CHAPTER XIX The Arrest
Three days later Billy Webster was arrested.
Ralph Marshall was spending the afternoon at Sunrise camp when theofficers arrived. With them came the man with whom he had once held aconversation concerning Billy--evidently the man who had thrown suspicionupon him.
It was about three o'clock and by chance the entire Camp Fire party wasat home.
Billy, in his favorite fashion, was lying out in the sunshine on anIndian blanket, while his mother sat on one side of him, sewing, and VeraLageloff on the other, reading to them both. They had built themselves asecond camp fire in order to be a little apart from the rest of the groupand not disturb any one by their reading.
For Mrs. Burton was half reclining in a big chair outside her tent,looking over a collection of manuscripts of new plays which had recentlybeen sent to her by her husband. One of them he had chosen to appear inthe next season, but he wished her opinion before finally deciding uponit.
As usual, Peggy Webster was close beside her aunt, but, in order not tointerrupt, Peggy was engaged in weaving an Indian basket of sweetsmelling prairie grasses. Ellen Deal was not far away but, although sheheld a book in her hand, she was not reading.
The day before, she had returned from her voluntary work of caring forthe two invalids. But she did not yet seem to feel entirely at home inher former surroundings and, although she had endeavored to conceal thefact, Mrs. Burton and Peggy had both observed it.
The other girls were engaged in various occupations and Dan was having anap.
Fortunately Ralph Marshall and Sally Ashton had walked a few yards alongthe path which led into Sunrise camp. They were first to observe thepolice and the man who accompanied them, before any member of the campfire realized their errand.
Ralph had an immediate premonition of their intention, although he failedto appreciate its full seriousness.
The man whom he had seen before spoke first.
"We've come to arrest the kid," he announced. "No wonder you wereinterested to hear all I had to say about him. I was green. I didn't geton to the fact that you knew him. But, then, I was a long way fromguessing he was mixed up with this bunch of railroad strikers."
Apparently the man did not intend being impertinent, but was merelystating the case as he recognized it.
Nevertheless Ralph felt both angry and impotent.
"How do you know 'the kid,' as you call him, had anything to do with thestrikers," he inquired. "And if he did, what is that to you?"
The man shook his head.
"Nothing, maybe, except that we want to find out just how deep he was inthe trouble. There were some rails torn up out of the track last night afew miles from here and a freight train went over. Lucky it was afreight, but the engineer was pretty badly hurt. We've got a straight tipthat two or three of the strikers did the work. And we have been hearingthat this boy, who is staying out here in a camp with a lot of relationsand girls, has been loafing around with these same men, getting news forthem and watching what was going on in places they couldn't showthemselves."
"Nonsense," Ralph returned. He was thinking quickly.
"Will you give me the chance to go and tell the boy's people what youhave come for?" he asked. "You see his mother is with him now and thereis no telling what effect your appearance on such an errand will have onher."
The older of the two police officers nodded, with an expression ofrelief. Evidently he had no taste for the task ahead of him.
This afternoon Sunrise camp looked like an idyl. The tents stood in whiteoutline against the dark background of pine trees. In the central spacebefore the tents a big camp fire was burning and seated about it werethree or four girls in their Camp Fire costumes.
The two other groups were not for away.
Ralph went directly to Mrs. Burton. He was sorry that Peggy Webster wasso near that she would be obliged to overhear him, but he dared notdelay.
Under the circumstances it was well that he had given a detailed accountto Mrs. Burton of his discovery of Billy and exactly what he hadoverheard him saying.
Billy was not aware of this fact because his aunt had never mentioned itto him. Ralph had not had any conversation with him since their return tocamp together a few evenings before.
Since then, so far as any one knew, Billy had not been away for an hour.
So, in a measure Mrs. Burton was prepared for the disagreeable news Ralphbrought her. In any case she was usually at her best in realdifficulties; it was the smaller ones that found her unprepared.
Now she turned at once to Peggy.
"Come, dear, we must explain to your mother," she remarked quietly,"don't be frightened. Billy has done nothing wrong, though he may becompelled to prove the fact."
Sally had dropped behind before Ralph delivered his message, but heaccompanied the two women across the few yards of ground that separatedthem from Mrs. Webster.
It was curious, but none of them thought of Billy's being particularlyfrightened, and yet he was a delicate, high-strung boy, not yet sixteen.
Billy was not frightened. As soon as he understood what his aunt wassaying to his mother, he got up and came over to her.
"Don't be worried, dearest," he whispered patting her shoulder softly. "Ihaven't done anything wrong--I give you my word of honor--not evenanything wrong as you and father look at it. Of course, you'll think Ihave been pretty headstrong and foolish and have gotten myself into ascrape. But I didn't see it that way. I thought I could persuade the mento keep out of trouble. Well, I didn't succeed, but I did not know I hadnot until now. The men promised me to be sensible."
He put his arm around her and then turned--not to his aunt or his sister,but to Vera.
"You'll make mother understand the way I felt, won't you? I didn'tconfide in you because I didn't want to get you into my difficulty."
Then he saw the two police officers approaching, with the railroaddetective.
Billy smiled at them, although his face was pretty white.
"You are making a mistake in this. I had a perfect right to give thestrikers all the information I ever gave them. As for any trouble youhave had along the road I knew nothing about it until this minute. And Idoubt if you can prove the strikers were mixed up in it anyway. Still Iknow there is no use in my talking to you. I'll have to tell my story topersons higher in authority. I'll be ready to go along with you in a fewmoments."
And in ten minutes Billy had gone with them, carrying a little bag packedwith a few of his belongings.
He looked very slender and young as he walked away beside the heavy,older men. But his head was up and his shoulders squared.
If he had a lump in his throat and his body shook with nervousness, henever confessed the fact.
Instead, just before he was out of sight, he turned and waved his handgallantly to the group of his Camp Fire friends.
Mrs. Webster had gone to her tent. But the girls and Mrs. Burton receivedhis farewell in tears. Ralph Marshall felt that he would like to haverelieved himself of his own emotion by using language which was notpermitted at Sunrise camp.
Before he was to return to his hotel, however, in order to attend to somebusiness for Mrs. Burton, in connection with Billy's arrest, PeggyWebster came to him.
"I just wanted to thank you," she said quietly.
But she held out her hand and, as Ralph took it, he felt the clasp hadits old, warm friendliness.
CHAPTER XX The Grand Canyon
"I would give a great deal to be going down into the Grand Canyon withyou today, Miss Ellen."
Ellen Deal looked closely at her companion.
"I don't think you ought to wish for anything these days, because so muchthat is good has already come to you."
She spoke seriously and was very much in earnest; nevertheless hercompanion laughed.
The young man and woman were standing together at the summit of a
cliff.Thousands of feet below them lay the bottom of the Grand Canyon, throughwhich the Colorado River runs for a distance of two hundred and seventeenmiles, with a world of adamant and of radiant color lying between thesurface of the earth and this part of its interior.
Near them were a dozen or more other persons getting ready for thedescent into the canyon.
"You are perfectly right, as you are apt to be, Miss Ellen Deal," RobertClark returned. "Fate has been kind to me recently--kinder than Ideserve. It is wonderful that Mrs. Burton's husband is to put on my newplay. I sent it to him before Marta and I had met any of her Camp Fireparty. But I suppose she did bring me good luck in this as in anotherthing, because it was hearing that the famous Polly O'Neill Burton was inthis neighborhood, which inspired me to offer my play to her husband."
Ellen Deal nodded vigorously, the already bright color in her facegrowing brighter.
"Mrs. Burton says she likes your play immensely. She read the manuscriptabout two weeks ago. And, of course, I am sorry you can't go down intothe canyon with us. It is only my unfortunate way of expressing myself.What I really meant was that I am glad you are so much better and havehad such good fortune with your writing. I don't feel nearly so worriedabout you. We shall be going away from here after a little, but I feelsure now that you are going to get well."
"And you won't stay on with Marta and me when I have explained to youthat I can now afford to pay you for the care you will give us? I know itisn't much to offer, but I told you exactly what Mr. Burton had given meas an advance royalty on my play. Living simply, as we do out here, itought to last some time. Besides, who knows what may happen, now my luckhas turned? Queer, isn't it, how bad fortune often brings good? If I hadkept on at my newspaper job it might have been a good many years before Ihad the opportunity to write a play. Besides, through being ill, haven'tI come to knowing you."
Ellen Deal blushed furiously and unbecomingly, as she already had toomuch color to make any more desirable. She was one of the persons whohave not the faintest idea how to receive a compliment gracefully. Acompliment made her even more curt and severe in her manner than usual.And Robert Clark had a Southerner's graceful fashion of beingcomplimentary to women in the most charming and apparently sincere way.
"I told you I would not stay with you at any price when you no longerneed me. You were very much afraid of my offering you charity when Ivolunteered to nurse you until you were stronger. Now, that you do notrequire the services of a nurse, it seems you are offering charity to me.It is totally unnecessary. Mrs. Burton has asked me to continue to remainfor a time longer with the Camp Fire party."
Then, unexpectedly, Ellen Deal's eyes filled with tears.
How utterly ungracious and unattractive her speech sounded! Neverthelessshe greatly wished Mr. Clark and his sister to remember her withpleasure, when they were so soon to be separated and probably would notmeet again.
But Robert Clark did not appear to be either angry or hurt.
Instead, he continued looking at the young woman beside him with a kindof grave tenderness.
"Has it never occurred to you, Ellen, that I may need and want you forother reasons; that I may wish to care for you more than I wish you tocare for me? But I have no right to speak of this to you now--not until Iam absolutely well."
He held out his thin, somewhat scholarly hand and Ellen Deal put her owncapable, executive one into it. She did not understand all hercompanion's speech implied, and yet she had a flooding sense ofhappiness.
"A happy day to you; I must go now and wish Mrs. Burton good luck. Youare wonderfully kind to have included Marta in your excursion into thecanyon. And I have enjoyed my ride with you this far. Good-bye."
The Camp Fire party had this morning driven along a wonderful roadwaywhich is built beside the brink of the canyon for a number of miles. Theyhad finished an early luncheon at an odd road house imitating the Spanishstyle and furnished with Spanish furniture.
At the present moment Mrs. Burton was standing on the great porch of thishotel talking to several of the Grand Canyon guides and entirelysurrounded by members of her Camp Fire party. The others were not faraway, but outside in the hotel grounds.
Billy Webster was standing alongside his aunt looking perfectly well andcheerful. Two weeks had passed since his arrest, but three days only hadbeen required for securing his release.
Mrs. Burton had, of course, immediately obtained the interest and theservices of several influential men, who promised to get her nephew outof his difficulty as quickly as possible.
Then Billy's own story had been perfectly straightforward. He did notdeny his acquaintance with the strikers, but he did assert that hiseffort with them had been against their employing violence. There was,also, Ralph Marshall's testimony that his story was true. Also, there wasBilly's youth and his family's prominence to help him. Whatever thereason or combination of reasons, the boy's case was dismissed afterthree days although there was still the possibility that he might becalled as a witness at the trial of the suspected men.
However, Billy had apparently borne his experience without much sufferingin mind or body. He had not looked so well or animated, as he did today,since his arrival in Arizona. He had also managed to make peace with hisfamily for his escapade, which was more important. However, Mrs. Burtoninsisted that he never be allowed to get very far out of her own or hersister's sight while they were in Arizona, so they need have no furthershocks through Billy's proceedings.
The entire Camp Fire party, excepting Mrs. Webster and Marie, who hadwisely remained at camp, was to descend on mule back down one of theGrand Canyon trails to a plateau above the Colorado River. The trail wasone of the easiest, nevertheless it required thirty-six hours and theywere therefore to spend the night at a camp midway down the incline.
Ralph Marshall, Terry Benton and Howard Brent also were members of theexpedition and Robert Clark had taken the drive, but was not strongenough to go all the way down the trail.
There is an appalling grandeur and an almost indescribable beauty in adescent into the Grand Canyon. And the spectacle affects persons verydifferently, according to their temperaments. To some the giganticawfulness of this huge and mysterious world of stone is more impressivethan its beauty or its majesty. To others it appears as a divine monumentof God, revealing the mystery of creation rather than inspiring terror.
But whatever the effect on the Camp Fire party of the scene about them,as they traveled slowly and carefully down the steep path, getting deeperand deeper into the center of the earth, they were more silent andself-absorbed than ever before. Even Sally Ashton and Gerry Williamsforgot to chatter, or else were too much occupied with their efforts notto come to grief, as the riding was extremely difficult.
About sundown the rude little houses built on a rocky plateau which wereto be their shelter for the night appeared as havens of refuge to each ofthe travelers.
As soon as they could dismount, everybody disappeared inside the housesto rest, leaving only Peggy Webster and Ralph Marshall outside in companywith the guides who were looking after the mules. Peggy walked over tothe edge of the cliff and stood there looking down, and Ralph waited amoment in order to be able to speak to her.
"I have never been able to forgive myself, Peggy, for clutching at youthe afternoon I tumbled over one of these cliffs," a voice saidunexpectedly at the girl's elbow. "I do many things I ought not, but Ihate to think of adding cowardice to my weaknesses."
Ralph Marshall's face was so troubled that Peggy involuntarily slippedher arm inside his. Of course, one never forgets an unkindness; it ishardly possible, but she had in a measure forgiven Ralph for his oncecareless attitude toward her. Moreover, at present it made one feel saferand happier to have the touch of something human near one, whilebeholding so much of nature in an unfriendly mood.
"Don't be absurd, Ralph; your reaching out was involuntary. Besides, youhardly touched me. Anyone would have done what you did without thinking.There was no time, and I would not have fallen as yo
u hardly touched me,except that the ground also gave way under my feet."
"You are a good sport, Peggy, but it scarcely needs me to tell you so."
Peppy turned toward her companion with one of her clearest and moststraightforward expressions.
"I like to hear you say so though, Ralph," she answered.
Then, in order to change the young man's train of thought, she stared atthe great mountains of color up above them and then at the deeper one attheir feet.
"Do you suppose life is as wonderful and as beautiful a journey, Ralph,as the climb through this canyon?"
Ralph returned her gaze steadily.
"I think it will be for you, Peggy, I wish I were as certain for myself.But we shall be reaching the end of the trail into the canyon tomorrow.May I wish we may be good friends to the end of a longer trail?"
Peggy had only time to answer, "yes," when Mrs. Burton, coming to thedoor, called her into their little lodging for the night.
BOOKS BY MARGARET VANDERCOOK
THE RANCH GIRLS SERIES
The Ranch Girls at Rainbow Lodge The Ranch Girls' Pot of Gold The Ranch Girls at Boarding School The Ranch Girls in Europe The Ranch Girls at Home Again The Ranch Girls and Their Great Adventure
THE RED CROSS GIRLS SERIES
The Red Cross Girls in the British Trenches The Red Cross Girls on the French Firing Line The Red Cross Girls in Belgium The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army The Red Cross Girls with the Italian Army The Red Cross Girls Under the Stars and Stripes
STORIES ABOUT CAMP FIRE GIRLS
The Camp Fire Girls at Sunrise Hill The Camp Fire Girls Amid the Snows The Camp Fire Girls in the Outside World The Camp Fire Girls Across the Sea The Camp Fire Girls' Careers The Camp Fire Girls in After Years The Camp Fire Girls on the Edge of the Desert The Camp Fire Girls at the End of the Trail The Camp Fire Girls Behind the Lines The Camp Fire Girls on the Field of Honor
Transcriber's Notes
--Copyright notice provided as in the original printed text--this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.
--Silently corrected palpable typos.
--Conjecturally repaired a lacuna on page 73 to "clear".
--Conjecturally repaired damage across several lines on page 187 between "himself" and "treatment".
--Moved promotional material to the end of the text.
--Relocated illustrations to be near the relevant text.
--Corrected one inconsistently-cited book title ("... on the Edge of the Desert") to match the actual book.
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