Cloudy Jewel

CHAPTER XXX But matters came to a climax with Howard Letchworth before Allison had any opportunity to do any “fixing.”

The next afternoon was Class Day and there were big doings at the college. Howard kept out of the way, for it was a day on which he had counted much, and during the winter once or twice he and Leslie had talked of it as a matter of course that they would be around together. His Class Day had seemed then to be of so much importance to her––and now––now she was going to attend it in Clive Terrence’s company! Terrence had told him so, and there seemed no reason to doubt his word. She went everywhere with him, and he was their guest; why shouldn’t she? So Howard went glumly about his duties, keeping as much as possible out of everyone’s way. If he had not been a part of the order of exercises, and a moving spirit of the day, as it were, he would certainly have made up an excuse to absent himself. As it was, he meditated trying to get some one else to take his place, and was on his way to arrange it, just before the hour for the afternoon exercises to begin, when suddenly he saw, coming up the wide asphalt walk of the campus, young Terrence, and the girl who had come to be known among them as the “Freshman Vamp.” His eyes hastily scanned the groups about, and searched the walk as far as he could see it, but nowhere could he discover Leslie.

With a sudden impulse he dashed over to Julia 345Cloud, and forgetful of his late estrangement spoke with much of his old eagerness; albeit trying his best to appear careless and matter-of-fact:

“Isn’t Leslie hereabouts somewhere, Miss Cloud? I believe I promised to show her the ivy that our class is to plant.”

It was the first excuse he could think of. But Julia Cloud was full of sympathy and understanding, and only too glad to hear the old ring of friendliness in his voice. She lowered her tone and spoke confidentially:

“She wouldn’t come, Howard: I don’t just know what has taken her. She said she would rather stay at home–––”

“Is she down there now?”

Julia Cloud nodded.

“Perhaps you–––”

“I will!” he said, and was off like a flash. On his way down the campus he thrust some papers into a classmate’s hands.

“If I don’t get back in time, give those to Halsted and tell him to look out for things. I’m called away.”

Never in all his running days had he run as he did that day. He made the station in four minutes where it usually took him six, and was at the Cloud Villa in two more, all out of breath but radiant. Something jubilant had been let loose in his heart by the smile in Julia Cloud’s eyes, utterly unreasonable, of course, but still it had come, and he was entertaining it royally. It was rather disheartening to find the front door locked and only Cherry to respond to his knock.

“Isn’t Miss Leslie here?” he asked, a blank look coming into his eyes as Cherry appeared.

346 “Miss Leslie done jes’ skittered acrost de back yahd wid a paddle in her han’. I reckum she’s gone to de crick. Miss Jewel, she’ll be powerful upset ef she comes back an’ finds out. She don’t like Miss Leslie go down to them canoes all by her lonesome.”

“That’s all right, Cherry,” said Howard, cheering up; “I’ll go down and find her. Got an extra paddle anywhere, or did she take them both?”

“No, sir, she only took de one. Here’s t’other. I reckum she’ll be right glad to see yeh, Mas’r Howard. We-all hes missed you mighty powerful lot. That there little fish-eyed lady-man wot is visitin’ us ain’t no kind of substoote ’tall fer you–––”

Howard beamed on her silently and was off like a shot, forgetful of the chimes on the clock of the college, which were now striking the hour at which he was to have led the procession down the ivy walk to the scene of festivities.

Over two fences, across lots, down a steep, rocky hill, and he was at the little landing where the Cloud canoe usually anchored. But Leslie and her boat were gone. No glimpse of bright hair either up or down stream gave hint of which she had taken, no ripple in the water even to show where she had passed. But he knew pretty well her favorite haunts up-stream where the hemlocks bowed and bent to the water, and made dark shadows under which to slip. The silence and the beauty called her as they had always called him. He was sure he would find her there rather than down-stream where the crowds of inn people played around, and the tennis courts overflowed into canoes and dawdled about with ukeleles and cameras. He looked about for a means of transport. There was 347only one canoe, well-chained to its rest. He examined the padlock for a moment, then put forth his strong young arm and jerked up the rest from its firm setting in the earth. It was the work of a second to shoot the boat into the water, fling the chains, boat-rest and all into the bow, and spring after. Long, strong, steady strokes, and he shot out into the stream and away up beyond the willows; around the turn where the chestnut grove bloomed in good promise for the autumn; beyond the railroad bridge and the rocks; past the first dipping hemlocks; around the curve; below the old camp where they had had so many delightful picnics and watched the sunset from the rocks; and on, up above the rapids. The current was swift to-day. He wondered if Leslie had been able to pass them all alone, yet somehow he felt she had and he would find her up in the quiet haven where few ever came and where she would be undisturbed. Paddling “Indian” he came around the curve silently and was almost upon her, but was unprepared for the little huddled figure down in the bottom of the boat, one hand grasping the paddle which was wedged between some stones in the shallow stream bed to anchor the frail bark, the other arm curved about as a pillow for the face which was hidden, with only the bright hair gleaming in the stray rays of sunshine that crept through the young leaves overhead.

“Leslie, little girl––my darling––what is the matter?”

He scarcely knew what he was saying, so anxiously he watched her. Was she hurt or in trouble, and if so, what was the trouble? Did the vapid little guest and the Freshman Vamp have anything to do with it? Somehow he forgot all about himself now and his own 348grievance––he only wanted to comfort her whom he loved, and it never entered his head that just at that moment the anxious Halsted was inquiring of everyone: “Haven’t you seen Letchworth? Class Day’ll be a mess without him! Something must have happened to him!”

Leslie lifted a tear-stained face in startled amaze. His voice! Those precious words! Leslie heard them even if he took no cognizance of them himself.

“I––you––well, you ought to know–––!” burst forth Leslie and then down went the bright head once more and the slender shoulders shook with long-suppressed sobs.

It certainly was a good thing that the creek was shallow at that point and the canoes quite used to all sorts of conditions. Howard Letchworth waited for no invitation. He arose and stepped into Leslie’s boat, pinioned his own with a dextrous paddle, and gave attention to comforting the princess. It somehow needed no words for awhile, until at last Leslie lifted a woebegone face that already looked half-appeased and inquired sobbily:

“What made you act so perfectly horrid all this time?”

“Why––I–––” began Howard lamely, wondering now just why he had–––! “Why, you see, Leslie, you had company and–––”

“Company! That! Now, Howard, you weren’t jealous of that little excuse for a man, were you?”

Howard colored guiltily:

“Why, you see, Leslie, you are so far above me–––”

“Oh, I was, was I? Well, if I was above you, 349where did you think that other ridiculous little simp belonged, I should like to know? Not with me, I hope?”

“But you see, Leslie–––” somehow the great question that had loomed between them these weeks dwarfed and shrivelled when he tried to explain it to Leslie–––

“Well–––?”

“Well, I’ve just found out you are very rich–––”

“Well?”

“Well, I’m poor.”

“But I thought you just said you loved me!” flashed Leslie indignantly. “If you do, I don’t see what rich and poor matter. It’ll all belong to us both, won’t it?”

“I should hope not,” said the young man, drawing himself up as much as was consistent with life in a canoe. “I would never let my wife support me.”

“Well, perhaps you might be able to make enough to support yourself,” twinkled Leslie with mischief in a dimple near her mouth.

“Leslie, now you’re making fun! I mean this!”

“Well, what do you want me to do about it, give away my money?”

“Of course not. I was a cad and all that, but somehow it seemed as though I hadn’t any business to be coming around you when you were so young and with plenty of chances of men worth more than I–––”

“More what? More money?”

“Leslie, this is a serious matter with me–––”

“Well, it is with me, too,” said Leslie, suddenly grave. “You certainly have made me most unhappy for about three weeks. But I’m beginning to think you don’t love me after all. What is money between 350people who love each other? Only something that they can have a good time spending for others, isn’t it? And suppose I should say I wouldn’t let you support me? I guess after all if you think so much of money you don’t really care!”

“Leslie!” Their eyes met and his suddenly fell before her steady, beautiful gaze:

“Well, then, Howard Letchworth, if you are so awfully proud that you have to be the richest, I’ll throw away or give away all my money and be a pauper, so there! Then will you be satisfied? What’s money without the one you love, anyway?”

“I see, Leslie! I was a fool. You darling, wonderful princess. No, keep your money and I’ll try to make some more and we’ll have a wonderful time helping others with it. I suppose I knew I was a fool all the time, only I wanted to be told so, because you see that fellow told me you and he had been set apart for each other by your parents–––!”

A sudden lurch of the canoe roused him to look at Leslie’s face:

“Oh, that little––liar! Yes, he is! He is the meanest, conceitedest, most disagreeable little snob–––!”

“There, there! We’ll spare him–––” laughed Howard. “I see I was wrong again, only, Leslie, little princess, there’s one thing you must own is true, you’re very young yet and you may change–––”

“Now, I like that!” cried Leslie. “You don’t even think I have the stability to be true to you. Well, if I’m as weak-looking as that you better go and find someone else–––”

But he stopped her words with his face against her 351lips, and his arms about her, and at last she nestled against his shoulder and was at peace.

Chiming out above the notes of the wood-robin and the thrush there came the faint and distant notes of the quarter hour striking on the college library. It was Leslie who heard it. Howard was still too far upon the heights to think of earthly duties yet awhile.

“Howard! Isn’t this your Class Day? And haven’t you a part in the exercises? Why aren’t you there?”

He turned with startled eyes, and rising color.

“I couldn’t stay, Leslie. I was too miserable! I had to come after you. You promised to be with me to-day, you know–––”

“But your Class Poem, Howard! Quick! It must be almost time to read it–––!”

He took out his watch.

“Great Scott! I didn’t know the time had gone like that!”

Leslie’s fingers were already at work with the other canoe, tying its chain to the seat of her own.

“Now!” she turned and picked up her paddle swiftly, handing Howard the other one. “Go! For all your worth! You mustn’t fail on this day anyway! Beat it with all your might!”

“It’s too late!” said the man reluctantly, taking the paddle and moving to his right position.

“It’s not too late. It shan’t be too late! Paddle, I say, now, one––and––two––and–––!”

And they settled to a rhythmic stroke.

“It was so wonderful back there, Leslie,” said Howard wistfully. “We oughtn’t to let anything interfere with this first hour together.”

“This isn’t interfering,” said Leslie practically, 352“it’s just duty, and that never interferes. Here, we’ll land over there and you beat it up the hill! I’ll padlock the boats by that old tree and follow, but don’t you dare wait for me! I’ll be there to hear the first word and they’ll have waited for you, I know. A little to the right, there––now––step out and beat it!”

He obeyed her, and presently came panting to the audience room, with a fine color, and a great light in his eyes, just as Halsted was slipping down to inquire of Allison:

“Where in thunder is Letchworth? Seen him anywhere?”

“Heavens, man! Hasn’t he showed up yet?” cried Allison startled. “Where could he be?”

Julia Cloud beside him leaned over and quietly drew their attention to the figure hastening up the aisle. Halsted hurried back to the platform, and Allison, relieved, settled once more in his seat. But Julia Cloud rested not in satisfaction until another figure breathlessly slipped in with eyes for none but the speaker.

Then into the eyes of Julia Cloud there came a vision as comes to one who watching the glorious setting of the sun sees not the regretful close of the day that is past, but the golden promise of the day that is to come.