AN UNEXPECTED MEETING
Although the prospect of the coming visit to Old Point Comfort filled
Madge and Eleanor with a delightful sense of their own importance, they
still had certain misgivings as to what might be expected of them as
the guests of Mrs. Curtis. She had written them that as long as they
were to be anchored near Fortress Monroe, she hoped to show them the
social side of the Army and Navy life centered there. To the two
country girls the idea of "Society" was a trifle appalling. Phyllis
Alden had also written them that she knew nothing of Society and was
almost afraid to venture into that awe-inspiring realm, while Miss
Jenny Ann at first refused to consider the idea, but finally relented
and made her preparations to join the girls in anything but a joyous
frame of mind.
Lillian Seldon was the only one of the little company who took the
prospect of balls and parties and meeting hosts of new people quite
calmly. She had two older sisters, who had made their entrance into
Philadelphia society, and Lillian had been allowed to be present at
their coming-out parties. Mrs. Seldon, Lillian's mother, was devoted to
Society, while Mrs. Butler cared for nothing outside her own home
interests, and Mrs. Alden was too busy taking care of a large family on
a small income to think of anything else. Phil's life had been largely
centered in her school. Eleanor and Madge had divided their allegiance
between Miss Tolliver's and "Forest House" until their houseboat had
opened a new world to them.
After a long talk with Eleanor, Madge finally wrote Mrs. Curtis,
confessing that they were rather afraid to venture into the social life
of the point. In reply Mrs. Curtis only made light of their fears and
misgivings and insisted that they should come. Tom, who had undertaken
the duty of finding a landing for the houseboat, announced that it was
safely sheltered near the southern end of Cape Charles; it was too
rough to anchor the boat on the Virginia side of the shore. Besides,
Tom was camping with some college friends on the shore of the cape, and
had arranged that the houseboat should be no great distance from his
camp. The houseboat party could cross over to Old Point, or any of the
resorts on the opposite beach, in a small steamboat that made its way
back and forth from one coast to the other, or in Tom's new motor
launch, which would be always at their disposal.
The careful way in which the Curtises had arranged for the comfort of
their young guests finally conquered the last faint objection on their
part, and when on the morning of the day appointed, escorted by Mrs.
Curtis and Tom, the four girls and Miss Jenny Ann boarded the "Merry
Maid" for their two weeks' stay, their former fears and misgivings were
entirely forgotten. They remembered only that they had come into their
own again through the generosity of Mrs. Curtis, and for her sake were
willing to brave even "Society."
* * * * *
The ballroom of the great hotel at Old Point Comfort was crowded with
dancers. It was an official military ball. The army officers were in
full-dress uniforms. The midshipmen from the fleet were in white. There
was a large sprinkling of naval officers from the battleships in the
harbor at Hampton Roads. Many of them were foreigners, as there were
several ships of other nations anchored there. There were beautiful
women in beautiful gowns and wonderful jewels. Altogether it was a
scene calculated to make a lively impression upon Madge and her
friends, and it was with rapidly beating hearts that, in company with
Mrs. Curtis, Madeleine and Tom, they entered the brilliantly lighted
ballroom which contained for them no familiar faces.
"Oh, dear, Miss Jenny Ann," whispered Eleanor, keeping close to her
chaperon's side, "why did we ever imagine we could appear at home in a
place like this? I wish we had not come." Her distress looked out from
her brown eyes as she watched the throng of fashionably dressed women
and uniformed men swaying and gliding in the figures of one of the new
dances that had taken society by storm.
"Don't be afraid, Nell," returned Phil, fighting down her
self-consciousness, "they are just mere men and women. Besides, they
are too busy to think of us."
Just then an elderly man in uniform, accompanied by a woman of about
his own age, stepped forward and claimed the attention of the Curtises.
For the moment the girls, who were following their friends, became
separated from them by the dancers. Realizing that they were too near
the center of the ballroom for comfort, the little party stepped back,
edging nearer the wall. Madge, too fully absorbed in the gay scene
before her to see just where she was going, collided with a young
woman, who, accompanied by two young men, was coming from the opposite
direction. Before she could apologize an unpleasant voice broke upon
the ears of the houseboat party with disconcerting distinctness.
"Oh, dear, let us move out of the way, if we can. It is quite evident
that certain other persons have no intention of doing so. Such
stupidity! Still, what can one expect from a crowd of country folks? I
wonder how they happened to be here? I doubt if they were invited. It
is a pity we can't keep tiresome nobodies from spoiling our hops here
at the hotel."
A moment later the owner of the voice, a young woman of perhaps twenty
years, had the grace to blush under the battery of five pairs of
indignant eyes that was turned upon her. Miss Jenny Ann, Lillian and
Eleanor looked cold astonishment at the rude speaker. It was plain to
be seen that Phyllis was very angry. To Madge, however, was left the
"retort courteous," and before Miss Jenny Ann could lay a restraining
hand lightly upon her arm, the little captain said in a sweet, clear
voice: "We are so sorry to be thought stupid. It is very unfortunate
that we stepped in your way. As you remarked, we are from the country,
but, at least, we have been taught that courtesy is a most desirable
virtue. Rest assured we would not be here without an invitation. Mrs.
Curtis is our hostess. It is possible you may know her."
Madge's tones were freighted with such unmistakable sarcasm that the
rude young woman was too thoroughly taken aback to reply. She had fully
intended her ill-bred speech to be overheard, but she had not for a
moment imagined that one of these apparently shy newcomers would fling
back an answer. The two young men with whom she had been talking looked
very uncomfortable. There was an instant's strained silence, then the
ill-bred young woman found her voice.
"I did not think you would hear what I said." She turned haughtily to
Madge. "As you did hear me, I suppose I owe you an apology. I am one of
the hostesses here to-night, as my father is an officer at Fortress
Monroe. I know Mrs. Curtis and also her son and daughter."
Madge acknowledged the grudging apology with the merest inclination of
her head. She was too angry to trust her voice. She turned away, and
the little party was about to move on when Tom Curtis hurried to her
side.
"How did you become separated from us?" he asked. "Mother thought you
were directly behind her. Why, good evening, Flora," his eyes happened
to rest on the disagreeable young woman, "you are just in time to meet
Mother's guests."
Tom proceeded to introduce the houseboat party to her. "I am sure you
will be pleased to know Miss Harris," he declared innocently. Then he
presented the two young men respectively as Lieutenant Lawton and Mr.
Thornton.
Miss Harris acknowledged the introduction with far more graciousness
than she had previously exhibited. It was evident to the girls that she
did not wish Tom Curtis to know how rudely she had treated his friends.
The young man introduced as Mr. Thornton addressed Madge with a view
toward being gracious, but she replied briefly and turned her attention
to Tom. Far from being dismayed with the rebuff, he tried again.
"I am over in camp with your friend, Mr. Curtis," he volunteered.
"Are you?" rejoined Madge indifferently.
"Yes," he went on, unabashed. "I came over to the dance to-night
because Miss Harris is a great friend of mine. Don't hold that rude
speech of hers against us; she did not imagine you would overhear it.
Mr. Lawton and I were awfully cut up over it." He was doing his best
to melt the snow image he was addressing. Madge showed no sign of
relenting.
"Do you golf?" he questioned, hurriedly changing the subject.
Madge shrugged her pretty shoulders. "Not well enough to count," she
answered.
"Do you swim?" was his next question.
Receiving no answer, he continued: "It is getting rather late in the
year for sea bathing. The water is too cold for comfort."
"I like to swim in cold water," commented Madge stiffly. Then, taking
pity on the discomfited young man, she smiled faintly and said, "I
should not blame you for your friend's rude remarks, but I am still
very angry with her. Her conduct was insufferable."
"She didn't mean what she said," defended Alfred Thornton. "I can't
understand why Flora spoke as she did. She is a splendid girl. I've
known her for a long time. She is the daughter of an officer whose
father is a retired admiral in the Navy and a favorite socially at Old
Point."
"That is very nice for her," returned Madge without enthusiasm. In the
face of the discourtesy which Miss Harris had just exhibited she
thought Mr. Thornton's eloquent defence in rather bad taste. She was
about to retort that her father, too, had been an officer in the Navy;
then, remembering, her face flushed and she compressed her red lips.
Not yet. Not until she had found the man she sought and cleared her
father's name. Suddenly the thought came: "Suppose I were to hear news
of him while at Old Point? Suppose he were known to some of the
officers whose ships are stationed here? Perhaps it was Fate that sent
us to visit Mrs. Curtis."
"Have you decided to be angry, after all?" Alfred Thornton's voice
recalled Madge to her surroundings.
"I am not angry," replied Madge. "To tell you the truth, I was not
thinking of my own grievances."
"Sorry to interrupt conversation, Thornton," broke in Tom Curtis, "but
there is a whole line of midshipmen waiting to be introduced to my
friends."
"I hope you will give me a dance, Miss Morton," said Alfred Thornton.
Madge assented, although she felt more inclined to refuse. She was not
in the least certain that she liked this dark, thin-faced young man.
When he talked he had a peculiar trick of turning his eyes away from
the person with whom he was talking that did not please her.
"Come on over in that corner, girls," invited Tom. "There we shall be
out of the way of the dancers and you can hold court. Just wait until
you see that line of midshipmen!"
Keeping out of the way of the dancers, the party moved toward the
corner designated by Tom. There he left them, returning shortly with
several young men in the midshipmen's uniform, who seemed not only
willing, but eager, to have the pleasure of dancing with the four
girls. Miss Jenny Ann, who looked very handsome in a pretty gown of
black net over white silk, came in for a full share of attention, and
was not a little worried as to whether as chaperon she ought to sit
quietly and watch her charges or dance. She confided this to Madge, who
merely laughed, told her that she looked "too sweet for anything" and
to "go ahead and have a good time." Whereupon Miss Jenny Ann sank her
last scruples and proceeded to enjoy herself as much as did the four
girls, who did not miss a dance. They were showered with attentions
from not only the midshipmen, but the old officers as well asked the
privilege of a dance.
Pretty Lillian Seldon was in her element. This was her first real ball
and she was delighted with the opportunity it afforded to play "grown
up." She wore her golden hair piled high on her shapely head, and as
her white silk evening gown was the longest frock she owned she felt at
least twenty, which to her seemed very old indeed.
Phil danced for the pure love of dancing. She was more level-headed
than Lillian and was less likely to be carried away by pleasure. Still,
she felt as though she would like to go on dancing forever with
Lieutenant James Lawton, who she decided was the nicest young man she
had ever met.
Undoubtedly it was the excitement of the dance that appealed most
strongly to Madge. The music, the flowers, the beautiful gowns worn by
the women, the subdued murmur of laughing voices, stirred her
imaginative temperament as the sunshine awakens flowers. The earlier
thought of her father that had threatened to cloud her pleasure
disappeared and she gave herself up to the enticement of the gay scene
and the invitation of the music.
It was after midnight before the ball ended. Tom's car was at the hotel
entrance to take the tired but enthusiastic girls and their chaperon
down to the landing where the launch lay ready to take them to the
"Merry Maid."
"I've had the most glorious time," exulted Lillian.
"And I," was the chorus.
"It was too delightful for words," declared Madge, with shining eyes.
Then the light suddenly left them and she became strangely silent. "I
forgot you, Father," she said under her breath. "I was so busy having a
good time I didn't ask a single officer if he knew that dreadful man.
But another time I'll not forget. I'll find out where he is before we
leave here if there is any possible way to do it."