To Phoebe he was merciless and a war of wits made the library echo with
its give and take.
"Of course, my dear Phoebe," he said, "it is an established fact that a
man and his wife are one, and if you will just let that one be Judge
Kildare semi-occasionally it will more than content him, I'm sure."
"Why, Major, can't you trust me to be a good--wife to David? Don't be
unkind to me! I'll promise to--to--"
"Don't, Phoebe, don't! That 'love, honor and obey' clause is the direct
cause of all the woman legislation ever undertaken--and it holds a
remarkably short time after marriage as a general thing. Now there's
Matilda--for over thirty-five years I've--But where is Andrew?" he
demanded anxiously.
"Andy," answered David with the greatest delight in his happy eyes and
the red lock rampant over his brow, "is sitting on the end of a hard
bench down at the telegraph office trying to get a cable through to his
chief for permission to wait over for a steamer that sails for Panama
two weeks from to-day."
"What?" demanded the major in surprise, looking at Caroline.
"Oh, _she's_ going with him--there are no frills to the affection of
Caroline Darrah! She'll be bending over his camp-fire yanking out his hot
tamales in less than a month--glad to do it. Won't you, beautiful?"
answered David gleefully to Caroline's beautiful confusion.
"David Kildare," observed the major with the utmost solemnity, "when a
man and woman embark with love at the rudder it is well the Almighty
controls the wind and the tides."
"I know, Major, I know and I'm scared some, only I'm counting on Phoebe's
chart and the stars. I'm just the jolly paddler," answered David with a
laugh across at Phoebe.
"Well," remarked the major judicially, "I think she will be able to
accomplish the course if undisturbed. It will behoove you, however, to
remember that husband love is a steady combustion, not a conflagration."
"What do you call a love that has burned constantly for between ten and
fifteen years, Major?" asked David as he smiled into the keen old eyes
that held his.
"That," answered the major, "is a fire fit to light an altar, sir."
"And in my heart, ah, Major, can you trust me--to keep--it burning?" said
Phoebe, thus making her avowal before them all with gallant voice and
eyes of the dawn.
Moments later after Phoebe and Mrs. Buchanan had retired down the hall,
and up the stairway, Caroline Darrah still knelt by the major's chair.
They were both silent and the major held her hand in his. They neither of
them heard the latch key and in a moment Andrew Sevier stood across the
firelight from them.