CHAPTER XXII
OIL ON THE TROUBLED WATERS
"What does all this mean, William Hamlin?" Mr. Stuart inquiredwithout ceremony.
With bowed head Mr. Hamlin told the whole story, not attempting to excusehimself, for Mr. Hamlin was a just man, though a severe one. He declaredthat he had been influenced to suspect Barbara ever since her arrival inhis home. His enemies had also made a dupe of him, but his punishment hadcome upon him swiftly. He had just discovered that his own daughter hadtried to deliver into the hands of paid spies, state papers of the UnitedStates Government.
Mr. Stuart and Aunt Sallie looked extremely serious while Mr. Hamlin wastelling his story. But when Mr. Hamlin explained how Ruth and Bab hadexchanged the valuable political documents for folded sheets of blankpaper, Mr. Stuart burst into a loud laugh, and his expression changed asthough by a miracle. He patted his daughter's shoulder to express hisapproval, while Miss Sallie kissed Bab with a sigh of relief.
Mr. Stuart and his sister had both been extremely uneasy since thearrival of Ruth's singular telegram, not knowing what troubled watersmight be surrounding their "Automobile Girls." Indeed Miss Sallie hadinsisted on accompanying her brother to Washington, as she felt sure herpresence would help to set things right.
Mr. Stuart's laugh cleared the sorrowful atmosphere of the study asthough by magic. Ruth and Barbara smiled through their tears. They werenow so sure that all would soon be well!
"It seems to me, William, that all this is 'much ado about nothing,'" Mr.Stuart declared. "Of course, I can see that the situation would have beenpretty serious if poor Harriet had been deceived into giving up the realdocuments. But Bab and Ruth have saved the day! There is no harm donenow. You even know the names of the spies. There is only one thing for usto consider at present, and that is--where is Harriet?"
"Yes, Father," Ruth pleaded. "Do find Harriet."
"The child was foolish, and she did wrong, of course," Mr. Stuart wenton. "But, as Ruth tells me Harriet did not know the real papers wereexchanged for false ones, she probably thinks she has disgraced youand she is too frightened to come home. You must take steps to findher at once, and to let her know you forgive her. It is a pity to loseany time."
Mr. Hamlin was silent. "I cannot forgive Harriet," he replied. "But, ofcourse, she must be brought home at once."
"Nonsense!" Mr. Stuart continued. "Summon your servants and have some onetelephone to Harriet's friends. She has probably gone to one of them.Tell the child that Sallie and I are here and wish to see her. But whereare my other 'Automobile Girls,' Mollie and Grace?"
"Upstairs, Father," Ruth answered happily. "Come and see them. I want totelephone for Harriet. I think she will come home for me."
"Show your aunt and father to their rooms, Ruth," Mr. Hamlin begged."I must wait here until a messenger arrives from the newspaper, whichin some way has learned the story of our misfortune. And even they donot know that the stolen papers were valueless. I must explainmatters to them."
"A man of your influence can keep any mention of this affair out of thenewspapers," Mr. Stuart argued heartily. "So the storm will have blownover by to-morrow. And I believe you will be able to punish the twoschemers who have tried to betray your daughter and disgrace my Barbara,without having Harriet's name brought into this affair."
For the first time, Mr. Hamlin lifted his head and nodded briefly. "Yes,I can attend to them," he declared in the quiet fashion that showed himto be a man of power. "It is best, for the sake of the country, that thescandal be nipped in the bud. I alone know what was in these state papersthat Mrs. Wilson and Peter Dillon were hired to steal. So I alone know towhom they would be valuable. There would be an international difficultyif I should expose the real promoter of the theft. Peter Dillon shall bedismissed from his Embassy. Mrs. Wilson will find it wiser to leaveWashington, and never to return here again. I will spare the woman asmuch as I can for the sake of her son, Elmer, who is a fine fellow. Ruth,dear, do telephone to Harriet's friends. Your father is right. We mustfind my daughter at once."
Miss Sallie, Mr. Stuart and Ruth started to leave the room. Bab rose tofollow them.
"Miss Thurston, don't go for a minute," Mr. Hamlin said. "I wish to begyour pardon. Will you forgive a most unhappy man? Of course I see, now,that I had no right to suspect you without giving you a chance to defendyourself. I can only say that I was deceived, as well as Harriet. Thewhole plot is plain to me now. Harriet was to be terrified into notbetraying her own part in the theft, so she would never dare reveal thenames of Mrs. Wilson or Peter Dillon. I, with my mind poisoned againstyou, would have sought blindly to fasten the crime on you. I regard myoffice as Assistant Secretary of State as a sacred trust. If the papersentrusted to my keeping had been delivered into the hands of the enemiesof my country, through my own daughter's folly, I should never havelifted my head again, I cannot say--I have no words to express--what Iowe to you and Ruth. But how do you think a newspaper man could haveunearthed this plot? It seems incredible, when you consider howstealthily Peter Dillon and Mrs. Wilson have worked. A man--"
"I don't think a man did unearth it," Bab replied. Just then the bellrang again.
The next moment the door opened, and the butler announced: "Miss MarjorieMoore!" The newspaper girl gave Bab a friendly smile; then she turnedcoldly to Mr. William Hamlin.
"Miss Moore!" Mr. Hamlin exclaimed in surprise and in anger. "I wish tosee a man from your newspaper. What I have to say cannot possiblyconcern you."
"I think it does, Mr. Hamlin," Miss Moore repeated calmly. "One of theeditors from my paper has come here with me. He is waiting in the hall.But it was I who discovered the theft of your state documents. I havebeen expecting mischief for some time. I am sorry for you, ofcourse--very sorry, but I have all the facts of the case, and as no oneelse knows of it, it will be a great scoop for me in the morning."
"Your newspaper will not publish the story at all, Miss Moore," Mr.Hamlin rejoined, when he had recovered from his astonishment at MissMoore's appearance. "The stolen papers were not of the least value. Willyou explain to Miss Moore exactly what occurred, Miss Thurston?" Mr.Hamlin concluded.
When Bab told the story of how she and Ruth had made their lightningsubstitution of the papers, Marjorie Moore gave a gasp of surprise.
"Good for you, Miss Thurston!" she returned. "I knew you were clever, aswell as the right sort, the first time I saw you. So I had gotten hold ofthe whole story of the theft except, the most important point--theexchange of the papers. It spoils my story as sensational political news.But," Miss Moore laughed, "it makes a perfectly great personal story,because it has such a funny side to it: 'Foiled by the "AutomobileGirls"!' 'The Assistant Secretary of State's Daughter!'" Miss Moorestopped, ashamed of her cruelty when she saw Mr. Hamlin's face. But hedid not speak.
It was Bab who exclaimed: "Oh, Miss Moore, you are not going to betrayHarriet, are you? Poor Harriet thought it was all a joke. She did notknow the papers were valuable. It would be too cruel to spread this storyabroad. It might ruin Harriet's reputation."
Marjorie Moore made no answer.
"You heard Miss Thurston," Mr. Hamlin interposed. "Surely you will grantour request."
"Mr. Hamlin," Marjorie Moore protested, "I am dreadfully sorry for you.I told you so, but I am going to have this story published in themorning. It is too good to keep and I have worked dreadfully hard on it.Indeed, I almost lost my life because of it. I knew it was Peter Dillonwho struck me down on the White House lawn the night of the reception.But I said nothing because I knew that, if I made trouble, I would havebeen put off the scent of the story somehow. I tried to see MissThurston alone, that evening, to warn her that Mrs. Wilson and PeterDillon were going to try to fasten their crime on her. I am obliged tobe frank with you, Mr. Hamlin. I will stick to the facts as you havetold them to me, but a full account of the attempted theft will bepublished in the morning's 'News.'"
"Call the man who is with you, Miss Moore; I prefer to talk with him,"Mr. Hamlin commanded
. "You do not seem to realize the gravity of what youintend to do. It will be a mistake for your newspaper to make an enemy ofa man in my official position."
Mr. Hamlin talked for some time to one of the editors of the Washington"News." He entreated, threatened and finally made an appeal to him tosave his daughter and himself by not making the story public.
"I am afraid we shall have to let the story go, Miss Moore," the editorremarked regretfully. "It was a fine piece of news, but we don't wish tomake things too hard for Mr. Hamlin." The man turned to go.
"Mr. Hughes," Marjorie Moore announced, speaking to her editor, "if youdo not intend to use this story, which I have worked on so long, in yourpaper, I warn you, right now, that I shall simply sell it to some othernewspaper and take the consequences. All the papers will not be socareful of Mr. Hamlin's feelings."
"Oh, Miss Moore, you would not be so cruel!" Bab cried.
Marjorie Moore turned suddenly on Barbara; "Why shouldn't I?" shereturned. "Both Harriet Hamlin and Peter Dillon have been hateful andinsolent to me ever since I have been making my living in Washington. Itold you I meant to get even with them some day. Well, this is my chance,and I intend to take it. Good-bye; there is no reason for me to stay hereany longer."
"Mr. Hamlin, if Miss Moore insists on selling her story on the outside, Icannot see how we would benefit you by failing to print the story," theeditor added.
"Very well," Mr. Hamlin returned coldly. But he sank back into his chairand covered his face with his hands. Harriet's reputation was ruined,for no one would believe she had not tried deliberately to sell herfather's honor.
But Bab resolved to appeal once more to the newspaper girl. She ran toMarjorie Moore and put her arm about the newspaper girl's waist to detainher. She talked to her in her most winning fashion, with her brown eyesglowing with feeling and her lips trembling with eagerness.
The tears came to Marjorie Moore's eyes as she listened to Bab's pleadingfor Harriet. But she still obstinately shook her head.
Some one came running down the stairs and Ruth entered the study withoutheeding the strangers in it.
"Uncle!" she exclaimed in a terrified voice, "Harriet cannot be found! Wehave telephoned everywhere for her. No one has seen her or knows anythingabout her. What shall we do? It is midnight!"
Mr. Hamlin followed Ruth quickly out of the room, forgetting every otherconsideration in his fear for his daughter. He looked broken and old. WasHarriet in some worse peril?
As Marjorie Moore saw Mr. Hamlin go, she turned swiftly to Barbara andkissed her. "It's all right, dear," she said. "You were right. Revenge istoo little and too mean. Mr. Hughes has said he will not publish thestory, and I shall not sell it anywhere else. Indeed, I promise that whatI know shall never be spoken of outside this room. Good night." BeforeBarbara could thank her she was gone.