The Girl Scouts Rally Part 18

She set Mary and Myron to work with a pot of cream colored paint, and in two days the shabby old dining-room table and shabbier chairs were all wearing bright new coats.

As soon as ever she could, she called on Mr. Robert for the moving van, and moved everything over to the new house. Settling was a joy, there were so many to help. All the Girl Scouts wanted to do something, and between them they outfitted Gwenny's dresser (a walnut one that was put through the paint test and came out pretty as could be). The two carpet rugs were laid down in the living-room and the dining-room, and looked scarcely worn at all after Minnie had finished scrubbing, and Tommy and Myron had whipped them. The dining-room rug was dark blue, and how that table and those chairs did show up on it. The springs were broken down in the couch Minnie had picked out, but she turned it over and her young man nailed a new piece of webbing underneath, and in five minutes it was as good as new. Rosanna helped her as much as she could. When they were busy putting up the curtains Minnie said, "Rosanna dear, I think your Uncle Robert looks thin."

"I think he does too," said Rosanna, but remembering her promise would say no more.

"In love," said Minnie, wisely nodding her head.

"Of course _not_," said Rosanna. "He doesn't like girls."

"No, he doesn't. Oh no!" said Minnie. "Of course he is in love! Do you mean to tell me, Rosanna, that you don't know that he is in love with little Miss Hooker? Don't tell me that!"

"I _do_ tell you," said Rosanna. "He doesn't even like her, sweet as she is."

"My good land, hear the child!" said Minnie, sitting down on the top step of the ladder, and letting the stiffly starched curtain trail to the floor.

"Do you remember the day she came to see you when you were sick after your accident, and your grandmother had said you could be a Girl Scout?

Do you remember that your Uncle Robert was there when she came in? Well, believe me, Rosanna, your Uncle Robert fell in love with her that very day and hour and minute, and that's the truth."

"I wish it was," sighed Rosanna. "I _do_ wish it was, but he truly does not like her. I don't know why."

"Well, that beats me!" said Minnie, picking up the slack of the curtain again, and sadly hanging it. "I certainly am disappointed, for she is the _sweetest_ little bit I ever hope to see, and it would be a mercy to see that good, kind, nice actin' young man get the likes of her rather than some high nosed madam, who would look down on all his humble friends (as friends we _are_, Rosanna, as you may well believe)."

Rosanna did not answer. She was too low in her mind. She knew that Uncle Robert did not care for anyone, but what if someone _should_ grab him anyhow? Rosanna felt that life was full of perils.

Two days later the little house was in perfect order, and Uncle Robert went again to Cincinnati after Gwenny. It was decided that no one should meet them on account of tiring Gwenny after her journey, so Uncle Robert carried Gwenny to the automobile and took her home to the little new house, her mother looking back with her sweet, anxious smile from the front seat of the automobile. When they reached the Preston Street house, and Mary and Myron and boisterous Tommy and little Luella all filed out quite quiet, but br.i.m.m.i.n.g with happiness, Mrs. Harter could only stare.

"This is Gwenny's house, Mrs. Harter, deeded to her. Come in!" said Mr.

Horton, as Minnie rushed out and led the dazed woman into all the glories of the new home.

Mr. Horton carried Gwenny straight to her own room, and laid her down on the sparkling, gleaming bra.s.s bed, where he left her listening to Mary's rapid explanations. When he went downstairs he found Mrs. Harter in the kitchen, crying silently.

"Now, now, Mrs. Harter, you must not do that!" he said. "Brace up like a good woman! Gwenny will need a lot of care for a few days, and you will need all your strength."

"Oh, but I am so thankful that my heart feels as though it would break!"

said Mrs. Harter.

Mr. Horton laughed. "It won't break," he said. "Minnie, shall I take you home?"

"Thank you, sir, but my Tom is coming over a little later. I have supper all fixed, so we will have a small feast to celebrate, after Gwenny is attended to and safe in bed, so I will get home nicely, thank you."

"Good night then," said Mr. Horton. "Don't let those Girl Scouts run over you, Mrs. Harter." He raised his hat and ran down the steps whistling.

"There goes one good man," said Minnie solemnly. "Come, dear, and take off your hat in your own house, and see the ducky closet under the stairs to keep it in."

And so it was that Gwenny came home.

Mr. Horton sped to his own home as fast as he dared drive the car, the chauffeur sitting silently beside him. Robert was too happy to let anyone else handle the wheel. Once more he dashed up the steps three at a time, whistling. Rosanna was at the door.

"Be careful of your heart, Uncle Robert," she whispered, looking around to see that her grandmother was not within hearing. "Were they pleased?"

"_Were_ they?" said Uncle Robert. "I should say they _were_! Everybody perfectly happy! Gwenny staring around her pretty room, and Mrs. Harter crying in the sink. Yes, everybody is happy. Teedle-ee, teedle-oo!"

warbled Uncle Robert.

"How good and kind you are, dear Uncle Robert!" said Rosanna tenderly.

"Yes, _ain't I_?" said Uncle Robert, deliberately ungrammatical. "Oh, yes, I _be_!" he went on chanting, as he sat down and fished out a cigarette. Then changing to a sober tone, "Rosanna, whom do you think I found in Cincinnati? Up there at that Hospital as large as life?"

"I don't know," said Rosanna.

"Well, if you will believe me, there was that bad little bit of a Miss Hooker, who had come back from Atlantic City to see that Gwenny was all right. She helped me bring them home. And Rosanna, perhaps I didn't _get even_ with her, for what she said about my being funny! You know I told you I would. I did! It was hard, hard work but I done it, I done it!

Tra-la-de-lu-de-lu-de-i-i-i-i-i!" yodeled Uncle Robert, whisking the ash off his cigarette.

"What did you do to her?" asked Rosanna in a small, fearful voice.

Uncle Robert looked very sternly at Rosanna.

"What did I do?" he asked. "What did I _do_? Well, I made her promise to marry me; _that's_ what I did! Pretty smart uncle, hey, Rosanna?"

CHAPTER XIII

Rosanna sank feebly down on the hall bench, and to her own surprise and Uncle Robert's dismay burst into tears.

"Well, who next?" said Uncle Robert. "Mrs. Harter crying in the sink, and you weeping all over our nice hall. Oh dear, what a wet, wet world!"

"Oh, don't mind me," said Rosanna, choking back her sobs. "I am perfectly happy, only everything turns out so differently from everything else!"

"I suppose you are right," granted Uncle Robert. "You must be if you know what you mean."

"I am not sure _what_ I mean," said Rosanna, "but I am so glad, glad, _glad_ that you are going to marry that dear darling Miss Hooker instead of that high nosed madam!"

"What are you talking about?" demanded Robert. "High nosed? Who is she?"

"I think it is someone Minnie made up," said Rosanna. "She said what a shame if she married you."

"Well, she didn't and won't," declared Uncle Robert with conviction.

"And as far as _nose_ goes, my girl has only enough nose so that one knows it _is_ a nose. Get that, Rosanna?"

Rosanna giggled. "Have you told grandmother?" she asked.

Uncle Robert looked suddenly sobered.

"No, I didn't, and I should have done so first and I meant to, and it is all your fault, Rosanna."

"How so?" asked Rosanna in surprise.