CHAPTER XIX.--A DAY OF SURPRISES.
"The Comet is going to have a rest to-day," observed Billie the nextmorning at the breakfast table. "He's being screwed up and oiled andcleaned for his last spurt across the continent."
"For my part," said Miss Campbell, "I'm glad to take a rest from theComet. I think I have automobile legs, just as ocean travelers have sealegs. When I'm sitting still, I seem to be constantly moving, and whenI'm moving, I feel like a young bird learning to fly. I believe that bythe time we reach San Francisco, my limbs will refuse their office, asgrandpapa used to say."
The girls laughed at the picture Miss Campbell drew of herself.
"I think a bath in the lake will do us all good," said Billie. "Youcan't sink, you know, Cousin Helen. All you have to do is to lift yourfeet and you float about like a little chip."
"First to the Temple; then to see Brigham Young's houses, and then tothe lake," said Mary, studying the guide-book.
"And then back to the hotel for a good night's rest on a perfectlydelightful bed," added Miss Campbell, who had enjoyed her night's sleepexceedingly.
After breakfast, they inquired at the desk for a message from DanielMoore, but he had left none and was not in his room.
As the five ladies left the hotel, half an hour later, a messenger boypassed them on the run.
"A rush message for Miss Helen Campbell," he said breathlessly to theclerk.
"She's gone out," said the young man, looking up the number of her roomand examining her letter box with official deliberation. "Her key's onthe hook."
And at that moment, Miss Campbell, with a swish of her silk skirts and aflutter of blue chiffon veils, had turned the corner and was out ofsight. If she had lingered three minutes longer over the breakfasttable; or if the messenger boy had hurried his steps still more, or theclerk had watched more carefully the comings and goings of the guests ofthe hotel, the tide of this story would certainly have been changed.
As it happened, the Motor Maids and Miss Helen Campbell did not returnto the hotel until late that evening, and all that time this importantletter was waiting for them.
"On to the Temple!" cried Billie, engaging a little boy to guide them tothat enormous structure.
"I don't like it at all," announced Nancy, as they approached the Mormonchurch. "It's stern and hard and ugly, and I am sure that Mr. John JamesStone is just a chip of granite out of one of the sides."
"He does bear rather a strong family resemblance," said Miss Campbell,gazing rather fearfully at the great structure.
But opinions differed about the Temple.
"I think it's very fine," said Billie, "if only for its bigness."
"I like it as long as I don't think of it as a church," observed Elinor."I'm sure I couldn't say my prayers in it, without feeling that God wasa cruel king who would punish me severely for my sins."
"Well, that is what they believe, isn't it?" asked Mary.
"The only thing I know about their belief," observed Miss Campbell, witha top-lofty air, "is that they frown on old maids."
"They would never frown on you, dearest cousin, if they saw you first,"laughed Billie.
The doors to the Temple were closed to visitors that morning, but theirlittle guide led them behind the structure, where stood the Tabernacle,a peculiar building, resembling a monster egg. Here was the great organ,which Elinor desired particularly to hear, and, by a lucky chance, whenthey entered the auditorium, the place was filled with music. MissCampbell, with Elinor and Mary, seated herself in one of the pews tolisten, while Billie and Nancy wandered up a side aisle, looking verymuch like two pigmies under the vast dome of the roof. Presently theyalso sat down and composed themselves to listen to the strains of thewedding march, the first notes of which had been sounded on the organ.
Some one touched Billie on the shoulder.
It was Evelyn Stone.
"Just for a moment, so that I can talk to you. No one will see us;there."
Unnoticed by the others, the three girls tip-toed down the aisle to theentrance, where they hid themselves in a recess in the wall.
"I've been over to the annex with father and the florist," she said. "Iam to be married there to-morrow, you know--at least, I suppose I am."The annex was another chapel connected with the Temple.
"Poor Daniel Moore," ejaculated Billie. "We are awfully sorry for him.We think he's one of the nicest men we ever knew."
"Do you?" exclaimed Evelyn, clasping Billie's arm and smiling into herface, as if she herself had been paid a high compliment.
"Indeed we do," cried Nancy.
"Oh, dear; oh, dear," exclaimed the girl, beating her hands together."It would be a great scandal if I ran away on my wedding day. But I amso unhappy. Oh, so unhappy, and I do want to see Daniel so much. Why, ifhe wasn't married, didn't he ever come near me?" she added, stamping herfoot angrily.
"He tried and tried, and wrote letters, and everything--but he couldn'tget near you. Your father----"
"Oh, yes, father, of course," said Evelyn, pressing her lips togetherand frowning. "It's not only that Ebenezer is a Mormon. It's otherthings--money, I think. Father is involved, I'm certain of it, andEbenezer is rich--very rich."
"You needn't run away with Daniel to-morrow," put in Billieirrelevantly. "You can run away with--with the Comet, our motor car----"
"Hush," interrupted Evelyn. "I'll send you a note to-night. There theycome now. Good-by, you dear, kind friends. I feel as if I had known youalways."
The two girls hurried back into the Tabernacle and a little lateremerged from another door and were conducted by their small guide to thehomes of Brigham Young. And very fine houses they were, "The Beehive"especially, with its quaint dormer windows and sloping roof. Butsomehow, our five spinsters were not deeply interested in these historichomes, and after wandering around the city for another hour, theyboarded a small train headed for Salt Lake.
"When people are traveling, they will do anything," complained MissCampbell, as she tucked a small black bathing suit under one arm anddisappeared in the bath house. "They will wear hired bathing suits, athing I never expected to stoop to----" her voice continued from theinterior of her compartment.
"And sleep on the ground," called Elinor from across the passage.
"And eat with robbers," began Nancy, when Mary stopped her.
"Hush, Nancy," she said. "How do you know there are not people listeningto you?"
A few moments later they strolled out to the pier in their hired bathingsuits. A woman attendant looked at them closely and then disappearedinto a telephone booth.
Some morbid people with bad digestions have premonitions of approachingtrouble, but our four happy young girls and Miss Campbell, youngest andhappiest of them all in her heart, had no inkling, on that glorious day,of disasters to come. They sat silently in a row on the beach and gazedenchanted at the wonderful scene. There was not a ripple in the inlandsea which stretched before them like a sheet of green glass. In itsbosom were reflected the encircling mountains, mysterious and mystical.They, too, were like mountains of glass, in many pale colors, pinks,blues, delicate greens and lavenders.
"It's like a dream picture," said Mary softly. "I can hardly believeit's true. No wonder it's called 'the dead sea.' It's so silent andstill."
"Nothing lives in it, you know," said Billie. "No fish of any kind. It'ssalty beyond words to tell."
Hundreds of people were scattered about on the beach, but their voicesand laughter sounded muffled and far away. It was all very strange tothe travelers who seemed to have fallen under the spell of the enchantedlake on whose waters they presently floated in a dreamy state, as if amagician's wand had changed them into so many human boats.
They sat on the sands for a long time after their bath, chatting in lowvoices. Then, after another dip, they dressed and lunched in therestaurant of the splendid bathing pavilion, one of the fineststructures of its kind in the world. Again they sat on the beachwatching the opalescent mountains. They felt intensely drowsy
in thewarm, dry air, and by and by sleep descended on them, and they lay likeso many enchanted victims by the still waters of that mysterious lake.
At last the sun set in a blaze of red and gold, wonderful to behold, andthe five sleepers sat up and rubbed their eyes.
"Dear children, it's been a remarkable experience," announced MissCampbell; but whether she referred to the nap or the bath or the entiresplendid day she did not explain.
It was seven o'clock when they reached the hotel in a blissful state ofirresponsibility, like human beings who had wandered unexpectedly intofairy land.
There would be lots to tell Daniel Moore that night at dinner, they werethinking. And perhaps he would have news for them.
All this time Billie and Nancy had carefully kept secret the meetingwith Evelyn Stone.
Letters awaited them at the hotel, and last of all, Miss Campbell openeda note from Daniel Moore, so certain was she that they would see him inten minutes in the dining room. Suddenly, without warning, she burstinto the next room where the four girls were engaged in a quartette ofbuttoning up.
"Oh, my dears, my dears, something dreadful has happened," she cried."Mr. Moore has been arrested and put in jail for receiving stolen goodsfrom the train robbers. He expects to get bail, he says, very soon, buthe advises us to leave this town at once. It's that dreadful Stone manwho has done it. Poor Mr. Moore says--'I look for trouble for you anddread your being involved in anything disagreeable. Don't lose a momentin leaving Salt Lake City. They have no case against me, of course, butI am afraid the old villain will keep me here until after Evelyn'smarriage. He's a very powerful man in this town. I beg of you not tomake any efforts to see Evelyn. He is capable of most anything, I think,and it is too late to stop the wedding now.' Now, wasn't I right not tolet you deliver that note, Billie, dear?" she added triumphantly. "Itell you it is most dangerous interfering with other people's affairs."
Billie smiled faintly and exchanged a frightened look with Nancy.
"We had better leave town to-morrow morning," she said. "We can't leaveto-night. The Comet isn't quite ready."
"Leave town, indeed!" exclaimed Miss Campbell. "We have nothing on ourconsciences. We shall stay as long as we choose. This is a free country,and I am not in the least afraid of that dreadful Mormon. Let us go downto dinner and forget all about him."
And down she went presently, sweeping into the dining room like ahaughty little queen, the Motor Maids following behind her. Elinor heldher head high. She was a princess and feared no man, neither Mormon norGentile. Mary walked innocently at her side. Her conscience was clear,and she was not afraid to look the whole world in the face. Then camethe guilty ones, pale and silent. Oh, heavens! What it is to have ablack secret on one's soul. The food had no taste. The music clashedinharmoniously, and the murmur of the conversation of other dinersgrated on their nerves.
"Nancy, dear, you have no appetite," Miss Campbell was saying, when awaiter approached bearing a long, official-looking envelope on a tray.
"Another communication from our poor friend, I suppose," she observed,breaking the seal and drawing out the letter without noticing theinscription on the envelope which announced that it came straight fromthe Department of Police, Salt Lake City.
As Miss Campbell read the communication contained within this formidablecover, a deep scarlet flush spread over her face, which gradually fadedinto a deadly white pallor. She tried to speak, but her lips refused toframe the words.
The girls were very much frightened and several of the waiters drew nearwith evident curiosity. It was Elinor who had the presence of mind tosay:
"Dear Miss Campbell, won't you take my arm? I am quite through dinner."And the two walked slowly from the room, taking the mysterious letterwith them.
"We had better wait a moment," whispered Billie to the other girls. "Itwould be less conspicuous than if we all rushed out at once. People arealready looking at us."
She tried to butter a piece of bread, but her hands trembled and shefelt that the color had left her cheeks. Nancy was the picture ofmisery.
"What is it, girls?" whispered Mary in a frightened voice.
"I don't know," answered Billie; "but something dreadful has happened, Ifeel sure. The letter was from the Chief of Police, I think. I diddeliver the note to Evelyn Stone, Mary. I know it was wrong to havedisobeyed, but I couldn't see the harm of giving one person a letterfrom another person."
"Oh, Billie!" exclaimed Mary, "there is no telling what that dreadfulman will do to us. He may put us in jail, too."
The notion was too much for their endurance, and with one accord theyrose and fled from the room.
They found Elinor sitting on the floor beside Miss Campbell holding herhand. The document was spread out before them, and Miss Campbell wasreading it aloud.
"'You are regarded as suspicious characters,'" she read in a voice thathad a tone of shrillness in it the girls had never heard before. "'Assuspicious characters,'" she repeated, hardly able to take in themeaning of the words, "'and, therefore, as persons undesirable in thiscity, you are requested to leave the town within twelve hours. If not,you will be compelled to give an account of certain actions not regardedas lawful in the State of Utah. Signed, Chief of Police.'"
The girls were breathless with amazement and horror. Driven out of townlike criminals, and all for having shielded a poor, repentant thief whohad returned what he had stolen.
Without a word Billie went to the telephone and called up the garagewherein the Comet was temporarily stabled.
"What time does the sun rise?" she asked while she waited for thenumber.
"At about five o'clock, I think," answered Mary.
"Have Miss Campbell's motor car at the hotel to-morrow morning at fiveo'clock," she ordered.
Miss Campbell rose. The girls looked at her timidly. They had never seenher angry before.
"I won't try to talk with you to-night," she said in a voice that wasalmost a whisper. "I shall not attempt to speak again until we leavethis hateful city far behind us."
She had hardly left the room when there was a light tap on the otherdoor.
Billie opened it and a chambermaid gave her a note, and quickly departeddown the corridor.
This is what the note said:
"I accept your invitation, and will meet you to-morrow at the railroad station in Ogden. Send a line by the chambermaid, who will wait around the corner of the hall, letting me know what time you intend to start. With a heart full of gratitude from one who is most unhappy,
"E. S."