At that moment Allan was in a pretty pleasure yacht idly drifting on the
gulf of Mexico. Mardi Gras had taken him to New Orleans, and there he had
hired the boat, and was leisurely sailing from one gulf town to another.
The skipper was his only companion, but he was fore, and Allan lay under
an awning, full of the afternoon's lazy content. The scent of orange
blossoms was blown from the shore, the blue waters dimpled in the
sunshine, and the flop of their ripple in the clincher-landings was an old
and pleasant music to him. Suddenly he sat erect and listened: "Maggie
called me. Three times over she called me." The impression upon his
spiritual ear was so strong that ere he was aware he had answered the call.
He could dream no longer. His nobler part was on the alert. He was not,
however, unhappy. The impression made upon him had been one of love and
longing, rather than of distress. His eyes brightened, his face flushed,
he walked rapidly about, like a man under a keener sense of life. Lovers
see miracles, and believe in them. Allan thought it nothing extraordinary
that Maggie's soul should speak to his soul. And why should we doubt the
greeting? Do we any of us know what subtle lines are between spirit and
spirit? A few years since, who dreamed of sending a message through the
air? Is it not more incredible that flesh and blood in New York should
speak with flesh and blood in Washington, than that spirits, rare, rapid
and vivid as thought, should communicate with each other, even though the
circumference of the world be between them? Allan did not try to analyze
the circumstance; he had a conviction, positive and delicious, and he
never thought of reasoning it away.
With a sense of infinite comfort and content, Maggie read her evening
portion, and went to rest. She had determined to enjoy that evening's
calm, without letting any thought of the future trouble her; and she awoke
in the morning strong and cheerful, and quite ready to face the question
of her support. She spoke first to her landlady. "Mistress Malcolm," she
said, "I'm a dressmaker, and I want wark. Will you gie me your advice, for
I'm not used to city ways?"
"You hae come to the city in a good time though. In the spring there is
aye work in plenty. Tak' the 'Herald' and read the advertisements. I hae a
paper ben the kitchen, I'll get it for you. See here now! Nae less than
nine dressmakers wanting help! The first call comes frae Bute Crescent;
that isna ten minutes walk awa'. Go and see the lady."
Half an hour afterward, Maggie was ringing at the door of Mrs. Lauder's
house. It was a very handsome one, handsomely furnished, and the
show-rooms were gay with the newest fashions. Maggie's beauty and fine
figure was an instant commendation. "Can you sew well, and cut, and fit?"
asked Mrs. Lauder.