Molly Brown's College Friends Part 10

"Andy McLean, you are a fool! There is no other word for you!" and Nance grabbed Dodo from his carriage and ran up the steps, thankful that they had arrived at the Square Deal.

"If not Flint, who?" muttered Andy under his breath. "I am going to stay here until I find out."

Molly was not at home to receive her wet daughter. Nance and Katy rubbed her down and dressed her while Andy waited miserably in the library. Why had his mother not warned him that Nance Oldham was in Wellington? They had had a long talk and she had told him news of all their old friends.

Molly and Edwin had been mentioned again and again but the fact that they had a guest had been kept dark. He had never talked to his mother about his break with Nance. A certain reticence in his make-up withheld him. Many times he had longed to put his head in her lap and tell her all about it.

A great intimacy existed between Mrs. McLean and this only child, but instead of his being like a daughter to her, as is the case sometimes with a woman and an only child when that child happens to be a son, this worthy mother had adjusted herself more into the relations.h.i.+p of an elder brother to Andy. There were few if any subjects they could not discuss together, but somehow he could not bring himself to tell her of Nance. She had known they were engaged--that was easy to tell, and she knew the engagement was no more--that was all. Mrs. McLean bided her time.

"They are young yet," she had said to her husband. "Some misunderstanding has come up, but if they are really meant for one another it will be explained away. If they can't forgive, then they are not suited for mating."

The good woman had been delighted beyond measure that Nance should be in Wellington while her son was on his farewell visit to her, and she had devoutly prayed that they might meet by chance, just as they had. Of course she had not stipulated in her prayers that Andy should mistake Nance for the Greens' nurse and reprimand her for carelessness; and then fish Mildred out of the water; and get Dodo and the hated Dr. Flint hopelessly mixed, and be called a fool for his blunder!

CHAPTER VII

NANCE PACKS HER TRUNK

Molly, coming in hurriedly from her labors at the French War Relief rooms where she had been engaged in making surgical dressings until her back ached so that she had more sympathy for the poor wounded than ever, if possible, found young Dr. McLean cooling his heels and drying his coat by her library fire.

"Andy! I am so glad to see you!" she cried, grasping both of his hands.

"When did you come? Did you know Nance Oldham is with me?"

"Yes, I have seen her," grimly.

"Oh, then you know of her trouble?"

"Trouble! I shouldn't call it that. She evidently does not consider it in that light."

"Andy McLean, how can you say such a thing?"

"Well, I formed my opinions from the evidence of my own eyes. In fact, she told me with her own lips that she was contented; if not in so many words, at least she gave me that impression."

"Resigned, of course! That is Nance's way, but she is very sad and lonesome for all that."

"Lonesome! Ye G.o.ds, how many does she want?"

"Excuse me, Andy, but you are talking like a goose," declared Molly, irritated in spite of herself.

"Thank you, madam," he said, bowing low. "Your guest has just called me a fool and now you call me a goose. I bid you good-by."

"Good-by, indeed! Andy McLean, sit down here and let me send for your father. I believe my soul you are in a fever or something." Molly pushed him down in a chair near the fire. "Why, Andy, your coat is damp! Where have you been?"

She drew a chair by him and seated herself, looking anxiously into his flushed face. Andy laughed in a hard tone.

"Perhaps you are right, but don't send for Father. I got my coat wet in a perfectly sane way, but perhaps you had better find out about that from Mrs. Fl--Nance--I mean."

Andy balked at that name of Mrs. Flint and then, besides, Nance had called him a fool when he had hinted at the doctor's being the happy man. At this juncture little Mildred came running into the library.

"Mumsy! Mumsy! Is you heard 'bout me an' the blue boat?"

"No, darling! But what makes your curls so wet?"

"That was that baddest blue boat. It wouldn't stay still 'til I got in--it jes' moved and moved--an' the little wooden street, it moved an'

moved an' I went kerblim! kersplas.h.!.+"

"In the lake! Oh, Mildred! I know you didn't mind Aunt Nance. Are you cold? Did Aunt Nance get wet? Where is Dodo?"

"You 'fuses me with so many ain't's an' do's and didn't's."

"You tell me all about it," said the doting mother, trying to compose herself as she gathered the first-born in her arms.

"Well, you see, me'n' Aunt Nance we went a-walkin' an' we tooked Dodo along an' my dolly, an' Aunt Nance she says that one use she ain't got no husband is 'cause don't no husband want her, an' I done tol' her that if Katy kin shrink her up some that Dodo kin be her husband. You see, Mumsy, I been a-feelin' sorry for Aunt Nance ever since that time I mos'

went to sleep in her lap an' she talked about a beau lover what got to fightin' with her an' she hit him back. She wetted my ear all up with her tears. I jes' done thunk somethin'!" the child exclaimed, getting out of her mother's lap and peering curiously into Andy's face. "Is you the Andy what talked so crule to my Aunt Nance? 'Cause if you is, I'm sorry you done pulled me out'n the lake."

"Mildred! Mildred!" admonished Molly, but in her heart of hearts she knew that what the enfant terrible was saying to the young doctor was no doubt of a very salutary nature. He needed a good talking to and he was getting it.

"I am the one," said Andy meekly.

"Well, when Dodo grows up to be big enough he is goin' to--to--cut you up in little pieces. He's growin' up fast an' bein' a husband is makin'

him cut his teeth early----"

"Molly Brown!" interrupted Andy McLean eagerly. "Is Nance not married?"

"Married! The idea, Andy! Of course not!"

"Yes, she is! She's married to Dodo Green. I married 'em this morning,"

declared Mildred defiantly.

"Oh, oh! I see it all now!" laughed Molly hysterically. "You were talking about her mythical marriage while I was speaking of her mother's death."

"Her mother dead? I had not heard a word of it. Strange that so important a woman as Mrs. Oldham should have died without my seeing it mentioned in the paper."

"But Mrs. Oldham dropped out of public life two years ago, when her husband died, in fact. Nance had hardly rested from the long siege of nursing her father before she began on her mother."

Andy bowed his sandy-haired head in his hands and groaned:

"Fool! Fool! Every kind of fool and goose you and Nance choose to call me,--fool and knave! Bad-tempered brute! Jealous idiot! Oh, Molly, please call Nance."

When Nance had hurled her "fool" at Andy's sandy head, she flew up-stairs, determined never to speak to him again. She longed for a few quiet moments in her own room, but Mildred must be rubbed down and dressed before she could seek retirement. She was sure he would leave the house immediately. His coat was wet and no doubt his vest and s.h.i.+rt, too, after having carried the dripping child such a distance. Of course he would not want to call on the Greens while she was in the house. The girl bitterly regretted having timed her visit so unfortunately. The Greens and McLeans were very intimate, and would perforce see each other often. She hated to be a wet blanket--a skeleton at the feast. She determined to pack her trunk and go on a promised visit to an old college friend then living in New York. Molly would object, she knew, but it was surely best for all of them that she should take herself off for a few weeks.

Nance was always an orderly person and packing a trunk with her was a very simple matter. She began in her usual systematic way and had already folded her dresses neatly in the trays and was emptying the bureau drawers when Molly's voice was heard calling her from the lower hall.

"Nance! Oh, Nance!"

She sounded quite excited. No doubt she had just been informed of Mildred's accident and wanted to hear the details of it.