Chapter 23--Peace-Making
"Steve, I want you to tell me something," said Rose to Dandy, who wasmaking faces at himself in the glass, while he waited for an answer tothe note he brought from his mother to Aunt Plenty.
"P'raps I will, and p'raps I won't. What is it?"
"Haven't Arch and Charlie quarrelled?"
"Dare say; we fellows are always having little rows, you know. I dobelieve a sty is coming on my star-board eye," and Steve affected to beabsorbed in a survey of his yellow lashes.
"No, that won't do; I want to know all about it; for I'm sure somethingmore serious than a 'little row' is the matter. Come, please tell me,Stenie, there's a dear."
"Botheration! you don't want me to turn telltale, do you?" growledSteve, pulling his top-knot, as he always did when perplexed.
"Yes, I do," was Rose's decided answer for she saw from his manner thatshe was right, and determined to have the secret out of him if coaxingwould do it. "I don't wish you to tell things to everyone, of course,but to me you may, and you must, because I have a right to know. Youboys need somebody to look after you, and I'm going to do it, for girlsare nice peacemakers, and know how to manage people. Uncle said so, andhe is never wrong."
Steve was about to indulge in a derisive hoot at the idea of her lookingafter them, but a sudden thought restrained him, and suggested a way inwhich he could satisfy Rose, and better himself at the same time.
"What will you give me if I'll tell you every bit about it?" he asked,with a sudden red in his cheeks and an uneasy look in his eyes, for hewas half ashamed of the proposition.
"What do you want?" and Rose looked up rather surprised at his question.
"I'd like to borrow some money. I shouldn't think of asking you, onlyMac never has a cent. since he's set up his old chemical shop, wherehe'll blow himself to bits some day, and you and uncle will have the funof putting him together again," and Steve tried to look as if the ideaamused him.
"I'll lend it to you with pleasure, so tell away," said Rose, bound toget at the secret.
Evidently much relieved by the promise, Steve set his top-knotcheerfully erect again, and briefly stated the case.
"As you say, it's all right to tell you, but don't let the boys knowI blabbed, or Prince will take my head off. You see, Archie don't likesome of the fellows Charlie goes with, and cuts 'em. That makes Princemad, and he holds on just to plague Arch, so they don't speak to oneanother, if they can help it, and that's the row."
"Are those boys bad?" asked Rose, anxiously.
"Guess not, only rather wild. They are older than our fellows, butthey like Prince, he's such a jolly boy; sings so well, dances jigs andbreakdowns, you know, and plays any game that's going. He beat Morse atbilliards, and that's something to brag of, for Morse thinks he knowseverything. I saw the match, and it was great fun!"
Steve got quite excited over the prowess of Charlie, whom he admiredimmensely, and tried to imitate. Rose did not know half the dangerof such gifts and tastes as Charlie's, but felt instinctively thatsomething must be wrong if Archie disapproved.
"If Prince likes any billiard-playing boy better than Archie, I don'tthink much of his sense," she said severely.
"Of course he doesn't; but, you see, Charlie and Arch are both as proudas they can be, and won't give in. I suppose Arch is right, but I don'tblame Charlie a bit for liking to be with the others sometimes, they aresuch a jolly set," and Steve shook his head morally, even while his eyetwinkled over the memory of some of the exploits of the "jolly set."
"Oh, dear me!" sighed Rose, "I don't see what I can do about it, butI wish the boys would make up, for Prince can't come to any harm withArchie, he's so good and sensible."
"That's the trouble; Arch preaches, and Prince won't stand it. Hetold Arch he was a prig and a parson, and Arch told him he wasn't agentleman. My boots! weren't they both mad, though! I thought for aminute they'd pitch into one another and have it out. Wish they had, andnot gone stalking round stiff and glum ever since. Mac and I settle ourrows with a bat or so over the head, and then we are all right."
Rose couldn't help laughing as Steve sparred away at a fat sofa-pillow,to illustrate his meaning; and, having given it several scientificwhacks, he pulled down his cuffs and smiled upon her with benign pityfor her feminine ignorance of this summary way of settling a quarrel.
"What droll things boys are!" she said, with a mixture of admiration andperplexity in her face, which Steve accepted as a compliment to his sex.
"We're a pretty clever invention, miss, and you can't get on withoutus," he answered, with his nose in the air. Then, taking a sudden plungeinto business, he added, "How about that bit of money you were going tolend me? I've told, now you pay up."
"Of course I will! How much do you want?" and Rose pulled out her purse.
"Could you spare five dollars? I want to pay a little debt of honourthat is rather pressing," and Steve put on a mannish air that wascomical to see.
"Aren't all debts honourable?" asked innocent Rose.
"Yes, of course; but this is a bet I made, and it ought to be settled upat once," began Steve, finding it awkward to explain.
"Oh, don't bet, it's not right, and I know your father wouldn't like it.Promise you won't do so again; please promise!" and Rose held fast thehand into which she had just put the money.
"Well, I won't. It's worried me a good deal, but I was joked into it.Much obliged, cousin, I'm all right now," and Steve departed hastily.
Having decided to be a peace-maker, Rose waited for an opportunity, andvery soon it came.
She was spending the day with Aunt Clara, who had been entertaining someyoung guests, and invited Rose to meet them, for she thought it hightime her niece conquered her bashfulness and saw a little of society.Dinner was over, and everyone had gone. Aunt Clara was resting beforegoing out to an evening party, and Rose was waiting for Charlie to comeand take her home.
She sat alone in the elegant drawing-room, feeling particularly nice andpretty, for she had her best frock on, a pair of gold bands her aunt hadjust given her, and a tea-rose bud in her sash, like the beautiful MissVan Tassel, whom everyone admired. She had spread out her little skirtsto the best advantage, and, leaning back in a luxurious chair, satadmiring her own feet in new slippers with rosettes almost as big asdahlias. Presently Charlie came lounging in, looking rather sleepy andqueer, Rose thought. On seeing her, however, he roused up and said witha smile that ended in a gape,
"I thought you were with mother, so I took forty winks after I got thosegirls off. Now, I'm at your service, Rosamunda, whenever you like."
"You look as if your head ached. If it does, don't mind me. I'm notafraid to run home alone, it's so early," answered Rose, observing theflushed cheeks and heavy eyes of her cousin.
"I think I see myself letting you do it. Champagne always makes myheadache, but the air will set me up."
"Why do you drink it, then?" asked Rose, anxiously.
"Can't help it, when I'm host. Now, don't you begin to lecture; I've hadenough of Archie's old-fashioned notions, and I don't want any more."
Charlie's tone was decidedly cross, and his whole manner so unlike hisusual merry good-nature, that Rose felt crushed, and answered meekly,
"I wasn't going to lecture, only when people like other people, theycan't bear to see them suffer pain."
That brought Charlie round at once, for Rose's lips trembled a little,though she tried to hide it by smelling the flower she pulled from hersash.
"I'm a regular bear, and I beg your pardon for being so cross, Rosy," hesaid in the old frank way that was so winning.
"I wish you'd beg Archie's too, and be good friends again. You neverwere cross when he was your chum," Rose said, looking up at him as hebent toward her from the low chimney-piece, where he had been leaninghis elbows.
In an instant he stood as stiff and straight as a ramrod, and the heavyeyes kindled with an angry spark as he said, in his high and mightymanner,
"You'd better not m
eddle with what you don't understand, cousin."
"But I do understand, and it troubles me very much to see you so coldand stiff to one another. You always used to be together, and now youhardly speak. You are so ready to beg my pardon I don't see why youcan't beg Archie's, if you are in the wrong."
"I'm not!" this was so short and sharp that Rose started, and Charlieadded in a calmer but still very haughty tone: "A gentleman always begspardon when he has been rude to a lady, but one man doesn't apologize toanother man who has insulted him."
"Oh, my heart, what a pepperpot!" thought Rose, and, hoping to make himlaugh, she added slyly: "I was not talking about men, but boys, and oneof them a Prince, who ought to set a good example to his subjects."
But Charlie would not relent, and tried to turn the subject by sayinggravely, as he unfastened the little gold ring from his watch-guard,
"I've broken my word, so I want to give this back and free you from thebargain. I'm sorry, but I think it a foolish promise, and don't intendto keep it. Choose a pair of ear-rings to suit yourself, as my forfeit.You have a right to wear them now."
"No, I can only wear one, and that is no use, for Archie will keep hisword I'm sure!" Rose was so mortified and grieved at this downfallof her hopes that she spoke sharply, and would not take the ring thedeserter offered her.
He shrugged his shoulders, and threw it into her lap, trying to lookcool and careless, but failing entirely, for he was ashamed of himself,and out of sorts generally. Rose wanted to cry, but pride would notlet her, and, being very angry, she relieved herself by talk instead oftears. Looking pale and excited, she rose out of her chair, cast awaythe ring, and said in a voice that she vainly tried to keep steady,
"You are not at all the boy I thought you were, and I don't respect youone bit. I've tried to help you be good, but you won't let me, and Ishall not try any more. You talk a great deal about being a gentleman,but you are not, for you've broken your word, and I can never trustyou again. I don't wish you to go home with me. I'd rather have Mary.Good-night."
And with that last dreadful blow, Rose walked out of the room, leavingCharlie as much astonished as if one of his pet pigeons had flown in hisface and pecked at him. She was so seldom angry, that when her temperdid get the better of her it made a deep impression on the lads, forit was generally a righteous sort of indignation at some injustice orwrong-doing, not childish passion.
Her little thunderstorm cleared off in a sob or two as she put on herthings in the entry-closet, and when she emerged she looked the brighterfor the shower. A hasty good-night to Aunt Clara now under the hands ofthe hairdresser and then she crept down to find Mary the maid. ButMary was out, so was the man, and Rose slipped away by the back-door,flattering herself that she had escaped the awkwardness of havingCharlie for escort.
There she was mistaken, however, for the gate had hardly closed behindher when a well-known tramp was heard, and the Prince was beside her,saying in a tone of penitent politeness that banished Rose's wrath likemagic,
"You needn't speak to me if you don't choose, but I must see you safelyhome, cousin."
She turned at once, put out her hand, and answered heartily,
"I was the cross one. Please forgive me, and let's be friends again."
Now that was better than a dozen sermons on the beauty of forgiveness,and did Charlie more good, for it showed him how sweet humility was, andproved that Rose practised as she preached.
He shook the hand warmly, then drew it through his arm and said, as ifanxious to recover the good opinion with the loss of which he had beenthreatened,
"Look here, Rosy, I've put the ring back, and I'm going to try again.But you don't know how hard it is to stand being laughed at."
"Yes, I do! Ariadne plagues me every time I see her, because I don'twear ear-rings after all the trouble I had getting ready for them."
"Ah, but her twaddle isn't half as bad as the chaffing I get. It takesa deal of pluck to hold out when you are told you are tied to an apronstring, and all that sort of thing," sighed Charlie.
"I thought you had a 'deal of pluck,' as you call it. The boys all sayyou are the bravest of the seven," said Rose.
"So I am about some things, but I cannot bear to be laughed at."
"It is hard, but if one is right won't that make it easier?"
"Not to me; it might to a pious parson like Arch."
"Please don't call him names! I guess he has what is called moralcourage, and you physical courage. Uncle explained the difference tome, and moral is the best, though often it doesn't look so," said Rosethoughtfully.
Charlie didn't like that, and answered quickly, "I don't believe he'dstand it any better than I do, if he had those fellows at him."
"Perhaps that's why he keeps out of their way, and wants you to."
Rose had him there, and Charlie felt it, but would not give in justyet, though he was going fast, for somehow, in the dark he seemed tosee things clearer than in the light, and found it very easy to beconfidential when it was "only Rose."
"If he was my brother, now, he'd have some right to interfere," beganCharlie, in an injured tone.
"I wish he was!" cried Rose.
"So do I," answered Charlie, and then they both laughed at hisinconsistency.
The laugh did them good, and when Prince spoke again, it was in adifferent tone pensive, not proud nor perverse.
"You see, it's hard upon me that I have no brothers and sisters. Theothers are better off and needn't go abroad for chums if they don'tlike. I am all alone, and I'd be thankful even for a little sister."
Rose thought that very pathetic, and, overlooking the uncomplimentaryword "even" in that last sentence, she said, with a timid sort ofearnestness that conquered her cousin at once,
"Play I was a little sister. I know I'm silly, but perhaps I'm betterthan nothing, and I'd dearly love to do it."
"So should I! and we will, for you are not silly, my dear, but a verysensible girl, we all think, and I'm proud to have you for a sister.There, now!" and Charlie looked down at the curly head bobbing alongbeside him with real affection in his face.
Rose gave a skip of pleasure, and laid one seal-skin mitten over theother on his arm, as she said happily,
"That's so nice of you! Now, you needn't be lonely any more, and I'lltry to fill Archie's place till he comes back, for I know he will, assoon as you let him."
"Well, I don't mind telling you that while he was my mate I never missedbrothers and sisters, or wanted anyone else; but since he cast me off,I'll be hanged if I don't feel as forlorn as old Crusoe before Fridayturned up."
This burst of confidence confirmed Rose in her purpose of winningCharlie's Mentor back to him, but she said no more, contented to havedone so well. They parted excellent friends, and Prince went home,wondering why "a fellow didn't mind saying things to a girl or womanwhich they would die before they'd own to another fellow."
Rose also had some sage reflections upon the subject, and fell asleepthinking that there were a great many curious things in this world, andfeeling that she was beginning to find out some of them.
Next day she trudged up the hill to see Archie, and having told himas much as she thought best about her talk with Charlie, begged him toforget and forgive.
"I've been thinking that perhaps I ought to, though I am in the right.I'm no end fond of Charlie, and he's the best-hearted lad alive; but hecan't say No, and that will play the mischief with him, if he does nottake care," said Archie in his grave, kind way.
"While father was home, I was very busy with him, so Prince got into aset I don't like. They try to be fast, and think it's manly, and theyflatter him, and lead him on to do all sorts of things play for money,and bet, and loaf about. I hate to have him do so, and tried to stop it,but went to work the wrong way, so we got into a mess."
"He is all ready to make up if you don't say much, for he owned to mehe was wrong; but I don't think he will own it to you, in words," beganRose.