Fleet with an empty room in the middle of the term,and it made her hopping mad.I bet anything she wouldn't give the postman my new address,to pay me back.I left it,of course.But if I'd been half a woman,and had the confidence I should have had in myself and in him----Oh how I've suffered,and punished all of you----!""Never you mind about that,"said mother,stroking Shelley's hair."Likely there isn't much in Chicago to give a girl who never had been away from her family before,`confidence'in herself or any one else.As for him--just disappearing like that,without a word or even a line----Go on Laddie!""`Surely,you knew that I was only waiting the outcome of this trip to tell you how dearly I love you.Surely,you encouraged me in thinking you cared for me a little,Shelley.Only a little will do to begin with----'""You see,I DID have something to go on!"cried Shelley,wiping her eyes and straightening up.
"`No doubt you misunderstood and resented my going without coming to explain,and bid you good-bye in person,but Shelley,_I_SIMPLY DARED NOT.You see,it was this way:I got a cable about the case I was always talking of,and the only man who could give the testimony I MUST HAVE was dying!'""For land's sake!The poor boy!"cried mother,patting Shelley's shoulder.
"`An hour's delay might mean the loss of everything in the world to me,even you.For if I lost any time,and the man escaped me,there was no hope of winning my case,and everything,even you,as I said before,depended on him----'""Good Lord!I mean land!"cried Leon.
"`If I could catch the train in an hour,I could take a boat at New York,and go straight through with no loss of time.So I wrote you a note that probably said more than I would have ventured in person,and paid a boy to deliver it.'""Kept the money and tore up the note,I bet!"said May.
"`I wrote on the train,but found after sailing that I had rushed so I had failed to post it in New York.I kept on writing every day on the boat,and mailed you six at Liverpool.All the time I have written frequently;there are many more here that this envelope will not hold,that I shall save until I hear from you.'""Well,well!"said father.
"`Shelley,I beat death,reached my man,got the testimony I had to have,and won my case.'""Glory!"cried mother."Praise the Lord!"
"`Then I scoured England,and part of the continent,hunting some interested parties;and when I was so long finding them,and still no word came from you,I decided to come back and get you,if you would come with me,and go on with the work together.'""Listen to that!More weddings!"cried Leon.He dropped on his knees before Shelley."Will you marry me,my pretty maid?"he begged.
"Young man,if you cut any capers right now,I'll cuff your ears!"cried father."This is no proper time for your foolishness!""`Shelley,I beg that you will believe me,and if you care for me in the very least,telegraph if I may come.Quick!I'm half insane to see you.I have many things to tell you,first of all how dear you are to me.Please telegraph.Robert.'""Saddle a horse,Leon!"father cried as he unstrapped his wallet.
"Laddie,take down her message."
"Can you put it into ten words?"asked Laddie.
"Mother,what would you say?"questioned Shelley.
Leon held up his fingers and curled down one with each word.
"Say,`Dear Robert.Well and happy.Come when you get ready.'""But then I won't know when he's coming,"objected Shelley."You don't need to,"said Leon."You can take it for granted from that epistolary effusion that he won't let the grass grow under his feet while coming here.That's a bully message!It sounds as if you weren't crazy over him,and it's a big compliment to mother.Looks as if she didn't have to know when people are coming--like she's ready all the time.""Write it out and let me see,"said Shelley.
So Laddie wrote it,and she looked at it a long time,it seemed to me,at last she said:"I don't like that `get.'It doesn't sound right.Wouldn't `are'be better?""Come when you are ready,"repeated Laddie."Yes,that's better.
`Get'sounds rather saucy."
"Why not put it,`Come when you choose?'"suggested mother.
"That will leave a word to spare,so it won't look as if you had counted them and used exactly ten on purpose,and it doesn't sound as if you expected him to make long preparations,like the other.That will leave it with him to start whenever he likes.""Yes!yes!"cried Shelley."That's much better!Say,`Come when you choose!'""Right!"said Laddie as he wrote it."Now I'll take this!""Oh no you won't!"cried Leon."Father told me to saddle my horse.She's got enough speed in her to beat yours a mile.I take that!Didn't you say for me to saddle,father?""Such important business,I think I better,"said Laddie,and Leon began to cry.
"I think you should both go,"said Shelley."It is so important,and if one goes to make a mistake,maybe the other will notice it.""Yes,that's the best way,"said mother.
"Yes,both go,"said father.
It was like one streak when they went up the Big Hill.Father shook his head."Poor judgment--that,"he said."Never run a horse up hill!""But they're in such a hurry,"Shelley reminded him.
