CHAPTER XVII. PLAYING GRANDMOTHER

eallymeanwork,Iknowyoucould,”answeredPolly,quickly,asallsortsofplansandprojectswentsweepingthroughhermind.“IwishyoucouldbewithNedyou'dgetontogether,I'msureandhe'dbesogladtodoanythinghecould.I'llwriteandask,straightaway,ifyouwantmeto.” “Supposeyoudojustforinformation,youknow,thenIshallhavesomethingtogoupon.Iwanttohaveafeasibleplanallready,beforeIspeaktofather.There'snothingsoconvincingtobusinessmenasfacts,youknow.” PollycouldnothelpsmilingatTom'snewtone,itseemedsostrangetohearhimtalkingaboutanythingbuthorsesandtailors,dancingandgirls.Shelikedit,however,asmuchasshedidthesoberexpressionofhisface,andthewayhehadlatelyofswinginghisarmsabout,asifhewantedtodosomethingenergeticwiththem. “Thatwillbewise.Doyouthinkyourfatherwilllikethisplan?” “Prettysurehewill.Yesterday,whenItoldhimImustgoatsomethingrightoff,hesaid,'Anythinghonest,Tom,anddon'tforgetthatyourfatherbegantheworldasashop-boy.'Youknewthat,didn'tyou?” “Yes,hetoldmethestoryonce,andIalwayslikedtohearit,becauseitwaspleasanttoseehowwellhehadsucceeded.” “Ineverdidlikethestory,alittlebitashamed,I'mafraidbutwhenwetalkeditoverlastnight,itstruckmeinanewlight,andIunderstoodwhyfathertookthefailuresowell,andseemssocontentedwiththispoorishplace.Itisonlybeginningagain,hesaysandhavingworkedhiswayuponce,hefeelsasifhecouldagain.Ideclaretoyou,Polly,thatsortofconfidenceinhimself,andenergyandcourageinamanofhisyears,makesmeloveandrespectthedearoldgentlemanasIneverdidbefore.” “I'msogladtohearyousaythat,Tom!I'vesometimesthoughtyoudidn'tquiteappreciateyourfather,anymorethanheknewhowmuchofamanyouwere.” “Neverwastillto-day,youknow,”saidTom,laughing,yetlookingasifhefeltthedignityofhisoneandtwentyyears.“Odd,isn'tit,howpeoplelivetogethereversolong,anddon'tseemtofindoneanotherout,tillsomethingcomestodoitforthem.Perhapsthissmash-upwassenttointroducemetomyownfather.” “There'sphilosophyforyou,”saidPolly,smiling,evenwhileshefeltasifadversitywasgoingtodomoreforTomthanyearsofprosperity. Theybothsatquietforaminute,Pollyinthebigchairlookingathimwithanewrespectinhereyes,Tomonthestoolnearbyslowlytearingupafoldedpaperhehadabsentlytakenfromthefloorwhilehetalked. “Didthissurpriseyou?”heasked,asalittlewhiteshowerflutteredfromhishands. “No.” “Well,itdidmeforyouknowassoonaswecametogriefIofferedtoreleaseTrixfromtheengagement,andshewouldn'tletme,”continuedTom,asif,havingbegunthesubject,hewishedtoexplainitthoroughly. “Thatsurprisedme,”saidPolly. “Soitdidme,forFanalwaysinsisteditwasthemoneyandnotthemanshecaredfor.Herfirstanswerpleasedmeverymuch,forIdidnotexpectit,andnothingtouchesafellowmorethantohaveawomanstandbyhimthroughthickandthin.” “Shedon'tseemtohavedoneit.” “Fanwasright.Trixonlywaitedtoseehowbadthingsreallywere,orratherhermotherdid.She'sascool,hard,andworldlymindedanoldsoulasIeversaw,andTrixisboundtoobey.Shegetsrounditveryneatlyinhernote,'Iwon'tbeaburden,''willsacrificeherhopes,''andalwaysremainmywarmfriend,'butthetruthis,TomShawrichwasworthmakingmuchof,butTomShawpoorisintheway,andmaygotothedevilasfastashelikes.” “Well,heisn'tgoing!”criedPolly,defiantly,forherwrathburnedhotlyagainstTrix,thoughsheblessedherforsettingthebondmanfree. “Camewithinanaceofit,”mutteredTomtohimselfaddingaloud,inatoneofcalmresignationthatassuredPollyhisheartwouldnotbebrokenthoughhisengagementwas,“Itneverrainsbutitpours,'speciallyinhardtimes,butwhenamanisdown,araportwomoredon'tmattermuch,Isuppose.It'sthefirstblowthathurtsmost.” “Gladtoseeyoutakethelastblowsowell.”Therewasanironicallittletwangtothatspeech,andPollycouldn'thelpit.Tomcoloredupandlookedhurtforaminute,thenseemedtorighthimselfwithashrug,andsaid,inhisoutspokenway,“Totellthehonesttruth,Polly,itwasnotaveryhardone.I'vehadafeelingforsometimethatTrixandIwerenotsuitedtooneanother,anditmightbewisertostopshort.ButshedidnotorwouldnotseeitandIwasnotgoingtobackout,andleavehertowearanymorewillows,sohereweare.Idon'tbearmalice,buthopeshe'lldobetter,andnotbedisappointedagain,uponmywordIdo.” “That'sverygoodofyou,quiteSydneyesque,andnoble,”saidPolly,feelingratherillatease,andwishingshecouldhideherselfbehindacapandspectacles,ifshewastoplayGrandmatothisconfidingyouth. “ItwillbeallplainsailingforSyd,Ifancy,”observedTom,gettingupasifthelittlecricketsuddenlyceasedtobecomfortable. “Ihopeso,”murmuredPolly,wonderingwhatwascomingnext. “Hedeservestheverybestofeverything,andIpraytheLordhemaygetit,”addedTom,pokingthefireinadestructivemanner. Pollymadenoanswer,fearingtopaytoomuch,forsheknewFanhadmadenoconfidantofTom,andsheguardedherfriend'ssecretasjealouslyasherown.“You'llwritetoNedto-morrow,willyou?I'lltakeanythinghe'sgot,forIwanttobeoff,”saidTom,castingdownthepoker,andturningroundwitharesoluteairwhichwaslostonPolly,whosattwirlingtherosethathadfallenintoherlap. “I'llwriteto-night.WouldyoulikemetotellthegirlsaboutTrixandSydney?”sheaskedassherose,feelingthatthecouncilwasover. “Iwishyouwould.Idon'tknowhowtothankyouforallyou'vedoneformeIwishtoheavenIdid,”saidTom,holdingouthishandwithalookthatPollythoughtagreatdealtoogratefulforthelittleshehaddone. Asshegavehimherhand,andlookedupathimwiththoseconfidingeyesofhers,Tom'sgratitudeseemedtoflytohishead,for,withouttheslightestwarning,hestoopeddownandkissedher,aproceedingwhichstartledPollysothatherecoveredhimselfatonce,andretreatedintohisdenwiththeincoherentapology,“Ibegpardoncouldn'thelpitgrandmaalwaysletmeonmybirthday.” WhilePollytookrefugeupstairs,forgettingallaboutFan,asshesatinthedarkwithherfacehidden,wonderingwhyshewasn'tveryangry,andresolvingneveragaintoindulgeinthedelightfulbutdangerouspastimeofplayinggrandmother.