The Yates Pride: A Romance

by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman

it."

  "And everything was rather splendid to begin with, and has lasted. Andso were you, Eudora, and you have lasted. Well, what about my answer,dear girl?"

  "You have to hear something first."

  Lawton laughed. "A confession?"

  Eudora held her head proudly. "No, not exactly," said she. "I am notsure that I have ever had anything to confess."

  "You never were sure, you proud creature."

  "I am not now. I never intended to deceive you, but you were deceived. Idid intend to deceive others, others who had no right to know. I do notfeel that I owe them any explanation. I do owe you one, although I donot feel that I have done anything wrong. Still, I cannot allow you toremain deceived."

  "Well, what is it, dear?"

  Eudora looked at him. "You remember that afternoon when you met me withthe baby-carriage?"

  "Well, I should think so. My memory has not failed me in three days."

  "You thought I had a baby in that carriage."

  "Of course I did."

  "There wasn't a baby in the carriage."

  "Well, what on earth was it, then? A cat?"

  Eudora, if possible, looked prouder. "It was a package of soiled linenfrom the Lancaster girls."

  "Oh, good heavens, Eudora!"

  "Yes," said Eudora, proudly. "I lost nearly everything when thatrailroad failed. I had enough left to pay the taxes, and that was all.After I had used a small sum in the savings-bank there was nothing. Oneday I went over to the Lancasters', and I--well, I had not had much toeat for several days. I was a little faint, and--"

  "Eudora, you poor, darling girl!"

  "And the Lancaster girls found out," continued Eudora, calmly. "Theygave me something to eat, and I suppose I ate as if I were famished. Iwas."

  "Eudora!"

  "And they wanted to give me money, but I would not take it, and theyhad been trying to find a laundress for their finer linen--their oldserving-woman was ill. They could find one for the heavier things, butthey are very particular, and I was sure I could manage, and so I beggedthem to let me have the work, and they did, and overpaid me, I fear. AndI--I knew very well how many spying eyes were about, and I thought ofmy proud father and my proud mother and grandmother, and perhaps I wasproud, too. You know they talk about the Yates pride. It was not so muchbecause I was ashamed of doing honest work as because I did resent thoseprying eyes and tattling tongues, and so I said nothing, but I did goback and forth in broad daylight with the linen wrapped up in the oldblue and white blanket, in my old carriage, and they thought what theythought."

  Eudora laughed faintly. She had a gentle humor. "It was somewhatlaughable, too," she observed. "The Lancaster girls and I have had ourlittle jests over it, but I felt that I could not deceive you."

  Lawton looked bewildered. "But that is a real baby in there," he said,jerking an elbow toward the other room.

  "Oh yes," replied Eudora. "I adopted him yesterday. I went to theChildren's Home in Elmfield. Amelia Lancaster went with me. Wilsondrove us over. I know a nurse there. She took care of mother in her lastillness. And I adopted this baby; at least, I am going to. He comes ofrespectable people, and his parents are dead. His mother died when hewas born. He is healthy, and I thought him a beautiful baby."

  "Yes, he is," assented Lawton, but he still looked somewhat perplexed."But why did you hurry off so and get him, Eudora?" said he.

  "I thought from what you said that day that you would be disappointedwhen you found out I had only the Lancaster linen and not a real baby,"said Eudora with her calm, grand air and with no trace of a smile.

  "Then that means that you say yes, Eudora?"

  For the first time Eudora gave a startled glance at him. "Didn't youknow?" she gasped.

  "How should I? You had not said yes really, dear."

  "Do you think," said Eudora Yates, "that I am not too proud to allow youto ask me if my answer were not yes?"

  "So that is the reason you always ran away from me, years ago, so that Inever had a chance to ask you?"

  "Of course," said Eudora. "No woman of my family ever allows adeclaration which she does not intend to accept. I was always taughtthat by my mother."

  Then a small but insistent cry rent the air. "The baby is awake!" criedEudora, and ran, or, rather, paced swiftly--Eudora had been taught neverto run--and Lawton followed. It was he who finally quieted the child,holding the little thing in his arms.

  But the baby, before that, cried so long and lustily that all the womenin the Glynn house opposite were on the alert, and also some of thefriends who were calling there. Abby Simson was one.

  "Harry Lawton has been there over an hour now," said Abby, while thewailing continued, "and I know as well as I want to that there will be awedding."

  "I wonder he doesn't object to that adopted baby," said JuliaEsterbrook.

  "I know one thing," said Abby Simson. "It must be a boy baby, it hollersso."