Cap'n Dan's Daughter Part 34

"Well--well, I--I must say--See here, are you really going to join that Chapter thing?"

"Yes."

"You are! After all you said--"

"Yes, no matter what I may have said."

"By--by time! I don't know what to do with you. I--I set a lot of store by you, Gertie. I kind of banked on you. And now--"

Gertrude's expression changed. She patted his cheek.

"Keep on banking on me, Daddy dear," she whispered, "perhaps I'm not altogether hopeless, even yet."

But her father, for once, refused to believe her.

"I don't like it," he declared. "And other folks don't like it, either.

Why, Barney Black got after me only the other day about you. He wanted to know why you--you, an engaged girl--was cruisin' around so much with this Cousin Percy of ours. He thought 'twas queer. I said--"

Gertrude rose to her feet. Her arm was s.n.a.t.c.hed from the captain's shoulder so quickly that he jumped.

"Daddy!" she cried, her cheeks blazing, "do you mean to say that you have been discussing me with--with Mr. Black?"

"I didn't start it, he did. He said--"

"I don't care what he said. Oh, the impertinence of it! And you listened! listened and believed--"

"I didn't say I believed it."

"You did believe it, though. I can see you did. I shan't try to comfort you any more. You deserve all that is coming to you. And," with a deliberate nod, "it is coming."

"Comin'! It's HERE! Gertie, there's another thing: What about John?

What do you think John would say if he knew you weren't goin' back to college?"

Gertrude looked at him. Her lips twitched.

"Oh," she said, mischievously, "as to that--well, Daddy, you see, he DOESN'T know it."

That afternoon Daniel wrote a letter. He said nothing to anyone, not even Serena, about the letter, but wrote it in the solitude of the library and posted it with his own hands. Just before sealing the envelope he added this postscript: "Whether you come or not, don't tell a soul that I wrote you this. And, if you do come, just let them think it was all on your own hook. THIS IS IMPORTANT."

On Sat.u.r.day evening there was to be a meeting of the Chapter, and on Tuesday Serena returned from committee with the joyful news that Gertrude was to be admitted to members.h.i.+p at that meeting. The young lady expressed herself as delighted. Cousin Percy extended congratulations. Captain Dan said nothing. Later, he visited Azuba in the kitchen, and there he received another shock.

Azuba was not, as usual, busy with her cooking or scrubbing. She was seated in a chair by the window, reading a paper. She looked up as he entered, but immediately resumed her reading. The captain waited for her to speak. As a general thing he did not have to wait.

"h.e.l.lo, Zuba," he hailed.

Azuba turned a page of the paper. She did not answer.

"h.e.l.lo!" he hailed again. "What's the matter, Zuba? Gone into a trance, have you?"

"Hey?" Azuba did look up then, but at once looked down again. "Hey?" she repeated. "No, I ain't in no trance. I'm readin', that's all."

"I should think that was enough, if it fixes you so you can't speak to anybody. Must be mighty interestin' readin'."

"Hey? Interestin'? I guess 'tis interestin'! It's more'n that, it's upliftin', too. I'm just beginnin' to realize what I am."

"That so? Well, what are you?"

"I'm a woman, that's what I am."

She made the declaration with the air of one imparting news of a startling discovery. Daniel laughed.

"Is that so!" he exclaimed. "Well, well! I want to know! I always suspected it, Zuba, but I'm glad you told me, just the same. Does it say so in that paper?"

Azuba rose from her chair. She did not laugh; she was intensely serious.

"It says a lot of things," she announced, "a lot of things I never thought of afore. I don't mean that exactly. I've thought of 'em, but I never knew how to make anything out of my thoughts. I just kept thinkin'

and let it go at that. Now, I'm beginnin' to realize. I'm a woman, I am, a free woman. That paper is for free women. Have you read it, Cap'n Daniel?"

Captain Dan took the paper which she extended to him at arm's length. He recognized it immediately. It was "The Woman's Voice," official organ of the National Guild of Ladies of Honor. Serena was a subscriber.

He glanced at the paper and tossed it on the table.

"Yes," he said shortly, "I've read some of it."

Azuba seized the discarded journal as if it were a precious treasure, a thing to be treated tenderly and with reverence.

"Some of it!" she repeated. "Humph! I'd read all of it, if I was you.

'Twould do the men good if they was made to read every number ten times over. It's a wonderful paper. It's opened MY eyes, I can tell you that."

It had, apparently, opened her mouth as well, although to do that required no great urging at any time. She went on to preach the glories of the "Voice," and concluded by reading an editorial which, like Mrs.

Lake's addresses at Chapter meetings, contained a great many words and, to the captain's mind, little understanding.

He listened, fidgeting impatiently, to perhaps two-thirds of the editorial, and then he interrupted.

"Hold on! Heave to!" he ordered. "For the land sakes, Zuba, what's set you goin' like this? Are YOU goin' to--to--"

"To what? Am I goin' to what?"

"Are you goin' to 'advance' or whatever you call it? What ails all you women, anyway?"

"What ails us? Hain't I been readin' you what ails us?"

"You've been readin' a whole lot, but I've heard it all before. You want to be 'free'! Confound it, you ARE free, ain't you? You want to take your place in the world! Why, you've had the front place ever since Eve got Adam to eat the apple. She was skipper of that craft, wasn't she!

And us men--most of us, anyhow--have been fo'mast hands ever since. What is it you want? Want to vote? Go ahead and vote. I'M willin'."

But Azuba laughed scornfully.

"Vote!" she repeated. "I don't care whether I vote or not."