University of Virginia Library

7. VII.
P. GREEN'S DIPLOMACY.

“Think o' going to see Laury — Mrs. Pellet — to-night?”
said Peleg.

“I have promised to call on her,” I answered, evasively.

“I 'd no idee of her being a widow,” said Mr. Green, with
an aguish shake in his voice. “Got much acquainted
with her? Could n't, though, I s'pose, jest seeing her in
the cars. Seem to take the doctor's death perty hard,
or could n't you judge as to that?”

“Not so hard but that she may be consoled, I should
say.”

“Consoled! yaas!” said Peleg, sardonically. “Maybe
you 'd like to hev the privilege of consoling her. Would
n't you like now to hev me go and show ye where the
house is?”

“O no, I would n't have you put yourself to that
trouble, Mr. Green.”

“No trouble at all, Mr. Blazay. Fact is, I — I ruther
think 't would be neighborly, if I sh'd drop in on her
myself.”

“But, I beg of you, don't go out of your way on my
account.”

“O no! O no!” said Peleg, keeping close at my side.
If I walked fast, he walked fast; if I walked slow, he
walked slow. “As a friend, Mr. Blazay,” he said, confidentially,
“allow me to say to you that that bunch over your
eye looks bad. Seems to me I should n't want to be making
calls on the ladies if I hed it.”

“Thank you, Mr. Green, for your very kind suggestion.
But I hardly think one so afflicted as Mrs. Pellet will look
much at externals. I can now find the house very well
without your assistance. Good night.” And I turned the
street corner.

“On the hull, guess I may as well go along too,” observed
Peleg; “me and Laury being old friends so.”

I reminded him of his excuse for abruptly leaving the
Thorntons, and expressed concern lest his colts should suffer
from neglect.

“Waal, I guess the colts can take care o' themselves for
an hour or so,” said Mr. Green.

We reached the house, and rang.

“Hello!” said Green, “a'n't you going in?”

“Not at this present moment,” I answered, walking off.

“Waal!” said the astonished Peleg, “if I 'd known —
Why did n't you say, and not fool a fellow this way?”

At that moment the door opened, and I left him to call
alone on the widow.

Two hours later, strolling toward the house, I saw a
person in light summer clothes come out; heard a voice
which I recognized as P. Green's, and another which I distinguished
as the mourning voice of the young widow.

They separated, and the light summer clothes came toward
me at a fast walk, with an air of hurry and abstraction.

“Good evening, Mr. Green,” I said, pleasantly.

“Hello! that you, Mr. Blazay?” said Peleg. “Where
ye bound now?”

“Enjoying a little stroll,” I replied, leisurely. “It 's a
charming evening.”

“It is so,” exclaimed Peleg, with returning agitation,
“but ruther cool.”

“It is,” said I, “chilly. I should think you would suffer
in those thin garments, Mr. Green.”

“Waal, my clo'es be ruther thin,” Peleg admitted.

“And, allow me to say, it seems to me your only safety
is in a rapid continuation of your walk. I will not detain
you an instant.”

“See here!” said Peleg; “ye a'n't going in there to-night,
air ye? After nine o'clock!”

“After nine?” said I. “Gentlemen seldom make calls
before that hour, do they?”

I left him standing in his airy attire, gazing jealously
after me. I returned to the door he had just quitted, and
entered, admitted by the charming Mrs. Pellet herself.

She received me with her sweetest subdued smile; and,
seated quietly at her side in her uncle's parlor, after apologizing
for my unpresentable eyebrow, I had the pleasure of
hearing from her own lips the full particulars of my business
in Shoemake; Susie having communicated them to
P. Green, and P. Green to the widow.

“I little thought, when I praised her to you,” she said
with gentle reproach, “that I was praising your future
bride.”

“Unfortunately for my hopes,” I said, “Susie's affections
seem to be already engaged.”

“Indeed! who is the happy man?”

“Our friend who just went from here, — Mr. Peleg
Green.”

The mourning eyelashes were raised with an expression
of mild and sorrowful surprise.

“But Peleg — I am sure,” she said, “he does n't care
for her.”

“Madam, he is her devoted admirer. You should have
seen him fly to the rescue the moment he heard of my
arrival. Indeed, so well satisfied am I of their mutual
attachment, that I have quite abandoned my foolish project.”

Mrs. Pellet heaved a sigh.