CHAPTER IX
VANITY FAIR
The Farnsworths made no difference in their treatment of Azalea, afterher escapade. Bill had scolded her severely for taking the baby awaywithout leave, and sternly forbidden her ever to do so again, and thegirl had promised she would not.
Patty had said nothing to her on the subject, feeling that she couldbest keep Azalea's friendliness by ignoring the matter, and she wastrying very hard to teach the girl the amenities of social life.
And Azalea was improving. She behaved much better at table and in thepresence of guests. Patty rejoiced at the improvement and, as she tookstrict care that Azalea should have no opportunity to see Fleurettealone, she feared no repetition of those anxious hours when the baby wasmissing.
Elise rather liked the Western girl. They became good friends and wentfor long strolls together. Elise was a good walker, and Azalea wastireless.
One day they had gone a long distance from home, when suddenly Azaleasaid, "I wish you'd stay here a few minutes, Elise, and wait for me."
"Why, where are you going?" asked the other, in astonishment.
"Never mind, it's a little secret,--for the present. You just sit hereon the grass and wait,--there's a duck. Here's a book you can read."
Azalea offered Elise a small volume--it was a new humorous publication,and one Elise had expressed a desire to read. She took it, saying, "Allright, Zaly, go ahead, but don't be too long."
Azalea left her, and Elise soon became absorbed in the book.
It was a full half hour before Azalea returned.
"Where _have_ you been?" asked Elise, looking up, and then glancing ather watch. "It's half-past four!"
"I know it. That's not late. Come on, let's go home."
Azalea was smiling and in an excited mood, but she lookedtired,--almost exhausted, as well. She was flushed, and her hair wasrumpled, and her breath came quickly, as if she had been through someviolent exercise.
"What _have_ you been up to, Zaly?" Elise asked, curiously. "You lookall done up!"
"I went for a walk by myself. Sometimes I have moods--"
"Fiddlesticks! Don't try to make me think you had a longing forself-communion or any foolishness of that sort! I know you, AzaleaThorpe! You went off to meet somebody--"
"I did not! How you talk, Elise Farrington!"
"Yes, you did! Somebody that you don't want Patty and Bill to knowabout. Oh, you don't fool me! I'm not a blind bat!"
"Well, you're way off! How could I possibly know anybody they don'tknow?"
"You do, though. You had some people come to see you, and theFarnsworths didn't meet them at all."
"How do you know?"
"Patty told me."
"Tattle-tale! It's none of her business if I did!"
"Now, look here! I won't stand for such talk about Patty! You stop it!She's not only your hostess but she's the best friend you ever had orever will have! She's making you over,--and goodness knows you neededit!"
"And that's none of _your_ business! I'm as good as you are,--thisminute!"
"I didn't say you weren't! It isn't a question of goodness. You maybe a saint on earth compared to me, but you don't know how to behavein decent society,--or didn't, till Patty took you in hand."
"She invited me to visit her! I didn't ask her to have me!"
"Yes, because she wanted to be kind to her husband's people, and youseemed to be the only one available."
"Well, I was. And as I'm Cousin William's only relative, I have a rightto visit him as long as I please."
"I don't deny that, Azalea," and Elise couldn't help laughing at thedefiant air of the speaker. "I'm not disputing your right to be here.But I do deny your right to say anything whatever against Patty, who istrying her best to do all she can for your pleasure and for your good."
"That's so," and Azalea's manner suddenly changed. "Patty is a dear,and I love her. And that baby! Oh!"
"How crazy you are over that child," Elise exclaimed. "She _is_ a dearbaby, but I don't see why you idolise her so."
"Oh, I love babies, and Fleurette is so sweet and soft and cuddly! Ilove to have her all to myself,--but Patty won't let me."
"I don't wonder! Where did you go with her that day, Azalea?"
"Nowhere in particular. Just for a walk in the country. I mean I walked.Baby rode in her coach."
"But you went somewhere. Nurse Winnie insists you gave the child somesoothing syrup,--or whatever they call it."
"What! I did nothing of the sort! Why, Elise, I wouldn't do such athing! I love that kiddy! I wouldn't give her a morsel to eat or drink.I know how careful Nurse and Patty are about that! You must be crazy tothink I'd give Baby anything!"
Azalea's honesty was unmistakable, Elise couldn't doubt she was speakingthe truth. She began to think Nurse Winnie had imagined the soothingsyrup.
The two girls went home, and Elise said no word to any one of Azalea'sstrange disappearance for a time.
They found Patty in a state of great excitement and interest over a newproject.
Betty Gale was there and the two heads were together over a list theywere making and they were chattering like a couple of magpies.
"Oh, Elise," Patty cried out, "we're getting up the grandest thing! It'sgoing to be here,--for the benefit of the Summer Fund, and it's going tobe Vanity Fair!"
"What? What does that mean?"
"Just what it says! It's a big bazaar,--of course,--and we're goingto call it Vanity Fair and sell only gay, dainty, dinky littlecontraptions, and have all sorts of pretty booths and fancy dances andflower stands, and--oh, everything that Vanity Fair suggests."
"Fine!" approved Elise. "Great name! Who thought of it? You, Betty? I'mfor it,--heart and soul! How about you, Azalea?"
The Western girl stood silent. This was the sort of thing that wasoutside her ken. Though she had been at Wistaria Porch for some weeksnow, and had become fairly conversant with the ways of Patty and herfriends, this kind of a gay project was to her an unknown field.
"It must be beautiful,--to know about things like that,"--she said, atlast, so wistfully, that Patty put out a hand and drew Azalea to herside.
It was this sort of a speech that made Patty feel that she was makingheadway in her efforts to improve the girl, and she rejoiced to have hershow a desire to join in the new project.
"You can help us lots, I'm sure, Zaly," she said, kindly, "and you'llhave a chance to learn about it all. There's heaps of fun in a Fair,especially when it's all novel to you. It's an old story to us, but _I_always love anything of the sort. We'll have it here, you see, and itwill be a lawn _fete_ and a house party and a general hullabaloo!"
"We're making out the committees," said Betty, "and, you'll be here,won't you, Elise?"
"Well, I just guess! You can't lose _me_! I shall be back and forth,of course, but I'll do my share of the work, and exact my share of thefun."
"Fine!" said Betty, a bit absently, as she was deeply absorbed in herlist of names.
"Of course," Patty went on, partly to the others and partly as if merelythinking aloud for her own benefit, "there will be all the regulationthings,--lemonade well, fortune-telling, society circus and everything,but the idea is to have every one of them just a little bit differentfrom what it has always been before, and have it in harmony with theidea of Vanity Fair."
"The book?" asked Elise.
"No, not Thackeray. I mean, just the idea of the gay atmosphere,--thelight, giddy side of life. For instance, let's have a Vanity booth andsell all sorts of aids to beauty--"
"Powder and paint!" exclaimed Azalea, in surprise.
"Well, I meant more like lacy caps and stunning negligees. And yes, ofcourse, vanity cases and powder-puff bags and mirrors and perfumes,--oh,all sorts of foolishnesses that are pretty."
"I know," said Elise, nodding her head. "And we'll have an artificialflower booth,--that's right in line. And people love to buy 'em,--I do."
"And laces," said Patty; "and embroidered boudoir pillows, and oh,--an
dbaby things! Why Fleurette's nursery wardrobe looks like a Vanity Fairitself!"
"Hold on," cried Betty, laughing, "don't go too far. Not everybody isinterested in baby togs!"
"I s'pose not," said Patty, smiling. "All right, cut out the Babybooth."
"No," spoke up Azalea, "let's have it. Everybody knows a baby to givepresents to. And the little caps and things are so pretty."
"Good for you, Zaly," cried Patty; "we'll have it, and you and I willrun it, and Fleurette shall be the presiding genius, and sit enthronedamong the fairy wares! Oh, it will be lovely!"
"Yes, do have it," agreed Betty. "It will be a screaming success withFleurette in it!"
"And if you want such things," Azalea went on, losing her diffidence,"I can get a lot of Indian things from home,--baskets,--you know,--andleather, and beaded things."
"Fine, Zaly!" and Elise smiled at her. "We do want those,--realones,--they always sell."
They went on planning, all working in harmony, and each full ofsuggestions, which the others approved or criticised, in frank, friendlyfashion.
Then Janet appeared to call Azalea to the telephone, and the girl lookedup, surprised. She blushed scarlet, and hurried from the room.
"Who could have called her?" said Elise; "she doesn't know any one youdon't know,--does she, Patty?"
"No; but she knows lots of our friends. Somebody is probably asking herto go somewhere."
None of them tried to listen, but the telephone was in the next room andAzalea's voice had a peculiar carrying quality that made it difficultnot to overhear snatches of her conversation.
"No," she exclaimed, positively, "I can't do it! I really can't! I'msorry it didn't go right, but I _can't_ do it again! It's impossible!"
A pause, and then, again, "No, I simply can't! Don't ask me--yes, ofcourse,--I know,--but, you see, they said,--oh, I can't tell younow,--I'll write,--well, yes, I'll do _that_!--Oh, of course, _I'll_ bethere--but the--the other one--no, no, no!"
These remarks were at long intervals and disconnected, but they wereclearly heard by the three in the next room, and though no one mentionedit, each thought it a strange conversation for Azalea to take part in.
Patty listened thoughtfully, feeling no hesitation in doing so, for shehad only Azalea's good at heart and wanted to know anything that mighthelp her understand the mystery that was certainly attached to the girl.
In the first place to whom could Azalea possibly be talking in thatfashion? Moreover, her voice was troubled, and her tone was one ofnervous apprehension and anxiety.
At last she returned to the group, and Patty said, pleasantly, "Who'syour friend, Zaly?"
"Nobody in particular," and Azalea looked as if that were a question shehad been dreading.
"You mean not a particular friend; but who was it?" Patty waspersistent, even at risk of rousing Azalea's wrath, for she feltshe must know.
"I won't tell you!" Azalea cried, stormily. "It's nobody's business ifI answer a telephone call. I don't ask you who it is, every time _you_telephone!"
"All right, Zaly, forgive me,--I _was_ a bit inquisitive."
And so the matter was dropped, but that night after Azalea had gone toher room, Patty came tapping at the door.
It was only after repeated knocking that Azalea opened the door a littleway, and quite evidently resented the intrusion.
"I'm just going to bed," she said, ungraciously.
"I won't stay but a minute," and Patty insistently pushed her way in."Now, don't fly into a rage, dear, but you _must_ tell me who called youup on the telephone to-day."
"You've no right to ask!"
"Yes, I have, and, too, there must be some reason why you are sounwilling to tell me. Why is it?"
Azalea hesitated. Then she said, "Oh, I've no reason to make a secret ofit. But I think you're very curious. It was somebody I met on the trainwhen I came East."
"A man or a woman?"
"A--a woman."
"Are you telling the truth, Azalea?" and Patty's clear, compelling gazewas direct and accusing.
"Well--well--Patty, it's both."
"Those people who called here one day, and you saw them on the porch?"
"Yes."
"What are their names?"
"Oh,--oh, I forget."
"Rubbish! You _don't_ forget. Be sensible, Azalea. You're making amystery of something. Now if it's anything wrong, I'm going to knowabout it,--if it's merely a little secret of your own,--a justifiableone,--tell me so, in a convincing way, and I'll stop questioning."
"It _is_ a secret of my own,--and it's nobody's business but mine."
"Is it a harmless, innocent matter?"
"Of course it is! What do you think I am? A thief?"
"Gracious, no! I never thought you were that!" Patty laughed. "But I dosuspect you're up to some flirtation or affair of that sort, and I havea perfect right to inquire into the matter. Why didn't you let us meetyour friends that day they called?"
"I didn't suppose you would care to know them. They're not your sort."
"Are they _your_ sort? Oh, Zaly, I thought you _wanted_ to be our'sort,'--as you call it. You don't want to have friends Bill and Iwouldn't approve of, do you?"
"Oh,--I don't know _what_ I want! I wish you'd go 'way, and leave mealone!"
"I will in a minute. Tell me your friends' names."
"I won't."
"Then I shall ask Ray Gale. He knows them,--he recognised them the daythey were here, and you forbade him to tell me who they were."
"Then if he knows them, isn't that enough to assure you of theirrespectability?"
"It isn't a question of respectability,--I want to know why they aretelephoning you,--not casually,--but apparently on some importantmatter."
"That's _my_ business. Oh, Patty, let me alone!"
Azalea was clearly overwrought, and in another moment would fly into anhysterical tantrum. But Patty made one more effort.
"Just tell me the name," she said, gently.
"Well--Smith. There, _now_ are you satisfied?"
"I am not," said Patty, truthfully. "Good night, Azalea."
She went thoughtfully away, and communicated to Bill the wholeconversation.
"She's a queer girl," Farnsworth remarked, after he had heard all aboutthe afternoon telephoning. "Do you know, Patty, that letter which shepretended came from her father,--she wrote herself."
"What?"
"She did; and on my own typewriter,--here in our library."
"What _do_ you mean?"
"Just what I say. I knew it, the moment I saw it, for the writing on mymachine is so familiar to me, I can recognise it instantly. The tail ofthe y doesn't print, and there are lots of little details that make itrecognisable."
"Are you sure, dear? I thought all typewriting was just alike."
"Oh, no; it is as greatly differentiated, almost, as penwriting,--someexperts think more so. I mean, it can't be forged successfully, andpenwriting can. Well, anyhow, that letter Azalea showed me, as beingfrom her father, was written on my machine. She had no envelope, for ofcourse she couldn't reproduce the proper postmark on an envelope she hadherself addressed."
"But why,--what for? I don't understand."
"I haven't got it all straightened out yet, myself,--but I shall.Another thing, Azalea is a poor speller, and she herself spells _very_with two r's. She did in a dinner acceptance she wrote and referred tome for approval. So, when I saw that word misspelled twice in theletter we're talking of, I _knew_ she wrote it,--I mean, it corroboratedmy belief. Now, Patty, we've a peculiar case to deal with, and we mustfeel our way. This telephoning business is serious. Of course, Smith is_not_ those people's name! She told you a falsehood. We know she iscapable of that! Now to find out what their name is. It isn't too lateto call up Gale."
Farnsworth took up the telephone and soon had Raymond Gale on the wire.He asked him frankly for the name of the two people who were calling onAzalea when he recognised them.
"Miss Thorpe asked me not to tell," said
Gale, "I'm sorry, old chap, butI promised her I wouldn't."
"But it's an important matter, Ray, and a case in which I'm sure you'rejustified in breaking your promise--"
"Can't do it! Can't break my word given to a lady."
"But Azalea is a mere girl, and a headstrong, ignorant one, at that. Sheis in our care, and it is our duty to know with whom she associates. Whowere those people?"
"Seriously, Farnsworth, I can't tell you. Miss Thorpe asked medefinitely not to do so, and I gave her my promise. You must see,--asman to man,--I _can't_ tell you."
"I see your point, and I quite agree, in a general way. But, Gale, thisis a--well, a crisis. I'm investigating a mystery and I must _know_ whothose people are."
"Ask Miss Thorpe."
"I have, and she won't tell."
"Then you surely can't expect me to! After I promised to keep hersecret!"
"Why should it be a secret?"
"Ask her."
"Well, tell me one thing; is the name Smith?"
"It is not."
"What sort of people are they?"
"Oh, people of--why, hang it, man,--I don't know what to say to you! Irefuse to betray Miss Thorpe's confidence, and so I don't know how muchI ought to tell you."
"Are they people I would receive in my home?"
"Scarcely! If you mean, are they your social equals, they are not!"
"Then, I ought to know about them, and forbid Azalea theiracquaintance."
"Oh, Miss Thorpe doesn't know them socially!" said Gale, and then hesaid a quick "good-bye" and hung up his receiver.