The Case and the Girl

  CHAPTER VIII

  A NEW MISS COOLIDGE

  They came down the narrow board walk together, Percival carefully holdingthe lady's arm to prevent her tripping over the loosened planks, butneither exchanging a word. The man was smiling, the fingers of one handtoying with the curl of his moustache, but Natalie appeared somewhatsobered by her visit, and West noticed that she had tied a light veilover her face, which slightly shadowed her features. It was only as theyreached the curb that she spoke, her voice rather low and listless.

  "Would you mind driving the car back?" she asked Coolidge. "Really I feelquite unnerved."

  "No wonder," he returned sympathetically, "I have never witnessed asadder case; the conditions were even worse than I imagined. I shouldnever have brought you with me, my dear."

  "Oh, I am not sorry I came; but it has been a lesson to me. I do notthink before I ever realized what such poverty meant."

  The words trembled from her lips, and were spoken slowly as thoughchosen with care. "The sad plight of the children particularlyappealed to me."

  "There are children then?" West questioned, as Coolidge assisted herinto the car. The latter cast a swift glance of inquiry into the youngerman's face.

  "Children!" he exclaimed, "Of course; we spoke of them on the way down."

  "I know; that was what made me wonder when one of the lads playing outhere in the street said there were no kids in the cottage."

  "Oh, I see," a bit sarcastically. "So you have been amusing yourselfquestioning the neighbours, have you?"

  "To a very small extent," West confessed, keeping his temper. "One of theplayers chased a stray ball under the automobile, and I asked him aquestion or two. The cottage appeared so deserted, and you were absentfor such a length of time, I became somewhat curious."

  "And what did he tell you?"

  "Only that the occupants had moved in within a few days, and that he hadseen no kids about; no one in fact but a middling old woman."

  "Did he mention any names?"

  "No; I didn't ask. It was nothing to me."

  "I should say it was not. So the kid told you there were no children,did he? Well, you heard what Natalie said just now--which are you goingto believe?"

  "The lady, of course," smilingly. "Surely this is no matter toquarrel over."

  "No, Captain West," she broke in, leaning forward in the seat, andspeaking again in the peculiar strained voice. "The boy was merelymistaken. He had not seen the children because they were kept closely inthe house. They were turned out of their former home, and have absolutelynothing; no furniture even; only straw to sleep on. It was most pitiful."

  "Do not think of it any longer, Natalie," Coolidge insisted rathergruffly. "They are all right now. I shall telephone for a doctor as soonas we get back, and attend to the rent the first thing tomorrow."

  "I know, Uncle, but I cannot forget so easily. Do you know anything aboutpoverty, Captain West?"

  "Nothing very direct. Of course, in a way I have occasionally come incontact with suffering of that nature. I have been hungry enough inthe army, but usually I have experienced little need. I regret," headded apologetically, "that what I said was taken as criticism. I hadno such meaning."

  "Criticism!" Coolidge turned the car around as he spoke. "Be as free withthat as you please; what I object to is your intruding at everyopportunity. It looks as though you were trying to find out something--isthat your game?"

  "Not at all. I naturally spoke to the kid, and the only topic whichoccurred to me at the moment concerned the people you were visiting. Isee no occasion for any misunderstanding."

  "And there is none," she asserted cordially, her eyes meeting his ownfrankly. "So let's drop the subject, and enjoy our ride. I am not goingto have the whole day spoiled because of these people. They are all rightnow. What is that big building over there?"

  Coolidge emitted some answer, but devoted his attention to running thecar, his jaw set. It was clear enough that West's explanation was notaltogether satisfactory, and his dislike for the younger man had in noway lessened. The young woman, however, easily regained her vivacity, anddevoted herself to making the ride homeward as pleasant as possible. Westfound her unusually entertaining, with a deep sense of humor he had notbefore suspected, and an occasional lapse into slang which rathersurprised him. He had previously entertained the thought that she wasrather conventional and not particularly easy to approach, but thisconception vanished quickly in a free flow of conversation, to whichCoolidge apparently paid small attention. Indeed, there were moments whenher extreme frankness of speech rather surprised West, even her voicestriking strangely upon his ears, but the happy laugh, and swift glanceof the eyes reassured him. No doubt she was playing a part for thebenefit of Percival Coolidge in which he must co-operate. Later all wouldbe explained, and made clear. This belief encouraged him to keep up hisend of the conversation, ignoring Coolidge entirely, and devoting hisattention exclusively to her.

  The returning ride seemed very brief, and, almost before West realizedit, the car whirled in through the Coolidge gate, and came to a stop atthe door. Coolidge by this time had recovered from his spell ofill-nature, or else chose to so appear, and the party separatedpleasantly. Natalie disappeared somewhere within, while the two menstrolled out to the tennis court where the guests were enjoying aspirited game. All met again at lunch, and then separated, some to motorover to the lake, the others amusing themselves as they saw fit. BothCoolidge and Natalie vanished, while West, finding himself alone, chose abook from the library, and, solaced by a cigar, sought a shady nook onthe porch.

  The book, however, was but a mark for his thoughts, which continuallyrevolved about the strange surroundings in which he found himself. He wasapparently making no progress, was no nearer a solution of the mysteryconfronting him. Thus far, at least, no direct clue had presented itself.Numerous things had occurred to strengthen suspicion, and to increaseinterest in the quest. But beyond this--nothing. He liked the girl andwas completely enlisted in her service. He disliked Percival, and wasconvinced the fellow was planning evil. Several incidents had alreadystrengthened this belief; yet there was nothing positive upon which tobuild; no path of adventure for him to follow. To speculate was easyenough, but real facts eluded him.

  Yet, in spite of this feeling of failure, West's reflections centred moreupon the young woman than upon the particular problem which he had tosolve. The ride back from the city had revealed a phase of her characterhe had never observed before--she had shown herself vivacious, light ofspeech, a bit slangy and audacious. He was not altogether sure that thisnew revealment quite pleased him, and yet it possessed a certain charm.He had before learned to think of her as rather quiet and reserved, andnow must change his whole conception. It was difficult to adjust his mindat once to the different standard. He found himself wondering why she hadafforded him glimpses of her nature so strangely unlike. What could haveoccurred within the cottage to thus make so suddenly manifest this newside to her character? The change in her only served to increase themystery, and, he confessed, his admiration also. Her very freedomevidenced to his mind that he was really accepted, had been taken into anew intimacy; no longer to be held and treated as an interloper, astranger employed for a purpose. She had deliberately cast aside theconventional, and become natural in his presence--free to speak and actas the spirit moved. This was a victory, and he chose to interpret it asproof that she already really liked and trusted him. Actuated by thisfeeling, she no longer deemed it necessary to dissemble in his presence.It was a long step in advance.

  He had arrived at this very pleasant conclusion, when Sexton appeared inthe door, evidently looking for some one. The man espied him there inthe shadow of the vines, and came forward.

  "Miss Coolidge requests your presence, sir, for a few moments," hesaid gravely.

  "Why, certainly; did she say where, Sexton?"

  "In the library, sir; she is waiting there now."

  West hesitated an instant. There was a question he was e
ager to ask, butimmediately thought better of it. Interviewing servants was not in hisline, and there were other ways of learning the truth.

  "Very well," he said quietly. "I will join her at once. Thank you,Sexton," and disappeared into the cool, darkened hall.