Anything Once Part 15

While Aunt Emmy sat staring at him in speechless amazement, Jim produced his little red note-book and laid it before her.

"There's the route I chose over the mountains, my expense account for each day, and the names and addresses of the people who helped to prove my contention that, take them by and large, the people of my own State are as big-hearted as any in the Union, and Jack's money and Billy's says that they are!

"I'm going to return some of that kindness, Aunt Emmy. There are two little boys near Riverburgh whose father is dead and who are trying to do the farm work of men. They are going to a good school this winter, and there are a few other people who are going to be surprised! By Jove, I never realized what money was for until now! But best of all, I found Lou!"

"And what makes you so sure that I am going to adopt her and educate her and bring her out?" demanded Aunt Emmy. "My dear boy, when you started on this Canadian fis.h.i.+ng trip of yours I knew that something extraordinary would come of it, but I did not antic.i.p.ate anything so bizarre as this! Why do you think that I will interest myself in this child?"

"Because you won't be able to help it." His face had sobered, and there was a note in his voice that his aunt had never heard before. "You won't be able to help loving her when you find out how courageous she is, and sincere and true! She is the biggest-hearted, most candid, nave little----"

"She is quite that!" Aunt Emmy interrupted in her turn, with emphasis.

"How I am ever to hide her away until I've had her coached not to drop her g's, and to realize that there is a 'u' in the alphabet I don't know, but I'll try. James--I think there are distinct possibilities there."

"I knew it!" Jim cried. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist her! For the Lord's sake, Aunt Emmy, don't let them spoil her! She's so sweet and simple-hearted, don't let them make her cynical and worldly-wise! I'll promise not to speak to her, not to let her know how I feel until you say that I may."

"Will you, James?" There was a faint smile about the delicately lined lips. "She is a child in many ways, a blank page for most impressions to be made upon, but in other things she is very much of a woman, and I rather fancy that what you have to tell her will not be so much of a surprise."

"You old dear!" Jim sprang to his feet and folded his aunt in his embrace which threatened her coiffure. "Where is she?"

"In the library waiting for you, Jamie!"

She used the old nursery name, and caught his arm. "She is very young, but the heart sometimes breaks easily then. Don't speak unless you yourself are very sure."

Jim smiled, and throwing back his head looked straight into the kindly old eyes. Then without a word he turned and disappeared through the door.

"And you're going to be happy here?" It was some time later when Jim had explained about the wager, and they were sitting together in the window-seat.

"Happy? Why, Jim, I can't believe I'm awake! I'm going to study an' work an' try my best to be like her. Seems to me it'll take the rest of my life, but she says that in a year or two there won't anybody hardly tell the difference."

"And then, Lou, when the time is past? What then?"

"I don't know." Her tone was serenely unconcerned.

"That trail we've followed together for the last week wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked. "You were happy in spite of the hards.h.i.+ps?"

"It was wonderful!" She drew a deep breath. "I--I wish we could start again, Jim, and do it all over again, every step of the way!"

"If you feel like that, dear, perhaps some day when you have finished your studies we will start again on a longer trail." He took one of the little toil-worn hands in his. "The long, long trail, Lou, only we will be together! When that day comes, will you take the new road with me?"

She bowed her head, and somehow he found it nestling in the hollow of his shoulder, and his arms were about her. After a long minute, she stirred and smiled.

"Well--" she hesitated. "You knew from the very beginning, Jim, that I'd do anything once!"

THE END