CHAPTER XXIV
THE RAVINE GARDEN
Mrs. Evringham tried heroically to look impassive when her daughterreturned from the ride. There was barely time then to dress for dinner,and no opportunity for confidences before the meal, nor afterward untilbedtime; but the look of peace and sweetness in Eloise's face could havebut one significance to the mother, who believed that peace lay only inthe direction upon which she had set her heart.
Mr. Evringham took coffee with them after dinner in the drawing-room,while Jewel caressed her watch, never tiring of looking at its clearface and the little second hand which traveled so steadily its tinycircuit.
Mrs. Evringham looked often toward the door, expectant of the doctor'sentrance. The evening wore on and he did not come. Still Eloise's facewore the placid, restful expression. A gentle ease with her grandfatherreplaced her old manner.
Her mother determined to try an experiment.
"You could never guess who called to-day, Eloise," she said suddenly.
Her daughter looked up from her coffee. "No. Who was it?"
"Nat Bonnell."
"Really!" The girl's tone indicated great surprise, and that only. "Iwish I might have seen him."
The addition was made so calmly, almost perfunctorily, that Mrs.Evringham smiled with exultation.
She turned to her father-in-law. "Who would believe that Mr. Bonnellwas Eloise's brightest flame a year ago? 'How soon are we forgot!'" shesaid lightly.
When Jewel had kissed them all good-night and gone upstairs, and Mr.Evringham had withdrawn to his library, Mrs. Evringham took her child'shand and looked fondly into her eyes.
"Well?" she asked.
"Well," returned Eloise, "do tell me everything Nat said."
"After you've told me everything Dr. Ballard said. I supposed you'd flyto tell me, dear."
The girl looked tenderly back into the eyes that were sharp withinquiry. "Dear little mother," she returned, "it can't be."
"What can't be?"
"What you wish. Dr. Ballard."
"Have you--refused him--!" Mrs. Evringham's face whitened, andunconsciously she stepped back.
"It didn't have to come to that. Dr. Ballard is so fine--such a wise manin so many ways. I do admire him so much."
"What did you say to him? I will know!" exclaimed Mrs. Evringhampassionately.
Eloise was mute, and her eyes besought her mother.
"Speak, I say! Was it Christian Science? Did you dare, Eloise Evringham,did you _dare_ spoil your life--my life--our future, by scaring Dr.Ballard with that bugbear?" The angry woman was breathing fast.
"Mother dear, don't give us something so painful to remember. Don't, Ibeg of you. Dr. Ballard does not reproach me. He thinks I shall change,and he wishes to give me time to see if I do. Think of him, if you willnot think of me. He would be so shocked to have you take it this way.If you could have seen how kind he was, how patient. Dear mother, don'tcry. It isn't anything I can help, unless I should deliberately turndishonest."
But Mrs. Evringham did cry, and heartily. She hurried away to her ownroom as quickly as possible, and locked the door against Eloise, who layawake for hours with a strange mingling of regret and joy at her heart,and a constant declaring of the truth.
At midnight the girl heard the door unlock and saw her mother emerge.
"Darling mamma!" she exclaimed, springing out of bed.
"Oh, Eloise," moaned the poor woman, dissolving again upon her child'sshoulder. "I never went to bed without your kiss, and I can't bear it.How can you be so cru--cru--cruel!"
"Darling, everything is going to come right," returned Eloise, holdingher close. "Nothing good would come of doing wrong. I never loved you somuch as now. I never saw duty so plainly. Dearest, in one way I sufferfor you, but still I was never so happy. I have grasped the end of theclue that will surely lead us safely through the labyrinth, no matterwhat life brings. You will see, mamma dear, after a while you will see.Don't go back. Come into my bed."
Disconsolately Mrs. Evringham obeyed, and in a few minutes, worn outwith emotion, she had sobbed herself to sleep in her child's arms; andalthough for many days afterward she wore a languid air, and declaredthat there was nothing to live for, she yielded herself to Eloise'scourageous and quietly joyful atmosphere, with silent wonder at herchild's altered outlook.
On the morning following the painful interview with her mother, Eloisepresented herself in Jewel's room at the usual hour.
Smiling, she approached the child and exhibited three fresh new books.India paper editions of the Bible and "Science and Health," and thelittle brown pamphlet were in her hands.
"Yours?" exclaimed the child.
Eloise nodded.
"Good, good!" Jewel hopped up and down, and forthwith brought Anna Belleto have her share in the rejoicing.
"You were afraid you couldn't get them. Now see!" cried the childtriumphantly. "As if Divine Love couldn't send you those books!"
"He showed me a way," returned the girl. "See where I've written myname. I want you to put 'Jewel' right under it in each one."
"Oh, in those lovely books?" said the child doubtfully. "I don't writevery well."
"Yes, I want it, dear, when we go downstairs and can get some ink. Didanybody fix your hair yesterday?"
"I just brushed it down real smooth on the outside," returned the child.
"It looks so," said Eloise, laughing. "Let's fix it before we have thelesson. By the way, what time is it, Jewel?"
The little girl smiled back at her cousin's reflection in the glass, andtook the open morocco case from the bureau. "Anna Belle and I put himto bed last night," she said, looking fondly at the silver cherub onits velvet couch. "We've named him Little Faithful. He'll come to thelesson, too. I know he's going to be a lovely Scientist."
"I'm sure I hope he will, and neither be fast nor lazy," returnedEloise, as she unbraided the short pigtails.
"I tell you it wasn't so nice getting the lesson alone yesterday," saidJewel. "You were away all day! Did you have a nice ride?"
"Yes," Eloise responded slowly. "The day was very nice--and so is Dr.Ballard."
"Did he enjoy it?" asked the child hopefully. The doctor had been a gooddeal on her mind.
"Some of the time," responded Eloise soberly.
"Why not all the time? Did error creep in?"
The older girl brushed away in silence for a minute.
"I didn't mean to talk about grown-up things," said the child, somewhatabashed. "Mother says I must be careful not to."
"It is all right, Jewel. The new ideas I have been learning have mademe see some things so clearly. One is to perceive what it is that reallydraws people together in a bond that cannot be broken. There is only onething that can do it and will do it, and that is loving the same truth.Two people can have a very good time together for a while, and like eachother very much, but the time comes when their thoughts fly apart unlessthat one bond of union is there--unless they love the same spiritualtruth."
The speaker caught, in the glass, the child's eyes fixed attentivelyupon her.
"Wouldn't Dr. Ballard look at our book?" asked Jewel softly.
"No, dear."
The child reflected a minute, and her eyes filled. "I just love him,"she said.
Her cousin stooped and kissed her cheek. "You well may," she returnedquietly. "He deserves it."
They studied the lesson and then went downstairs, where Jewel in hervery best hand slowly transcribed her name in the new books; then shetold Eloise that she was going out to the barn.
"I'm going to visit with Zeke," she said. "He has a claim of error, andhe is willing Science should help him."
"Is he ill?"
Jewel looked off. "It isn't that kind of error."
"There are plenty worse," rejoined Eloise. She looked doubtfully at thelittle girl. "Wouldn't you better tell me, dear? Is it right for you togo?"
"Yes, it's right. His mother knows it, and she's so kind to me. What doyou think! At breakfast s
he asked me if I wouldn't like to bring AnnaBelle down. She says I can bring her to the table whenever I want to.Isn't it nice? The dear little creature has been so patient, neverhaving a thing to eat!"
Eloise could not help laughing, the manner in which Jewel finishedwas so suddenly quaint; but she shook her head in silent wonder as shewatched the short skirted figure setting forth for the barn.
"Oh cousin Eloise." Jewel turned around. "Will you come to the ravineafter lunch, and see what Anna Belle and I have done?"
"Yes."
Jewel walked on a little further and turned again. "You won't wear yourwatch, will you?" she called.
"No, I'll surely forget it," returned the girl, smiling.
The small figure went on, well content.
"Oh, if I could only be invisible in that barn!" soliloquized Eloise."How I would like to hear what she will say. How wonderful it is thatthat little child has more chance of success, whatever trouble Zeke hasbeen getting into, than any full-grown, experienced sage, philosopher,or reformer, who is a worker in mortal mind."
Anna Belle came to luncheon that day. Mrs. Forbes actually put a cushionin one of the chairs to lift the honored guest to such a height thather rosy smile was visible above the tablecloth. Not content with thishospitality, the housekeeper brought a bread-and-butter plate, uponwhich she placed such small proportions of food as might be calculatedto tempt a dainty appetite. Jewel felt almost embarrassed by theeminence to which her child was suddenly raised.
"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Forbes," she said; "you needn't take so muchtrouble. Anna Belle's just used to having a part of mine."
But nothing now was too good for Anna Belle. "She shall have acup-custard to-morrow," returned the housekeeper.
Mrs. Evringham looked on with lack-lustre eyes. As well make much ofAnna Belle as any other idol. Everything was stuffed with sawdust!
How the sunbeams glanced in the woods that day as Jewel, one handclasping her doll and the other in Eloise's, skipped along the road tothe ravine!
When they had stooped under the wire and gone down the bank, how thebrook sang, and how the violets bloomed in Jewel's garden!
"It's very pretty," said Eloise, regarding the paths and flower bedswhich Jewel exhibited with pride. "It's very pretty, but it lacks onething."
"What?" asked the child eagerly.
"A pond."
"But it is by the side of a rushing river," returned Jewel.
"Yes, but all the more easy to have a pond."
"How?"
"We'll set a shallow pan, and sink it in the ground, and plant fernsabout it to hang over. Anna Belle can have some little china dolls to goin wading in it."
"Oh yes, yes!" cried Jewel delighted. "Hear that, dearie? Hear what Loveis planning for you?"
Anna Belle's nose was buried in the grass and her hat was awry. If shehad a fault, it was a tendency to being overdressed. At present herplumed hat and large fluffy boa gave her an aspect unsympathetic withthe surroundings. Jewel pulled her upright and placed her on the mossydivan.
"If I'd only brought the trowel I could get the hole ready," Jewel wassaying, when a whistle, soft and clear as a flute, sounded above thebrook's gurgle.
She lifted a finger in caution. "Oh," she whispered, looking up into hercousin's face, "the loveliest bird! Hush."
Clear, sweet, flexible, somewhere among those high branches soundedagain the same elaborate phrase.
Jewel was surprised to see her cousin's pleased, listening expressionalter to eager wonder, then the girl flushed rosy red and started up."Siegfried!" she murmured.
Again came the bird motif sifting down through the rustling leaves.
"Nat!" called Eloise gladly.
"Any nymphs down there?" questioned a man's voice.
"Oh yes!"
"May Pan come down?"
"Yes indeed."
Jewel, watching and wondering, saw a young man in light clothes swinghimself down from tree to tree, and at last saw both his hands close onboth her cousin's.
The two talked and laughed in unison for a minute, then Eloise freedherself and turned to the serious-faced child. "You remember my speakingof Nat the other day?" she asked. "This is he. Mr. Bonnell, this is mycousin Jewel Evringham. She is landscape gardening just now, and may notfeel like giving you her hand."
"I can wash it," said Jewel, dipping the earthy member in the brook,wiping it on the grass, and placing it in the large one that was offeredher.
"How did you ever find us? I thought you'd gone back to New York. I hadno idea of seeing you," said Eloise in a breath.
"Didn't your mother tell you? I have a week off."
The girl's bright face sobered. "Poor mother! She had a--a shock afteryou were here yesterday. I suppose it put everything out of her head.Was it she who sent you to find us?"
"No; a massive lady met me at the door and informed me that your motherwished to be excused from every one to-day, but that you had fallen downa crack in the earth which could be reached up this road." The speakerlooked about. "As there doesn't seem any place to stand here, hadn't webetter sit down before we fall in the brook? I might rescue you, but thecurrent is swift."
Eloise at once sank upon the green incline, and he followed her example.Jewel watched him with consideration, and he became aware of her gaze.
"What are you making, little girl?" he asked, with his sunshiny smile.
"A garden; and I could dig the pond if I had brought the trowel."
"Perhaps my knife will do." He took it out and opened the largest blade."What do you think of that?"
"Do you suppose I should break it?" asked the child doubtfully.
"You're welcome to try," he replied.
She leaned forward and accepted it from his outstretched hand.
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