Rose In Bloom √ (Project K.)

Chapter 2: Old Friends With New Faces

“Good for you, Rose!” said Archie, jumping out to shake hands while Will and Geordie saluted and Uncle Mac laughed at Jamie, who looked as if girls had risen slightly in his opinion.

“I’m glad it is you, because you won’t be shocked. But I’m so happy to be back I forgot I was not little Rose still,” said Atalanta, smoothing down her flying hair.

“You look very like her, with the curls on your shoulders in the old way. I missed them last night and wondered what it was. How are Uncle and Phebe?” asked Archie, whose eyes had been looking over Rose’s head while he spoke toward the piazza, where a female figure was visible among the reddening woodbines.

“All well, thanks. Won’t you come up and see for yourselves?”

“Can’t, my dear, can’t possibly. Business, you know, business. This fellow is my right-hand man, and I can’t spare him a minute. Come, Arch, we must be off, or these boys will miss their train,” answered Uncle Mac, pulling out his watch.

With a last look from the light-haired figure at the gate to the dark-haired one among the vines, Archie drove away and Jamie cantered after, consoling himself for his defeat with apple number two.

Rose lingered a moment, feeling much inclined to continue her run and pop in upon all the aunts in succession, but, remembering her uncovered head, was about to turn back when a cheerful “Ahoy! ahoy!” made her look up to see Mac approaching at a great pace, waving his hat as he came.

“The Campbells are coming, thick and fast this morning, and the more the merrier,” she said, running to meet him. “You look like a good boy going to school, and virtuously conning your lesson by the way,” she added, smiling to see him take his finger out of the book he had evidently been reading, and tuck it under his arm, just as he used to do years ago.

“I am a schoolboy, going to the school I like best,” he answered, waving a plumy spray of asters as if pointing out the lovely autumn world about them, full of gay hues, fresh airs, and mellow sunshine.

“That reminds me that I didn’t get a chance to hear much about your plans last night the other boys all talked at once, and you only got a word now and then. What have you decided to be, Mac?” asked Rose as they went up the avenue side by side.

“A man first, and a good one if possible. After that, what God pleases.”

Something in the tone, as well as the words, made Rose look up quickly into Mac’s face to see a new expression there. It was indescribable, but she felt as she had often done when watching the mists part suddenly, giving glimpses of some mountaintop, shining serene and high against the blue.

“I think you will be something splendid, for you really look quite glorified, walking under this arch of yellow leaves with the sunshine on your face,” she exclaimed, conscious of a sudden admiration never felt before, for Mac was the plainest of all the cousins.

“I don’t know about that, but I have my dreams and aspirations, and some of them are pretty high ones. Aim at the best, you know, and keep climbing if you want to get on,” he said, looking at the asters with an inward sort of smile, as if he and they had some sweet secret between them.

“You are queerer than ever. But I like your ambition, and hope you will get on. Only mustn’t you begin at something soon? I fancied you would study medicine with Uncle that used to be our plan, you know.”

“I shall, for the present at least, because I quite agree with you that it is necessary to have an anchor somewhere and not go floating off into the world of imagination without ballast of the right sort. Uncle and I had some talk about it last night and I’m going to begin as soon as possible, for I’ve mooned long enough,” and giving himself a shake, Mac threw down the pretty spray, adding half aloud: