EUNICE AND MR. WINTHROP LATHAM
"Ruth, may I go with you to get Eunice?" Mollie Thurston asked next day.
"Certainly, Mollie. Are not the four of us going? We want to bring little
Eunice back to the hotel in style. We have had a hard enough time getting
hold of her. Her old Indian grandmother would not have let us have the
child if it had not been for Naki. The Indian woman seems really to be
attached to Ceally and Naki."
"I am going to ask you a weeny little favor, Ruth. I won't tell you why I
ask you now; but I will tell you as soon as we are in the automobile.
Don't ask Bab to come with us for Eunice," Mollie entreated.
"Don't ask Bab? Why, Mollie!" protested Ruth, in surprise. "Bab's
feelings would be dreadfully hurt if I did not ask her."
"No, they won't, Ruth. I have already talked to Aunt Sallie. She told Bab
she wanted her to stay in the house this morning. Aunt Sallie thinks
Barbara is tired from her ride yesterday."
"Oh, very well, Mollie, I won't urge Bab to come with us, then; though I
can't understand why you don't want her along. I shall be glad when you
explain the mystery to me," Ruth concluded.
"That is why I wish to drive over with you. Sh! Aunt Sallie is coming.
Don't say anything before her."
"Ruth," explained Mollie, as the three girls were hurrying toward
Pittsfield in their motor car, "I want to tell you why I did not wish Bab
to come along with us to the hospital for Eunice. I don't know what you
and Grace may think of me; but I intend to try an experiment."
"An experiment, Mollie!" Grace exclaimed. "What experiment do you intend
to try?"
"Well girls," Mollie continued, "do you recall that Bab went driving, a
few days ago, with Reginald Latham, Mr. Winthrop Latham and Aunt Sallie?"
Ruth and Grace both nodded.
"And you remember Bab said she was going to discover, on that drive, what
connection Eunice had with the Latham family?"
"Yes," Grace assented. "Do hurry on to the point of your story."
"No; you must hear it all over again," Mollie protested. "I want you and
Ruth to remember just exactly the story Bab told us. Reginald Latham did
not wish the subject of Eunice mentioned before his uncle, because Mr.
Winthrop Latham's oldest brother had married an Indian girl. It seems the
brother met the Indian girl while he was studying the history of the
Indians in this neighborhood; so he just married her without mentioning
the fact to his family. Of course the Lathams, who were very rich and
very distinguished, were heart-broken over the marriage. And I guessed
they were not any too good to the poor little Indian woman, when Mr.
William Latham brought her back to his home to live. As soon as her
husband died, she ran away to her own people. When Mr. Winthrop Latham
tried to find her some time afterwards, to give her her husband's
property, it seems that the Indian wife was dead. At any rate Reginald
declares this to be the case. From that day to this, the Latham family
never speak of anything that even relates to Indians." Mollie ended her
speech in a slightly scornful tone.
"Why, Mollie, don't you think that is a good enough explanation of
Reginald Latham's attitude toward Eunice?" Ruth asked.
"I most certainly do not!" Miss Mollie replied. "And how do you explain
the Indian squaw's feeling against the name of Latham?"
"Oh, Bab told us, Reginald explained all that to her, too. It seems that
the Indians in this vicinity believed poor little Mrs. Latham had been
persecuted by her husband's family. So, if this old squaw ever heard the
story, Latham would be an evil name to her," Grace put in.
Mistress Mollie shrugged her shoulders. "I think that story is very
unlikely. But, maybe, you believe it, just as Bab did. All I ask of you
is--just be on the look-out to-day! I have been doing a little detective
work myself. I do not agree with Bab's explanation. I told you I was
going to try an experiment, and I want you to help me. Then maybe, I can
convince you, Bab, and Aunt Sallie of something that I believe! I am sure
our little Indian Eunice has a closer connection with the Latham family
than any of you dream!"
"Dear me, but you are interesting, Mollie!" interrupted Ruth. "I have a
suspicion of what you mean. But go ahead, little Miss Sherlock Holmes! We
are with you to the end. We shall be delighted to render any humble
assistance necessary to your detective work."
"I only want you to watch developments this afternoon, girls!" Mollie
asserted mysteriously. "Later on, there may be some real work for us to
do. So far, I have planned everything myself."
"Well, Mollie, you are a nice one!" laughed Grace. "Kindly 'put us on,'
as the saying goes. What have you planned?"
"Nothing but a meeting between Eunice and Mr. Winthrop Latham," Mollie
responded. "We are to take Eunice to the hotel to spend the day with us.
She will be looking her best in the lovely clothes Ruth sent to her. And
she has grown almost fair from her weeks in the hospital. Mr. Winthrop
Latham is to have tea with us this afternoon. I asked Aunt Sallie to
invite nobody but him. I shall bring Eunice quietly in, introduce her to
Mr. Latham: then we shall see what happens! I did not wish to tell Bab my
plan," Mollie continued, "because she might make me give it up. But I
believe Aunt Sallie agrees with me, though she did give me a scolding for
having a suspicious nature! She declared, this morning, that it would be
very well to have Mr. Winthrop Latham see Eunice. So just let's wait, and
watch with all our eyes this afternoon."
"Bully for your experiment, Mollie!" nodded Grace. Ruth bowed her head to
show how fully she agreed with both of the girls.
A pretty hospital nurse brought Eunice out to Ruth's motor car. The child
had on a soft ecru dress, cut low at the throat and simply made. She wore
a brown coat, lined with scarlet, and a big brown felt hat with a scarf
knotted loosely around it.
And Eunice looked very lovely! Her hair was braided in two plaits, tied
with soft scarlet ribbons. Her eyes were big and black with the
excitement of entering a strange world. Her complexion was now only a
little darker than olive. Her cheeks were like two scarlet flames.
Eunice hugged Mollie close, once she was seated in the automobile. When
the big car started, she laughed gleefully, clapping her hands as she
cried. "It is truly a red bird, that carries us on its wings!" She
remembered what Ruth had told her.
"Always Eunice has longed for wings like the birds!" Eunice whispered
softly to Mollie. "Now, behold! We are almost flying!"
"Look overhead, Mollie, Eunice, Ruth!" called Grace suddenly.
The four girls looked up.
A great white object sailed above them.
Eunice clutched Mollie. "Is it the great white spirit, my grandmother has
told me about?" she inquired.
"Oh, that is Reginald Latham in his airship," Mollie explained to Grace.
"He said the rudder of Mr. Latham's balloon had been mended. He meant to
try some short flights to see if it was all right."
"But I do not understand!" Eunice protested. "Is a man riding on that
great, great big bird?"
"Yes, Eunice," Mollie assented. "But that object above our heads is an
airship, not a bird."
"Then I wish to ride in an airship," Eunice murmured. "It flies up in the
air like a real bird. This car runs only along the earth." The child was
no longer impressed with the automobile. Reginald Latham's airship was
the most marvelous thing she had ever beheld.
After arriving at their hotel "The Automobile Girls" showed Eunice
everything they could find to amuse her. They rode up and down with her
in the elevator. They gave her a peep into the hotel's splendid reception
rooms. Poor little Eunice was in a daze! She wandered about like a child
in a dream. Every now and then she would ask Mollie some question in
regard to Reginald Latham's airship. She had not forgotten it.
Miss Stuart wisely had luncheon served in the private sitting-room. She
did not think it best for Eunice to be seen by so many people; besides,
she did not know how Eunice would behave at the table.
To Miss Sallie's unspeakable relief the child had learned at the hospital
to eat with a knife and fork. Her manners were those of a frightened
child. She was neither noisy nor vulgar.
"The child is certainly an enigma!" Miss Stuart said to herself, half a
dozen times during the morning. "What the doctor says is true! The child
is almost refined. It is marvelous! In spite of her ignorance, she does
nothing to offend one!"
After luncheon, Miss Stuart noticed that Eunice looked white and
exhausted. The scarlet color had faded from her cheeks and lips. The
little girl was not strong enough for so much excitement after her recent
illness.
"Mollie," Miss Sallie suggested, about half-past two o'clock, "take
Eunice to your room. Give her a dressing gown, and see that she rests for
an hour or so. You may stay with the child, Mollie, for fear she may be
frightened, but you other girls keep away. The child is worn out. Mollie,
you may bring her back to us at tea-time."
Mollie agreed. She guessed that Miss Sallie was furthering her idea about
the experiment.
"Remember, Bab, you have promised me to be here at tea-time," Mollie
reminded her sister.
"Certainly, I shall be here, Mollie. Did you think I was going away?"
Mollie then took Eunice away to lie down.
The child was so tired she soon fell asleep on Mollie's bed.
Mollie sat thinking quietly by the darkened window. She had taken a deep
fancy to little Eunice, who had seemed to cling to her since their first
strange meeting.
Barbara and Mollie Thurston were both unusually thoughtful girls. Their
mother's devoted companions for years, their poverty had made them
understand more of life. Mollie realized it would not do for Eunice to
grow up ignorant and wild, with only her old grandmother for a companion.
The little Indian was already thirsting for a different life. And, some
day, the grandmother would die. What would then become of Eunice?
A little before four o'clock Eunice awakened, having slept nearly two
hours. She was refreshed and happy again.
Mollie made Eunice bathe her face. She herself fixed the child's hair,
now smooth and glossy from the care that the nurses at the hospital had
given to it.
"We will go back to see our friends now, Eunice," explained Mollie.
Eunice nodded. "It is wonderful here where you live!" she declared.
"Sometimes I think I have dreamed of people like you and your friends. I
think I have seen things like what you have here in this house. But how
could I dream of what I knew nothing?"
Mollie shook her head thoughtfully. "Eunice, dear, you will have to ask a
wiser person than I am about your dreams. Who knows what may be stored
away in that little head of yours? Come, dear, let us put your gold chain
on the outside of your dress. There can be no harm in that. I think Miss
Sallie, the lady with the white hair, would like to look at it."
Eunice, who had a girl's fancy for pretty ornaments, was glad to have
Mollie pull the chain out from under her dress. The curious, beautiful
ornament shone glittering and lovely against the light background formed
by the child's dress.
"Wait for me here, Eunice," requested Mollie. "I want to go into the
other room for a minute."
Mollie peeped inside the sitting-room door.
Mr. Winthrop Latham was cosily drinking his tea in the best of humor. He
had a decided liking for Miss Stuart and her "Automobile Girls."
Bab was joking with Mr. Latham as she plied him with sandwiches and
cakes.
For half a minute Mollie's heart misgave her. She was afraid to try her
experiment.
[Illustration: The Cup in Mr. Latham's Hand Trembled.]
"Good gracious!" she thought, finally, "what possible harm can it do Mr.
Winthrop Latham to look at poor, pretty little Eunice? If the child means
nothing to him, he will not even notice her. If she turns out to be the
child I believe she is, why, then--then--it is only right that her uncle,
Mr. Winthrop Latham, should know of her existence."
"Come, now, Eunice!" cried Mollie. "Come into the sitting-room with me.
The girls have some pretty cakes and sweet things they are saving for
you."
Mollie took Eunice's hand. The two girls were nearly of the same size and
age. They quietly walked into the sitting-room.
"Where is 'Automobile Girl' number four?" Mollie heard Mr. Latham ask,
just as the two girls entered the room.
"Here I am!" Mollie replied.
Mr. Latham glanced up. His ruddy face turned white as chalk.
Mollie never took her eyes from Mr. Latham's face. Miss Stuart, Bab,
Grace and Ruth stared at him.
But Mr. Latham did not notice any one of them. His jaw dropped. The cup
in his hand trembled. Still he did not speak.
Barbara broke the silence. "Mr. Latham, are you ill?" she asked. "May I
take your teacup from you?"
Mr. Latham shook his head. He continued to gaze steadily at Eunice.
Little Eunice was frightened by the strange man's stare. She trembled.
Her rosebud lips quivered. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Come to me, Eunice," Ruth called comfortingly. "See the candies I have
been saving for you! Mr. Latham, this is the little Indian girl who was
hurt. You remember that we have spoken of her before?"
"Will some one take the child away?" Mr. Latham asked, brokenly.
Mollie led Eunice back to her bedroom. Then she hurried in again to
rejoin the others.
"Miss Stuart, I owe you and your girls an explanation for my strange
conduct," Mr. Latham declared. "I feel, this afternoon, that I have seen
a ghost! I do not understand this Indian child's likeness to my dead
sister-in-law. I must seek an explanation somewhere. This little Eunice
is the living image of my brother's Indian wife--the poor girl whom our
cruelty drove from our home back to the tents of her own people to die. I
was told that her little child died with her. There is a mystery here
that must be solved. If this little girl is the daughter of my brother
and his Indian wife, one-half of my fortune belongs to her."
"Mr. Latham," Miss Stuart quietly interrupted him, "this Indian child has
an old grandmother who will be able to tell you whether this child has
any connection with you. I have always thought there must be some
explanation. The squaw has kept the child hidden for a purpose."
"You are right, Miss Stuart," Mr. Latham interrupted. "You tell me this
child's name is Eunice? Eunice was the name of my brother's wife. It is
also the Christian name for the female Indians of a certain tribe, but
there is little doubt, in my mind, of this girl's identity. The gold
chain about her throat was my brother's gift to his wife. That chain has
the story of my brother's love and courtship engraved on it in Indian
characters. But I am too much upset to discuss the matter any further
to-day. When can I see the Indian grandmother?"
"To-morrow," Miss Stuart replied quietly. "I would not advise you to
delay."
"Will you go with me to see her at ten o'clock to-morrow morning, Miss
Stuart?" queried Mr. Latham.
"Certainly," Miss Sallie agreed.
"I beg of you then not to mention what has taken place in this room this
afternoon," Mr. Latham urged. "When we know the truth in regard to this
child it will be time to tell the strange story. Good-bye until to-morrow
morning."
"Mollie," Bab cried as soon as the door closed on Mr. Latham, "I
surrender. And I humbly beg your pardon. You are a better detective than
I am. What is the discovery of the Boy Raffles compared with your
bringing to light the family history of poor little Eunice! Just think,
instead of being a poor, despised Indian girl, Eunice is heiress to a
large fortune."
"Then you believe in me now, Bab!" Mollie rejoined. "I have always
thought Eunice was in some way connected with the Latham family."
"Girls," Miss Stuart cautioned quietly, "when you take Eunice to her
grandmother, at Naki's house, say nothing. Remember, you are to speak to
no one of what happened this afternoon."