The Man from Home Part 9

HORACE [staggered]. What!

PIKE [smiling]. Yes, sir, Daniel Voorhees Pike, attorney at law, Kokomo, Indiana.

[HORACE falls back from him in horror.]

[HAWCASTLE, excited but cool, makes a quick, imperative gesture to LADY CREECH, who majestically sweeps up to ETHEL, kisses her on the forehead in lofty pity, and sweeps out.]

[MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY kisses ETHEL compa.s.sionately on cheek and follows LADY CREECH off.]

[MARIANO and MICHELE, having cleared the table, exeunt.]

HORACE [hoa.r.s.e with shame, to PIKE; slight pause after PIKE'S last speech.] I shall ask her if she will consent to an interview.

PIKE [at same time, astounded]. "Consent to an interview"? Why, I want to _talk_ to her!

HAWCASTLE [quickly and earnestly to ETHEL]. This shall make no difference to _us_, my child. Speak to him at once.

[Exit into the hotel.]

PIKE [to HORACE]. Don't you understand? I'm her _guardian_.

HORACE [with a desperate gesture]. I shall never hold up my head again!

[Rushes off.]

VASILI [gravely, to PIKE]. When you have finished your affairs, my friend, remember my poor car yonder.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "YES, SIR, DANIEL VOORHEES PIKE, ATTORNEY AT LAW, KOKOMO, INDIANA"]

PIKE [with a melancholy smile]. All right, Doc, I'm kind of confused just now, but I reckon I can still put a plug back in a gear-box.

VASILI [at same time]. Then _au revoir_, my friend.

[Strolls off through the grove.]

PIKE [watching him go, thoughtfully]. Yes, _sir_!

ETHEL [haughtily, yet with the air of confessing a humiliating truth, her eyes cast down]. I am Miss Granger-Simpson.

[As she speaks he turns and lifts his hand toward her as if suddenly startled. He has not seen her until now. He stands for a moment in silence, looking at her with great tenderness and pride.]

PIKE [with both wonder and pathos in his voice]. Why, I knew your pa from the time I was a little boy till he died, and I looked up to him more'n I ever looked up to anybody in my life, but I never thought he'd have a girl like you!

[She turns from him; he takes a short step nearer her.]

He'd 'a' been mighty proud if he could see you now.

ETHEL [quickly, and with controlled agitation]. Perhaps it will be as well if we avoid personal allusions.

PIKE [mildly]. I don't see how that's possible.

ETHEL [sitting]. Will you please sit down?

PIKE. Yes, ma'am!

[ETHEL s.h.i.+vers at the "ma'am."]

[He sits in the chair which HORACE has occupied, still holding his hat in his hand.]

ETHEL [tremulously, her eyes cast down]. As you know, I--I--

[She stops, as if afraid of breaking down; then, turning toward him, cries sharply.]

Oh, are you _really_ my guardian?

PIKE [smiling]. Well, I've got the papers in my grip. I expect--

ETHEL. Oh, I KNOW it! It is only that we didn't fancy, we didn't expect--

PIKE. I expect you thought I'd be considerable older.

ETHEL. Not only _that_--

PIKE [interrupting gently]. I expect you thought I'd neglected you a good deal [remorsefully], and it _did_ LOOK like it--never comin' to see you; but I couldn't hardly manage the time to get away. You see, bein'

trustee of your share of the estate, I don't hardly have a fair show at my law practice. But when I got your letter, eleven days ago, I says to myself: "Here, Daniel Voorhees Pike, you old sh.e.l.lback, you've just got to _take_ time. John Simpson trusted you with his property, and he's done more [his voice rises, but his tone is affectionate and shows deep feeling]--he's trusted you to look out for _her_, and now she's come to a kind of jumpin'-off place in her life--she's thinking of gettin'

married; and you just pack your grip-sack and hike out over there and stand _by_ her!"

ETHEL [frigidly]. I quite fail to understand your point of view. Perhaps I had best make it at once clear to you that I am no longer _thinking_ of marrying.

PIKE [leaning back in his chair and smiling on her]. Well, Lord-a-Mercy!

ETHEL. I mean I have decided upon it. The ceremony is to take place within a fortnight.

PIKE. Well, I declare!

ETHEL. We shall dispense with all delays.

PIKE [slowly and a little sadly]. Well, I don't know as I could rightly say anything against that. He must be a mighty nice fellow, and you must think a heap _of_ him!

[With a suppressed sigh.]

That's the way it should be.

[He smiles again and leans toward her in a friendly way.]

And you're happy, are you?

ETHEL [with cold emphasis, sitting very straight in her chair].

Distinctly!