CHAPTER XXVI
The ride back to the city was like a dream to Shirley afterward. Tosee the staid Mr. Barnard so excited, babbling away about her braveryand exulting like a child over the recovery of the precious notes, waswonder enough. But to feel the quiet protection and tender interest ofSidney Graham filled her with ecstasy. Of course it was only kindlyinterest and friendly anxiety, and by to-morrow she would have put itinto order with all his other kindlinesses, but to-night, weary andexcited as she was, with the sense of horror over her recent experiencestill upon her, it was sweet to feel his attention, and to let hisvoice thrill through her tired heart, without stopping to analyze itand be sure she was not too glad over it. What if he would be merely afriend to-morrow again! To-night he was her rescuer, and she wouldrest back upon that and be happy.
"I feel that I was much to blame for leaving you alone to go to thestation with a bait like these notes in your possession," said Mr.Barnard humbly. "Though of course I did not dream that there was anysuch possibility as your being in danger."
"It is just as well not to run any risks in these days when the countryis so unsettled," said the detective dryly.
"Especially where a lady is concerned!" remarked Graham significantly.
"I suppose I should have taken Miss Hollister with me and left her inthe cab while I transacted my business at the War Department!" saidBarnard with self-reproach in his tones.
"They would have only done the same thing in front of the WarDepartment," said the detective convincingly. "They had it all plannedto get those notes somehow. You only made it a trifle easier for themby letting the lady go alone. If they hadn't succeeded here, theywould have followed you to your home and got into your office or yoursafe. They are determined, desperate men. We've been watching themfor some time, letting them work till we could find out who was behindthem. To-night we caught the whole bunch red-handed, thanks to thelady's cleverness. But you had better not risk her alone again whenthere's anything like this on hand. She might not come out so easynext time!"
Graham muttered a fervent applause in a low tone to this advice,tucking the lap robes closer about the girl. Barnard gave littleshudders of apology as he humbly shouldered the blame:
"Oh, no, of course not! I certainly am so sorry!" But Shirleysuddenly roused herself to explain:
"Indeed, you mustn't any of you blame Mr. Barnard. He did theperfectly right and natural thing. He always trusts me to look aftermy notes, even in the most important cases; and I heard the warning asmuch as he did. It was my business to be on the lookout! I'm oldenough and have read enough in the papers about spies and ruffians. Iought to have known there was something wrong when that boy ordered meback and said Mr. Barnard had sent me word. I ought to have known Mr.Barnard would never do that. I did know just as soon as I stopped tothink. The trouble was I was giving half my attention to looking atthe strange sights out of the window and thinking what I would tell thefolks at home about Washington, or I would not have got into such aposition. I insist that you shall not blame yourself, Mr. Barnard. Itis a secretary's business to be on her job and not be out having a goodtime when she is on a business trip. I hadn't got beyond the citylimits before I knew exactly what I ought to have done. I should haveasked that boy more questions, and I should have got right out of thatcar and told him to tell you I would wait in the station till you camefor me. It troubled me from the start that you had sent for me thatway. It wasn't like you."
Then they turned their questions upon her, and she had to tell thewhole story of her capture, Graham and Barnard exclaiming indignantlyas she went on, the detective sitting grim and serious, nodding hisapproval now and then. Graham's attitude toward her grew more tenderand protective. Once or twice as she told of her situation in the oldhouse, or spoke of how the man dragged her along in the dark, he sethis teeth and drew his breath hard, saying in an undertone: "Thevillain!" And there was that in the way that he looked at her thatmade Shirley hasten through the story, because of the wild, joyousclamor of her heart.
As soon as the city limits were reached, Graham stopped the car totelephone. It was after eleven o'clock, and there was little chancethat George would have stayed at the phone so long, but he would leavea message for the early morning at least. George, however, had stuckto his post.
"Sure! I'm here yet! What'd ya think? Couldn't sleep, could I, with_my sister_ off alone with a fella somewhere _being kidnapped_? What'dya say? Found her? She's all right? Oh, gee! That's good! I toldCarol you would! I told her not to worry! What'd ya say? Oh,Shirley's going to talk? Oh, hello, Shirley! How's Washington? Somespeed, eh? Say, when ya coming home? To-morrow? That's good. No,mother doesn't know a thing. She thinks I went to bed early 'cause Iplanned to go fishing at sunrise. She went to bed herself early. Say,Mister Graham's a prince, isn't he? Well, I guess I'll go to bed now.I might make the fishing in the morning yet, if I don't sleep too late.I sure am glad you're all right! Well, so long, Shirley!"
Shirley turned from the phone with tears in her eyes. It wasn't whatGeorge said that made her smile tenderly through them, but the grufftenderness in his boy tones that touched her so. She hadn't realizedbefore what she meant to him.
They drove straight to the station, got something to eat, and took themidnight train back to their home city. Graham had protested thatShirley should go to a hotel and get a good rest before attempting thejourney, but she laughingly told him she could rest anywhere, and wouldsleep like a top in the train. When Graham found that it was possibleto secure berths in the sleeper for them all, and that they would nothave to get out until seven in the morning he withdrew his protests;and his further activities took the form of supplementing her supperwith fruit and bonbons. His lingering hand-clasp as he bade hergood-night told her how glad he was that she was safe; as if his eyeshad not told her the same story every time there had been light enoughfor them to be seen!
Locked at last into her safe little stateroom, with a soft bed to lieon and no bothersome notes to be guarded, one would have thought shemight have slept, but her brain kept time to the wheels, and her heartwith her brain. She was going over and over the scenes of the eventfulday, and living through each experience again, until she came to themoment when she looked up to find herself in Sidney Graham's arms, withher face against his shoulder. Her face glowed in the dark at theremembrance, and her heart thrilled wildly sweet with the memory of hislook and tone, and all his carefulness for her. How wonderful that_he_ should have come so many miles to find her! That he should havebeen the one to find her first, with all those other men on the hunt.He had forged ahead and picked her up before any of the others hadreached her. He had not been afraid to rush up to an armed villain andsnatch her from her perilous position! He was a man among men! Nevermind if he wasn't her own personal property! Never mind if there wereothers in his own world who might claim him later, he was hers forto-night! She would never forget it!
She slept at last, profoundly, with a smile upon her lips No dream ofvillains nor wild automobile rides came to trouble her thoughts. Andwhen she woke in the home station with familiar sounds outside, andrealized that a new day was before her, her heart was flooded with ahappiness that her common sense found it hard to justify. She tried tosteady herself while she made her toilet, but the face that wasreflected rosily from the mirror in her little dressing room wouldsmile contagiously back at her.
"Well, then, have it your own way for just one more day!" she saidaloud to her face in the glass. "But to-morrow you must get back tocommon sense again!" Then she turned, fresh as a rose, and went out tomeet her fellow travellers.
She went to breakfast with Sidney Graham, a wonderful breakfast in awonderful place with fountains and palms and quiet, perfect service.Mr. Barnard had excused himself and hurried away to his home, promisingto meet Shirley at the office at half-past nine. And so these two satat a little round table by themselves and had sweet converse over theircoffee. Shirley ut
terly forgot for the time that she was only a poorlittle stenographer working for her bread and living in a barn. SidneyGraham's eyes were upon her, in deep and unveiled admiration, hisspirit speaking to hers through the quiet little commonplaces to whichhe must confine himself in this public place. It was not till the mealwas over and he was settling his bill that Shirley suddenly came toherself and the color flooded her sweet face. What was she better thanany other poor fool of a girl who let a rich man amuse himself for afew hours in her company and then let him carry her heart away with himto toss with his collection? She drew her dignity about her and triedto be distant as they went out to the street, but he simply did notrecognize it at all. He just kept his tender, deferential manner, andsmiled down at her with that wonderful, exalted look that made herdignity seem cheap; so there was nothing to do but look up as a flowerwould to the sun and be true to the best that was in her heart.
She was surprised to find his own car at the door when they came out onthe street. He must have phoned for it before they left the station.He was so kind and thoughtful. It was so wonderful to her to be caredfor in this way. "Just as if I were a rich girl in his own socialset," she thought to herself.
He gave his chauffeur the orders and sat beside her in the back seat,continuing his role of admirer and protector.
"It certainly is great to think you're here beside me," he said in alow tone as they threaded their way in and out of the crowdedthoroughfare toward the office. "I didn't have a very pleasantafternoon and evening yesterday, I can tell you! I don't think we'lllet you go off on any more such errands. You're too precious to riskin peril like that, you know!"
Shirley's cheeks were beautiful to behold as she tried to lift her eyeseasily to his glance and take his words as if they had been a merecommonplace. But there was something deep down in the tone of hisvoice, and something intent and personal in his glance that made herdrop her eyes swiftly and covered her with a sweet confusion.
They were at the office almost immediately and Graham was helping herout.
"Now, when will you be through here?" he asked, glancing at his watch."What train were you planning to take down to the shore? I supposeyou'll want to get back as soon as possible?"
"Yes," said Shirley, doubtfully, "I do. But I don't know whether Ioughtn't to run out home first and get mother's big old shawl, and twoor three other little things we ought to have brought along."
"No," said Graham, quickly, with a flash of anxiety in his face. "Iwouldn't if I were you. They'll be anxious to see you, and if it'snecessary you can run up again sometime. I think you'll find there arelots of shawls down at the cottage. I'm anxious to have you safelylanded with your family once more. I promised Carol you'd be down thefirst train after you got your work done. How long is it going to takeyou to fix Mr. Barnard up so he can run things without you?"
"Oh, not more than two hours I should think, unless He wants somethingmore than I know."
"Well, two hours. It is half-past nine now. We'll say two hours and ahalf. That ought to give you time. I think there's a train aboutthen. I'll phone to the station and find out and let you know theexact time. The car will be here waiting for you."
"Oh, Mr. Graham, that's not a bit necessary! You have taken troubleenough for me already!" protested Shirley.
"No trouble at all!" declared Graham. "My chauffeur hasn't a thing todo but hang around with the car this morning and you might as well rideas walk. I'll phone you in plenty of time."
He lifted his hat and gave her a last look that kept the glow in hercheeks. She turned and went with swift steps in to her elevator.
Sidney Graham dropped his chauffeur at the station to enquire abouttrains and get tickets, with orders to report at his office within anhour, and himself took the wheel. Quickly working his way out of thecity's traffic he put on all possible speed toward Glenside. He mustget a glimpse of things and see that all was going well before he wentto the office. What would Shirley have said if she had carried out herplan of coming out for her mother's shawl? He must put a stop to thatat all costs. She simply must not see the old barn till the work wasdone, or the whole thing would be spoiled. Strange it had not occurredto him that she might want to come back after something! Well, hewould just have to be on the continual lookout. For one thing he wouldstop at a store on the way back and purchase a couple of big steamerrugs and a long warm cloak. He could smuggle them into the cottagesomehow and have the servants bring them out for common use as if theybelonged to the house.
He was as eager as a child over every little thing that had beenstarted during his absence, and walked about with the boss carpenter,settling two or three questions that had come up the day before. Inten minutes he was back in his car, whirling toward the city again,planning how he could best get those rugs and cloaks into the hands ofthe housekeeper at the shore without anybody suspecting that they werenew. Then it occurred to him to take them down to Elizabeth and lether engineer the matter. There must be two cloaks, one for Shirley,for he wanted to take her out in the car sometimes and her little scrapof a coat was entirely too thin even for summer breezes at the shore.
Shirley met with a great ovation when she entered the office. It wasevident that her fame had gone before her. Mr. Barnard was alreadythere, smiling benevolently, and Mr. Clegg frowning approvingly overhis spectacles at her, The other office clerks came to shake hands orcalled congratulations, till Shirley was quite overwhelmed at herreception. Clegg and Barnard both followed her into the inner officeand continued to congratulate her on the bravery she had shown and toexpress their appreciation of her loyalty and courage in behalf of thefirm. Mr. Barnard handed her a check for a hundred dollars as a slighttoken of their appreciation of her work, telling her that beginningwith the first of the month her salary was to be raised.
When at last she sat down to her typewriter and began to click out thewonderful notes that had made so much trouble, and put them in shapefor practical use, her head was in a whirl and her heart was beatingwith a childish ecstasy. She felt as if she were living a real fairytale, and would not ever be able to get back to common every-day lifeagain.
At half-past eleven Graham called her up to tell her there was a traina little after twelve if she could be ready, and the car would bewaiting for her in fifteen minutes.
When she finally tore herself away from the smiles and effusive thanksof Barnard and Clegg and took the elevator down to the street she foundSidney Graham himself awaiting her eagerly. This was a delightfulsurprise, for he had not said anything about coming himself ormentioned when he would be coming back to the shore, so she had beenfeeling that It might be some time before she would see him again.
He had just slammed the door of the car and taken his seat beside herwhen a large gray limousine slowed down beside them and a radiant,well-groomed, much-tailored young woman leaned out of the car, smilingat Graham, and passing over Shirley with one of those unseeing stareswherewith some girls know so well how to erase other girls.
"Oh, Sidney! I'm so glad I met you!" she cried. "Mother has beenphoning everywhere to find you. We are out at our country place for acouple of weeks, and she wants to ask you to come over this afternoonfor a little tennis tournament we are having, with a dance on the lawnafterward."
"That's very kind of you, Harriet," said Graham pleasantly, "but Ican't possibly be there. I have an engagement out of town for thisafternoon and evening. Give my regards to your mother, please, andthank her for the invitation. I know you'll have a lovely time, youalways do at your house."
"Oh, that's too bad, Sidney!" pouted the girl. "Why will you be sobusy! and in the summer-time, too! You ought to take a vacation!Well, if you can't come to-night, you'll run down over the week-end,won't you? We are having the Foresters and the Harveys. You likethem, and we simply can't do without you."
"Sorry," said Graham, smilingly, "but I've got all my week-ends filledup just now. Harriet, let me introduce you to Miss Hollister. MissHale, Mi
ss Hollister!"
Then did Harriet Hale have to take over her unseeing stare andacknowledge the introduction; somewhat stiffly, it must beacknowledged, for Harriet Hale did not enjoy having her invitationsdeclined, and she could not quite place this girl with the lovely faceand the half-shabby garments, that yet had somehow an air of havingbeen made by a French artist.
"I'm sorry, Harriet, but we'll have to hurry away. We're going tocatch a train at twelve-fifteen. Hope you have a beautiful time thisafternoon. Remember me to Tom Harvey and the Foresters. Sorry todisappoint you, Harriet, but you see I've got my time just full up atpresent. Hope to see you soon again."
They were off, Shirley with the impression of Harriet Hale's smile ofvinegar and roses; the roses for Graham, the vinegar for her.Shirley's heart was beating wildly underneath her quiet demeanor. Shehad at last met the wonderful Harriet Hale, and Graham had not beenashamed to introduce her! There had been protection and enthronementin his tone as he spoke her name! It had not been possible for MissHale to patronize her after that. Shirley was still in a daze ofhappiness. She did not think ahead. She had all she could do toregister new occurrences and emotions, and realize that her joy was notmerely momentary. It had not occurred to her to wonder where Grahamwas going out of town. It was enough that he was here now.
When they reached the station Graham took two large packages out of thecar, and gave some directions to the chauffeur.
"Sorry we couldn't have gone down in the car again," he said as theywalked into the station, "but it needs some repairs and I don't want totake as long a run as that until it has been thoroughly overhauled."
Then he was going down too! He had declined Harriet Hale's invitationto go back to the cottage with her! Shirley's breath came in littlehappy gasps as she walked beside her companion down the platform to thetrain.
She found herself presently being seated in a big green velvet chair inthe parlor car while the porter stowed away the two big packages in therack overhead.