CHAPTER II--MR. STUART CONFIDES A SECRET
The next day was like the day before, very hot and still, the air thickwith a smoke-like mist even in that seashore place. It hung over the sealike a heavy fog, and the foghorn could be heard in the distance moaninglike a distracted animal calling for its young.
Barbara had refreshed herself by an early morning dip in the ocean, butshe felt the oppressive atmosphere in spite of the tingling the coolsalt water had given to her skin.
They were seated around the little breakfast table, always so daintilyset, for Mrs. Thurston had never lost that quality which hadcharacterized her in her youth and which still clung to her in the daysof her hardships and troubles.
"And now, girlies," she said, "you must promise me one thing. Don't loseyour heads at the wrong time. Not that you ever have before, and I amsure I have no premonitions, now; but remember, my daughters, ifanything exciting should happen, to make a little prayer to yourselves;then think hard and the answer is apt to come before you know it."
"Do you remember how Gladys Le Baron shrieked the time the curtains inher room caught fire?" asked Mollie. "She didn't do anything but justwring her hands and scream, and it was really Barbara who put the fireout. Bab pulled down the curtains and threw a blanket over them. Andthen Gladys had hysterics. But Barbara always keeps her head," addedMollie, proudly.
"Your head is all right, too, Molliekins," exclaimed Barbara. "The nightthe man tried to break in the house, don't you remember, mummie, howbrave she was? She followed us up with a poker as bold as a lion."
"So you did, my pet, and I'm not the least afraid that either one of youever will be lacking in courage. But, when I was very small, my motheronce taught me a little prayer which she made me promise to say tomyself whenever I felt the temptation to give way to fear or anger. Andmany and many a time it has helped me. It was only a few words: 'Heaven,make me calm in the face of danger,' but I have never known it to fail."
"Dearest little mother," cried Barbara, kissing her mother's soft cheek,"you're the best and sweetest little mummie in the world and I'm sure Ican't remember ever having seen you angry or hysterical or any of thoseterrible things. But if ever I do get in a tight place I hope I shallnot forget the little prayer."
"'Heaven, make me calm in the face of danger,'" repeated Mollie, softly.
"But, dear me, how gruesome we are!" exclaimed Mrs. Thurston. "It istime you were packing your bags, at any rate, children. Be sure and putin your sweaters. You may need them in spite of this hot wave. And,Mollie, don't forget the cold cream for your little sunburned nose."
The two girls ran upstairs to their room. In a few moments they weredeep in preparations. By the time the whir of an automobile was heard inthe distance they had got into their fresh linen suits and broad-brimmedstraw hats, and were waiting on the porch with suit cases and smallsatchels. Mrs. Thurston looked them over with secret pride.
"Do you see anything lacking, mother?" asked Barbara.
"No, Bab, my dear. I haven't a word to say. You made a very choiceselection in that pink linen, and Mollie was just as happy in her blueone. I never saw neater looking dresses. I hope they won't wrinkle much.But you can have them pressed at the hotel, I suppose."
"And don't forget our automobile coats," exclaimed Mollie proudly, asshe shook out her long pongee duster, last year's Christmas gift fromRuth. "This is the first time we've had a chance to wear them. I feel sogrand in mine!" she continued, as she slipped it on. "With all this veiland hat I can almost imagine I am a millionaire." And she swept up theporch and back with a society air that was perfect. "Good morning," shesaid to her mother in a high, affected voice. "Won't you take a littlespin with me in my car? Life is such a bore now at these barbarousseaside places! There is really nothing but bridge and motoring, and onecan't play bridge all the time. Oh, and by the way," she continued,pretending to look at Bab haughtily, through a lorgnette, "won't youbring your little girl along? She can sit with the chauffeur."
They were still laughing when the automobile came spinning up with Ruth,Grace Carter, Miss Sallie Stuart and her brother.
"On time, as usual, girls," cried Ruth gayly. "And I am late as usual.But who cares? It's a lovely day and we're going to have a perfect time.I am so glad we're going that I would like to execute a few steps onyour front porch for joy."
"Go ahead," said Barbara. "We've just been having one exhibition fromMiss Clare Vere de Vere Thurston, who is bursting with pride over herautomobile coat, and we would be pleased to see another."
"By the way, I should like to have a few words in private with the youngparty in the pink dress," called Mr. Stuart, who was engaged in taking alast look at the inner workings of the automobile.
"Meaning me?" asked Bab. "Come in, won't you, Mr. Stuart?"
"Now, what could they be having secrets about?" exclaimed Ruth, and evenMiss Sallie looked somewhat mystified.
"I am dying to know what you two are confabbing about," cried Ruth, asMr. Stuart and Barbara returned. "Have you given Bab permission to tellus?"
"Miss Barbara Thurston is a young woman of such excellent judgment,"replied Mr. Stuart, "that I shall leave the secret entirely in herhands, and rely upon her to keep it or tell it as she thinks best."
"Well!" exclaimed Miss Sallie, "here's a nice mystery to commence theday on! But come along, girls; we had better be starting."
Mr. Stuart, with Bab's assistance, gathered up the bags and suit casespiled on the porch, packing the cases on the back with the others wherethey were secured with straps, and putting the small hand satchels onthe floor of the car. Barbara seized her own satchel rather hastily andplaced it beside her on the seat.
"Why, Bab, one would think you were a smuggler," cried Ruth. "Don't youwant to put your satchel on the floor with the others?"
"Oh, never mind," replied Barbara carelessly. "It's all right here," andshe exchanged a meaning look with Mr. Stuart.
"Dear me!" exclaimed Ruth. "You and papa grow 'curiouser andcuriouser.'"
Then the good-byes were said, and the big automobile went skimming downthe road in a whirl of dust, leaving Mrs. Thurston and Mr. Stuart at thegate waving their handkerchiefs, until it turned the curve and was lostto sight.
The travelers lunched at Allaire, as usual, in the little open-airFrench restaurant, and strolled about under the enormous elms of thedeserted village while the meal was being prepared. But they did notlinger after lunch. Ruth was hoping to make Tarrytown in time for dinnerthat evening, instead of stopping for the night in New York, which, shesaid, appeared to be suffering from the heat like a human being. "Thepoor, tired city is all fagged out and fairly panting from the humidity.If all goes well, I think we should get to New York by four o'clock,have tea at the Waldorf and start for Tarrytown at five. We ought toreach there by seven at the latest. It will be a long ride, but it'slots cooler riding than it is sitting still. Once we get to Tarrytown wecan linger as long as we please."
They whizzed along the now familiar road, through the endless chain ofsummer resorts that line the Jersey coast, up the Rumson Road betweenthe homes of millionaires, and finally struck the road to New York.
"It'll be easy sailing now," observed Ruth, "if we only catch theferries."
By a stroke of good luck they were able to do so, and actually drew upin front of the Waldorf at a few minutes before four o'clock.
"Well, Ruth, I must say you are a pretty good calculator," exclaimedMiss Sallie, "harum-scarum that you are."
There was a brief interval for face-washing and the smoothing offlattened pompadours; another longer one for consuming lettucesandwiches and tea, followed by ices and cakes, and the party was offagain, as swiftly as if it had been carrying secret governmentdispatches.
Up Riverside Drive they sped, past the Palisades which loomed purple andamethyst in the misty light. Then eastward to Broadway, which was oncethe old Albany Post Road; along the borders of Van Courtlandt Park,where, even on that hot day, the golfers were out; through Yonkers, too
citified to be interesting to the girls just then; and, finally, alongthe river through the loveliest country Barbara and Mollie had everseen. Still the crags of the Palisades towered on one side, while on theother were beautiful estates stretching back into the hills, and littlevillages nestling down on the river front.
Miss Sallie and Grace were both sound asleep on the back seat. Molliehad let down one of the small middle seats, and sat resting her chin onthe back of the seat in front of her, occasionally pressing her sister'sshoulder for sympathy.
Ruth was in a brown study. She was very tired. It was no joke playingchauffeur for more than a hundred miles in one day.
"Bab," whispered Mollie, awed by the lovely vistas of river and valley,"do you think the Vale of Cashmere could be more exquisite than this? Orthe Rhine, or Lake Como, or any other wonderful place we have neverseen?"
"Isn't it marvelous, little sister? It's like an enchanted country, andit is full of legends and history, too. During the Revolution the twoarmies were encamped all through here."
"Oh, yes," interrupted Ruth. "If I were not too tired, I might tell youa lot of things about this historical spot, but we must take anotherspin down here later and see it all again. This village we are nowentering is Irvington, the home of Washington Irving. His house is nolonger open to the public, however. Tarrytown is only a little distancedown the river. We shall soon be there."
It was not long before a tired, sleepy party of automobilists drew up infront of an old hotel shaded with immense elms.
"Wake up, Aunt Sallie, dear," cried Ruth, giving her sleeping relative agentle shake. "Bestir yourselves, sweet ladies, for food and rest are athand and the hostelry is open to us."
Supper was, indeed, ready, and rooms, too. For Mr. Stuart had notifiedthe hotel proprietor to expect an automobile containing five women todescend upon him about sundown.
The five travelers mounted the steps to the supper room, and refreshedthemselves with beefsteak and hot biscuits; then mounted more steps totheir bedrooms, where they soon fell into five untroubled slumbers.