Read The Camp Fire Girls Solve a Mystery; Or, The Christmas Adventure at Carver House Page 21

  CHAPTER XXI FATHER AND DAUGHTER

  In the morning Sylvia was so much better that Nyoda allowed her to sit upout of bed, and there, sitting beside the wheel chair which was to be thethrone of the little princess all her life, she told Sylvia the story ofher parentage. For a moment Sylvia sat as if turned to stone; then with acry of unbelieving ecstasy, she clasped the picture of Sylvia Warringtonto her heart.

  "My mother!"

  Nyoda stole out softly and left the two of them together.

  * * * * * * *

  Later on in the afternoon there was a lively bustle of preparation inSylvia's room. The great carved armchair that had served as throne on thenight of the party had been brought up from the library, and once morecovered with its purple velvet draperies. Sylvia, whose romantic fancyhad seized eagerly upon the immense dramatic possibilities of theoccasion, had insisted upon being arrayed as the princess when her fathershould come in to see her.

  "The king is coming! The king is coming!" she exclaimed every fewmoments. "Array me in my most splendid robes, for my royal father, theking, is coming!"

  Thrills of excitement, like little needle pricks, ran up and down herspine; her whole being seemed alight with some wonderful inner radiance,that shone through the flesh and transfigured it with unearthly beauty.

  Nyoda brought the fairy-like white dress and draped it about her, playingthe role of lady-in-waiting with spirit. Every time she passed beforeSylvia she bowed low; she made the Winnebagos stand up in a line and passin the bracelets from hand to hand; she herself brought in the crown on acushion, and placed it upon Sylvia's head with much ceremony.

  "Doesn't she look like a real royal princess, though!" Migwan exclaimedto Hinpoha in the far end of the room. "I feel actually abashed beforeher, knowing all the while that it's only playing."

  "O, if she could only have been cured!" Hinpoha sighed in answer. "Howmuch jollier it would have been!"

  Migwan echoed the sigh. "Life is very strange," she said musingly."Things don't always come out the way we want them to."

  "That's so," said Hinpoha, beginning to see a great many soberpossibilities in life which had never before occurred to her.

  An automobile horn sounded outside. "There's Sherry now, bringing Dr.Phillips back from their ride," said Migwan. "They'll be coming up in afew minutes."

  The horn sounded again.

  "The royal trumpeter!" cried Sylvia. "Our royal father, the king,approaches!"

  She settled the crown more firmly upon her head, and sat up very straighton her throne. Her cheeks glowed like roses; her eyes were like greatstars. Nyoda watched her keenly for any signs of being overcome withexcitement.

  From the hall came the sound of footsteps.

  "His Majesty, the King," said Nyoda, throwing open the door with adramatic flourish.

  For a moment Dr. Phillips stood transfixed upon the threshold, overcomeby the scene of splendor within.

  Then he held out his arms to her, forgetting that she was paralyzed.

  "Sylvia--daughter!"

  "Father!"

  Then the amazing thing happened. Sylvia rose to her feet, stepped fromthe throne, and ran across the room into her father's arms.

  "It happens sometimes," explained Dr. Phillips a few moments later, whenthey had all recovered from their first stupefied amazement. "Some greatshock, and the paralyzed nerves wake to life again. That is what hastaken place here. She is cured."