"Since my mother died," said Jack, in a hard, dry voice that served to cover his feeling.
"Yes," Rose nodded sympathetically, "Hazel told me." Then--for Rose's love for her own mother was something bordering on adoration--she said softly, under her breath, but with her whole heart in her voice; "Oh, I don't see how you could bear it--how you can live without her!"
"I don't," Jack replied with a break in his voice, "not really live, you know. I've always felt it, but never realized it until last night, when I stood out on the veranda and looked in at the window at you--all.
Then I knew I 'd been hungry for that sort of thing for the last seven years--"
Now Rose's heart was swelling with pity for the loneliness of the tall, young fellow swinging along beside her, and at once her inner eyes were opened to see a, to her, startling fact. She turned suddenly towards him.
"Is that why you kissed Martie last night, and came up here to us?" she demanded rather breathlessly.
"Yes;" Jack had forgotten his scheme, and was in dead earnest now.
"Then," cried Rose, impulsively--but at the same time thinking, "I don't care if he is engaged to that Miss Seaton"--"I hope you 'll come to us whenever you feel like it; for," she added earnestly, "I 'm beginning to understand what Chi means when he talks about Hazel's being poor and our being rich, and--and I 'd love to share mine with you."
"You 're awfully good," said Jack, rather awkwardly for him; for, suddenly, in the presence of this young girl, as yet unspoiled by the world, he realized that Life was dependent upon something other than polo and club theatricals, railroad syndicates and Newport casinos, stocks and bonds and marketable real estate.
Jack was young, and the moonlight was transfiguring the face that, framed in a white, knitted hood, was turned towards him full of a frank, loving sympathy for him in his "poverty."---And, seeing it, Jack suddenly braced himself as if to meet some shock, thinking, as he strode along in silence, "Oh, I 'm gone!--for good and all this time."
Rose, a little surprised at the prolonged silence, welcomed the sound of sleigh-bells behind them.
"Why, that's Chi!" she exclaimed. "I thought he was at home long before this. I 'm sure he left long before we did. Where have you been, Chi?"
she called so soon as the sleigh was within hailing distance.
"I 've been Chris'musin'," said Chi. "It ain't often you get just such a night on the Mountain as this, and I 've made the most of it. Can I give you a lift?"
"No, thank you, Chi, we 're almost home," said Rose.
"Well, then I 'd better be gettin' along--it's pretty near midnight--chk, Bob--" And Chi drove away down the Mountain, chuckling to himself:
"Ain't a-goin' to give myself away before no city chap that has cut me out as he has. George Washin'ton! When I peeked into the window 'n' saw Marier-Ann sittin' there in front of that kitchen table with all those presents on it, 'n' the little spruce set up so perky in the middle of 'em, 'n' she a-wearin' a great handful of those red, spice pinks in her bosom, 'n' her cheeks to match 'em, 'n' her eyes a-shinin'--I knew he 'd come it over me; he 'd made the first call, 'n' given her the first posies. Guess I won't crow over him after this." Chi undid his greatcoat, and bent his face until his nose rested upon Jack's rose:--
"It ain't touched yet, but it's a stinger; must be twenty below, now."
Suddenly Chi gave a loud exclamation: "I must be a fool!--I 've broken one of the N.B.B.O.O. rules not to be afraid of anything, and did n't dare to give my posy to Marier-Ann!--Anyhow, she don't know I was goin'
to give it to her, so I need n't feel so cheap about it--Go-long, Bob!"
XVIII
BUDD'S PROPOSAL
Before Mr. Clyde and Jack left the next day, Budd sought an opportunity to interview the latter on a subject, that, for a few weeks past, had been occupying many of his thoughts. The applause, with which his Christmas-day toast had been greeted, had encouraged him to seek an occasion for acquiring more definite knowledge on a subject which lay near his heart. It came when Jack was packing his dress-suit case in the guest chamber.
There was a knock on the half-opened door.
"Come in," said Jack, and Budd made his appearance.
"Halloo, Budd! What can I do for you? Any commissions in New York, or Boston?"
"Don't know what you mean by commissions," replied Budd, cautiously, thrusting both hands deep into the pockets of his knickerbockers, and spreading his sturdy legs to a wide V.
"Anything I can buy with that hen-and-jam money you helped to earn?--you did well, Budd, on that. I congratulate you."
"I have n't any of that money left. You see, we voted to give it to March to go to college with. But I 've got two quarters an' a dollar--Christmas presents, you know; an' that 'll do, won't it?" he asked rather anxiously.
"Well, that depends on what you buy," said Jack, with due seriousness.
"You 'll keep mum, Mr. Sherrill, if I tell you?" said Budd, inquiringly.
"Mum's the word, if you say so, Budd; out with it."
"Well, I want two things; one thing to make me feel grown up, an' I 've wanted it for a year."
"What's that, Budd?" asked Jack, immensely amused at Budd's swelling manhood--"A pair of long trousers?"
"No--" Budd hesitated for a moment, then went on in rather an aggrieved tone; "I hate to wear waists with buttons; it's just like a baby, an' a fellow can't feel grown up when he has to button everything on. I want to hitch things up the way March an' Chi do, an' I want you to buy me a shirt like that one you 're rolling up--only not flannel,--with a flap, you know, to tuck in."
"Oh, that's it, is it?" said Jack, endeavoring to keep his face and voice from betraying his inward amusement. "Well, I think you can get one for seventy-five cents--plain or striped?"
"I like those narrow blue striped ones like yours best," he replied, pointing to one of Jack's.
"Like mine it shall be, Budd; but you 'll want a pair of suspenders, or there 'll be too much hitching to be agreeable to you."
"March has an old pair, an' I 'm going to borrow them."
"That's an idea; now, what's the second thing?"
"A ring."
"A ring?" Jack looked amazed.
Budd nodded.
"For yourself?" Jack questioned further.
"No--for somebody else."
"Do you mean a finger ring?"
Budd nodded again emphatically.
"Engagement?" laughed Jack, at last, the fun getting the better of him.
Budd's mouth puckered into solemnity; "No--wedding."
Jack gave up the packing, and sat down, shaken with laughter, on the first convenient chair.