Chapter X: The New Project

WHEN the coffee was served with the dessert, Mr. Dudley, who had taken a cup, said with a bow to Miss Gilbert, "I suppose we are indebted to you for this luxury. Gertrude, I wish you would find out the method. This is really delicious."

"You are giving me quite too much praise," Marion answered quietly. "Bridge concocted it; and I agree with you she is deserving of great credit. Indeed I recognize in her the elements of a first rate cook; and as she says she has no place, I shall engage her for mamma."

This speech caused Gertrude to open her eyes, while the girl who had great shrewdness understood the plan at once.

"I don't see how I can spare her," faltered Mrs. Dudley, glancing shyly at her husband. "Our other servants have been so bad."

"I've no doubt, love, she will stay if you insist," urged Paul, beginning to fear that in dismissing a girl who could give him such a cup of coffee, and who was an embryo cook, he had made a mistake. "I will add another dollar a month to her wages if that will please you."

"Oh, thank you, Paul! I am so very glad."

After dinner the two lawyers went to Mr. Dudley's office; but first the husband managed to see Gertrude alone, when he asked abruptly:

"What stories of your husband's unkindness have you been telling Edward? He looks as grave as a judge."

"Not one word, Paul! You ought to know me better than that. I suppose he is sorry to see me looking so ill."

Upon every indifferent subject Edward conversed with his usual freedom; but the moment his sister's name was mentioned he proved by his reticent manner that this was a subject upon which he did not wish to speak.

Paul offered to show his visitor around the city; and they strolled for an hour or two through the principal streets, conversing of improvements to be made; handsome public buildings to be erected; etc., etc. They were passing a dry goods store when a lady, elegantly dressed, came out, to whom Paul bowed with great empressement, as the French say. Edward thought the countenance familiar; and glanced in his companion's face, wondering he did not speak of her. Paul's lip was curled into a pleasant smile, as if some agreeable memories had been stirred; but he presently remarked in continuation of their former conversation:

"Chicago is destined to be a great city, one of the greatest in the country."

They returned to find Gertrude impatiently awaiting her brother. At her earnest request Marion had consented to send Bridget with a note of explanation to her mother; and remain through the evening.

"A very wise arrangement, little one," observed Paul, playfully tapping his wife's cheek.

The tea table presented an inviting appearance, glistening with silver, glass and china. There was a plate of crisp rolls, a platter covered with thin shavings of ham, a glass of jelly and a basket of cake.

"If Hannah were only here, I should be too happy," cried Gertrude, looking smilingly around among her guests.

Paul was in unusual spirits. He had always liked Edward; and was more relieved than he could express that his first visit was passing off so agreeably. He secretly thanked Gerty again and again for urging Marion to stay; for it would not be polite to leave his brother alone, and an engagement for the evening awaited him.

After tea Marion tarried a few minutes in the dining room with Bridget to show her how to wipe the silver; and to give particular directions for breakfast, which the girl promised faithfully to remember; and then at Edward's request accompanied herself in some simple songs.

At the end of one of them, Paul started to his feet exclaiming, "Your music, Miss Gilbert is so charming that I quite forgot an engagement I was so unfortunate as to make before I knew I should be honored with company. I shall shorten it as much as possible and shall hope to find you here on my return."

How delightfully passed the evening to those left behind. The moment Paul had shut the door, Wallingford's reticence vanished; and he shone, as his sister had never seen him before. He talked of their home, and described to Miss Gilbert, who had never visited New York, the scenery on the banks of the Hudson river. He told Gerty of Hannah's success in raising calves; and made them both laugh by detailing the persistent attentions of Hannah's old beau, Mr. Biles. He talked, too, of his anxieties that his sister should improve every moment of the time she could call her own, in making up the deficiencies in her education; and Gertrude, now realizing as she never had done, how necessary knowledge is to happiness, promised to take hold of study in earnest. Her eye grew bright as she realized the possibility, that by this means, she might win back the love of her husband.

But at last Marion noticed that her sister looked weary, though there was still a smile on her lip, and insisted on seeing her in her chamber before she left, calling Bridget to help her mistress to bed. Then bidding her an affectionate good night, with the promise of another speedy visit, she took Mr. Wallingford's offered arm, and commenced her walk home.

"May I talk with you freely, Miss Gilbert, as if you were indeed a sister," the gentleman began at once. "I am sure you will understand how my heart aches for poor Gerty."

"I love her like a sister," was the earnest reply; "and before I was aware she had a brother to defend her rights, resolved to take that service upon myself."

"Thank you. I shall forget, then, that I am talking to one so lately a stranger. I see my sister's marriage has resulted even worse than I feared. Dudley was an intimate college friend; but his treatment of ladies led me to fear he would never make a tender husband; and poor Gerty is such a very child."

"Mr. Dudley is extremely popular with the ladies here," was her cool reply; "but I agree with you that he is not tender of his wife."

"What can I do for her? Shall I charge him with cruelty and take her home?"

She laughed at his earnest tone, but presently aided seriously:

"'For better for worse, till death us do part,' I think that is the way the service reads. No, I don't imagine she would be happy away from her duty."

"It seems to me he has forfeited all claim to her love. Did you notice the glance he gave her at dinner?"

"Yes; and the meek manner in which she bore it was a proof to me that she has begun to look above for help. Mr. Wallingford, there is One who has done more for us than any human being could do; who has set us an example of forbearance and forgiveness. Shall we not try to imitate him by bearing with each other's faults?"

For a moment he was too much affected to speak; but recovering himself said with great feeling:

"Excuse me; your words remind me so much of my mother, long an inhabitant of heaven. Just so she would have urged me to patience, and to hope for the future. But if she had lived, Gerty would not have married Paul."

"How long shall you remain in Chicago?" she asked, rather abruptly.

"Only a day or two."

"Then will you call to-morrow after dinner at my father's? I have thought of a project; but as I make papa my confident, I wish to consult him before I mention it to any one."

"Does it regard my sister's education?"

"Yes," laughing. "I forgot you were a lawyer and accustomed to close, as well as to cross-questioning."

"I will certainly call."

They were at this moment passing the theatre, and both started to see Mr. Dudley coming under the blaze of the light at the er trance with a lady hanging on his arm. He was leaning toward her; and as Mr. Wallingford unconsciously checked his steps, he recognized the lady as the one to whom his brother-in-law had bowed in the afternoon.

"That is Miss Richmond," said Marion, when the couple had turned in the opposite direction. "She is an heiress from Philadelphia, visiting in Chicago."

"An heiress?" repeated Edward.

"Yes, by the death of a miserly uncle, and the non-discovery of any other heir."

"I remember meeting her in Philadelphia," murmured the gentleman abstractedly. "She is an old acquaintance of Mr. Dudley."

"She was at the party last night," explained Marion, understanding how keenly the brother must feel the neglect shown his sister. "She is brilliant and accomplished; even gay and thoughtless; but I believe her to have good principles; and I have heard lately that she was betrothed to a gentleman in New York."

Mr. Wallingford passed the entire forenoon with his sister. She looked brighter than the preceding day; and there was an expression of serenity on her exquisitely cut features he had not looked for. Indeed there was an elevation in her whole countenance which recalled instantly the scene of his mother's death-bed.

Dudley seemed more at ease than on the previous day; and warmly commended Bridget on the wonderful improvement in her cooking. He kissed Gertrude's cheek as he went out, saying gayly, "I shall feel quite easy about you, love, now that Ned is here to entertain your ladyship."

The start of pleased surprise with which the wife received this token of affection convinced her brother that such manifestations were rare. He recollected with a flush of indignation hearing his old chum once say to his youngest sister as he rudely threw her off when she volunteered a sisterly embrace:

"Nonsense, Nannie! don't bother me."

Directly after dinner Mr. Wallingford met his appointment at Dr. Gilbert's, carrying with him a note to Marion which was, to say the least, correctly spelled.

"Will it do?" she asked her brother, glancing half shyly in his face?

"Capitally!" reading aloud.

"If my dear sister knew how much
good it would do me to have her
spend the afternoon and evening
here, I think she would come."

"GERTRUDE."

Dr. and Mrs. Gilbert speedily convinced their visitor that they took a more than ordinary interest in his sister; and gave their full approval to their daughter's plan; which was that she should review her school lessons, allowing Gertrude to study them; and then that they examine each other preparatory to a more rigorous subsequent examination by the pastor.

"Nothing could have pleased me better than such a plan," warmly responded Mr. Wallingford. "I fully appreciate the delicacy with which the proposal is made; and give my hearty consent on one condition. I know enough of a minister's' life to understand that his hours of leisure are rare; and therefore precious. If you consent, sir, to devote even a brief portion of this leisure to your unfortunate parishioner, I shall insist on your accepting this small sum;" opening his portemonnaie and putting into the clergyman's hand two fifty dollar bills.

"As for Miss Marion, I accept her proffered kindness in the same spirit it is offered; and believe she will find in her own heart a reward for her warm interest in a desolate stranger."