proud, and blissfully happy in his victory, burke went to his father; and to his father (so far as the latter himself was concerned) he carried a bombshell.
for two reasons john denby had failed to see what was taking place in his own home. first, because it would never have occurred to him that his son could fall in love with a nursemaid; secondly, because he had systematically absented himself from the house during the most of his sister's visit, preferring to take his sister away with him for drives and walks rather than to stay in the noisy confusion of toys and babies that his home had become. because of all this, therefore, he was totally unprepared for what his son was bringing to him.
he welcomed the young man with affectionate heartiness.
"well, my boy, it's good to see you! where have you been keeping yourself all these two weeks?"
"why, dad, i've been right here—in fact, i've been very much right here!"
the conscious color that crept to the boy's forehead should have been illuminating. but it was not.
"yes, yes, very likely, very likely," frowned the man. "but, of course, with so many around— but soon we'll be by ourselves again. not but what[pg 25] i'm enjoying your aunt's visit, of course," he added hastily. "but here are two weeks of your vacation gone, and i've scarcely seen you a minute."
"yes; and that's one thing i wanted to talk about—college," plunged in the boy. "i've decided i don't want to finish my course, dad. i'd rather go into business right away."
the man drew his brows together, but did not look entirely displeased.
"hm-m, well," he hesitated. "while i should hate not to see you graduated, yet—it's not so bad an idea, after all. i'd be glad to have you here for good that much earlier, son. but why this sudden right-about-face? i thought you were particularly keen for that degree."
again the telltale color flamed in the boyish cheeks.
"i was—once. but, you see, then i wasn't thinking of—getting married."
"married!" to john denby it seemed suddenly that a paralyzing chill clutched his heart and made it skip a beat. this possible future marriage of his son, breaking into their close companionship, was the dreaded shadow that loomed ever ahead. "nonsense, boy! time enough to think of that when you've found the girl."
"but i have found her, dad."
john denby paled perceptibly.
"you have—what?" he demanded. "you don't mean that you've— who is she?"[pg 26]
"helen. why, dad, you seem surprised," laughed the boy. "haven't you noticed—suspected?"
"well, no i haven't," retorted the man grimly. "why should i? i never heard of the young lady before. what is this—some college tomfoolery? i might have known, i suppose, what would happen."
"college! why, dad, she's here. you know her. it's helen,—miss barnet."
"here! there's no one here but your aunt and—" he stopped, and half started from his chair. "you don't—you can't mean—your aunt's nursemaid!"
at the scornful emphasis an indignant red dyed the boy's face.
"i didn't think that of you, dad," he rebuked.
angry as he was, the man was conscious of the hurt the words gave him. but he held his ground.
"and i did not think this of you, burke," he rejoined coldly.
"you mean—"
"i mean that i supposed my son would show some consideration as to the woman he chose for his wife."
"father!" the boyish face set into stern lines. the boyish figure drew itself erect with a majesty that would have been absurd had it not been so palpably serious. "i can't stand much of this sort of thing, even from you. miss barnet is everything that is good and true and lovely. she is in every way worthy—more than worthy. besides, she is the woman i love—the woman i have asked to be my wife. please remember that when you speak of her."[pg 27]
john denby laughed lightly. sharp words had very evidently been on the end of his tongue, when, with a sudden change of countenance, he relaxed in his chair, and said:—
"well done, burke. your sentiments do you credit, i'm sure. but aren't we getting a little melodramatic? i feel as if i were on the stage of a second-rate theater! however, i stand corrected; and we'll speak very respectfully of the lady hereafter. i have no doubt she is very good and very lovely, as you say; but"—his mouth hardened a little—"i must still insist that she is no fit wife for my son."
"why not?"
"obvious reasons."
"i suppose you mean—because she has to work for her living," flashed the boy. "but that—excuse me—seems to me plain snobbishness. and i must say again i didn't think it of you, dad. i supposed—"
"come, come, this has gone far enough," interrupted the distraught, sorely tried father of an idolized son. "you're only a boy. you don't know your own mind. you'll fancy yourself in love a dozen times yet before the time comes for you to marry."
"i'm not a boy. i'm a man grown."
"you're not twenty-one yet."
"i shall be next month. and i do know my own mind. you'll see, father, when i'm married."
"but you're not going to be married at present. and you're never going to marry this nursemaid."
"father!"[pg 28]
"i mean what i say."
"you won't give your consent?"
"never!"
"then— i'll do it without, after next month."
there was a tense moment of silence. father and son faced each other, angry resentment in their eyes. then, with a sharp ejaculation, john denby got to his feet and strode to the window. when he turned a minute later and came back, the angry resentment was gone. his mouth was stern, but his eyes were pleading. he came straight to his son and put both hands on his shoulders.
"burke, listen to me," he begged. "i'm doing this for two reasons. first, to save you from yourself. you've known this girl scarcely two weeks—hardly an adequate preparation for a lifetime of living together. and just here comes in the second reason. however good and lovely she may be, she couldn't possibly qualify for that long lifetime together, burke. simply because she works for her living has nothing to do with it. she has not the tastes or the training that should belong to your wife—that must belong to your wife if she is to make you happy, if she is to take the place of—your mother. and that is the place your wife will take, of course, burke."
under the restraining hands on his shoulders the boy stirred restlessly.
"tastes! training! what do i care for that? she suits my tastes."
"she wouldn't—for long."[pg 29]
"you wait and see."
"too great a risk to run, my boy."
"i'll risk it. i'm going to risk it."
again there was a moment's silence. again the stern lines deepened around the man's lips. then very quietly there came the words:—
"burke, if you marry this girl, you will choose between her and me. it seems to me that i ought not to need to tell you that you cannot bring her here. she shall never occupy your mother's chair as the mistress of this house."
"that settles it, then: i'll take her somewhere else."
if burke had not been so blind with passion he would have seen and felt the anguish that leaped to his father's eyes. but he did not stop to see or to feel. he snapped out the words, jerked himself free, and left the room.
this did not "settle it," however. there were more words—words common to stern parents and amorous youths and maidens since time immemorial. a father, appalled at the catastrophe that threatened, not only his cherished companionship with his only son, but, in his opinion, the revered sanctity of his wife's memory, wrapped himself in forbidding dignity. an impetuous lover, torn between the old love of years and the new, quite different one of weeks, alternately stormed and pleaded. a young girl, undisciplined, very much in love, and smarting with hurt pride and resentment, blew hot and cold in a manner that tended to drive every one concerned[pg 30] to distraction. as soon as possible a shocked, distressed sister eunice packed her trunks and betook herself and her offending household away.
in time, then, a compromise was effected. burke should leave college immediately and go into the works with his father, serving a short apprenticeship from the bottom up, as had been planned for him, that he might be the master of the business, in deed as well as in name, when he should some day take his father's place. meanwhile, for one year, he was not to see or to communicate with helen barnet. if at the end of the year, he was still convinced that his only hope of happiness lay in marriage to this girl, all opposition would be withdrawn and he might marry when he pleased—though even then he must not expect to bring his bride to the old home. they must set up an establishment for themselves.
"we should prefer that,—under the circumstances," had been the prompt and somewhat haughty rejoinder, much to the father's discomfiture.
grieved and dismayed as he was at the airy indifference with which his son appeared to face a fatherless future, john denby was yet pinning his faith on that year of waiting. given twelve months with the boy quite to himself, free from the hateful spell of this designing young woman, and there could be no question of the result—in john denby's mind. in all confidence, therefore, and with every sense alert to make this year as perfect as a year could be, john denby set himself to the task before him.[pg 31]
it was just here, however, that for john denby the ghosts walked—ghosts of innumerable toy pistols and frosted cakes. burke denby, accustomed all his life to having what he wanted, and having it when he wanted it, moped the first week, sulked the second, covertly rebelled the third, and ran away the last day of the fourth, leaving behind him the customary note, which, in this case, read:—
dear dad: i've gone to helen. i had to. i've lived a year of misery in this last month: so, as far as i am concerned, i have waited my year already. we shall be married at once. i wrote helen last week, and she consented.
now, dad, you'll just have to forgive me. i'm twenty-one. i'm a man now, not a boy, and a man has to decide these things for himself. and helen's a dear. you'll see, when you know her. we'll be back in two weeks. now don't bristle up. i'm not going to bring her home, of course (at present), after the very cordial invitation you gave me not to! we're going into one of the reddington apartments. with my allowance and my—er—wages (!) we can manage that all right—until "the stern parent" relents and takes his daughter home—as he should!
good-bye,
burke.
john denby read the letter once, twice; then he pulled the telephone toward him and gave a few crisp orders to james brett, his general manager. his voice was steady and—to the man at the other end of the wire—ominously emotionless. when he had finished talking five minutes later, certain words had been uttered that would materially change the immediate[pg 32] future of a certain willful youth just then setting out on his honeymoon.
there would be, for burke denby, no "reddington apartment." there would also be no several-other-things; for there would be no "allowance" after the current month. there would be only the "wages," and the things the wages could buy.
there was no disputing the fact that john denby was very angry. but he was also sorely distressed and grieved. added to his indignation that his son should have so flouted him was his anguish of heart that the old days of ideal companionship were now gone forever. there was, too, his very real fear for the future happiness of his boy, bound in marriage to a woman he believed would prove to be a most uncongenial mate. but overtopping all, just now, was his wrath at the flippant assurance of his son's note, and the very evident confidence in a final forgiveness that the note showed. it was this that caused the giving of those stern, momentous orders over the telephone—john denby himself had been somewhat in the habit of having his own way!
the harassed father did not sleep much that night. until far into the morning hours he sat before the fireless grate in his library, thinking. he looked old, worn, and wholly miserable. in his hand, and often under his gaze, was the miniature of a beautiful woman—his wife.
