The Enchanted Barn

by Grace Livingston Hill

  CHAPTER XV

  A man arrived one morning with a horse and a plough and several otherimplements of farm life of which Harley didn't know the name, andannounced that Mr. Graham had sent him to plough the garden. WouldMrs. Hollister please tell him where she wanted the ground broken, andhow much? He volunteered the information that he was her nextneighbor, and that if he was in her place he'd plough the south slopeof the meadow, and if she wanted flower-beds a strip along the frontnear the road; the soil was best in those spots, and she wouldn't needso much fertilizer.

  Mrs. Hollister asked him how much he would charge to do it, and he saida little job like that wasn't worth talking about; that he used to rentthe barn himself, and he always did a little turn for Mr. Grahamwhenever he needed it. He did it for Mr. Graham, and it wouldn't costher "nothin'."

  Mrs. Hollister asked him how much he would charge to see where it wouldbe best to have the ploughing done, and when she came in a few minuteslater and dropped down on the couch to rest from her unusual fatigue anew thought was racing through her mind. They could have a garden, areal garden, with lettuce and green peas and lima beans and corn! Sheknew all about making them grow. She had been brought up in a littlevillage home, where a garden was a part of every one's necessaryequipment for living. She used to kelp her father every spring and allsummer. Her own little patch always took the prize of the family. Butfor years she had been in the city without an inch of space. Now,however, the old fever of delight in gardening took possession of her.If she could get out and work in the ground, as the doctor hadsuggested, she would get well right away. And why, with Harley tohelp, and George and Carol to work a little every evening, couldn'tthey raise enough on all that ground to sell some? George could takethings into town early in the morning, or they could find some privatefamilies who would buy all they had to sell. It was worth thinkingabout, anyway. She could raise flowers for sale, too. She had alwaysbeen a success with flowers. She had always wanted a hothouse and achance to experiment. She heard the children say there were some oldwindow-sashes down under the barn. She would get George to bring themout, and see what she could do with a coldframe or two. Violets wouldgrow under a coldframe, and a lot of other things. Oh, if they couldonly just live here always, and not have to go back to the city in thefall! But of course there was no way to heat the barn in winter, andthat was out of the question. Nevertheless, the idea of making somemoney with growing things had seized hold of her mind and would not beentirely put by. She thought of it much, and talked of it now and thento Shirley and the other children.

  Shirley brought home some packages of seeds she got at the ten-centstore, and there was great excitement planting them. Then Mr. Grahamsent over a lot of seeds, of both vegetables and flowers, and someshrubs, cuttings and bulbs which he said were "left-overs" at theircountry house that he thought perhaps the children could use; and sobefore the Hollisters knew it they were possessed of a garden, whichalmost in a breath lifted up its green head and began to grow.

  Life was very full for the Hollisters in those days, and those who wentto the city for the day could hardly bear to tear themselves away fromthe many delights of the country. The puppy was getting bigger andwiser every day, tagging Doris and Harley wherever they went, orsitting adoringly at Mrs. Hollister's feet; always bounding out to meetthe evening trolley on which George and Shirley came, and alwaysattending them to the trolley in the morning.

  Out behind the barn a tiny coop held a white hen and her seven littledowny balls of chickens. Another hen was happily ensconced in a barrelof hay with ten big blue duck-eggs under her happy wings, and a littlefurther down toward the creek a fine chicken-run ended in a trig littleroosting-place for the poultry, which George had manufactured out of apacking-box and some boards. The feathered family had been increasedby two white Leghorns and three bantams. George and Harley spent theirevenings watching them and discussing the price of eggs and chickensper pound. They were all very happy.

  Elizabeth came out to spend Sunday as she had promised. She got upearly to see the sun rise and watch the birds. She helped getbreakfast and wash the dishes. Then she went with the others acrossthe fields to the little white church in the valley to Sunday-schooland church. She was as hungry and eager as any of them when she camehome, and joyfully helped to do the work, taking great pride in thepotatoes she was allowed to warm up under careful tutelage. In theafternoon there was no more eager listener among them to the Biblestory Shirley told to Doris and the book she read aloud to them allafterward; her voice was sweetest and clearest of them all in the hymnsthey sang together; and she was most eager to go with Shirley to theChristian Endeavor service.

  "I shouldn't wonder if Sidney wishes he was here too," she remarkeddreamily that evening, as she sat before the fire on a little cushion,her chin in her hands, her eyes on the fantastic shadows in the ashes.

  She went to school with Carol the next morning, came home with her inthe afternoon, and when her brother came for her in the evening she wasmost reluctant to go home to the big, lonely, elegant house again, andbegged that Carol might soon come and see her.

  Friday afternoon Elizabeth called up Mrs. Hollister.

  "Please, Mrs. Hollister, let Carol come and stay with me till Monday.I'm so lonesome, and mamma says she will be so glad if you will let hercome."

  "Oh, my dear, that would be impossible. Carol isn't suitably dressedto make a visit, you know," answered the mother quickly, glad that shehad so good an excuse for keeping her child from this venture into analien world about which she had many grave doubts.

  But the young voice at the other end of the telephone was insistent.

  "Dear Mrs. Hollister, please! She doesn't need any other clothes.I've got lots of things that would fit her. She loaned me her ginghamdress to make garden in, and why shouldn't I loan her a dress to wearon Sunday? I've got plenty of clean middy blouses and skirts and canfix her all out fresh for school, too, Monday morning, and if you'lljust let her stay Sidney will take us both down to her school when hegoes to the office. You've got all those children there at home, andI've only myself. Sidney doesn't count, you know, for he's grown up."

  So, with a sigh, the mother gave her consent, and Carol found theGraham car waiting for her when she came out of school. Thus shestarted on her first venture into the world.

  It was all like fairy-land that wonderful week-end to the little girlwhose memories were full of burdens and sacrifices: the palatial homeof many rooms and rich furnishings, the swarm of servants, theanticipation of every want, the wide, beautiful grounds with all thatheart could wish in the way of beauty and amusement, the music-roomwith grand piano, harp, and violin lying mute most of the time, thegreat library with its walls lined with rare books, mostly unread.Everything there to satisfy any whim, reasonable or unreasonable, andnobody using any of it much.

  "Not a room in the whole place as dear and cozy and homey as this!"sighed Carol happily, sinking into the old denim-covered couch beforethe fireplace in the barn-living-room that Monday night after she gothome. "I declare, mother, I don't see how Elizabeth stands it. Hermother is nice, but she's hardly ever there, unless she has a swarm ofpeople dinnering or teaing or lunching. She hardly ever has time tospeak to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth doesn't seem to care much, either.She almost seems to think more of that old nurse Susan that took careof her when she was a baby than she does of her mother. I'm so glad Iwas sent to you instead of to her!" And Carol suddenly slipped acrossthe room and buried her face in her mother's neck, hugging and kissingher, leaving a few bright tears on her mother's happy face.

  It was a wonderful relief to Mrs. Hollister to find her child unspoiledby her first experience of the world and glad to get back to her home,after all the anxiety her mother heart had felt. Carol presently satup and told them minutely all about her visit. The grand concert thatSidney had taken them to Friday evening in the Academy of Music, wherea world-renowned pianist was the soloist with the great symphonyorchestra;
the tennis and riding Saturday morning; the luncheon at aneighboring estate, where there were three girls and a brother who were"snobs" and hadn't at all good manners; the party in the evening thatlasted so late that they didn't get to bed till long after midnight;the beautiful room they slept in, with every imaginable article for thetoilet done in sterling silver with monograms; the strange Sabbath,with no service in the morning because they woke up too late, and nosuggestion of anything but a holiday,--except the vesper service in acold, formal chapel that Carol had begged to go to; just a lot ofworldly music and entertaining, with a multitude of visitors for theend of it. Carol told of the beautiful dresses that Elizabeth hadloaned her, coral crepe de chine accordion-plaited for the concert,white with an orange sash for the luncheon, pale yellow with a blackvelvet girdle for the party, a little blue silk affair and anotherlovely white organdie for Sunday, and all with their accompanying silkstockings and slippers and gloves, and necklaces and bands for herhair. It was most wonderful to her, and as they listened theymarvelled that their Carol had come back to them so gladly, andrejoiced to see her nestling in her brown linen skirt and middy blouseclose beside her mother's chair. She declared herself satisfied withher flight into the world. She might like to go again for a glimpsenow and then, but she thought she would rather have Elizabeth out toGlenside. She hated to lose any of the time out here, it was sopretty. Besides, it was lonesome without them all.

  About that time Shirley picked up the morning paper in her office oneday to look up a matter for Mr. Barnard. Her eye happened to fall onthe society column and catch the name of Sidney Graham. She glanceddown the column. It was an account of a wedding in high circles inwhich Graham had taken the part of best man, with Miss Harriet Hale--inblue tulle and white orchids as maid of honor--for his partner down theaisle. She read the column hurriedly, hungrily, getting every detail,white spats, gardenia, and all, until in those few printed sentences apicture was printed indelibly upon her vision, of Graham walking downthe lily-garlanded aisle with the maid in blue tulle and white orchidson his arm. To make it more vivid the lady's picture was in the paperalong with Graham's, just under those of the bride and groom, and herface was both handsome and haughty. One could tell that by the tilt ofchin, the short upper lip, the cynical curve of mouth and sweep of longeyelash, the extreme effect of her dress and the arrangement of herhair. Only a beauty could have stood that hair and not been positivelyugly.

  Shirley suddenly realized what she was doing and turned over the pageof the paper with a jerk that tore the sheet from top to bottom, goingon with her search for the real-estate column and the item she wasafter. All that morning her typewriter keys clicked with mad rapidity,yet her work was strangely correct and perfect. She was working undera tense strain.

  By noon she had herself in hand, realized what she had been doing withher vagrant thoughts, and was able to laugh at Miss HarrietHale--whoever or whatever she was. What mattered it, Miss Harriet Haleor somebody else? What was that to Shirley Hollister? Mr. Graham washer landlord and a kindly gentleman. He would probably continue to bethat to her to the end of her tenancy, without regard to Miss Hale orany other intruding Miss, and what did anything else matter? Shewanted nothing else of Mr. Graham but to be a kindly gentleman wheneverit was her necessity to come in his way.

  But although her philosophy was on hand and her pride was aroused, sherealized just where her heart might have been tending if it had notbeen for this little jolt it got; and she resolved to keep out of thegentleman's way whenever it was possible, and also, as far as she wasable, to think no more about him.

  Keeping out of Sidney Graham's way was one thing, but making him keepout of her way was quite another matter, and Shirley realized it everytime he came out to Glenside, which he did quite frequently. She couldnot say to him that she wished he would not come. She could not berude to him when he came. There was no way of showing him pointedlythat she was not thinking of him in any way but as her landlord,because he never showed in any way that he was expecting her to. Hejust happened in evening after evening, in his frank, jolly way, on onepretext or other, never staying very long, never showing her any moreattention than he did her mother or Carol or the boys, not so much ashe did to Doris. How was she to do anything but sit quietly and takethe whole thing as a matter of course? It really was a matter to dealwith in her own heart alone. And there the battle must be fought ifever battle there was to be. Meantime, she could not but own that thisfrank, smiling, merry young man did bring a lot of life and pleasureinto their lives, dropping in that way, and why should she not enjoy itwhen it came, seeing it in no wise interfered with Miss Harriet Hale'srights and prerogatives? Nevertheless, Shirley withdrew more and moreinto quietness whenever he came, and often slipped into the kitchen onsome household pretext, until one day he boldly came out into thekitchen after her with a book he wanted her to read, and was so frankand companionable that she led the way back to the living-room, andconcluded it would be better in future to stay with the rest of thefamily.

  Shirley had no intention whatever of letting her heart stray out afterany impossible society man. She had her work in the world, and to itshe meant to stick. If there were dreams she kept them well under lockand key, and only took them out now and then at night when she was verytired and discouraged and life looked hard and long and lonely onahead. Shirley had no intention that Sidney Graham should ever havereason to think, when he married Miss Harriet Hale or some oneequivalent to her, that any poor little stenographer living in a barnhad at one time fancied him fond of her. No, indeed! Shirley tiltedher firm little chin at the thought, and declined to ride with Grahamand Elizabeth the next time they called at the office for her, on theplea that she had promised to go home in the trolley with one of theoffice girls. And yet the next time she saw him he was just aspleasant, and showed no sign that she had declined his invitation. Infact, the whole basis of their acquaintance was such that she felt freeto go her own way and yet know he would be just as pleasant a friendwhenever she needed one.

  Matters stood in this way when Graham was suddenly obliged to go Weston a trip for the office, to be gone three or four weeks. Mrs. Grahamand Elizabeth went to the Adirondacks for a short trip, and the peopleat Glenside settled down to quiet country life, broken only by a fewvisits from their farm neighbors, and a call from the cheery, shabbypastor of the little white church in the valley.