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Andrew the Glad

Page 76

"I'll see," answered Phoebe. "I can let you know by two o'clock whether I

can go," and as she spoke she gathered up her gloves and bag and settled

her trim hat by a glance at the long mirror across the room.

"What--what did you say?" demanded David aghast in a second. "If you

think for one minute that I'm going to stand for--"

"But you must remember that my business engagements must always be

settled before I can make social ones--at two o'clock then! Good-by,

Caroline, dear, such a comfy night under your care! I'm going to stop in

the library to speak to the major and then on to the guild if any one

calls. Here's to you both!" and she coolly tipped them a kiss from the

ends of her fingers.

"Caroline," remarked David, "I reckon I must have giggled too loud in my

cradle, and the Lord turned around and made Phoebe to settle my glee,

don't you think?"

And as Caroline saw him depart with his usual smile and jest she little

realized that a jagged wound ran across his blithe heart.

The David within was awakening and developing a highly sensitized nature,

which caught Phoebe's note of disapproval, divined its reason and winced

under the humiliation of its distrust. The old David would have laughed,

chaffed her and gone his way rejoicing--the new David suffered, for a

deeply-loved woman can inflict a wound on the inner man that throbs to

the depths.

Across the hall Phoebe found the major at his table and, as usual, buried

in his books. He was reading one and holding another open in his hand

while his pen balanced itself over a page for a note. Phoebe hesitated on

the threshold, loath to disturb his feast. But before she could retreat

he glanced up and his smile flashed a welcome and an invitation to her,

while his books fell together as he rose and held out his hands.

"My dear," he said, "I was just reading what Bob Browning says about a

'pearl and a girl'--and thinking of you when up I look to behold you."

"Thank you, and good morning, Major," returned Phoebe as a slow smile

spread over her grave face. "I won't disturb you, for I've only a moment!

This hunt to-night--it--it troubles me. Has David forgotten that he is to

make a speech on the cutting of the conduit over in the sixteenth ward at

half-past seven o'clock? It is one of his most important appointments

and--"

"Phoebe," answered the major as he balanced his pen on one long lean

finger, "do you suppose that women will ever learn that men could

dispense with them entirely after their second year--if it wasn't for the

loneliness? I see David Kildare failed to make a sufficiently full

apron-string report to you this morning of his intentions for the day."

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