Wee Macgreegor Enlists

by J. J. Bell

  XIV

  AUNT PURDIE INTERVENES

  The battalion was not an hour returned from the longest, hottest,dustiest and most exhausting route march yet experienced.Macgregor was stretched on his bed, a newspaper over his face, whenan orderly shook him and shoved a visiting card into his hand.

  'She's waitin' ootside,' he said and, with a laugh, departed.

  Macgregor rubbed his eyes and read:

  MRS. ROBERT PURDIE. 13, _King's Mansions, W_ _3rd Wednesday._

  'Oh, criffens!' he groaned. 'Ma aunt!' And proceeded with morehaste than alacrity to tidy himself, while wondering what on earthshe had come for.

  Willie, scenting profit in a rich relation, though not his own,proffered his company, which was rather curtly refused.Nevertheless, he followed his friend.

  Macgregor joined his aunt in the blazing sunshine. Her greetingwas kindly if patronizing.

  'Sorry to keep ye waitin', Aunt Purdie,' he said respectfully. 'IfI had kent ye was comin'----'

  'I understood a good soldier was always prepared for anyemergency----'

  'Excep' when he's aff duty, mistress.' This from Willie, who hadtaken up his position a little way behind Macgregor, aningratiating grin on his countenance.

  Aunt Purdie drew up her tall, gaunt, richly-clad figure andexamined Private Thomson through eye-glasses on a longtortoise-shell handle.

  'Macgregor, who is this gentleman?'

  'It's jist Wullie Thomson,' said Macgregor, annoyed but reluctantto hurt his friend's feelings. 'D'ye no mind him?'

  'I have a very exclusive memory for faces. . . Dear me, he isgoing away!'

  It was so. Either the glasses, or being called a gentleman, orboth, had been too much even for Willie.

  'Is the colonel in the vicinity?' Aunt Purdie demanded, recallingMacgregor's wondering gaze from the retreating figure.

  'I couldna say. He's liker to be in a cauld bath.'

  'You have, of course, informed him who your uncle is?'

  'Me an' the colonel ha'ena done much hob-nobbin' as yet,' Macgregorsaid, smiling.

  'His mother used to obtain her groceries from your uncle. If youcould have presented the colonel to me--well, never mind. Ipresume the major is on the _quee vive_.'

  'He'll be ha'ein' a wash an' brush up, I wud say.'

  'But why are you not being drilled or digging up trenches or firingguns----'

  'We're a' deid men this efternune. Had a big rout mairch the day.'

  'Oh, indeed! Well, when does the band play?'

  'The baun's burstit wi' the rout mairch. It couldna blaw the ashaff a ceegarette. I'm rael sorry----'

  'I would like to inspect the apartments you live in. Pray conductme----'

  'Some o' the chaps is cleanin' theirsel's. If ye like, I'll tellthem to hurry up or get ablow the blankets.'

  'Certainly not!' said Mrs. Purdie with decision. 'Is there notea-room adjacent?'

  'Jist the canteen. I doobt I couldna I tak' ye inside, but Icould fetch ye oot a drink--something T. T., I suppose?'

  She waved the offer away. 'Is there nothing to be perceived orobserved in this camp?' she inquired with some impatience.

  Her nephew scratched his head. 'Weel,' he said at last, 'there'sthe view frae this end, an' there's the view frae the ither end.I'm sorry ye've come when there's naething daein'.'

  'So am I. However, it is not the time to indulge indiscriminations. Your uncle thought it was better for me to comethan to write a letter.'

  'Is onything wrang wi' ma uncle?' Macgregor asked anxiously.

  'Barring an invidious bunion, he is in his usual health. But weare going to Aberdeen to-morrow, for a fortnight, and we haveinvited your intended to come with us. She----'

  'Christina! But she canna gang awa' to Aberdeen when----' Hestopped short, at a loss. He had an appointment with Christina forthe following evening. Surely----

  'I arranged with Miss Tod this morning. Christina will be writingto you, I presume.'

  'She--she's gaun wi' ye?'

  'Certainly--D.V., of course.'

  'For a--a fortnicht?'

  'The change will be good for her. You must not be selfish. Youruncle was afraid you might be put out: that is why I came toexplain. But apart from the beneficial change, Christina, as Iobserved to your uncle, ought to see the world while she is young.'

  Macgregor answered nothing. Possibly he did not catch her latterremarks. Christina going away for a fortnight, and he might beordered abroad at any moment!

  'Come,' said his aunt, kindly enough, 'don't be huffy.'

  Mercifully, just then an officer passed. In the action of salutingMacgregor regained self-control.

  'I hope ye get guid weather at Aberdeen,' he managed to say, andhis aunt admired him even more than at the hour of his enlistment.

  'Yer uncle an' me jist wishes ye was free to jine us,' she saidwith unwonted warmth and homeliness of accent. Her hand went tothe fastening of her purse, and hesitated. No! Something told herthis was not the moment for a gift, however splendid.

  'Well, I must be going,' she remarked, stiffening again. 'Kindlyconduct me to the exit. I thought there would have been more toinspire the mind in this place. . . . Good-bye. We will take goodcare of Christina.'

  * * * * *

  Never in his life had Macgregor been so deeply hurt andangered--not even in the old days by Aunt Purdie, who was not nowthe object of his resentment.

  Willie, who always tried to make the best of things, insults notexcepted, approached presently with a hopeful appeal for a loan.

  'Gang to blazes!' was the response.

  Willie could scarce believe his ears. 'Macgreegor! did she nocough up onything?'

  Macgregor walked on.

  'An' she fancies hersel' for a ---- swell!' exclaimed Willieviciously.

  'Anither word an' I'll knock the face aff ye!'

  It was Willie's turn to feel resentment.

  In the evening came a note from Christina, hurriedly written. Shewas terribly busy getting ready for the morning train. It was mostkind of Mrs. Purdie. Her own uncle must have let drop to Mr.Purdie that a summer outing this year was not possible, and Mr.Purdie must have told Mrs. Purdie. . . . Of course, she,Christina, would never have dreamed of going away otherwise. Butthe time would soon pass, Mac, and she intended to enjoy itthoroughly. . . .

  If only she had left out that last sentence! But what true loverhas not been stabbed by something very like it in his time?