Stranger within the Gates (6 page)

"But how can we help it, Mother? We all love Rex a lot, and to have this--this--kind of girl come into our nice times and absorb him is going to be perfectly terrible. I don't feel as if I could hold my head up, and I know you feel just that way, too, Mother."

"Yes! Those are our natural feelings, dear. But God is stronger than such feelings. He is able to lift us up beyond those things. He is able to give us strength to be brave for one another and find and plan nice ways to help us all to trust instead of worry."

Sylvia was still a long time, standing at the window looking out, and then she said with a deep sigh, "But we'd have to stay at home all the time and try to act polite to that new sister, wouldn't we?"

"Not necessarily. Not all the time. You could have your engagements as usual. You can't put everything aside, even if they should be here. What are you thinking of, dear? Was there something special?"

"Well, I had thought about going to a concert, but it isn't necessary, of course. When do you think they will likely come? Would they be here for Saturday night?"

"Oh, I don't know," said the mother, with a sound almost like a suppressed moan in her voice. "I haven't thought that far yet. But I don't see why their coming--
if
they come----should affect a concert. What concert is it? Something at the university?"

"Oh no, it's the
Messiah
, given by the orchestra and the choral society. You know, I've never heard it, and I had an invitation to go this morning, but I didn't dare accept it." She ended with a prolonged sigh.

"Oh, my dear!" mourned her mother. "There's no reason why you shouldn't go, of course. Who asked you? Someone I know?"

She looked at her oldest girl keenly, realizing that there were possibilities and dangers ahead of all her young brood, and she must be prepared to expect them. She awaited Sylvia's answer anxiously.

"No, I don't believe you do," she answered. "I showed you his picture in a college group the other day, but I don't suppose you noticed it. He's a swell fellow. His name is Rance Nelius. I thought perhaps I'd like to invite him here some night during Christmas week, or to dinner sometime, while they are all home, but now, of course, I can't."

"I don't see why not!" encouraged her mother thoughtfully. "Of course, we'll wait a little to see how things turn out, but I certainly don't want any of you to have your Christmastime spoiled in such ways. I would like very much to meet him, and we'll try to plan it so that it will be pleasant all around. But certainly go to your concert Saturday night. Just plan for it as a matter of course."

"But it doesn't seem right to desert the rest of the family at a time like this."

"No, dear. I'll be glad to have you having a nice time and getting your thoughts away from disappointments. Just who is this young man, dear? Is he in your classes?"

"Only in one. He's a senior. He's awfully bright, and I heard Doctor Wharton tell another teacher that he was the most brilliant man he had ever had, and he was sure he was going to amount to something great. Besides that, he's awfully nice and full of fun and not a bit stuck on himself. I'm sure you'd like him. But I told him I wasn't sure but things at home would be so I couldn't be away that night, and he said it was all right. I might call him up at the last minute if I found I could go. He's very--sort of--understanding, you know. Nothing silly about him."

"Where does he live?"

"I don't know. You see, I don't know him so awfully well. We've only met walking back and forth from the bus. He sometimes comes on the same bus I do, though not every day. I have an idea he has a part-time job or something, but I don't know. He's never told me exactly. But he's always nice and friendly for the few steps we walk together. He has nice eyes and doesn't go around flirting like some of them. But you needn't worry. I haven't any silly notions about young men, Mother, and you needn't go to thinking I'll go off my head at any moment, like Rex. I don't believe I shall
ever
marry. Certainly not till I grow up. I guess Rex has taught us all a good lesson."

The mother gave a wan smile.

"
Dear
child!" she said with a soft little sigh. "Dear
children
!" she added, and then after a second, "I don't want you to be morbid on the subject, of course, and it's right that young people should have good times together and get acquainted and all that; only I don't want you to make any terrible mistakes. I'm sure you won't do any wild things, nor run away and get married!"

She gave another wan smile that was almost nothing but a sigh and turned away to hide the quick tears that wanted to fall.

"I should say
not
!" said Sylvia with her eyes snapping angrily. "I can't see how Rex
could
! I don't believe any of us will ever want to have anything to do with anybody who would marry us, just because of what we've been through today. Just to see you go through this! It's awful! That was the reason I didn't want to speak about this concert, and I wouldn't think of bringing Rance here now. If he were an old friend, it would be sort of different. But he's pretty much of a stranger, and I don't want any of you thinking I'm up to any silly nonsense!"

"No, dear, we won't think that! Go tell this boy you'll go to the concert. I think it will be nice for you. It will take your mind off things."

"But suppose--he--they--should be just arriving when I had to leave!"

"That won't make any difference. You have a right to a previous engagement. Besides, they didn't stand on ceremony about their marriage. They can't expect formal consideration. Anyway, if anything unforeseen occurs, you can always explain to him, of course. Go ahead and accept your invitation."

All the rest of the evening the stricken Garland family struggled to be brave and cheerful for one another's sake, watching to drive the shadow away from their mother's eyes, maintaining a kind of rigid cheerfulness. And they were all really glad when the time came to go to bed.

Mary Garland did not call her oldest son again. She reasoned that he probably wouldn't be back from Buffalo until very late that night, or maybe not till morning, and there would be another day's studies, maybe more examinations. She wouldn't disturb him now until his day's work was done. She had waited so long, she would wait until Rex had a chance to call her, or else to come in answer to her telegram.

It was not until ten o'clock the next morning that Rex called, and then he was in a tremendous hurry. By that time the children had departed for school again, in comparative contentment. Somehow the night's sleep seemed to have quieted their anxieties. The letter of yesterday morning that had caused such consternation seemed more like an ugly dream now, and after one quick reassuring look at their mother, they put on their accustomed smiles and ate their breakfast with a brisk cheerfulness that was almost normal.

Only Sylvia, as she left, whispered earnestly, "Mother, if--if--anything unusual happens, or--they're coming quickly, or--something--you'll telephone me to come home, won't you?"

And Mary Garland gave her thoughtful girl a loving smile and promised.

It was a hard morning for the mother to go through, and she spent more time upon her knees than she had done for several years. So when at last the telephone rang and she heard Rex's big boy-voice booming over the wire, her heart leaped with a quick response and tears sprang to her eyes.

"Rex!" she said yearningly. "Oh, Rex! Where have you been?"

"Been? Why, I've been to Buffalo! Didn't they tell you I was playing on the basketball team last night? I just got back. They promised to phone you. I didn't have a second. Just had time to throw my stuff in the bag and run. It was a swell game, Moms, and
we won
! How's that fer just a soph? Now, say, what's the little old idea sending me that telegram, Moms? You know that I can't do that. Why, I have two exams today and another tamorra morning. How d'ya think I can leave before vacation? These are important exams. Whaddya mean?"

"I meant what I said, Rex. I want you to come home
at once
!"

"And flunk my exams? What's the idea, Moms? You never talked that way before. You were always keen about my passing everything."

Mary Garland's voice was full of tears as she answered, firmly, determinedly: "But things are different now, Rex. If what you wrote me in your last letter is true, then examinations have nothing to do with you anymore."

"Aw, you don't understand, Moms," said Rex impatiently. "They don't have any of those old-time straitlaced rules here anymore. That's all right, Moms, and besides, nobody knows--"

"Rex, I want you to come home
at once
! Don't even stop to pack. We can attend to that later. I want you
now
!"

"Aw, heck, Moms! You just don't understand. And I haven't got any time to argue. There goes the bell, and I'm expected to be in my seat in three minutes! Goo'bye, Moms! See you soon. Be home as planned and
can't
come sooner! I'm as busy as a one-armed paper hanger with fleas! So long, Moms!"

"But,
Rex
--" He was gone!

Sylvia was on the watch as the bus neared the corner where Rance Nelius usually boarded it. She wasn't sure whether this was one of his days to get on here or not. Still, it was nearing vacation time and there were no regular rules at such a time. But he was not in sight, and she decided that probably his work up this direction was over for the week.

She felt a distinct sense of disappointment as the bus started on again, wondering now where she would be able to see him that day. Would she have to call him up after all? She had a feeling that she would like to get it settled so that nothing could happen to prevent it.

Then the bus lurched to a sudden stop, and looking back to the corner, she saw him running. That must have been his whistle she had heard a second before. The memory of it came back on the air now, like a living sound. A clear, sharp whistle! And the bus driver was watching him come with a look of interest on his face, as if Rance was one of his favorite travelers.

"Thanks awfully!" said Rance as he swung himself aboard and dropped his fare into the hand of the driver. "I got held up, and I was afraid I was going to be late to my class."

The driver's eyes lit up with the expression of admiration that a bus driver sometimes wears for daily passengers, and Rance smiled his nice, friendly smile as he turned to hunt a seat. Then he saw Sylvia.

Sylvia's eyes were alight with friendliness, too, and she slid over to the corner of the seat and made room for him, for the bus was rather full and there were only two or three other places at the back.

Rance came over and sat down beside her eagerly.

"I thought I was going to be left behind," he explained, smiling, as he settled his pile of books in his lap and looked at her with that intimate friendliness that he had shown yesterday. "You see, I'm coaching a kid to pass some examinations for next semester in high school, and this morning he had a lot of questions to ask me at the last minute, so I got behind. It was nice of the driver to wait. He's an accommodating fellow."

"Well," he said as he studied her face keenly, "what do you know? Anything happened that is going to make it possible for you to take in the concert Saturday night?"

Sylvia hadn't any idea what a flood of pleasure swept over her face as she answered. She was lovely like her lady-mother, but she had never taken much notice of it herself, so her loveliness was utterly unspoiled.

"Why, yes," she said. "I think I can go! I talked with Mother about it, and she didn't seem to think anything would interfere then. You see, we, I--" Then she stopped in hopeless confusion. She didn't want to tell Rance Nelius that her young brother had gone and got married without their knowledge and was going to bring his unknown bride home, maybe that night.

Rance Nelius's face lit up with gladness, as if she had just promised something that he had wanted for a long time.

"Say, I'm glad!" he said. "You know, I haven't had much time to make friends this winter, and it isn't such fun to go off on an adventure all by yourself."

"No, I guess not," said Sylvia sympathetically. "I've never had to do that much. I've always had two big brothers, till they went away to college."

Nelius's glance kindled.

"That's nice," he said. "I'd like to know your brothers sometime. They would be worth knowing, I'm sure."

"I think they are," said Sylvia modestly, and then like a sharp thrust in her heart came the memory of what Rex had done. Was Rex worth knowing? Would she always have to think a little less of Rex after this? Would this burden never lighten through the years? Her face grew suddenly somber at the thought.

But people all made mistakes; many of them sinned and were forgiven, the sin forgotten, the mistake mended. Only, marriage was such a final thing! It just couldn't be mended or forgotten. One always carried the blight of the wrong marriage. And anyway, doing it the way Rex had! Oh, of course, there were people who thought a wrong marriage could be made right by divorce, but the Garlands were not brought up that way. In their minds that could never be a cure for what Rex had done!

Her thoughts went rambling off till suddenly she realized that Rance had asked her a question about her brothers.

"Will they be coming home for Christmas?"

"Oh, yes," she said.

"Then perhaps I'll have a chance to see them."

"Yes," said Sylvia thoughtfully. "I'd like you to. I know they would like to know you. I'll arrange it when they get here and I see what their plans are to be. Are you in the city all during the holidays?"

"Yes," said the young man, suddenly grave. "I have to. My mother died last summer-- the last of our immediate family--and I'm on my own now. Oh, there are places I could go, relatives, but I'd rather just stay here. They don't really want me very badly, and I don't especially want them." He grinned.

She smiled understandingly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "Mothers would be hard to do without. Mine is wonderful. My father is gone, but we all depend so on Mother. And Mother will be glad to welcome you, I know. We usually have quite a crowd when we are all home and our friends come in."