So she said no more concerning the "ride" and merely showed her feelings by moping in the corner and wiping her eyes with her handkerchief whenever he looked in her direction.After he had gone she spent the half-hour previous to Mr.Hammond's arrival in alternate fits of rage and despair.
"So Kenelm's been actin' unlikely, has he?" queried Caleb."Well, if he was my brother he'd soon come to time quick, or be put to bed in a hospital.That's what would happen to HIM."Miss Parker looked as if the hospital picture was more appealing than dreadful.
"I wish he was your brother," she said."Or I wish I was independent and had a house of my own.""Huh! Gosh! So do I wish I had one.I've been wishin' it all the mornin'.If I had a home of my own I'd have what I wanted to eat--yes, and wear.And I'd have 'em when I wanted 'em, too.""Don't they give you good things to eat over at Mrs.Barnes'?""Oh, they're good enough maybe, if they're what you want.But boardin's boardin'; 'tain't like your own home.""Caleb, it's a wonder to me you don't rent a little house and live in it.You've got money enough; least so everybody says.""Humph! What everybody says is 'most generally lies.What would be the sense of my hirin' a house? I'd have to have a housekeeper and a good one costs like thunder.A feller's wife has to get along on what he gives her, but a housekeeper--"He stopped short, seemingly struck by a new and amazing idea.Miss Parker rambled on about the old days when "dear papa" was alive;how happy she was then, and so on, with occasional recourse to the handkerchief.Suddenly Caleb slapped his knee.
"It's all right," he said."It's fine--and it's commonsense, too.
Hannah, what's the matter with you and me gettin' married?"Hannah stared at him.
"Married!" she repeated."Me get married! Who to, for the land sakes? Are you out of your head?""Not a mite.What's the matter with you marryin' me?""My soul! Is this a funny-paper joke, or are you--""'Tain't a joke; I mean it.Is there any reason why we shouldn't marry and settle down together, you and me? I don't see none.You could keep house for me then, and 'twouldn't cost--that is, you could look out for me, and I--well, I suppose likely I could look out for you, too.Why not?""Why, how you talk, Caleb Hammond!"
"No, I don't talk neither.I mean it.You was wishin' for a home of your own; so was I.Let's have one together.""Well, I swan! Get married at our--at our age! I never did hear such talk! We'd be a nice young bride and groom, wouldn't we? Iguess East Wellmouth folks would have somethin' to laugh at then.""Let 'em laugh.Laughin' don't cost nothin', and, if it does, we won't have to pay for it.See here, Hannah, this ain't any foolish front-gate courtin', this ain't.It's just common-sense business.
Let's do it.I will if you will."
Miss Parker shook her head.The prospect of being Mrs.Caleb Hammond was not too alluring.Caleb's reputation as a husband was not, while his wife lived, that of a "liberal provider." And yet this was Hannah's first proposal, and it had come years after she had given up hoping for one.So she prolonged the delicious moment as long as possible.
"I suppose you're thinkin' about that brother of yours," suggested Mr.Hammond."Well, he'll be all right.'Cordin' to what I've heard, and seen myself, he's hangin' around that hired help girl at the High Cliff pretty reg'lar these days.Maybe he'll marry her and you'll be left without anybody.If he don't marry her he can come to live along of us--maybe.If he does he'll mind his p's and q's, I tell you that.He'll find out who's boss."This speech had an effect.For the first time Hannah's determination wavered.Kenelm was, although Caleb did not know it, actually engaged to marry Imogene.His sister was even then writhing under the humiliation.And here was an opportunity to get even, not only with Kenelm, but with the "inmate." If she, Hannah, were to marry and leave the pair instead of being herself left!
Oh, the glory of it--the triumphant glory of it! How she could crush her brother! How she could gloat over and sneer at Imogene!
The things she might say--she, the wife of a rich man! Oh, wonderful!
"Well, come on, Hannah, come on," urged the impatient Caleb."What do you say?"But Miss Parker still shook her head."It ain't any use, Caleb,"she declared."Even if--if I wanted to, how could I tell Kenelm?
He'd raise an awful fuss.He'd tell everybody and they--""No, he wouldn't.I'd break his neck if he did....And--eh--"as another idea came to him, "he needn't know till 'twas all over.
We could get married right off now, and not tell a soul--Kenelm or anybody else--till it was done.Then they could talk or shut up, we wouldn't care.They couldn't change nothin'.""Caleb Hammond, do you suppose I'd have the face to go to a minister in this town and have you tell him we'd come to get married? I'd be so ashamed--""Hold on! We don't have to go to a minister in this town.There's other towns with parsons in them, ain't they? We could drive over somewheres else.""Everybody'd see us drivin' together."
"What of it? They see us drivin' to the Cattle Show together, didn't they?""Yes, and they've talked about it ever since, some of 'em.That Abbie Larkin said--Oh, I can't tell you what she said.No, Ishan't do it.I shouldn't have the face.And everybody'd ask where we was bound, and I'd--I'd be so--so mortified and--and--why, I'd act like a reg'lar--er--er--domicile that had run away from the Idiots' Home.No, no, no! I couldn't."Mr.Hammond thought it over.Then he said:
"See here, Hannah, I cal'late we can fix that.We'll start in the night, after all hands have gone to bed.I'll sneak out about quarter to twelve and borrow Thankful's horse and buggy out of her barn.I know where she keeps the key.I'll be ready here at twelve prompt--or not here, maybe, but down in the hollow back of your henhouse.You must be there and we'll drive over to Trumet--""Trumet! Why, Caleb Hammond, I know everybody in Trumet well's Ido here.And gettin' to Trumet at three o'clock in the mornin'
