A compromise had been effected with the striking waiters, and the heat had lessened1 a little in its intensity2. The two things, together with the nonappearance of Ashby Stout3 were blessings4 for which Rex had to be grateful.
But when the stage came in and he recognized among the passengers Miles Darley and the latter's father, he did not know whether he was glad or not. They were links connecting him with that past life which he was trying his best to forget. Now it seemed to him that only by forgetting it and thus doing away with the power of contrast, could he be happy in the present.
"You dear old fellow!" Miles rushed forward with this exclamation5 and fairly took Rex in his arms.
He had grown much in the past few months and the clothes he wore set off his figure to great advantage.
"I won't say where on earth did you come from," said Rex, "but where in the world are you going to, that you should take in this forsaken6 place?"
"Well, that's polite, I'm sure," laughed Miles, "Can't you imagine that Batemans may be our objective point?"
"No, because I'm certain you can't be interested in saw mills, and that's the only thing that brings people here."
"But I can be interested in you, can't I, Rex? I've missed you terribly. That great house seems so lonely with only three of us in it."
"But you needn't have stayed there in the summer. There's the White Mountains or the sea coast-- lots of places you could have gone to."
"If we choose to come here instead, it's all right, isn't it, Rex?"
"Of course it is, old fellow, and now I see that the best way in which I can entertain you is to tell you right off how I came by this black eye," which Rex proceeded at once to do.
"Good for you, my little game cock!" exclaimed Miles, when he had heard the story. "Speaking of Stout, your friend Harrington has tried to scrape acquaintance with me, but he hasn't got beyond the scraping stage yet. I wonder what Stout was doing out here."
"His father's in the lumber7 business, I believe. But I'm afraid you'll find it pretty hot, Miles."
"Well, I've had so many cold days in my time I guess I can stand a little heat."
Rex was not the only one of the Pells who was astonished by the advent8 of the Darleys. Their coming was a complete surprise to the entire family. And a still greater cause of astonishment9 was the prolongation of their stay.
They rented two of the best rooms in the house, had awnings10 put up at the windows and wicker furniture sent on from Denver. Mr. Darley took frequent trips to neighboring towns. It was understood by the gossips at Batemans that he was a large Eastern capitalist, looking about for profitable mining investments.
July, August and half of September passed, and still the Darleys remained. Miles was supremely11 content, for he was with Rex, for whom his admiration12 appeared to increase with each day's added intimacy13. Miles had brought his books, and they studied together some. And in spite of the forlornness of the place, the five young people managed to have a pretty good time.
One afternoon Roy and Rex were washing the omnibus out at the stable. The driver, hearing of a big strike that had been made at a mine some sixty miles away, threw up his position at once and started off to try to get rich at a hand stroke. And the boys were forced to throw themselves into the breach14 until another man could be obtained in his place.
This is the sort of thing they had trained themselves to expect since coming to Batemans.
"Where's Miles?" asked Roy, as he brought a fresh pail of water and set it down beside his brother.
"He was coming out but his father called him into his room."
"We'll miss them when they go, won't we, Reggie? It has been jolly good fun to have Miles with us all summer. You ought to feel quite proud to think you are a strong enough magnet to keep him here."
"I can't understand it at all, why they should have stayed," returned Rex.
He did not speak very cheerfully. The Darleys were to leave the very next week. It was impossible but that Rex should realize vividly15 to what they were returning. He did not tell Roy so, but he wished they had not come.
There was only one wheel of the omnibus to finish when Miles came hurrying toward them. There was an expression on his face which neither of the twins could comprehend. It was a blending of fear, joy and stupefaction.
"Here, let me help," he said, as he came up. "I want you fellows to hurry and get through. I've something to tell you."
But they had so nearly finished that there was nothing left for him to undertake.
"What have you got to tell us?" asked Rex, throwing his sponge back into the bucket.
"I wish I knew how you fellows would take it," returned Miles, a flush creeping over his face.
"Try us and find out," rejoined Roy with a smile.
"I'm simply delighted myself," went on the other. "I wonder how I can keep my two feet on the ground. It seems too good to be true."
"Then why are you in doubt how we'll take it," said Rex. "What pleases you ought certainly to please us."
"But perhaps this won't. It's so-- so, unexpected and altogether jolly."
"Well, Miles Darley, you are certainly the most incomprehensible fellow this afternoon," exclaimed Roy. "What's it about?"
"Well, it's about the Pells and the Darleys," explained Miles, the color still surging in his cheeks. "In union there is strength, you know, and-- haven't you guessed it yet?"
"No, indeed, we haven't and just you tell us right out what it is without any more fooling," and Rex made a playful dab16 at his friend with the big sponge.
"All right, here goes then," and Miles drew in his breath. "Your mother has told my father that she will be Mrs. Darley, and that makes us brothers, Rex, don't you see, and we're all going back to Philadelphia together-- well, don't you like it?"
Miles checked himself suddenly, for Roy and Rex stood staring at him as if struck dumb, too amazed to allow any expression to appear on their faces.
But it was all true; they were to have another test of fortune, and though its bringing about seemed in some sense to deprive the boys of their mother, they knew that not only was this not so, but that they were to gain a father thereby17. "And a brother, too, don't forget that," Miles adds at my side.
The End
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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6
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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7
lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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8
advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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9
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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awnings
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| 篷帐布 | |
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supremely
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| adv.无上地，崇高地 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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14
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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15
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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16
dab
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| v.轻触，轻拍，轻涂；n.(颜料等的)轻涂 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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