CHAPTER VI--POLLY TAKES A HAND TO CURE JIMMY
Quite unabashed, and giggling at the incident, Ruth took a back seatwith Polly and Dodo. But Polly felt jealous of Jimmy's demands onEleanor's time. She felt that her chum and dear friend should divide herthoughts and attentions with others, and not sit in front listening to aboy's foolishness, all day long!
The road from Dublin, northwards, was rutty, and with wild vinesover-growing the steep banks on both sides. But the blossoms seemedpaler than those in England, and their perfume much less sweet. Even insize, they appeared poorly-nourished, when compared to their largerobust English brethren.
The cottages they passed on this ride bore all the marks of neglect,poverty and dirt. Pigs were as much at home inside the house, as werethe tenants, while troops of dirty children rolled around in front ofthe houses, mingling with the chickens, dogs, pigs and other domesticlive-stock, in cases where the owner could afford them.
"Oh, let's get away from this part of Ireland," cried Angela, withdisgust.
"It seems a waste of valuable time to have come here at all," declaredPolly, holding a handkerchief to her nose as they passed a dreadfulhovel where unkempt children played and fought.
The roads were so bad, however, that the cars could not speed very fast,so they had to stop at Belfast, that night, and resume the journey inthe morning. The second day in Ireland they managed to travel as far asPort Rush, merely going aside before reaching that place, in order tosee the "Giant's Causeway" and its rugged cliffs along the coast-line.
Another night was spent in Port Rush, as the boat for Scotland had leftbefore the tourists reached the port. Jimmy had gone headlong into thenew affair with Eleanor, and apparently had continued his love-makingwhere he had suddenly terminated it with Ruth. There were no romanticbeginnings for Eleanor, in his approaches to a declaration. So that whenthey were crossing from Ireland to Androssan, in Scotland, theinfatuated lover managed to get Eleanor away from the others and hideher in a steamer-chair, found in a nook, where he could give fullexpression to his gift of romance.
The others in the party saw the Giant's Causeway and the famous cliffs,from the sea, as they passed by in the steamer, but Eleanor never sawthe least bit of them, because of Jimmy's screening form and his refusalto permit her to leave him.
Angela was delighted to find her brother had finally appreciated therecklessness of his attachment to Ruth, when there were far richer girlsin the party. She would have selected Dodo or Polly, had he asked _her_to decide for him, but Eleanor was better than Ruth. So she seconded allher brother's attempts to kidnap Eleanor whenever the entire partywished to go anywhere or do a thing.
"It's a wonder your brother did not fall in love with these four prettygirls at one time--and save trouble," said Nancy Fabian, laughingly toAngela.
"Now, Nancy, don't show your jealousy," returned Angela.
"Me--jealous! Why, Angie, you know I refused Jimmy three or four timesbefore these girls ever put in an appearance. To accuse me of jealousywhen I hail the deliverance from his attentions is ridiculous of you."
Polly overheard these remarks and determined that she would spare herfriend any further annoyances from Jimmy. "Here Nolla was losing all thewonderful sights they came expressly to Europe to see, and a foolish boywas using that time for a flirtation." Polly mentioned this to Eleanorthe first time she got her away from Jimmy.
"Oh, but he heaps such good candies on one, Poll," laughed Eleanor,apologetically. "Let his love die a natural death, and then there willbe no danger of its ghost ever bobbing up to frighten me."
"But you're giving this precious time to a bally fool, and missing Mr.Fabian's rare lessons on information you'll need to know," declaredPolly, angrily.
"I can't help it, Poll. You'll see how it is when your turn comes withJimmy," laughed Eleanor, teasingly.
Polly's eyes snapped fire. Then she threatened something that had beenalluded to before, between Eleanor and herself. "I plan to write lettershome tonight when we stop at Glasgow. I'm going to tell Paul Stewartwhat a dreadful flirt you have turned out to be!"
Eleanor gasped, but was brave. "Oh yes, and also tell him what awonderful girl his old playmate, Dodo Alexander, is, and how, with allher money, he can easily win her and live in ease the rest of his life!"
Eleanor turned away shortly after that, and Polly felt like crying. Thiswas the first time, in years, that Eleanor and she had had words, andthat horrid little fop was the cause of it!
But Polly's threat, although vain, served to startle Eleanor in herpassive acceptance of Jimmy's attentions. She sat in the same seat onthe road to Edinburgh, it is true, but she was a dull companion andnever as much as glanced at her admirer.
Polly and she had not spoken to each other since the words they had had,but both girls revenged themselves on Jimmy--the cause of their quarrel.And he, unaware of what had caused the sudden change in Eleanor'sfeelings for him, tried all the more to win her back to that formersweet companionship with him.
At Edinburgh, Mr. Fabian conducted his party through the fifteen famouscastles and numerous other places of interest to lovers of the antique,and Eleanor was a member of the group in every instance. In order to benear his heart's desire, Jimmy had to trail along, too, sighing inanguish and rolling his eyes in desperation, when Eleanor ignored himcompletely.
"He acts and looks like a comedian in the Movies," said Nancy,impatiently.
Angela smiled wisely and tossed her head when she heard the remark.Nancy cared naught for that, but turned her attention to Polly who wasflushing and fuming to herself.
"What's the matter, Poll dear?" asked Nancy, softly.
"Oh, he makes me so mad! I could just slap his face for him! There'syour father giving us all this wonderful information on architecture andantiques, and poor Nolla not hearing a word of it, because of thatfortune-hunting fool!"
"S-sh! Not so loud, dear! I feel as you do about him, but I have learnedthat it is best not to interfere in the matter. Let Jimmy and his sister'have rope enough.' You know the rest."
"Why, Nancy! I thought you were devoted to Angela?" gasped Polly.
"I was--once, dear, but don't speak of it to anyone else. I thoughtAngie the most wonderful girl in the world until these past few dayswhen I found that her entire heart and mind is set on getting wealth bysome means or other. Her art, her friends, and her very self-respect,are being sacrificed to that one ambition. Hence I have had to crucifymy friendship, too, and try to feel indifferent to the past."
"Dear Nancy!" condoled Polly. "I know just how I would feel if Nollaproved to be unworthy of my love and friendship."
"But she won't--she is a true American, Polly, and that makes adifference. Much depends on the way you have been trained to think, andpoor Angie thinks society and wealth mean heaven."
Having visited the principal points of interest in Edinburgh, Mr. Fabiantook his party to Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott. Here thecollection of wonderful objects and the interest created in them by thenames of the donors to the famous novelist, gave the tourists muchpleasure.
Polly saw that Jimmy still tormented Eleanor and kept her from enjoyingthe visit to Abbotsford as she should have done. So she waylaid theyoung man, as he followed Eleanor from the place.
"I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO DO YOU GOOD!"SAID POLLY.]
"James Osgood! What do you suppose Nolla Maynard came to Europe for? Toamuse _you_ with silly-mush, or to study art and try to becomeexperienced against the time we go into business?" fumed Polly, stridingin front of Jimmy and facing him so that he had to stop short.
Eleanor was surprised at first, then she began to enjoy the encounter.Jimmy was too amazed to answer, but he stared at Polly and her blazingeyes, as if she were an apparition.
"Well, I'll tell you something that ought to do you good!" continuedPolly, cracking her fingers under Jimmy's nose. "There isn't a manoutside of Colorado, who can ever touch Eleanor Maynard's heart, becauseshe left it out there long ago! And what
's more--there isn't a man like_you_, that can get one cent of American money from any girl who hassense to know what you're after! Now take yourself and your love-makingoff, to a girl who doesn't know better!"
The cutting scorn and fire with which Polly drove home her speech,caused Jimmy to shrink momentarily, but he also saw the glorious beautyof the girl with the flushed face, blazing eyes, and quivering form, andhis impressionable heart took fire.
Polly had left him speechless, and Eleanor had hurried away to the othergirls, lest she burst out laughing in sheer enjoyment of the boutbetween the two. But Jimmy stood lost in thought. He had never in hislife, had anyone speak so to him, and never had he seen such marvellousbeauty as that which Polly scintillated as she fired her sparks of furyat him.
Then he suddenly recovered and shot ahead to reach his car. He waited atthe side, where one who would sit beside him, had to enter. He wavedNancy, Ruth, and Eleanor on to the back, and bowed low when Polly cameup.
"Humph!" was all she granted him, and flounced along to the other seats.Thus it happened that Angela had to sit beside her brother that day,much to the annoyance of both of them.
"What's the matter with Nolla?" whispered she, as the car started.
"Nothing. She's nice enough, but I'm going to get Polly Brewster if Ihave to kidnap her!" he hissed through his teeth. Meantime he made thecar tear along at such a rate that the girls could hardly breathe.
"D-o--n't kill--us--in--the--me-an--time!" gasped Angela.
"Better all dead, than let her get away!"
"I al-wa-ys kn-ew you--had co-ot-tton wh-ere br-rainsought--to--be-e----" Angela managed to jerk forth.
Jimmy made no reply to this stigma but tore along the road until aconstable arrested him. That calmed him somewhat, for he had to pay afine, and it took all the money Mrs. Alexander had recently given him.
When the second car caught up with Jimmy's, Mr. Alexander shoutedgleefully: "That was some race, Jimmy, old boy! I used to eat up theroad that way, in Colorado, but they won't stand for it over here, willthey?"
As Jimmy had just transferred his little roll of bills from his pocket,to the constable's hand, he grunted and started on slowly.
Mr. Fabian called out, however: "You rushed past all the towns I hadplanned to stop at and explore. Now shall we go back!"
"No, never mind, Prof! let's get back to London and end this awfultrip!" shouted Polly, anxiously.
Her friends laughed, but the tourists in the second car could notunderstand why the drive was so awful to Polly.
At Penrith the travellers stopped, as they planned to go cross countryto visit some fine old places located at Ripon. And they also wished tovisit York, which was a few miles from Penrith.
That night, the moment Jimmy was washed and brushed, he took up his postat the foot of the stairs where the girls would have to come down. Oneafter another of the party descended but Polly failed to appear. Eleanorsmiled and took his arm to lure him away, but he shook off her hand justas a petulant child might.
Still smiling, Eleanor walked away and joined her friends in the parlor.Soon after that, they went to the dining-room for dinner, leaving Jimmystill on guard waiting for Polly.
It was a merry party that enjoyed dinner that evening, but Jimmy took nointerest in it, as he still watched for the coming of his lady--as hecalled her to himself. During a lull in the conversation in thedining-room, Jimmy distinctly heard a voice telling of exploits in theRocky Mountains, when Eleanor spent the Summer at Pebbly Pit.
Jimmy started! It was Polly's own voice! But how did she get down whilehe stood watching so carefully?
He hurried to the door of the room and looked in. There she sat,entertaining the whole assembly, with her stories--and he had been leftout in the hall all that time! He could have wept!
When he took a seat at the table, everyone expressed the deepest concernfor him. "Was he ill?" "Did he feel badly about the fine for speeding?"and many other questions to which he gave no reply.
When they left the room, Jimmy jumped up also, and just as Polly wasleaving, he caught her hand.
"Won't you let me see you alone this evening--please?"
Polly lifted her head a bit higher--if that were possible--and deignedto glance at him. "What for?" snapped she.
"I--I want to tell you--oh, just give me a moment!"
"Very well--one moment right here! Let the others leave."
"No--no, not in this public room. Somewhere where I can speak----"begged Jimmy.
"Here or nowhere!"
"Oh, Polly, Polly! Why are you so cruel?" began Jimmy, as he forced alook of agony into his eyes.
"Come now--that will do from you, little boy! If that is what you haveto say, then just keep it. I've no time to throw away," said Polly, in avoice like steel, and then she drew aside her dress and walked away.
Jimmy stood disconsolate, wishing he dared commit suicide before hereyes, and make her repent those unkind words. But he was awfully hungry,and he thought better of suicide so he went back to finish his latedinner.
Eleanor saw him, later, as he left the dining-room and, with the imp ofmischief uppermost in her mind, waylaid him and spent the eveningtalking of nothing but Polly--her beauty, her accomplishments, and hertremendous wealth that no one as yet, had been able to compute.
Had Jimmy any doubt of who his soul-mate was, before, that talk settledit. He was now determined to have Polly, even if he had to steal her andkeep her locked up until she consented to his offer of marriage.
The farce now amused everyone but Angela and Mrs. Alexander. Jimmy wasso openly wild about Polly that he acted like a possessed idiot ratherthan a young man with a grain of sense. If Polly had fawned upon him, hemight have wearied of her company, but because she scorned him soheartily and showed it plainly, he felt all the more attracted to her.
Mrs. Alexander snubbed Polly whenever she scorned Jimmy; and Angela mademuch of the lady because she showed her partisanship for the young man,so openly. Thus the two, Angela and Mrs. Alexander came closer togetherbecause of the common bond--Jimmy.
When Mr. Fabian suggested that all go to see the Minster of York, Angelaand Mrs. Alexander refused. Jimmy saw the look Polly cast at him, andmurmured something about drowning his sorrow. But he failed to saywhether it would be in the river or in home-brew.
They viewed the ancient place and Mr. Fabian remarked: "It was here thatthe greatest disaster that ever befell man occurred in 306 A.D."
"Why, I never heard of it--what was it?" asked Mr. Ashby.
"Perhaps you, like many others, never thought of it as a disaster,"replied Mr. Fabian. "Because I speak of the proclamation issued here bythe Romans, that made Constantine an Emperor in 306. This emperor,understanding the tremendous advantages of a political nature, if hecould gain full power and control of the religion that was gaining suchan ascendancy with the people--the Christ Truth that healed the sick,cured sin, and raised the very dead, as it _did_ until three hundredyears after Jesus ascended--bribed a few of the disloyal Christians toact in concord with him.
"For the reward of place and power conceded to them, the unscrupulousChristians sold out their faith and brethren to this Emperor. He, wilyand crafty in diplomacy and politics, sent out word, far and wide, thatChristianity would thenceforth be protected by him.
"In this place, that proclamation was hailed with a great celebration,and Christianity became the ruling religion here. But the power of theSpirit, as used by Christ Jesus, vanished when pomp and politicssupplanted it, and soon the gift of healing was lost until recentyears."
"That is very interesting, Fabian," said Mr. Ashby, while the girlslistened to this unusual information, eagerly. "I have sometimeswondered why it was that the power demonstrated by Christ Jesus couldnot have been used by his followers."
"It was, you see, until Constantine misused the gift. All such who useit for place or power will lose it," said Mr. Fabian, earnestly.
"How did you ever learn about it, Prof?" asked Eleanor eagerly.
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br /> "The records of the entire transaction and the courageous though fearfulstand the Early Christians took to defend their religion, can be read inthe books called 'The Anti-Nicean Fathers.' There one can learn howwonderful were the cures and the over-coming of death for all whoaccepted Christianity, up to the time when it became defiled by greedand avarice and earthly taint.
"But, to me, the saddest part of all that sad event, is the fact thatmankind, today, believes it _has_ the Truth as taught and practised byChrist Jesus. Whereas they only have the form and farce of it, as it waschanged from the pure spiritual power to that counterfeit endorsed byConstantine. And for this subterfuge, the world honors that unscrupulouspolitician!"
Mr. Fabian was so incensed at the thought of all the act meant to theworld, that he stalked out of the Minster and went on silently, followedalmost as silently by the others. They were all thinking earnestly ofwhat he had said, and everyone pondered on what _might have been_ hadConstantine never interfered with the Truth.
After leaving York, the cars went through Selby, and stopped at Doncastlong enough to give the tourists time to visit the gargoyled church.Then they sped on to Sheffield where Mr. Fabian showed the girls how thefamous Sheffield Plate was made.
The next stopping place was Haddon Hall, the home and burial spot ofDorothy Vernon. The country in this part of England is wild and ruggedlybeautiful, with good roads for automobiles. So the cars sped smoothlyalong to Derby, where the collectors had dreams of old Crown Derby ware,but found nothing to materialize those visions.
Jimmy had been so annoying with his attentions to Polly, with hishang-dog expression, as he followed her everywhere, that the othersbegan to feel impatient about it, instead of laughing as at a good jokeas they had done. Finally Mr. Fabian spoke to him severely.
"See here, James, I can make allowances for a young man of your type,naturally, but when you make a beastly nuisance of yourself, I mustinterfere. Now leave Polly alone, and don't annoy her further with yourtransitory love. Throw it away on some girl who wants it."
But Mrs. Fabian felt that a better cure might have been applied. "IfPolly would only hang on his arm and tell him how she loves him, he willdrop her like an old shoe."
"I don't believe it! He has a double-edged axe to grind, and there's nouse getting Polly in wrong, in case he wanted to get her and what sheowns," returned Mr. Fabian, wisely.
Jimmy had not the character that would give perseverance and persistencefor any problem, so he finally lost interest in the affair he hadcreated for himself with Polly. Mrs. Alexander felt greatly elated whenshe saw him casting eyes at Dodo, oftener than he had in the past. Andto show her appreciation of this, she quietly urged another roll ofbills into his willing palm.
Perhaps it was the understanding that Polly and Dodo had had with eachother that had caught Jimmy's attention. To spare Polly any furtherannoyance, Dodo had offered to divert the silly affair to herself, ifpossible. So she dressed in her finest, and flirted with Jimmy, andtried in every way to attract his eyes to herself. And it was notdifficult to do, either.
Before they started for London, having done the points of interest atCoventry, Kenilworth, and so on to Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon, Jimmywas recovering from his desire to die, and was taking notice of Dodo. Bythe time they reached Stratford he was able to act any lover's part inthe Shakespearian plays, provided Dodo was the lady-love in the scene.
His companions, excepting Angela and Dodo's mother, were out of allpatience with him. He was such a weak-hearted lover who had no idea ofthe first principles of the game, that they had very little to say tohim the last days of the trip.
Dodo bravely endured his soft speeches and smilingly accepted thebon-bons and blossoms her mother's money enabled him to shower upon her,but when they reached London, and the time came when the associationcould be severed, she ruthlessly did so.
The Americans stopped at one of the best hotels, while Angela and Jimmydrove to their home to get the directions left there for them by SirJames.
Shortly after everyone had decided to rest at the hotel after the longride that day, Jimmy came rushing in to see the men.
"We found these letters at the house, so Angela made me come right inwith them. Of course, you will all accept!"
There was a special invitation for each family, inviting them down toSir James' country place for a week or two. When Mr. Alexander read andpassed the letter on to his wife, she was so pleased that she couldhardly wait to hear what the others would say.
"Very sorry, Jimmy, but I am booked for business interviews from now onuntil I sail for the States, again," explained Mr. Ashby, answering forhis family as well as for himself.
"And we plan to leave London very shortly, Jimmy, to tour the Continent,as you know," added Mr. Fabian.
"But we will go down with you, Jimmy, and thank your dear father, againand again," exclaimed Mrs. Alexander, sweetly.
"How do you know we will?" demanded Mr. Alexander; "I don't want to bebothered with style and society when I can have a nice time in my cartouring over Europe."
"We'll have to go for a week, at least," said Mrs. Alexander,positively. "There are many reasons why." Then turning to Jimmy sheadded: "So tell your dear parents that we will be pleased to accept,Jimmy."
Dodo hurried from the parlor where this meeting took place, and Jimmycould not find her when he tried to have a few words with her, alone.
"Never mind, now, Jimmy," whispered Mrs. Alexander as she followed himfrom the room. "You will have Dodo all to yourself when we get down toOsgood Hall."
Rolling his eyes dramatically and sighing with joy as he shook the plumpbejewelled hands of his expectant mother-in-law, Jimmy hurried away torejoin his sister Angela in the car.