CHAPTER V
BESSIE LAVINE
Suddenly a gay voice hailed Wyn.
"Hi, Captain of the Go-Aheads! What are you doing, mooning here?"
"Why, Bess!" returned Wyn, turning to greet Bessie Lavine. "I didn't seeyou coming along."
"No; but I saw you, my noble captain."
"Going shopping?"
"Aye, aye, Captain!" cried the other member of the Go-Ahead club. "Butwho was that I saw you with? Didn't I see you talking to that girl whojust crossed Benefit Street?"
"Oh, yes."
"Who was she?"
"Polly Jarley. She is daughter of a boatman up at the lake. And wasn'tit fortunate that I met her? She can find us a camping place and geteverything fixed up there for our coming."
"What's her name?" asked Bess, sharply.
"Polly Jarley."
"And she lives up there by the lake?"
"So she says."
"Her father is John Jarley, of course?" queried Bessie, looking down atWyn, darkly.
"Yes. That is her father's name," said Wyn, beginning to wonder at herfriend's manner.
"Well! I guess you don't know those Jarleys very well; do you?"
"Why--I----"
Wyn hesitated to tell Bessie that she had only just now met theunfortunate boatman's daughter. She remembered Polly's story, and whatshe had overheard Mr. Erad say in the drygoods store.
"You surely _can't_ know what and who they are, and still befriendly with that girl?" repeated Bessie, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Why, my dear," said Wyn, soothingly. "Don't speak that way. Sit downand tell me what you mean. I certainly have not known Polly long; and Inever met her father----"
"Oh, they left this town a long time ago."
"So she told me. And she said something about her father having beenaccused of dishonesty----"
"I should say so!" gasped Bessie. "Why, John Jarley almost ruined_my_ father. He was a traitor to him. They were in a dealtogether--it was when my father first tried to get into the real estatebusiness here in Denton--and this John Jarley sold him out. Why,everybody knows it! It crippled father for a long time, and what Jarleygot out of playing traitor never did him any good, I guess, for theywere soon as poor as Job's turkey, and they went to live in the woodsthere. He's a poor, miserable wretch. Father says he's never had astroke of luck since he played him such a mean trick--and serves himright!"
Wyn stared at her in amazement, for Bessie had gone on quitebreathlessly and had spoken with much heat. Finally Wyn observed:
"Well, dear, _your_ father has done well since those days. They sayhe is one of our richest citizens. Surely you can forgive what poor JohnJarley did, for he and his daughter are now very miserable."
"I don't see why we should forgive them," cried Bessie, hotly.
"Why, Bess! This poor girl had nothing to do with her father wrongingyour father----"
"I don't care. She's his daughter. It's in the blood. I wouldn't trusther a single bit. I wouldn't speak to her. And no girl can be _her_friend and mine, too!"
"Why, Bess! don't say that," urged Wyn. "You and I have been friends foryears and years. We wouldn't want to have a falling out."
"I see no need for us to fall out," exclaimed Bessie, her eyes stillflashing. "But I just won't associate with girls who associate withthose low people--there now!"
"Now do you feel better, Bess?" asked Wyn, laughing.
That was the worst of Wyn Mallory! All the girls said so. One couldn't"fight" with her. For, you see, it takes two at least to keep a quarrelalive, although but one to start it.
"Well, you don't know how mean that man, Jarley, was to my father. Andyears ago they were the very best of friends. Why! they went to schooltogether, and were chums--just as thick as you and I are, Wynnie--justas thick. And for him to be a traitor----"
"If he was, don't you think he has been paying for it?" asked Wyn,sensibly. "According to what I hear he is poor, and ill, andunfortunate----"
"I don't know whether he is or not. It was only a few weeks ago we heardof his stealing a motor boat up there at the lake and some othervaluables, and selling them----"
"He wouldn't be poor if he had done that; would he?" interrupted Wyn."For I know for a fact that he is very, very poor."
She did not want to tell Bessie that she had given Polly Jarley money;but she did not believe that the boatman's daughter would be in need asshe was if Mr. Jarley were guilty of the crime of which he had been sorecently accused.
"Well, I haven't a mite of sympathy for them," declared Bessie.
"Perhaps you cannot be expected to have sympathy for the Jarleys,"admitted Wyn, in her wholesome way. "But you won't mind, will you, dear,if _I_ have a little for poor Polly?" and she hugged Bessie, whohad sat down, close to her. "Come on, Bessie--don't be mad at_me_."
"Oh, dear! nobody can be mad at you, Wyn Mallory. You do blarney so."
"Ah, now, my dear; it isn't blarneying at all!" laughed Wyn. "It's justshowing you the sensible way. We girls don't want to be flighty, andhave 'mads on,' as Frank says, for no real reason. And this poor girlwill never trouble you in the world----"
"I wish she wasn't up at that lake," declared Bessie.
"Why, Bess! the lake's plenty big enough," said Wyn, chuckling. "Wewon't have to see much of the Jarleys. Although----"
"I sha'n't go if she is to be on hand," asserted Bessie, with vehemence.
"One would think poor Polly Jarley had an infectious disease. She won'thurt you, Bess."
"I don't care. I feel just as papa does about it. He and Jarley werecloser than brothers. But he wouldn't speak to Jarley now--no, sir! AndI don't want anything to do with that girl."
With this Bess jumped up, preparing to go on her way to the stores. Wynwas going home, and she gathered up her packages.
"You'll think differently about it some day, Bess," she said,thoughtfully, as her friend tripped away. "How foolish to hold rancor solong! For years and years those two men have hated each other. And Iexpect Polly would dislike Bess just as Bess dislikes her--and for noreal reason!
"And it seems too bad. Mr. Lavine is very rich while John Jarley is verypoor. Usually it is the wicked man who prospers--for a time, at least Ireally don't understand this," sighed Wyn, traveling homeward. "IfPolly's father is guilty as they believe he is, what did he do with themoney he must have made by his crimes?"