As they approached the place Nancy Ellen turned.
"Father's standing at the gate. What shall we do?"
"There's nothing you can do, but drive straight ahead and you and
Robert speak to him," said Kate. "Go fast, Robert."
He touched the team and at fair speed they whirled past the white
house, at the gate of which, stiffly erect, stood a brawny man of
six feet six, his face ruddy and healthy in appearance. He was
dressed as he prepared himself to take a trip to pay his taxes, or
to go to Court. He stood squarely erect, with stern, forbidding
face, looking directly at them. Robert spoke to him, and Nancy
Ellen leaned forward and waved, calling "Father," that she might
be sure he knew her, but he gave not the slightest sign of
recognition. They carried away a distinct picture of him, at his
best physically and in appearance; at his worst mentally.
"There you have it!" said Kate, bitterly. "I'd be safe in
wagering a thousand dollars, if I had it, that Agatha or the
children told, at Hiram's or to Mother's girl, that we were
coming. They knew we would pass about this time. Mother was at
the side door watching, and Father was in his Sunday best, waiting
to show us what would happen if we stopped, and that he never
changes his mind. It didn't happen by accident that he was
standing there dressed that way. What do you think, Nancy Elen?"
"That he was watching for us!" said Nancy Ellen.
"But why do you suppose that he did it?" asked Kate.
"He thought that if he were NOT standing guard there, we might
stop in the road and at least call Mother out. He wanted to be
seen, and seen at his best; but as always, in command, showing his
authority."
"Don't mind," said John Jardine. "It's easy to understand the
situation."
"Thank you," said Kate. "I hope you'll tell your mother that. I
can't bear her to think that the trouble is wholly my fault."
"No danger of that," he said. "Mother thinks there's nobody in
all the world like you, and so do I."
Nancy Ellen kicked Robert's shin, to let him know that she heard.
Kate was very depressed for a time, but she soon recovered and
they spent a final happy evening together. When John had parted
from Robert and Nancy Ellen, with the arrangement that he was to
come again the following Saturday evening and spend Sunday with
them, he asked Kate to walk a short distance with him. He seemed
to be debating some proposition in his mind, that he did not know
how to approach. Finally he stopped abruptly and said: "Kate,
Mother told me that she told you how I grew up. We have been
together most of every day for six weeks. I have no idea how a
man used to women goes at what I want, so I can only do what I
think is right, and best, and above all honest, and fair. I'd be
the happiest I've ever been, to do anything on earth I've got the
money to do, for you. There's a question I'm going to ask you the
next time I come. You can think over all you know of me, and of
Mother, and of what we have, and are, and be ready to tell me how
you feel about everything next Sunday. There's one question I
want to ask you before I go. In case we can plan for a life
together next Sunday, what about my mother?"