Henry Is Twenty. Samuel Merwin

pulse beat faster. Suddenly the pleasantly arranged old barn looked, felt different. Charm had entered it. And the exciting possibility of fellowship—a daring fellowship. He was up in the living-room now. Corinne was moving lazily, comfortably about, humming a song by the sensational new Richard Strauss who was upsetting all settled musical tradition just then, and prying into corners and shelves. She wore a light, shimmery, silky dress that gave out a faint odour of violets. It drugged Henry, that odour. He felt for the first time as if he belonged in these rooms himself.

      Corinne found the kitchen cupboard', and exclaimed.

      'Mildred!' she called down the stairs, in her rich drawling voice, 'come right up here—the cutest thing!'

      To which Mildred Henderson coolly replied:—

      'Don't bother me with cute things now. Play with Henry and keep quiet.'

      And Humphrey's voice droned on down there.

      Henry dropped on the piano stool. Corinne was certainly less indifferent. A little.

      He struck chords; all he knew. He hummed a phrase of the Colonel's song in Patience.

      Corinne drew a chair to the end of the keyboard and settled herself comfortably. 'Sing something,' she said. 'I love your voice.'

      'It's no good,' said he, flushing with delight.

      Surely her interest was growing. He added:—

      'I'd a lot rather hear you.' But then, when she smilingly shook her head, promptly broke into—

      'If you want a receipt for that popular mystery

      Known to the world as a Heavy Dragoon,

      Take all the remarkable people of history,

      Rattle them off to a popular tune.'

      It is the trickiest and most brilliant patter song ever written, I think, not even excepting the Major General's song in The Pirates. Which, by the way, Henry sang next.

      'How on earth can you remember all those words!' Corinne murmured. 'And the way you get your tongue around them. I could never do it.'

      She tried it, with him; but broke down with laughter.

      'I know hundreds of 'em,' he said expansively, and sang on.

      It was an opportunity he had not foreseen during this dreadful day. But here it was, and he seized it. The stage was set for his kind of things; all at once, as if by the merest accident. For the first time since the awkward Sunday morning on the beach he was able to turn on full the faucet that controlled his 'charm.' And he turned it on full. He had parlour tricks. Out of amateur opera experience he had picked up a superficial knack at comedy dancing. He did all he knew. He taught an absurd little team song and dance to Corinne, with Mrs Henderson (who had at last come up) improvising at the piano. And Corinne, flushed and pretty, clung to his hand and laughed herself speechless. Once in her desperate confusion over the steps she sank to the floor and sat in a merry heap until Henry lifted her up. Then Henry imitated Frank Daniels singing 'The man with an elephant on his hands,' and H. C. Bamabee singing The Sheriff of Nottingham, and De Wolf Hopper doing Casey at the Bat. All were clever bits; the 'Casey' exceptionally so. They applauded him. Even Humphrey, silent now, leaning on an end of the piano, watching Mrs Henderson's flashing little hands, clapped a little.

      Once Humphrey went rather moodily to a window and peered out.

      Mrs Henderson followed him; slipped her hand through his arm; asked quietly, 'Who lives across the alley?'

      'It's the Presbyterian parsonage,' he replied, slightly grim.

      It was after midnight when they set out, whispering, giggling a little in the alley, for Chestnut Avenue.

      'These sand-flies are fierce,' said Henry. 'You girls better take our handkerchiefs.'

      They circled on lawns to avoid the swirling, crunching, softly suffocating clouds of insects. Nearer the lake it grew worse. At the corner of Chestnut and Simpson they stopped short. Mrs Henderson, pressing the handkerchief to her face, clung in humorous helplessness to Humphrey's arm.

      He looked down at her. Suddenly he stooped, gathered her up in his arms as if she were a child, and carried her clear through the plague into the shadows of Chestnut Avenue.

      Henry, running with Corinne pressing close on his arm, caught a glimpse of his face. The expression on it added a touch of alarm to the pæan of joy in Henry's brain.

      They stepped within the Henderson screen door to say good-night.

      'Let's do something to-morrow night—walk or go biking or row on the lake,' said Mrs Henderson. 'You two had better come down for dinner. Any time after six.'

      'How about you?' Henry whispered to Corinne. 'Do you want me to come... Will and Fred...'

      Corinne's firm long hand slipped for a moment into his. He gripped it. The pressure was returned.

      'Don't be silly!' she breathed, close to his ear.

8

       Table of Contents

      The sand-flies served as an excuse for silence between Humphrey and Henry on the walk back. Nevertheless, the silence was awkward. It held until they were up in the curiously, hauntingly empty living-room.

      Humphrey scraped and lighted his pipe.

      Henry, rather surprisingly unhappy again, was moving toward a certain closed door.

      'Tell me,' said Humphrey gruffly, slowly, 'where is Mister Arthur V. Henderson?'

      'He travels for the Camman Company, reapers and binders and ploughs.'

      Humphrey very deliberately lighted his pipe.

      Henry moved on toward the closed door. Emotions were stirring uncomfortably within him. And conflicting impulses. Suddenly he shot out a muffled 'Good-night,' and entered the bedroom, shutting the door after him.

      An hour later Humphrey—a gaunt figure in nightgown and slippers, pipe in mouth—tapped at that door.

      Henry, only half undressed, flushed of face, dripping with sweat, quickly opened it.

      Humphrey looked down in surprise at a fully packed trunk and suit-case and a heap of bundles tied with odd bits of twine—sofa cushions, old clothes, what not.

      'What's all this?' Humphrey waved his pipe.

      'Well—I just thought I'd go in the morning.'

      'Don't be a dam' fool.'

      'But—but'—Henry threw out protesting hands—'I know I'm no good at all these fussy things. I'd just spoil your——'

      The pipe waved again. 'That's all disposed of, Hen.' A somewhat wry smile wrinkled the long face. 'Mildred Henderson's running it, apparently. There's a certain Mrs Olson who is to come in mornings and clean up. And—oh yes, I've got a lot of change for you. Your share was only eight-five cents.'

      There was a long silence. Henry looked at his feet; moved one of them slowly about on the floor.

      'We're different kinds,' said Humphrey. 'About as different as they make'em. But that, in itself, isn't a bad thing.'

      He thrust out his hand.

      Henry clasped it; gulped down an all but uncontrollable uprush of feeling; looked down again.

      Humphrey stalked back to his room.

      Thus began the odd partnership of Weaver and Calverly. Though is not every partnership a little odd?