Surrounded by flowers, and maintaining a private orchestra, he saw Miss Pratt and himself growing old together, attaining to such ages as thirty and even thirty-five, still in perfect harmony, and always either dancing in the evenings or strolling hand in hand in the moonlight.
Sometimes they would visit the nursery, where curly-headed, rosy cherubs played upon a white-
bear rug in the firelight.These were all boys and ready-made, the youngest being three years old and without a past.
They would be beautiful children, happy with their luxurious toys on the bear rug, and they would NEVER be seen in any part of the house except the nursery.Their deportment would be flawless, and--``WILL-EE!''
The aviator struck a hole in the air; his heart misgave him.Then he came to earth--a sickening drop, and instantaneous.
``WILL-EE!''
There was Jane, a figurine in a plastic state and altogether disgraceful;--she came up out of the waters and stood before them with feet of clay, indeed; pedestaled upon the curbstone.
``Who IS that CURIOUS child?'' said Miss Pratt, stopping.
William shuddered.
``Was she calling YOU?'' Miss Pratt asked, incredulously.
``Willie, I told you you better take an umbereller,''
said Jane, ``instead of papa's cane.'' And she added, triumphantly, ``Now you see!''
Moving forward, she seemed to have in mind a dreadful purpose; there was something about her that made William think she intended casually to accompany him and Miss Pratt.
``You go home!'' he commanded, hoarsely.
Miss Pratt uttered a little scream of surprise and recognition.``It's your little sister!'' she exclaimed, and then, reverting to her favorite playfulness of enunciation, `` 'Oor ickle sissa!''
she added, gaily, as a translation.Jane misunderstood it; she thought Miss Pratt meant ``OUR little sister.''
``Go home!'' said William.
``No'ty, no'ty!'' said Miss Pratt, shaking her head.``Me 'fraid oo's a no'ty, no'ty ickle dirl!
All datie!''
Jane advanced.``I wish you'd let me carry Flopit for you,'' she said.
Giving forth another gentle scream, Miss Pratt hopped prettily backward from Jane's extended hands.``Oo-oo!'' she cried, chidingly.``Mustn't touch! P'eshus Flopit all soap-water-wash clean.
Ickle dirly all muddy-nassy! Ickle dirly must doe home, det all soap-water-wash clean like NICE
ickle sissa.Evabody will love 'oor ickle sissa den,''
she concluded, turning to William.``Tell 'oor ickle sissa MUS' doe home det soap-water-wash!''
Jane stared at Miss Pratt with fixed solemnity during the delivery of these admonitions, and it was to be seen that they made an impression upon her.Her mouth slowly opened, but she spake not.An extraordinary idea had just begun to make itself at home in her mind.It was an idea which had been hovering in the neighborhood of that domain ever since William's comments upon the conversation of Mr.Genesis, in the morning.
``Go home!'' repeated William, and then, as Jane stood motionless and inarticulate, transfixed by her idea, he said, almost brokenly, to his dainty companion, ``I DON'T know what you'll think of my mother! To let this child--''
Miss Pratt laughed comfortingly as they started on again.``Isn't mamma's fault, foolish boy Baxter.Ickle dirlies will det datie!''
The profoundly mortified William glanced back over his shoulder, bestowing upon Jane a look in which bitterness was mingled with apprehension.
But she remained where she was, and did not follow.That was a little to be thankful for, and he found some additional consolation in believing that Miss Pratt had not caught the frightful words, ``papa's cane,'' at the beginning of the interview.He was encouraged to this belief by her presently taking from his hand the decoration in question and examining it with tokens of pleasure.`` 'Oor pitty walk'-'tick,'' she called it, with a tact he failed to suspect.And so he began to float upward again; glamors enveloped him and the earth fell away.
He was alone in space with Miss Pratt once more.
