XIX
When Tessie came out of the big building which housed the offices ofMarvin, Phelps Stokes and told Johnny to run into the Bon Bon Box forsome chocolates, she saw a big blue limousine draw up to the curb besideher. She recognized the car at once. She had driven in it too many timesnot to know that it was the Kingley car. When the chauffeur jumped outand came toward her, she did not recognize him, and she thoughtcarelessly that Mrs. Kingley had done what she had threatened to do,hired a Japanese chauffeur.
"They look so smart," Mrs. Kingley had said. "And they are so clever."
"And so unreliable," Mr. Kingley had added, and he had insisted thatwhen all the American men were employed, it would be time enough to hirea Jap.
But Mrs. Kingley had evidently had her way, and Tessie smiled as thechauffeur stopped beside her, bowed humbly, and asked her if she wouldplease come to the car. Tessie turned at once. She naturally thoughtthat Ethel Kingley, or possibly Mrs. Kingley--young Mr. Bill'smother--wanted to speak to her. And although she knew that it is not thething to order a queen to come here or go there, still the Kingleyswere more than queens to her, and with a thumping heart she went to thecar. She even entered it without a question, all aglow with curiosity tohear what Ethel Kingley or Mrs. Kingley--the lordly Mr. Bill'smother--had to say to her.
Before she really realized that there was no one in the car, thechauffeur had sent the machine leaping forward. It rounded a corner ontwo wheels, and if the traffic policeman had not been engaged in a warmargument with two men in small cars, each of whom wanted the right ofway at the same time, it would never have gone any further, for it wasbreaking the traffic laws with every revolution of its red wheels.
Tessie could have pounded on the glass which separated her from thechauffeur, but it never occurred to her to do that. She thought she hadmisunderstood the chauffeur and that Ethel Kingley or Mrs. Kingley hadasked her to come to the Kingley residence. She was sorry she had nothad time to tell Johnny where she was going, but Johnny would take thebox of chocolates home and would tell Granny that she had gone to theKingleys, so that Granny would not worry. If Ka-kee-ta had returned, hewould make a fuss because she had the Tear of God. She felt for it inits safety bag around her slim waist. But if Ka-kee-ta wanted to go withher, he should not take all day for a little errand which should haverequired only half an hour.
She wondered if Ka-kee-ta had returned. Perhaps she should stop at theWaloo and inquire. She leaned forward to speak to the chauffeur. Shenever could remember to use the silken tube which hung at the side ofthe car. But the limousine swerved to the left and dashed down a meanlittle street, which was not on the way to the Kingleys' bigplaster-and-timbered mansion. She knew it wasn't. She had never gonethat way before. Why--Why----
Tessie did pound on the glass then, but the chauffeur never turned hishead. He just swung the car around another corner, and down anothernarrow street, and stopped before a brick house. He jumped out andopened the door and motioned to Tessie to step out. But Tessie nevermoved a muscle. She sat on the broad gray seat of the limousine, as ifshe never would step out.
"Suppose you take me home now," she said coldly and calmly, althoughinwardly she was anything but calm and cold. "I know Mrs. Kingley isn'there. And Miss Kingley isn't here, either. You've made a mistake. Takeme to the Waloo Hotel at once!"
She spoke like a queen, as if she were accustomed to issuing orders andto being obeyed, and not at all like the frightened little girl shereally felt. She told herself that it was ridiculous to feelfrightened. Nothing could happen to her! Not on the street in Waloo inbroad daylight!
It made her feel safer to see a group of small boys playing ball on thevacant lot next to the red brick house. One of the boys failed to catchthe ball, and it rolled almost under the car.
"Take me home!" ordered Tessie, in her most royal manner.
But the chauffeur only showed his teeth. They made a white streak in hisyellow face as he motioned toward the door of the red brick house.
"Ka-kee-ta," he said very slowly and distinctly. "You want Ka-kee-ta?"
"Ka-kee-ta!" That was a very different pair of shoes. So Miss Kingley,or perhaps it was Mrs. Kingley, had found Ka-kee-ta--although what hewas doing away down here, miles from the Waloo, Tessie could notimagine--and had sent the chauffeur to take her to him. How kind! Howvery kind of the Kingleys. She jumped up, eager questions tumbling fromher lips. "Why is he here? Why didn't he come home? Is he hurt?" For shewas sure that nothing but an injury would keep Ka-kee-ta away from herand from the Tear of God. She was glad she had the Tear of God in thesafety bag around her waist. She could show Ka-kee-ta that it was safe.Her face whitened as she thought that Ka-kee-ta might be, must be, badlyinjured. But still she hesitated to go to him. She stood on the runningboard of the car and looked up and down the narrow little street.
"Ka-kee-ta, he want you!" exclaimed the chauffeur, and he would havetaken her arm to help her, but she pushed him away. She had taken adislike to him, she did not know why, but she did not want him to touchher, although it was kind of him to bring her to Ka-kee-ta.
She glanced at the red brick house. Was that Ka-kee-ta's frizzled headat an upper window? It looked like it. So he was not badly injured, orhe would not be at the window. She drew a long breath of relief. Shewould go and see what was the matter with him, and if it was nothingserious, she would give him a good big piece of her mind for worryingher. Of course, a queen would have to look after her bodyguard even ifher bodyguard had been disobedient and careless. Indeed she would tellKa-kee-ta what she thought of him.
She stepped forward hurriedly, and in her eagerness to tell Ka-kee-tahow disobedient he had been, she dropped her little beaded bag. It fellfrom the big embroidered pocket of her Canton crepe frock and rolledunder the car, but Tessie never knew it. The chauffeur, who was close ather side, never knew it, either.
The door of the red brick house opened before Tessie could ring thebell, and she went in. The chauffeur waited until the door closed behindher, and then ran back to his car. He jumped in and drove rapidly away.The small boy in search of his ball had to wait a minute, until the carhad dashed away. And then he saw the beaded bag lying in the streetbeside the curb and beside the ball.
"Crickey!" he exclaimed, holding it up for the other boys to see. "Lookwhat I found!"
There was no one in the hall as the outside door closed behind Tessie.She stood still for a second, feeling very small and neglected. Sinceshe became a queen, she had been met at front doors with more or lessceremony, and it puzzled her that no one met her now. There was a doorat her right. She walked toward it. She could not remember at just whichwindow she had caught that glimpse of a frizzled head. Perhaps Ka-kee-tawas in the room at the right. But when she opened the door, she did notsee Ka-kee-ta. She saw Frederic Pracht.
He stepped forward. "Welcome!" he said pleasantly. "Welcome, YourMajesty!"
"Why--why--" stammered Tessie, so surprised she could do nothing butstammer. She sent a hurried glance around the room, but she could notsee a trace of her bodyguard. "I thought Ka-kee-ta was here," shemanaged to say after she had swallowed twice, and impatiently tossed herhead to free the frightened lump in her throat.
Mr. Pracht laughed softly, unpleasantly. "This is the Waloo headquartersof the Sons of Sunshine," he explained gently, and as if she shouldknow that Ka-kee-ta would never be found at the headquarters of thatrevolutionary organization.
"The Sons of Sunshine," repeated Tessie faintly. The bright color lefther face, her bones suddenly felt starchless and limp, but she lookedbravely at Mr. Pracht. She remembered that Granny had told her that theGilfoolys were never afraid. She must not let Mr. Pracht think that aGilfooly could be afraid, but she half closed her eyes and wished withall of her heart that Joe Cary were with her--or Mr. Bill! If only Mr.Bill were there, she would not mind the unpleasant little smile withwhich Mr. Pracht was regarding her. She would not mind anything!
"Yes. I am sure that you are going to be a most amiable and obligingqueen, a
nd grant the Sons of Sunshine what they ask," Mr. Pracht said,and his voice was far more pleasant than his smile. It was too pleasant,so very pleasant that if Tessie had been any one but a valiant Gilfooly,she would have fainted immediately. "If you refuse," went on theunpleasantly pleasant voice, "you will have to remain here until you seehow reasonable their demands are. A strange people, Your Majesty--astrange people! And they have strange customs in their far-away islands.I think I told you of some of them?" And he looked at her and shook histhatched tow-head.
Tessie straightened herself proudly. She would not let him see howfrightened she was. She would die first.
"You told me of one," she said as scornfully as she could, when she hadno starch at all left in her bones. "Something about boiling the kingsthey don't like in shark oil." And she managed a contemptuous toss ofher head, as if she did not believe a word of Mr. Pracht's story.
"Yes," he agreed cheerfully. "That is one of their little customs. But Iam sure that they will not have to resort to it soon again. You cannotblame them for wanting a native ruler. You really have no claim on them.Just because your uncle was an unscrupulous man, and influenced the oldking to disinherit his sons, is no reason why the people should have toaccept another white ruler when they don't want one." He would have goneon to tell Tessie other things about the islands and the rebels, but sheinterrupted him.
"What do you want of me?" she asked bluntly.
"I told you. Your rights to the Sunshine Islands," he told her asbluntly.
But Tessie, soft, little, frightened Tessie, felt the hot blood of theGilfoolys rush through her. It seemed to put the starch back in herbones so that she could stand boldly before this hateful, smiling man.Her islands! The very idea! Words Joe Cary had said rushed through hermind. It was funny that she should remember what Joe had said aboutresponsibilities and duties now. But Joe was right. She did haveresponsibilities and duties. So instead of telling Mr. Pracht exactlywhat she thought of him, she swallowed the hot words which rushed to herlips, tossed her head, and looked at him questioningly. She must meetcraft with craft.
"How do I know that you are what you say?" she asked doubtfully. "Youtell me that you represent the Sons of Sunshine, and that the Sons ofSunshine want a native ruler, but I have only your word for it. You musthave some credentials or something. I can't dispose of my rights to theislands my Uncle Pete left me and turn the people over to just any one.That wouldn't be right! Joe Cary--" And suddenly she rememberedsomething else Joe Cary had told her. She stared at Mr. Pracht with bigastonished eyes. "Joe Cary told me once that there was some country thatwould like to get possession of my islands so it would have a base, Ithink he said, nearer the United States. He said the Japanese would givetheir eyeteeth to get control of the Sunshine Islands. I remember allabout it now. How do I know you aren't acting for the Japanese, insteadof for the Sons of Sunshine?" she asked shrilly.
He jumped, and all the muscles of his face seemed to tighten as hestared at her. "Japanese!" he repeated sharply.
"Yes. And it was a Jap who drove the car that brought me here,"remembered Tessie, putting two and two together. "I would never sell myislands to the Japanese!" she declared firmly. "Never! I don't trustthem! And it wouldn't be patriotic! Joe said it wouldn't! And theBaileys, who lived next to us before I was a queen, were fromCalifornia, and they told me things about the Japanese. If you areworking for them, you can tell them I would never think of selling myislands to them!" And she turned away as if to let him know that herdecision was made and the interview was over.
Out on the steps, a small boy with a beaded bag in his hand was ringingthe doorbell. It sent a loud peal through the house.
"Some one is at your front door," Tessie told Mr. Pracht, who stoodbiting his nails, and frowning at her as though he had not heard thebell.
"Let it ring," he muttered staring at her. Suddenly he shrugged hisshoulders. He had decided on his course of action. "You want Ka-kee-ta?"he said curtly. "Come upstairs."
"I thought you said he wasn't here," she exclaimed. "That surprised me,for I was sure I saw him at the window."
"Come upstairs," repeated Mr. Pracht. "Ka-kee-ta needs you."
Of course, if one of her people needed her, there was nothing for aqueen to do but follow Mr. Pracht up the stairs and down the hall.Outside the front door, a small boy stuffed a beaded bag in his pocketand ran down the steps and up the street.
Mr. Pracht threw open the door of a room at the end of the hall, andstood aside for Tessie to enter. She hesitated for the room was dark. Itseemed to have no light but from the open door, and she could seenothing in it but shadows.
"Ka-kee-ta?" she called from the threshold. "Ka-kee-ta, are you there?"She was almost sure that Ka-kee-ta was not there, but before she couldsay so, she was pushed over the threshold and into the darkened room.The door slammed behind her.
"You will stay there until you agree to give up your rights to theSunshine Islands!" Mr. Pracht called through the door. "Your rights tothe islands and the Tear of God! And the sooner you agree the better.Sharks have sharp teeth, you know!"