The Doctor [54]
turning sharply upon the doctor, "will you help Daisy to collect my stuff? I am sure things will be left on the yacht. There are always some things left. Servants are so stupid." There was that in her voice that made Bulling stand sharply at attention and promptly obey. And ere Barney knew, he was leading Iola and Mrs. Duff Charrington to the waiting carriage.
"So sorry I didn't know you were a friend of Miss Lane's, or we would have had you on our trip, Mr. Boyle," said Mrs. Duff Charrington as he closed the carriage door.
"I thank you. But I am very busy, and, besides, I would not fit in with some of your party." There was war in Barney's tone.
"Good Heavens, young man!" cried Mrs. Duff Charrington, in no way disturbed, "you don't expect to make the world fit in with you or you with the world, do you? Life consists in adjusting one's self. But you will be glad to know that Miss Lane has made us all have a very happy little holiday."
"Of that I am sure," cried Barney gravely.
"And we gave her, or we tried to give her, a good time."
"It is for that some of us have lived." Barney's deep voice, thrilling with sad and tender feeling, brought the quick tears to Iola's eyes. To her, the words had in them the sound of farewell. Even Mrs. Duff Charrington was touched. She leaned over the carriage door toward him.
"Mr. Boyle, I am taking Miss Lane home to dinner. Come with us."
Barney felt the kindly tone. "Thank you, Mrs. Charrington, it would give none of us pleasure, and I have much to do. I am leaving to-morrow for Baltimore."
Iola could not check a quick gasp. Mrs. Duff Charrington glanced at her white face.
"Young man," she said sternly, leaning out toward him and looking Barney in the eyes, "don't be a fool. The man that would, from pique, willingly hurt a friend is a mean and cruel coward."
"Mrs. Charrington," replied Barney in a steady voice, "I have just come from an operation by which a little girl, an only child, has lost her arm. It was the mother that desired it, not from cruelty, but from love. It is because it is best, that I go to-morrow. Good-bye." Then turning to Iola he said, "I shall see you to- night." He lifted his hat and turned away."
"Drive home, Smith," said Mrs. Charrington sharply; "the others will find their way."
"Take me home," whispered Iola, with dry lips.
"Do you love him?" said Mrs. Duff Charrington, taking the girl's hand in hers.
"Ah, yes. I never knew how much."
"Tut! tut! child, the world still moves. Baltimore is not so far and he is only a man." Mrs. Duff Charrington's tone did not indicate a high opinion of the masculine section of humanity. "You'll just come with me for dinner and then I shall send you home. Thank God, we can still eat."
For some minutes they drove along in silence.
"Yes," said Mrs. Charrington, following up the line of her thought, "that's a man for you--thinks the whole world moves round the axis of his own life. But I like him. He has a good face. Still," she mused, "a man isn't everything, although once I--but never mind, there is always a way of bringing them to time."
"You don't know Barney, Mrs. Charrington," said Iola; "nothing can ever change him."
"Pish! You think so, and so, doubtless, does he. But none the less it is sheer nonsense. Can you tell me the trouble?"
"No, I think not," said Iola softly.
"Very well. As you like, my dear. Few things are the better for words. If ever you wish to come to me I shall be ready. Now let us dismiss the thing till after dinner. Disagreeable thoughts hinder digestion, I have found, and nothing is quite worth that."
With such resolution did she follow her own suggestion that, during the drive and throughout the dinner hour and, indeed, until the moment of her departure, Iola was not permitted to indulge her anxious thoughts, but with Mrs. Duff Charrington's assistance she succeeded in keeping them deep in her heart under guard.
As Mrs. Duff Charrington kissed her good-night she whispered:
"Don't face any issue to-night.
"So sorry I didn't know you were a friend of Miss Lane's, or we would have had you on our trip, Mr. Boyle," said Mrs. Duff Charrington as he closed the carriage door.
"I thank you. But I am very busy, and, besides, I would not fit in with some of your party." There was war in Barney's tone.
"Good Heavens, young man!" cried Mrs. Duff Charrington, in no way disturbed, "you don't expect to make the world fit in with you or you with the world, do you? Life consists in adjusting one's self. But you will be glad to know that Miss Lane has made us all have a very happy little holiday."
"Of that I am sure," cried Barney gravely.
"And we gave her, or we tried to give her, a good time."
"It is for that some of us have lived." Barney's deep voice, thrilling with sad and tender feeling, brought the quick tears to Iola's eyes. To her, the words had in them the sound of farewell. Even Mrs. Duff Charrington was touched. She leaned over the carriage door toward him.
"Mr. Boyle, I am taking Miss Lane home to dinner. Come with us."
Barney felt the kindly tone. "Thank you, Mrs. Charrington, it would give none of us pleasure, and I have much to do. I am leaving to-morrow for Baltimore."
Iola could not check a quick gasp. Mrs. Duff Charrington glanced at her white face.
"Young man," she said sternly, leaning out toward him and looking Barney in the eyes, "don't be a fool. The man that would, from pique, willingly hurt a friend is a mean and cruel coward."
"Mrs. Charrington," replied Barney in a steady voice, "I have just come from an operation by which a little girl, an only child, has lost her arm. It was the mother that desired it, not from cruelty, but from love. It is because it is best, that I go to-morrow. Good-bye." Then turning to Iola he said, "I shall see you to- night." He lifted his hat and turned away."
"Drive home, Smith," said Mrs. Charrington sharply; "the others will find their way."
"Take me home," whispered Iola, with dry lips.
"Do you love him?" said Mrs. Duff Charrington, taking the girl's hand in hers.
"Ah, yes. I never knew how much."
"Tut! tut! child, the world still moves. Baltimore is not so far and he is only a man." Mrs. Duff Charrington's tone did not indicate a high opinion of the masculine section of humanity. "You'll just come with me for dinner and then I shall send you home. Thank God, we can still eat."
For some minutes they drove along in silence.
"Yes," said Mrs. Charrington, following up the line of her thought, "that's a man for you--thinks the whole world moves round the axis of his own life. But I like him. He has a good face. Still," she mused, "a man isn't everything, although once I--but never mind, there is always a way of bringing them to time."
"You don't know Barney, Mrs. Charrington," said Iola; "nothing can ever change him."
"Pish! You think so, and so, doubtless, does he. But none the less it is sheer nonsense. Can you tell me the trouble?"
"No, I think not," said Iola softly.
"Very well. As you like, my dear. Few things are the better for words. If ever you wish to come to me I shall be ready. Now let us dismiss the thing till after dinner. Disagreeable thoughts hinder digestion, I have found, and nothing is quite worth that."
With such resolution did she follow her own suggestion that, during the drive and throughout the dinner hour and, indeed, until the moment of her departure, Iola was not permitted to indulge her anxious thoughts, but with Mrs. Duff Charrington's assistance she succeeded in keeping them deep in her heart under guard.
As Mrs. Duff Charrington kissed her good-night she whispered:
"Don't face any issue to-night.