miss Middleton." + +"Why, my dear boy, we'd be delighted. Wouldn't we, Elizabeth!" + +Mr. Porter turned to me. "You see, Miss Middleton, you are the +supreme court, after all," his lips said. But his eyes told me why +he wanted to go on the same train with Dad and me, told me plainer +than words. Perhaps I should have remembered I had never spoken to +him till that morning, but..... + +"The supreme court congratulates the inferior court on the wisdom of +its decision," I said, with an elaborate bow to Dad to hide my +confusion. + +"It's settled!" cried Dad. "This is quite the nicest thing that ever +happened," said Mr. Porter. "If only you knew how grateful I am. I +feel like--like giving three cheers, and tossing my hat in the air." + +"The inferior court rules against hat-tossing as irrelevant, +immaterial, and incompetent." + +"Ruling sustained," I said. + +"And they call this a free country!" + +"The newspapers don't. Read the newspapers my boy." + +"At any rate, I now belong to the privileged class. When do we +leave, Mr. Middleton?" + +"Elizabeth says to-morrow. We go by rather a slow train." + +"But why?" I began. + +"Because, my dear, an all-wise Providence has decreed that express +trains shall not haul private cars." + +"Oh, I say!" exclaimed Mr. Porter. "That makes all the difference in +the world." + +"Only a day's difference." + +"I mean....." + +"You're going as our guest, you know." + +"But really, Mr. Middleton, I never....." + +"Don't be absurd, my boy." + +"No," said Mr. Blakely Porter, "I won't be absurd. I shall be more +than glad to go as your guest." + +"That's the way it should be. Isn't it, Elizabeth!" + +"I didn't know you owned a private car, Dad." + +"Pshaw!" said Dad. "What's a private car?" + +I smiled at what I was pleased to term "Dad's magnificence," little +thinking I was soon to look on private cars as one of the most +delectable of modern inventions. + + + + +Chapter Five + + +Our train left Grand Central Station at two o'clock next afternoon; +it was bitter cold, I remember, and I drove to the station, +smothered in furs. But our car was wonderfully cozy and comfortable, +and it warmed my heart to see how proud Dad was of it: I must +inspect the kitchen; this was my stateroom, did I like it? I mustn't +judge Amos by his appearance, but the way he could cook--he was a +wonder at making griddle cakes. Did I still like griddle cakes? "And +do look at the books and magazines Mr. Porter brought. And a box of +chocolates, too. Wasn't it kind of him?" Dear Dad! He was like a +child with a new toy. + +I'm sure he enjoyed every minute of the trip. Mr. Porter played +cribbage with him (Dad adores cribbage) by the hour; they talked +railroads, and politics, and mining--I don't think Dad had been so +happy in years. I know I had never been so happy, for I was sure Mr. +Porter loved me. I couldn't help being sure; his heart was in his +eyes every time he looked at me. + +When we started from New York, we were Mr. Middleton, and Mr. +Porter, and Miss Middleton to one another; at Chicago, it was Tom, +and Blakely, and Miss Middleton; I became Elizabeth in Utah (I made +him call me that.) And when we reached Nevada..... + +It happened so naturally, so sweetly. Dad was taking a nap after +luncheon, and Blakely and I were sitting on the rear platform of our +car, the last car in the train. It was a heavenly day of blue sky +and sunshine; the desert was fresh from recent rain. And then a few, +dear, faltered words changed the desert into a garden that reached +to the rim of the world. + +"I love you. I didn't mean to tell you quite yet, but I..... +I....." + +"I know. And it makes me so happy." + + * * * * * + +You never saw anybody so delighted as Dad was when we told him. +"This makes me glad clear through," he said. "Blakely, boy, I +couldn't love you more if you were my own son. Elizabeth, girl, come +and kiss your old Daddy." + +"And you aren't surprised, Dad?" + +"Not a bit." + +"He's known I've loved you, all along. Haven't you, Tom?" + +"I may have suspected it." + +"But I'm sure he never dreamed I could possibly care for you," I +said. And then, because I was too happy to do anything else, I went +to my state-room, and had a good cry. + +I have read somewhere that Love would grow old were it not for the +tears of happy women. + + + + +Chapter Six + + +When we flew down the grade into California, everything seemed settled; +we were going to Santa Barbara where Dad was building a little palace +for his Elizabeth as a grand surprise (Blakely's mother was in Santa +Barbara); we would take rooms at the same hotel; I would be presented +to Mrs. Porter, and as soon as the palace on the hill was completed--a +matter of two or three months--Blakely, and Dad, and I would move into +it. Only, first, Blakely and I were going to San Bernardino on our +wedding trip. + +Wasn't that sweet of Blakely? When I told him about San Bernardino, +and the livery-stable, and the cottage where Dad and I used to live, +he said he'd rather spend our honeymoon there than any place in the +world. Of course Dad had never sold the cottage, and it was touching +to see how pleased he was with our plan. + +"You'll find everything in first-class condition," he said; "I go +there often myself. I built a little house in one corner of the +garden for the caretakers. You should see that gold-of-Ophir rose, +Elizabeth; it has grown beyond belief." + +When we reached Oakland--where our car had to be switched off and +attached to a coast line, train--we found we had four hours to kill, +so Dad and Blakely and I (it was Blakely's idea) caught the boat +across to San Francisco. + +What do you suppose that dear boy wanted us to go over there for? +And where do you suppose he took us? He took us straight to +Shreve's, and he and Dad spent a beautiful two hours in choosing an +engagement ring for me. So when we finally landed in Santa Barbara I +was wearing a perfect love of a ruby on the third finger of my left +hand. I was wearing my heart on my sleeve, too; I didn't care if all +the world saw that I adored Blakely. We arrived in Santa Barbara in +the morning, and it was arranged that Blakely should lunch with his +mother and devote himself to her during the afternoon, but he was to +dine with us in our rooms. Naturally, I had a lot to do, supervising +the unpacking of my clothes, and straightening things about in our +sitting-room so that it wouldn't look too hotelish. Then Dad +wouldn't be happy till I'd inspected my new palace on the hill. + +It was an alarming looking pile. If anybody but Dad had been +responsible for it, I should have said it was hideous. Poor old Dad! +He knows absolutely nothing about architecture. But of course I +raved over it, and, really, when I came to examine it closer, I +found it had its good points. Covered with vines, it would have been +actually beautiful. Virginia creeper grows like mad in California +and with English ivy and Lady Banksia roses to help out, I was sure +I could transform my palace into a perfect bower in almost no time. +I was awfully glad I had seen it first, for now. I could break the +bad news gently to Blakely. If I were a man, I couldn't love a girl +who owned such a hideous house. + +But I didn't have a chance to talk house to Blakely for some time. +When he came in to dinner that night he looked awfully depressed; he +brightened up a lot, though, when he saw me. I had on my most +becoming gown, and Dad had ordered a grand dinner, including his own +special brand of Burgundy. If Dad knew as much about architecture as +he does about wine, they'd insist on his designing all the buildings +for the next world's fair. + +All through dinner Blakely wasn't quite himself--I could see it; I +think Dad saw it, too-but I knew he would tell us what was the +matter as soon as he had an opportunity. One, of the sweetest things +about Blakely is his perfect frankness. I couldn't love a man who +wasn't frank with me. That is, I suppose I could, but I should hate +to; it would break my heart. Well, after dinner, when Dad had +lighted his cigar, and Blakely his cigarette, it all came out. + +"Tom!" + +"Yes, my boy." (I think Dad loved to hear Blakely say Tom almost as +much as I loved to hear him say Elizabeth.) + +"Tom, I've got you and Elizabeth into a deuce of an unpleasant +position. I've told you what a fine woman my mother is, and how +she'd welcome Elizabeth with open arms, and now I find I was all +wrong. My mother isn't a fine woman; she's an ancestor-worshiping, +heartless, selfish snob. I'm ashamed of her, Tom. She refuses to +meet Elizabeth." + + + + +Chapter Seven + + +I never was so sorry for anybody in my whole life as I was for +Blakely; I would have done anything to have saved him the bitterness +and humiliation of that moment. As for Dad, he couldn't understand +it at all. That Blakely's mother should refuse to meet his Elizabeth +was quite beyond his comprehension. + +"This is very strange," he said, "very strange. There must be some +mistake. Why shouldn't she meet Elizabeth?" + +"There is no reason in the world," Blakely answered. + +"Then why--?" + +"She probably has other plans for her son, Daddy dear," I said. "And +no doubt she has heard that we're fearfully vulgar." + +"Well, we ain't," said Dad in a relieved voice; "and as for those +plans of hers, I reckon she'll have to outgrow them. Buck up, my +boy! One look at Elizabeth will show her she's mistaken." + +"You don't know my mother," Blakely replied; "I feel that I haven't +known her till now. It's out of the question, our staying here after +what has happened. Let's go up to Del Monte, and let's not wait four +months for the wedding. Why can't we be married this week? I'm done +with my mother and with the whole tribe of Porters; they're not my +kind, and you and Elizabeth are." + +"Tom, I never felt, that I had a father till I found you. Elizabeth, +girl, I never knew what happiness was till you told me you loved me. +My mother says she would never consent to her son's marrying the +daughter of a man who has kept a livery-stable. I say that I'm done +with a family that made its money out of whisky. My mother's father +was a distiller, her grandfather was a distiller, and if there's any +shame, it's mine, for by all the standards of decency, a livery-stable +is a hundred times more respectable than a warehouse full of +whisky. You made your money honestly, but ours has been wrung out of +the poor, the sick, the ragged, the distressed. The whisky business +is a rotten business, Tom, rotten!" + +"It was whisky that bought an ambassadorship for my mother's +brother; it was whisky that paid for the French count my sister +married; it was whisky that sent me to college. Whisky, +whisky--always whisky!" + +"I never thought twice about it before, but I've done some tall +thinking today. I'm done with the Porters, root and branch. +Elizabeth and I are going to start a little family tree, of our own, +and we're not going to root it in a whisky barrel, either. +We're--we're--" + +"There, there!" said Dad. "It's all right, Blakely, boy. It ain't so +bad as you think. You ain't going to throw your mother over and your +mother ain't going to throw you over. I take it that all mothers are +alike; they love their sons. Naturally, you're sore and disappointed +now, but I reckon that mother of yours is sore and disappointed, +too. As for our going to Del Monte, I never heard of a Middleton yet +that cut and ran at a time like this, and Elizabeth and I ain't +going to start any precedent." + +"No, my boy, we're going to stay right here, and you're going to +stay here with us. There's lots of good times ahead for you and +Elizabeth, and in the meantime, I want you to be mighty sweet to +that mother of yours. She's the only mother you've got, boy. You +don't know what it means for us old folks to be disappointed in our +children. Now, don't disappoint me, lad. You be nice to that mother +of yours, and keep on loving Elizabeth, and it will all come right, +you see if it don't. If it don't come one way, it will come another; +you can take my word for it." As if Dad knew anything about it. He +thought then that every woman possessed a sweet mind and a loving +heart; he thinks so now. But one glimpse of Blakely's mother was +enough for me. She had a heart of stone; everything about her was +militant, uncompromising; her eyes were of a piercing, steely blue; +the gowns she wore were insolently elegant; she radiated a superb +self-satisfaction. When she looked at you through her lorgnette, you +felt as if you were on trial for your life. When she ceased looking, +you knew you were sentenced to mount the social scaffold. If it +hadn't been for Blakely and Dad, I should have died of rage during +the first two weeks of our stay in Santa Barbara. + +It was a cruel position for me, and it didn't make it easier that +before we had been there three days the whole hotel was talking +about it. Of course, every woman in the hotel who had been snubbed +by Blakely's mother instantly took my part, and as there were only +two women who hadn't been snubbed by her--Mrs. Tudor Carstairs and +Mrs. Sanderson-Spear--I was simply overwhelmed with unsolicited +advice and undesirable attention. Indeed, it was all I could do to +steer a dignified course between that uncompromising Scylla, +Blakely's mother, and the compromising Charybdis of my self-elected +champions. But I managed it, somehow. Dad bought me a stunning big +automobile in Los Angeles, and Blakely taught me how to run it; +then, Blakely was awfully fond of golf; and we spent loads of time +at the Country Club. And of course there was the palace on the hill +to be inspected every little while. + +Poor Blakely! How he did hate it all! Again and again he begged Dad +to give his consent to our marrying at once. But Dad, as unconscious +of what was going on round him as a two-months-old baby, would +always insist that everything would come out all right. + +"Give her time, my boy," he would say, "give her time. Your mother +isn't used to our Western way of rushing things, and she wants a +little time to get used to it." + +"What if she never gets used to it?" Blakely would ask. + +Then Dad would answer: "You're impatient, boy; all lovers are +impatient. Don't I know?" + +"But things can't go on this way forever." + +"Of course they can't," Dad would agree. "When I think things have +gone long enough, I'll have a little talk with your mother myself. +She's a dashed fine-looking woman, your mother--a dashed +fine-looking woman! Be patient with her, boy." + +Poor Dad! Blakely and I were resolved that he should never have that +little talk he spoke of with so much confidence. Ideals are awfully +in the way sometimes, but nobody with a speck of decency can bear to +stand by and see them destroyed. Dad's deals had to be preserved at +any price. + + + + +Chapter Eight + + +And so another two weeks passed. Then, one day, a comet of amazing +brilliancy shot suddenly into our social orbit, and things happened. +That this interesting stellar phenomenon was a Russian grand duke, a +nephew of the Czar, but added to the piquancy of the situation. + +The hotel was all in a flutter; the manager was beside himself with +joy; bell-boys danced jig steps in the corridors; chambermaids went +about with a distracted air--and all because the grand duke, +Alexander Melovich, was to arrive on the morrow. It was an +epoch-making event. It was better than a circus, for it was free. Copies +of the Almanach de Gotha appeared, as if by magic. Everybody was +interested. Everybody was charmed, until-- + +The rumor flew rapidly along the verandas. It was denied by the head +waiter, it was confirmed by the chief clerk; it was referred to the +manager himself and again confirmed. Alas, it was true! The Grand +Duke Alexander was coming, not to honor the hotel, but to honor Mrs. +Carmichael Porter; she would receive him as her guest, she would pay +the royal hotel bill, she would pay the bills of the royal suite. +Yes, Blakely's mother had captured the grand duke. + +A wave of indignation swept the columns of the rank and file. They +didn't want the grand duke themselves, but they didn't want +Blakely's mother to have him; Blakely's mother and Mrs. Sanderson-Spear, +and Mrs. Tudor Carstairs. In a way, it was better than a +comic opera; it was fearfully amusing. + +The grand duke, accompanied, according to the newspapers, "by the +Royal Suite and the Choicest Flower of San Francisco Society," +arrived on a special train direct from Del Monte. Having captured a +grand duke, these "Choicest Flowers" (ten in number) were loath to +lose him, so they accompanied him. They did more; they paid for the +special train. Blakely's mother greeted them, one and all, in a most +friendly manner. There was an aristocratic air about the whole +proceeding that was distinctly uplifting. + +And now began a round of gaieties, the first being a tea were real +Russian samovars were in evidence, and sandwiches of real Russian +caviar were served. Real Russian cigarettes were smoked, real +Russian vodka was sipped; the Czar's health was drunk; no bombs were +thrown, no bonds were offered for sale, the Russian loan was not +discussed; the Japanese servants were not present, having been given +a half holiday. Oh, it was a little triumph, that tea! Blakely's +mother was showered with congratulations. The "Choicest Flowers" +vied with one another in assurances of their distinguished approval. + +Indeed, they were all crazy about it--except the grand duke. Blakely +said the grand duke was bored to death, and that he had led him off +to the bar and given him a whisky-and-soda out of sheer pity. From +that time on the duke stuck to him like a postage stamp, so that +Blakely had an awful time escaping that night to dine with Dad and +me. He told us all about the tea at dinner, and I was surprised to +learn (I hadn't seen him yet) that the duke was just Blakely's age, +and, as Blakely put it, "a very decent sort." Not that there is any +reason why a grand duke shouldn't be a decent sort, but Rumor was +busy just then proclaiming that this particular grand duke was a +perfect pig. + +The next day I had a chance to judge for myself. It seems the duke +noticed me as I got into my automobile for my morning ride, and +after finding out who I was, sent for Blakely and demanded that I be +presented to him. + +Blakely was awfully angry. He said: "Look here, I don't know what +you've been used to, but in this country, where a man wishes to meet +a young lady, he asks to be presented to her. Not only that, but he +doesn't take it for granted that she'll be honored by the request. +Miss Middleton is my fiancee. I don't know whether she cares to meet +you or not. If she does, I'll let you know." The duke was terribly +mortified. He apologized beautifully. + +Then Blakely apologized for getting angry, and they became better +friends than ever, with the result that the duke was presented to me +that very afternoon. + +The Grand Duke Alexander was short and fat and fair, with a yellow +mustache of the Kaiser Wilhelm variety. It was rather a shock to me, +for I had expected a dashing black-haired person with flashing eyes +and a commanding presence. No, he wasn't at all my idea of what a +grand duke should look like; he looked much more like a little +brother to the ox (a well-bred, well-dressed, bath-loving little +brother, of course) than a member of an imperial family. Not that he +didn't have his points: he had nice hands and nice feet, and his +smile was charming. + +You should have seen his face light up when he found I spoke French. +The poor fellow wasn't a bit at home in the English language and the +eagerness with which he plunged into French was really pathetic. +Luckily, Blakely spoke French, too--not very well, but he understood +it lots better than he spoke it--so we three spent a pleasant hour +together on the veranda. Of course, in a way, it was a little +triumph for me; the women whom Blakely's mother had snubbed enjoyed +the sight immensely, and when she appeared, accompanied by Mrs. +Sanderson-Spear and some of the "Choicest Flowers," and saw what was +happening to her duke, she was too angry for words. Heavens, how +that woman did hate me that afternoon! + +The next morning six more "Choicest Flowers" arrived from San +Francisco (rare orchids whose grandfathers had come over from +Ireland in the steerage). The third son of an English baronet who +owned a chicken-ranch near Los Angeles and a German count who sold +Rhine wines to the best families also appeared; for that night +Blakely's mother was to give such a dinner as had never before been +given in Santa Barbara. + +Under the heading: + +SANTA BARBARA NOW THE MOST COSMOPOLITAN CITY IN AMERICA + +an enterprising Los Angeles newspaper devoted a whole page to the +coming event. Adjective was piled on adjective, split infinitive on +split infinitive. The dinner was to be given in the ballroom of the +hotel.... The bank accounts of the assembled guests would total +$400,000,000.... The terrapin had been specially imported from +Baltimore.... The decorations were to be magnificent beyond the +wildest dream.... The duke was to sit on the right of his +hostess.... Mr. Sanderson-Spear, the Pierpont Morgan of +Pennsylvania, who would arrive that morning from Pittsburg in his +private car, would sit on her left.... Count Boris Beljaski, +intimate friend and traveling companion of the grand duke, would +appear in the uniform of the imperial guard.... The Baroness +Reinstadt was hurrying from San Diego, in her automobile.... As a +winter resort, Santa Barbara was, as usual, eclipsing Florida, +etc., ... Blakely and I read the paper together; we laughed over it +till we cried. + +"It would be lots funnier if it wasn't my mother who was making such +a holy show of herself," Blakely said. "Do you know, my dear--" + +He was silent for a moment. When he did speak, there was a wicked +gleam in his eyes. "By Jove," he cried, "I'll do it!" + +"Do what?" I asked. + +"Oh, nothing much. I'll tell you all about it later--if there's +anything to tell. Now I must run away. Good-by, dear." + + + + +Chapter Nine + + +At a quarter to four I received a note from Blakely saying it would +be impossible for him to come in to tea as he had planned. It was +the first time he had ever broken an engagement with me, and I was a +wee bit unhappy over it, though I knew, of course, there must be +some good reason why he couldn't come. Still, his absence rather put +me out of humor with tea, so I sent Valentine for a box of +chocolates. When she returned I sat down with them and a novel, +prepared to spend the rest of the afternoon alone. + +The novel wasn't half as silly as some I've read--the hero reminded +me of Blakely--and the chocolates were unusually good; I was having +a much better time than I had expected. Then some one knocked at the +door. + +"Bother!" I thought. "It can't be anybody I wish to see; I'll not +let them in." + +The knock, was repeated. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe +Blakely had changed his plans and had come for tea after all. + +"Come in," I called. + +The door opened slowly, and there, standing on the threshold, +was-- Had I gone quite mad? I rose from my chair and stared +unbelievingly--at Blakely's mother. + +"May I come in?" she asked in her even, well-bred voice. + +"Why--yes," I faltered. + +Closing the door behind her, she walked over to the fireplace. + +"Won't you sit down?" I asked. "No, I thank you. This is not an +afternoon call, Miss Middleton, it is--But of course you +understand." + +I didn't understand at all, and her manner of saying I did made me +furious. + +"Perhaps I am very stupid," I said, "but I cannot imagine why you +are here." + +"Do you know where my son is?" + +"I do not." + +"You have no idea?" + +"I have no idea where your son is, nor why you are here." + +She eyed me intently. How cold and determined she looked and how +handsome she was. + +"If I thought you were telling the truth--" + +"Mrs. Porter!" + +She handed me a letter. "Please read that," she said. + +"I will not read it," I replied. "I must beg that you leave me." + +"There, there, child, I did not mean to be rude." + +"You are more than rude, you are insolent." + +"I am distracted, child. Please read the letter." + +"Very well," I said, "I'll read it." + +This was the letter: + + +"MY DEAR MOTHER: This will be handed to you at four o'clock. At +that hour I shall be in Ventura, accompanied by the Grand Duke +Alexander, and, as we are making the trip by automobile, it may be +that we shall neither of us return in time for your dinner this +evening." + +"If, however, on reading this you will wire me at Ventura your full +consent to my marriage with Miss Middleton, I think I can guarantee +that your dinner party will be a success." + +"I shall be in Ventura till half past four. Should I fail to hear +from you by that time, we shall continue our journey toward Los +Angeles as fast as our six-cylinders will take us." + +"It grieves me more than I can tell you to employ this cavalier +method against you, but my softer appeals have been in vain." + +"While not a party to the plot, the duke, I find is something of a +philosopher; I do not look for any resistance on his part. If he +does resist, so much the worse for him." + +"Your affectionate son, BLAKELY PORTER." + +"P. S. Please do not think that Miss Middleton has any knowledge of +this plan. She has not." + +"P. S. Remember! We leave Ventura for Los Angeles at 4:50 p.m. +sharp." + + +"Mrs. Porter," I said when I had finished reading the letter, "I am +deeply humiliated that Blakely should have done this." + +"Still, I suppose you would marry him if I gave my consent." + +"I would not," I replied hotly. "I might marry him without your +consent, for I love him dearly; but I would never consider you had +given your consent if it were forced from you by trickery." + +"You wouldn't?" + +"I would not." + +"But if he doesn't bring the duke back my dinner will be ruined." + +"I will telegraph him myself," I said. + +"Supposing he won't come?" + +"Blakely will come if I ask him to." + +"And you will do this for me?" + +"No; I am not doing it for you." + +"Then why--" + +"Because I cannot bear to have Blakely act so ungenerously toward +his mother." + +"He has but used my own weapons against me," she remarked +thoughtfully. + +"Your weapons are quite unworthy of him, Mrs. Porter." "The telegram +must be dispatched at once," she announced, glancing impatiently at +her watch. + +"If you will call the office and ask them to send up a boy with some +forms, I will think over what I wish to say," I said. + +When the boy arrived I had decided upon my message. It was: + + +"BLAKELY PORTER, Ventura." + +"If you do not return at once with your captive I shall consider +that we have never met." + +"ELIZABETH." + + +I wrote it out on a form and handed it to Mrs. Porter. "Will that +do?" I asked. + +She read it at a glance. "Yes," she said, "it will do. Here, boy, +see that this is rushed." + +"I'm glad it was satisfactory," I said. "Good afternoon, Mrs. +Porter." + +"My dear girl....." + +"Good afternoon, Mrs. Porter." + +Still she did not go. I realized her predicament, and was childish +enough to enjoy it, for Blakely's mother could not bear to accept a +favor from a social inferior. Had I been a child, she would have +patted me on the head and presented me with a sugar plum. As matters +stood she was quite at sea; she wished to do something gracious--she +didn't know how. + +To make her position more impossible, who should come stalking into +the room but Dad,--dear, unsuspecting Dad. When he saw Mrs. Porter +he immediately jumped at a whole row of conclusions. + +"Well, well well!" he said. "This is a sight that does me good. I'm +very glad indeed to see you, Mrs. Porter. Your son has had an idea +that you were opposed to meeting Elizabeth; but I knew he couldn't +be right. And here you are; calling on her? Well, well, well! +Elizabeth, haven't you any tea to offer Blakely's mother!" + +"Mrs. Porter was just leaving," I managed to say. "She has been here +some time." + +Dad beamed on us both. + +"I told Blakely, Elizabeth couldn't marry him until you consented," +he blundered on, "but now I suppose it is all arranged. These +children of ours are wonderfully impatient. I'm as fond of Blakely +as if he were my own son, and you'll feel the same about Elizabeth +when you've known her longer." + +"Don't let Dad keep you, Mrs. Porter," I said. "I'm sure you have +many things to attend to." + +Blakely's mother who had been standing like one in a dream, now woke +up. + +"Yes," she said, "I must be going. I called informally on Elizabeth +to beg you both to come to my dinner to-night." + +"I told her we couldn't possibly come," I began. "Nonsense! Of +course we can come," Dad declared. "It will quite upset Blakely if +you don't come, and I shall be so disappointed." + +"There, there," said Dad, "you're not going to disappoint Blakely's +mother by refusing." + +"No," I replied. "If Mrs. Porter really wants us we shall be +delighted to come." + +"If either of you fails me it will make me most unhappy," she said, +and there was a note of sincerity, in her voice that was +unmistakable. + +"Thank you," I murmured. "We shall not fail you." + + + + +Chapter Ten + + +When Blakely returned with the grand duke, he came straight to me. +What he expected was an explanation; what he actually received was +the worst scolding of his life. But the poor boy was so apologetic +and so humble, I finally relented, and kissed him, and told him all +about his mother's call, and its surprising consequences. + +"I suppose I should be grateful," I said, "but the idea of going to +the ducal dinner fills me with rage." + +"Let's be ill, and dine together." + +"I can't, I've given my word. And then there's Dad; he feels now +that all the prophecies he has uttered in regard to your mother have +at last come true. It's only my wicked pride that's talking, dear. +Please don't pay any attention to it." + +And then Blakely said one of the sweetest things he ever said to me. +Of course, it wasn't true but it made me so happy. "Dearest," he +said "everything I should love best to be, you are." + +Before dressing for dinner, Dad came to my room "to talk things +over," as he put it. He was so superbly satisfied with himself and +the world, I could hardly forbear a smile. + +"Naturally, I should be the last person to say 'I told you so', +Elizabeth, but you see what patience has done. It is always best to +be patient, my child." + +"Yes, Dad." "Blakely's mother has acted very handsomely toward us, +considering--" + +"Very handsomely, CONSIDERING," I agreed. + +"And we must try to meet her half way." "Yes, Dad." + +"No doubt she had her reasons for behaving as she did." + +"I'm sure of it." + +"You see, my dear, I've understood the situation from the very +first." + +"You sweet old simpleton, of course you have! But here it is half +past seven, and you haven't begun to dress. Be off with you." + +Although, at first, I had felt it would be all but impossible for me +to attend Mrs. Porter's dinner, my talk with Blakely had so raised +my spirits that now I was able to face the ordeal with something +very like serenity. What did it matter? What did anything matter, so +long as Blakely loved me? Then, too, I knew I was looking my very +best; my white lace gown was a dream; Valentine had never done my +hair so becomingly. + +When Blakely called at our rooms for Dad and me, I was not at all +unhappy. And the dear boy was so relieved to see it! I will confess, +however, to one moment of real terror as we approached the drawing +room where we were to join our hostess. But her greeting was most +cordial and reassuring. And when she begged me to stand up with her, +and help her receive her guests, I almost felt at home, for I knew +it meant her surrender was unconditional. + +After, that, it was like a beautiful dream. Except that some of the +"Choicest Flowers" of San Francisco society were fearfully and +fashionably late, nothing occurred to disturb the social atmosphere. +And when, on entering the dining room, I saw how the guests were +placed, I could have hugged Blakely's mother. For where do you +suppose she had put Dad? On her left! Of course the duke, as guest +of honor, was on her right; and I sat next to the duke, and Blakely +sat next to me. + +By placing us so, Mrs. Porter had supplied the balance of the table +with a topic of conversation, always a desirable addition to a +dinner party; I noted with amusement the lifted eyebrows, the +expressions of wonder and resentment on the faces of some of the +guests. Nor did it seem to add to their pleasure that their hostess +devoted herself to Dad, while the duke and Blakely developed a +spirited, though friendly, rivalry as to which should monopolize +little Mimi. + +But the real sensation was to occur when the champagne was poured. +(I could hardly believe my eyes, of my ears, either). For who should +rise in his place but Dad! Yes, there he stood, the old darling, a +brimming champagne glass in his hand, a beatific expression on his +face. And this is what he was saying: + +"Our hostess has asked me to do something, which is to announce the +engagement of my daughter and her son. Let us drink to their +happiness." + +"Bravo!" cried the Duke. "I give the American three cheers: Rah, +rah, rah!" "How delightfully boyish the dear Duke is," observed Mrs. +Sanderson-Spear, beaming at him from across the table. + +"So ingenious, I mean so ingenuous," assented a languid lady from +San Francisco. "But we must stand up; toute le monde is standing up, +my dear." + +And so it was, standing up to drink our healths, Blakely's and mine, +while Blakely held my hand under the table. + +"Bravo!" cried the Duke. "It ees delightful. I cannot make the +speech, mais, mademoiselle, monsieur--I drink your health." He +drained his glass, then flung it, with a magnificent gesture, over +his shoulder. "It ees so we drink to royalty," he said. + +Such a noble example naturally had its effect; there followed a +perfect shower of glasses. Indeed, I think every one at table +indulged in this pretty piece of extravagance except the third son +of an English baronet, who was too busy explaining how it was done +at home: "Purely a British custom, you understand--the wardroom of a +man-of-war, d'ye see.--They were officers of a Scotch regiment, and +they drank it standing on their chairs, with one foot on the table. +And, by gad, I didn't care for it!"--No doubt I should have learned +more concerning this purely British custom if the Pierpont Morgan of +Pennsylvania hadn't called on Blakely for a speech, just then. Poor +Blakely! He didn't know at all how to make a speech. Thought I must +say I was rather glad of it; the most tiresome thing about Americans +is their eternal speechmaking, I think. + +Blakely having faltered his few words of thanks, some one proposed +the duke's health; but that had to wait till new glasses were +brought in and filled. Altogether, then, instead of being a solemn, +dignified affair, such as one might have expected, it was a +tremendously jolly dinner--a little rowdy, perhaps, but delightfully +friendly. If I had entered the dining room as Old Tom Middleton's +daughter, "who actually used to live over a livery stable, my dear," +it was not so I left it; for the nimbus of the sacred name of Porter +had already begun to shed its beautiful light on my many graces and +social accomplishments. Indeed, when I retired with my hostess to +the drawing room, it was to hold a sort of reception; Mrs. Tudor +Carstairs vied with Mrs. Sanderson-Spear in assurances of regard, +"Choicest Flowers" expressed approval, the German baroness, bless +her, conferred the distinction of a motherly kiss. And Blakely's +mother was so gracious, so kind and considerate, it was hard to +believe we had faced each other, five hours before, with something +very like hatred in our eyes. + +When Blakely and Dad, and the other men joined us, I was so happy I +could have kicked both my slippers to the ceiling. I might have +disgraced myself doing it, too, if the third son of the English +baronet hadn't come up just then to felicitate me. He would have +done it charmingly if he hadn't felt constrained to add that +Americans always say "dook" instead of "duke," that nobody present +seemed to realize the proper way to address a nephew of the Czar was +to call him Monseigneur, that the Olympic games in London had been +conducted admirably, arid that he didn't believe in marriage, +anyway. + +But the sweetest thing to me of all that wonderful evening was to +see the love and gratitude in Blakely's eyes when he looked at his +mother; for a man who doesn't love his mother misses much, and I +love Blakely so tenderly, I couldn't bear to have him miss the last +then that makes for contentment and happiness. + + + + +Chapter Eleven + + +When I awoke, late next morning, it was to find myself, if not +famous, at least conspicuous; in the Los Angeles newspaper Valentine +brought me with my coffee, much space was devoted to the ducal +dinner. + +GRAND DUKE SMASHES CHAMPAGNE GLASSES + +Miss Middleton Toasted in Truly Royal Fashion by Distinguished +Nephew of Russia's Reigning Czar. + +Brilliant Dinner Reaches Climax in Shower of Costly Crystal While +Hostess Smiles Approval. + +Disgusting as it was, I couldn't help laughing at the pen-and-ink +sketch which accompanied it--a sketch of the duke, with crowned +head, and breast covered with decorations, smiling fatuously from +within a rakish border of broken champagne glasses. + +But there was worse to come. On another page under the heading: + +WHIRLWIND WOOING WINS WESTERN GIRL + +a distorted Cupid supported pictures of Blakely and me, while +beneath our pictures, a most fulsome chronicle of untruths was +presented. "Mr. Porter first met his fiancee on shipboard..... +Being of that fine old New York stock which never takes 'no' for an +answer, he followed her to Santa Barbara..... If rumor is to be +credited, the Grand Duke Alexander, as well as Cupid, was concerned +in this singularly up-to-date love affair..... Mr. Porter's sister, +the Countess de Bienville, is a well-known leader in exclusive +Parisian circles..... Miss Middleton an only daughter of Thomas +Middleton, the mining magnate..... Although slightly indisposed, +His Imperial Highness granted an interview to our representative +late last evening. If the time-worn adage, in vino veritas, is to be +believed; it is certain that the wedding will not only take place +soon, but that the favorite nephew of the Czar of all the Russias +will himself appear in this charming romance of throbbing hearts, +playing the role of best man." + +It was really too dreadful; my cheeks burned with mortification and +anger. + +People had assured me the horrid little American newspaper published +in Paris was not typical of America--that it was no more than a paid +panderer to seekers after notoriety. Yet here in California, my own +dear California, a newspaper had dared print my picture without my +consent, had thrown its ugly light on the sweet story of my love +serving it up in yellow paragraphs for the benefit of the bootblack, +the butcher, the waiter in cheap restaurants. What a hideous world! + +Pleading a sick headache, I stayed in my room till tea time. + +We had tea at five, Blakely and I, on the roof of the hotel. I +looked across the channel to the distant islands, followed the sweet +contour of the shore, watched the aimless flight of sea-gulls; +turning, I scanned the friendly hills, the mountains painted in the +tender colors of late afternoon--I looked into Blakely's eyes. It +was a beautiful world, after all. "Let's try and forget that awful +newspaper," I said. + +"I forgot it long ago, dear." + +"You also seem to have forgotten that some one may appear any +minute." + +"Let's try and forget that some one may appear any minute." + +"I can't." + +"You shouldn't say 'I can't,' Elizabeth; you should say 'I'll try'." + +It is really surprising what one can do when one tries. + + + + +Chapter Twelve + + +"What would we have done with-out the duke`?" I murmured a moment +later. + +"There's a more important question than that to be answered," said +Blakely; "we have still to decide what we shall do with the duke." + +"I don't understand." + +"It's my charming way of breaking news gently, sweetheart." + +"Bad news?" + +"Not exactly. It may annoy you." + +"It annoys me that you seems afraid to tell it," I said. + +"I'm not afraid, not the least bit. I'm a little ashamed, though. +You see mother is....." + +"Don't dare adopt an apologizing attitude towards your mother. +Hasn't she done everything in the world for us?" + +"There are some things one would rather do for oneself, girlie. I +had quite set my heart on Perry Arnold being best man at our +wedding." + +"And so he shall be." + +"I wrote him a week ago, and his answer came this morning. He was +delighted, poor chap! He's in Denver, now, and could be here in +three days." "You won't need him for three months," I warned. "But +why can't you have him, dear?" + +"Because mother has already engaged the duke in that capacity." + +"Not really?" + +"It's the gospel truth. Perry will think me no end of a snob. I +won't know what explanation to make." + +"Nonsense! I'll explain it to him myself." + +"Then you feel I ought to accept mother's arrangements?" + +"You must, if it will make her happy." + +"She assured me she would be most miserable if I didn't." + +"Then it's settled," I said. + +"That's not all, Elizabeth; the duke is sailing for Japan on the +twenty-sixth of February." + +"And this is the twentieth!" I gasped. + +"Yes, sweetheart. And mother has arranged our wedding for the +twenty-fourth." + +I was silent from sheer indignation. + +"I told mother you wouldn't like it. But will you.....? Do you.....? +Would you mind very much being married on the twenty-fourth?" + +"Would you mind?" I asked. + +"Mind? I should love it above everything! Life is so uncertain, each +day is so precious, and I've waited so long for you, Elizabeth." + +"You've only known me a little over a month." + +"But I've waited years for you;" + +"Yes," I said, "I believe you have: It shall be as you wish, dear." + +And then, as a woman's greatest happiness lies in making the man she +loves happy, and as no one ever looked so radiantly happy as +Blakely, I was so glad I had said "yes," I didn't know what to do. + +But Blakely knew exactly what to do; he kissed me. + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Cupid's Understudy, by Edward Salisbury Field + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CUPID'S UNDERSTUDY *** + +***** This file should be named 3602.txt or 3602.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/0/3602/ + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.05/20/01*END* +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + + + + + +This etext was produced by Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + +CUPID'S UNDERSTUDY + +by Edward Salisbury Field + + + + +Chapter One + + +If Dad had been a coal baron, like Mr. Tudor Carstairs, or a stock- +watering captain of industry, like Mrs. Sanderson-Spear's husband, +or descended from a long line of whisky distillers, like Mrs. +Carmichael Porter, why, then his little Elizabeth would have been +allowed the to sit in seat of the scornful with the rest of the Four +Hundred, and this story would never have been written. But Dad +wasn't any of these things; he was just an old love who had made +seven million dollars by the luckiest fluke in the world. + +Everybody in southern California knew it was a fluke, too, so the +seven millions came in for all the respect that would otherwise have +fallen to Dad. Of course we were celebrities, in a way, but in a +very horrid way. Dad was Old Tom Middleton, who used to keep a +livery-stable in San Bernardino, and I was Old Tom Middleton's girl, +"who actually used to live over a livery-stable, my dear!" It sounds +fearfully sordid, doesn't it? + +But it wasn't sordid, really, for I never actually lived over a +stable. Indeed, we had the sweetest cottage in all San Bernardino. I +remember it so well: the long, cool porch, the wonderful gold-of- +Ophir roses, the honeysuckle where the linnets nested, the mocking +birds that sang all night long; the perfume of the jasmine, of the +orange-blossoms, the pink flame of the peach trees in April, the +ever-changing color of the mountains. And I remember Ninette, my +little Creole mother, gay as a butterfly, carefree as a meadow-lark. +'Twas she who planted the jasmine. + +My little mother died when I was seven years old. Dad and I and my +old black mammy, Rachel, stayed on in the cottage. The mocking-birds +still sang, and the linnets still nested in the honeysuckle, but +nothing was ever quite the same again. It was like a different +world; it was a different world. There were gold-of-Ophir roses, +and, peach blossoms in April, but there was no more jasmine; Dad had +it all dug up. To this day he turns pale at the sight of it--poor +Dad! + +When I was twelve years old, Dad sold out his hardware business, +intending to put his money in an orange grove at Riverside, but the +nicest livery-stable in San Bernardino happened to be for sale just +then, so he bought that instead, for he was always crazy about +horses. + +To see me trotting about in Paquin gowns and Doucet models, you'd +never think I owed them to three owlish little burros, would you? +But it's a fact. When Dad took over the livery-stable, he found he +was the proud possessor of three donkeys, as well as some twenty-odd +horses, and a dozen or so buggies, buckboards and surries. The +burros ate their solemn heads off all winter, but in May it had been +the custom to send them to Strawberry Valley in charge of a Mexican +who hired them out to the boarders at the summer hotel there. +Luckily for us, when Fortune came stalking down the main street of +San Bernardino to knock at the door of the Golden Eagle Stables, +both dad and the burros were at home. If either had been out, we +might be poor this very minute. + +It is generally understood that when Fortune goes a-visiting, she +goes disguised, so it's small wonder Dad didn't recognize her at +first. She wasn't even a "her"; she was a he, a great, awkward Swede +with mouse-colored hair and a Yon Yonsen accent--you know the kind-- +slow to anger; slow to everything, without "j" in his alphabet--by +the name of Olaf Knutsen. + +Now Olaf was a dreamer. Not the conventional sort of a dreamer, who +sees beauty in everything but an honest day's work, but a brawny, +pick-swinging dreamer who had dug holes in the ground at the end of +many rainbows. That he had never yet uncovered the elusive pot of +gold didn't seem to bother him in the least; for him, that tender +plant called Hope flowered perennially. And now he was bent on +following another rainbow; a rainbow which; arching over the +mountains, ended in that arid, pitiless waste known in the south +country as Death Valley. + +He wouldn't fail this time. No, by Yimminy! With Dad's three burros, +and plenty of bacon and beans and water--it was to be a grub-stake, +of course--he would make both their fortunes. And the beautiful part +about it was, he did. + +No doubt you have heard of the famous Golden Eagle mine. Well, +that's what Olaf and the three burros found in Death Valley. Good +old Olaf! He named the mine after Dad's livery-stable in San +Bernardino, and he insisted on keeping only a half interest, even +though Dad fought him about it. You see, Dad didn't have the +reputation of being the squarest man in San Bernardino for nothing. + + + + +Chapter Two + + +My mother's family had never approved of her marriage with Dad, but +Dad, poor and running a hardware shop or a livery-stable, and Dad +with a fortune in his hands were two very different people--from +their standpoint, at least; so as soon as Olaf and the three burros +struck it rich, Dad sold his livery-stable, and mammy Rachel and I +were bundled off to Ninette's relations in New Orleans. I didn't +like it a bit at first, but one can get used to anything in time. +Ninette's maiden sister, Miss Marie Madeline Antoinette Hortense +Prevost, was awfully nice to me; so was grandmere Prevost. I lived +with them till I was sixteen, when I was sent to France. + +If I wanted to (and you would let me) I could personally conduct you +to Paris, where if you were ten feet tall and not averse to staring, +you could look over a certain gray stone wall on the Boulevard des +Invalides, and see me pacing sedately up and down the gravel walks +in the garden of the Convent of the Sacred Heart. That is, you could +have seen me three years ago. I'm not there now, thank goodness! I'm +in California. + +And just one word before we go any further any further. I don't want +you to think for a minute that I came back from Paris a little +Frenchified miss. No, indeed! I'm as American as they make them. +When I boasted to the other girls, whether in Paris or New Orleans, +I always boasted about two things: Dad and California. And I've an +idea I'll go on boasting about them till my dying day. + +Of course, when I returned from Paris, Dad met me in New York. It +was a good thing he was rich, for it took a lot of money to get me +and my seven trunks through the custom-house. It might have taken +more, though, if it hadn't been for a young man who came over on the +same boat. + +He was such a good-looking young man; tall and broad-shouldered and +fair, with light-brown hair, and the nicest eyes you ever saw. It +wasn't their color so much (his eyes were blue) as the way they +looked at you that made them so attractive. He was awfully well +bred, too! He noticed me a lot on the boat (I had a perfect love of +a Redfern coat to wear on deck), but he didn't try to scrape +acquaintance with me. He worshipped from afar (a woman can always +tell when a man's thinking about her), and while I wouldn't have had +him act otherwise for the world, I was crazy to have him speak to +me. + +Our boat docked at Hoboken, and by tipping right and left I managed +to be the very first passenger down the gangway. I half ran, half +slid, but I landed in Dad's arms. + +My boxes and bags passed through the custom-house with flying +colors. But my trunks--I couldn't even find them all. Five of them +were stacked in the "M" division, but the other two. . . . Then +there was my maid's trunk to look for under the "V's" (her name is +Valentine). Dad and I were commencing at "A," prepared to got +through the whole alphabet, if necessary, when the nice young man +stepped up and, raising his hat, asked if he might be of any +service. He asked Dad, but he looked at me. + +"Oh, If you please!" I said "I've lost two trunks. My brand is a +white, 'M' in a red circle." + +"I noticed them in the 'R' pile" he replied. "I'll have them moved +to the 'M's' right away." + +"Now that's what I call being decent," said Dad, as soon as the +young man had left us. "Did you notice, he didn't wear a uniform? +Probably an inspector, or something of the sort, eh, Elizabeth?" + +"Well--er--not exactly," I managed to say. "The fact is, Dad, he +came over on the boat with me, and--" + +Dad looked thoughtful. + +"He never spoke to me once the whole trip," I added hastily. + +Dad looked less thoughtful. + +"It was nice of him to wait till I had you with me, wasn't it?" + +Dad smiled. "If you think it was, it probably was, my dear," he +said. + + + + +Chapter Three + + +The nice young man did more than find my missing trunks; he found a +custom-house officer, and, after asking me privately which trunks +contained my most valuable possessions and how much I had thought of +declaring, he succeeded in having them passed through on my own +valuation without any undue exposure of their contents. + +By this time Dad had grown very respectful. To see his little +Elizabeth treated like a queen, while on all sides angry women were +having their best gowns pawed over and mussed; was a most wholesome +lesson. He paid the thousand and odd dollars duty like a little man. + +We'd been saved a lot of bother, and nobody hates a lot of bother +more than Dad. So when the trunks were locked and strapped and ready +to be sent to our hotel, Dad went up to the nice young man and said: +"I'm Tom Middleton, from California, and this is my daughter +Elizabeth. We're both very grateful to you, and if you should ever +happen to come to California, I hope you'll look us up." + +That's Dad all over! + +I never saw anybody look so pleased as the young man: "My name's +Porter," he said, "Blakely Porter. If my mother were in New York I +would ask if she might call on Miss Middleton, but, as it happens, +she's in California, where I intend to join her, so I shall look +forward to seeing you there." + +Then Dad did just the right thing. "What's the use of waiting till +we get to California?" he said. "Why not dine with us to-night!" + +There are people, merely conventional people, who could never +appreciate the fine directness and simplicity, of Dad's nature--not +if they lived to be a thousand years old. But Mr. Blakely Porter +understood perfectly; I know he did, for he told me so afterwards. +"It was the greatest compliment I ever had paid me in my life," he +said. "Your father knew nothing about me, absolutely nothing, yet he +invited me to dine with him--and you. It was splendid, splendid!" + +The dear boy didn't know, perhaps, that honesty shone in his eyes, +that one could not look at him and deny he was a gentleman. And, of +course, I didn't enlighten him, for it is well for men, +particularly, young men, to feel grateful, and the least bit humble; +it keeps them from being spoiled. + +But to return to the dinner invitation: Mr. Porter accepted it +eagerly. "It is more than kind of you," he said. "My mother is away, +and her house is closed. It is my first home-coming in four years, +and I should have been lonely to-night." + +And poor Dad, who has been lonely--oh, so lonely!--ever since +Ninette died, shook hands with him, and said: "If my daughter and I +can keep you from feeling lonely, we shall be so. glad. We are +stopping at The Plaza, and we dine at half past seven." + +Then Mr. Porter found us a taxi-cab, and away we went. + +It was good to be in America again. I made Dad stop the car, and +have the top put back, even though it was freezing cold, for I had +never been in New York before (when I'd gone to France, I had sailed +from New Orleans) and I wanted to see everything. The tall +buildings, the elevated, even the bad paving till we got to Fifth +Avenue, interested me immensely, as they would any one to whom. +Paris had been home, and New York a foreign city. Not that I had +ever thought of Paris as my real home; home was, where my heart was- +-with Dad. I tried to make him understand how, happy I was to be +with him, how I had missed him, and California. + +"So you missed your old father; did you, girlie?" + +"Yes, Dad." + +"And you'll be glad to go to California?" + +"Oh, so glad!" + +"Then," said Dad, "we'll start tomorrow." + +Our rooms at the hotel were perfect; there was a bed room and bath +for me a bed room and bath for Dad, with a sitting room between, all +facing the Park. And there were roses everywhere; huge American +Beauties, dear, wee, pink roses, roses of flaming red. I turned to +Dad, who was standing in the middle of the sitting room, beaming at +me. "You delightful old spendthrift!" I cried. "What do you mean by +buying millions of roses? And in the middle of January too! You +deserve to be disciplined, and you shall be." + +"Discipline is an excellent thing; even if it does disturb the set +of one's tie," Dad remarked thoughtfully, a moment later. + +"I couldn't help hugging you, Daddy." + +"My dear, that hug of yours was the sweetest thing that has happened +to your dad in many a long year." + +And then, of course, I had to hug him again. + +After luncheon (we had it in our sitting room) Dad asked if I would +enjoy a drive through the Park. + +"I should enjoy it immensely," I said, "but I can't possibly go." + +You see, there was a trunk to unpack, the one holding my prettiest +dinner gown. Of course Valentine was quite capable of attending to +the unpacking. Still, one likes to inspect everything one is to +wear, especially when one is expecting a guest to dinner. "Then," +said Dad, "I think I'll order dinner, and go for a walk., shall we +have dinner here?" + +"Oh, by all means! This is so much more homelike than a public +dining room." + +"I'll not be gone more than an hour or two. . . Hullo! Come in." + +A small boy entered, carrying a box quite as big as himself. "For +Miss Middleton," he said. + +"Another present from you, Dad?" + +"Open it, my dear." + +"I thought so," he remarked, as the removal of the cover displayed +more American Beauties. (There were five dozen;) I counted them +after Dad had gone. Another million roses and in the middle of +January! "Who's the spendthrift this time, Elizabeth?" + +"His name," I said, slipping a card: from the envelope that lay on a +huge bow of red ribbon, "is Mr. Blakely Porter." + +Although I know, now, there are many things more beautiful, I +believed, then, that nothing more beautiful had ever happened; for +it was the first time a man had ever sent me roses. Nineteen years +old, and my first roses! They made me so happy. Paris seemed very +far away; the convent was a mythical place I had seen in a dream; +nothing was real but Dad, and America, and the roses somebody, had +sent. Somebody! + + + + +Chapter Four + + +Mr. Porter arrived on time to the minute, looking perfectly splendid +in a wonderful furlined coat. And if his eyes were anxious, and his +manner a bit constrained at first, it didn't last long; Dad's +greeting was too cordial, not to make him feel at home. Indeed, he +talked delightfully all through dinner, and with the coffee, half +laughingly, half apologizingly told us the story of his life. "For," +said he, "although I feel as if I'd known you always," (he looked at +Dad, but I was sure he meant me, too) "you may not feel the same in +regard to me--and I want you to." + +It was sweet to see Dad grow almost boyish in his insistence that he +felt as Mr. Porter did. "Nonsense!" he said. "It seems the most +natural thing in the world to have you here. Doesn't it Elizabeth!" + +It was rather embarrassing to be asked such a question in Mr. +Porter's presence, but I managed to murmur a weak "Yes, indeed!" +Inside, though, I felt just as Dad did, and I was fearfully +interested in Mr. Porter's account of himself. I could see, too, +that he belittled the real things, and magnified the unimportant. +According to his narrative, the unimportant things were that he was +a civil engineer, that he had been in Peru building a railroad for +an English; syndicate, and that the railroad was now practically +completed; he seemed, however, to attach great importance to the +cable that had called him to London to appear before a board of +directors, for that had been the indirect means of his taking +passage on the same ship with me. Then there was the wonderful fact +that he was to see us in California. He had been in harness now for +four years, he said, and he felt as if he'd earned a vacation. At +all events, he meant to take one. + +As neither he nor Dad would hear of my leaving them to their cigars, +I sat by and listened, and loved it all, every minute of it. I +didn't know, then (I don't know to this day) whether I liked Mr. +Porter best for being so boyish, or so manly. But manly men who +retain all the enthusiasms of youth have a certain charm one likes +instinctively, I think. + +There is no doubt that Mr. Porter quite captivated Dad. "You make me +feel like a boy," he said, after listening to a delightfully +whimsical account of conditions in Peru. "By George, that's a +country for you! And Ecuador, I've always thought that must be an +interesting place. Have you ever been there?" + +Yes, Mr. Porter had been to Ecuador. And there was a certain rail- +road in India he had helped put through. India! Now that WAS a +place! Had Dad ever been to India? + +No, Dad had never been to India, but . . . "Good Lord, boy, how old +are you, anyway?" + +"Thirty-two." + +"Well, I never would have guessed it. Would you, Elizabeth?" + +This, too, was rather embarrassing, but I managed to say I thought +Mr. Porter didn't look a day over twenty-eight. + +"It's the life he leads," Dad declared with an air of +proprietorship--"out of doors all day long. It must be great!" + +"It IS interesting. But I think I like it best for what it has done +for one; you see, I was supposed to have lungs once, long ago. Now +I'm as sound as a dollar." + +"He looks it, doesn't he, Elizabeth!" + +If Dad hadn't been such a dear, I should have been annoyed by his +constant requests for my opinion where it was so obviously +unnecessary. But Dad is such a dear. To make it worse, Mr. Porter +seemed to consider that whether he was, or was not, as sound as a +dollar, depended entirely on my answer. + +"One would think I was a sort of supreme court from the way Dad +refers all questions to me. But I warn you, Mr. Porter; my 'yes' or +'no' makes little difference in his opinions." + +"You are my supreme court, and they do," declared Dad. + +"I'm sure they do," said Mr. Porter, + +"When the novelty of having me with you has worn off, you'll be your +same old domineering self, Daddy dear." + +"Domineering! Hear the minx! I'm a regular lamb, Porter. That +reminds me: When are you going to California!" + +"I hadn't thought. That is, I had thought . . . That is, I've wished +. . . I mean I've wondered . . . I hope you won't think me +presumptuous, Mr. Middleton, but I've wondered if you'd allow me to +go on the same train with you and Miss Middleton." + +"Why, my dear boy, we'd be delighted. Wouldn't we, Elizabeth!" + +Mr. Porter turned to me. "You see, Miss Middleton, you are the +supreme court, after all," his lips said. But his eyes told me why +he wanted to go on the same train with Dad and me, told me plainer +than words. Perhaps I should have remembered I had never spoken to +him till that morning, but . . . + +"The supreme court congratulates the inferior court on the wisdom of +its decision," I said, with an elaborate bow to Dad to hide my +confusion. + +"It's settled!" cried Dad. "This is quite the nicest thing that ever +happened," said Mr. Porter. "If only you knew how grateful I am. I +feel like--like giving three cheers, and tossing my hat in the air." + +"The inferior court rules against hat-tossing as irrelevant, +immaterial, and incompetent." + +"Ruling sustained," I said. + +"And they call this a free country!" + +"The newspapers don't. Read the newspapers my boy." + +"At any rate, I now belong to the privileged class. When do we +leave, Mr. Middleton?" + +"Elizabeth says to-morrow. We go by rather a slow train." + +"But why?" I began. + +"Because, my dear, an all-wise Providence has decreed that express +trains shall not haul private cars." + +"Oh, I say!" exclaimed Mr. Porter. "That makes all the difference in +the world." + +"Only a day's difference." + +"I mean . . ." + +"You're going as our guest, you know." + +"But really, Mr. Middleton, I never . . ." + +"Don't be absurd, my boy." + +"No," said Mr. Blakely Porter, "I won't be absurd. I shall be more +than glad to go as your guest." + +"That's the way it should be. Isn't it, Elizabeth!" + +"I didn't know you owned a private car, Dad." + +"Pshaw!" said Dad. "What's a private car?" + +I smiled at what I was pleased to term "Dad's magnificence," little +thinking I was soon to look on private cars as one of the most +delectable of modern inventions. + + + + +Chapter Five + + +Our train left Grand Central Station at two o'clock next afternoon; +it was bitter cold, I remember, and I drove to the station, +smothered in furs. But our car was wonderfully cozy and comfortable, +and it warmed my heart to see how proud Dad was of it: I must +inspect the kitchen; this was my stateroom, did I like it? I mustn't +judge Amos by his appearance, but the way he could cook--he was a +wonder at making griddle cakes. Did I still like griddle cakes? "And +do look at the books and magazines Mr. Porter brought. And a box of +chocolates, too. Wasn't it kind of him?" Dear Dad! He was like a +child with a new toy. + +I'm sure he enjoyed every minute of the trip. Mr. Porter played +cribbage with him (Dad adores cribbage) by the hour; they talked +railroads, and politics, and mining--I don't think Dad had been so +happy in years. I know I had never been so happy, for I was sure Mr. +Porter loved me. I couldn't help being sure; his heart was in his +eyes every time he looked at me. + +When we started from New York, we were Mr. Middleton, and Mr. +Porter, and Miss Middleton to one another; at Chicago, it was Tom, +and Blakely, and Miss Middleton; I became Elizabeth in Utah (I made +him call me that. And when we reached Nevada . . . + +It happened so naturally, so sweetly. Dad was taking a nap after +luncheon, and Blakely and I were sitting on the rear platform of our +car, the last car in the train. It was a heavenly day of blue sky +and sunshine; the desert was fresh from recent rain. And then a few, +dear, faltered words changed the desert into a garden that reached +to the rim of the world. + +"I love you. I didn't mean to tell you quite yet, but I . . . +I . . ." + +"I know. And it makes me so happy." + + . . . . . . + +You never saw anybody so delighted as Dad was when we told him. +"This makes me glad clear through," he said. "Blakely, boy, I +couldn't love you more if you were my own son. Elizabeth, girl, come +and kiss your old Daddy." + +"And you aren't surprised, Dad?" + +"Not a bit." + +"He's known I've loved you, all along. Haven't you, Tom?" + +"I may have suspected it." + +"But I'm sure he never dreamed I could possibly care for you," I +said. And then, because I was too happy to do anything else, I went +to my state-room, and had a good cry. + +I have read somewhere that Love would grow old were it not for the +tears of happy women. + + + + +Chapter Six + + +When we flew down the grade into California, everything seemed settled; +we were going to Santa Barbara where Dad was building a little palace +for his Elizabeth as a grand surprise (Blakely's mother was in Santa +Barbara); we would take rooms at the same hotel; I would be presented +to Mrs. Porter, and as soon as the palace on the hill was completed--a +matter of two or three months--Blakely, and Dad, and I would move into +it. Only, first, Blakely and I were going to San Bernardino on our +wedding trip. + +Wasn't that sweet of Blakely? When I told him about San Bernardino, +and the livery-stable, and the cottage where Dad and I used to live, +he said he'd rather spend our honeymoon there than any place in the +world. Of course Dad had never sold the cottage, and it was touching +to see how pleased he was with our plan. + +"You'll find everything in first-class condition," he said; "I go +there often myself. I built a little house in one corner of the +garden for the caretakers. You should see that gold-of-Ophir rose, +Elizabeth; it has grown beyond belief." + +When we reached Oakland--where our car had to be switched off and +attached to a coast line, train--we found we had four hours to kill, +so Dad and Blakely and I (it was Blakely's idea) caught the boat +across to San Francisco. + +What do you suppose that dear boy wanted us to go over there for? +And where do you suppose he took us? He took us straight to +Shreve's, and he and Dad spent a beautiful two hours in choosing an +engagement ring for me. So when we finally landed in Santa Barbara I +was wearing a perfect love of a ruby on the third finger of my left +hand. I was wearing my heart on my sleeve, too; I didn't care if all +the world saw that I adored Blakely. We arrived in Santa Barbara in +the morning, and it was arranged that Blakely should lunch with his +mother and devote himself to her during the afternoon, but he was to +dine with us in our rooms. Naturally, I had a lot to do, supervising +the unpacking of my clothes, and straightening things about in our +sitting-room so that it wouldn't look too hotelish. Then Dad +wouldn't be happy till I'd inspected my new palace on the hill. + +It was an alarming looking pile. If anybody but Dad had been +responsible for it, I should have said it was hideous. Poor old Dad! +He knows absolutely nothing about architecture. But of course I +raved over it, and, really, when I came to examine it closer, I +found it had its good points. Covered with vines, it would have been +actually beautiful. Virginia creeper grows like mad in California +and with English ivy and Lady Banksia roses to help out, I was sure +I could transform my palace into a perfect. bower in almost no time. +I was awfully glad I had seen it first, for now. I could break the +bad news gently to Blakely. If I were a man, I couldn't love a girl +who owned such a hideous house. + +But I didn't have a chance to talk house to Blakely for some time. +When he came in to dinner that night he looked awfully depressed; he +brightened up a lot, though, when he saw me. I had on my most +becoming gown, and Dad had ordered a grand dinner, including his own +special brand of Burgundy. If Dad knew as much about architecture as +he does about wine, they'd insist on his designing all the buildings +for the next world's fair. + +All through dinner Blakely wasn't quite himself--I could see it; I +think Dad saw it, too-but I knew he would tell us what was the +matter as soon as he had an opportunity. One, of the sweetest things +about Blakely is his perfect frankness. I couldn't love a man who +wasn't frank with me. That is, I suppose I could, but I should hate +to; it would break my heart. Well, after dinner, when Dad had +lighted his cigar, and Blakely his cigarette, it all came out. + +"Tom!" + +"Yes, my boy." (I think Dad loved to hear Blakely say Tom almost as +much as I loved to hear him say Elizabeth.) + +"Tom, I've got you and Elizabeth into a deuce of an unpleasant +position. I've told you what a fine woman my mother is, and how +she'd welcome Elizabeth with open arms, and now I find I was all +wrong. My mother isn't a fine woman; she's an ancestor-worshiping, +heartless, selfish snob. I'm ashamed of her, Tom. She refuses to +meet Elizabeth." + + + + +Chapter Seven + + +I never was so sorry for anybody in my whole life as I was for +Blakely; I would have done anything to have saved him the bitterness +and humiliation of that moment. As for Dad, he couldn't understand +it at all. That Blakely's mother should refuse to meet his Elizabeth +was quite beyond his comprehension. + +"This is very strange," he said, "very strange. There must be some +mistake. Why shouldn't she meet Elizabeth?" + +"There is no reason in the world," Blakely answered. + +"Then why--?" + +"She probably has other plans for her son, Daddy dear," I said. "And +no doubt she has heard that we're fearfully vulgar." + +"Well, we ain't," said Dad in a relieved voice; "and as for those +plans of hers, I reckon she'll have to outgrow them. Buck up, my +boy! One look at Elizabeth will show her she's mistaken" + +"You don't know my mother," Blakely replied; "I feel that I haven't +known her till now. It's out of the question, our staying here after +what has happened. Let's go up to Del Monte, and let's not wait four +months for the wedding. Why can't we be married this week? I'm done +with my mother and with the whole tribe of Porters; they're not my +kind, and you and Elizabeth are." + +"Tom, I never felt, that I had a father till I found you. Elizabeth, +girl, I never knew what happiness was till you told me you loved me. +My mother says she would never consent to her son's marrying the +daughter of a man who has kept a livery-stable. I say that I'm done +with a family that made its money out of whisky. My mother's father +was a distiller, her grandfather was a distiller, and if there's any +shame, it's mine, for by all the standards of decency, a livery- +stable is a hundred times more respectable than a warehouse full of +whisky. You made your money honestly, but ours has been wrung out of +the poor, the sick, the ragged, the distressed. The whisky business +is a rotten business, Tom, rotten!" + +"It was whisky that bought an ambassadorship for my mother's +brother; it was whisky that paid for the French count my sister +married; it was whisky that sent me to college. Whisky, whisky- +always whisky!" + +"I never thought twice about it before, but I've done some tall +thinking today. I'm done with the Porters, root and branch. +Elizabeth and I are going to start a little family tree, of our own, +and we're not going to root it in a whisky barrel, either. We're-- +we're--" + +"There, there!" said Dad. "It's all right, Blakely, boy. It ain't so +bad as you think. You ain't going to throw your mother over and your +mother ain't going to throw you over. I take it that all mothers are +alike; they love their sons. Naturally, you're sore and disappointed +now, but I reckon that mother of yours is sore and disappointed, +too. As for our going to Del Monte, I never heard of a Middleton yet +that cut and ran at a time like this, and Elizabeth and I ain't +going to start any precedent." + +"No, my boy, we're going to stay right here, and you're going to +stay here with us. There's lots of good times ahead for you and +Elizabeth, and in the meantime, I want you to be mighty sweet to +that mother of yours. She's the only mother you've got, boy. You +don't know what it means for us old folks to be disappointed in our +children. Now, don't disappoint me, lad. You be nice to that mother +of yours, and keep on loving Elizabeth, and it will all come right, +you see if it don't. If it don't come one way, it will come another; +you can take my word for it." As if Dad knew anything about it. He +thought then that every woman possessed a sweet mind and a loving +heart; he thinks so now. But one glimpse of Blakely's mother was +enough for me. She had a heart of stone; everything about her was +militant, uncompromising; her eyes were of a piercing, steely blue; +the gowns she wore were insolently elegant; she radiated a superb +self-satisfaction. When she looked at you through her lorgnette, you +felt as if you were on trial for your life. When she ceased looking, +you knew you were sentenced to mount the social scaffold. If it +hadn't been for Blakely and Dad, I should have died of rage during +the first two weeks of our stay in Santa Barbara. + +It was a cruel position for me, and it didn't make it easier that +before we had been there three days the whole hotel was talking +about it. Of course, every woman in the hotel who had been snubbed +by Blakely's mother instantly took my part, and as there were only +two women who hadn't been snubbed by her--Mrs. Tudor Carstairs and +Mrs. Sanderson-Spear--I was simply overwhelmed with unsolicited +advice and undesirable attention. Indeed, it was all I could do to +steer a dignified course between that uncompromising Scylla, +Blakely's mother, and the compromising Charybdis of my self-elected +champions. But I managed it, somehow. Dad bought me a stunning big +automobile in Los Angeles, and Blakely taught me how to run it; +then, Blakely was awfully fond of golf; and we spent loads of time +at the Country Club. And of course there was the palace on the hill +to be inspected every little while. + +Poor Blakely! How he did hate it all! Again and again he begged Dad +to give his consent to our marrying at once. But Dad, as unconscious +of what was going on round him as a two-months-old baby, would +always insist that everything would come out all right. + +"Give her time, my boy," he would say, "give her time. Your mother +isn't used to our Western way of rushing things, and she wants a +little time to get used to it." + +"What if she never gets used to it?" Blakely would ask. + +Then Dad would answer: "You're impatient, boy; all lovers are +impatient. Don't I know?" + +"But things can't go on this way forever." + +"Of course they can't," Dad would agree. "When I think things have +gone long enough, I'll have a little talk with your mother myself. +She's a dashed fine-looking woman, your mother--a dashed fine- +looking woman! Be patient with her, boy." + +Poor Dad! Blakely and I were resolved that he should never have that +little talk he spoke of with so much confidence. Ideals are awfully +in the way sometimes, but nobody with a speck of decency can bear to +stand by and see them destroyed. Dad's deals had to be preserved at +any price. + + + + +Chapter Eight + + +And so another two weeks passed. Then, one day, a comet of amazing +brilliancy shot suddenly into our social orbit, and things happened. +That this interesting stellar phenomenon was a Russian grand duke, a +nephew of the Czar, but added to the piquancy of the situation. + +The hotel was all in a flutter; the manager was beside himself with +joy; bell-boys danced jig steps in the corridors; chambermaids went +about with a distracted air--and all because the grand duke, +Alexander Melovich, was to arrive on the morrow. It was an epoch- +making event. It was better than a circus, for it was free. Copies +of the Almanach de Gotha appeared, as if by magic. Everybody was +interested. Everybody was charmed, until-- + +The rumor flew rapidly along the verandas. It was denied by the head +waiter, it was confirmed by the chief clerk; it was referred to the +manager himself and again confirmed. Alas, it was true! The Grand +Duke Alexander was coming, not to honor the hotel, but to honor Mrs. +Carmichael Porter; she would receive him as her guest, she would pay +the royal hotel bill, she would pay the bills of the royal suite. +Yes, Blakely's mother had captured the grand duke. + +A wave of indignation swept the columns of the rank and file. They +didn't want the grand duke themselves, but they didn't want +Blakely's mother to have him; Blakely's mother and Mrs. Sanderson- +Spear, and Mrs. Tudor Carstairs. In a way, it was better than a +comic opera; it was fearfully amusing. + +The grand duke, accompanied, according to the newspapers, "by the +Royal Suite and the Choicest Flower of San Francisco Society," +arrived on a special train direct from Del Monte. Having captured a +grand duke, these "Choicest Flowers" (ten in number) were loath to +lose him, so they accompanied him. They did more; they paid for the +special train. Blakely's mother greeted them, one and all, in a most +friendly manner. There was an aristocratic air about the whole +proceeding that was distinctly uplifting. + +And now began a round of gaieties, the first being a tea were real +Russian samovars were in evidence, and sandwiches of real Russian +caviar were served. Real Russian cigarettes were smoked, real +Russian vodka was sipped; the Czar's health was drunk; no bombs were +thrown, no bonds were offered for sale, the Russian loan was not +discussed; the Japanese servants were not present, having been given +a half holiday. Oh, it was a little triumph, that tea! Blakely's +mother was showered with congratulations. The "Choicest Flowers" +vied with one another in assurances of their distinguished approval. + +Indeed, they were all crazy about it--except the grand duke. Blakely +said the grand duke was bored to death, and that he had led him off +to the bar and given him a whisky-and-soda out of sheer pity. From +that time on the duke stuck to him like a postage stamp, so that +Blakely had an awful time escaping that night to dine with Dad and +me. He told us all about the tea at dinner, and I was surprised to +learn (I hadn't seen him yet) that the duke was just Blakely's age, +and, as Blakely put it, "a very decent sort." Not that there is any +reason why a grand duke shouldn't be a decent sort, but Rumor was +busy just then proclaiming that this particular grand duke was a +perfect pig. + +The next day I had a chance to judge for myself. It seems the duke +noticed me as I got into my automobile for my morning ride, and +after finding out who I was, sent for Blakely and demanded that I be +presented to him. + +Blakely was awfully angry. He said: "Look here, I don't know what +you've been used to, but in this country, where a man wishes to meet +a young lady, he asks to be presented to her. Not only that, but he +doesn't take it for granted that she'll be honored by the request. +Miss Middleton is my fiancee. I don't know whether she cares to meet +you or not. If she does, I'll let you know." The duke was terribly +mortified. He apologized beautifully. + +Then Blakely apologized for getting angry, and they became better +friends than ever, with the result that the duke was presented to me +that very afternoon. + +The Grand Duke Alexander was short and fat and fair, with a yellow +mustache of the Kaiser Wilhelm variety. It was rather a shock to me, +for I had expected a dashing black-haired person with flashing eyes +and a commanding presence. No, he wasn't at all my idea of what a +grand duke should look like; he looked much more like a little +brother to the ox (a well-bred, well-dressed, bath-loving little +brother, of course) than a member of an imperial family. Not that he +didn't have his points: he had nice hands and nice feet, and his +smile was charming. + +You should have seen his face light up when he found I spoke French. +The poor fellow wasn't a bit at home in the English language and the +eagerness with which he plunged into French was really pathetic. +Luckily, Blakely spoke French, too--not very well, but he understood +it lots better than he spoke it--so we three spent a pleasant hour +together on the veranda. Of course, in a way, it was a little +triumph for me; the women whom Blakely's mother had snubbed enjoyed +the sight immensely, and when she appeared, accompanied by Mrs. +Sanderson-Spear and some of the "Choicest Flowers," and saw what was +happening to her duke, she was too angry for words. Heavens, how +that woman did hate me that afternoon! + +The next morning six more "Choicest Flowers" arrived from San +Francisco (rare orchids whose grandfathers had come over from +Ireland in the steerage). The third son of an English baronet who +owned a chicken-ranch near Los Angeles and a German count who sold +Rhine wines to the best families also appeared; for that night +Blakely's mother was to give such a dinner as had never before been +given in Santa Barbara. + +Under the heading: + +SANTA BARBARA NOW THE MOST COSMOPOLITAN CITY IN AMERICA + +an enterprising Los Angeles newspaper devoted a whole page to the +coming event. Adjective was piled on adjective, split infinitive on +split infinitive. The dinner was to be given in the ballroom of the +hotel.... The bank accounts of the assembled guests would total +$4oo,ooo,ooo.... The terrapin had been specially imported from +Baltimore.... The decorations were to be magnificent beyond the +wildest dream.... The duke was to sit on the right of his +hostess.... Mr. Sanderson-Spear, the Pierpont Morgan of +Pennsylvania, who would arrive that morning from Pittsburg in his +private car, would sit on her left.... Count Boris Beljaski, +intimate friend and traveling companion of the grand duke, would +appear in the uniform of the imperial guard.... The Baroness +Reinstadt was hurrying from San Diego, in her automobile.... As a +winter resort, Santa Barbara was, as usual, eclipsing Florida, +etc.,... Blakely and I read the paper together; we laughed over it +till we cried. + +"It would be lots funnier if it wasn't my mother who was making such +a holy show of herself," Blakely said. "Do you know, my dear--" + +He was silent for a moment. When he did speak, there was a wicked +gleam in his eyes. "By Jove," he cried, "I'll do it!" + +"Do what?" I asked. + +"Oh, nothing much. I'll tell you all about it later--if there's +anything to tell. Now I must run away. Good-by, dear." + + + + +Chapter Nine + + +At a quarter to four I received a note from Blakely saying it would +be impossible for him to come in to tea as he had planned. It was +the first time he had ever broken an engagement with me, and I was a +wee bit unhappy over it, though I knew, of course, there must be +some good reason why he couldn't come. Still, his absence rather put +me out of humor with tea, so I sent Valentine for a box of +chocolates. When she returned I sat down with them and a novel, +prepared to spend the rest of the afternoon alone. + +The novel wasn't half as silly as some I've read--the hero reminded +me of Blakely--and the chocolates were unusually good; I was having +a much better time than I had expected. Then some one knocked at the +door. + +"Bother!" I thought. "It can't be anybody I wish to see; I'll not +let them in." + +The knock, was repeated. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe +Blakely had changed his plans and had come for tea after all. + +"Come in," I called. + +The door opened slowly, and there, standing on the threshold, was-- +Had I gone quite mad? I rose from my chair and stared unbelievingly- +-at Blakely's mother. + +"May I come in?" she asked in her even, well-bred voice. + +"Why--yes," I faltered. + +Closing the door behind her, she walked over to the fireplace. + +"Won't you sit down?" I asked. "No, I thank you. This is not an +afternoon call, Miss Middleton, it is--But of course you +understand." + +I didn't understand at all, and her manner of saying I did made me +furious. + + "Perhaps I am very stupid," I said, "but I cannot imagine why you +are here." + +"Do you know where my son is?" + +"I do not." + +"You have no idea?" + +"I have no idea where your son is, nor why you are here." + +She eyed me intently. How cold and determined she looked and how +handsome she was. + +"If I thought you were telling the truth--" + +"Mrs. Porter!" + +She handed me a letter. "Please read that," she said. + +"I will not read it," I replied. "I must beg that you leave me." + +"There, there, child, I did not mean to be rude." + +"You are more than rude, you are insolent." + +"I am distracted, child. Please read the letter." + +"Very well," I said, "I'll read it." + +This was the letter: + +"MY DEAR MOTHER: This will be handed to you at four o'clock. At +that hour I shall be in Ventura, accompanied by the Grand Duke +Alexander, and, as we are making the trip by automobile, it may be +that we shall neither of us return in time for your dinner this +evening." + +"If, however, on reading this you will wire me at Ventura your full +consent to my marriage with Miss Middleton, I think I can guarantee +that your dinner party will be a success." + +"I shall be in Ventura till half past four. Should I fail to hear +from you by that time, we shall continue our journey toward Los +Angeles as fast as our six-cylinders will take us." + +"It grieves me more than I can tell you to employ this cavalier +method against you, but my softer appeals have been in vain." + +"While not a party to the plot, the duke, I find is something of a +philosopher; I do not look for any resistance on his part. If he +does resist, so much the worse for him." + +"Your affectionate son, BLAKELY PORTER." + +"P. S. Please do not think that Miss Middleton has any knowledge of +this plan. She has not." + +"P. S. Remember! We leave Ventura for Los Angeles at 4:50 p.m. +sharp." + +"Mrs. Porter," I said when I had finished reading the letter, "I am +deeply humiliated that Blakely should have done this." + +"Still, I suppose you would marry him if I gave my consent." + +"I would not," I replied hotly. "I might marry him without your +consent, for I love him dearly; but I would never consider you had +given your consent if it were forced from you by trickery." + +"You wouldn't?" + +"I would not." + +"But if he doesn't bring the duke back my dinner will be ruined." + +"I will telegraph him myself," I said. + +"Supposing he won't come?" + +"Blakely will come if I ask him to." + +"And you will do this for me?" + +"No; I am not doing it for you." + +"Then why--" + +"Because I cannot bear to have Blakely act so ungenerously toward +his mother." + +"He has but used my own weapons against me," she remarked +thoughtfully. + +"Your weapons are quite unworthy of him, Mrs. Porter." "The telegram +must be dispatched at once," she announced, glancing impatiently at +her watch. + +"If you will call the office and ask them to send up a boy with some +forms, I will think over what I wish to say," I said. + +When the boy arrived I had decided upon my message. It was: + +"BLAKELY PORTER, Ventura." + +"If you do not return at once with your captive I shall consider +that we have never met." + +"ELIZABETH." + +I wrote it out on a form and handed it to Mrs. Porter. "Will that +do?" I asked. + +She read it at a glance. "Yes," she said, "it will do. Here, boy, +see that this is rushed." + +"I'm glad it was satisfactory," I said. "Good afternoon, Mrs. +Porter." + +"My dear girl . . ." + +"Good afternoon, Mrs. Porter." + +Still she did not go. I realized her predicament, and was childish +enough to enjoy it, for Blakely's mother could not bear to accept a +favor from a social inferior. Had I been a child, she would have +patted me on the head and presented me with a sugar plum. As matters +stood she was quite at sea; she wished to do something gracious--she +didn't know how. + +To make her position more impossible, who should come stalking into +the room but Dad,--dear, unsuspecting Dad. When he saw Mrs. Porter +he immediately jumped at a whole row of conclusions. + +"Well, well well!" he said. "This is a sight that does me good. I'm +very glad indeed to see you, Mrs. Porter. Your son has had an idea +that you were opposed to meeting Elizabeth; but I knew he couldn't +be right. And here you are; calling on her? Well, well, well! +Elizabeth, haven't you any tea to offer Blakely's mother!" + +"Mrs. Porter was just leaving" I managed to say. "She has been here +some time." + +Dad beamed on us both. + +"I told Blakely, Elizabeth couldn't marry him until you consented," +he blundered on, "but now I suppose it is all arranged. These +children of ours are wonderfully impatient. I'm as fond of Blakely +as if he were my own son, and you'll feel the same about Elizabeth +when you've known her longer." + +"Don't let Dad keep you, Mrs. Porter," I said. "I'm sure you have +many things to attend to." + +Blakely's mother who had been standing like one in a dream, now woke +up. + +"Yes," she said, "I must be going. I called informally on Elizabeth +to beg you both to come to my dinner to-night." + +"I told her we couldn't possibly come," I began. "Nonsense! Of +course we can come," Dad declared. "It will quite upset Blakely if +you don't come, and I shall be so disappointed." + +"There, there," said Dad, "you're not going to disappoint Blakely's +mother by refusing." + +"No," I replied. "If Mrs. Porter really wants us we shall be +delighted to come." + +"If either of you fails me it will make me most unhappy" she said, +and there was a note of sincerity, in her voice that was +unmistakable. + +"Thank you," I murmured. "We shall not fail you." + + + + +Chapter Ten + + +When Blakely returned with the grand duke, he came straight to me. +What he expected was an explanation; what he actually received was +the worst scolding of his life. But the poor boy was so apologetic +and so humble, I finally relented, and kissed him, and told him all +about his mother's call, and its surprising consequences. + +"I suppose I should be grateful," I said, "but the idea of going to +the ducal dinner fills me with rage." + +"Let's be ill, and dine together." + +"I can't, I've given my word. And then there's Dad; he feels now +that all the prophecies he has uttered in regard to your mother have +at last come true. It's only my wicked pride that's talking, dear. +Please don't pay any attention to it." + +And then Blakely said one of the sweetest things he ever said to me. +Of course, it wasn't true but it made me so happy. "Dearest," he +said "everything I should love best to be, you are." + +Before dressing for dinner, Dad came to my room "to talk things +over," as he put it. He was so superbly satisfied with himself and +the world, I could hardly forbear a smile. + +"Naturally, I should be the last person to say 'I told you so', +Elizabeth, but you see what patience has done. It is always best to +be patient, my child." + +"Yes, Dad." "Blakely's mother has acted very handsomely toward us, +considering--" + +"Very handsomely, CONSIDERING," I agreed. + +"And we must try to meet her half way." "Yes, Dad." + +"No doubt she had her reasons for behaving as she did." + +"I'm sure of it." + +"You see, my dear, I've understood the situation from the very +first." + +"You sweet old simpleton, of course you have! But here it is half +past seven, and you haven't begun to dress. Be off with you." + +Although, at first, I had felt it would be all but impossible for me +to attend Mrs. Porter's dinner, my talk with Blakely had so raised +my spirits that now I was able to face the ordeal with something +very like serenity. What did it matter? What did anything matter, so +long as Blakely loved me? Then, too, I knew I was looking my very +best; my white lace gown was a dream; Valentine had never done my +hair so becomingly. + +When Blakely called at our rooms for Dad and me, I was not at all +unhappy. And the dear boy was so relieved to see it! I will confess, +however, to one moment of real terror as we approached the drawing +room where we were to join our hostess. But her greeting was most +cordial and reassuring. And when she begged me to stand up with her, +and help her receive her guests, I almost felt at home, for I knew +it meant her surrender was unconditional. + +After, that, it was like a beautiful dream. Except that some of the +"Choicest Flowers" of San Francisco society were fearfully and +fashionably late, nothing occurred to disturb the social atmosphere. +And when, on entering the dining room, I saw how the guests were +placed, I could have hugged Blakely's mother. For where do you +suppose she had put Dad? On her left! Of course the duke, as guest +of honor, was on her right; and I sat next to the duke, and Blakely +sat next to me. + +By placing us so, Mrs. Porter had supplied the balance of the table +with a topic of conversation, always a desirable addition to a +dinner party; I noted with amusement the lifted eyebrows, the +expressions of wonder and resentment on the faces of some of the +guests. Nor did it seem to add to their pleasure that their hostess +devoted herself to Dad, while the duke and Blakely developed a +spirited, though friendly, rivalry as to which should monopolize +little Mimi. + +But the real sensation was to occur when the champagne was poured. +(I could hardly believe my eyes, of my ears, either). For who should +rise in his place but Dad! Yes, there he stood, the old darling, a +brimming champagne glass in his hand, a beatific expression on his +face. And this is what he was saying: + +"Our hostess has asked me to do something, which is to announce the +engagement of my daughter and her son. Let us drink to their +happiness." + +"Bravo!" cried the Duke. "I give the American three cheers: Rah, +rah, rah!" "How delightfully boyish the dear Duke is," observed Mrs. +Sanderson-Spear, beaming at him from across the table. + +"So ingenious, I mean so ingenuous," assented a languid lady from +San Francisco. "But we must stand up; toute le monde is standing up, +my dear." + +And so it was, standing up to drink our healths, Blakely's and mine, +while Blakely held my hand under the table. + +"Bravo!" cried the Duke. "It ees delightful. I cannot make the +speech, mais, mademoiselle, monsieur--I drink your health." He +drained his glass, then flung it, with a magnificent gesture, over +his shoulder. "It ees so we drink to royalty," he said. + +Such a noble example naturally had its effect; there followed a +perfect shower of glasses. Indeed, I think every one at table +indulged in this pretty piece of extravagance except the third son +of an English baronet, who was too busy explaining how it was done +at home: "Purely a British custom, you understand--the wardroom of a +man-of-war, d'ye see.--They were officers of a Scotch regiment, and +they drank it standing on their chairs, with one foot on the table. +And, by gad, I didn't care for it!"--No doubt I should have learned +more concerning this purely British custom if the Pierpont Morgan of +Pennsylvania hadn't called on Blakely for a speech, just then. Poor +Blakely! He didn't know at all how to make a speech. Thought I must +say I was rather glad of it; the most tiresome thing about Americans +is their eternal speechmaking, I think. + +Blakely having faltered his few words of thanks, some one proposed +the duke's health; but that had to wait till new glasses were +brought in and filled. Altogether, then, instead of being a solemn, +dignified affair, such as one might have expected, it was a +tremendously jolly dinner--a little rowdy, perhaps, but delightfully +friendly. If I had entered the dining room as Old Tom Middleton's +daughter, "who actually used to live over a livery stable, my dear," +it was not so I left it; for the nimbus of the sacred name of Porter +had already begun to shed its beautiful light on my many graces and +social accomplishments. Indeed, when I retired with my hostess to +the drawing room, it was to hold a sort of reception; Mrs. Tudor +Carstairs vied with Mrs. Sanderson-Spear in assurances of regard, +"Choicest Flowers" expressed approval, the German baroness, bless +her, conferred the distinction of a motherly kiss. And Blakely's +mother was so gracious, so kind and considerate, it was hard to +believe we had faced each other, five hours before, with something +very like hatred in our eyes. + +When Blakely and Dad, and the other men joined us, I was so happy I +could have kicked both my slippers to the ceiling. I might have +disgraced myself doing it, too, if the third son of the English +baronet hadn't come up just then to felicitate me. He would. have +done it charmingly if he hadn't felt constrained to add that +Americans always say "dook" instead of "duke," that nobody present +seemed to realize the proper way to address a nephew of the Czar was +to call him Monseigneur, that the Olympic games in London had been +conducted admirably, arid that he didn't believe in marriage, +anyway. + +But the sweetest thing to me of all that wonderful evening was to +see the love and gratitude in Blakely's eyes when he looked at his +mother; for a man who doesn't love his mother misses much, and I +love Blakely so tenderly, I couldn't bear to have him miss the last +then that makes for contentment and happiness. + + + + +Chapter Eleven + + +When I awoke, late next morning, it was to find myself, if not +famous, at least conspicuous; in the Los Angeles newspaper Valentine +brought me with my coffee, much space was devoted to the ducal +dinner. + +GRAND DUKE SMASHES CHAMPAGNE GLASSES + +Miss Middleton Toasted in Truly Royal Fashion by Distinguished +Nephew of Russia's Reigning Czar. + +Brilliant Dinner Reaches Climax in Shower of Costly Crystal While +Hostess Smiles Approval. + + Disgusting as it was, I couldn't help laughing at the pen-and-ink +sketch which accompanied it--a sketch of the duke, with crowned +head, and breast covered with decorations, smiling fatuously from +within a rakish bordef, of broken champagne glasses. + +But there was worse to come. On another page under the heading: + +WHIRLWIND WOOING WINS WESTERN GIRL + +a distorted Cupid supported pictures of Blakely and me, while +beneath our pictures, a most fulsome chronicle of untruths was +presented. "Mr. Porter first met his fiancee on shipboard . . . +Being of that fine old New York stock which never takes 'no' for an +answer, he followed her to Santa Barbara . . . If rumor is to be +credited, the Grand Duke Alexander, as well as Cupid, was concerned +in this singularly up-to-date love affair . . . Mr. Porter's sister, +the Countess de Bienville, is a well-known leader in exclusive +Parisian circles . . . Miss Middleton an only daughter of Thomas +Middleton, the mining magnate . . . Although slightly indisposed, +His Imperial Highness granted an interview to our representative +late last evening. If the time-worn adage, in vino veritas, is to be +believed; it is certain that the wedding will not only take place +soon, but that the favorite nephew of the Czar of all the Russias +will himself appear in this charming romance of throbbing hearts, +playing the role of best man." + +It was really too dreadful; my cheeks burned with mortification and +anger. + +People had assured me the horrid little American newspaper published +in Paris was not typical of America--that it was no more than a paid +panderer to seekers after notoriety. Yet here in California, my own +dear California, a newspaper had dared print my picture without my +consent, had thrown its ugly light on the sweet story of my love +serving it up in yellow paragraphs for the benefit of the bootblack, +the butcher, the waiter in cheap restaurants. What a hideous world! + +Pleading a sick headache, I stayed in my room till tea time. + +We had tea at five, Blakely and I, on the roof of the hotel. I +looked across the channel to the distant islands, followed the sweet +contour of the shore, watched the aimless flight of sea-gulls; +turning, I scanned the friendly hills, the mountains painted in the +tender colors of late afternoon--I looked into Blakely's eyes. It +was a beautiful world, after all. "Let's try and forget that awful +newspaper," I said. + +"I forgot it long ago, dear." + +"You also seem to have forgotten that some one may appear any +minute." + +"Let's try and forget that some one may appear any minute." + +"I can't." + +"You shouldn't say 'I can't,' Elizabeth; you should say 'I'll try'." + +It is really surprising what one can do when one tries. + + + + +Chapter Twelve + + +"What would we have done with-out the duke`?" I murmured a moment +later. + +"There's a more important question than that to be answered," said +Blakely; "we have still to decide what we shall do with the duke." + +"I don't understand." + +"It's my charming way of breaking news gently, sweetheart." + +"Bad news?" + +"Not exactly. It may annoy you." + +"It annoys me that you seems afraid to tell it," I said. + +"I'm not afraid, not the least bit. I'm, a little ashamed, though. +You see mother is . . ." + +"Don't dare adopt an apologizing attitude towards your mother. +Hasn't she done everything in the world for us?" + +"There are some things one would rather do for oneself, girlie. I +had quite set my heart on Perry Arnold being best man at our +wedding." + +"And so he shall be." + +"I wrote him a week ago, and his answer came this morning. He was +delighted, poor chap! He's in Denver, now, and could be here in +three days." "You won't need him for three months," I warned. "But +why can't you have him, dear?" + +"Because mother has already engaged the duke in that capacity." + +"Not really?" + +"It's the gospel truth. Perry will think me no end of a snob. I +won't know what explanation to make." + +"Nonsense! I'll explain it to him myself." + +"Then you feel I ought to accept mother's arrangements?" + +"You must, if it will make her happy." + +"She assured me she would be most miserable if I didn't." + +"Then it's settled," I said. + +"That's not all, Elizabeth; the duke is sailing for Japan on the +twenty-sixth of February." + +"And this is the twentieth!" I gasped. + +"Yes, sweetheart. And mother has arranged our wedding for the +twenty-fourth." + +I was silent from sheer indignation. + +"I told mother you wouldn't like it. But will you . . .? Do you . . .? +Would you mind very much being married on the twenty-fourth?" + +"Would you mind?" I asked. + +"Mind? I should love it above everything! Life is so uncertain, each +day is so precious, and I've waited so long for you, Elizabeth." + +"You've only known me a little over a month." + +"But I've waited years for you;" + +"Yes," I said, "I believe you have: It shall be as you wish, dear." + +And then, as a woman's greatest happiness lies in making the man she +loves happy, and as no one ever looked so radiantly happy as +Blakely, I was so glad I had said "yes," I didn't know what to do. + +But Blakely knew exactly what to do; he kissed me. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Cupid's Understudy, by Edward Salisbury Field + diff --git a/old/cpdnd10.zip b/old/cpdnd10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..75caaa7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/cpdnd10.zip |