The mother was still laughing and struggling in the irresistible embrace when both became aware that a third person was regarding them in open-mouthed astonishment.
"'Zekiel,let me go!"commanded the scandalized woman,and pushed herself free from her tormentor,who forthwith returned rather sheepishly to his buckles.
The young man with trim-pointed beard and mirthful eyes,who stood in the driveway,had just dismounted from a shining buggy.Doubt and astonishment were apparently holding him dumb.
The housekeeper,smoothing her disarranged locks and much flushed of face,returned his gaze,rising from her chair.
"I couldn't believe it was you,Mrs.Forbes!"declared the newcomer.
"Fanshaw isn't--"He looked around vaguely.
"No,he isn't,Dr.Ballard,"returned Mrs.Forbes shortly."He forgot to rub down Essex Maid one evening when she came in hot,and that finished him with Mr.Evringham."The young doctor's lips twitched beneath his mustache as he looked at 'Zekiel,polishing away for dear life.
"You seem to have some one else here--some friend,"he remarked tentatively.
"Friend!"echoed the housekeeper with exasperation,feeling to see just how much Zeke had rumpled her immaculate collar."We looked like friends when you came up,didn't we!""Like intimate friends,"murmured the doctor,still looking curiously at the big fair-haired fellow,who was crimson to his temples.
"I don't know how long we shall continue friends if he ever grabs me again like that just after I've put on a clean collar.He's got beyond the place where I can correct him.I ought to have done it oftener when I had the chance.This is my boy 'Zekiel,Dr.Ballard,"with a proud glance in the direction of the youth,who looked up and nodded,then continued his labors."Mr.Evringham has engaged him on trial.
He's been with horses a couple of years,and I guess he'll make out all right.""Glad to know you,'Zekiel,"returned the doctor."Your mother has been a good friend of mine half my life,and I've often heard her speak of you.Look out for my horse,will you?I shall be here half an hour or so."When the doctor had moved off toward the house Mrs.Forbes nodded at her son knowingly.
"Might's well walk Hector into the barn and uncheck him,Zeke,"she said."They'll keep him more'n a half an hour.That young man,'Zekiel Forbes,--that young man's my hope."Mrs.Forbes spoke impressively and shook her forefinger to emphasize her words.
"What you hoping about him?"asked 'Zekiel,laying down the harness and proceeding to lead the gray horse up the incline into the barn.
"Shouldn't wonder a mite if he was our deliverer,"went on Mrs.
Forbes."I saw it in Mrs.Evringham's eye that he suited her,the first night that she met him here at dinner.I like him first-rate,and I don't mean him any harm;but he's one of these young doctors with plenty of money at his back,bound to have a fashionable practice and succeed.His face is in his favor,and I guess he knows as much as any of 'em,and he can afford the luxury of a wife brought up the way Eloise Evringham has been.That's right,Zeke.Unfasten the check-rein,though the doctor don't use a mean one,I must say.I only hope there's a purgatory for the folks that use too short check-reins on their horses.I hope they'll have to wear 'em themselves for a thousand years,and have to stand waiting at folks'doors frothing at the mouth,and the back of their necks half breaking when the weather's down to zero and up to a hundred.That's what I hope!"'Zekiel grinned."You want 'em to try the cold place and the hot one too,do you?""Yes I do,and to stay in the one that hurts the most.The man that uses a decent check-rein on his horse,"continued Mrs.Forbes,dropping into a philosophizing tone,"is apt to be as decent to his wife.The doctor would be a great catch for that girl,and I think,"dropping her voice,"her mother'd be liable to live with 'em.""You're keeping that dark from the doctor,I s'pose?"remarked 'Zekiel.
"H'm.You needn't think I go chattering around that house the way I do out here.I've got a great talent,if I do say it,for minding my own business.""Good enough,"drawled 'Zekiel."I heard tell once of a firm that made a great fortune just doing that one thing.""Don't you be sassy now.I've always waited on Mr.Evringham while he ate his meals,and that's the time he'd often speak out to me about things if he felt in the humor,so that in all these years 't isn't any wonder if I've come to feel that his business is mine too.""Just so,"returned 'Zekiel,with a twinkle in his eye.
"It's been as plain as your nose that the interlopers don't like to have me there.Not that they have anything special against me,but they'd like to have someone younger and stylisher to hand them their plates.I'll never forget one night when they'd been here about a week,and I think Mr.Evringham had begun to suspect they were fixtures,--I'd felt it from the first,--Mrs.Evringham said,'Why father,does Mrs.Forbes always wait on your table?I had supposed she was temporarily taking the place of your butler or your waitress.'"The housekeeper's effort to imitate the airy manner she remembered caused her son to chuckle as he gathered up the shining harness.
"You should have seen the look Mr.Evringham gave her.Just as if he didn't see her at all.'Yes,'he answered,'I hope Mrs.Forbes will wait on my table as long as I have one.'And I will if I have my health,"added the speaker,bridling with renewed pleasure at the memory of that triumphant moment."They think I'm a machine without any feelings or opinions,and that I've been wound up to suit Mr.
Evringham and run his establishment,and that I'm no more to be considered than the big Westminster clock on the stairs.Mrs.
Evringham did try once to get into my employer's rooms and look after his clothes."Mrs.Forbes shook her head and tightened her lips at some recollection.
"She bucked up against the machine,did she?"inquired Zeke.
The housekeeper glanced around to see if any one might be approaching.
