THE MYSTERIOUS BOX
After the tea-party a variety of things came up to engage the attention
of the "Merry Maid's" crew. For the first time since they had banded
themselves together their interests lay apart. Phyllis Alden was so
deeply impressed with the fact that Lieutenant James Lawton had chosen
her as a confidante and insisted on telling her all his aims and
aspirations, that she had thought of little else except him. Lillian
Seldon was experiencing her first taste of society and it had gone to
her head. The young officers at Fortress Monroe and the midshipmen vied
with one another in paying her devoted attention, and she reveled in
the knowledge that she was pretty and a favorite. Madge's sole idea in
life seemed to consist in annoying Flora Harris, and with this intent
she deliberately encouraged the attentions of Alfred Thornton, thus
arousing the lasting resentment of that young woman, who looked upon
young Thornton as her own particular cavalier. Secretly Madge despised
him, nevertheless she concealed her dislike under a gay, gracious
manner that she used continually to draw him away from the girl whom
she had resolved to annoy and tease on every occasion.
Only Eleanor and Miss Jenny Ann remained unchanged. Both women loved
the quiet of the "Merry Maid" far better than they did Society, and
while Madge, Phil and Lillian flitted here and there like gay young
butterflies, the chaperon and the little brown-haired daughter of
Virginia kept the boat ship-shape and looked after the wants of the
others.
They were by no means stay-at-homes, however. Mrs. Curtis had arranged
all sorts of good times in which the five young women took part. One of
her latest ideas was that her young guests should give a play. She had
engaged the private ballroom of the hotel for a certain evening, and
had arranged for the erection of a temporary stage on the day previous
to the evening on which the play was to be given. She and Madeleine had
invited a number of their friends and there would be a supper and dance
afterward.
Madeleine, who had developed into a veritable bookworm, had, after
considerable hunting, found a story called "The Decision," which she
had arranged as a play. There were but five characters in the play,
which was the story of a girl who, holding a position as private
secretary in the home of a man of wealth, discovers that his daughter,
a girl about her own age, has been unduly extravagant and, needing
money, has forged a check in her father's name. While she deliberates
as to what is to be done, the father discovers the forgery, and taxing
his daughter with it, she becomes panic-stricken and lays the forgery
at the door of the private secretary. Her employer, a hard man, brings
the two girls together, declaring that if his daughter is at fault he
will turn her from his home and utterly repudiate her.
A struggle begins in the secretary's mind. She realizes that if she
confesses falsely to the forgery, it means not only the loss of her own
position but her good name as well, whereas if she makes the daughter
of her employer admit her fault, it means that, driven from home, the
girl whose weakness has brought about this distressful situation stands
little or no chance of redeeming her error if thrust upon the mercy of
the world.
In the end the secretary shoulders the daughter's guilt and is about to
leave her employer's house forever, he having declined to prosecute
her, when his daughter, aroused to latent remorse by the nobility of
spirit of the girl she has wronged, confesses the truth, and is
forgiven by her father solely on account of the earnest pleading of the
other girl.
Madge had been chosen to play the secretary, Flora Harris the daughter.
Tom Curtis was to portray the role of the stern father, while Lillian
Seldon played a pert maid and Alfred Thornton an inquisitive footman.
Flora Harris was secretly chagrined when she discovered that the role
of heroine had fallen to Madge. Although the part of the erring
daughter furnished plenty of opportunity for acting, the honors of the
play fell to Madge. Flora was far too clever to show by any outward
sign that she was not pleased with the part assigned to her, but
privately she registered another grievance against the little captain,
and the determination to lower Madge's pride to the dust was never long
out of her thoughts. Just how this was to be done she could not yet
see, but she felt that sooner or later the opportunity was sure to
present itself.
Of one thing she was certain, Madge Morton and Phyllis Alden should not
win the boat race. She did not believe there was much possibility of
their winning. She had watched them rowing about in the "Water Witch"
and had decided that they possessed neither skill nor speed. She knew
that since their agreement to enter the race the two girls had been
practising diligently during the mornings on their side of the bay. She
and her cousin Alice had not been idle. They had done considerable
rowing in the mornings, also, and confidently expected to carry off the
prize, whatever it might be.
As for Madge and Phyllis, they entertained little idea of winning the
race. It was not to be expected, considering the fact that they were
competing with boys. Still, they hoped to make as good a showing as
Flora Harris and Alice Paine. They devoted their morning hours to their
practice, for the rehearsals of the play occupied Madge's afternoons,
and it must be confessed that Lieutenant James Lawton took up the
greater part of Phil's evenings. But whatever may have been his
failings in this direction, he was proving himself to be an efficient
coach.
His two pupils had placed themselves entirely under his training and,
according to his enthusiastic commendation, were improving rapidly.
"You girls are doing better with every minute!" was his lively praise
one morning as they rowed the "Water Witch" toward the houseboat. Their
practice was over for the day, and Lieutenant Jimmy was to take
luncheon with them.
It had been a particularly interesting morning. Madge felt more drawn
toward the young lieutenant than on any previous occasion. He had been
telling her and Phyllis of his life in the Navy, his hopes and
aspirations, and Phyllis had purposely drawn him into describing his
invention. He had just completed a model of his torpedo-boat destroyer
and expected to take it to Washington within a few days. He was to show
his model boat to a committee of naval experts, who were to decide
whether his invention were of value.
Aside from the pleasure it gave him to tell the girls of his invention
he had another graver reason for doing so. He had decided to ask
Phyllis to do him a great favor. From the beginning of their
acquaintance the young man had been impressed with Phil's sterling
qualities. She was loyal to her friends and absolutely dependable. He
felt certain that she would respect a confidence and keep a secret. He
believed her to be the one person he could trust absolutely. Yet he did
not wish to draw her into a promise without the knowledge of at least
one of her friends. For this reason he had chosen to make Madge his
confidante also.
Just how to begin he hardly knew, and it was not until they had rowed
within close range of the houseboat, where Tom Curtis and Alfred
Thornton stood waving from the deck, that he said nervously:
"Won't you and Miss Morton stop rowing for a moment, Miss Alden? I
wouldn't have bored you with the story of my invention, except that I
wish to ask you a strange favor. If I go away in a few days, of course
my work-shop will be closely watched and guarded. Yet I shall not feel
it to be perfectly safe. I alone know that I am being spied upon, that
certain men are shadowing me ready to report every movement that I
make. If, after leaving here, I should fall ill unexpectedly,
or--disappear suddenly, the secret of my invention might never be
known. So I wish to ask you, Miss Alden, to keep a small, square box,
which I shall give you before I leave. I shall ask you not to examine
its contents unless some unusual circumstance should develop, when you
feel obliged to ascertain what the box contains. You may think it
strange that I do not ask one of my men friends to do this favor for
me. But I have a special reason for desiring to place the box in the
care of some one who will never be suspected of having it. Will you
keep it for me, say for a week, or until I ask you or write to you for
it?"
The skiff had nearly reached the houseboat. Madge and Phyllis were
allowing the "Water Witch" to drift in. Their friends on board had seen
them and were signaling for them to come aboard.
Madge's usually sunny face was clouded with disapproval. Why should
Lieutenant Lawton wish a young girl like Phyllis, a mere acquaintance,
to guard a mysterious box for him? What could possibly happen to him
when he went to Washington! It was all too vague and too absurd. She
decided that she and Phyllis would have nothing to do with Lieutenant
Lawton's invention.
"I don't believe, Phil, that you and I ought to do what Lieutenant
Lawton asks unless he takes us fully into his confidence," she
protested.
Phyllis closed her lips with an expression of quiet resolution. "I will
take care of the box for you while you are away, Lieutenant Lawton,"
she declared. "If Madge doesn't wish to have anything to do with it,
she will keep your secret, at any rate. I know it will be all right,
Madge; I am sure you will agree with me," she ended coaxingly, turning
to her chum. "We could not refuse to do such a simple favor for a
friend. And I think Lieutenant Lawton is a true patriot to give his
invention to his country, instead of selling it to make a fortune, as
so many other men would do, and I am proud to aid him in even the
smallest way."
Lieutenant Lawton blushed. It occurred to Madge that she and Phyllis
knew little of the young officer's real character. Suppose, after all,
he did not intend to present his discovery to his Government? Were she
and Phil to be used as dupes? A long, searching look into the young
man's earnest face seemed to reassure her.
"When do you wish to give Phil the box, Mr. Lawton?" she said slowly.
"To-night, when you come to Mrs. Curtis's to rehearse for your play,"
replied Lieutenant Jimmy. "I shall want to see you and Miss Alden alone
somewhere. It will only take a minute to hand you the box, but do not,
for the world, let either Tom Curtis or Alfred Thornton know what I
have asked of you."
"We won't," promised Phyllis readily.
"Then I can depend on you?" asked the young man anxiously. "You are
certain that you are willing to stand by me, Miss Morton?"
"Yes." Madge gave an emphatic nod. "I feel that you would not ask us to
do anything unless you were sure that it was for the best. We will take
care of the box for you and no one need suspect that we have it."
"I thank you." Lieutenant Lawton shook hands with the two girls, and
thus the compact, involving far more than either of the girls could
possibly guess, was sealed.