The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary Part 51

"I'm _so_ glad you're to have the runnin' of Jack," the old lady declared sincerely. "All I ask of you is to be patient with him. I always was. That is, _most_ always."

"Dear Aunt Mary," said Mrs. Rosscott, slipping down on her knees beside the bed, "you are so good to me that you encourage me to tell you my secret. It isn't long, and it isn't bad, but I have a confession to make."

"Oh, I say," cried Jack, "if you put it that way let me do the owning up!"

"Hush," said his love authoritatively, "it's my confession. Leave it to me."

"What is it?" said Aunt Mary, looking anxiously from one to the other; "you haven't broke your engagement already, I hope."

"No," said Mrs. Rosscott, "it's nothing like that. It's only rather a surprise. But it's a nice surprise,-at least, I hope you'll think that it is."

"Well, hurry and tell me then," said the old lady. "I'm a great believer in bein' told good news as soon as possible. What is it?"

"It's that I'm not a maid," said the pretty widow.

"Not-a-" cried Aunt Mary blankly.

"I'm a widow!" said Janice. "I'm Burnett's sister."

"Wh-a-at!" cried Aunt Mary. "I didn't jus' catch that."

"You see," screamed Jack, "she was afraid to have me entertain you in New York,-afraid you wouldn't be properly looked after, Aunt Mary, so she dressed up for your maid and looked after you herself."

"My heavens alive!"

"Wasn't she an angel?" he asked.

"But whatever made you take such an interest?" Aunt Mary demanded of Janice.

Janice rose from her knees and, leaning over the bed, drew the old lady close in her arms.

"I'll tell you," she screamed gently. "I loved Jack, and so I loved his aunt even before I had ever seen her."

Aunt Mary's joy fairly overflowed at that view of things, and, putting her hands to either side of the lovely face so close to her own, she kissed it warmly again and again.

"I always knew you were suthin' out of the ordinary," she declared vigorously. "You know I wouldn't have let him marry you if I hadn't been pretty sure as you were different from Lucinda an' the common run."

And then she beamed on them both and Jack beamed on them both and Mrs.

Rosscott kissed each of them and dried her own happy eyes.

"Now I want to know jus' how an' where you learned to love him?" the aunt asked next.

"I loved him almost directly I knew him," she answered, and at that Aunt Mary seemed on the point of applauding with the ear-trumpet against the headboard.

"It was jus' the same with me," she said delightedly. "He was only a baby then, but the first look I took I jus' had a feelin'-"

"Yes," said Mrs. Rosscott sympathetically, "so did I."

They all laughed together.

"An' now," said Aunt Mary, laying back and folding her arms upon her bosom, "an' now comes the main question,-when do you two want to be married?"

"Oh!" said the widow starting, "we-I-Jack-"

"Well, go on," said Aunt Mary. "Say whenever you like. An' then Jack can do the same."

The two young people exchanged glances.

"Speak right up," said Aunt Mary. "I'm a great believer in not hangin'

back when anythin' has got to be decided. Jack, what do you think?"

"I want to get married right off," said Jack decidedly.

"I think he's too young," put in Mrs. Rosscott hastily.

"I don't know," said Aunt Mary, looking at her nephew reflectively. "Seems to me he's big enough, an' I'm a great believer in never dilly-dallyin'

over what's got to be done some time. Why not Thanksgiving?"

"Thanksgiving!" shrieked Mrs. Rosscott.

"Yes," said Aunt Mary. "I think it would be a good time, an' then I can come and spend Christmas with you in the city."

"Great idea!" declared her nephew; "me for Thanksgiving."

"What do you say?" said Aunt Mary to the bride-to-be.

"Oh, I don't see-" began the latter, wrinkling her pretty forehead in a prettier perplexity and looking helplessly back and forth between their double eagerness.

"Well, why not?" said the aunt. "It ain't as if there was any reason for waitin'. If there was I'd be the first to be willin' to do all I could to be patient, but as it is-even if you an' Jack ain't in any particular hurry, I am, an' I was brought up to go right to work at gettin' what you want as soon as you know what it is."

"But this is so sudden," wailed Mrs. Rosscott.

Aunt Mary glanced at her sharply.

"That's what they all say, a'cordin' to the papers," she said calmly, "an'

it never is counted as anythin' but a joke."

"But I'm not joking," Janice cried.

"Then you jus' take a little time an' think it over," proposed the old lady,-"I'll tell you what you can do. You can get me Lucinda because I want to tell her suthin' and then you and Jack can sit down together an'

think it over anywhere an' anyhow you like."

"Do you really want Lucinda," said Janice, rising to her feet, "or is it something that I can do? You know I'm yours just the same as ever, Aunt Mary. Next to being good to Jack, I want to always be good to you."

Aunt Mary looked up with a light in her eyes that was fine to see.

"Bless you, my child," she said heartily. "I know that, but I really want Lucinda, an' you an' Jack can take care of yourselves for a while.

Leastways, I hope you can. I guess you can. I presume so, anyway."