Her Great Ambition

Front matter

Google to make the world's books discoverable online.

It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject

to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books

Chapter I

ALONG June day was drawing to its close. The Verricks' tea-table was spread under the trees on the lawn, while near and about it three members of the family were preparing to partake of refreshment in unceremonious picnic fashion.

According to the given definition of the word ** lawn," — "a surface of grass-ground kept smoothly mown near or in front of a residence," — such an ornament the Verrick estate might certainly boast. But one must at once disabuse the mind of the usual idea, wherein is pictured a green velvet sweep beginning at the foot of broad stone steps, and stretching away, its expanse broken only by the curve of the gravel drive, to where an outer wall, vine-covered and hedge-lined, intercepts the view. From the steps of the Verrick residence to the uncompromising enclosure which surrounded its ground, was but a stone's throw ; whereas at the side and rear were several acres of the '* grass-ground kept smoothly mown," with a tennis-court in one corner, and beyond, divided by a wicket, gardens both vegetable and flower, with tall hollyhocks upon either Bide, stately, stiff, and decorative. Still farther beyond the garden lay the woodland, behind which the sun, about to set, threw back ruby rays over it all and into Augustine's kitchen, until she and it were both redly aglow.

The house was rather an elaborate afiair, with an imposing fisi^ade, an arched carriage way, and many picturesque irregularities in the way of gables and turrets ; but as the family income had dwindled from its former proportions, many of the rooms were disused. Mr. Verrick, who, like the boy in the nursery rhyme, '' never made a bargain but he lost the half," had been involved, many years before his introduction here, in a law-suit regarding the acres which lay before his house on the farther side of what was now the road, and including the fields beyond down to the river. Certain of a decision in his favor, he had built his house and settled his family before the slow eye of the law had thoroughly viewed the case on every side. Imagine, then, his chagrin when, some years after its beginning, the suit terminated with a decision in favor of his opponent, and he found himself obliged to surrender his claim. His manner of receiving the disappointment was entirely characteristic. Firm as his belief had been in ultimate victory, he bore his defeat in absolute silence. One heard nothing further of the many proofs which he had before so often cited of his superior claim. He referred to the subject no more, and only showed his recognition of the adverse decision by the erection of a brick wall, very high and forbidding, covering the outside inch which he could legally control, thereby displapng before his successful opponent his entire indifference to the outer world, either as regarded his own enjoyment

• • of the now hidden prospect or its opinion of his newly finished mansion.

After the death of his wife, which occurred within a few years of the time of his legal defeat, Mr. Verrick lived almost entirely apart. He was a student by nature, and now his loneliness of heart found consolation only in study. His children — there were four of these young problems on his hands — grew up as best they might, the three younger away from home the greater part of the year. But he was at all times isolated, indifferent, absorbed in his books. During this summer afternoon he had been busy in his library with his microscope. The thermometer registered somewhere away up in the eighties, but he found no temptation to leave his labors ; and even when at sundown his younger daughter announced to him that tea was to be served out of doors, he gave no further heed than an absent-minded request that they would not wait for him.

It was a mere form, this summoning the head of the house to his evening meal, and the messenger, not at all surprised at the result of her en^and, took her way back to the party under the trees, dismissing the subject from her mind as a duty performed.

Sophy Verrick was a well-formed girl of medium height, with brown, curling hair, a sensitive, uncertain mouth, and a round child*s chin with a dimple dotted upon it. She had also a good bright color, and was altogether an agreeable sight, as youth and abundant health always are. Now, as she passed along the veranda, she was enjoying the beauty of the green and the goodly prospect to the utmost of her capacity.

The san had passed the height of its setting splendor. Away on the distant trees the shadows, all day blue and soft, had grown darker, and a reddish haze was falling over them. The garden was sending the perfume of grape-blossoms and roses across the grass upon the new breeze born but an hour before.

As Sophy joined the waiting group which animated the landscape, her spirits, which had been of rather a drooping character during all the long hot day, flew up to their customary level at a bound. " You look charmingly picturesque," she called out, approaching; 'a have been admiring you immensely."

*' I know what that means," said Rob, elaborately shielding as if from expected attack the pitcher in which he had been compounding lemonade, — " that compliment was intended especially for me."

*' Modest, as usual," said Walter, laughing. " Where is father?"

** Not coming at present, — by and by perhaps."

^' That means not at all, so I will make myself a shade more picturesque, if you please ; " and so speaking, he extended himself with deliberation at full length upon the grass, and clasping his hands under his head, announced himself ready to be waited upon.

Walter Verrick was a young man who did nothing by halves. He was at home from the city for a vacation. Although he had established quite a reputation for active industry among his emplojers, and was the liveliest tennis-player in the club when he could be induced to play, he seemed to feel himself in duty bound to be idle during his summer leave, and had thus far systematically lounged away his time, to the disgust or delight of his sisters as their demands were for his services or his society. In appearance he was blond and straight-featured, a little above the average height, extremely well proportioned, and quite sensitive as to the whiteness of a pair of muscular arms, which he was endeavoring by daily exposure to the sun to color to a more manly brown.

" I never saw any one who could keep a whole family busy as successfully as you, Walter," said Sophy, waiting on him and helping herself ; *' you ought to have a valet to take care of you.*'

*' A valet ! " cried Rob, with scornful emphasis on the indefinite article ; "he would need twent3% You remind me, Walt, of those fellows who never do anything but throw bootjacks at their servants."

Walter acknowledged the compliment. " Rather warm work throwing bootjacks this weather," he said, enjoying his salad. " I would have two valets, and let them practise at each other."

Walter was the connecting link between the serious members of the family, as represented by his father and his elder sister Jessie, and the two j^ounger ones, who had not as yet shown signs of any growing dignity. He had been the true leader of the Verrick flock ever since they had been settled together. He it was who adjusted family differences and arranged that the discovered needs should be provided for. This necessity for discretion had given him a gravity beyond his two-and-twenty years, but he had a sense of humor and love of fun which bound him still to the lightness of youth. To Jessie's care might be owing whatever regulaiity there was in the household, and to her example might l3e traced whatever sense of propriety grew within its members. But to Walter they all looked ; he of them all could least be spared.

Jessie was the quiet member of the family. She had always remained under her father's roof, performing her educational duties regularly and conscientiously as was her nature in all things, and giving no moment's uneasiness to the methodical visitinggoverness who instructed her, nor to the still resident Augustine, who looked after her physical well-being. Jessie followed Walter in point of age. She was fair, rather more slender than an exact proportion would have demanded, with a pair of light-blue eyes and a small, compressed mouth. Her quiet, even life had reinforced her natural peculiarities. Silence had become to her habitual, as well as a repose of manner founded upon serene self-approval.

Her sister Sophronia, on the contrary, had enjoyed none of the advantages of solitude. After their mother's death Sophy had been taken in charge by the aunt for whom she was named, — a capricious, uneasy lad}', not always entirely judicious, under whose care her niece had travelled constantly, studied fitfully, read voraciously, and cultivated her taste for drawing as well as was possible on the wing. As a consequence of this training, or lack of it, the girl returned to her family, upon her aunt's rather tardy decision to marry, with a completed education which gave to them a bright, restless damsel with a moderate ability for sketching in color, a fair amount of general information, and a rooted aversion to doing any distasteful thing.

The memory of an enforced self-denial of that verj' daj-'s occurrence brought even now a little sigh, as she dismissed it for the twentieth time from her mind. Rob^ noticing the sigh, felt called upon to explain its cause. Hob was the youngest of the family, with still two years of boarding-school before him, and was, as a consequence, the sharpest, the wisest, the most to be feared.

" Sophy's provoked," he declared, frankly, " because she cannot go to Frostmore to sketch."

**How did you know I was thinking of that?" she asked, amused.

" Oh ! I knew by your expression that it was the heaviest of your tremendous sorrows, so it must, be that. We were turned out of Frostmore this afternoon," he went on, looking alternately at Jessie and Walter : " Sophronia there, the persecuted artist, and I, her attendant knight, were politely requested to get out."

Jessie looked shocked. "How did it happen?" she asked. " I thought that Frostmore was open to every one."

" It always has been," answered Sophy, forgetting her supper ; " but the man said that the family were expected soon, and ordered us off as if we were infected."

" Which we are not," cut in Rob, "with anything but genius ; and there was no danger of his catching that."

** Even it the Frosts are coming," Sophj' went on, not heeding him, " I should not interfere with them ; the grounds are large enough for them and for me too."

"The grounds are large enough for all the beggars in town," said Walter; " but it is barely possible that the owners would rather have them to themselves. The world must contain sketching material outside of Frostmore."

Sophy laughed and frowned at the same time. "It is not that/' she answered, "but I have only half finished what I was at work on, and I do not want to give it up now."

" Never mind it," returned Walter, easily, passing his plate for a second supply of salad ; " console yourself somehow. I daresay the people will not stay long; or if they do, we shall probably meet them, — and then you will be able to go about the place with the consent of its owner. I have seen Mr. Frost at the office two or three times; he seemed very pleasant with Mr. Marlowe."

" And not with you 1 " cried Kob, triumphantly ; " Hur ! too proud ! "

Soph}' gav6 him an approving nod. " Of course he is," she said. "He's old and crabbed, with a booked nose and so much aristocracy that he might as well be frozen stiff! Not a drop of blood in his veins, only a little ice- water ! I have seen hundreds of them ; they are all equally self-satisfied and disagreeable."

" I do love an enthusiast," laughed Walter, " and you certainly head the list in that line, Sophronia. But it happens in this case you are wrong. Mr. Frost is neither disagreeable nor self-satisfied. But of course you do not care to hear."

"Walter Vemck," exclaimed Sophy, solemnly, casting down her empty plate with so little heed that Jessie hardly dared to hope for its safety, " if 3^ou know anything worth telling, I command you to tell it now ; it will be the very first thing that I have heard for months that I did not know before."

HEE GBEAT AMBITION. 13

" That is one of the disadvantages of being well informed. But I have nothing to tell, except that 30U are wrong in every particular ; and I am afraid that that state of things would not be new enough to interest you. Mr. Frost is young and amiable, has blood in his veins and not the dropsy, is as rich as Crcesus and as handsome as Apollo, has so many estates that he cannot get around to them more than once in ten years, and — ahem ! — chariots and horses, and jewels rare, and a wife, and I do not know how many children."

" What an exhaustive biography ! " said Sophy, laughing; "I can easily beUeve myself an intimate friend of the family."

Then, without giving her brother time for further remarks, she arose, and stretching a pair of strong young arms toward his still recumbent figure, said, " Come with me as far as the garden ; I have something to tell you."

He looked at her quickl}* and a little anxiously, but arose at once and accompanied her without a word. They walked slowly along side by side, leaving Jessie to see that her father's supper was carried to him and the tea-things properly consigned to Augustine's care. Rob, left alone, devoted himself for a while to the remains of the meal; after which he strolled off in search of other company, as he went calling back a not very flattering opinion of the deserters in the background, who were too deeply engaged by this time to notice so slight an interruption.

Walter, with folded arms, leaned against the little gate. His sister had seated herself upon the low stone wall near him, and was expressing her views with rather unusual earnestness and gesticulation.

*' No one will see me," she said ; " I have come out that way twice. The trees are all knots and stumps, and it is perfectly easy to climb. You see I cannot wait longer than to-morrow to finish it, or it will not be dry enough to send awa}' on Thursday. Perhaps I may get enough for it to — "

He interrupted her with an impatient gesture. " I hate the idea of your painting for money," he said, rather sourly. "It is not necessary, and people make all kinds of remarks."

" What can they say, except that I want more money than I have ; and as for that, who does not? Then too I may do something really fine some daj*. Every one used to tell Aunt Sophronia that I had remarkable talent."

Once more he broke in with impatience. *' And Aunt Soplironia must needs tell j'ou what they said ; and the result is that j'ou are altogether too unusual to behave like other girls. You must have aspirations and vocations. Nothing but an independent income will do for you, and j'ou can go clambering over people's walls when they refuse admission at the gate, because of your superior genius ! It is not worth while to say anj'thing more. Even if I approved of your selling your work, I could not approve of your going to Frostmore again without the permission of its owner. So there is an end of it."

He spoke decidedly, perhaps a little savagely; but it was more in fear lest she should wheedle him into something like acquiescence than that he felt impatience with her. They never thought of consulting their father upon any of the minor problems of life, and Walter, as the judicial head of the familj^,

HEB GBSAT AMBITION. 15

often felt an utter helplessness in dealing with this member of it. He always went armed to the teeth into any discussion with her, and he thought with dismay of the tnany times when against his will she had persuaded him into becoming her champion. Now, taking warning from such experience, he resolved to settle the question without giving her time for parley. As they talked, his resolution had been much fortified in noticing, with the surprise with which we mark some new point in a familiar object, how young and dependent she appeared, with her little curls and the childish frill about her throat Indeed, he seemed to himself quite elderly, and was encouraged to beheve that he should be able to hold his own.

" Then you advise me to give up painting," she said, with rising color.

" There 3'ou go, flying off to the other extreme ! I do not advise anything of the kind."

^' It amounts to the same thing. Unless I paint when I want to, there is no use in my trying at all. I can never, do anj'thing except when I am particularly in the mood for it."

"That is some of Aunt Sophronia's work! If you begin by believing such nonsense as that, you will not really try to do well more than half the time. The way to do is to persevere and keep at it^ whether you want to or not ; then you will do much better work, and grow rich much faster, if that is your object."

She was becoming angry, that was easy to see. Her color grew still warmer, and at the remark as to her becoming rich, which she felt to be a sneer at her desire for independence, a little light, as sharp and fine as a needle's point, flashed at him from her eyes.

Seeing this, he girded himself for a final blow, which should settle the matter beyond question. '* You are angry," he said, stiffly, " because I do not agree with you. That is always the way, I believe, with those who ask advice. Thej'^ do not want advice at all ; they only want to hear themselves argue, and strengthen their own opinion. As for 3'our going on any such expedition as you propose, the finest thing that you could possibly turn out would not make it worth your while. So you will not think of it, will you ? "

He softened a little at the end, and reached a persuasive hand toward her nearest shoulder. But she arose, and stood beyond his touch. That second showing of the light regard in which he held her powers had thoroughly aroused her wrath.

*' I shall promise nothing," she cried, keeping a disdainful distance between them.

*' You must," he insisted, unwisely.

** I tell you that I will not," she retorted ; *' I would go now, if it were only to prove to you that I can do as I choose."

"You shall not go without permission," he said, with determination; "I will prevent it."

''We shall see," she returned, loftily; and with a parting fier}^ glance she walked away to the house and to her room, leaving her brother to wonder whether discretion would not have been in this case, as in many another, the better part of valor.

HEE GEEAT AMBITION. 17

Chapter II

THE following morning was well advanced before Sophy made her appearance in the deserted breakfast-room. The distant sound of continued arpeggios announced sufficiently her sister's whereabouts, and she learned incidentally from Augustine that the boys had started early on a fishing excursion. She was quite at a loss to account for this state of things, and as she abandoned the air of frigid stateliness with which she was prepared to confront her recent opponent and ate her breakfast, she speculated not a little upon his absence. Walter was one to keep his word; and furthermore, these all-day fishing-tramps of which Rob was so fond had not been to his taste of late. What could it mean? Was Augustine sure that both the boys had gone for the day ? Augustine was sure. Then Sophy could arrive at but one conclusion. Walter had decided to surrender at discretion, and had *taken himself off, that he might thereafter appear to believe himself victorious. Strong doubts as to the probability of this explanation arose within her ; but she silenced them, and finishing her meal hastily, slung her compactly stored sketching implements over her shoulder and set forth toward the forbidden

goal.

18 IIER GREAT AMBITION.

It was as warm a morning as had been that season, and she would have thought work of any kind out of the question had it not been that the glow of her anger had ignited the fire of her genius, placing even the sun's fierce strength beneath consideration. She walked firmly down the baking road under a big umbrella, sharing the resolution of the bees and butterflies, who only, beside herself, showed indiflerence to the attractions of shade and inertia.

It was not a long walk to the main entrance of the Frostmore ground ; one had only to follow the straight road for half a mile. But to reach the rear of the enclosure one must take a roundabout and devious way, and cover a distance three times as great. Sophy crossed a field where the mowers had been at work, and the air was full of the scent of the new hay. She kicked her feet against the dry stub-grass as she walked, and watched the short, whirring flight of the startled grasshoppers. At length she pushed her way through a growth of thick young bushes, and the river lay before her, its placid water almost black where it was shaded, — a liquid, m3sterious blackness, which melted into olives and browns, finally losing itself in the clear reflection of green outlines and the perfect blue of the summer sky. She stood for a few moments in a shady spot and admired it all. A company of water-spiders which had gathered in a mass near the bank, skated * jerkily hither and thither on their little threads of legs. Slender darning-needles of irridescent blue hovered about the overhanging bushes and the flags beneath, while the invisible locusts sang their tireless, persistent chorus from the trees. She gathered a few cardinal flowers and adorned her belt with their perishing glory as she walked on, until finally a corner of the Frostmore enclosure appeared ; then, but a short distance farther, and she again came to a standstill and looked about her. Before her was a thick, exclusive-looking wall, beside which grew a maple-tree with low-spreading limbs, easy of ascent by consequence of its nearness to the stump of a departed companion, which afforded an excellent start. From the lower elevation she was enabled to place her sketching materials on the top of the wall ; after which she shot her umbrella far over into the invisible, and proceeded with determination to mount aloft. The struggle was laborious and by no means graceful ; but her efforts were rewarded at last by a rather uncertain kneeling position beside her box and easel The tree by which she must descend within grew several yards farther along, so she collected her possessions and arose to her feet, and keeping her eyes well upon the broad stone coping before her, arrived safely within reach of the friendly branches. To circulate about in a tree with any degree of confidence even the most experienced performer requires, as a rule, the full complement of arms and legs ; yet this novice, handicapped as she was, succeeded in accomplishing the perilous feat, reaching the ground a little suddenly perhaps, but certainly unhurt.

Making sure that no mortal was near, she took her way toward the little lake, which lay before her in all the beauty of its midsummer surroundings. But oh, the heat ! She took off her hat and fanned herself with it, after preparing to begin her work. How still it was ! She smiled amiably to hft-self. One might as well be in the desert, as far as solitary safety was concerned. Even as the thought crossed her mind, the sound of a light footstep struck a withering terror to her very heart.

"Hullo!" called a friendly voice, and the small body of its owner drew up beside her. It was that of a handsomely dressed boy of about seven years, who gazed upon the trespasser with an interest unmixed with the smallest surprise or embarrassment.

" How do you do? ** she retorted at length, rescuing her animation from the paralysis which seemed to benumb it.

"I have come to see 3'our picture," he went on, in no way disturbed by his indifferent reception.

She reached forward mechanically, and held the small plaque toward him.

" Why that is splendid! " he cried, looking at it critically ; " a great deal better than Minna can do." Then, after a pause, he added frankly, displaying his desire to impart his small stock of information, "Why don't you say, Who is Minna?"

"Who is Minna?" she asked, obediently, about to add, "and who are you?" when he continued, satisfied, " Minna is our governess ; she teaches us. I hate her," he added, sweetl}' ; " so does Lolly. Lolly is my brother, his name is Lawrence. My name is Roger, — Roger Frost. What is your name ? "

"How did you come here?" she inquired, not heeding his question; "was anyone with you?"

"No one was with me; I came alone. I ran away."

""^ Where from?"

" From the house. I was tired of playing all alone. What is your name?"

HER GKEAT AMBITION. 21

Almost reassured, she allowed herself to display more interest than she had yet dared. " My name is Sophronia," she admitted, beginning to sketch rapidly.

" M — m ! " dubiously, — " not a very nice name : think it is?"

*'No, indeed; I think it perfectly dreadful."

The frank admission pleased him. " So do I," he said, confidentially, looking up at her as he lay upon the ground at her side. '*Do you know that the world is round?"

She paused in her work to look down into the handsome little face. ^' Are you sure that it is not square?" she asked.

^^ Yes, it is round. And you think that it stands still, don't you?"

*' Of course the world stands still."

" No, it does not ; it keeps turning over and over like lightning, and half the time you are wrong side up, only you do not know it."

Sophy could only give him a little incredulous look in the midst of her laughter, while he went on, delighted with his own power of instruction. " I study geography, so I know all about it. When I know all the capitals, my papa is going to give me a watch. I do not know any yet, excepting Paris. Have you ever been there?"

•* Never."

" What ! why we have all been there. I went to erpreesherate my advantages, but papa saj^s I did not My tongue will not speak French. Can you speak French?

'' Yes, a little.'

There was a short silence, during which Sophy painted quietly, and her companion watched her brush with interest At his next words the smiles called forth by his friendly confidences faded from her lips, and the busy brush came to a standstill.

'' That was your umbrella that came over he wall, wasn't it?" he asked, innocently. "It hit my papa in the back. He did n't care, though ; he thought that it was yours."

There was no need to counterfeit amazement now. ^' What do j'^ou mean?" was all that she could say, while her companion, in delight at having so excellent a listener, rattled volubly on.

"Hanson said that you had been here, and he told you not ; and papa said it was n't right, Manson, and Manson said it was orders ; and then the umbrella came over the wall, and papa made us all go away ; and he told Manson and James that they must not come here again to-day, and he told me that I must go to the house ; but then the doctor came, and I ran away back here."

" You should not have run away from the doctor," she said, putting her belongings hastily together. "I must leave you now, and you must go back to him."

" But he did n't come to see me," urged the child, " he came to see one of the men ; and, oh, I wish that you would n't go ! You have not been here a second yet, and I am all alone. If you will only stay until they come to find me, I will not tease another bit. Mamma will be sure to miss me as soon as the doctor goes."