CHAPTER XXIV
CONCLUSION
The full moon shone down with his broadest smile on the group of youngpeople who occupied Mrs. Gray's roomy, old-fashioned veranda.
"We're here because we're here," caroled Hippy Wingate, balancinghimself on the edge of the porch rail, both arms outspread to show howsuccessfully he could sit on the narrow railing without support.
"You won't be 'here' very long," cautioned Miriam Nesbit. "You arelikely to land in that rose bush just below you. It's a very thorny one,too. I know, because I tried to pull a rose from it only a little whileago. Remember, I have warned you."
"Don't worry over me, Miriam," declared Hippy airily, pretending to losehis balance and recovering himself with an exaggerated jerk.
"Oh, I am not worrying," retorted Miriam. "If _you_ fall backward intothat rose bush it won't hurt _me_."
"Did I say it would, my child?" asked Hippy serenely.
"Don't answer him, Miriam," advised Nora. "He is like Tennyson's'Brooklet,' he goes on forever."
"How peaceful and quiet it was in Oakdale until yesterday," was Hippy'ssorrowful comment. "'Gone are the days when my heart was light and gay,'etc."
"It will be not merely a case of bygone days, but bygone Hippy as well,"threatened David. "Reddy and I intend to defend our friends against yourpersonal attacks."
"I wasn't personal," beamed Hippy. "I didn't say anything about any one.I merely observed that since yesterday Oakdale had become a howlingwilderness----"
Hippy did not stop to finish his speech, but, nimbly dodging David andReddy Brooks, who rose from the porch, determination written on theirfaces, bounded down the steps and disappeared around the corner of thehouse.
"He is the same Hippy who made life merry for us eight years ago when wewere high school freshmen," smiled Grace. "He hasn't changed in theleast."
"None of my Christmas children have changed," was Mrs. Gray's fondretort.
"Neither has our fairy godmother," reminded Anne.
"I never feel grown up or responsible when we all gather home," saidJessica.
"And yet Tom is on his first vacation from work, David and Reddy arerising young business men, and Hippy is studying law," reminded Grace.
"Yes, but I don't like it," remarked a plaintive voice, as a fat faceappeared around the corner of the porch. "I want to be a brakeman."
It was impossible not to laugh at Hippy, and, encouraged by themerriment, he cautiously climbed the steps of the porch and returned tohis precarious perch upon the railing.
"I want to be a brakeman, And with the brakemen stay, I'd ride upon the choo-choo cars Through all the livelong day,"
he warbled, rocking backward and forward in time to his song.
"Why don't you go down to the railroad yard and put in your application,then?" was Reddy's stolid advice. "If I intended to be a brakeman Iwouldn't study law."
"Alas! I am obliged to obey the wishes of my cruel parents," whinedHippy. "I am seriously contemplating wrapping a few little things in ahandkerchief and leaving home forever. I remember once when I was veryyoung and unsophisticated I decided upon this step. I was deeplyincensed with Father because he had punished me for playing truant fromschool. I went upstairs to my room and packed three neckties, a boxingglove, two books, a baseball and a picture of myself in baseball clothesin a suit case. I carried the bat, and as a last precaution I took a toypistol and my bank, which boasted of sixty-four cents. I started atabout eight o'clock in the evening and went as far as the summer houseat the lower end of our grounds. I sat down to rest, went to sleep andwoke up about two o'clock in the morning. Then I discovered that I wasafraid of the dark and didn't dare go even as far as the house. I creptinto the summer house and stayed there until morning; then I went home,suit case and all. I managed to get into the house before any one elsewas up, but I decided there were worse places than home. However, if thebrakeman aspiration proves too strong I may be obliged to leave homeagain. After all, it may be my vocation."
"Hippy Wingate, when will you be sensible?" asked Nora O'Malley.
"Never, I am afraid. You see, my associations tend to make me foolish.Birds of a feather, you know, and when one's intimate friends----" Hippypaused. "You understand I don't like to say that you in particular areresponsible, but----"
"I'll never forgive you for that," declared Nora.
"Then that means that our engagement----"
Hippy was not allowed to finish. A shout went up from the others, and heand Nora were surrounded.
"Hippy, how could you?" The pink in Nora's cheeks deepened, but she didnot deny his statement.
"Nora, come here," commanded Mrs. Gray.
Nora obeyed with a shyness entirely foreign to her. Putting her fingerunder Nora's rounded chin, Mrs. Gray looked smilingly into the piquantface. Then she drew the girl within her circling arm and kissed her.Grace, Miriam, Anne and Jessica followed suit.
"Now it is your turn, Jessica and Reddy," said Nora pointedly.
Jessica's pale face grew scarlet. She looked appealingly toward Reddy,who sat beside her, then they rose and, taking her hand in his, Reddysaid with a world of affection in his voice, "Jessica has promised tomarry me in the fall." Jessica and Reddy were immediately surrounded.
"Will surprises never cease?" exclaimed Grace, regarding her betrothedfriends with loving eyes. "Now I begin to believe that we have reallygrown up."
"_You_ haven't," retorted Tom Gray in a low tone which Grace aloneheard.
"Give me a year or two in which to do my work, and perhaps I will," saidGrace softly.
"Do you really mean that, Grace?" asked Tom eagerly.
"I think I do, Tom," hesitated Grace, "but I can't promise you what youwish, yet."
"By the low, significant tones over in Grace's corner I imagine anotherengagement is about to be announced," remarked Hippy, grinning broadly.All eyes were immediately turned upon Grace and Tom.
Grace met their gaze with a shake of her head. "No," she said, "Tom andI are not even engaged. I must be free to go back to Overton next yearto do my work there. I must look after my house for one year at least."
Tom's face clouded, but he said no more. David, too, was strangelysilent. Anne had accepted an engagement to tour America with EverettSouthard in Shakespearean roles the next season. Miss Southard was toaccompany them on the tour. Still, David had the satisfaction of knowingthat Anne loved him and that some day she would be his wife, although,like Grace, she would neither bind herself by a promise nor allow him toplace his ring upon her finger.
A little silence followed the announcement of the engagement of part ofMrs. Gray's Christmas children. Hippy had resumed his position on therailing, while Nora had slipped to the seat beside Grace, her hand inthat of her friend. The little company of young people realized, to aperson, that for them life was taking on a strange and earnest meaning,while Mrs. Gray, in spite of this garland of youth with which shedelighted to beautify her latter days, felt very, very old.
Suddenly the silence was rudely broken. Hippy, who was more embarrassedthan he cared to indicate, leaned too far back and lost his balance.There was a horrified gasp, a pair of stout legs waved in the air, andTheophilus Hippopotamus Wingate, as he invariably styled himself,fulfilled Miriam's prediction to the letter, and crashed ignominiouslyinto the prickly arms of the big rose bush.
"There is no use in trying to be retrospective while Hippy is with us,"declared Mrs. Gray when their mirth had subsided and Hippy had clamberedto his feet. A long scratch ornamented one fat cheek and his handsshowed the result of his fall among thorns. But his smile was as wide asever.
"Poor Hippy," sympathized Miriam. "I'm so sorry."
"Then stop laughing," retorted Hippy.
"Yes, I'm sorry--for the rosebush," jeered Reddy.
Those who have learned to look upon Grace Harlowe and her companions asfriends of old standing will meet her again in the near future. In"Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton Campus" they will find herat Harl
owe House and learn just how successfully she carried on herchosen work.
THE END.
* * * * *
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