CHAPTER XLVIITHE LAST
“‘All’s well that ends well,’” quotedMr.Burns from his easy chair. “So it’s a boy, and mother and son doing well, eh? And what does Philip say? Doing the proud father? Eh, what?”
Mrs. Lane, who had once been Annie Barrimore, had just come to Hawk’s Nest from the White House, where a son had come for Eweretta and Philip.
It was again nearing the end of November, just a year since the events of the last chapter.
“Oh, there is great rejoicing, I assure you!” cried Mrs. Lane. “I came in to tell you before going home. And my dear Ted has such good news too! Phyllis is most happy with her husband, and according to Arbuthnot, is an altogether model wife! And I have yet another piece of news for you. To-day is a day of good news, I think. That dear old Thomas Alvin has ‘struck oil,’ he says in a letter. I don’t know how exactly, but he has made money, and says he is coming over this ‘fall’ to spend Christmas at the White House. I never shall understand how they all kept the secret of Eweretta’s identity, or why Eweretta chose to personate her dead sister. I told her that her romantic idea of winning her lover for the second time in the person of Aimée, might have cost the poor fellow his life. But they are very happy, and, as you say, ‘All’s well that ends well.’ You know, don’t you, that Philip’s new book is out?Eweretta says it will make her husband famous. And Philip says, ‘Not so famous as Dan’s “Madonna” has made him.’”
“Dan! Ah, you don’t know the news about Dan!” broke in Uncle Robert. “I got that to-day. He is going to marry a charming woman—the daughter of a big painter—I forget his name.”
Uncle Robert fumbled in his pocket to find the letter, but failed.
“Anyway, the father of the girl is a big painter, and the girl has a pile of money, though Dan does not need it now. Mrs. Webster and Miss Linkin are going to take up their permanent abode at Nice, for Isabel—nice girl, Isabel—is going to marry one of the masters at Dulwich College.”
“Oh, I am so glad!” said Mrs. Lane. “Really everything seems to be happening like a fairy-tale. But I must hurry away to tell my news to Ted.”
Uncle Robert smiled to himself when his sister had gone. He smiled so much that Mrs. Henderson, who came in, was quite curious to know what was amusing him so, and asked him the question.
“It’s a poor heart that never rejoices,” said Uncle Robert. “By the way, those boys will soon be home for their holidays. Sit down a minute—I am sure you have time, though you do seem always to have your hands full. I want to talk about the boys. We can only be young once, you know, though you seem to be picking up a second youth from somewhere—but that is not the point. I want to make those boys very happy these holidays. They have done extremely well at school, and they have done us credit. I want to give them something they greatly wish for—a Christmas present, you know, and I want to talk to you about it. You are a nervous little woman,you know, and you might find it alarming—the present, I mean—considering what daring young rascals those boys are, and I want to assure you that I shall take every necessary precaution to ensure their safety. I shall get their word that they will run no risks, and those boys understand honor, and their word will be quite sufficient. Also, I shall get a reliable man to accompany them. Now don’t you want to know what the present is?”
Mrs. Henderson’s eyes filled. She was, as she constantly was, overcome by this man’s goodness and generosity.
“I can’t find words,” she said. “You have been so good—so very good to us all, I——”
“Tut! tut!” said Uncle Robert. “I amuse myself in my own way. That is all. But the present? Well, I am going to buy a couple of pretty ponies and have a man from Russell’s to teach Will and Eric to ride. It will be good for them too, for they are to be soldiers. Independently of that, it is good for boys to learn to ride. I used to be fond of it, but I am too stout now. Thank goodness, I can still swim. I did enjoy the swims with those boys in the summer! Plucky little beggars they are!”
“They will be in the seventh heaven!” exclaimed Mrs. Henderson. “They have always wished so much to ride.”
Uncle Robert beamed.
“I do hope those boys will grow up to be a comfort to you,” said Mrs. Henderson fervently. “You have done so much for us all, and there is nothing we can give you in return.”
“What should I have done without you?” cried Uncle Robert. “There Annie goes off and marries her Colonel. Philip forsakes the Nest—Hawk’s Nest,I should have been left stranded with no one to look after me but you! And you keep the home for me as comfortable as Annie did, which is saying a good deal, for there are few women so capable as Annie.”
“But that is so little!” said Mrs. Henderson.
“Then there is something greater you can do—if you will,” he told her.
“What is it?” she asked eagerly.
“Be my wife!”
THE END