The Hero of Hill House | Page 7

right when I came home, and he had Lila and Doyle then, also."
"It is asking too much of the child, and I do not see how you can do it," was the sharp reply. "I will send for them as soon as I get enough ahead to set up housekeeping," promised Mr. Hill.
"Henry, when are you going to bring those children here?" she asked of him a few weeks later.
"Austin is working there and the others are helping him, and they are getting on so well I hate to bother them," he answered.
CHAPTER 4
AUSTIN GOES TO HIS FATHER
One evening Austin and the children were coming home from their work in the gardens, tired and lonely. They could not get used to coming to the house so quiet and empty. Home was not as it used to be, but the brave children were making the best of it.
"I wonder if there will be a letter from Papa," Amy said as they drew near the mail-box, "and if he has a new home for us yet. I should like to see Grandma, and I do want to see Doyle and Lila." Harry, running on ahead, reached into the box and drew out a letter, at sight of which the other children quickened their steps. It was addressed to Austin and was in their father's handwriting:
"Dear Austin, I have gotten things in shape to have you children come to me. I will send you tickets in a few days. In the meantime dispose of the things in the house excepting what you can bring in your trunks. Uncle John will help you do this and see that you get started all right. Write me a card early enough so that I shall know when to meet you. We are all well. Henry Hill."
Austin was trembling all over with excitement mingled with tears. He was glad for the change, for the loneliness was nearly killing him, but he hated to leave Uncle John and his family, and all the neighbors, and Mother's grave. He had almost ceased to hope that his father would send for them, but here was the letter at last.
Henry Hill was careless, we must admit, in his duty, but he was not careless of the opinions of others. Be had been stung to the quick more than once by the insinuations and admonitions of his parents and acquaintances that he was not doing his duty by his children. His mother especially nagged him about it. He might have passed her words off as the whims of childishness, but she was not alone in her condemnations.
"Henry, you are not doing right. Austin is only a little boy and you are laying on him too great a burden," she would say.
"That is where you are mistaken, Mother. Austin is as tall as I am, and plenty strong enough to do all he is doing. They are getting along fine. Austin says so in his letters," he would answer.
"You are not doing right," retorted his mother, and her tones implied more than her words.
It seemed strange to Mr. Hill that he could not make any one understand the situation. Austin had been willing to stay. He had expressed no reluctance at all, and every week brought a letter from the children telling how well they were getting along. He was not hurt by any remorse at their words, but it seemed to him that they were unnecessarily partial to Austin in their judgment, and he felt a sort of animosity toward him on that account. Austin was only doing his duty by the children, so why should he be so praised and pitied? But a man can not long stand the bite of a fly without flinching, and Henry Hill found that he must do something to rid himself of these criticisms. He hated to do it, but he would have to send for the children and again set up housekeeping.
"O Elizabeth," he thought, "why did you have to be taken from me when I need you so much? If you were here, I would not have all this to bear. You made my life easy and happy."
It was with satisfaction that Mother Hill listened to her son explain that he had already sent for the children and must look for a house for them.
After a hasty toilet and a little to eat the children took the letter over to Uncle John's. Mr. Moore read it through, then sat still for a while without comment. At last he spoke, "What does Henry mean by laying such heavy responsibility upon the boy? No instructions, no plans! One would think he believed Austin to be of age."
"I suppose the only thing, Austin, for you to do is to make ready to go to him as