Aunt Jane's Nieces out West

  CHAPTER VI

  A. JONES

  There was work for the Stanton girls at the "film factory," as theycalled it, next morning, so they had left the hotel before Mr. Merrick'sparty assembled at the breakfast table.

  "I must telephone the Santa Monica hospital and find out how our patientis," remarked Uncle John, when the meal was over; but presently hereturned from the telephone booth with a puzzled expression upon hisface. "A. Jones has disappeared!" he announced.

  "Disappeared! What do you mean, Uncle?" asked Beth.

  "He woke early and declared he was himself again, paid his bill, said'good morning' to the hospital superintendent and walked away. Hewouldn't answer questions, but kept asking them. The nurse showed him thebook with the record of how he was saved, but she couldn't induce him tosay who he was, where he came from nor where he was going. Seems a littlequeer, doesn't it?"

  They all confessed that it did.

  "However," said Patsy Doyle, "I'm glad he recovered, and I'm sure Maudwill be when she hears the news. The boy has a perfect right to keep hisown counsel, but he might have had the grace to tell us what that initial'A.' stands for, and where on earth Sangoa is."

  "I've been inquiring about Sangoa," announced Arthur, just then joiningthe group, "and no one seems wiser than we are. There's no record of sucha town or state in Mexico, or in the United States--so far as I candiscover. The clerk has sent for a map of Alaska, and perhaps we'll findSangoa there."

  "What does it matter?" inquired Louise.

  "Why, we don't like to be stumped," asserted Patsy, "that's all. Here isa young man from Sangoa, and--"

  "Really," interrupted Beth, who was gazing through the window, "I believehere _is_ the young man from Sangoa!"

  "Where?" they all cried, crowding forward to look.

  "Coming up the walk. See! Isn't that the same mysterious individual whoselife Maud saved?"

  "That's the identical mystery," declared Uncle John. "I suppose he hascome here to look us up and thank us."

  "Then, for heaven's sake, girls, pump him and find out where Sangoa is,"said Arthur hastily, and the next moment a bell boy approached theirparty with a card.

  They looked at the young fellow curiously as he came toward them. Heseemed not more than eighteen years of age and his thin features wore atired expression that was not the result of his recent experience butproved to be habitual. His manner was not languid, however, but rathercomposed; at the same time he held himself alert, as if constantly on hisguard. His dress was simple but in good taste and he displayed noembarrassment as he greeted the party with a low bow.

  "Ah," said Uncle John, heartily shaking his hand, "I am delighted tofind you so perfectly recovered."

  A slight smile, sad and deprecating, flickered for an instant over hislips. It gave the boyish face a patient and rather sweet expression as heslowly replied:

  "I am quite myself to-day, sir, and I have come to assure you of mygratitude for your rescue of me yesterday. Perhaps it wasn't worth allyour bother, but since you generously took the trouble to save me, theleast I can do is to tender you my thanks." Here he looked from one toanother of the three girls and continued: "Please tell me which younglady swam to my assistance."

  "Oh, it was none of us," said Patsy. "Miss Stanton--Maud Stanton--swamout to you, when she noticed you were struggling, and kept you afloatuntil we--until help came."

  "And Miss Stanton is not here?"

  "Not at present, although she is staying at this hotel."

  He gravely considered this information for a moment. As he stood there,swaying slightly, he appeared so frail and delicate that Uncle Johnseized his arm and made him sit down in a big easy chair. The boy sighed,took a memorandum from his pocket and glanced at it.

  "Miss Doyle and Mr. Weldon pulled out in a boat and rescued both MissStanton and me, just as we were about to sink," he said. "Tell me,please, if either Miss Doyle or Mr. Weldon is present."

  "I am Arthur Weldon," said that young gentleman; "but I was merely theboatman, under command of Miss Doyle, whom I beg to present to you."

  A. Jones looked earnestly into Patsy's face. Holding out his hand hesaid with his odd smile: "Thank you." Then he turned to shake Arthur'shand, after which he continued: "I also am indebted to Mr. Merrick forcarrying me to the hospital. The doctor told me that only this promptaction enabled them to resuscitate me at all. And now, I believe itwould be courteous for me to tell you who I am and how I came to be insuch dire peril."

  He paused to look around him questioningly and the interest on everyface was clearly evident. Arthur took this opportunity to introduce Jonesto Louise and Beth and then they all sat down again. Said Uncle John tothe stranger, in his frank and friendly way:

  "Tell us as much or as little as you like, my boy. We are not undulyinquisitive, I assure you."

  "Thank you, sir. I am an American, and my name is Jones. That is, I mayclaim American parentage, although I was born upon a scarcely knownisland in the Pacific which my father purchased from the government ofUruguay some thirty years ago."

  "Sangoa?" asked Arthur.

  He seemed surprised at the question but readily answered:

  "Yes; Sangoa. My father was a grandnephew of John Paul Jones and veryproud of the connection; but instead of being a sailor he was ascientist, and he chose to pass his life in retirement from the world."

  "Your father is no longer living, then?" said Mr. Merrick.

  "He passed away a year ago, on his beloved island. My mother diedseveral years before him. I began to feel lonely at Sangoa and I wasanxious to visit America, of which my mother had so often told me. Sosome months ago I reached San Francisco, since when I have been travelingover your country--my country, may I call it?--and studying your moderncivilization. In New York I remained fully three months. It is only aboutten days since I returned to this coast."

  He stopped abruptly, as if he considered he had told enough. The briefrecital had interested his auditors, but the ensuing pause was ratherembarrassing.

  "I suppose you have been visiting relatives of your parents," remarkedUncle John, to ease the situation.

  "They--had no relatives that I know of," he returned. "I am quite alonein the world. You must not suppose I am unaccustomed to the water," hehastened to add, as if to retreat from an unpleasant subject. "At SangoaI have bathed in the sea ever since I can remember anything; but--I amnot in good health. I suffer from indigestion, a chronic condition,which is my incubus. Yesterday my strength suddenly deserted me and Ibecame helpless."

  "How fortunate it was that Maud noticed you!" exclaimed Patsy, withgenerous sympathy.

  Again the half sad smile softened his face as he looked at her.

  "I am not sure it was wholly fortunate for me," he said, "although Iadmit I have no wish to end my uninteresting life by drowning. I am not amisanthrope, in spite of my bad stomach. The world is more useful to methan I am to the world, but that is not my fault. Pardon me for talkingso much about myself."

  "Oh, we are intensely interested, I assure you," replied Patsy. "If someof us were indeed the instruments that saved you yesterday, it is apleasure to us to know something of the--the man--we saved."

  She had almost said "boy," he was such a youthful person, and he knew itas well as she did.

  "I would like to meet Miss Stanton and thank her personally," hepresently resumed. "So, if you have no objection, I think I shallregister at this hotel and take a room. I--I am not very strong yet, butperhaps Miss Stanton will see me when I have rested a little."

  "She won't return before five o'clock," explained Mr. Merrick. "MissStanton is--er--connected with a motion picture company, you know, and isbusy during the day."

  He seemed both surprised and perplexed, at first, but after a moment'sthought he said:

  "She is an actress, then?"

  "Yes; she and her sister. They have with them an aunt, Mrs. Montrose, forcompanion."

  "Thank you. Then I will try to meet them this evening."

  As
he spoke he rose with some difficulty and bade them adieu. Arthur wentwith him to the desk and proffered his assistance, but the young man saidhe needed nothing but rest.

  "And just think of it," said Patsy, when he had gone. "We don't know yetwhat that 'A' stands for!"

  "Arthur," suggested Louise.

  "Albert," said Beth.

  "Or Algernon," added Uncle John with a chuckle.

  "But we haven't seen the last of him yet," declared Miss Doyle. "I've aromance all plotted, of which A. Jones is to be the hero. He will fall inlove with Maud and carry her away to his island!"

  "I'm not so sure of that result," observed Uncle John thoughtfully. "Itwouldn't astonish me to have him fall in love with Maud Stanton; we'veall done that, you know; but could Maud--could any girl--be attracted bya lean, dismal boy with a weak stomach, such as A. Jones?"

  "Even with these drawbacks he is quite interesting," asserted Beth.

  "He is sure to win her sympathy," said Louise.

  "But, above all," declared Patsy, "he has an island, inherited from hisroyal daddy. That island would count for a lot, with any girl!"