not because I think it is any matter who her father was or who he wasn’t,
either; it’s only on account of this talk, talk, talk. I think she is a
fine girl every way, and so would you if you knew her as well as I do;
but you know how it is when a girl once gets talked about–it’s all up
with her–the world won’t ever let her alone, after that.”
The only comment Laura made upon this revelation, was:
“Then it appears that if this trouble had not occurred I could have had
the happiness of Mr. Ned Thurston’s serious attentions. He is well
favored in person, and well liked, too, I believe, and comes of one of
the first families of the village. He is prosperous, too, I hear; has
been a doctor a year, now, and has had two patients–no, three, I think;
yes, it was three. I attended their funerals. Well, other people have
hoped and been disappointed; I am not alone in that. I wish you could
stay to dinner, Maria–we are going to have sausages; and besides,
I wanted to talk to you about Hawkeye and make you promise to come and
see us when we are settled there.”
But Maria could not stay. She had come to mingle romantic tears with
Laura’s over the lover’s defection and had found herself dealing with a
heart that could not rise to an appreciation of affliction because its
interest was all centred in sausages.
But as soon as Maria was gone, Laura stamped her expressive foot and
said:
“The coward! Are all books lies? I thought he would fly to the front,
and be brave and noble, and stand up for me against all the world, and
defy my enemies, and wither these gossips with his scorn! Poor crawling
thing, let him go. I do begin to despise thin world!”
She lapsed into thought. Presently she said:
“If the time ever comes, and I get a chance, Oh, I’ll—-”
She could not find a word that was strong enough, perhaps. By and by she
said:
“Well, I am glad of it–I’m glad of it. I never cared anything for him
anyway!”
And then, with small consistency, she cried a little, and patted her foot
more indignantly than ever.
CHAPTER XI
Two months had gone by and the Hawkins family were domiciled in Hawkeye.
Washington was at work in the real estate office again, and was
alternately in paradise or the other place just as it happened that
Louise was gracious to him or seemingly indifferent–because indifference
or preoccupation could mean nothing else than that she was thinking of
some other young person. Col. Sellers had asked him several times, to
dine with him, when he first returned to Hawkeye, but Washington, for no
particular reason, had not accepted. No particular reason except one
which he preferred to keep to himself–viz. that he could not bear to be
away from Louise. It occurred to him, now, that the Colonel had not
invited him lately–could he be offended? He resolved to go that very
day, and give the Colonel a pleasant surprise. It was a good idea;
especially as Louise had absented herself from breakfast that morning,
and torn his heart; he would tear hers, now, and let her see how it felt.
The Sellers family were just starting to dinner when Washington burst
upon them with his surprise. For an instant the Colonel looked
nonplussed, and just a bit uncomfortable; and Mrs. Sellers looked
actually distressed; but the next moment the head of the house was
himself again, and exclaimed:
“All right, my boy, all right–always glad to see you–always glad to
hear your voice and take you by the hand. Don’t wait for special
invitations–that’s all nonsense among friends. Just come whenever you
can, and come as often as you can–the oftener the better. You can’t
please us any better than that, Washington; the little woman will tell
you so herself. We don’t pretend to style. Plain folks, you know–plain
folks. Just a plain family dinner, but such as it is, our friends are
always welcome, I reckon you know that yourself, Washington. Run along,