CHAPTER VI
Shirley sat with shining eyes and glowing cheeks, turning over theleaves of the magazines with trembling fingers, but unable to readanything, for the joy of what was before her. A real automobile ride!The first she had ever had! And it was to include George and Carol!How wonderful! And how kind in him, how thoughtful, to take his ownsister, and hers, and so make the trip perfectly conventional andproper! What a nice face he had! What fine eyes! He didn't seem inthe least like the young society man she knew he must be from thefrequent mention she had noticed of his name in the papers. He was areal gentleman, a real nobleman! There were such. It was nice to knowof them now and then, even though they did move in a different orbitfrom the one where she had been set. It gave her a happier feelingabout the universe just to have seen how nice a man could be to a poorlittle nobody when he didn't have to. For of course it couldn't beanything to him to rent that barn--at ten dollars a month! That wasridiculous! Could it be that he was thinking her an object of charity?That he felt sorry for her and made the price merely nominal? Shecouldn't have that. It wasn't right nor honest, and--it wasn'trespectable! That was the way unprincipled men did when they wanted tohumor foolish little dolls of girls. Could it be that he thought ofher in any such way?
Her cheeks flamed hotly and her eyes flashed. She sat up very straightindeed, and began to tremble. How was it she had not thought of such athing before? Her mother had warned her to be careful about havinganything to do with strange men, except in the most distant businessway; and here had she been telling him frankly all the private affairsof the family and letting him make plans for her. How had it happened?What must he think of her? This came of trying to keep a secret frommother. She might have known it was wrong, and yet the case was sodesperate and mother so likely to worry about any new andunconventional suggestion. It had seemed right. But of course itwasn't right for her to fall in that way and allow him to take them allin his car. She must put a stop to it somehow. She must go in thetrolley if she went at all. She wasn't sure but she had better callthe whole thing off and tell him they couldn't live in a barn, that shehad changed her mind. It would be so dreadful if he had taken her forone of those girls who wanted to attract the attention of a young man!
In the midst of her perturbed thoughts the door opened and SidneyGraham walked in again. His fine, clean-cut face and clear eyesinstantly dispelled her fears again. His bearing was dignified andrespectful, and there was something in the very tone of his voice as hespoke to her that restored her confidence in him and in his impressionof her. Her half-formed intention of rising and declining to take theride with him fled, and she sat quietly looking at the pictures in themagazine with unseeing eyes.
"I hope you will find something to interest you for a few minutes,"young Graham said pleasantly. "It won't be long, but there are one ortwo matters I promised father I would attend to before I left thisafternoon. There is an article in that other magazine under your handthere about beautifying country homes, bungalows, and the like. It maygive you some ideas about the old barn. I shouldn't wonder if a fewflowers and vines might do a whole lot."
He found the place in the magazine, and left her again; and strangelyenough she became absorbed in the article because her imaginationimmediately set to work thinking how glorious it would be to have a fewflowers growing where Doris could go out and water them and pick them.She grew so interested in the remarks about what flowers would growbest in the open and which were easiest to care for that she got outher little pencil and notebook that were in her coat-pocket, and beganto copy some of the lists. Then suddenly the door opened again, andGraham returned with George.
The boy stopped short on the threshold, startled, a white wave ofapprehension passing over his face. He did not speak. The boy-habitof silence and self-control in a crisis was upon him. He looked withapprehension from one to the other.
Shirley jumped to her feet.
"Oh, George, I'm so glad you could come! This is Mr. Graham. He hasbeen kind enough to offer to take us in his car to see a place we canrent for the summer, and it was through his suggestion that Mr. Farwelllet you off for the afternoon."
There was a sudden relaxing of the tenseness in the young face and asigh of relief in the tone as the boy answered:
"Aw, gee! That's great! Thanks awfully for the holiday. They don'tcome my way often. It'll be great to have a ride in a car, too. Somelark, eh, Shirley?"
The boy warmed to the subject with the friendly grasp the young mangave him, and Shirley could see her brother had made a good impression;for young Graham was smiling appreciatively, showing all his even whiteteeth just as if he enjoyed the boy's offhand way of talking.
"I'm going to leave you here for ten minutes more until I talk with aman out here in the office. Then we will go," said young Graham, andhurried away again.
"Gee, Shirley!" said the boy, flinging himself down luxuriously in abig leather chair. "Gee! You certainly did give me some start! Ithought mother was worse, or you'd got arrested, or lost your job, orsomething, finding you here in a strange office. Some class to this,isn't there? Look at the thickness of that rug!" and he kicked thethick Turkish carpet happily. "Say, he must have some coin! Who isthe guy, anyway? How'd ya get onto the tip? You don't think he'shanding out Vanderbilt residences at fifteen a month, do you?"
"Listen, George. I must talk fast because he may come back any minute.Yesterday I got a half-holiday, and instead of going home I thought I'dgo out and hunt a house. I took the Glenside trolley; and, when we gotout past the city, I heard two men talking about a place we werepassing. It was a great big, beautiful stone barn. They told whoowned it, and said a lot about its having such a splendid spring ofwater beside it. It was a beautiful place, George; and I couldn't helpthinking what a thing it would be for mother to be out in the countrythis summer, and what a wonderful house that would make----"
"We couldn't live in a barn, Shirl!" said the boy, aghast.
"Wait, George. Listen. Just you don't say that till you see it. It'sthe biggest barn you ever saw, and I guess it hasn't been used for abarn in a long time. I got out of the trolley on the way back, andwent in. It is just enormous, and we could screen off rooms and livelike princes. It has a great big front door, and we could have ahammock under the tree; and there's a brook to fish in, and a big thirdstory with hay in it. I guess it's what they call in books a hay-loft.It's great."
"Gee!" was all the electrified George could utter. "Oh, gee!"
"It is on a little hill with the loveliest tree in front of it, andright on the trolley line. We'd have to start a little earlier in themorning; but I wouldn't mind, would you?"
"Naw!" said George, "but could we walk that far?"
"No, we'd have to ride, but the rent is so much lower it would pay ourcarfare."
"Gee!" said George again, "isn't that great? And is this the guy thatowns it?"
"Yes, or at least he and his father do. He's been very kind. He'staking all this trouble to take us out in his car to-day to make sureif there is anything that needs to be done for our comfort there. Hecertainly is an unusual man for a landlord."
"He sure is, Shirley. I guess mebbe he has a case on you the way helooks at you."
"George!" said Shirley severely, the red staining her cheeks and hereyes flashing angrily. "George! That was a _dreadful_ thing for youto say. If you ever even think a thing like that again, I won't haveanything to do with him or the place. We'll just stay in the city allsummer. I suppose perhaps that would be better, anyway."
Shirley got up and began to button her coat haughtily, as if she weregoing out that minute.
"Aw, gee, Shirley! I was just kidding. Can't you take a joke? Thisthing must be getting on your nerves. I never saw you so touchy."
"It certainly is getting on my nerves to have you say a thing likethat, George."
Shirley's tone was still severe.
"Aw, cut the grouch, Shirley. I te
ll you I was just kidding. 'Coursehe's a good guy. He probably thinks you're cross-eyed, knock-kneed----"
"George!" Shirley started for the door; but the irrepressible Georgesaw it was time to stop, and he put out an arm with muscles that wereiron-like from many wrestlings and ball-games with his fellow laborersat the store.
"Now, Shirley, cut the comedy. That guy'll be coming back next, andyou don't want to have him ask what's the matter, do you? He certainlyis some fine guy. I wouldn't like to embarrass him, would you? He's apeach of a looker. Say, Shirley, what do you figure mother's going tosay about this?"
Shirley turned, half mollified.
"That's just what I want to ask you, George. I don't want to tellmother until it's all fixed up and we can show if to her. You know itwill sound a great deal worse to talk about living in a barn than itwill to go in and see it all fixed up with rugs and curtains andscreens and the piano and a couch, and the supper-table set, and thesun setting outside the open door, and a bird singing in the tree."
"Gee! Shirley, wouldn't that be some class? Say, Shirley, don't let'stell her! Let's just make her say she'll trust the moving to us tosurprise her. Can't you kid her along and make her willing for that?"
"Why, that was what I was thinking. If you think there's no danger shewill be disappointed and sorry, and think we ought to have donesomething else."
"What else could we do? Say, Shirley, it would be great to sleep inthe hay-loft!"
"We could just tell her we were coming out in the country for thesummer to camp in a nice place where it was safe and comfortable, andthen we would have plenty of time to look around for the right kind ofa house for next winter."
"That's the dope, Shirley! You give her that. She'll fall for that,sure thing. She'll like the country. At least, if it's like what yousay it is."
"Well, you wait till you see it."
"Have you told Carol?" asked George, suddenly sobering. Carol was histwin sister, inseparable chum, and companion when he was at home.
"No," said Shirley, "I haven't had a chance; but Mr. Graham suggestedwe drive around by the school and get her. Then she can see how shelikes it, too; and, if Carol thinks so, we'll get mother not to ask anyquestions, but just trust to us."
"Gee! That guy's great. He's got a head on him. Some lark, what?"
"Yes, he's been very kind," said Shirley. "At first I told him Icouldn't let him take so much trouble for us, but he said he was goingto take his sister out for a ride----"
"A girl! Aw, gee! I'm going to beat it!" George stopped in his eagerwalk back and forth across the office, and seized his old faded cap.
"George, stop! You mustn't be impolite. Besides, I think she's only avery little girl, probably like Doris. He called her his 'kid sister.'"
"H'm! You can't tell. I ain't going to run any risks. I better beatit."
But George's further intentions were suddenly brought to a finish bythe entrance of Mr. Sidney Graham.
"Well, Miss Hollister," he said with a smile, "we are ready at last.I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long; but there was somethingwrong with one of my tires, and the chauffeur had to run around to thegarage. Come on, George," he said to the boy, who hung shyly behindnow, wary of any lurking female who might be haunting the path. "Guessyou'll have to sit in the front seat with me, and help me drive. Thechauffeur has to go back and drive for mother. She has to go to sometea or other."
George suddenly forgot the possible girl, and followed his new hero tothe elevator with a swelling soul. What would the other fellows at thestore think of him? A whole half-holiday, an automobile-ride, and achance to sit in the front and learn to drive! But all he said was:
"Aw, gee! Yes, sure thing!"
The strange girl suddenly loomed on his consciousness again as theyemerged from the elevator and came out on the street. She was sittingin the great back seat alone, arrayed in a big blue velvet coat thecolor of her eyes, and George felt at once all hands and feet. She wasa slender wisp of a thing about Carol's age, with a lily complexion anda wealth of gold hair caught in a blue veil. She smiled very prettilywhen her brother introduced her as "Elizabeth." There was nothingsnobbish or disagreeable about her, but that blue velvet coat suddenlymade George conscious of his own common attire, and gave Shirley a pangof dismay at her own little shabby suit.
However, Sidney Graham soon covered all differences in the attire ofhis guests by insisting that they should don the two long blanket coatsthat he handed them; and somehow when George was seated in the bigleather front seat, with that great handsome coat around his shoulders,he did not much mind the blue velvet girl behind him, and mentallyresolved to earn enough to get Carol a coat like it some day; onlyCarol's should be pink or red to go with her black eyes and pink cheeks.
After all, it was Shirley, not George, who felt embarrassment over thestrange girl and wished she had not come. She was vexed with herselffor it, too. It was foolish to let a child no older than Carol flusterher so, but the thought of a long ride alone on that back seat with thedainty young girl actually frightened her.
But Elizabeth was not frightened. She had been brought up in thesociety atmosphere, and was at home with people always, everywhere.She tucked the robes about her guest, helped Shirley button the big,soft dark-blue coat about her, remarking that it got awfully chillywhen they were going; and somehow before Shirley had been able to thinkof a single word to say in response the conversation seemed to bemoving along easily without her aid.
"Sid says we're going to pick up your sister from her school. I'm soglad! How old is she? About my age? Won't that be delightful? I'mrather lonesome this spring because all my friends are in school. I'vebeen away at boarding-school, and got the measles. Wasn't that toosilly for a great big girl like me? And the doctor said I couldn'tstudy any more this spring on account of my eyes. It's terriblylonesome. I've been home six weeks now, and I don't know what to dowith myself. What's your sister's name? Carol? Carol Hollister?That's a pretty name! Is she the only sister you have? A baby sister?How sweet! What's her name? Oh, I think Doris is the cutest nameever. Doris Hollister. Why don't we go and get Doris? Wouldn't shelike to ride, too? Oh, it's too bad your mother is ill; but of courseshe wouldn't want to stay all alone in the house without some of herfamily."
Elizabeth was tactful. She knew at a glance that trained nurses andservants could not be plentiful in a family where the young people woresuch plain, old-style garments. She gave no hint of such a thought,however.
"That's your brother," she went on, nodding toward George. "I've gotanother brother, but he's seventeen and away at college, so I don't seemuch of him. Sid's very good to me when he has time, and often hetakes me to ride. We're awfully jolly chums, Sid and I. Is this theschool where your sister goes? She's in high school, then. The thirdyear? My! She must be bright. I've only finished my second. Doesshe know she's going with us? What fun to be called out of school by asurprise! Oh, I just know I'm going to like her."
Shirley sat dumb with amazement, and listened to the eager gush of thelively girl, wondered what shy Carol would say, trying to rouse herselfto answer the young questioner in the same spirit in which she askedquestions.
George came out with Carol in a very short time, Carol struggling intoher coat and trying to straighten her hat, while George mumbled in herear as he helped her clumsily:
"Some baby doll out there! Kid, you better preen your feathers. She'sbeen gassing with Shirley to beat the band I couldn't hear all theysaid, but she asked a lot about you. You should worry! Hold up yourhead, and don't flicker an eyelash. You're as good as she is any day,if you don't look all dolled up like a new saloon. But she's somelooker! Pretty as a red wagon! Her brother's a peach of a fellow.He's going to let me run the car when we get out of the city limit; andsay! Shirley says for me to tell you we're going out to look at a barnwhere we're going to move this summer, and you're not to say a wordabout it's being a barn. See? Get ont
o that sky-blue-pink satin scarfshe's got around her head? Ain't she some chicken, though?"
"Hush, George! She'll hear you!" murmured Carol in dismay. "What doyou mean about a barn? How could we live in a barn?"
"You just shut up and saw wood, kid, and you'll see. Shirley thinksshe's got onto something pretty good."
Then Carol was introduced to the beautiful blue-velvet girl and satdown beside her, wrapped in a soft furry cloak of garnet, to be whirledaway into a fairy-land of wonder.