ON THE BALCONY
Early the next morning Mary Louise was aroused by a tapping at her
door, and Josie burst into the room, followed by Irene, who came more
slowly on her crutches.
“We just had to wake you up, Mary Louise,” cried Josie, “to tell you
the exciting news. They sent out officers to arrest those Browns. They
found his name was Heinrich Braun, and he’s a German up from Mexico.
Who could imagine such a thing!”
Mary Louise leaned back on her pillows, and her eyes looked very large
and lovely with their violet shadows.
“Josie,” she said, “I’ve got a confession to make to you.”
“I’ll bet it isn’t very serious,” laughed the girl.
“Irene, oh, Irene!” Mary Louise called out. “You stay and hear it,
too!” The well-bred girl was almost outside the door before Mary
Louise’s voice halted her.
Then, as the two girls sat on the side of her bed, Mary Louise told
them the story of James O’Hara--the kindly, courageous uncle of Danny
Dexter. She told them of the terrible mistake he had once made--a
mistake atoned for time and again. She told how O’Hara happened to
be on the Brown ranch and how he discovered its dangerous character.
And lastly, she told of the amazing events of the previous evening,
expatiating at length on the heroic part that O’Hara played in them.
When she had finished her recital, Josie burst out:
“Oh, Mary Louise, why didn’t you let me know about O’Hara sooner? I
would never have caused him so much trouble.”
“Well,” said Mary Louise, “he had not proven his mettle at that
time, and that makes a great difference, doesn’t it? But you see how
everything has turned out for the best.”
As Josie sat on the bed, still almost unable to comprehend the amazing
turn that events had taken, Mary Louise turned to her and said softly:
“Josie, dear, don’t you think it would be possible for O’Hara to
arrange to repay that Boston bank in the near future, and go free in
the meantime? I think he deserves the most considerate treatment.”
“I do, too!” spoke up Irene, whose admiring gaze had not shifted from
Mary Louise since the latter started her narrative.
Mary Louise cast a look of gratitude on the sweet-faced girl, as Josie
reflected in silence for a moment.
“Such things are done now and then,” said Josie quietly, “but only in
the most extraordinary cases.”
“But this case _is_ extraordinary!” urged Mary Louise. “Why, Josie,
just think of the heroic way he managed to escape from the ranch! Even
now, he is in danger of arrest because he chose to be loyal under the
most difficult conditions! Could a man be anything but worthy who
thinks more of his country than his own personal safety?”
Mary Louise was about to say more in behalf of Danny’s uncle when Josie
placed her hand on the girl’s arm.
“There’s no need to argue O’Hara’s case further, dear,” she said. “I
agree with you. O’Hara is a real American, and I promise to help him
in every way I can.”
“I’m so glad!” sighed Mary Louise, and she lay back on her pillows.
“And I am, too!” added Irene, whose tender heart had been deeply
touched by Mary Louise’s recital of O’Hara’s story.
“Then, we’re unanimous!” smiled Josie, and added, good-naturedly: “Have
you noticed that it’s always unanimous when Mary Louise sets her heart
on a thing?”
Mary Louise laughed lightly.
“Oh, Josie, how you exaggerate!” she said.
“Girls! Girls!” exclaimed Irene. “Here we are exchanging pleasantries,
and we haven’t yet decided how we are going to help Danny’s uncle!”
Irene was the most practical-minded of all of Mary Louise’s girl
friends, and she was never so happy as when planning some kind deed for
others.
“What would you suggest, Josie?” asked Mary Louise, after a little
silence had fallen on the group.
“Well,” said the girl slowly, “I think my best plan would be to get in
touch with dad. He is still in Washington; at least he was there when I
left several weeks ago. I might wire him about the case, and tell him
to have Crocker patch things up with the Boston bank. I am sure dad
would do it for me. What do you think of the idea?”
“Just the thing!” exclaimed Mary Louise, enthusiastically. “Your father
is the very man! Oh, Josie, how can I ever thank you! I know Danny
would like to hear about the plan, too. Won’t you see him and tell him
about it? He can tell you more about his uncle than I ever could.”
“That’s what I’ll do,” said Josie, decisively. “I’ll get O’Hara’s whole
story from Danny, and then I’ll wire it to dad. Father will receive it
this afternoon, and we should receive an answer from him not later than
to-morrow night.”
“That will be splendid!” said Mary Louise.
“Yes,” echoed Irene, “and just think of the happiness it will give
Danny’s uncle to know that he is free once more to retrieve himself in
the eyes of the world!”
Mary Louise smiled a glad smile, and thought to herself that Danny,
too, would be overjoyed at the news, but she did not give her thought
utterance. An unaccountable shyness came over her when she thought of
Danny and the delightful night ride of the evening before.
Then the tired girl fell back on her pillow. The strain of the night
before had told on her, so, sending her girl friends from the room, she
turned over into a wonderful slumber that lasted almost through the
afternoon.
About five, Mary Louise arose, bathed and slipped into her soft pink
dressing-gown. Her grandfather entered her little private sitting room
as she was turning from her mirror, and on Mary Louise’s assuring him
that she was perfectly well and rested now, he seated himself in the
one large chair the hotel room held.
Then Mary Louise threw a pillow at his feet and clasping her knees in
her hands, she told him all of her adventure: the tale of O’Hara, the
night ride and the lost automobile.
The Colonel tenderly smoothed her dark curls as she talked, and when
she had finished, he told her of his pride in her in words which made
Mary Louise’s heart glow.
“Have you seen Danny?” Mary Louise asked at last.
The wistful look did not escape the Colonel. Each day both esteem
and affection had increased in him for Danny Dexter. So now he asked
gently: “Shall I send him up to you after dinner?”
“Yes,” said Mary Louise, and suddenly hid her head on her grandfather’s
shoulder.
So it happened that Mary Louise waited for Danny out on the balcony
of her little sitting-room. She had flung a warm dark fur about her
shoulders, and her soft and simple gown gleamed in sweet contrast
to the fur’s richness. She was leaning against the railing as Danny
entered, looking off into the loneliness of the desert.
The final glory of the sun was flooding the whole world with light, and
the mystery of the vast sandy distances was upon her. Mystery was in
her dark eyes, too, as she turned to greet Danny.
The blaze of light turned to the soft dusk of twilight as Danny
stood and gazed at her. Then simply, naturally, and with an infinite
tenderness Danny Dexter stepped through the door and took Mary Louise
in his arms.
THE END
Transcriber’s Note:
Punctuation has been standardised. Other changes to the original
publication have also been made as follows:
Page 36
you clothe you men _changed to_
you clothe your men
Page 57
and Washington messages supercede _changed to_
and Washington messages supersede
Page 69
a rather conspicuous returned solder _changed to_
a rather conspicuous returned soldier
Page 72
There as a brief silence _changed to_
There was a brief silence
Page 76
and he spun the proferred card _changed to_
and he spun the proffered card
Page 106
a feeling of reget _changed to_
a feeling of regret
Page 175
enjoying the ecstacy _changed to_
enjoying the ecstasy
Page 192
There was a few minutes _changed to_
There were a few minutes
Page 213
machine, anad beside him _changed to_
machine, and beside him