CHAPTER V
_Thanksgiving_
In the six weeks that had passed since Linda and Louise left forthe ground school, a great deal had happened at Spring City. Kittyand Ralph Clavering drove over to see Linda the afternoon that shearrived--the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, to tell her all the news.
"Are you a pilot yet, Kitty?" asked Linda, as soon as she had kissedthe girl and shaken hands with her brother.
"No, not yet. So far only some of the boys have passed the exam--andDot Crowley. Dot can do anything, you know. But I'm getting along fine."
"Lou has her private pilot's license," announced Linda proudly. "But dosit down and tell me all about the club."
"There's to be a dance there tomorrow night," replied Kitty, sinkinginto a chair. "That's the first thing I have to tell you."
"And before the phone has a chance to ring, I want you to promise togo with me," urged Ralph.
"Why, certainly," agreed Linda. Everything was delightful--and oh, itwas so good to be home! "Thanks a lot, Ralph.... But tell me, Kitty, isthe club-house all done?"
"Yes. We have seventy-six members, and the most adorable club-house.Oh, nothing pretentious, like the Country Club, but we like it a lot.And we have one plane--a Gypsy Moth. Lieutenant Hulbert flies overtwice a week to give the lessons."
"Did seventy-six people actually buy thousand-dollar bonds?" inquiredLinda, incredulously. She couldn't believe there was all that wealth inSpring City, and the surrounding country.
"No. Only about twenty. We couldn't keep to that rule. The people whobought the bonds are on the Board of Directors. We let members in fortheir dues--a hundred dollars a year."
"And do I have to fork out another hundred?" asked Linda, wearily. Shehad been spending so much money already; she couldn't begin to live onthe interest from her father's gift. Of course she expected to use theprincipal for her course, but she didn't want it to vanish for trifles.
"I'm afraid you'll have to," said Kitty.
"Well, I'll think it over," replied Linda, slowly. It was amazing, inthe few weeks that she had had charge of her own money, what a businesswoman she had become. "I may not join this year. My expenses are prettyheavy."
"Why, Linda!" Kitty laid her hand affectionately upon her friend's arm."Forgive me if I seem to pry--but--but--your father isn't having moneytroubles, is he!"
"Oh, no. It's only that I am running my own expenses now, and I don'twant to waste money on things that won't do me any good. While I'm awayfrom home it seems sort of foolish to belong to that club, when I havemy own Arrow to fly. Especially now that you have enough members, andreally don't need me.... I'd rather sell my bond."
"I don't know whether you could sell it now," said Kitty. "Though ofcourse I'll ask Bess--Bess Hulbert, our treasurer, you remember--whenshe flies back this afternoon. She has our Moth up at Lake Michigannow."
Linda raised her eyebrows. So this was the way the club was run--forMiss Hulbert's convenience!
"Doesn't she have her own plane any more?" she demanded.
"No. She smashed it. It wasn't any good anyhow. And she might as welluse the Moth, because the club members only need it two days a week."
That arrangement didn't seem fair to Linda, for the licensedpilots--Dot and Joe and Harry and Ralph--could fly now whenever theywanted.
Noticing that Linda was not at all pleased with the way things weregoing, Ralph immediately made her an offer.
"I'll be glad to buy your bond, Linda," he said, "if nobody else wantsit. No reason why you should hang on to it if it's no use to you."
"That's awfully kind, Ralph. I'll think it over, and let you knowtomorrow night at the dance."
At this moment Miss Carlton entered, smiling genially because Linda washome with her again, and because these nice, socially prominent youngpeople were calling upon her niece immediately. She greeted Ralph andKitty cordially, and rang the bell for tea.
Nothing more was said of the club during the call, but as soon as theguests had left, Miss Carlton questioned her niece about their earlierconversation.
"I couldn't help hearing you, dear, and I couldn't imagine what madeyou suggest a thing like dropping out of that flying club. Why, it'sthe only thing about flying that I ever heartily approved of."
"I don't like the way the whole thing is run, Aunt Emily. It's too muchHulbert. Did you know, by the way, that Louise refused to buy a bond?"
"No, I didn't. But maybe her father didn't have the money at the time."
"It wasn't that. She never even asked him! She said it was all toounbusinesslike--bossed just like politics! She hates Bess Hulbert."
"Louise always did have strong likes and dislikes.... Of course, Idon't know anything about the Hulberts, but I do know the Claverings,and anybody that they like must be all right. Besides, your money issafe with Mr. Clavering in back of the club. And you don't need it nowfor anything."
Linda smiled to herself; she still had said nothing to her aunt ofher dream of flying across the Atlantic. The older woman could notpossibly know how important every dollar would be to her next spring.
But Bess Hulbert was not so unsuspecting. She had returned from hertrip while Kitty and Ralph were at Carlton's, and waited in the girl'sbedroom for the former to return. While Kitty dressed for dinner, shetold her about her call.
The very moment that Bess heard that Linda wanted to sell her bond,she jumped to the conclusion that the other girl was determined to tryfor that twenty-five thousand dollar prize. Nor was the idea at allpleasant to her. Much as she might belittle Linda's aviation ability inpublic, she was secretly afraid of her as a rival. The very fact thatshe took almost a year of her life to study at a ground school, thatshe meant to qualify as a commercial--perhaps even a transport--pilot,neither of which Bess was, showed how seriously Linda must be goinginto aviation.
No, Bess did not doubt that Linda was saving her money for thispurpose, if she needed that thousand dollars. Fortunate girl, to beable to raise the money thus easily! At the moment, Bess saw no way forher to buy a plane herself, and compete. The club refused to financeher--unless Mr. Clavering would personally back her up. But, worse theluck, that gentleman didn't seem to care for her at all! Probably hewas afraid Kitty would marry her brother; in Mr. Clavering's eyes, nopoor young man was worthy of the beautiful heiress.
While these thoughts raced through her mind, she had been listeningwith only half attention to Kitty's prattle about the dance. Suddenlyshe interrupted.
"I think I'd better go back to the hotel, Kit," she said. "I couldn'tstay to dinner in this costume."
"You could wear one of my dresses," suggested her hostess.
Bess laughed. "Too small, I'm afraid. It's awfully sweet of you to askme to stay, but I really need some rest--after that trip."
"But Bess!" protested Kitty. "Some of the crowd are coming overtonight----"
"I'll see them tomorrow, at the dance--maybe. Tell them I thankthem for the Moth, and that I filled her with gas, and paid for herinspection." She started towards the door.
"Will you come here and go to the dance with us?"
"Maybe.... I'll let you know tomorrow.... So long, dear!"
She closed the door, and ran down the steps, knowing that she had notthe slightest intention of going to that dance. If Ralph Claveringhad asked her, instead of Kitty, that would have been a differentmatter. But he had invited Linda Carlton! It seemed as if that snip ofa girl was going to take everything she, Bess Hulbert, wanted. It wasridiculous! She hated Linda. She even went so far as to wonder whetherthat were her real name. It would be just like a romantic kid like thatto persuade her father to change her Christian name in imitation of ahero like Lindbergh.
Bess hurried back to her hotel, conscious now of the fact that she mustdo some serious thinking, and that she must do it quickly. She justhad to raise some money--or rather, a lot of money! She could neversave enough from any foolish little job she might take now. No, shewould have to make some, as business men do! If she didn't hurry
, LindaCarlton would soon have captured that prize.
"Linda Carlton!" she kept repeating, scornfully. "Pampered daughter ofa rich man! It isn't fair! All she has to do is ask her 'Daddy' forthousands of dollars, and he comes across!
"Why haven't I a 'Daddy' like that?" Her eyes narrowed with bitterness."Well, I suppose I can't help that, but, by heck, I'll be the 'Daddy'myself! Nothing to prevent my going into business too!"
A smile crept over her face, as she saw what looked like a solution toher problem, and she settled down into her chair in her hotel bedroomto work over maps and plans.
* * * * *
Meanwhile Linda entertained no such deep or unpleasant thoughts. It wasso nice to be home, that she made up her mind that she wasn't going toworry about a single thing while she was there. Her aunt had bought hersome charming new dresses, for the game, for the Thanksgiving dance,for a luncheon Dot Crowley was giving in her honor on Saturday. Thewhole holiday promised to be so enjoyable, so relaxing after the harddays at school, where she had to concentrate every second upon whatshe was doing, that she just reveled in the careless freedom of thecoming four days. She had learned the secret that many grown peoplehave yet to discover; that good times are sweeter after hard work, justas a delicious dinner tastes far better to the athlete than to theafternoon bridge player.
To add to it all, Mr. Carlton arrived from New York on Thanksgivingday, in plenty of time for dinner. Linda could hardly contain her joy.
"Daddy, are you as happy in your new work as I am in mine?" she askedhim, when they were seated at the table, and he was carving the turkey.
"Nobody could be as happy as you are, Linda!" he replied, smiling athis daughter's radiant face. "But I like mine. It's something entirelynew to me--and rather fascinating. Besides, it's going well; the storeshave practically bought out my supply, and we have to send our agent toCanada for more, in order to fill our Christmas orders."
After dinner he opened his suit-case and took out a lovelybureau-scarf, different from anything Linda had ever seen, so fine thatit seemed as if a silkworm, rather than a human being, must have madeit. This he presented to Linda, at the same time giving his sister atea-table cloth of the same exquisite work.
"Oh, I adore it!" cried Linda, delightedly, thinking of her little roomin St. Louis, and how the scarf would add to its daintiness. "How thegirls will envy me!"
"Will you start a trousseau with it?" asked her aunt, hopefully.
"No, Aunt Emily. I may never get married, and I want to enjoy it now.Things like this help when you're away from home."
Her father pinched her ear, teasingly.
"And why not get married?" he inquired.
"The same old reason: I'm too busy."
He laughed. "And to think," he remarked, "how worried I was last summerabout that Mackay boy!"
"Ted's all right," was Linda's comment. "But I never did want to marryhim--only to have him teach me to fly! He never cared for me that wayeither--I just happened to be the first girl he had ever met who wasinterested seriously in aviation.... No, if he cares for anybody, it'sLou."
"Louise!" repeated Miss Carlton, in amazement. Yet she was relieved;she liked red-headed Ted, but he was not socially prominent, and shelonged to have Linda make what the world terms "a good match."
"Yes. Oh, nothing is settled, or anything. But whenever Ted flies overto see us, he brings a boy friend for me."
"And you're going to the dance tonight with Ralph Clavering," was MissCarlton's satisfied comment.
"Yes, but there's nothing to that, either, Aunt Emily!" protestedLinda. And, changing the subject she began to tell her father all aboutthe ground school, and talked of nothing else until it was time todress for the dance.
Ralph came for Linda about nine o'clock, and, dressed in one of herpretty new gowns, she stepped into his machine.
"What a glorious night it is, Ralph!" she exclaimed, gazing up at thestars. "It's lovely enough to fly."
The young man frowned as he put his foot on the self-starter.
"I did think of it, Linda. Thought how pleased you'd be if I could takeyou for a ride in the Moth. But as usual--Bess Hulbert got it first!"
"You mean she has the Club's plane again?" demanded his companion. "Sheonly brought it back yesterday."
"I know. It's positively sickening the way she grabs it. Yet herbrother is a decent sort. If it weren't for him, I'd have raised a rowbefore this."
"Where is she going now?"
"Canada, I believe. On the trail of some job. Well, I hope she gets it.Then maybe we won't see her for a while."
"Or the Moth either, I fear!" added Linda. Then noticing that Ralph wasextremely irritated about the whole thing, she resolved to make himforget it and have a good time.
The dance was an enjoyable affair--all the more so because it lackedthe formality of the Country Club functions. Only the members werepresent, and the crude roughness of the club-house, with its plasteredwalls, its long wooden window-seats, its huge fireplace, made everybodyfeel free and easy. Moreover Linda and Louise found themselves honoredguests; everybody made a fuss over them, as if already they had provedthemselves heroines. The men were insistent that neither of them dancemore than once about the room without an interruption, and the othergirls applauded their popularity without the slightest trace of envy.By the end of the evening even Ralph was supremely happy.
The functions that followed during the next three days--the luncheon ofDot's, the dinner-party of Louise's mother, the out-door picnic arounda camp fire--were increasingly enjoyable, so that when Sunday came atlast, Linda and Louise stepped into the Arrow with a feeling of regretthat they must say good-by to all these good friends until Christmas.