the golden road-第24章

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　much　in　love　with　her。〃

〃And　did　she？〃　queried　Felicity。

〃She　did。　　Thirteen　years　exactly　from　that　day　they　were　married。　　It　took　her　just　that　long　to　forgive　him。〃

〃It　took　her　just　that　long　to　find　out　she　couldn't　get　anybody　else；〃　said　Dan；　cynically。



CHAPTER　XIV

A　PRODIGAL　RETURNS


Aunt　Olivia　and　the　Story　Girl　lived　in　a　whirlwind　of　dressmaking　after　that；　and　enjoyed　it　hugely。　　Cecily　and　Felicity　also　had　to　have　new　dresses　for　the　great　event；　and　they　talked　of　little　else　for　a　fortnight。　　Cecily　declared　that　she　hated　to　go　to　sleep　because　she　was　sure　to　dream　that　she　was　at　Aunt　Olivia's　wedding　in　her　old　faded　gingham　dress　and　a　ragged　apron。

〃And　no　shoes　or　stockings；〃　she　added；　〃and　I　can't　move；　and　everyone　walks　past　and　looks　at　my　feet。〃

〃That's　only　in　a　dream；〃　mourned　Sara　Ray；　〃but　I　may　have　to　wear　my　last　summer's　white　dress　to　the　wedding。　　It's　too　short；　but　ma　says　it's　plenty　good　for　this　summer。　　I'll　be　so　mortified　if　I　have　to　wear　it。〃

〃I'd　rather　not　go　at　all　than　wear　a　dress　that　wasn't　nice；〃　said　Felicity　pleasantly。

〃I'd　go　to　the　wedding　if　I　had　to　go　in　my　school　dress；〃　cried　Sara　Ray。　　〃I've　never　been　to　anything。　　I　wouldn't　miss　it　for　the　world。〃

〃My　Aunt　Jane　always　said　that　if　you　were　neat　and　tidy　it　didn't　matter　whether　you　were　dressed　fine　or　not；〃　said　Peter。

〃I'm　sick　and　tired　of　hearing　about　your　Aunt　Jane；〃　said　Felicity　crossly。

Peter　looked　grieved　but　held　his　peace。　　Felicity　was　very　hard　on　him　that　spring；　but　his　loyalty　never　wavered。　　Everything　she　said　or　did　was　right　in　Peter's　eyes。

〃It's　all　very　well　to　be　neat　and　tidy；〃　said　Sara　Ray；　〃but　I　like　a　little　style　too。〃

〃I　think　you'll　find　your　mother　will　get　you　a　new　dress　after　all；〃　comforted　Cecily。　　〃Anyway；　nobody　will　notice　you　because　everyone　will　be　looking　at　the　bride。　　Aunt　Olivia　will　make　a　lovely　bride。　　Just　think　how　sweet　she'll　look　in　a　white　silk　dress　and　a　floating　veil。〃

〃She　says　she　is　going　to　have　the　ceremony　performed　out　here　in　the　orchard　under　her　own　tree；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Won't　that　be　romantic？　　It　almost　makes　me　feel　like　getting　married　myself。〃

〃What　a　way　to　talk；〃　rebuked　Felicity；　〃and　you　only　fifteen。〃

〃Lots　of　people　have　been　married　at　fifteen；〃　laughed　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Lady　Jane　Gray　was。〃

〃But　you　are　always　saying　that　Valeria　H。　　Montague's　stories　are　silly　and　not　true　to　life；　so　that　is　no　argument；〃　retorted　Felicity；　who　knew　more　about　cooking　than　about　history；　and　evidently　imagined　that　the　Lady　Jane　Gray　was　one　of　Valeria's　titled　heroines。

The　wedding　was　a　perennial　source　of　conversation　among　us　in　those　days；　but　presently　its　interest　palled　for　a　time　in　the　light　of　another　quite　tremendous　happening。　　One　Saturday　night　Peter's　mother　called　to　take　him　home　with　her　for　Sunday。　　She　had　been　working　at　Mr。　James　Frewen's；　and　Mr。　Frewen　was　driving　her　home。　　We　had　never　seen　Peter's　mother　before；　and　we　looked　at　her　with　discreet　curiosity。　　She　was　a　plump；　black…eyed　little　woman；　neat　as　a　pin；　but　with　a　rather　tired　and　care…worn　face　that　looked　as　if　it　should　have　been　rosy　and　jolly。　　Life　had　been　a　hard　battle　for　her；　and　I　rather　think　that　her　curly…　headed　little　lad　was　all　that　had　kept　heart　and　spirit　in　her。　　Peter　went　home　with　her　and　returned　Sunday　evening。　　We　were　in　the　orchard　sitting　around　the　Pulpit　Stone；　where　we　had；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　households　of　King；　been　learning　our　golden　texts　and　memory　verses　for　the　next　Sunday　School　lesson。　　Paddy；　grown　sleek　and　handsome　again；　was　sitting　on　the　stone　itself；　washing　his　jowls。

Peter　joined　us　with　a　very　queer　expression　on　his　face。　　He　seemed　bursting　with　some　news　which　he　wanted　to　tell　and　yet　hardly　liked　to。

〃Why　are　you　looking　so　mysterious；　Peter？〃　demanded　the　Story　Girl。

〃What　do　you　think　has　happened？〃　asked　Peter　solemnly。

〃What　has？〃

〃My　father　has　come　home；〃　answered　Peter。

The　announcement　produced　all　the　sensation　he　could　have　wished。　　We　crowded　around　him　in　excitement。

〃Peter！　　When　did　he　come　back？〃

〃Saturday　night。　　He　was　there　when　ma　and　I　got　home。　　It　give　her　an　awful　turn。　　I　didn't　know　him　at　first；　of　course。〃

〃Peter　Craig；　I　believe　you　are　glad　your　father　has　come　back；〃　cried　the　Story　Girl。

〃'Course　I'm　glad；〃　retorted　Peter。

〃And　after　you　saying　you　didn't　want　ever　to　see　him　again；〃　said　Felicity。

〃You　just　wait。　　You　haven't　heard　my　story　yet。　　I　wouldn't　have　been　glad　to　see　father　if　he'd　come　back　the　same　as　he　went　away。　　But　he　is　a　changed　man。　　He　happened　to　go　into　a　revival　meeting　one　night　this　spring　and　he　got　converted。　　And　he's　come　home　to　stay；　and　he　says　he's　never　going　to　drink　another　drop；　but　he's　going　to　look　after　his　family。　　Ma　isn't　to　do　any　more　washing　for　nobody　but　him　and　me；　and　I'm　not　to　be　a　hired　boy　any　longer。　　He　says　I　can　stay　with　your　Uncle　Roger　till　the　fall　'cause　I　promised　I　would；　but　after　that　I'm　to　stay　home　and　go　to　school　right　along　and　learn　to　be　whatever　I'd　like　to　be。　　I　tell　you　it　made　me　feel　queer。　　Everything　seemed　to　be　upset。　　But　he　gave　ma　forty　dollarsevery　cent　he　hadso　I　guess　he　really　is　converted。〃

〃I　hope　it　will　last；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Felicity。　　She　did　not　say　it　nastily；　however。　　We　were　all　glad　for　Peter's　sake；　though　a　little　dizzy　over　the　unexpectedness　of　it　all。

〃This　is　what　I'D　like　to　know；〃　said　Peter。　　〃How　did　Peg　Bowen　know　my　father　was　coming　home？　　Don't　you　tell　me　she　isn't　a　witch　after　that。〃

〃And　she　knew　about　your　Aunt　Olivia's　wedding；　too；〃　added　Sara　Ray。

〃Oh；　well；　she　likely　heard　that　from　some　one。　　Grown　up　folks　talk　things　over　long　before　they　tell　them　to　children；〃　said　Cecily。

〃Well；　she　couldn't　have　heard　father　was　coming　home　from　any　one；〃　answered　Peter。　　〃He　was　converted　up　in　Maine；　where　nobody　knew　him；　and　he　never　told　a　soul　he　was　coming　till　he　got　here。　　No；　you　can　believe　what　you　like；　but　I'm　satisfied　at　last　that　Peg　is　a　witch　and　that　skull　of　hers　does　tell　her　things。　　She　told　me　father　was　coming　home　and　he　come！〃

〃How　happy　you　must　be；〃　sighed　Sara　Ray　romantically。　　〃It's　just　like　that　story　in　the　Family　Guide；　where　the　missing　earl　comes　home　to　his　family　just　as　the　Countess　and　Lady　Violetta　are　going　to　be　turned　out　by　the　cruel　heir。〃

Felicity　sniffed。

〃There's　some　difference；　I　guess。　　The　earl　had　been　imprisoned　for　years　in　a　loathsome　dungeon。〃

Perhaps　Peter's　father　had　too；　if　we　but　realized　itimprisoned　in　the　dungeon　of　his　own　evil　appetites　and　habits；　than　which　none　could　be　more　loathsome。　　But　a　Power；　mightier　than　the　forces　of　evil；　had　struck　off　his　fetters　and　led　him　back　to　his　long…forfeited　liberty　and　light。　　And　no　countess　or　lady　of　high　degree　could　have　welcomed　a　long…lost　earl　home　more　joyfully　than　the　tired　little　washerwoman　had　welcomed　the　erring　husband　of　her　youth。

But　in　Peter's　ointment　of　joy　there　was　a　fly　or　two。　　So　very；　very　few　things　are　flawless　in　this　world；　even　on　the　golden　road。

〃Of　course　I'm　awful　glad　that　father　has　come　back　and　that　ma　won't　have　to　wash　any　more；〃　he　said　with　a　sigh；　〃but　there　are　two　things　that　kind　of　worry　me。　　My　Aunt　Jane　always　said　that　it　didn't　do　any　good　to　worry；　and　I　s'pose　it　don't；　but　it's　kind　of　a　relief。〃

〃What's　worrying　you？〃　asked　Felix。

〃Well；　for　one　thing　I'll　feel　awful　bad　to　go　away　from　you　all。　　I'll　miss　you　just　dreadful；　and　I　won't　even　be　able　to　go　to　the　same　school。　　I'll　have　to　go　to　Markdale　school。〃

〃But　you　must　come　and　see　us　often；〃　said　Felicity　graciously。　　〃Markdale　isn't　so　far　away；　and　you　could　spend　every　other　Saturday　afternoon　with　us　anyway。〃

Peter's　black　eyes　filled　with　adoring　gratitude。

〃That's　so　kind　of　you；　Felicity。　　I'll　come　as　often　as　I　can；　of　course；　but　it　won't　be　the　same　as　being　around　with　you　all　the　time。　　The　other　thing　is　even　worse。　　You　see；　it　was　a　Methodist　revival　father　got　converted　in；　and　so　of　course　he　joined　the　Methodist　church。　　He　wasn't　any