The White Shield Read online

  A Reasonable Courtship

  When Tom Elliott graduated from Harvard, that power of the mind whichis known as reason had become a fetish with him. Every human action,he argued, should be controlled by it. The majority of people werelargely influenced by their feelings; he, Thomas Elliott, twenty-six,good-looking, and fairly wealthy, would turn his mental advantages togood account and be guided wholly by his reason.

  He explained his theory to an attractive young woman who had gone outon the veranda with him. Partly because her mind was too much occupiedwith the speaker to comprehend the full purport of his remarks, andpartly because her feminine tact forbade opposition to an unimportantthing, Miss Marshall nodded her pretty head in entire assent.

  "It is an assured fact," he went on, "that all the unhappiness in theworld is caused by the inability to reason. Married life is miserablejust because it is not put on a sensible basis. Any two human beingscapable of reasoning would be happy together, if that point were keptconstantly in view. Perfect, absolute truthfulness, and constantdeductions from it, form the only sure foundation for happiness. Am Iright?"

  She twisted the corners of her handkerchief. "Yes, I think you are."

  Elliott paced back and forth with his hands in his pockets--a symptomof nervousness which women mistake for deep thought; "Belle," he saidsuddenly, "I have always liked you. You have so much more sense thanmost girls. I am not going to flatter you, but you are the only womanI ever saw who seemed to be a reasonable being. What I want to ask is,will you try it with me?"

  Miss Marshall opened her brown eyes in amazement. Since she leftboarding-school, the approach of the Elliott planet had materiallyconfused her orbit. She had often dreamed of the offer of Tom's heartand hand, but for once, the consensus of masculine opinion to thecontrary, a woman was surprised by a proposal.

  "What on earth do you mean?" she gasped.

  "Just this. You and I are congenial, of an equal station in life, andI believe we could be happy together--happier than the average marriedcouple. There's no foolish sentimentality about it; we know each other,and that is enough."

  There was a terrific thumping going on in the region where MissMarshall had mentally located her heart. She took refuge in thatplatitude of her sex which goads an ordinary lover to desperation.

  "This is so sudden, Mr. Elliott! I must take time to consider."

  "Very well, take your own time. I'll be a good husband to you, Belle,if you'll only give me the chance."

  In the solitude of her "den" Belle Marshall gave the matter seriousconsideration. Safely intrenched behind a formal proposal, she admittedto herself that she loved him--a confession that no woman ever shouldmake until the Rubicon has been crossed. But even the most love-blindeddamsel could not transfigure Elliott's demeanour into that of a lover.

  Within her reach, in a secret drawer, was a pile of impassioned lettersand a withered rose; on her desk a photograph of a handsome face,which she had last seen white to the lips with pain. He had called hercruel, and she had smiled faintly at the Harvard pin which she wore,and bade him go.

  Then there was another, of whom Belle did not like to think, though shewent to his grave sometimes with a remorseful desire to make some sortof an atonement. He was only a boy--and some women know what it is tobe loved by a boy.

  She compared the pleading of the others with Elliott's business-likeoffer, and wondered at the severity of fate. Then she wrote a note:"Miss Marshall accepts with pleasure, Mr. Elliott's kind invitationto become his wife," and sent it by a messenger. Before burning herrelics, as an engaged girl should, she sat down to look them over oncemore. With a Spartan-like resolve she at last put every letter andkeepsake into the sacrificial flames. When it was over she sighed, forshe had nothing left but memory and the business like promise of themorning: "I'll be a good husband to you, Belle, if you'll only give mea chance."

  Her note would doubtless be answered in person, and she donned apretty white gown, that she might not keep him waiting. She vainlytried to tone down her flushed cheeks with powder. "You are a nice sortof girl," she said to herself, "for a reasonable marriage."

  Just then the door-bell rang, and she flew to answer the summons.There was no one else in the house, the coast was clear and she was anengaged girl. She started in surprise, as Elliott walked solemnly on byher, after she had closed the door.

  "Nice afternoon," he said.

  There was no doubt about it; Miss Marshall had expected to be kissed.Still unable to speak, she followed him into the parlour. He turnedto offer her a chair and instantly read her thought. "You need fearnothing of the kind from me," he said in a blundering way, which menconsider a high power of tact. "It's not hygienic, and is a known causeof disease. Above all things, let us be sensible."

  "You got my note?" she enquired faintly.

  "Yes, and I came to thank you for the honour conferred upon me. Iassure you, I fully appreciate it--more, perhaps, than I can make youunderstand."

  Throughout his call he was dignified and friendly, but she was in astate of nervous excitement which bordered on hysteria.

  "You are nervous and overwrought," he said in a friendly way. "PerhapsI would better go. I'll come again soon, and you shall name the day,and we will make plans for our future."

  He shook hands in parting, and Belle ran up-stairs as if her lifedepended upon it. Once in her own room, she locked the door, then threwherself down among her sofa pillows in a passion of tears.

  "A--cause--of--_disease_--of--_disease_," she sobbed. "Oh, the--brute!"

  She had kept her lips for her husband, and the wound went deep. Whenshe descended the stairs, calm and collected, her eyes were set andresolute, and there was a look around her mouth that boded ill for Mr.Thomas Elliott, of Harvard, '94.

  The next day he asked her to drive.

  "I don't want to hurry you in the least," he said, "and the time isleft to you. Only tell me a little time before, that is all. And Belle,remember this: I am going to be perfectly and absolutely truthful withyou, and I expect you to be the same with me."

  It was not long before she found out that he meant what he said.

  "Do I look nice?" she asked him one evening, when they were startingfor the theatre.

  "I am sorry to say that you do not," answered Elliott. "You've got toomuch powder on your nose, and that hat is a perfect fright."

  Her eyes flashed, but she said nothing. Offering him her handkerchiefshe commanded him to "wipe off the powder," and Elliott did so,wondering in a half-frightened way, what the mischief was the matterwith Belle.

  They were early, and sauntered along the brilliantly lighted street,with plenty of time to look into the shop windows. One firm had filledits largest window with ties of a dashing red.

  "I think I'll get one of those," Tom said. "They're stylish just now,and I think it would be becoming, don't you?"

  "No, I don't," she answered promptly. "Only a man with a goodcomplexion can wear one of those things!"

  Tom had always thought his dark clear skin was one of his best points,and that Belle should insinuate that it wasn't, hurt his pride. Neitherspoke until they entered the theatre; then man-like he said the worstthing possible.

  "That's a pretty girl over there," inclining his head toward a blondbeauty. "I always liked blonds, didn't you?"

  Belle was equal to the occasion. "Yes, I always liked blond men; Idon't care so much for the girls."

  Elliott's lower jaw dropped thoughtfully. He was as dark as Egypt,himself.

  Neither enjoyed the play.

  "Seeing it a second time has spoiled it for me," Tom said. "I took MissDavis last week and we both enjoyed it very much."

  Belle's stony silence at last penetrated Tom's understanding.

  "There's no reason why I shouldn't take another girl to the theatre,"he explained, "just because I happen to be engaged to you. It isn'tannounced yet, and won't be until you are willing. And you know itdoesn't change my regard for you in the least to go with any one else.You are welcome t
o the same freedom."

  A great light broke in upon Belle. The next time he called she hadgone to play tennis with a Yale man. He saw them laughing and chattinga little way down the street, and the owner of the blue sweaterwas carrying her racket. Tom was angry, for the Yale man was aninsufferable cad, and she had no business to go with him. He wouldspeak to her about it.

  On the way home, he wisely decided to say nothing about it. PerhapsBelle wasn't as fully accustomed to being guided by reason as he was,though she was an unusually sensible girl. He must be gentle with herat first; she would grow by degrees.

  Acting on this impulse, he took his cherished copy of Spencer's_Ethics_ and presented it to her.

  "You'll like this," he said, "after you have got into it, and it willhelp you amazingly about reasoning."

  A well-developed white arm threw the Spencer vigorously against theside of the house. Elliott was surprised, for a woman like this wasutterly outside the pale of his experience. Perhaps she didn't feelwell. He put his arm around her.

  "What is it, Belle?" he asked anxiously.

  The singular phenomena increased in intensity, for Belle jerked awayfrom him, with her eyes blazing.

  "How dare you touch me?" she said, and walked like an empress out ofthe room.

  Inside of ten minutes the idea came to Elliott that she did not intendto return until he left the house. Her handkerchief lay on the table,and he picked it up. He looked carefully into the hall, and saw no one.Then the apostle of reason put the handkerchief into his pocket andwalked out of the room to the front door, then slowly down the street,still in a brown study. "What could a young woman mean by such vigoroushints of displeasure?" Four years at college had taught him nothing ofwomen and their peculiar ways, and he was evidently on the wrong track.It wasn't reasonable to humour her in such tantrums, but he sent a boxof roses by way of a peace offering, and received in return a notewhich emboldened him to call.

  An old-time friendly chat put them on an equal footing again, andElliott grew confidential.

  "Every thought of mine rightfully belongs to you, I suppose," he saidone day.

  "Every thought of mine _is_ of you," she replied softly, and he watchedthe colour in her cheeks with a sensation akin to pleasure.

  He thought about it in the night afterward. It was nice for a fellowto know that a girl like Belle thought of him often. If it had been aproper thing to do, he wouldn't have minded kissing her when she saidit, for he had never seen her look so pretty.

  The Yale man had gone back to college and Elliott settled down inbusiness with his father. He and Belle were the best of friends, andhe looked forward with increasing pleasure to the day which she hadnot yet named. He planned a European tour which he was sure would bothsurprise and please her. He did not intend to mention it until afterthe ceremony.

  Surely no lover ever had a more reasonable and attractive path totravel. Belle was everything that could be desired. When his visitswere infrequent, she did not seem to miss him, and--rarest quality inwoman!--never asked him any questions as to the way in which he hadspent the time away from her.

  Tom felt like a pioneer who had emancipated his sex by applying thetest of reason to every duty and pleasure in life.

  The summer waned, and beside the open fire in the long cool eveningsshe seemed doubly attractive. In a friendly way, he took her hand inhis, as they sat in front of the flaming brushwood, then started insurprise.

  "What is it?" she asked.

  "The queerest thing," Tom answered. "When I touched your hand just now,I felt a funny little quiver run up that arm to my elbow. Did you everfeel a thing like that?"

  Belle forsook the path of absolute truth.

  "No, how queer!"

  "Isn't it?" He took her hand again, but the touch brought no answeringthrill. "Must have been my imagination, or a chill," commented Tom.

  Alone in her room, Miss Marshall laughed softly to herself.

  "Imagination, or a chill! What a dear funny stupid thing a man is!"

  Sunday evenings Tom invariably spent with Belle. When he called on thefirst evening of the following week, he was astonished to find that shehad gone to church with the Yale man. Mrs. Marshall explained to himthat it was the young man's farewell visit; his mother had been ill andhe had been unexpectedly called home, thus giving him a few days withold friends.

  He saw them laughing and chatting a little way down thestreet, and the owner of the blue sweater was carrying her racket._From the Drawing by Dalton Stevens._]

  "Must be very ill," said Tom ironically, under his breath, as he wentback to his cheerless room.

  There was a queer tightness somewhere in his chest which he had neverfelt before and it seemed to be connected in some way with the Yaleman. He slept fitfully and dreamed of Belle in a little house, with anopen fire in the parlour, where he would be a welcome guest and thealumni of the other colleges would be denied admittance. He was temptedto remonstrate with her, but had no reasonable ground for doing so.They would be married shortly and then the matter would end.

  The next time he went to see her, the peculiar tightness appeared inhis chest again, and he could hardly answer her cheerful greetings. Henoted that she had acquired a Yale pin, which flaunted its ugly blueupon her breast. He trembled violently as he sat down and drops ofperspiration stood out on his brow. She was alarmed and brought him aglass of water. As she stood over him, the womanly concern in her facetouched him not a little, and he threw his arms around her and drew herdown to him.

  "Kiss me once, Belle," he pleaded hoarsely.

  With a violent effort she freed herself.

  "It's not hygienic," she explained, "and frequently causes disease."

  Tom stared at her in open-mouthed wonder, and soon after took hisdeparture.

  Once inside his room, he sat down to close analysis of himself. He hadbeen working too hard, and was temporarily unbalanced. She was quiteright in saying that it caused disease; such a thing must not happen.His reason had been impaired by long hours in the office; otherwise hewould never have thought of doing such a foolish, unreasonable thing.

  In the morning he received a note from her. She had been summoned tothe bedside of a sick sister, and would be away from home as long asshe was needed.

  The next month was a long one for Tom. He was surprised to find howmuch of his life could be filled by a woman. After they were marriedthere would be no such separations. He wrote regularly and receivedin return such brief notes as her duties permitted her to write. Then,for a week, none came, and he went to her home to see what news hadbeen received there. The servant admitted him, half smiling, and inwhite house gown, by the open fire he saw Belle. She had never seemedso sweet and womanly, and with a cry he could not repress, he caughther in his arms. She struggled, but in vain, and at last gave her lipswillingly to his. In that minute Tom learned more than all his collegecourse had taught him. Utterly unconscious of his own temerity, hekissed her again and again. The little white figure was silent in hisarms, and bending low he whispered a word which no reasonable man wouldever be caught using.

  Her face shining with tears, Belle looked up.

  "Tom," she said, "do you love me?"

  "Love you!" he said slowly. "Why--I guess--I must."

  She laughed happily and he drew her closer.

  "Dear little girl," he said tenderly, "do you love me?"

  The answer came muffled from his shoulder: "All the time, Tom!"

  "All the time! You darling! What an infernal brute I have been!"

  He evidently intended to kiss her again, for he tried to lift her chinfrom his shoulder. Providence has taught women a great deal about suchthings. Her eyes flashed with mischief as she struggled to releaseherself.

  "You must let me go, Tom; this isn't reasonable at all!"

  But his training with the Harvard crew had given him a strength whichkept her there.

  "Reasonable!" he repeated. "Reasonable be hanged!"

  Elmiry Ann's Valentine