CHAPTER III--RUTH'S PERFECT PLAN
Wonderment over the mystery of the money, and excited anticipation ofRuth Stuart's luncheon and "plan," kept the Thurston girls from gettingto sleep very early that night. They awoke bright and fresh nextmorning, nevertheless. Just before eleven they started on their two-miletramp to the hotel. They were hardly out of sight of the house, however,when what should they see but the now familiar red car speeding towardthem. "Look--yes, it is!" cried Mollie. "Ruth herself is making it go!"
The young driver waved a free hand for a second, as she neared them,then wheeled in a broad turn and stopped. "I was so afraid you mighthave started," she protested tactfully, "for it is such a fine morningfor a nice leisurely walk. I was so anxious to see you that I simplycouldn't wait, and I told Dad I'd take the 'bubble' and spin out to meetyou. Now, won't you please hop in, and ride back with me?"
The girls "hopped" with delighted celerity, and Ruth turned back to themfor a moment. "I have reams to talk about," she continued, "but, to tellyou the truth, I want my father to be with us, when I begin. So, now, ifyou don't mind, we'll just ride."
Neither Mollie nor Barbara will ever forget their first ride. "I felt asif I had chartered my own private flying machine, and I was sure theangels were jealous," Mollie confessed, naively, at lunch.
They reached the hotel very quickly, and after a cosy chat on theprivate balcony belonging to Ruth's tiny suite of rooms, foundthemselves seated around a little table in a cool, palm-shaded corner ofthe big dining-room. Between them, opposite Ruth, sat big, blue-eyed,open-hearted, Robert Stuart, Ruth's "Dad."
Robert Stuart had made his fortune out West, in the mining country. Thatwas how he started, anyway. For years, now, he had lived in Chicago,buying and selling real estate in the vicinity. There his wife had died,and there his eighteen-year-old daughter Ruth had spent nearly all herlife. During the summers she had traveled more or less, and the last fewyears had frequently gone East. Her father's sister, Aunt Sallie Stuart,had brought the girl up since her mother's death, which had occurredwhen Ruth was a little girl. Aunt Sallie was not present at theluncheon, because of a bad headache. "Grace Carter has come over and isstaying with her, like a dear," Ruth explained. Later, if Auntie feltbetter, the girls were to go up to her room.
Ruth, as has appeared, was an extremely impulsive young person.Fortunately, most of her impulses were inspired by a natural kindliness,and a cheerful, youthful energy, with a stratum of good common sense atbottom. There was apt to be method in her madness. Her "plan," forinstance, had long been her desire, but before she had never seen theway.
Ruth couldn't wait for the cold boullion to be taken off. "Father, Iwant to tell them now!" she exclaimed. After his cheerful, "Go ahead,daughter," she burst out: "Barbara, Mollie, won't you go on anautomobile tour to Newport with Grace Carter and me, with Aunt Salliefor chaperon? Won't you, can't you come?"
While the amazed girls could only look at her and at each other, shehurried on: "Oh, yes, you probably think I'm crazy. But I'm not. You seeit's like this: all my life I have longed to travel by myself; at least,with the people I want, not in a train, or a big crowded boat. Dad knowsthe feeling; it's what makes him run away from Chicago, and get out onthe prairies and ride and ride and ride! I'm a girl, so I can't do thator lots of things. But I can run an automobile. For two years I havejust been waiting to get the right crowd. Grace is a dear, but I wantedtwo more. The other girls I know are all right to meet at dances and tosee now and then; but they'd collapse at the thought of starting off ona lark like this. You two--you're different, I knew it the minute I sawyou. Besides," she continued, "Grace has been telling me things aboutyou. I always know right off whether I like anybody, and it doesn't takelong to find out how much I like them. I like both of you a wholelot--and I know we will have a perfectly delightful trip if you will gowith me. If you don't, I simply can't go--that's all. It would be absurdsetting off in that great machine with only Grace and Aunt Sallie torattle around like two peas in a pod. Daddie understands, and he likesyou just the way I do--I can see it in his eyes. So it's just up to you!Do you like me a little bit--well, say enough to visit me in myautomobile for a month or so? Oh, please say you do!"
She stopped, her voice catching impulsively over the last words.Barbara's eyes were shining. "I don't believe we need to tell you that,"she said softly; "you must just know. But there's mother. And we haven'tthe money."
"Now that's not fair," Ruth broke in. "The money is out of the questionaltogether. You are my guests. Why, it's you who will do me the favor,"she pleaded, as she caught the look of dissent on Barbara's face."Remember, if you fail me, I can't have my trip at all--and I have beenlooking forward to it for two whole years. As for your mother, if shewill consent to it, Dad and I have a beautiful plan, to keep her and Dadboth from being lonely. Poor Dad is sick and tired of hotel cooking andI told him all about your dear little cottage and the dandy tea andcookies your mother makes, and--and--do you suppose your mother would letDad take his meals with her while we are away? Then he won't be toowretched living all alone up here. Also, you wouldn't have to worryabout your mother, nor would I have to worry about Dad. Aunt Sallie hasbeen with him so long that I don't know what he'd do all by himself. Hecould get on very well, if only your mother would look after him atmeals, I know that.
"Now I won't say another word about it for the rest of our lunch. Thenwe'll run in and call on Aunt Sallie. Afterward we will take the car outand see your mother, and get her to say yes! Then you'll say it, too,won't you? But don't let's spoil this good chicken salad, throughworrying about it."
In a more or less complete, yet altogether happy silence, the luncheonwas finished. Ruth and her father did not try to force their guests totalk, realizing that the girls would want to think. From the smilingglances the two Stuarts exchanged now and then it was evident they hopedthe thinking would have a happy outcome.
After the last course had been served, and the finger bowls, a sprig ofrose geranium floating in each, had been pushed aside, Ruth saidquietly: "Now we will go to see Aunt Sallie for a few minutes. Daddie,you'll have the machine at the door?"
The girls filed into the elevator, and soon were speeding down a longhall to Aunt Sallie's suite, just across from Ruth's. The latter knockedsoftly, and Grace Carter came to the door. "Yes, ever so much better,"Grace murmured, in reply to Ruth's whispered inquiry. "She wants you tobe sure to come in with your friends before they go. Yes; I am sure shewould be glad to see them now."
As the girls entered the vestibule of the apartment, Grace gaveBarbara's hand a furtive squeeze, and whispered: "I'll just neverrecover if you don't come." There was no chance for a reply, for aprecise, though rather kindly voice called from the room beyond: "Ruth,please bring your friends in here."
With some trepidation the girls advanced toward "Aunt Sallie." She was asomewhat stout woman, who reclined on a couch in a handsome violetnegligee. She scanned the girls sharply for a moment, then in hercarefully enunciated syllables, which contrasted oddly with her smooth,plump face, she said: "So you're the young ladies who stop runawayhorses! Well, I never could have done it when I was young. But I'm sureI am indebted to you, and I am happy to know you, my dears. I hope andtrust, since my madcap niece is bound to take her trip, that you willcome along to keep her company."
The girls smiled, and Ruth murmured to them: "You see, you really mustcome for the sake of my family!" Then Aunt Sallie stretched out twoplump, jeweled hands and remarked: "I am sure I shall see a great dealof you very soon, my dears, and you will see all you want to of me. So,if you don't mind, I'll ask you to excuse me now, my head is so tired."
"She likes to take a cat-nap pretty often," explained irreverent Ruth,as soon as they were safely outside the door. "But Aunt Sallie is a goodsort, just the same, and the best possible dragon for our trip. Yourmother needn't be in the least afraid to trust you to her. Now for yourmother," Ruth added as the girls entered the elevator.
In front of the broad piazza, the
automobile waited on the driveway,with Mr. Stuart as chauffeur. "Pile in," he smiled, and, in a trice, thegirls were whirled homeward once more.
There a mighty conference was held. At first, Mrs. Thurston simplygasped. Then she dumbly shook her head. Barbara and Mollie bothprotested that nothing would persuade them to leave their mother againsther wishes. As Ruth said afterwards, "Daddie did the whole thing." Heexplained to the girls, and to their mother, how brief the separationwould be. To the mother he expatiated on the delights and educationalvalue of such a trip. To the girls he hinted, delicately, that perhapsthe little mother would get a bit of a rest, all by herself, for a fewweeks, even with him to take care of. To all present Mr. Stuart enlargedupon the duty of charity toward him, a homeless vacation visitor,starving from eating only hotel food, and toward his daughter, asisterless girl with a longing for friends. Though the Thurstons shooktheir heads, between smiles and tears, at the absurdity of thesearguments, they finally said a grateful "yes."
"One really doesn't need any clothes except veils and dusters for anautomobile trip, and I have a big extra stock of those," concluded Ruth."I want to run up here for you people--let me see--to-day is Friday--nextMonday morning. That's such a nice day to start."
"Yes," again cried Mollie and Barbara.
The girls joined hands and made a low curtsey to Mrs. Thurston and Mr.Stuart. "Allow me to introduce you," said Ruth in her most impressivevoice, "to 'The Automobile Girls' on their way to Newport."
"Long may they flourish!" concluded Mr. Stuart, turning to the girls'mother. "I'll come up with Ruth and help you start them off, Mrs.Thurston. Then, if I may, I will come back and have lunch with you laterin the day."
"Till Monday!" called Ruth, and the machine whirled off.
Barbara and Mollie watched it from the gate. "I wish--I wish I could dosomething for them," mused Barbara, her chin sunk in her hand, her browneyes showing that soft brightness that only came to them when she wasgreatly moved.
How well she was to repay the Stuart kith and kin she could not thenguess.