CHAPTER XI
IN MR. HAMLIN'S STUDY
All morning Barbara pondered on how she could find a pawn shop inWashington, without asking questions and without being discovered. Hercheeks burned with humiliation and disgust at the very name pawn shop!Still Mollie must never know how much she dreaded her errand, and hermother must be spared the knowledge of their debt at any cost.
About noon the Hamlin house was perfectly quiet. Grace and Ruth had goneout sight-seeing and Harriet and Mollie were both in their rooms. Mr.Hamlin was over at his office in the State Department.
Bab had taken a book and gone downstairs to the library, pretending shemeant to read, but really only desiring to think. She was feeling almostdesperate. A week seemed such a little time in which to raise fiftydollars. Bab wished to try the pawn shop venture at once, so that in caseit failed her, she would have time to turn somewhere else to secure thesum of money she needed.
Barbara was idly turning over the pages of her book, staring straightahead of her at nothing in particular, when she unexpectedly leaped toher feet. Her face flushed, but her lips took on a more determined curve.
When Barbara Thurston undertook to accomplish a thing she usually found away. Only weak people are deterred by obstacles.
Bab had remembered that she had heard Mr. Hamlin say that he kept aWashington directory in his private study. She knew that by searchingdiligently through this book she could find the address of a pawn shop.
Now was the time, of all others, to accomplish her purpose. With Bab, tothink, was to do.
Barbara knew that no one was expected to enter Mr. Hamlin's study. Shedid not dream, however, that she would be doing any harm just to slipquietly into it, find the directory and slip quickly out again, withouttouching a single other thing in the room.
As has already been explained, Mr. Hamlin's study was a small roomadjoining the drawing-room, and separated from it by a pair of heavycurtains and folding doors, which were occasionally left open, when Mr.Hamlin was not in the house, so that the room could be aired and at thesame time shut it off from public view.
Bab went straight through the hall and entered Mr. Hamlin's study througha small back door.
The room was dark, and Bab thought empty when she entered it. The insideblinds were closed, but there was sufficient light through the openingsfor Barbara to see her way about perfectly. She was bent upon businessand went straight to her task without pausing to open the window, for shewished to take no liberties with Mr. Hamlin's apartment.
The four walls of the study were lined with books, reports from Congress;everything pertaining to the business of the government at Washington.Certainly finding that old-time needle in a haystack was an easy dutycompared with locating the city directory in such a wilderness of books.
First on her hands and knees, then on tip-toe, Bab thoroughly searchedthrough every shelf. No directory could be found.
"I can hardly see," Bab decided at last. "It will not do any harm for meto turn on an electric light."
Bab was so intent on her occupation that, even after she had turned onthe light, which hung immediately over Mr. Hamlin's private desk, shestill thought she was alone in the room.
Lying under a heap of magazines and pages of manuscript on Mr. Hamlin'sdesk, was a large book, which looked very much as though it might be thedesired directory.
Still Bab wavered. She knew no one was ever allowed to lay a hand on Mr.Hamlin's desk. Even Harriet herself never dared to touch it. But whatharm could it do Mr. Hamlin for Barbara to pick up the book she desired?She would not disarrange a single paper.
Bab reached out, intending to secure what she wished. But immediately shefelt her arm seized and held in a tight grip.
A low contralto voice said distinctly: "What do you mean by stealing inhere to search among Mr. Hamlin's papers?" The vise-like hold on Bab'sarm continued. The fingers were slender, but strong as steel, and thegrip hurt Barbara so, she wanted to cry out from the pain.
"Answer me," the soft voice repeated. "What are you doing, prying amongMr. Hamlin's papers, when he is out of the house? You know he neverallows any one to touch them."
Bab Felt Her Arm Seized In a Tight Grip.]
"I am not prying," cried Bab indignantly. "I only came in here to lookfor the city directory. I thought it might be on Mr. Hamlin's desk."
"A likely story," interrupted Bab's accuser scornfully. "If you wishedthe directory, why did you not ask Mr. Hamlin to lend it to you? Youwanted something else! What was it? Tell me?" The hold on Barbara's armtightened.
"Let go my arm, Mrs. Wilson," returned Barbara firmly. "I am telling youthe truth. How absurd for you to think anything else! What could I wishin here? But I needed to look into the directory at once--for a--for aspecial purpose," Barbara finished lamely.
Then her eyes flashed indignantly. "I am a guest in Mr. Hamlin's house,"she said, coldly. "How do you know, Mrs. Wilson, that I have not receivedhis permission to enter this room? But you! Will you be good enough toexplain to me why you were hiding behind the curtains in Mr. Hamlin'sstudy when I came in? You, too, knew Mr. Hamlin was not at home. Besides,Harriet receives her guests in the drawing-room, not in here."
"I came to see Mr. Hamlin on private business," Mrs. Wilson repliedhaughtily. "He is an old and intimate friend of mine, so I took theliberty of coming in here to wait for his return. But seeing you enter,and suspecting you of mischief, I did conceal myself behind thecurtains. I shall be very glad, however, to remain here with you untilMr. Hamlin returns from his office. I can readily explain my intrusionand you will have an equal opportunity to tell Mr. Hamlin what you weredoing in here."
Now Barbara, who had slept very little the night before, and had worrieddreadfully all morning, did a very foolish thing. She blushed crimson atMrs. Wilson's request. She might very readily have agreed to stay, andcould simply have explained later to Mr. Hamlin that she had come intohis private room because she needed to see the directory. But would Mr.Hamlin have inquired of Barbara her reason for desiring the directory?This is, of course, what Barbara feared, and it caused her to behave mostunwisely. She trembled and fixed on Mrs. Wilson two pleading brown eyes.
"Please do not ask me to wait here until Mr. Hamlin returns," sheentreated. "And, if you don't mind, you will not mention to Mr. Hamlinthat I came into his study without asking his permission. Truly I onlywanted to look at the directory, and I will tell Harriet that I havebeen in here."
Mrs. Wilson eyed Bab, with evident suspicion. "Why are you so anxious tosee the directory?" she inquired. "If you wish to know a particularaddress why do you not ask your friends, the Hamlins, about it?"
"That is something that I cannot explain to you, Mrs. Wilson," saidBarbara, a look of fear leaping into her eyes that was not lost on hercompanion.
"Very well, if you cannot explain yourself, I shall lay the whole matterbefore Mr. Hamlin the instant he comes home," returned Mrs. Wilsoncruelly. "It looks very suspicious, to say the least, when a guest takesadvantage of his absence to prowl among his private papers."
Tears of humiliation sprang to Barbara's eyes. It was bad enough to haveMrs. Wilson doubt her integrity, but it would be infinitely worse ifstern Mr. Hamlin were told of her visit to his study. Bab felt that hewould be sure to believe that she was deliberately meddling with mattersthat did not concern her. She looked at Mrs. Wilson. The forbiddingexpression on her face left no doubt in Bab's mind that the older womanwould carry out her threat. Suddenly it flashed across the young girlthat perhaps if Mrs. Wilson really knew the truth she would agree to dropthe affair without saying anything to Mr. Hamlin.
"Perhaps it will be better after all for me to tell you my reasonfor being here," Bab said with a gentle dignity that caused Mrs.Wilson's stern expression to soften. "What I am about to say,however, is in strictest confidence, as it involves another personbesides myself. I shall expect you to respect my confidence, Mrs.Wilson," she added firmly.
Mrs. Wilson made a jesture of acquiescence. Then Barbara
poured forth thestory of Mollie's extravagance and her subsequent remorse over thedifficulties into which her love of dress had plunged both of theThurston girls. "It is just this way, Mrs. Wilson," Bab concluded. "Wehave very little money of our own and we simply can't ask Mother to paythis debt. I won't ask Ruth to lend it to us because we are too deeplyindebted to her already. I have some jewelry that is valuable; a ring, apin and several trinkets, and I intend to take them to a pawn shop andborrow enough money on them to free Mollie of this debt. Then we willsave our allowance money and redeem the things. I have never been in apawn shop and don't know anything about them, so I thought I would findthe address of a pawn broker in the directory and go there thisafternoon. That is why I wanted the directory and why I came into Mr.Hamlin's study. Now that I have told you, perhaps you will feeldifferently about saying anything to Mr. Hamlin. He is so stern and coldthat he would never forgive me if he knew of all this, although I amdoing nothing wrong. It is very humiliating to be placed in thisposition, but now that the mischief has been done we shall have to payfor the gown and set it all down under the head of bitter experience."
Mrs. Wilson regarded Barbara steadily while she was speaking. There was alook of admiration in the older woman's eyes when Barbara had finished."You are a very brave girl, Miss Thurston, to take your sister's troubleon your own shoulders. I am very glad that you saw fit to tell me whatyou have. I hope you will forgive me for my seeming cruelty, but I simplycannot endure anything dishonorable or underhanded. To show you that Ibelieve what you have told me, and to prove to you that your confidencein me is well founded, I propose to help you out of your difficulty."
"You?" queried Bab in surprise. "I--I don't understand."
"I will lend you the money to pay the modiste," exclaimed Mrs. Wilson."Then you shall pay it back whenever it is convenient for you to do so,and no one will ever be the wiser. We need tell no one that we met herein the study this afternoon."
"But--I--can't," protested Barbara rather weakly. "It wouldn't be right.It would be asking entirely too much of you and--"
Mrs. Wilson held up her hand authoritatively. "My dear little girl," shesaid quickly. "I insist on lending you this money. I am a mother, and ifmy son were in any little difficulty and needed help, I should like tofeel that perhaps some one would be ready to do for him the little I amgoing to do for you. Come to my house this afternoon and I will have themoney ready for you. Will you do this, Barbara?" she asked extending herhand to the young girl.
Barbara hesitated for a second, then she placed her hand in that of Mrs.Wilson's. "I will take the money," she said slowly, "and I thank you foryour kindness. I hope I shall be able to do something for you in returnto show my appreciation."
"Perhaps you may have the opportunity," replied Mrs. Wilson meaningly."Who knows. I think I won't wait any longer for Mr. Hamlin. Come to myhouse at half past four o'clock this afternoon. I shall expect you.Good-bye, my dear."
"Good-bye," replied Bab mechanically, as she accompanied Mrs. Wilson tothe vestibule door. "I'll be there at half past four."