Speaker 1: Chapter thirty of Cloudy Jewel. This is a LibriVox recording.
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Speaker 1: by Jenny Lundack Cloudy Jewel by Grace livingstone Hill, chapter thirty.
Speaker 1: But matters came to a climax with Howard Letchworth before
Speaker 1: Allison had any opportunity to do any fixing. The next
Speaker 1: day was class day, and there were big doings at
Speaker 1: the college. Howard kept out of the way, for it
Speaker 1: was a day on which he had counted much, and
Speaker 1: during the winter once or twice he and Leslie had
Speaker 1: talked of it as a matter of course that they
Speaker 1: would be around together. His class day had seemed then
Speaker 1: to be of so much much importance to her, and
Speaker 1: now now she was going to attend it in Clive
Speaker 1: Terence's company. Terence had told him so, and there seemed
Speaker 1: no reason to doubt his word. She went everywhere with him,
Speaker 1: and he was their guest. Why shouldn't she so. Howard
Speaker 1: went glumly about his duties, keeping as much as possible
Speaker 1: out of everyone's way. If he had not been a
Speaker 1: part of the order of exercises and a moving spirit
Speaker 1: of the day. As it were, he would certainly have
Speaker 1: made up an excuse to absent himself. As it was.
Speaker 1: He meditated trying to get some one else to take
Speaker 1: his place, and was on his way to arrange it
Speaker 1: just before the hour for the afternoon exercises to begin,
Speaker 1: when suddenly he saw coming up the wide asphalt walk
Speaker 1: of the campus young Terence and the girl who had
Speaker 1: come to be known among them as the freshman vamp.
Speaker 1: His eyes hastily scanned the groups about and searched the
Speaker 1: walk as far as he could see it, but nowhere
Speaker 1: could he discover Leslie. With a sudden impulse, he dashed
Speaker 1: over to Julia Cloud, and, forgetful of much of his
Speaker 1: late estrangement, spoke with much of his old eagerness, albeit
Speaker 1: trying his best to appear careless and matter of fact,
Speaker 1: isn't Leslie hereabouts somewhere? Miss Cloud? I believe? I promised
Speaker 1: to show her the ivy that our class is to plant.
Speaker 1: It was the first excuse he could think of, But
Speaker 1: Julia Cloud was full of sympathy and understanding, and only
Speaker 1: too glad to hear the old ring of friendliness in
Speaker 1: his voice. She lowered her tone and spoke confidentially. She
Speaker 1: wouldn't come, Howard. I don't just know what has taken her,
Speaker 1: she said, She would rather stay at home. Is she
Speaker 1: down there now? Julia Cloud nodded. Perhaps you I will,
Speaker 1: he said, and was off like a dash. On his
Speaker 1: way down the campus, he thrust some papers into a
Speaker 1: classmate's hands. If I don't get back in time, give
Speaker 1: those to Halstead and tell him to look out for things.
Speaker 1: I'm called away. Never in all his running days had
Speaker 1: he run as he did that day. He made the
Speaker 1: station in four minutes when it usually took him six,
Speaker 1: and was at the Cloud villa in two more, all
Speaker 1: out of breath but radiant. Something jubilant had been let
Speaker 1: loose in his heart by the smile in Julia Cloud's eyes.
Speaker 1: Utterly unreasonable, of course, but still it had come, and
Speaker 1: he was entertaining it royally. It was rather disheartening to
Speaker 1: find the front door locked and only Cherry to respond
Speaker 1: to his No, isn't miss Leslie here? He asked, a
Speaker 1: blank look coming into his eyes. As Cherry appeared, miss
Speaker 1: Leslie done just skittered across the backyard with a paddle
Speaker 1: in her hand. I reckon, she's gone to the creek,
Speaker 1: missus Jewles. She'll be powerful upset if she comes back
Speaker 1: and finds out she don't like. Miss Leslie go down
Speaker 1: to them canoes all by her lonesome. It's all right, Cherry,
Speaker 1: said Robert, cheering up. I'll go down and find her.
Speaker 1: Got an extra paddle anywhere? Or did she take them both? No, sir,
Speaker 1: she only took to one. Here's the other. I reckon.
Speaker 1: She'll be right glad to see you, Master Howard. We
Speaker 1: all has missed you, mighty powerful lot. That there, little
Speaker 1: fish eyed lady man? What is visitin' us? Ain't no
Speaker 1: kind of subs to two tall for you? Howard beamed
Speaker 1: on her silently and was off like a shot for
Speaker 1: forgetful of the chimes on the clock of the College,
Speaker 1: which were now striking the hour at which he was
Speaker 1: to have led the procession down the ivy walk to
Speaker 1: the scene of festivities. Over two fences across lots, down
Speaker 1: a steep rocky hill, and he was at the little
Speaker 1: landing where the cloud canoe usually anchored. But Leslie and
Speaker 1: her boat were gone. No glimpse of bright hair either
Speaker 1: up or down the stream gave hint of which she
Speaker 1: had taken. No ripple in the water even to show
Speaker 1: where she had passed, But he knew pretty well her
Speaker 1: favorite haunts up stream, where the hemlocks bowed and bent
Speaker 1: to the water and made dark shadows under which to slip.
Speaker 1: The silence and the beauty called her as they had
Speaker 1: always called him. He was sure he would find her there,
Speaker 1: rather than down stream, where the crowds of inn people
Speaker 1: played around, and the tennis courts over flowed into canoes
Speaker 1: and dawdled about with ukuleles and cameras. He looked about
Speaker 1: for a means of transport. There was only one canoe,
Speaker 1: well chained to its rest. He examined the padlock for
Speaker 1: a moment, then put forth his strong young arm and
Speaker 1: jerked up the rest from its firm setting in the earth.
Speaker 1: It was the work of a second to shoot the
Speaker 1: boat into the water, fling the chains, boat, rest and
Speaker 1: all into the bow and spring. After long, strong, steady strokes,
Speaker 1: and he shot out into the stream and away up
Speaker 1: beyond the willows, around the turn where the chestnut grove
Speaker 1: bloomed in good promise for the autumn, Beyond the railroad
Speaker 1: bridge and the rocks passed the first dipping hemlocks around
Speaker 1: the curve below the old camp where they had had
Speaker 1: so many delightful picnics, and watched the sunset from the
Speaker 1: rocks and on up above the rapids. The current was
Speaker 1: swift to day. He wondered if Leslie had been able
Speaker 1: to pass them all alone. Yet somehow he felt she had,
Speaker 1: and he would find her up in the quiet haven,
Speaker 1: where few ever came, and where she would be undisturbed.
Speaker 1: Paddling Indian, he came around the curve silently and was
Speaker 1: almost upon her, but was unprepared for the little huddled
Speaker 1: figure down in the bottom of the boat, one hand
Speaker 1: grasping the paddle, which was wedged between some stones in
Speaker 1: the shallow stream bed to anchor the frail bark, the
Speaker 1: other arm curved about as a pillow for the face,
Speaker 1: which was hidden with only the bright hair gleaming in
Speaker 1: the stray rays of sunshine that crept through the young
Speaker 1: leaves overhead. Leslie, little girl, my darling, What is the matter?
Speaker 1: He scarcely knew what he was saying, so anxiously he
Speaker 1: watched her. Was she hurt or in trouble? And if so,
Speaker 1: what was the trouble? Did the vapid little guest and
Speaker 1: the freshman vamp have anything to do with it? Somehow
Speaker 1: he forgot all about himself now and his own grievance.
Speaker 1: He only wanted to comfort her, whom he loved, and
Speaker 1: it never entered his head that just at that moment,
Speaker 1: the anxious Halstead was inquiring of everyone, haven't you seen Letchworth?
Speaker 1: Class Dale'll be a mess without him? Something must have
Speaker 1: happened to him. Leslie lifted a tear stained face in
Speaker 1: startled amaze his voice. Those precious words. Leslie heard them,
Speaker 1: even if he took no cognizance of them himself. I you, well,
Speaker 1: you ought to know, burst forth, Leslie. And then down
Speaker 1: went the bright head once more, and the slender shoulders
Speaker 1: shook with long suppressed sobs. It certainly was a good
Speaker 1: thing that the creek was shallow at that point, and
Speaker 1: the canoes quite used to all sorts of conditions. Howard
Speaker 1: Letchworth waited for no invitation. He arose and stepped into
Speaker 1: Leslie's boat, pinioned his own with a dexterous paddle, and
Speaker 1: gave attention to comforting the princess. It somehow needed no
Speaker 1: words for a while, until at last, Leslie lifted a
Speaker 1: woebegone face that already looked half appeased, and inquired, sobbily,
Speaker 1: what what made you act so perfectly horrid all this time? Why? Uh?
Speaker 1: I began Howard, lamely, wondering, now just why he had?
Speaker 1: Why you see, Leslie, you had company and company that? Now, Howard,
Speaker 1: you weren't jealous of that little excuse for a man,
Speaker 1: were you? Howard colored guiltily. Why you see, Leslie, you
Speaker 1: are so far above me? Oh? I was? Was I? Well?
Speaker 1: If I was above you, where did you think that
Speaker 1: other ridiculous little simp belonged? I should like to know?
Speaker 1: Not with me, I hope, But you see, Leslie, somehow
Speaker 1: the great question that had loomed between them these weeks
Speaker 1: dwarfed and shriveled when he tried to explain it to Leslie. Well,
Speaker 1: well I've just found out you are very rich. Well,
Speaker 1: well I'm poor. But I thought you just said you
Speaker 1: loved me, flashed Leslie indignantly. If you do, I don't
Speaker 1: see what rich and poor matter. It'll all belong to
Speaker 1: us both, won't it. I should hope not, said the
Speaker 1: young man, drawing himself up as much as was consistent
Speaker 1: with life in a canoe. I would never let my
Speaker 1: wife support me. Well, perhaps you might be able to
Speaker 1: make enough to support yourself, twinkled Leslie, with mischief in
Speaker 1: a dimple near her mouth. Leslie, now you're making fun.
Speaker 1: I mean this, Well, what do you want me to
Speaker 1: do about it? Give away my money? Of course not.
Speaker 1: I was a cat and all that, But somehow it
Speaker 1: seemed as though I hadn't any business to be coming
Speaker 1: around you when you were young and with plenty of
Speaker 1: chances of men worth more than I more? What more money, Leslie?
Speaker 1: This is a serious matter with me. Well it is
Speaker 1: with me too, said Leslie suddenly grave. You certainly have
Speaker 1: made me most unhappy for about three weeks. But I'm
Speaker 1: beginning to think you don't love me. After all? What
Speaker 1: is money between people who love each other? Only something
Speaker 1: that they can have a good time spending for others,
Speaker 1: isn't it? And suppose I should say I wouldn't let
Speaker 1: you support me. I guess, after all, if you think
Speaker 1: so much of money, you don't really care, Leslie. Their
Speaker 1: eyes met, and his suddenly fell before her steady beautiful gaze. Well, then,
Speaker 1: Howard letchworth, if you are so awfully proud that you
Speaker 1: have to be the richest. I'll throw away or give
Speaker 1: away all my money and be up. So there, then
Speaker 1: will you be satisfied? What's money without the one you love? Anyway?
Speaker 1: I see, Leslie, I was a fool, you darling, wonderful princess. No,
Speaker 1: keep your money and I'll try to make some more,
Speaker 1: and we'll have a wonderful time helping others with it.
Speaker 1: I suppose I knew I was a fool all the time,
Speaker 1: only I wanted to be told so, because you see
Speaker 1: that fellow told me you and he had been set
Speaker 1: apart for each other by your parents. A sudden lurch
Speaker 1: of the canoe roused him to look at Leslie's face.
Speaker 1: Oh that little liar, Yes he is. He is the meanest, conceitedest,
Speaker 1: most disagreeable little snob there there. We'll spare him, laughed, Howard,
Speaker 1: I see I was wrong again. Only Leslie, little princess,
Speaker 1: there's one thing you must own, his true You're very
Speaker 1: young yet, and you may change now. I like that,
Speaker 1: cried Leslie. You don't even think I have the stability
Speaker 1: to be true to you. Well, if I'm as weak
Speaker 1: looking as that, you better go and find some one else.
Speaker 1: But he stopped her words with his face against her
Speaker 1: lips and his arms about her, And at last she
Speaker 1: nestled against his shoulder and was at peace. Chiming out
Speaker 1: Above the notes of the wood robin and the thrush,
Speaker 1: there came the faint and distant notes of the quarter
Speaker 1: hour striking on the college library. It was Leslie who
Speaker 1: heard it. Howard was still too far up in the
Speaker 1: heights to think of earthly duties. Yet, awhile, Howard, isn't
Speaker 1: this your class day? And haven't you a pardon the exercises?
Speaker 1: Why aren't you there? He turned, with star tardled eyes
Speaker 1: and rising color. I couldn't stay, Leslie. I was too miserable.
Speaker 1: I had to come after you. You promised to be
Speaker 1: with me to day, you know. But your class poem, Howard, quick,
Speaker 1: it must be almost time to read it. He took
Speaker 1: out his watch. Great Scott, I didn't know the time
Speaker 1: had gone like that. Leslie's fingers were already at work
Speaker 1: with the other canoe, tying its chain to the seat
Speaker 1: of her own. Now she turned and picked up her paddle,
Speaker 1: swiftly handing Howard the other one. Go for all you're worth,
Speaker 1: You mustn't fail on this day anyway. Beat it with
Speaker 1: all your might. It's too late, said the man, reluctantly,
Speaker 1: taking the paddle and moving to his right position. It's
Speaker 1: not too late. It shan't be too late. Paddle, I say,
Speaker 1: now one and two and and they settled to a
Speaker 1: rhythmic stroke. It was so wonderful back there, Leslie, said
Speaker 1: Howard wistfully. We oughtn't to let anything interfere with this
Speaker 1: first hour together. This isn't interfering, said Leslie. Practically, it's
Speaker 1: just duty, and that never interferes here. We'll land over
Speaker 1: there and you beat it up the hill. I'll padlock
Speaker 1: the boats by that old tree and follow. But don't
Speaker 1: you dare wait for me. I'll be there to hear
Speaker 1: the first word, and they'll have waited for you, I know,
Speaker 1: a little to the right there. Now step out and
Speaker 1: beat it. He obeyed her, and presently came panting to
Speaker 1: the audience room with a fine color and a great
Speaker 1: light in his eyes. Just as Halstead was slipping down
Speaker 1: to inquire of Allison where the thunder is? Letchworth seen
Speaker 1: him anywhere? Heavens man, hasn't he showed up yet? Asked
Speaker 1: Allison star, where could he be? Julia Cloud beside him,
Speaker 1: leaned over and quietly drew their attention to the figure
Speaker 1: hastening up the aisle. Halstead hurried back to the platform,
Speaker 1: and Allison, relieved, settled once more in his seat. But
Speaker 1: Julia Cloud rested, not in satisfaction until another figure breathlessly
Speaker 1: slipped in with eyes for none but the speaker. Then
Speaker 1: into the eyes of Julia Cloud there came a vision
Speaker 1: as comes to one who watching the glorious setting of
Speaker 1: the sun, sees not the regretful close of the day
Speaker 1: that is past, but the golden promise of the day
Speaker 1: that is to come. End of Chapter thirty recording by
Speaker 1: Jenny Lundak, South Padre Island, Texas. End of Cloudy Jewel
Speaker 1: by Grace Living Kingston Hill,