"My Mrs.! Why, what do you mean?" he asked in uncomprehending
astonishment, taking the boy on his knee; but when the little scamp had
explained, the stupidest person in the world could not plead ignorance.
"And," Ian continued, "Dick and me thought that p'r'aps if your Mrs. and
Aunt Lavinia's Mr. had got lost together we could find them for you, and
then there'd be two more weddings with pink ice cream. We're going to
look this afternoon, and we're going to ask Martha to help us, 'cause she
found her Mr. after he'd been lost a great while, Effie says."
"And he was right here in the place, too," chimed in Richard, "only he
didn't seem to see her, so p'r'aps yours aren't far off, and we might get
them in time to have the wedding to-night before you go. Wouldn't you
like to be in a wedding, Aunt Lavinia?"
"Mercy no, child, I'm too old!" she ejaculated, now as red as a
Jacqueminot rose, while the boys ran off in the direction of Martha's, to
ask her where it was best to begin this important quest, the prize for
which was pink ice cream.
Miss Lavinia did not look up for a moment, and when she did she found
Martin's eyes fastened on her face, and in them a strange
enlightenment that shook her like an electric bolt, as he arose and
stood before her, saying:--
"You need never be old. Some prefer June strawberries and others
September peaches, that is all. When once in June I thought to gather the
strawberries, I found they belonged to another, for I loved your friend,
who was Barbara's mother.
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