Chapter XXI: On the Doorstep

THREE weeks later, Ruth and her cousins were established at the seaside.

"A Furnished House." Yes, Dr. Brown had decided that that was the right thing, and Ruth, who had never been to a furnished house, and knew nothing of the cares of housekeeping, acquiesced at once. She supposed it would be all right.

Certainly it gave her a pang to remember that Cook would not be there, and that Jane was not very clever at anything but housework! But she would have Morris with her to refer to, and she did want to learn "cooking and things."

So, though Morris looked rather grave, they made their plans, the furnished house was taken, and in a very short time, they had begun their seaside life.

To the Indian children it was unalloyed happiness. All day long they were out on the beach, or Heston was exploring the rocks and the cliffs. The invalid carriage was a great success, and Mala wheeled her charge about everywhere, Heston assisting very kindly when necessary.

Norman was blissfully content. He lay and rested when he liked, or got out and sat on the sand or picked up shells. His colour had begun to improve, and Ruth could see that as the days went on, he attempted more, and began to look less pitiful.

Twice each day she gave half an hour to his "massage" treatment, and while that was going on, she always sent Mala to help Jane in the household work.

At first, Mala had strongly objected to leave him, making it as unpleasant for Ruth as she could.

But Ruth had looked up, and said gravely, "Remember what I told you, Mala!"

And the ayah, with a deep flush on her face, had turned away silently.

Left there alone with her little cousin, Ruth devoted herself to making the time pass happily and brightly. Mary had reminded her that it was a precious opportunity, if she would only use it. And though Ruth had given one of her startled looks, when she came to think it over, she saw how true it was.

So, while her hands were busy over her "massage," she talked to him, or told him simple stories from the Bible. She soon found that she must get ready a little story fresh from the Bible for each time. And while learning for him, she got to know more herself than she had ever known before.

Understanding more of God's great love herself, she felt confidence that Norman would get to understand too.

She was not disappointed. She was "letting him come to Jesus," as Mary said she always translated the words, "Suffer the little children to come unto ME."

Yes, she was helping, and not hindering, and a flood of joy came into her heart as she saw that Norman was drawing near, and learning to look up in his Saviour's face, and stand, as it were, within His loving arms.

It would be difficult to say how Ruth knew that it was so, but she did. The child's eyes had lost their weary, dissatisfied look, and as she talked to him, he would drink in every word as if his thirst were being quenched.

As she became more used to understanding him, when he talked on his fingers, he began to express his feelings more, until one day, when she had finished her "treatment," and was just clearing up, he caught her hand in his, and kissing it tenderly, he spelt out, "Thank you for telling me about Jesus; I do love Him!"

When Ruth had kissed him in return, and told him how very, very glad she was, she ran away to her own room.

She knelt down by her bed, but only tears would come and broken thanksgivings.

"And I grudged having them!" she thought. "And yet God has been so good to me as this!"

Day by day during these happy weeks for her cousins, Ruth watched her own especial charge with loving, observant eyes.

His bird was almost as great a pet as his mice, and he was eager to teach him any trick which he could hear of, watching by his cage on rainy days for hours and hours, patiently getting him to eat from his hand, or come out on the table to take his bath.

One day, when she happened to come into the room unexpectedly, she found Norman alone, and he looked up eagerly and nodded to her confidentially.

"You are doing what I suggested?" she asked, whispering.

He nodded again, and then spelt on his fingers, "I can do it much better now!"

So Ruth was very content, and hailed every sign of improvement with great joy.

But Morris feared that, however good this seaside change was for the children, the housekeeping cares were more than her dear young lady had in her inexperience expected, and she thought she was growing thin under her new work.

"Well!" said the old housekeeper to herself, as she often did many times a day. "The Lord knows, and I don't! He can see to it!" And thus her burden rolled off once again.

One Saturday, Ruth was expecting her father to spend the week-end with them, and when the children were safely off to the beach with Mala, and Heston had started on a long walk, she betook herself to the kitchen and looked round.

Her father liked pastry, and she had often wished to try her hand at it, but hitherto had been too busy.

"Morris, do you think I 'could' make a pie?" she asked.

"Why, yes, dearie. I could sit by you and tell you. The Doctor would be pleased."

But just as Ruth was beginning, she found that she had not ordered the requisite fruit, and Jane was quickly despatched to get some at the nearest shop.

"Nobody will come to the door in those few moments," she said to Morris, who had a cold, and was sitting by the fire nursing it. "And if they do—I can open it, I suppose!"

Morris smiled. How her childie was growing, to be sure.

But Jane had no sooner whisked off down the road, than a ring came to the front door, followed by a decided rat-tat-tat.

"Eleven o'clock!" said Ruth, looking at the clock, and dusting off the flour from her white fingers. "Who can it be, Morris, at this time of the morning."

She hurried to the door, and there stood Vincent Linthorpe, holding a Gladstone bag in his hand, and with a look of apology in his face.

"Dr. Brown sent me with a note," he said, "May I come in?"

"Oh, yes!" said Ruth, opening the door wide. "I was so taken by surprise. I am sorry if I looked astonished."

Vincent smiled slightly. "The fact is, I called at The Firs last night to see you all, and I found you flown. Dr. Brown told me he thought of coming here to-day for the week-end, and that I might come and tell you he would be here about three."

"That is sooner than I thought—"

"Yes—so he bade me say. I will go and deposit my bag at the hotel, and then—may I come back?"

"Oh, yes!" said Ruth, thinking of her pie and her dinner still uncooked.

"I am afraid it may not be convenient?" said Vincent, hesitating.

"Oh, yes it is. I am only making my first pie, and I was wondering if it would be eatable."

"'That' does not matter!" he said. "I wanted to see you, because—because I am going abroad!"