“Mercy, no! Archie and Phebe are there, so he’d have the sense to
pop into the sanctum and wait, unless you’d like me to go and
bring him out?” added Kitty, smoothing Rose’s ruffled hair and
settling the flowers on the bosom where Uncle Alec’s head had lain
until he fell asleep.
“No, thank you, I’ll go to him when I’ve seen my Phebe. She won’t
mind me,” answered Rose, moving on to the parlor.
“Look here,” called Steve, “do advise them to hurry up and all be
married at once. We were just ready when Uncle fell ill, and now
we cannot wait a day later than the first of May.?
“Rather short notice,” laughed Rose, looking back with the
doorknob in her hand.
“We’ll give up all our splendor, and do it as simply as you like, if
you will only come too. Think how lovely! Three weddings at
once! Do fly round and settle things there’s a dear,” implored Kitty,
whose imagination was fired with this romantic idea.
“How can I, when I have no bridegroom yet?” began Rose, with
conscious color in her telltale face.
“Sly creature! You know you’ve only got to say a word and have a
famous one. Una and her lion will be nothing to it,” cried Steve,
bent on hastening his brother’s affair, which was much too dilatory
and peculiar for his taste.
“He has been in no haste to come home, and I am in no haste to
leave it. Don’t wait for me, ‘Mr. and Mrs. Harry Walmers, Jr.,’ I
shall be a year at least making up my mind, so you may lead off as
splendidly as you like and I’ll profit by your experience.” And Rose
vanished into the parlor, leaving Steve to groan over the perversity
of superior women and Kitty to comfort him by promising to
marry him on May Day “all alone.?
A very different couple occupied the drawing room, but a happier
one, for they had known the pain of separation and were now
enjoying the bliss of a reunion which was to last unbroken for their
lives. Phebe sat in an easy chair, resting from her labors, pale and
thin and worn, but lovelier in Archie’s eyes than ever before. It was
very evident that he was adoring his divinity, for, after placing a
footstool at her feet, he had forgotten to get up and knelt there with
his elbow on the arm of her chair, looking like a thirsty man
drinking long drafts of the purest water.
“Shall I disturb you if I pass through?” asked Rose, loath to spoil
the pretty tableau.
“Not if you stop a minute on the way and congratulate me, Cousin,
for she says ‘yes’ at last!” cried Archie, springing up to go and bring
her to the arms Phebe opened as she appeared.
“I knew she would reward your patience and put away her pride
when both had been duly tried,” said Rose, laying the tired head on
her bosom with such tender admiration in her eyes that Phebe had
to shake some bright drops from her own before she could reply in
a tone of grateful humility that showed how much her heart was
touched: “How can I help it, when they are all so kind to me? Any
pride would melt away under such praise and thanks and loving
wishes as I’ve had today, for every member of the family has taken
pains to welcome me, to express far too much gratitude, and to beg
me to be one of you. I needed very little urging, but when Archie’s
father and mother came and called me ‘daughter,’ I would have
promised anything to show my love for them.?
“And him,” added Rose, but Archie seemed quite satisfied and
kissed the hand he held as if it had been that of a beloved princess
while he said with all the pride Phebe seemed to have lost: “Think
what she gives up for me fame and fortune and the admiration of
many a better man. You don’t know what a splendid prospect she
has of becoming one of the sweet singers who are loved and
honored everywhere, and all this she puts away for my sake,