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Page 98
"I thought I couldn't possibly sleep that night, when it had all been
arranged,"--the letter ran--"though I was so tired with all I had been
through. But in an hour I had gone straight off, and slept like a child,
my head on such a soft, soft pillow of confidence and rest. O Len,--to
lie on a pillow like that, after months of laying my unhappy head on
stones!
"At ten next morning we went to the little stone church, all overgrown
with ivy, where Granny was a communicant so many years, and there we were
married, with Mrs. Catesby, Mr. Macauley and Martha for witnesses, and
Dr. Markham, the dear old rector, to give us his blessing. After that
John and I walked over to the place where we had laid dear Granny the day
before.
"It wasn't sad, Len; how could it be? The flowers were still fresh
over her, and that blessed sunshine was so bright,--as it is in South
Carolina, I think, when all the rest of the world is dark. When we came
away I felt as I often have when I have put that little frail body to bed
and tucked her in and blown out her candle--as if she must surely sleep
well till morning. I am sure she will--sure!
"Our whole party came North together as far as Harrisburg, then John and
I said good-bye to them and came over to New York, where I am writing to
you, now. I am buying a few simple clothes, just enough to begin to live
with in my new home. In a few days we go to Baltimore, where we shall
settle down in the house, which is just as it was left when John's mother
died, five years ago. He says I may change anything I wish, but from all
I know of his mother and himself I imagine that I shall not care to make
many changes in so fine an old place. He has his offices in a wing--I'm
so glad of that. She wanted him at home, and so shall I.
"Len, you will want to know if I am happy. Do I need to tell you? All my
old readiness of speech fails me when I come to this. In spite of the way
talk bubbles from me, on ordinary subjects, you know I have never said
much of the big things of my life. I didn't tell you a word of all there
was between your guest of last summer and me. Neither can I talk about it
now.
"Just this, to satisfy you, dear. Every time I look at his beautifully
strong, sweet, grave face, at his splendid quiet confidence of manner,
as he leaves me to go away to do some of the wonderful work he does, or
comes back to me after having done that work, I realize what it means to
be the wife of such a man. Oh, yes, I am happy, Len, so gloriously happy
I can't tell you another word about it!"
* * * * *
When Burns and Ellen landed in New York in late May they were met by a
telegram. Burns read it hurriedly, re-read it with a laugh, and handed
it to his wife.
"Seems peremptory," he commented. "Shall we let Jack dictate? It will
mean only a short delay, and though I'm anxious to get home I'd like
mighty well to see them, shouldn't you?"
The despatch read:
"Important clinic on Thursday should like your assistance my wife urges
the necessity of seeing Mrs. Burns without further delay please take
first train for Baltimore.
"Leaver."
"Yes, I want to see them," Ellen agreed. "I'm quite willing to delay if
you will send Bob a telegram, all to himself, explaining and telling him
to tell the rest."
"That will please him enough to make up for our failure to arrive on
the promised day. We'll run down for twenty-four hours with them, at
least.... I confess I'm eager to see Jack do one of his big stunts again.
And I'll wager I can show him one trick that even he doesn't know--the
last thing I got at Vienna, under W----"
He sent off the message to Bobby Burns without delay, and despatched
another to Leaver, announcing their arrival that evening. In two hours
more they were on their way, and at six o'clock they were met in the
Baltimore station by Leaver himself.
"See the old chap grin!" said Burns in his wife's ear, when they descried
the tall figure in the distance, coming toward them with smiling face and
alert step. "Can that be the desperately down person who came to us last
June? He looks as if--in a perfectly quiet way--he owned the city of
Baltimore!"
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