But no expedition to Miss Ware's took place that day, for the cake was spoiled in the baking and four succeeding attempts shared the same tragic fate. Toward night, when the failures of the day had reduced them to the verge of despondency, Dr. Ware came in and carried them off for a long drive which wonderfully freshened up their spirits. On the way home he asked their a.s.sistance in sending out a thousand circulars in regard to some medical matters, telling them it would be a tremendous help to him if they would write them. They acquiesced delightedly and accordingly that evening a huge bundle of stationery was left at their door. Inside, stuck in a package of envelopes, was a slip on which was written: "Here's the paper and the form to be copied. Don't keep at this too persistently, little girls, or you'll bring down the wrath of your faithful friend, Philip Ware."

More than glad to have an opportunity of being of use to the Doctor, the girls set to work early the next morning writing industriously. Julie, after a few smirched and blotted copies, got well under way; she had considerable precision in her character, which made a task like this simple. But Hester during the first day or two spoiled so many sheets that she viewed her rapidly filling waste-basket with dismay. Finally, in supreme disgust she threw down her pen.

"I believe I could build a house easier!" was her impatient exclamation.

"Who ever saw such daubs as I'm making!"

Julie looked up and smiled. Her wrist ached, and she shook her hand to limber the muscles. "If you did not dig your pen in the ink with such a high-tragedy, Scott-Siddons air, maybe you'd get on better," she suggested.

"High-tragedy fiddlesticks! I _like_ a lot of ink. I am sure you're a sight," she commented, with sisterly frankness; "all doubled up and your forehead screwed into knots. How many have you done?"

"I don't know; there they are," pointing to a box-cover piled high.

Hester surveyed them with lofty scorn. "Mercy! That is nothing! I've done heaps!"

"Where are they, you airy young person?"

"In the waste-basket, mostly."

"Go to work, you ridiculous infant, or you will be stuck to that chair the rest of your natural days."

When Dr. Ware attempted to pay them for the work they remonstrated, telling him in the most convincing language at their command that it was a pleasure to feel they could do even so small a thing for him. To this he refused to agree, finally persuading them to take the money if on no other ground than to convince him of their business principles; while he refrained from mentioning that he had himself deviated somewhat from business methods when he ordered the circulars written instead of printed in the usual way.

A week later the almond cake for Miss Ware was baked successfully and an admiring group stood about the kitchen table taking a last look at it before Hester did it up in a box preparatory to setting forth.

"Faith, it's a beauty," cried Bridget, arms akimbo. "Any lady'd be proud to eat it. Shure it's your mother's own fingers ye've got, the both of yez. Ther' warn't nothin' she couldn't make when she put her hand to it, before she got so ailin', an' the Major, G.o.d bless him, got so well off she didn't have ter."

"Poor, dear mamma!" said Julie, wistfully. "I only remember her ill and not able to bear us noisy children about."

"Sufferin' made her a changed woman, the Saints preserve her! But I seen the day, Miss Julie, when she slaved for the Major before you was born an' there warn't n.o.body could beat her at anythin'. It looks like her knack was croppin' out in yez, shure as my name's Bridget Maloney."

"Perhaps it is, Bridget," said Hester, who had heard this conversation from the next room, where she was putting on her coat and hat. "We have often heard Daddy tell people mamma was a practical genius, that would mean nimble fingers, wouldn't it? Maybe she has left them to us as a legacy."

"I'm not after understandin' your words exactly, dearie, but the meanin's clear an' it's right yez are."

As Hester picked up the box, Peter Snooks sprang down from the window-sill jumping wildly about, the sight of her hat being conclusive evidence to him that she was going out.

"Poor little Snooks, not this time," the girl said, stooping to pat him.

"I am going in the car to-day."

His stump of a tail drooped dejectedly as he looked at her with big reproachful eyes.

"It does seem mean not to take him, doesn't it, Julie?-but it is not worth while, for it is so stormy I thought I had better ride both ways."

It was only dire extremity that permitted the extravagance of car-fares these days.

"Of course you must ride," said Julie. "Peter Snooks," to the still hopeful little fellow, "you must not tease. Go find your ball and we'll have a play."

He trotted off and Hester picked up the box and started.

"Tell Miss Ware that is only a hundredth part of the nice things you can make, you clever girl," Julie called after her.

"An' good luck to you, dearie," from Bridget.

The wind and rain blew about Hester unpleasantly when she reached the street, but a car soon overtook her and afforded her a welcome shelter from the storm. She found all the seats occupied, but some of the pa.s.sengers moved up to make room for her, and being a trifle tired from the nervousness of the cake-making, she thankfully squeezed into the bit of s.p.a.ce allotted her, and laid the box in her lap.

Her thoughts as the car sped along were not of the most cheerful, for she dreaded this visit to Miss Ware. That individual, who kept house for her brother, had expressed herself in terms of strong disapproval of the girls when he had told her their plans. She considered cooking greatly beneath them and would have thoroughly agreed with the views of their Cousin Nancy in Virginia, had she known that person. As it was, she thought her brother should interest himself in finding suitable positions for them, and she refused to recognize the fact that these were not to be had for the asking. "There were plenty of ladylike things girls could do," she said, but did not give herself the trouble to specify.

To the girls themselves she had talked at some length, endeavoring to explain to them that they were laying out for themselves a path of social ostracism by their extraordinary choice of work, never doubting that this argument alone would convince them. But when Julie gently put it aside with the a.s.surance that she and Hester were sufficient to themselves if the world chose to look askance at them; and when Hester flushed angrily, and said the people whose friendship was worth anything would not fail them, Miss Ware shrugged her shoulders and gave them up as social heretics. She was not, however, allowed to wash her hands of them, for her brother sang their praises perpetually. She therefore forced herself to take a negative interest in them which carried her so far as to order from them a loaf of cake.

Hester, gazing abstractedly out of the car window, felt it a momentous errand on which she was going that day; it involved so much. If the cake met with the critical approval of Miss Ware she intended to ask her to solicit orders for it. It would not be easy to approach her on this subject, but she should do it-oh! yes, she did not intend to be frightened out of her purpose. A curious little ache came into her heart as she braced herself for the coming ordeal. It was all so new and so strange, to be put in the position of asking favors-to be looked down upon from frigid heights-she and Julie, whose world hitherto had been all sunshine and approval. For a second something came between her and the window, blurring her vision. Then she brought herself up with a sharp mental rebuke for allowing her thoughts for one moment to revert to the past, and forced herself to look down with satisfaction on the neatly wrapped box she was carrying.

By this time the car had become crowded, and directly in front of Hester stood a woman of amazing breadth, clinging in a limp, swaying fashion to the strap. Just as the girl observed her and was wondering if she could squeeze into her seat should she offer it to her, the car jerked round a corner, the stout woman screamed and landed with a thud on the box in Hester's lap!

CHAPTER VI

Comfortably ensconced in a victoria, two men were bowling out through the suburbs of Radnor in the rapidly approaching dusk of a winter afternoon. One, wrapped to the chin in furs, sat well back in the corner of the carriage as if desirous of all possible protection from the cold; the other leaned forward in a somewhat restive att.i.tude and looked like a man occupying his position under protest. Each was immersed in his own thoughts, but from time to time the younger man took a surrept.i.tious glance in the direction of the older as if he were endeavoring to make some important discovery. He was, in truth, trying to decide if the moment were propitious for laying before his father a project which he had been for some time considering, but the impa.s.sive face of Mr. Landor told him nothing, and they continued to ride on in silence. Finally, in a tone of annoyance the older man said: "I wish, Kenneth, you would oblige me by leaning back and appearing as if you were enjoying yourself. I must confess it is no particular pleasure to me to drive with a man who looks as if he might leap from the carriage at any moment."

"Then why do you insist on my going, father? You know I detest this sort of thing-it is only fit for women. If you would come out with me now in my trap, it would be very different."

"Your breakneck method of driving does not suit me at all. I suppose I may be allowed to take my pleasures in my own way, and it occurs to me that it is not altogether unreasonable to request you to accompany me occasionally."

To this Kenneth made no reply, while he decided that the moment was not propitious for introducing the subject uppermost in his mind.

He conceded, however, to his father's wishes in so far as to relax from his objectionable posture, though there was about him a suggestion of martyrdom that was irritating.

"What have you been doing to-day?" asked the senior Landor, abruptly.

"Nothing special, sir."

"Do you ever do anything special?" turning two penetrating eyes upon him.

"Why, yes; I suppose so. I was thinking of something special just now."

After all, it might as well come out.

"If it is of any importance, I should like to hear about it."

This was encouraging.

"I was thinking of a trip around the world, sir. To start in a month, say, and be gone two or three years."

Mr. Landor received this proposition with a quick drawing down of his s.h.a.ggy eyebrows and a closer upturning of his fur collar about his chin.

His face now was almost hidden from view.

"Do you propose to go alone?" he asked.