Hunter\'s Marjory

M >> Margaret Bruce Clarke >> Hunter\'s Marjory

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She could not take her eyes off the picture. How proud of him she would
have been! was her sad thought, but it seemed no use hoping any more.
She must begin afresh to-day, and try to be content without him. It
would be very hard, for the hope had been very dear to her.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and a strange voice called, "May
I come in, Marjory?"

Who could this be, calling her by her Christian name, and yet in a voice
she did not know? She must be dreaming; but no--the voice called again,
"May I come in, Marjory?"

"Come in," she said, turning towards the door with a puzzled and
inquiring expression on her face.

"I've brought you a large and handsome birthday present," said the
doctor's voice, as he almost pushed Mr. Davidson into the room. Then he
shut the door, and left the father and daughter confronting each other.

There was a moment's silence. Marjory looked at the tall man with the
noble gray head, the lined forehead that told of years of sorrow and
care. Time had set its marks upon the face, but it was the face of the
picture. At last--somehow, and from somewhere--her father had been
brought to her. The man held out his arms, and she crept into them,
sobbing with wonder and delight and other feelings to which she could
not have given a name, as he murmured, "My own little girl, come to me."

That moment seemed to sweep away all the sad memories of her longings
and yearnings. Never again would she feel that she was an orphan, really
belonging to nobody. Her father, her very own, had come to her at last.
How good it was!

It may well be imagined that these two had much to say to each other.
Mr. Davidson told his child of her sweet young mother, as he took her
round the room, showing her the various treasures, which were in their
places just as they had been in the old time when he knew that room so
well. In the work-basket was a dainty little garment which had been
intended for Marjory. It was not finished; the rusty needle, with its
thread yellow with age, was still in it, just as the worker had left it.
Mr. Davidson took up the little bundle of muslin and lace and reverently
kissed it.

"Thank God for you, my darling," he said, "and for this good day that
gives you to me!" And he kissed Marjory again.

Marjory showed her father the locket and chain which she always wore.
Yes, he knew it; it was one he had given to her mother. But he did not
add that at that time it had contained a picture of himself. And the
coin? Yes, he had the other half; and he told Marjory how he and that
other Marjory had split it for luck, and how each had promised to wear
it always.

There was much questioning and answering of questions between them, and
at last came the inevitable one which Mr. Davidson had expected and
dreaded,--

"Why did you never come before?"

He looked into his daughter's eyes.

"Can you trust me when I tell you that there was a reason I cannot
explain which made it impossible until now, and when I tell you that it
was not my fault, and that as soon as the reason was removed I came to
you? Will you be content to believe me, and ask no more questions?"

Marjory returned her father's look, a world of trust and confidence in
her eyes. "Yes," she replied; and from that moment they understood each
other.

And Marjory never knew the answer to that question. Mrs. Forester kept
her own counsel, and so did Mr. Hilary Forester, and they were the only
people besides the principals themselves who knew the truth.

"My beloved did cross the sea, after all," said Marjory to her uncle,
when they joined him later.

"Quite right; so he did," replied the doctor.

"And you believe the old prophecy now?" triumphantly.

The doctor laughed.

"I can hardly say that," he answered. "It has just happened so, that's
all."

The doctor had persuaded Mr. Davidson to wait until Marjory's birthday
before making himself known to her, in order that the day might be a
red-letter one in her life. The Foresters had kept the secret carefully,
Captain Shaw had kept his, and not a whisper had gone abroad of the
wonderful event about to happen, and all had fallen out just as the
doctor had planned and wished.

There were great rejoicings at Hunters' Brae that day, and in the
evening there was a large and merry birthday party. Mr. and Mrs.
Forester and Blanche, Mr. and Mrs. Hilary Forester and Maud, the
Morisons, with Herbert and Alan, all came with a welcome for Mr.
Davidson and congratulations for Marjory.

Earlier in the day, Captain and Mrs. Shaw had come together, as they had
done once before, to be congratulated on their own happy reunion.

"There's nothing like the forgetting of old bygones," said the captain,
as he wrung Mr. Davidson's hand, "and there's no happiness so sweet as
when it's been long in coming, sir. I wish you and dear Miss Marjory
many happy returns of the day."

The doctor had been wondering what Mr. Davidson's plans for the future
would be. Would it be part of his punishment that the father would take
his child to far-away Skaguay and keep her to himself? It would be
natural enough, perhaps, but he thought with a pang of the difference it
would make to him. Life at Hunters' Brae would be sad for him without
the girl. This matter weighed heavily upon his mind, but he dared not
speak upon the subject for fear of hastening a decision.

At last one day Mr. Davidson spoke his mind. He must go back to Alaska,
and would take Marjory with him, but--and here Dr. Hunter's heart almost
stopped beating--he would retire from business. He had enough and to
spare for Marjory and himself, and he looked forward to settling down at
home.

"Here, here!" interrupted the doctor then. "The Brae will eventually be
Marjory's. If you can forgive the past, Hugh, make this your home. You
shall not regret it, I promise you. I do believe I have laid that old
ghost of jealousy at last. All I have is to be Marjory's. My old age
would be comfortless indeed if I were doomed to spend it here alone.
Perhaps that is what I deserve, but do give the old place a trial. The
child loves it."

"It is associated in my mind with the happiest time of my life," replied
Mr. Davidson earnestly. "No other place could seem so like home to me."

And so it was settled. Marjory was delighted at the idea of travelling
with her father--of crossing that wonderful sea which had brought her
beloved. She was enchanted by the prospect, but, as she said, it would
not have been so delightful if she had not been able to look forward to
coming home again at the end of her travels--home to her uncle at
Hunters' Brae.

There was a certain clause in the doctor's will which he discussed with
his niece and her father before they started on their journey. He had
made the stipulation that, when the time came that Marjory should become
possessor of Hunters' Brae, and of all that he had to leave, she should
adopt the surname of Hunter. Marjory clapped her hands when she heard
this.

"There's the prophecy again," she cried, quoting,--

"'The Hunters' line shall ne'er decline
Till the muir doth pass away.'"

"Nonsense!" replied the doctor. "It is merely a question of title and
property. Had there been a male Hunter living, the Brae would have been
his; and it is stated in the original deeds that, in the event of the
sole descendant being a girl, she must take the family name, and give it
to her husband when she marries. The person who wrote that rubbish
probably knew of this when he scribbled his so-called prophecy."

"You are always so scornful about those prophecies, uncle dear," said
Marjory, laughing. "I think they are so interesting and so true. I shall
copy them out and put my notes to them, as my grandmother did."

So Marjory was quite happy at last. Her childhood had had its
troubles--very real ones while they lasted. Then friendship had come to
lighten them, and wise, loving words from a motherly woman, who had
taught her to look away from self, to find happiness in thinking of
others. In so doing, she had found her way into her uncle's heart, and
the finding of it had brought ample reward. And now had come this
crowning joy of all--the meeting with her father at last, the
realization that he was all and more than all her fancy had painted him.
She felt that her cup of happiness was full. Looking back over the
past, she could sing with the poet,--

"What had I then? A hope that grew
Each hour more bright and dear,
The flush upon the eastern skies
That showed the sun was near.
Now night has faded far away,
My sun has risen, and it is day."

THE END.

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