Left to Ourselves; or, John Headley's Promise. Read online

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  LEFT TO OURSELVES;

  OR

  JOHN HEADLEY'S PROMISE

  _Left to Ourselves_;

  OR,

  _John Headley's Promise_.

  BY CATHARINE SHAW,

  AUTHOR OF "AT LAST;" "ALICK'S HERO;" "THE GABLED FARM;" "ONLY A COUSIN;"ETC.

  NEW EDITION.

  _LONDON_:

  JOHN F. SHAW AND CO.,

  48, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.

  CONTENTS.

  CHAPTER PAGE

  I. THE FIVE 9

  II. A PACKET 14

  III. THE DARK CAVERN: AN ALLEGORY 19

  IV. RESCUED 27

  V. NEW ROBES 33

  VI. AT LAST 37

  VII. LAST DAYS 43

  VIII. ONE INJUNCTION 52

  IX. THE FIRST SUNDAY ALONE 65

  X. THE GOLDEN OIL: AN ALLEGORY 74

  XI. A CUPBOARD OF RUBBISH 85

  XII. JOHN'S PROMISE 92

  XIII. HUGH'S PROMISE 101

  XIV. CHRISTMAS-DAY 109

  XV. WHERE ONE PUDDING WENT 118

  XVI. THE RAG CUSHION 128

  XVII. THE LAST PUDDING 136

  XVIII. NEW YEAR'S EVE 142

  XIX. WORRIED 151

  XX. A SURPRISE 158

  XXI. THE MAGIC OF LOVE 169

  XXII. MINNIE'S SECRET 177

  XXIII. THE END OF THE JOURNEY 185

  LEFT TO OURSELVES.

  CHAPTER I.

  _THE FIVE._

  "Mother, I'm sure you may trust me!"

  "My child, I trust you for all that you know; but there are things whichno one but a mother can know."

  "Of course there are. Oh, I don't for a moment mean that I shall do aswell as _you_, mother, only----"

  "Yes," answered Mrs. Headley, thoughtfully, "you see, Agnes, your deargrandmother in America is pronounced to be failing very fast. I have notseen her for twenty years, and if I do not go now I may never see heragain in this world."

  "And father's having to go there on business now makes it so easy."

  "Easy all but leaving you children."

  "But I am nineteen now, mother--quite old enough to be trusted; besides,grandmama and aunt Phyllis live next door, and if anything happened Icould run in to them."

  Mrs. Headley smiled, looking half convinced.

  "Who is it you are afraid to leave?" asked Agnes coaxingly. "Is it _me_,mother?"

  "_You?_" echoed Mrs. Headley, stroking her face tenderly. "No, not you,dear."

  "Then it is John."

  "No, no; John is a good boy, he will help you I am sure."

  "Then is it Hugh?"

  "No; Hugh is steady, and very fond of his lessons; and he will be sureto do as you wish him, if he promises beforehand."

  "Then is it Alice?"

  Mrs. Headley shook her head.

  "Then it must be Minnie, for there's no one else. And as to Minnie, youknow I love her exactly as if she were my own child."

  Mrs. Headley laughed a little, though bright tears filled her eyes andfell down into her lap.

  "Don't you think I _do_?" asked Agnes soberly--not half liking thelittle laugh, or the tears either for that matter.

  "You love her as much as you possibly can, dearest, but that does notgive you my experience. No, Agnes, it is not Minnie or any one inparticular, but it is the five of you all together that I'm afraid toleave. I am so afraid they might get tired of doing as you said."

  "They never have yet, mother. You ask them, and see."

  Mrs. Headley looked thoughtfully into the fire, and was silent for along time. So was Agnes, till at last she roused up suddenly and put herhand into her mother's.

  "There's one Friend I shall always have near, nearer than next door;always at hand to help and counsel--eh, mother dear? We had notforgotten Him, only we did not say anything actually about Him."

  "Yes, my child, I do not forget; and if I were more trustful I shouldnot be so afraid."

  Mrs. Headley rose and left the room just as the door opened, and Johncame in.

  "Holloa, Agnes, all alone in the dark," he exclaimed, stumbling over thestools and chairs. "Why don't you have a light?"

  "Mother and I were talking, and we did not want any."

  "About America? Don't I wish it was me instead of her, that's all!"

  "But, you see, that is not the question," said Agnes, watching herbrother lean back against the mantelpiece with nervous eyes. "John,you'll knock something down."

  "Not I. Of course it isn't the question; but why doesn't mother want togo?"

  "She does want to go; only, you see, John, she's afraid we shall not allget on together."

  "Is she afraid we shall quarrel?"

  Agnes nodded.

  "_I_ shan't."

  "Perhaps not."

  "But Hugh will?" he asked, smiling.

  "Hugh and John together," answered Agnes, smiling too.

  "Very likely."

  "Do you think you _will_?" asked his sister, drawing back.

  "What a frightened question! Agnes, look here; I'll promise you----"

  "What?"

  "It takes two to make a quarrel, doesn't it?"

  "Yes."

  "Then I'll promise you to walk out of the room at the first indicationof a squabble. Will that make things straight?"

  "If you will not forget."

  "If I do, you look at me, and I'll fly, or be 'mum'!"

  "All right, I will," answered Agnes soberly. "John, I believe motherthinks she ought to go, and so I am sure we ought to make it easy."

  "I mean to."

  Agnes kissed him gratefully, but did not speak, yet John understood, andwhen she had gone out of the room he fancied he felt a tear left on hiscoat.

  He roused himself up, and turned round to poke the fire into a blaze.

  "My eye!" he ejaculated, half audibly, "it will be a go to do withoutmother for three months."