The Staying Guest

“I will. Give us a pen.”

And that’s how it happened that in due time Ladybird received a letter which set her eyes and heart dancing. It caused no comment when old Matthew handed her the precious document, for the child often had letters – often, too, from distant cities, where she exchanged souvenir-cards with other young collectors.

Stopping only to catch up Cloppy, she ran to the orchard and tore open the envelope.

Over and over again she read these lines:

Miss Ladybird Lovell,

Dear Madam:

Without committing myself definitely to an offer to aid you in your project, I may say I would be glad to have an interview with you regarding the matter, and will be pleased to keep any appointment that you may make.

    Yours obediently,
    Chester Humphreys.

“Oh,” said Ladybird, with a sigh of rapturous delight, “isn’t it grand! I can’t understand hardly a word of his letter, but he says he’ll come to see me about it, and that’s all I want to know. Now I suppose I’ll have to write him again. It’s awful hard work, but to think what it may mean to Stella!” With a little sigh, she went to fetch paper and pencil, and, returning, composed the third document in the case.

Mr. Chester Humphreys [she began],

Dear Earl:

I am glad you’re coming [the letter went on] Hurry, oh, hurry, the day draws near. I hope you are the right one, but I can tell the minute I look at you. I will be in the plum-orchard, at half-past three Thursday afternoon. Come, oh, come.

    Ladybird Lovell,
    Primrose Hall.

“He may not be an earl,” she thought, “but then he may; and if he is, it will be dreadful if I don’t tell him so.”

CHAPTER XV

THE ARRIVAL OF THE EARL

At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard. It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.

And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, “Miss Ladybird Lovell?”

“Yes,” said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone. Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.

She saw a tall, well-built young man with broad, strong shoulders, and a frank, honest face which showed both perception and responsiveness.

“You’re not an earl,” she said; and though her tone showed disappointment, it was more in sorrow than in anger.

“How do you know I’m not?” he said, smiling a little.

“By your clothes,” said Ladybird, simply. “Of course I know you wouldn’t wear your coronet and robes; but you’d wear something prettier than blue serge.”

“I am not an earl,” said her visitor; “but if I were, I would wear on this occasion these very same clothes. And now, tell me all about it.”

With a smile that seemed to compel a comfortable confidence, he motioned Ladybird back to her grassy seat under the plum-tree, and then sat down by her side.

“First of all, who are you?” he said.

“No; first of all, who are you?” said Ladybird.

“Quite right,” said the young man; “I accept the rebuke. My name you already know; my home is New York. Just now I’m on my vacation, and in vagrant mood I’m enjoying this part of our country.”

“Are you a good man?” said Ladybird.

“I am a good man,” said Humphreys, “though very few people know it; still, I’m prepared to prove it whenever it may be necessary.”

“Are you accomplished?” said Ladybird.

“I can play a few things, work at a few more, and I can sing.”

“I’m glad you can sing,” said Ladybird; “Stella is very fond of music.”

“But, my dear child,” said Humphreys, “I told you I didn’t come down here in the interest of that philanthropic scheme of yours; I came only to see you. And now it’s your turn to tell me who you are.”

“Me? Oh, I’m just Ladybird.”

“Is that your real name?”

“No, I suppose not,” with a slight frown; “my aunties say it is Lavinia; but I never knew that till I came here. They say, too, I’m fourteen years old; but I know I’m twelve. And they say I used to have yellow hair and blue eyes; but I can’t think I ever did, can you?”

“It is hard to think so,” said Humphreys, looking at the little brown face with its big dark eyes and elfish wisps of straight black hair. “At the same time, I dislike to doubt your aunts’ word. Why do they have such apparently contradictory notions?”

“I don’t know,” said Ladybird; “I’ve only lived here a little while, you know. My mama was my aunts’ younger sister, and she ran away with my papa, and they lived in India. And I lived there, too, until papa died; and then I was sent here to aunties’. And at first my aunties didn’t like me a bit, and didn’t want me to stay; but I had to stay, so of course they had to like me. You can’t live with people without liking them, you know.”

“Can’t you?” said Humphreys. “And do you like them?”

“Yes,” said Ladybird, “I love them. I love Aunt Dorinda best; but I love Aunt Priscilla most.”

“I should like to know them,” said Humphreys. “Can’t you take me in and introduce me to them?”

“I will pretty soon,” said Ladybird; “but first I want to settle about Stella.”

“What is this Stella story, anyhow, you ridiculous child? Do your aunts know you wrote that letter to Governor Hyde?”

“No,” said Ladybird, seriously, “they don’t. If they had they wouldn’t have let me write it. You see, everything I’ve tried to do to help Stella they scolded me about it, and told me I mustn’t do it, and that it was none of my affair. Now it is my affair, for Stella is my friend; and what can be more your affair than your friend?”

“Nothing,” said Humphreys, seeing that an answer was demanded of him.

“No, of course not. And so I thought, and I thought; and I decided this was the only way to do it; and I was sure the governor would send somebody nice, because my aunties say he is such a nice man.”

“But tell me about Stella; I don’t understand it all yet.”

“Well, you see,” said Ladybird, “Stella is the beautifulest, loveliest, angelest girl in the whole world, and she has a horrid old grandfather and grandmother who want her to marry Charley Hayes, and Charley Hayes is horrid too. And Stella doesn’t love him, but she doesn’t hate him as much as I do.”