CHAPTER XIII
A FOOLISH GIRL
In the meantime Harriet Hamlin was equally as unhappy as Bab and Mollie.For, instead of owing Madame Louise a mere fifty dollars, she owed heralmost five hundred and she dared not ask her father for the money to paythe bill. The dividend, with which she had tempted Mollie to make herill-advised purchase, amounted to only twenty-five dollars. It had seemeda sufficient sum to Harriet to pay down on her friend's investment, butshe knew the amount was not large enough to stay the wrath of herdressmaker, as far as her own account was concerned.
Now, Harriet had never intended to let her bill mount up to such adreadful sum. She was horrified when she found out how large it reallywas. Yet month by month Harriet had been tempted to add to her stock ofpretty clothes, without inquiring about prices, and she now found herselfin this painful predicament.
Harriet, also, thought of every possible scheme by which she might raisethe money she needed. On one thing she was determined. Her father shouldnever learn of her indebtedness. She would take any desperate measurebefore this should happen; for Harriet stood very much in awe of herfather, and knew that he had a special horror of debt.
Since Charlie Meyers had behaved so rudely to Barbara, on the night oftheir automobile ride to Mt. Vernon, Harriet had had nothing to do withhim. But now, in her anxiety, she decided to appeal to him. She couldthink of no other plan. Charlie Meyers was immensely rich and a very oldfriend. Five hundred dollars could mean very little to him, and Harrietcould, of course, pay him back later on. She fully intended to livewithin her allowance in the future and save her money until she had paidevery dollar that she owed.
But how was Harriet to see Charlie Meyers? After all she had said abouthim to the "Automobile Girls," she was really ashamed to invite him toher house. So Harriet dispatched a note to the young man, making anappointment with him to meet her on a corner some distance from thehouse on the same afternoon that Bab made her uncomfortable visit toMrs. Wilson.
Charlie Meyers was highly elated when he read Harriet Hamlin's note. Hehad known her since she was a little girl in short frocks and was veryfond of her. He had been deeply hurt by her coldness to him since theirautomobile party, but he was such an ill-bred fellow that he simply hadnot understood how badly he had behaved. He did know that Mr. Hamlindisliked him and did not enjoy his attentions to his daughter; so hehated Mr. Hamlin in consequence.
When Harriet's note arrived, he interpreted it to mean that she was sorryshe had treated him unkindly, and that she did care for him in spite ofher father's opposition. So he drove down to the designated corner in hiscar, feeling very well pleased with himself.
Harriet, however, started out to meet the young man feeling ashamed ofherself. She knew that she was behaving very indiscreetly, but shebelieved that Charlie Meyers would be ready to help her and that shecould make him do anything she wished. She accepted his invitation totake a ride, but she put off the evil moment of voicing her request aslong as possible, and as they glided along in Meyers' car, she madeherself as agreeable to her escort as she knew how to be.
After they had driven some distance out from Washington in the directionof Arlington, the old home of General Robert E. Lee, Charlie Meyers saidbluntly to Harriet:
"Now, Harriet, what's the matter? You said in your note that you wantedto see me about something important. What is it?"
Harriet stopped abruptly and looked rather timidly at Meyers. She hadbeen trying in vain to lead up to the point of asking her favor, and hereher companion had given her the very opportunity she required.
Yet Harriet hesitated, and the laughter died away on her lips. She knewshe was doing a very wrong thing in asking this young man to lend hermoney. But Harriet had been spoiled by too much admiration and she hadhad no mother's influence in the four years of her life when she mostneeded it. She was determined not to ask her father's help, and she knewof no one else to whom she could appeal.
"I am not feeling very well, Charlie," Harriet answered queerly, turninga little pale and trying to summon her courage.
"You've been entertaining too much company!" Charlie Meyers exclaimed. "Idon't think much of that set of 'Automobile Girls' you have staying withyou. They are good-looking enough, but they are kind of standoffish andsuperior."
"No, indeed; I am not having too much company," Harriet returnedindignantly, forgetting she must not let herself grow angry with herill-bred friend. "I am perfectly devoted to every one of the 'AutomobileGirls,' and Ruth Stuart is my first cousin."
Harriet and Charlie were both silent for a little while after thisunfortunate beginning to their conversation, for Harriet did not knowexactly how to go on.
"I am worried," she began again, after a slight pause in which shecounted the trees along the road to see how fast their car was running."I am worried because I am in a great deal of trouble."
"You haven't been getting engaged, have you, Harriet?" asked the youngman anxiously. "If you want to break it off, just leave matters to me."
Harriet laughed in spite of herself. It seemed so perfectly absurd toher to be expected to leave a matter as important to her happiness as herengagement to a person like Charlie Meyers to settle.
Charlie Meyers was twenty-two years of age. He had refused to go tocollege and had never even finished high school. His father had died whenhe was a child, leaving him to the care of a stepmother who had littleaffection for him. At the age of twenty-one the boy came into control ofhis immense fortune. So it was not remarkable that Charlie Meyers, whohad almost no education, no home influence and a vast sum of money at hisdisposal, thought himself of tremendous importance without making anyeffort to prove himself so.
"No, I am not engaged, Charlie," Harriet answered frankly. "But I do wantyou to do me a favor, and I wonder if you will do it?"
The young man flushed. His red face grew redder still. What was Harrietgoing to ask him? He began to feel suspicious.
Now this rich young man had a peculiarity of which Harriet had notdreamed, or she would never have dared to ask him for a loan. He was verystingy, and he had an abnormal fear that people were going to try to makeuse of him.
Harriet had started with her request, so she went bravely on:
"I'll just tell you the whole story, Charlie," she declared, "so youwill see what an awful predicament I am in. I know you won't tell Father,and you may be able to help me out. I owe Madame Louise, my dressmaker,five hundred dollars! She has threatened to bring suit against me at theend of a week unless I pay her what I owe before that time. Would youlend me the money, Charlie? I am awfully ashamed to ask you. But I couldpay you back in a little while."
Harriet's voice dropped almost to a whisper, she was so embarrassed. Hercompanion must have heard her, for he was sitting beside her in theautomobile, but he made no answer.
Poor Harriet sat very still for a moment overcome with humiliation. Shehad trampled upon her pride and self-respect in making her request, andshe had begun to realize more fully how very unwise she had been inasking such a favor of this young man. Yet it had really never dawned onthe girl that Charlie Meyers could refuse her request. When he did notanswer, she began to feel afraid. Harriet could not have spoken again forthe world. Her usually haughty head was bent low, and her lids droppedover her eyes in which the tears of humiliation were beginning to gather.
"Look here, Harriet," protested the young man at last. "Five hundreddollars is a good deal of money even for me to lend. What arrangements doyou want to make about paying it back?"
"Why, Charlie!" Harriet exclaimed. "You can have the interest on themoney, if you like. I never thought of that."
"You can pay me back the interest if you wish," Charlie replied sullenly."But you know, Harriet, that I like you an awful lot, and for a long timeI've been wanting you to marry me. But you've always refused me. Now ifyou'll promise to marry me, I'll let you have the money. But if youwon't, why you can't have it--that's all! I am not going to lend my goodmoney to you, and then have you go your way
and perhaps not have anythingmore to do with me for weeks. I tell you, Harriet, I like you an awfullot and you know it; but I am not going to be made a fool of, and youmight as well find it out right now."
Harriet was so angry she simply could not speak for a few minutes. Theenormity of her mistake swept over her. But silence was her best weapon,for Charlie Meyers began to feel ashamed. He was dimly aware that he hadinsulted Harriet, and he really did care for her as much as he wascapable of caring for any one.
"I didn't mean to make you angry, Harriet," he apologized in a halffrightened voice. "I don't see why you can't care for me anyhow. I'veasked you to marry me over and over again. And I can just tell you, youwon't have to worry over debts to dressmakers ever again, if you marryme. I've got an awful lot of money."
"I am very glad you have, Mr. Meyers," Harriet answered coldly, with aslight catch in her voice. "But I am certainly sorry I asked you to lendany of it to me. Will you never refer to this conversation again, andtake me home as soon as you can? I don't think it is worth while for meeven to refuse your offer. But please remember that my affection issomething that mere money cannot buy." Harriet's tone was so scornfulthat the young man winced. He could think of nothing to reply, and turnedhis car around in shame-faced silence.
Harriet too was very quiet. She would have liked to tell her companionwhat she truly thought of him, how coarse and ill-bred he was, but sheset her lips and remained silent. She did not wish to make an enemy ofCharlie Meyers. After that day's experience, she would simply drop himfrom her list of acquaintances and have nothing more to do with him.
Stupid though he was, the discomfited young man felt Harriet's silentcontempt. He wanted to apologize to her, to explain, to say a thousandthings. But he was too dense to know just what he should say. It wasbetter for him that he did wait to make his apology until a later day,when Harriet's anger had in a measure cooled and she was even moremiserable and confused than she was at that time.
"I am awfully sorry, Harriet," Charlie Meyers stumbled over his words ashe helped her out of his machine. "You know I didn't exactly mean torefuse your request. I'll be awfully glad to--"
But Harriet's curt good-bye checked his apologetic speech, and he turnedand drove swiftly away.