CHAPTER XIX
SAILS ON THE HORIZON
On the night of the twenty-seventh, Leslie Secrest and Sarita Moore weresitting in the Sea Crest to talk. Gently the boat rocked a little in thelapping water of their little cove. Beth and Dalton were above in theEyrie, where they had a spyglass, not one belonging to Peggy, but onewhich Dalton had procured. "It would be a fine thing, wouldn't it," heasked, "to hunt down Peggy's step-father with a glass that he willprobably pay for?"
Idly Leslie dipped her hand in the water. "Let's go over after Peggy,"Sarita suggested. "Lots of boats are out yet, and the sunset isn't over.See what entrancing shades there are. Beth is probably copying thoseover there in the east. Too bad the sun itself isn't in that direction!"
Without a word, Leslie sprang into action. "I see a few twinkles ofstars coming out, but it isn't too late," she said. They were soon outupon the bay, Sarita waving a farewell to Beth, who had walked out uponthe rocks. Before they had gone far toward the channel, by which theywould reach Peggy's, to their surprise, the Ives yacht gave forth a deepand sonorous sound.
"Listen to Peggy's yacht tooting!" cried Sarita. "Look out, Les. Let'skeep out of the way."
The yacht, indeed, was moving out; but as there was but one straightcourse for it out of the bay, Leslie was not concerned. She drove theSea Crest in another direction, and circled around, as they often did.To their surprise again, there was Peggy herself, waving from the deck.
Leslie chose to follow in the wake of the yacht, which drew farther andfarther away from them, and finally turned north along the coast,disappearing from view. It had not been Leslie's intention, to be sure,to go out into the open sea very far, but she saw Mr. Tudor and hisfriend in another launch no bigger than the Sea Crest and she found thesea very little rougher than the bay. "It will be fairly light for morethan an hour, Sarita, let's stay out a while."
Sarita was willing, and they turned the little Sea Crest toward the opensea and sped on. Suddenly, upon the horizon, a lovely sight greetedtheir eyes. There hung a large schooner as if suspended from the clouds.It was in full sail, the last pink and lavender of the sunset impartinga tinge of color to the swelling sails.
"How lovely!" exclaimed Leslie. "Is it a fishing schooner, or _the_schooner, I wonder?"
"It might be either, or both," laughed Sarita. "How odd! It's simplyfading from view! See, it's turned, too."
The girls watched the schooner till they could see it no more. ThenLeslie turned the launch and ran straight for the bay. "Do you supposethat it _is_ the schooner and that the yacht has gone to meet it now?They certainly would not take Peggy and Mrs. Ives, would they? Howterrible it would be if they were boarded out there and Peggy would bein the midst of it!"
But as they came on, they saw Mrs. Ives and Peggy in a launch run by noless a personage than Bill himself. Peggy said something to Bill, whoran the launch within speaking distance while she called, "Enginestopped and we had to signal for help. Dad and the Count may have tostay there all night!" Peggy's face was bright. There was much else thatshe wanted to tell the girls, but Bill wouldn't want to wait, she knew.
After nodding brightly to Peggy, Leslie and Sarita looked at each other."Camouflage," said Leslie "They meant to send them back all the time.Their engine is all right and that's the schooner! Bill will go out withthe launch, of course, taking the plumber!"
"Plumber!" laughed Sarita.
"Well, isn't that whom you send for when anything is out of fix?"Quick-witted Leslie's imagination was right, as it happened. Sending onher boat at full speed, she felt very much relieved to think that Peggywould be safely at home. "I'd pay five cents," she added, "to know ifMr. Tudor is taking this in."
As that was Mr. Tudor's chief business at this time, he was not ignorantof all the moves. Like Leslie, however, he was going in to shore. Theschooner would be taken care of at the proper time by others. He knewwho was on the yacht and where it lay. He was not so impatient as thegirls, for he knew what it all involved. The denouement might bedramatic. He hoped that it would be neither dangerous nor fatal toanyone. No move at all was to be made until the alien passengers weretransferred from the schooner. Bill's scouts were then to be quietlyseized, in order that no signal might be given the yacht, though eventhen the chase upon the open sea would probably be successful. Tom Careywas of great help in learning who these scouts were.
Again that night, like a wraith from the sea, the schooner was seen.Leslie in the Eyrie, where poor Dalton was trying to keep awake afterhis day of physical labor, found it with the spy-glass and exclaimed.The rest sprang up to look, and while they still tried to distinguishthe vessel, whose lights had apparently been extinguished, there was aknock at the door. "It's Tudor," spoke a voice.
"Come right in." Dalton hastened to open the door for Mr. Tudor, who wasnot quite as calm as usual.
"Good evening, friends. Have you seen the schooner?"
"We have just been looking at it," said Beth, offering the glass toEvan, who looked for some time.
"It is flying here and there, like a bird trying to reach its nest andavoid the owl that is watching. Ostensibly it has fishing grounds in thevicinity. Perhaps it was a mistake to have our boat pass again, but itis not investigating. The Ives yacht is lying off the coast with somebroken machinery, they say. Bill has just brought off the Count and Mr.Ives.
"It will probably be to-morrow night when the schooner unloads. Our boatis leaving just a little before dawn, to assure them that they are notto be searched, and also to prevent their unloading to-night. I believethat our ship is to hail the schooner, appear to be satisfied withinquiry and steam away. Our boat is not very large,--but there isanother, not too far out at sea.
"Circumstances often determine what it is best to do. I thought that youwould like to know what is going on. I am going to take a sleep now, myfriend on guard. If I were you, I should sleep, too."
After this explanation, Mr. Tudor took his leave. The rather seriousSecrest group decided to take his advice. The girls were soon asleep inthe Eyrie with their door barred, though Leslie wakened before daylightto lie and think about Peggy.
Peggy herself had many thoughts on the morning of the twenty-eighth. Shedid not know that the schooner had arrived, but that was the date of thehouse party. Mr. Ives was still nervous but in better poise, givingorders in regard to certain provisions for the guests. Mrs. Ives wasmistress of herself and the situation, for her house was ready, themenus made out with the housekeeper.
Never had Peggy had such a problem to face. She could not bring herselfto inform authority against her step-father, and in her indecision shewas ready to see who came, what sort of people they were and whether itwere really Mr. Ives who was the real smuggler or not. Perhaps he couldbe persuaded to give it all up, she thought. Mr. Tudor's knowing worriedher. She now felt persuaded that he had been investigating, though shehoped that she was only imagining it.
It was out of Peggy's hands, however. If the girls had never started tofind a mystery out for themselves, the result would have been the same.
Before midnight men were hidden in the pirates' cave, for Tom hadfortunately been appointed watch there. Whether tide and hour wouldpermit entrance by water or by plank and the door, they were ready. TomCarey could tell them little this time, for plans were known only toBill. The rest followed his orders.
One government boat was to take the yacht, another was to follow theschooner, and lest slippery Bill should escape in the launch, provisionwas made for that. It was hoped that the entire number of aliens, highand low, might be transferred to the yacht first because of its size. Nointerference was to be made until after that occurred. Mr. Tudor toldElizabeth that the smugglers were doubtless hoping for fog to concealtheir activities.
The first excitement at the Eyrie occurred about ten o'clock that night,when Dalton, uneasy, sauntered down to their cove and discovered the SeaCrest foundered, not in very deep water to be sure, but it was anunwelcome
calamity. The Swallow was floating, but Dalton examined it tofind that someone had begun to cut a hole in it. "My coming probablyfrightened the man away," Dalton reported at the Eyrie. "They do notwant the Sea Crest abroad to-night."
It did grow somewhat foggy, though not enough so to annoy what boatswere out upon the bay. Long since the "engine trouble" of the yacht hadbeen overcome and it had steamed away, up the coast and out of sight.Now, shortly after midnight it appeared, regardless of who might see it,well lighted, its pennants waving in honor of distinguished guests. Itapproached the bay, at full speed and cutting the waves valiantly.
CHAPTER XX
CAPTURE
Peggy and Jack, at Steeple Rocks, had gone to watch for the yacht at thetops of the steps which ran down to the dock where the yacht wasexpected. At the sight of it, Jack waited, but Peggy hurried in toannounce the arrival. Mrs. Ives and Madame Kravetz were sitting in thedrawing room, while Timmons, the butler, was in the hall.
"The yacht is coming," said Peggy in her clear voice, "all lit up andeverything. It just passed another vessel that was going along and it'scoming into the bay! Shall I tell Jack to light the lights outside?"
"Timmons will do it. Timmons, rouse the maids if they are drowsy." ButMrs. Ives wondered at the alarmed expression on the face of the butler,and that Madame Kravetz went outside immediately. Mr. Ives and the Counthad gone out to the yacht in the morning, ostensibly to go to the portwhere he was to meet his guests. Some train must have been late to delaythem this long, or perhaps the engines had not worked properly. It wasall decidedly queer. She looked at Peggy.
"What's the matter with 'em?" bluntly asked Peggy.
"I am sure I do not know, unless Timmons is excited for fear things maynot go as they should."
The bay was a trap. No sooner had the yacht gotten well into it than thepassing vessel, manned by government men to catch both aliens andsmugglers, turned about and rapidly sought the mouth of the bay. Thepursuit was short, as Mr. Ives and Count Herschfeld, on board the yachtknew it must be. Hastily the word was passed around among the moreimportant passengers, who were panic-stricken, facing deportation,having many jewels which they were smuggling in.
Smaller boats also gathered around the yacht, but it reached the dock,though boarded at once. It attempted no useless defense, for it wasimmediately seen that a concerted plan on the part of the governmentforces made them too strong for the smugglers.
How Mr. Ives got away, no one knew. He was not seen upon the rocks, butsomeone saw him take off his coat and leap into the water, though it wasthought at the time that he was at once picked up by one of the boats.The approaches to the house were all guarded, it was supposed, but asecret entrance from the cliff, which the girls had not discovered,admitted Mr. Ives to a rocky chamber behind his office.
Peggy, sitting in the drawing room with her mother, heard the door tothe library and office open behind her. Mr. Ives, a wild figure,appeared. Water was dripping from him. He was drawing on a dry coat ashe entered and stuffing its pockets with money from his safe.
"Get the car quickly, Kit! They're after me! Call Timmons! Peggy, run upand get my overcoat and all the clothes that you can lay your hands on!"
Mrs. Ives in her pretty evening dress ran outside, followed by herhusband, while Peggy instinctively started after the overcoat andclothes. But she met Timmons on the stairs, a hurrying Timmons, dressedfor departure, carrying her step-father's top-coat and two suit-cases.Her assistance was not necessary. Timmons must have seen the capture atwhich Peggy guessed. She stood aside to let him pass, but followedrapidly herself.
At the foot of the stairs Peggy and Madame Kravetz nearly collided. Thegoverness was rushing out from the dining room with what appeared to bea sack of food, a brown paper sack carried by the particular, elegantKravetz! She picked up a suitcase in the hall and dashed out of thefront door.
Peggy heard the sound of the car and immediately thought of her mother,outside in the chill air with only that thin dress to protect her.Perhaps her husband would make her go with him! Luckily Peggy hadwrapped herself in her mother's coat when she had gone with Jack to lookfor the yacht. There lay the pretty silk-lined evening wrap with itswarm fur collar. Peggy snatched it up from the hall seat and rushed outas wildly as any of the fleeing conspirators had done. It was only amoment after Madame Kravetz had passed her, before Peggy was at the sideof the car with her mother's wrap.
She tossed it in, hearing Mr. Ives say, "Very well, ride a shortdistance with us, Kitty. You have been a good wife,--" But the carstarted to speed, Peggy knew, over the terrible roads till they reachedthe good highway and what hiding place Peggy could not imagine. Butwhile she stood there, watching the darkness into which the car hadtaken her mother and scarcely seeing the stupefied maids that gatheredaround her, Mr. Tudor, breathless and much chagrined over the escape ofMr. Ives, came hurrying around the house from the dock. Unfortunatelyfor plans, guards around the house had all rushed to prevent escape atthe yacht.
"Where is your mother, Miss Peggy?" he asked. "Is your father inside? Itwill be better for him quietly to surrender."
"Don't ask me anything, please," said Peggy, suddenly feeling utterlyalone. But her maid, the beloved "Pugsy," who had avoided being sentaway after all, came with alarmed face from the house just then and wentto Peggy, who collapsed upon her shoulder in a storm of sobs.
"I am very sorry, Miss Peggy,--_believe_ me, I am," Mr. Tudor stopped tosay, though he had one eye on two officers who were entering the house.
"I know it," sobbed Peggy, "but do go away now, and find out things foryourself!"
Jack, who had been down at the yacht, joined the maid in soothing Peggyand between them they persuaded her to go to bed, promising to let herknow when her mother came back.
Mrs. Ives was one of the women who believe that vows for better or worseshould be kept. Had her husband desired her to accompany him, she wouldhave done so, though it took her into danger and unhappiness. His wethands drew the cloak around her, as he outlined briefly what hadhappened. Amazed, in spite of previous suspicions, she listened, whilethe ear jolted them from side to side. They were all in great suspense.It was a terrific dash for freedom, but at last they reached a goodhighway where they went on for some miles, turning off finally upon oneshort, bad stretch to a small village. There Mr. Ives said that he hadkept horses for some time, using them in "his business" as he neededthem.
"Go back with the car," he directed, "stopping somewhere for somethingto eat, if any place is open. We shall be aboard a ship after a shortride with the horses. I will get word to you, from abroad, probably, insome way. I have plenty of money now."
Mrs. Ives knew that scouting parties would be out in every direction assoon as it was known from the servants how Mr. Ives made his escape.Accordingly, she quickly took the car to the main highway and droveslowly homeward, faint and worn, and in no mood for questions. Butunlike tempestuous Peggy, she responded courteously when she wasstopped. Yes, she had accompanied Mr. Ives part way. They could scarcelyexpect her to help them, could they? She knew very well that trainswould be examined, the woods searched and the coast followed. As it was,her husband was foolishly expectant of escape, she thought.
But Mr. Ives was clever enough to elude them, it happened. The Count hadbeen taken, on the yacht. He was the real organizer of the ring. BillRitter, trying to escape, had been arrested and through Tom Carey'sinformation, all his chief assistants in this work were gathered in. Thevillage was in a turmoil, for some of the people there were due to bedeported. Through Evan Tudor, however, the work of investigation wascarried on in a way as little distressing to these poor victims ofothers' greed as was possible. Tom Carey set to work to organize againthe fishing industry, filling orders and carrying on the shipping.
Through Jack, Mrs. Ives sent for Mr. Tudor, who was still in his camp,in the intervals of these affairs in which he was concerned. He came toSteeple Rocks rather uncertain of his recept
ion, but Mrs. Ives, soberand depressed, made no reference to his part in the disclosures.
"I have heard of you from Peggy, Mr. Tudor," she said, "and I want toconsult you as representing the government interests. Your report willprobably be accepted, will it not?"
Mr. Tudor, relieved, bowed. "Yes, Mrs. Ives."
"I want it understood that whatever in the way of restitution is to bedone, I will do. I am sorry that I could do nothing for those poorforeigners that were hurried right away. Whether Mr. Ives is ever foundor not, I should prefer to have everything made clear and to be freefrom obligation. So I have made out a list of our property, notincluding, of course, the small estate which is Peggy's from her ownfather. My husband told me that the liquor in the cave was BillRitter's, though I suppose that my husband was partly responsible forletting it be housed upon our property.
"I want to show you the safe and what I found in it, some bonds, cashand important papers. Now will you act for me?"
"I will be glad to do so, though I am not a lawyer."
"You will be more a witness, I should think. I am dismissing most of theservants; indeed, some of them left because they were afraid of beingarrested as aliens. Steeple Rocks will be for sale. I have not found anysmuggled jewels, and I scarcely think that my husband ever was concernedin that."
"The whole place was thoroughly searched, Mrs. Ives, before your return.After the steamer took charge of the aliens, the force searched yachtand house at once."
Mrs. Ives sadly shook her head. "It is a tragedy to me, but if only theshadow does not rest on Peggy, I can bear it."
"Nothing of all this attaches to you, Mrs. Ives, and I have seen to itthat a very general account so far has been published by the papers. Myfriend and I so promptly sent in our reports that they are the onesgiven. I will send you some of the papers."
"Thank you. It is a relief to know that all the details are not spreadbroadcast."
Following this conference with Mr. Tudor, Mrs. Ives and Peggy quietlywent about Steeple Rocks making ready to close it early, for Mrs. Ivesfelt that she must get away from the place. Peggy, on the other hand,wanted to stay and asked her mother if she might not stay at the Eyrie.
"Will they want you after this?"
"I don't see why not. I belong to the 'trium-feminate', you know. Saritalikes me for taking an interest in birds, and Dalton saved my life. Iknow that _he_ likes me. Leslie is just like Dalton and Elizabeth is_always_ sweet to me. Dal would like to stay all winter and keep Bethfrom teaching. Why, Mother, why couldn't she tutor me? They might like aboarder that would pay and work, too, and it wouldn't be as expensivefor you, I'm sure. Think of traveling expenses and boarding, especiallyif we have to give nearly everything we have to the government!"
Mrs. Ives smiled. "It is not quite as bad as that, Peggy, but we shallsee."
"I'm going right over now!" declared Peggy.
This is how it came about that after a quiet summer, without theexpected visit from the Lyon-Marsh party, but with cruises and hikes andpicnics, Peggy Ives was still with the Secrests. She was called by herown name, Peggy or Marguerite Nave, though the girls occasionally calledher Angelina for fun and Dal said that he was "always sure an angeldescended when she leaped out of the air into the blackberry bushes."
Beth had consented to tutor Peggy and take care of her as long as itseemed best for her to stay at the Eyrie, "and that may be all winter,"Peggy confided to Dalton, who nodded assent.
Jack tried in vain to persuade Dalton to go to college with him, butDalton could not be persuaded. "No, Jack," he said at their final talk."You go to college, and Leslie and I may both come year after next. ButI want to finish this home, and keep Beth out of school this year ifpossible. The way it looks now, she never will go back. It will be nipand tuck between Jim Lyon and this Evan Tudor, I think, though Jim seemsto be losing out at present. I think that Beth is the heroine in thatbest seller that Mr. Tudor is always joking about."
Jack nodded. "All right, Dal. I don't blame you for wanting to fix upthis place. And if you bring Leslie to my college year after next,--itwill be worth waiting for."
By fall the quaint new home was ready for cold weather. Plans had grown,with their interest, till now it included the living room with its bigfireplace, two bedrooms and a tiny kitchen, though that would not beused much when it grew cold. Dalton was full of plans for plumbing andelectricity and a still larger house, but Beth, while she never threwcold water on the projects, was quite content to regard this as a happyinterlude and a summer home. There were more school days for Dalton andLeslie, and as for her,--she had just received a letter from Mrs. Iveswhich informed her that the father of Evan Tudor wanted to buy SteepleRocks! Simply, too, Mrs. Ives wrote that she was now a widow and thatthe long strain of anxiety about her husband's always impending capturewas over.
On Christmas Eve, Peggy and Dalton were decorating the large room withspruce boughs and some holly wreaths and mistletoe sent by Mrs. Ives.The most perfect little Christmas tree that the Secrest woods couldfurnish stood in front of the window, ready to be lit up for the worldto see, though that world might consist only of a few village childrenin whose welfare Beth and the rest were interested.
Leslie sat in front of the fireplace stringing the last bit of corn outof the popper for festoons upon the tree. Beth was finishing little netstockings for nuts and candy. "We _must_ stop for some supper,children," she was saying.
"Oh, never mind about supper; there's too much to do." Peggy gave Daltona mischievous glance as she spoke.
"Never," he promptly replied. "Didn't I bring home the bacon myself?"
"Yes, you did," answered Leslie, emptying the corn popper and risingfrom the floor. "I'll cook that rabbit myself. I can watch it while wefinish up. What more is there to do, Beth?"
"Not so much. Anita's doll has to have a sash, Sonia's a cap and Josef'sdrum needs hanging on the tree. If you will get the supper, I willfinish, Leslie. The baskets of food for them need a little morearranging. Peggy and Dal may drape the popcorn on the tree, if theywill."
Something was already bubbling in an old-fashioned iron pot in thefireplace; but it was the same old reliable and speedy "portable" whichLeslie used to cook the rabbit. Behind a tall screen in one corner ofthe room stood a table, the stove and a cupboard, but primitive ways ofcooking in the fireplace, were fun when "used in moderation," as Peggyput it.
Soon the savory supper was over and everything cleared away. Peggy andLeslie lit the candles on the trees, for they knew that eager feet weretrampling the light snow in the path from the village. Childish voiceswere heard outside before long and then there came a pause. Leslie wasabout to fling open the door, but Beth signaled to her to wait. It wasAnita whose clear voice led the Christmas carol which Beth had taughtthem, but the children were almost too excited to finish it properly forthe lights of the tree shone out over the snow to invite them within.
"I couldn't make 'em sing it vera good," said Anita, as Beth drew herinside with the rest of the children and several mothers, one of whomBeth had first met that day on the beach when someone else importantentered Beth's life to stay.
"It was _beautiful_," Beth answered lovingly. "Now we'll all singtogether while you warm your toes and fingers by the fire. Leslie, getyour guitar, please, and Peggy, you may lead us if you will. We shallhave Sarita to sing with us after Christmas. After we sing about thelittle Christ-Child, we shall see what Santa can find for us on thattree!"
Obediently the children sang and how they shouted when Dalton, who haddisappeared during the singing, appeared as Santa Claus with arosy-cheeked, white-bearded Santa Claus mask. There was no delay inpresenting the gifts, in providing which some absent friends had ashare.
It was much later, after the guests had gone, that Beth sat alone by thefire. Dalton, Leslie and Peggy had taken their skates to the lake. Bethfelt a little lonely and was not in a mood to read. She was thinking ofsomeone whom Tom Carey had promised to take in whenever he could getaway for a trip to Maine. She was
still thrilled over his last letterand she wondered if he had yet received her reply. The flames curledlazily around the last log that Dalton had put on before he left.
Unexpectedly, but appropriately to her thought, there came a little rapthat Beth knew. "Oh,--why--" she said, as she opened the door quickly toa traveler in a big fur coat.
"I couldn't help it, Beth," said Evan Tudor, closing the door upon icybreezes, tossing off his thick gloves and taking both her hands. "Beth,dear, I have sold the 'best seller'! It has just been accepted and I hadto come on to make _sure_ that I am, too. It's Christmas Eve, Beth!"
"I didn't make any conditions, did I, Evan, in my letter? I'm glad aboutthe 'best seller'--and--you needn't worry about the rest. Oh, how_wonderful_ to have you for Christmas!"
THE END
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