the effects of striking the head against a well-built fence may vary in severity, ranging all the way from a simple contusion through concussion of the brain to a broken neck. if unconsciousness results it may last from a fraction of a second to—eternity. in winthrop’s case it lasted something less than ten minutes, at the end of which time he awoke to a knowledge of a dully aching head and an uncomfortable left shoulder. unlike some other injuries, a broken collar-bone is a plain, open-and-above-board affliction, with small likelihood of mysterious complications. it is possible for the surgeon to tell within a day or two the period of resulting incapacity. the old doctor said two weeks. sunday morning uncle ran unpacked winthrop’s trunk, arranging the contents in the former places with evident satisfaction. on monday[264] winthrop was up and about the house, quite himself save for the temporary loss of his left arm and a certain stiffness of his neck.
miss india was once more in her element. as an invalid, winthrop had been becoming something of a disappointment, but now he was once again in his proper rôle. miss india kept an anxiously watchful eye on him, and either uncle ran or phœbe was certain to be hovering about whenever he lifted his eyes. the number[265] of eggnoggs and other strengthening beverages which winthrop was compelled to drink during the ensuing week would be absolutely appalling if set down in cold print.
of holly he caught but brief glimpses those first days of his disability. she was all soft solicitude, but found occupations that kept her either at the back of the house or in her chamber. she feared that winthrop was awaiting a convenient moment when they were alone to ask her about the accident. as a matter of fact, he had little curiosity about it. he was pretty certain that julian had in some manner frightened the horse, but he had not heard the sound of the whip, since holly’s sudden cry and the mare’s instant start had drowned it. it seemed a very slight matter, after all. doubtless julian’s rage had mastered him for the instant, and doubtless he was already heartily ashamed of himself. indeed his ministrations to winthrop pending the arrival of the old doctor had been as solicitous as friendship[266] could have demanded. winthrop was quite ready to let by-gones be by-gones.
“besides,” winthrop told himself, “i deliberately led him on to lose control of himself. i’m as much to blame as he is. i wasn’t in my right mind myself that night; maybe the evening ended less disastrously than it might have. i dare say it was the moonlight. i’ve blamed everything so far on the weather, and the moonlight might as well come in for its share. served me right, too, for wanting to make a holy show of myself on horseback. oh, i was decidedly mad that night; moon-mad, that’s it.” he reflected a moment, then— “the worst thing about being knocked unconscious,” he went on, “is that you don’t know what happens until you come to again. now i’d like to have looked on at events. for instance, i’d give a thousand dollars—if i still possess that much—to know what holly did or said, or didn’t do. i think i’ll ask her.”
he smiled at the idea. then—
“why not?” he said, half aloud. “i[267] want to know; why not ask? why, hang it all, i will ask! and right now, too.”
he arose from the chair in the shade of the baltimore belle and walked to the door.
“miss holly,” he called.
“yes?” the voice came from up-stairs.
“are you very, very busy?”
“n-no, not very, mr. winthrop.”
“then will you grant a dying man the grace of a few moments of your valuable time?”
there was a brief moment of hesitation, broken by the anxious voice of miss india.
“holly!” called her aunt, indignantly, “go down at once and see what mr. winthrop wants. i reckon phœbe has forgotten to take him his negus.”
winthrop smiled, and groaned. holly’s steps pattered across the hall and he went back to the end of the porch, dragging a second chair with him and placing it opposite his own. when holly came he pointed to it gravely. holly’s heart fell. winthrop had a right to know the truth, but it didn’t seem fair that the duty of confessing[268] julian’s act should fall to her. the cowardice of it loomed large and terrible to her.
“miss holly,” said winthrop, “i am naturally curious to learn what happened the other night. now, as you were an eye-witness of the episode, i come to you for information.”
“you mean that i’ve come to you,” answered holly, smiling nervously.
“true; i accept the correction.”
“what—what do you want to know?” asked holly.
[269]
“all, please.”
holly’s eyes dropped, and her hands clutched each other desperately in her lap.
“i—he—oh, mr. winthrop, he didn’t know what he was doing; truly he didn’t! he didn’t think what might happen!”
“he? who? oh, you mean julian? of course he didn’t think; i understand that perfectly. and it’s of no consequence, really, miss holly. he was angry; in fact,[270] i’d helped make him so; he acted on the impulse.”
“then you knew?” wondered holly.
“knew something was up, that’s all. i suppose he flicked the mare with the whip; i dare say he only wanted to start her for me.”
holly shook her head.
“no, it wasn’t that. he—he cut her with the whip as hard as he could.” winthrop smiled at her tragic face and voice.
“well, as it happens there was little harm done. i dare say he’s quite as regretful about it now as you like. what i want to know is what happened afterwards, after i—dismounted.”
“oh,” said holly. her eyes wandered from winthrop’s and the color crept slowly into her face.
“well,” he prompted, presently. “you are not a very good chronicler, miss holly.”
“why, afterwards——oh, julian examined you and found that you weren’t killed——”
[271]
“there was doubt about that, then?”
“i—we were frightened. you were all huddled up against the fence and your face was so white——”
holly’s own face paled at the recollection. winthrop’s smile faded, and his heart thrilled.
“i’m sorry i occasioned you uneasiness, miss holly,” he said, earnestly. “then they carried me into the house and up to my room, i suppose. and that was all there was to it,” he added, regretfully and questioningly. it had been rather tame and uninteresting, after all.
“yes——no,” answered holly. “i—stayed with you while julian went for uncle ran. i thought once you were really dead, after all. oh, i was so—so frightened!”
“he should have stayed himself,” said winthrop, with a frown. “it was a shame to put you through such an ordeal.”
there was a little silence. then holly’s eyes went back to winthrop’s quite fearlessly.
[272]
“i wouldn’t let him,” she said. “i was angry. i told him he had killed you, and i wouldn’t let him touch you—at first. i—i was so frightened! oh, you don’t know how frightened i was!”
she knew quite well what she was doing. she knew that she was laying her heart quite bare at that moment, that her voice and eyes were telling him everything, and that he was listening and comprehending! but somehow it seemed perfectly right and natural to her. why should she treat her love—their love—as though it was something to be ashamed of, to hide and avoid? surely the very fact that they could never be to each other as other lovers, ennobled their love rather than degraded it!
and as they looked at each other across a little space her eyes read the answer to their message and her heart sang happily for a moment there in the sunlight. then her eyes dropped slowly before the intensity of his look, a soft glow spread upward into her smooth cheeks, and she smiled very gravely and sweetly.
[273]
“i’ve told you, haven’t i!” she said, tremulously.
“holly!” he whispered. “holly!”
he stretched his hand toward her, only to let it fall again as the first fierce joy gave place to doubt and discretion. he strove to think, but his heart was leaping and his thoughts were in wild disorder. he wanted to fall on his knees beside her, to take her in his arms, to make her look at him again with those soft, deep, confessing eyes. he wanted to whisper a thousand endearments to her, to sigh “holly, holly,” and “holly” again, a thousand times. but the moments ticked past, and he only sat and held himself to his chair and was triumphantly happy and utterly miserable in all his being. presently holly looked up at him again, a little anxiously and very tenderly.
“are you sorry for me!” she asked, softly.
“for you and for myself, dear,” he answered, “unless——”
“will it be very hard?” she asked.[274] “would it have been easier if i hadn’t—hadn’t——”
“no, a thousand times no, holly! but, dear, i never guessed——”
holly shook her head, and laughed very softly.
“i didn’t mean you to know, i reckon; but somehow it just—just came out. i couldn’t help it. i reckon i ought to have helped it, but you see i’ve never—cared for anyone before, and i don’t know how to act properly. do you think i am awfully—awfully—you know; do you?”
“i think you’re the best, the dearest——” he stopped, with something that was almost a sob. “i can’t tell you what i think you are, holly; i haven’t the words, dear.”
“i don’t suppose you ought to, anyhow,” said holly, thoughtfully.
“holly, have i—have i been to blame?”
“no,” she answered quickly. “it was just—just me, i reckon. i prayed god that he wouldn’t let me love you, but i reckon he has to look after so many girls that—that[275] care for the wrong people that he didn’t have time to bother with holly wayne. anyhow, it didn’t seem to do much good. maybe, though, he wanted me to love you—in spite of—of everything. do you reckon he did?”
“yes,” said winthrop, fiercely, “i reckon he did. and he’s got to take the consequences! holly, i’m not fit for you; i’m twenty years older than you are; i’ve been married and i’ve had the bloom brushed off of life, dear; but if you’ll take me, holly, if you’ll take me, dear——”
“oh!” holly arose to her feet and held a hand toward him appealingly. “please don’t! please!” she cried. “don’t spoil it all!”
“spoil it?” he asked, wonderingly.
he got slowly to his feet and moved toward her.
“you know what i mean,” said holly, troubledly. “i do love you, and you love me——you do love me, don’t you?”
“yes,” he answered, simply.
“and we can’t be happy—that way.[276] but we can care for each other—always—a great deal, and not make it hard to—to——”
she faltered, the tears creeping one by one over her lids. a light broke upon winthrop.
“but you don’t understand!” he cried.
“what?” she faltered, looking up at him anxiously, half fearfully, from swimming eyes as he took her hand.
“dear, there’s no wrong if i——”
sounds near at hand caused him to stop and glance around. at the gate julian wayne was just dismounting from white queen. holly drew her hand from winthrop’s and with a look, eager and wondering, hurried in-doors just as julian opened the gate. winthrop sank into his chair and felt with trembling fingers for his cigarette-case. julian espied him as he mounted the steps and walked along the porch very stiffly and determinedly.
“good-morning,” said winthrop.
“good-morning, sir,” answered julian. “i have come to apologize for what occurred—for[277] what i did the other night. i intended coming before, but it was impossible.”
“don’t say anything more about it,” replied winthrop. “i understand. you acted on a moment’s impulse and my poor horsemanship did the rest. it’s really not worth speaking of.”
“on the contrary i did it quite deliberately,” answered julian. “i meant to do it, sir. but i had no thought of injuring you. i—i only wanted queen to cut up. if you would like satisfaction, mr. winthrop——”
winthrop stared.
“my dear fellow,” he ejaculated, “you aren’t proposing a duel, are you?”
“i am quite at your service, sir,” replied julian, haughtily. “if the idea of reparation seems ridiculous to you——”
“i beg your pardon, really,” said winthrop, gravely and hurriedly. “it was only that i had supposed duelling to be obsolete.”
“not among gentlemen, sir!”
[278]
“i see. nevertheless, mr. wayne, i’m afraid i shall have to refuse you. i am hardly in condition to use either sword or pistol.”
“if that is all,” answered julian, eagerly, “i can put my left arm in a sling, too. that would put us on even terms, i reckon, sir.”
winthrop threw out his hand with a gesture of surrender, and laughed amusedly.
“i give in,” he said. “you force me to the unromantic acknowledgment that i’ve never used a sword, and can’t shoot a revolver without jerking the barrel all around.”
“you find me mighty amusing, it seems,” said julian, hotly.
“my dear fellow——”
“i don’t know anything more about swords or pistols than you do, i reckon, sir, but i’ll be mighty glad to—to——”
“cut my head off or shoot holes through me? thanks, but i never felt less like departing this life than i do now, mr. wayne.”
[279]
“then you refuse?”
“unconditionally. the fact is, you know, i, as the aggrieved party, am the one to issue the challenge. as long as i am satisfied with your apology i don’t believe you have any right to insist on shooting me.”
julian chewed a corner of his lip and scowled.
“i thought maybe you weren’t satisfied,” he suggested hopefully.
winthrop smiled.
“quite satisfied,” he answered. “won’t you sit down?”
julian hesitated and then took the chair indicated, seating himself very erect on the edge, his riding-whip across his knees.
“will you smoke?” asked winthrop, holding forth his cigarette-case.
“no, thanks,” replied julian, stiffly.
there was a moment’s silence while winthrop lighted his cigarette and julian observed him darkly. then—
“mr. winthrop,” said julian, “how long do you intend to remain here, sir?”
[280]
“my plans are a bit unsettled,” answered winthrop, tossing the burnt match onto the walk. “i had intended leaving sunday, but my accident prevented. now i am undecided. may i enquire your reason for asking, mr. wayne?”
“because i wanted to know,” answered julian, bluntly. “your presence here is—is distasteful to me and embarrassing to miss india and miss holly.”
“really!” gasped winthrop.
“yes, sir, and you know it. anyone but a northerner would have more feeling than to force himself on the hospitality of two unfortunate ladies as you have done, mr. winthrop.”
“but—but——!” winthrop sighed, and shook his head helplessly. “oh, there’s no use in my trying to get your view, i guess. may i ask, merely as a matter of curiosity, whether the fact that waynewood is my property has anything to do with it in your judgment.”
“no, sir, it hasn’t! i don’t ask how you came into possession of the place——”
[281]
“thank you,” murmured winthrop.
“but in retaining it you are acting abominably, sir!”
“the deuce i am! may i ask what you would advise me to do with it? shall i hand it over to miss india or miss holly as—as a valentine?”
“our people, sir, don’t accept charity,” answered julian, wrathfully.
“so i fancied. then what would you suggest? perhaps you are in a position to buy it yourself, mr. wayne?”
julian frowned and hesitated.
“you had no business taking it,” he muttered.
“granted for the sake of argument, sir. but, having taken it, now what?”
julian hesitated for a moment. then—
“at least you’re not obliged to stay here where you’re not wanted,” he said, explosively.
winthrop smiled deprecatingly.
“mr. wayne, i’d like to ask you one question. did you come here this morning on purpose to pick a quarrel with me?”
[282]
“i came to apologize for what happened saturday night. i’ve told you so already.”
“you have. you have apologized like a gentleman and i have accepted your apology without reservations. that is finished. and now i’d like to make a suggestion.”
“well?” asked julian, suspiciously.
“and that is that if your errand is at an end you withdraw from my property until you can address me without insults.”
julian’s face flushed; he opened his lips to speak, choked back the words, and arose from his chair.
“don’t misunderstand me, please,” went on winthrop, quietly. “i am not turning you out. i should be glad to have you remain as long as you like. only, if you please, as long as you are in a measure my guest, you will kindly refrain from impertinent criticisms of my actions. i’d dislike very much to have you weaken my faith in southern courtesy, mr. wayne.”
julian’s reply was never made, for at that instant holly and miss india came out[283] on the porch. holly’s first glance was toward winthrop. then, with slightly heightened color, she greeted julian kindly. he seized her hand and looked eagerly into her smiling face.
“am i forgiven?” he asked, in an anxious whisper.
“hush,” she answered, “it is i who should ask that. but we’ll forgive each other.” she turned to winthrop, who had arisen at their appearance, and julian greeted miss india.
“what have you gentlemen been talking about for so long?” asked holly, gayly.
“many things,” answered winthrop. “mr. wayne was kind enough to express his regrets for my accident. afterwards we discussed”—he paused and shot a whimsical glance at julian’s uneasy countenance—“southern customs, obsolete and otherwise.”
“it sounds very uninteresting,” laughed holly. then—“why, uncle ran hasn’t taken your horse around, julian,” she exclaimed.
[284]
“i didn’t call him. i am going right back.”
“nonsense, julian, dinner is coming on the table now,” said holly.
“it’s much too warm to ride in the middle of the day,” said miss india, decisively. “tell phœbe to lay another place, holly.” julian hesitated and shot a questioning glance at winthrop.
“you are quite right, miss india,” said winthrop. “this is no time to do twelve miles on horseback. you must command mr. wayne to remain. no one, i am sure, has ever dared disregard a command of yours.”
“i’ll tell phœbe and call uncle ran,” said holly. but at the door she turned and looked across the garden. “why, here is uncle major! we’re going to have a regular dinner party, auntie.”
the major, very warm and somewhat breathless, was limping his way hurriedly around the rose-bed, his cane tapping the ground with unaccustomed force.
“good-morning, miss india,” he called.[285] “good-morning, holly; good-morning, gentlemen. have you heard the news?”
“not a word of it,” cried holly, darting to the steps and pulling him up. “tell me quick!”
the major paused at the top of the little flight, removed his hat, wiped his moist forehead, and looked impressively about the circle.
“the battleship maine was blown up last night in havanna harbor by the damned—i beg your pardon, ladies—by the pesky spaniards and nearly three hundred officers and men were killed.”
“oh!” said holly, softly.
“i never!” gasped miss india.
“it is known that the spanish did it?” asked winthrop, gravely.
“there can be no doubt of it,” answered the major. “they just got the news half an hour ago at the station and particulars are meager, but there’s no question about how it happened.”
“but this,” cried julian, “means——!”
“it means intervention at last!” said the[286] major. “and intervention means war, by godfrey!”
“war!” echoed julian, eagerly.
“and if it wasn’t for this da—this trifling leg of mine, i’d volunteer to-morrow,” declared the major.
“how awful!” sighed miss india. “think of all those sailors that are killed! i never did like the spanish, major.”
“it may be,” said winthrop, “that the accident will prove to have been caused by an explosion on board.”
“shucks!” said julian. “that’s rubbish! the spaniards did it, as sure as fighting, and, by jupiter, if they think they can blow up our ships and kill our men and not suffer for it—— how long do you reckon it’ll be, major, before we declare war on them?”
“can’t say; maybe a week, maybe a month. i reckon congress will have to chew it over awhile. but it’s bound to come, and—well, i reckon i’m out of it, julian,” concluded the major, with a sigh.
“but i’m not!” cried the other. “i’ll[287] go with the hospital corps. it’s the chance of a lifetime, major! why, a man can get more experience in two weeks in a field hospital than he can in two years anywhere else! why——”
“the bell has rung,” interposed miss india. “you must take dinner with us, major, and tell us everything you know. dear, dear, i feel quite worked up! i remember when the news came that our army had fired on fort sumter——”
winthrop laid his hand on the major’s arm and halted him.
“major,” he said, smiling slightly, “don’t you think you ought to explain to them that the maine wasn’t a confederate battleship, that she belonged to the united states and that probably more than half her officers and men were northerners?”
“eh? what?” the major stared bewilderedly a moment. then he chuckled and laid one big knotted hand on winthrop’s shoulder. “mr. winthrop, sir,” he said, “i reckon all that doesn’t matter so much now.”