The Gold of Chickaree Part 78

'In that case, what is going to become of me?' said he, not changing his position.

'I have no idea! I feel fearfully like myself since I came home.'

'Do you! And what do you expect me to do with your 'small facts'?

Are they kittens?'

'No. Store them up for reference when I am hard to understand.'

'I do not want any references on that chapter. What _are_ your small facts?'

'Little hints of how I have lived,?and with what atmosphere and influences. Specimens of the soil wherein Wych Hazel grew to be "all hat and bushes." '

'And when did she abdicate?' said Rollo, bringing both arms round her now.

'O?the precise day does not matter,' said the girl, as a very 'precise' day last winter came full into view. 'Dates are useless things.'

'Tell me!' said he softly. 'When did you abdicate?'

'You mean?' she said, hesitating, with her eyes on the ground.

'What you mean.'

'But Olaf?' Hazel left her protestation unfinished. 'I suppose, really, it was a year ago,' she said, not looking at him. 'Only that week before Christmas I was worried?and of course I was full of freaks. And so?I felt as if I was doing every thing for the last time.' Hazel hung her head, leaving the 'freaks' to their fate.

'How 'for the last time'?' said Rollo, with provoking apparent obtuseness.

'Ah!?' Hazel exclaimed,?then again submitting to circ.u.mstances,?'My will had been the law of the house?and the people?and of myself.?Do you understand, sir?'

'Where were your guardians?' said Rollo with cool self-command.

'In my way just often enough to give zest to all other times and places.'

'And what is your opinion of the one guardian you have left? just as a curiosity, I should like to hear it.'

'He gave so fine a comparative description of himself beforehand,'

said Hazel with the laugh in her voice. 'It would be quite presuming to suppose he does not mean to act up to it.'

Dane was silent, perhaps considering how he should answer her; for loosening one hand, he stood pus.h.i.+ng back the thick curls from her face, looking down at it thoughtfully. Then in the same tone he had used before, he asked, "if she had not learned love's liberty yet?"

'In what sense?' she said, after a moment's hesitation.

'In the sense of being rather more a free and independent sovereign than at any previous time of your life.'

Hazel shook her head. 'If you make me go into that,' she said, 'I shall surely say something you will not understand. I have been as full of freaks this winter as ever in all my life before.'

'I am moved with curiosity to hear what you can say that I shall not understand.'

'I will not gratify you this time, if I can help it,' said Hazel laughing a little. 'Somebody must be head?that is plain, isn't it?

and if it is you, it is not I. And before Christmas just that last part got hold of me,?and since Christmas?'

'Finish it! Since Christmas??'

'Since Christmas I have taken the first part into consideration,'

Hazel said demurely.

Perhaps Dane thought illogical treatment was the best, or his patience gave out; for he answered with pa.s.sionate kisses all over Hazel's face.

'My little Wych!' said he?'do you think you are less head at Chickaree than you used to be?'

She answered shyly, arching her brows. 'Yes. Of course.'

'Don't you like it?' said he audaciously.

'_That?_ No. I think not. Why should I, if you please?'

'You are head, just because I am head. More than ever; because you have my strength to back your decisions. Now let us go, wherever you want opt take me.'

Wych Hazel's lips curled in a pretty laugh.

'There are two ways of 'backing' a decision,' she said. But then she moved off, and led the way through all the long-unused part of the great house. An old office room, with leather-covered chairs, and empty inkstands, and dry pens, and forgotten day-books of forgotten days! Suites of guest chambers, reception rooms, and music room, and rooms of every sort. Broad bits of hall led to them, and narrow entries, and unexpected stairways: the old bolts turned slowly; the door k.n.o.bs were dim with the mists of long ago.

Old portraits looked down on them suddenly, here and there; the two bright young figures sprang out anew from mirrors that for years had seen nothing but darkness. Wherever they went they opened a window, throwing back blind and shutter; and the spring suns.h.i.+ne streamed in, fresh and gladsome, making the dust of years look even solemn in its still quiet. It was a labyrinth of a house!?and Hazel tripped along, in and out, as if she knew it all by heart; with only words of explanation, until suddenly she opened the door into a round apartment at the foot of the flagstaff and the top of the house. The room was nearly all windows , and the waving shadow of the blue banner curled and played in the sunlight upon the floor.

Nearly all: only four broad pannels broke the lookout, one on either side. Hazel laid her hand upon Rollo's shoulder, and softly led him round. The first pannel held two full-length portraits; a stately pair of olden time, in old-time dress; the founders of the house. The ruffles and lappets and powder and hoop told of long ago. Of later date, yet still far past, were the next two; short waist and slim skirt and long silk stockings and small clothes; and curious look of Wych Hazel herself in the lady's face. Hazel's own father and mother came next; and then she pa.s.sed round to the fourth pannel, which was but half filled. A full length of herself had apparently held first place there; certain marks on the wall told of removal to the second place, where it was now. Hazel paused before the empty side of the pannel.

'You see your duty,' she said with a laugh. 'It is a rule of the house.

Now come and look at the view.'

'I think we'll break the rule, Hazel. Why was I never here before?'

'This was one of my particular haunts,?so I kept the key. Look,?

there is Morton Hollow, off that way, where the smoke floats up.

And Crocus and the church spires shew from here. And _there_ comes in the road by which you drove me home that very first day.

I have lived a great many hours up in this place, with the old portraits.'

On the whole, it was rather an eerie thing to have one's 'haunts' in such a rambling, half-shut up, untenanted old house. One could imagine the loneliness which had followed her about sometimes.

Dane took the effect, standing there in the Belvidere; however his words were a very practical question?'why his picture should take her side of the pannel?'

'If you look at the order in which the others stand, you will see it is _your_ side,' said Wych Hazel. 'I put mine there in a mood,?when I meant to be head always.'

'Two heads are better than one,' said Dan carelessly.

'Yes?I may be good for consultation.'?She stood there, half behind him, her hand laid lightly on his shoulder, looking off with a smile in her eyes toward Morton Hollow. Had he not always had his own way, already?

'Olaf,' she said suddenly, 'if I had been the d.u.c.h.ess May, what would you have done?'

'I'll think of that,' said he laughing, 'and tell you when I come home to-night. For I must go, Hazel.'

It was a long day before Rollo got home again. Not spent entirely alone by Hazel, for Dr. Arthur came to see his patient, and she had both gentlemen to luncheon. Mr. Heinert proved himself a very genial and somewhat original companion. If he had ever been disheartened on account of his illness, that was all past now; and the simplicity, vivacity, and general love of play in his nature made a piquant contrast with Dr. Arthur's staid humour and grave manliness. He talked of Rollo too, whom he loved well, it was plain; he talked of Gottingen; he talked in short till Arthur ordered him back to his rooms and forbade him to come out of them again even for dinner that day.