Eunice Part 9

She said a good deal more than that. Amos had heard much of it before, but somehow it sounded differently repeated by this girl with laughing lips and s.h.i.+ning eyes, and with now and then a touch of only half-conscious scorn for the eyes that would not see and the hands that did not care to seize the chances for which others were eager to strive.

Amos had not much to say as they rose and turned homewards.

By-and-by they stopped to rest, leaning for a little on the crooked fence on the brow of the hill, from which more than one tree-shaded town could be seen, and many cultivated fields and rough pastures, and broken stretches of woodland, with the light of a wonderful sunset lying on them all. It was a fair scene, suggestive of peace and plenty and contentment; and, looking on it, Fidelia lifted up her voice and sang--

"My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty--Of thee I sing!" and so on to the end. Amos looked up amazed, and at the second verse struck in a true boy's second. So did Ned; and even Franky, climbing up to the top rail of the fence, tuned his shrill pipe with the rest.

Of course they sang "My Country" to the tune which belongs to it--a tune which with these words, and with other words, has stirred and thrilled patriotic b.r.e.a.s.t.s on both sides of the sea for many a year and day.

Fidelia and the Austin boys called it "America," but on the other side of the sea it is called "G.o.d save the Queen." They sang it there on the hill-top, with all their hearts. Then they sang "The Star-spangled Banner" and "Hail! Columbia!" as they took their way through field and wood; and more besides, till tired old ladies, rocking themselves in their chairs and taking their rest at open doors caught the sound and smiled; and boys and girls, milking their cows in pasture corners, paused in their work to listen.

Tired? That was the very last thing they were thinking of as they pa.s.sed the south porch, on their way to the kitchen with their fish.

Fidelia nodded and smiled to the party sitting there, waiting to be called to tea, but pa.s.sed on to the kitchen with the boys, where the fish was displayed to the admiring eyes of cousin Abby and the doctor.

"And so Miss Fidelia did not scare away the fishes, as girls generally do?" said cousin Abby.

"I guess she didn't. I tell you, she knows how!" said Ned.

"She's first-rate," said Frank.

Fidelia laughed--"I have had a good time. I should like to go again some day."

"And why should you not? And Nellie shall go next time. I don't believe she has had so good a time at home," said the doctor, as his daughter came in.

"Oh, yes, I have had a pretty good time! But I should like to go fis.h.i.+ng with the boys and Fidelia next time. You feel better, don't you, Fie?" said Nellie, as they went upstairs together; and her friend a.s.sured her that the day's tramp with the boys had done her good.

On the bed, as smooth as cousin Abby's skill in ironing could make it, and adorned with here and there a knot of ribbon which Fidelia had not put on, lay the white dress which was "to be kept for Sunday."

"I thought I had better have it all ready," said Nellie hurriedly, "as I thought you might be late. We are going to have company this evening-- just the Newtons, and Conways, and a few others. Mother thought she would like Mrs Kent and the girls to see some of our friends, and this was the best night for them to come. I am sorry it happened so, for you must be tired--though you don't look tired."

"I am not a bit tired. And don't look so troubled, child. Oh, yes, I'll wear the white gown--red ribbons and all! I'll do my best to do you credit."

"How you talk, Fidelia! But I do want you to look nice. Father says--"

But what her father said Fidelia was not to hear. A knock came to the door, and cousin Abby entered with a tray.

"Doctor said Miss Fidelia had better have her tea up here, and rest a spell till the company come. She mustn't get too tired, you know," said the old lady, smiling.

"Well, there! I might have had the sense to think of that myself, and saved you the trouble," said the delighted Nellie.

Fidelia said nothing, but she cleared a place on the table for the tray, and thanked the old lady with a kiss.

"If you should drop asleep for half an hour it wouldn't hurt you any,"

said Cousin Abby as she closed the door.

And, in the midst of her questioning as to why these people should be so kind to her, Fidelia did fall asleep, and woke only when, an hour later, Nellie returned ready dressed and eager to help her--

"You look quite nice!" was all Nellie allowed herself to say to her friend as they went downstairs together. "Now they'll see for themselves whether she is beautiful or not," she was saying to herself; but she knew it would not be wise to say it to Fidelia.

Of course Miss Austin had to be ready to receive their friends; and Fidelia fortunately found Amos entertaining the minister with an account of the day's sport and the pleasures of a day among the hills.

"Here is Miss Fidelia. She knows all about it," said the boy; and they had a pleasant half-hour together.

Nellie's triumph began when Judge Newton asked her whether the tall girl standing talking to the minister was the beautiful Miss Avery they had heard so much about. More than one asked the same question.

"Oh, no," said Nellie demurely, "that is only my room-mate, Fidelia Mars.h.!.+ Wait till you see Miss Avery."

And she had another little triumph when, drawn towards the piano by the exquisite touch of Miss Kent, Fidelia almost unconsciously put out her hand to turn the page of the difficult music she was playing, and kept on turning it to the end. It was the look of surprise which pa.s.sed between Miss Kent and her cousin that delighted Fidelia's friend.

"You play, do you not?" said Miss Kent, rising.

"Not as you play. Oh, please don't go yet!" said Fidelia earnestly.

"Sing something, Ella," said her cousin. "Sing this"--laying a song open before her. "No, Miss Marsh. I will turn the music. You must only enjoy it."

And Fidelia did enjoy it, as she had seldom enjoyed music before; growing pale and red by turns, as the thrilling voice rose and fell.

For the moment the enjoyment was perfect. When it ceased, Fidelia would have slipped quietly out of the room. Miss Kent rose.

"You sing, I am sure, Miss Marsh?"

"No," said Fidelia gravely; "I do not sing."

"Fidelia!" exclaimed Nellie.

"No," repeated Fidelia; "I don't sing. I have only just found it out."

"And what is this Amos has been telling us about your starting the echoes among the hills on your way home to-night?" said Dr Everett, who had drawn near.

"_I_ think you can sing," said Amos. "Oh, yes, I can sing to please Amos!" said Fidelia, trying to speak lightly, but troubled under the eyes of those who had gathered round the piano, and more troubled still by the rush of her own vexed thoughts.

"Is it envy?" she was saying to herself. "Is it pride and jealousy and discontent? Am I going to disappoint Eunice, after all? Oh, I am not good!"

She did not know who proposed it, or how it happened, but in a little Miss Kent seated herself at the piano again, and the young people gathered round her, "to sing something they all could sing,"--a much more enjoyable affair to most uneducated singers than just to sit and listen to fine music. Of course they began with "The Star-spangled Banner;" and if Fidelia's voice did not ring out quite as it had rung out to please the boys among the hills, it still caused the Boston cousins to exchange surprised glances, thus giving the watchful Nellie another moment of delight. They did not sing long, however; and when Miss Kent rose again, Fidelia moved away to the other end of the room, believing that the pleasure of the evening was over for her.

But it was not. She found herself in a little listening with much interest to the minister and the judge as they discussed a question which had come up before the last ministerial a.s.sociation of the county, and thinking it would be something to tell Eunice about when she went home. In the midst of it a voice said,--

"Miss Fidelia, I have a message for you from your sister."

"From Eunice?"--and she turned to see Dr Justin Everett standing beside her.

"Yes. I went to Halsey with my brother this morning, and have only just returned. We called to see your sister on our way."

"She is well?"

"That is part of the message she sent to you. She says you are not to hurry home, as my brother seemed to think you meant to do. You are to stay and have a good time. She does not need you in the least. No; that is not part of her message. But she is going with Mrs Stone to pay a visit of a week over in Northwood, and you are to stay here till that is over. She will write fully to-morrow."

"I am glad she is strong enough even to think of a visit to Northwood."

"Yes; and Mrs Stone will take excellent care of her. The change will do her good. And your change will do you good also."

"It has done me good already."