Grandmother Elsie Page 4

  CHAPTER IV.

  "O gloriously upon the deep The gallant vessel rides, And she is mistress of the winds, And mistress of the tides." --_Miss Landon_.

  Meanwhile Edward had taken his sister on board the steamer, and she,greatly exhausted by grief, anxiety, and fatigue, had at once retired toher berth.

  Edward also was weary and in need of sleep, so presently went to hisstate-room, leaving Ben to attend to the luggage and watch for Mrs.Conly's arrival.

  Faithful Ben waited patiently about for a couple of hours, then began togrow uneasy lest Mrs. Conly should not arrive in season. Another hourpassed, and he reluctantly roused his young master to ask what could bedone.

  "What's wanted?" Edward asked, waked by Ben's loud rap on the state-roomdoor.

  "Miss Louise she hasn't come yet, Marse Ed'ard," he said, "and desteamah'll be startin' fo' long. I don' know whar to go to look her up, soplease excuse me for rousin' ye, sah."

  "Hasn't come yet, do you say, Ben? and the vessel about to sail?"exclaimed Edward in dismay, springing from his berth to open the door."Why, yes," looking at his watch, "there's barely half an hour left, and Idon't see what we can do."

  "No time now fo' me to go an' hunt up Miss Louise, Marse Ed'ard? Ise berrysorry, sah, dat I didn't come soonah to ax you 'bout it, but I didn't liketo 'sturb you," said Ben, looking much distressed.

  "Never mind, Ben," Edward answered kindly, "you couldn't have gone forher, because she gave me no address, and I have not the least idea whereto send for her."

  "Den what am to be done, sah?"

  "We will have to sail without her. I could not think of asking my sisterto wait for the next steamer," Edward said, more as if thinking aloud thantalking to Ben.

  The latter bowed respectfully and withdrew, but only to come hurrying backthe next moment with a telegram from Virginia.

  "Mother taken suddenly ill. Remains with me. Send luggage to No. ----street."

  This news of his aunt's illness caused Edward regret not wholly unmingledwith satisfaction in the thought of being spared her companionship on thevoyage and afterward.

  He read the message aloud to Ben. "You see it would have done no good ifwe could have gone for her," he remarked. "But go, make haste to have thebaggage sent ashore to the address given here."

  Elsie's state-room adjoined her brother's. She too had been roused byBen's knock and overheard a part of what passed between him and his youngmaster. Dinah also was listening.

  "What dat dey say, Miss Elsie?" she queried in a startled tone, "MissLouise sick?"

  "I think that was what Master Edward said; but go to his door, Dinah, andask."

  Edward came himself with his answer and bringing a second telegram; thistime from their grandfather, saying the children were decidedly better,all the rest of the family well.

  "Oh, what good news!" exclaimed Elsie. "But poor Aunt Louise! I wish weknew her exact condition. Do you not think it must have been a suddenseizure?"

  "Yes, of either illness or desire to remain behind. Don't let it worryyou, sister dear. You have already quite enough of anxiety to endure."

  "No," she said, with a sweet, patient smile, "I am trying not to beanxious or troubled about anything, but to obey the sweet command,'casting all your care upon Him.'"

  "'For He careth for you,'" added Edward, completing the quotation. "Itis, as you say, a sweet command, most restful to those who obey it. Haveyou slept?"

  "Yes, I have had a long and very refreshing nap; still I have notrecovered from my fatigue, and shall not leave my state-room for some timeyet."

  "Let me send in your supper," he said. "I hope it will refresh you stillmore, and that after it you may feel equal to a turn on deck with me. Itwill be moonlight, and if you wrap up well you will not find the air morethan bracingly keen."

  "Thank you," she said. "It is altogether likely I shall find the exerciseof a short promenade rather restful than otherwise, after being so longcramped up in the cars. You are a dear, good brother to me, Ned," sheadded, laying her hand affectionately on his arm as he sat on the edge ofthe berth close by her side. "But how strange it seems that we two arestarting off on this long voyage alone!"

  "I'm so proud to be trusted to take care of you, Elsie," he returned,bending over her and tenderly smoothing her luxuriant hair. "I used tolook up to you years ago, but now----"

  "You look down on me?" she interrupted sportively. "No great feat, MasterNed, while I lie here."

  "Nor when we stand side by side," he returned in the same tone, 'seeing Ihave grown to be a full head taller than you. But truth compels me toacknowledge that I am your superior in nothing else except physicalstrength."

  "You might add knowledge of the world, you have had to rely on your ownjudgment so much oftener than I who have so seldom left mamma's side.Dear, dear mamma! Oh, Ned, how long will it be before I see her again?"

  She wept as she spoke, and Edward felt for the moment strongly inclined tojoin her. But instead he tried to cheer her.

  "We will hope Cousin Arthur may prescribe a sea voyage for grandpa and thechildren before long, and then we shall have the whole family joining usin Italy."

  "How delightful that would be, Ned!" she said, smiling through her tears.

  "And do you know," he went on gayly, "it is strongly impressed upon methat we shall find Lester convalescent, and by good nursing and ourcheering companionship so help it on that we shall have him a well man ina few weeks."

  "Ah, if it might be so!" she sighed. "'But He doeth all things well,' andoh how precious are His promises! 'As thy days thy strength shall be.' 'Iwill never leave thee nor forsake thee.' 'When thou passest through thewaters I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall notoverflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not beburned; neither shall the flames kindle upon thee.' And then that gloriousassurance, 'We _know_ that all things work together for good to them thatlove God.' Oh, Ned, our one great need is more and stronger faith!"

  "Yes, the faith which worketh by love! Let me read you that eighth chapterof Romans. I do not know what could be more comforting," he said, taking asmall Testament from his pocket.

  "Thank you," she said when he had finished. "Ah, what could be sweeterthan those concluding verses! 'For I am persuaded that neither death, norlife, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, northings to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall beable to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus ourLord!'"

  "Elsie, I think if our mother had never done anything else for herchildren," remarked Edward earnestly, "they would owe her an eternal debtof gratitude for storing their minds as she has with the very words ofinspiration."

  "Yes, 'the entrance of Thy words giveth light, it giveth understanding tothe simple.' 'The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands ofgold and silver.'"

  Ben came to the door. "Dey says dey's goin' to fotch up de anchor andstart de wessel, Marse Ed'ard. Don't you and Miss Elsie want for to seeit?"

  "Yes, sister, do you not wish to see the last you may, for the present, ofyour dear native land?" queried Edward in a lively tone. "'Twill take buta moment to don hat and shawl, and I shall be proud to give you thesupport of my arm."

  "Yes, I do," she said, rising with alacrity and hastily making the needfulpreparations.

  Ben preceded them to the deck and found comfortable seats for them in thefront rank of those who were there on the same errand.

  Elsie's tears began to fall as she saw the shore receding.

  "Oh," she murmured very low and sadly, leaning on her brother's shoulderand clinging more closely to him, "shall we ever return? ever see againthe dear land of our birth and all our loved ones left behind?"

  "There is every reason to hope so, dear sister," he whispered in return."A voyage to Europe is not the great and perilous undertaking it used tobe; and we are under the same protecting care here as on land. 'And theLord, he it is that doth go before thee,
he will be with thee, he willnot fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.'"

  She looked her thanks. "'Fear not;' sweet command! I must, I will obey it.Oh, how true it is that in keeping His commands there is great reward! Iam fully convinced that in the perfect keeping of them all perfecthappiness would be found."

  A gentleman standing near turned suddenly round. The tones of Elsie'svoice had reached him, though very few of the words.

  "Ah, I thought I could not be mistaken in that voice," he saiddelightedly, and offering his hand in cordial greeting. "How are you, MissElsie? and you, Ned? Really you are the last people I expected to meethere, though the very ones I should prefer above all others as _compagnonsde voyage_."

  It was Philip Ross, Jr.

  Neither of those addressed had ever enjoyed his society, and they were toosincere and true to reciprocate his expressions of gratification at theunexpected meeting. They accepted his offered hand, made kind inquiries inregard to his health and that of the other members of the family, andasked if any of them were on board.

  "No," he said, "it's merely a business trip that I take quite frequently.But ma and the girls are in Paris now, went last June and expect to stayfor another six months or longer. You two aren't here alone, eh?"

  "Yes," Edward said.

  "You don't say so!" cried Philip, elevating his eyebrows. "Who'd ever havebelieved your careful mother--not to speak of your grandfather--would evertrust you so far from home by yourselves!"

  "Mr. Ross," Edward said, reddening, "I shall reach my majority a fewmonths hence, and have been considered worthy of trust by both mother andgrandpa, for years past."

  "Mamma did not show the slightest hesitation in committing me to hiscare," added Elsie in her sweet, gentle tones.

  "Glad to hear it! didn't mean any insinuation that I didn't consider youworthy of all trust, Ned; only that Mrs. Travilla and the old governorhave always been so awfully strict and particular."

  Elsie, to whom the slang term was new, looked at the speaker with aslightly puzzled expression; but Edward, who fully understood it, drewhimself up with offended dignity.

  "Permit me to remark, Mr. Ross, that so disrespectful an allusion to myhonored grandfather can never be other than extremely offensive to me, andto all his children and grandchildren."

  "Beg your pardon, Nod, and yours, Miss Elsie" (he would have liked todrop the Miss, but something in her manner prevented him), "I call my ownfather the governor--behind his back you know--and meant no offence inapplying the term to Mr. Dinsmore."

  His apology was accepted, and the talk turned upon the various objects ofinterest within sight as they passed through the harbor.

  When there was little more to see but sky and water, Elsie retired to herstate-room, where she stayed until evening. Then Edward came for her, andthey passed an hour very enjoyably in promenading the deck or sitting sideby side, looking out upon the moonlit waters.

  "I wish we hadn't happened upon Phil Ross," Edward remarked in anundertone far from hilarious. "I fear he will, according to custom, makehimself very disagreeable to you."

  "I have been thinking it over, Ned," she answered, "and have come to theconclusion that the better plan will be for you to take the firstfavorable opportunity to tell him of my engagement and what is the objectof our journey."

  "I presume such a course will be likely to save you a good deal ofannoyance," Edward said; "and as we are old acquaintances, and heevidently full of a curiosity that will assuredly lead to his asking somequestions, I think it will be no difficult matter to give him theinformation without seeming to thrust it upon him."

  At that moment Philip came up and joined them, helping himself to a seaton Elsie's other side. He seemed to be, as of old, on the best of termswith himself and very graciously disposed toward Elsie.

  He, too, had been thinking of the, to him, fortunate chance (Elsie wouldhave called it providence) which had thrown them together where for somedays they were likely to see much of each other. He had heard a report ofher engagement, but refused to credit it. "She had always been fond of himand it wasn't likely she would throw herself away on somebody else." Andnow he had come to the decision to offer her his hand, heart, and fortunewithout delay. He was rich enough, and why should he keep her in suspenseany longer?

  He indulged in a few trivial commonplaces, then invited her to take a turnwith him on the deck.

  But she declined with thanks, "he must excuse her for she was greatlyfatigued and must retire at once." And with a kindly "Good-night," shewithdrew to her state-room, Edward again giving her the support of hisarm.

  Philip was literally struck dumb with surprise, and did not recover hisspeech until she was gone.

  Edward returned presently, and as he resumed his seat by Philip's side thelatter asked, "Is your sister out of health, Ned?"

  "No; but we are just off a long and fatiguing journey; she was not at herbest state either when we left home, because of care and nursing of thesick children. And in addition to all that she is enduring much grief andanxiety."

  "May I ask on what account?"

  "Yes; I have no objection to telling you the whole story, considering whatold acquaintances we are, and the life-long friendship of our mothers.Lester Leland, Elsie's betrothed, is lying very ill in Rome, and we aremaking all haste to join him there."

  "Her betrothed!" cried Philip, starting to his feet, "her betrothed didyou say? why--why, I've always expected to marry her myself; thought itwas an understood thing in both families, and----"

  "I am sure I do not know upon what grounds you entertained such an idea,"returned Edward in a tone of mingled indignation and disgust.

  "Grounds, man! I'm sure it would seem the most natural thing in theworld--each the eldest child of intimate and dear friends--and I havenever made any secret of my preference for her----"

  "Which amounts to nothing unless it had been reciprocated."

  "Reciprocated! I've always thought it was, and delayed speaking outplainly only because I considered myself safe in waiting to grow a littlericher."

  "In which you were egregiously mistaken. Now let me assure you once forall, that Elsie never has and never will care for any man in that way butLester Leland."

  At that Philip turned and walked rapidly away. "I'd rather have lost allI'm worth!" he muttered to himself. "Yes; every cent of it. But as to hernever caring for anybody else if that fellow was out o' the way, I don'tbelieve it. And he may die; may be dead now. Well, if he is I'll keep asharp look-out that nobody else gets ahead of me."

  His self-love and self-conceit had received a pretty deep wound, his eyeswere opened to the fact that Elsie avoided being alone with him, neverappearing on deck without her brother, and he did not trouble her muchduring the remainder of the voyage, did not make his intended offer.