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garden better?
But Teddy was determined.  My pretty maid, he began in a tender
voice.
But she moved away suddenly down a tempting path, and, perforce,
he followed her.
 I ve been thinking, she said hurriedly,  about Mr. Gard. I m sure,
if he felt he was hurting your feelings, he wouldn t think all his own
way. Now, if you want me to, I ll try and make him understand it.
I ll tell him that you came to me in an awful huff all cut up. I m
sure I can put it strongly enough.
 And I shall go to him, and complain that when I want to talk with
you, you put me off won t listen to me. I ll ask him to make you
listen to reason. I ll tell him to put it to you. I ll show him that I am
cut up, all around the heart. Perhaps he can put it to you strongly
enough 
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Out of the Ashes
Dorothy stopped short and wheeled around to face him.
 Oh, very well, then, she smiled,  if you are going to get someone
else to do your love making for you, I apply for the position. Teddy
Mahr, will you marry the milkmaid? Honest and true, black and
blue?
 I will! he cried ecstatically, and caught her in his arms.
Two wrens upon a neighboring branch, tilted forward to watch
them, the business of nest building for the moment forgotten. A gray
squirrel, with jerking tail and mincing gate, approached along the
path. A florid policeman, wandering aimlessly in this remote arbor,
stopped short, grinned, stuck his thumbs in his belt, and
contemplated the picture, then wheeled about and stole out of sight
in fashion most unmilitary. Across the lake the white swans glided,
and two little  mandarin ducks sidled up close to shore, regarding
the moveless group of humans with bright and beady eyes.
Dorothy disengaged herself from his arms with a happy little gurgle,
set her hat straight upon her tumbled hair, and glanced at the ducks.
 There, she said softly,  that s a lucky sign. In China they always
send the newlyweds a pair. They are love birds; they die when
separated which means, I m a duck.
 You are, he agreed, and kissed her again.
 Now, she said seriously,  I ve found a way to clear all difficulties.
He looked at her, troubled.  I didn t know there were any, he said
anxiously.  I think your mother likes me, and I don t see I can keep
you in hats and candy; and Miss Gard is the only person who has
seemed to disapprove of me.
 All wrong, she said.  I don t mean that at all. I mean about the
picture. I have thought it all out while you were kissing me.
He grinned.  Did you, indeed? I m vastly flattered, I m sure. In that
case I shall go to kissing school no later than to-morrow. However,
since you work out problems in that way, I ll give you another to
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Out of the Ashes
Q.E.D. When will the wedding be? He folded his arms about her
rapturously.
The ducks waddled up the bank; the squirrel climbed to the back of
the bench; one wren captured a damaged feather from Dorothy s hat
that had fallen to earth, and made off with his nest contribution.
 Now, Teddy demanded as he released her.  Did you work that
out?
She gasped.  If you act like that, I ll not tell you anything. I ll leave
you guessing all the rest of your life.
 I expect that, he laughed.  Who am I to escape the common lot?
She frowned.  As I was saying before you interrupted me so rudely,
I have found a way to overcome the arguments and refusals of  Old
Marcus  by the way, if he heard you call him that, he d beat you
up, and perfectly right. He isn t old, and I wish you had half his
sense.
 Dolly, we are not married yet, and I object to unfavorable
comparisons. Kindly get down to business.
 Well, she said,  I was thinking just this. We can give it to him as a
wedding present we ve got him there, don t you see?
 No, I don t see, he replied.  Will you kindly show me how you
work that out. He ll probably want to give you a Murillo and a town
house and a Cellini service, and a motor car upholstered in cloth of
gold, a Florentine bust and an order on Raphael to paint your
portrait. If you ask me if I see him accepting the Vandyke as a
wedding present from us I don t.
 Goose! she said with withering scorn.
He laughed.  Oh, very well, I m back in the barnyard, so I don t
mind. Just a minute ago and you had me a duck. I ve lost caste I
was a mandarin then.
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Out of the Ashes
 I didn t say a wedding present for our wedding, did I? she
inquired loftily.  Why don t you stop and think a minute. They don t
teach observation in college, evidently.
Teddy was nonplussed.  You ve got me, he said, his brows drawn
together in a puzzled frown.
She tapped her foot impatiently.  Well, how else could we be giving
him a wedding present? she inquired.
 That s just what I don t see, he replied emphatically.
 When he gets married, of course heavens! you are dense!
Teddy was stunned.  When he why what nonsense! he s a
confirmed old bachelor. There! I knew you couldn t think out
problems when I was kissing you. I m glad you didn t answer my
second question, if that s the way you work things out. Who in the
world would he marry!
 How would you like him for a step-father-in-law? She looked at
him with an amused smile.
 Good gracious! he exclaimed.  Why, I never thought of that! Your
mother! Oh, by golly! that s great, that s great! Of course, of course.
Here, I ll kiss you again you can answer my second question. He
embraced her with hysterical enthusiasm.  Oh, when did it
happen? he begged.  How did you know? Since when have they
been engaged? My! I have been a bat! Where were my eyes? Of all
the jolly luck! he leaped from the bench and executed a triumphal
war dance.
 You act just like the kids I mean, the baby goats, up in the Bronx,
she laughed.  Teddy, stop, somebody might see you, and they d
send us both to an asylum. Stop it! And besides, my step-father
hasn t proposed yet.
Teddy ceased his gambols abruptly.  What in the world have you
been telling me, then? he demanded, crestfallen.  Here I ve been
celebrating an event that hasn t happened.
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Out of the Ashes
 Well, it s going to, she affirmed with an impressive nod of her
head.  I know. Why, even Mother hasn t the slightest idea of it yet.
Poor, dear Mother, she s so really humble minded, she wouldn t let
herself realize how he loves her. But she leans on him, on the very
thought of him. When we were away recuperating, she used to
watch for his letters like like I watched for yours, Teddy; and
when I d hand her one, she had such a look of calm, of rest. I ve
found her asleep with one crushed up in her hand. I m sure she used [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]