CHAPTER XVII
Folly and Courage
Before information of any kind concerning her mysterious disappearancewas received from Gerry Williams, every member of the Sunrise Camp Firehad become alarmed. But it must be confessed that the girls were moreannoyed than they were agitated.
Mrs. Burton and Mrs. Webster were necessarily anxious, yet as Mrs.Webster had never felt an especial interest or affection for Gerry, shewas less so than her sister.
The Camp Fire girls had returned from their walk in time for a lateafternoon tea. They were just finishing when Marta Clark inquired whathad become of Gerry, and why she was not having tea with them?
Then for the first time Mrs. Burton mentioned that Gerry had gone awayfrom camp with Felipe Morris several hours before. But as she hadpromised to return in a short time, already she was beginning to feelworried for fear something had happened.
Then another hour went by and the dusk began to descend. But since itwas late summer and the days were long, some time would still elapsebefore actual darkness.
Nevertheless Mrs. Burton at first betrayed her nervousness by walkingalone up and down the little traveled road beyond the camp. Finally shecame back to the group of girls, who were still loitering about theircamp fire before clearing away the tea things.
"Do be good to me, Peggy. I know you are already tired from your longwalk and I won't go far," she promised. "But somehow I am souncomfortable about Gerry I cannot keep still. I know I am absurd, but Ihave one of those ridiculous premonitions which never amount toanything. If she does not come back in another hour, I shall motor overto the ranch to inquire if Mr. Morris has received any word fromFelipe."
In spite of the fact that Peggy was tired and also annoyed at what shepresumed to be Gerry's selfish unconcern, she got up instantly at Mrs.Burton's request, and as they started off on their walk placed her armaffectionately inside her aunt's.
"I don't see why you allow yourself to become so worked up over Gerry'sstaying away from camp with Felipe longer than you approve," said Peggywith her usual directness. "If you do not realize how much she isinterested in him, you are the only one of us who is blind. Gerry hasnot cared for anything except her friendship with Felipe all thissummer. She has an affection for you, but except for you everything inour Camp Fire life has bored her."
Knowing by her aunt's expression that she was annoyed by her criticalattitude, nevertheless Peggy, who was not in a good humor, went on withher plain speaking.
"Sometimes I have thought Gerry was really in love with Felipe; at othertimes I have simply thought she liked him just because he was a man andshowed her some attention. Gerry is the type of girl who has not thefaintest interest in other girls."
"Is this your opinion alone, or the opinion of all the Camp Firegirls?" Mrs. Burton inquired in a tone it was difficult to translate.
Peggy flushed. "Perhaps it is my opinion alone, since it sounds ratherhateful. In any case, I have no right to speak except for myself. But ifyou wish to know the truth, the opinion is pretty general."
"Have the girls the same attitude toward you, Peggy, because of yourinterest in Ralph Marshall?" Mrs. Burton demanded. "You know how much ofyour time and thought you give to him these days, even though you rarelymention his name, and you have many more people to care for than Gerry,who is rather singularly alone. If you girls are not fond of her I amnot surprised that she prefers Felipe Morris, who, after all, isexceptionally attractive."
Peggy was suddenly upon the defensive.
"I don't think I have allowed my interest in Ralph to interfere with myfriendships with the Camp Fire girls," she argued defensively. "But Idid not intend being disagreeable about Gerry. She is always amiable andsweet, only it is difficult not to resent her indifference and herabsorption in herself."
After this speech Mrs. Burton and Peggy continued their walk in silencefor a few moments. Then Mrs. Burton said in a different tone:
"When Gerry comes back this evening, Peggy, I wish you would try to beparticularly nice to her. If she has become too much interested inFelipe I cannot help being sorry for her. I have never told you girlsmuch of Gerry's history because she preferred my not telling. But shehas had a hard time and no one has ever really cared for her. Her fatheris dead and her mother an impossibly common person without any goodtraits of character, so far as I have been able to discover, which wouldredeem her commonness. So things will be all the more difficult forGerry if she is under the impression she cares for Felipe. In a littletime our Camp Fire summer will be over and they will be separated."
Peggy nodded. "I will do my best. I am sorry to have been so critical.At least Gerry does not make disagreeable speeches about other people!But you are mistaken if you think any of us has ever been unkind toher; it is only that we have found it impossible to become intimate. Ofcourse she and Sally like each other. But if there are facts in Gerry'slife she does not wish to discuss, I can understand why she prefers notto develop too close an intimacy with the rest of us, who know almosteverything about one another. But don't worry, I presume some accidenthas delayed Gerry and Felipe. Suppose we return to camp? They may havetaken some other route and arrived by this time."
But of course Gerry was not at the Sunrise camp. Within five minutesafter Mrs. Burton's and Peggy's return, an automobile appearedcontaining an unknown man and woman.
The woman asked to be permitted to speak to Mrs. Burton alone.
Then, as she stood hesitating, trying to make up her mind what to sayfirst, suddenly she remembered Gerry's crumpled little note.
For Gerry's sake it was as well that the news of her runaway marriagewas imparted to her Camp Fire guardian and friend in this fashion, forthe note revealed infinitely more than Gerry realized. With Mrs.Burton's understanding of human nature she understood something of thestruggle, something of the temptation to which Gerry had yielded.Therefore in the midst of her surprise and anger she could not forgetthe note's final pathetic appeal.
Neither the woman nor man would tell much more than the bare facts ofGerry's and Felipe's marriage. They insisted that the ceremony wasentirely legal and that immediately afterwards the young couple had goneaway. In truth, they could not tell more, since as a matter ofprecaution Felipe had not informed either his nurse or her husband ofhis plans.
After appreciating that the marriage had become a reality and that therewas nothing she could do or say which would make any difference, Mrs.Burton asked but few questions. She knew that Felipe's father would cometo her as soon as he learned what had taken place and she preferred todiscuss the situation with him and not with strangers.
Of necessity it was Mrs. Burton who imparted the information to the CampFire girls, but she merely told what she knew as briefly as possible,adding no comment. Then she went away to be alone. She was not thinkingof Gerry's ingratitude, of the poor return she had made for her interestand assistance, but she was thinking of Gerry herself. Gerry was soyoung and she and Felipe knew each other so slightly. Then, as Mrs.Burton knew nothing at present of Felipe's attempt to hide in Mexico, italso occurred to her that he might soon be forced to join the army.
Left to themselves, the Camp Fire girls were not so lenient in theircondemnation. It was Alice Ashton who chanced to voice the generalsentiment.
"I cannot understand how any human being could behave as Gerry has done!Certainly she has proved how little the Camp Fire influence has meant toher! But there is no point in our criticising her, because some dayGerry will have to pay dearly enough."