THE AFTERMATH
Christmas day, at dusk, the boys were stretched lazily before the huge
fire in the grate, when Dorothy jumped up excitedly:
"Boys, here's Tavia! And I declare, Bob Niles is with her!"
"Good for Bob!" sang out Ned.
"'Rah! 'Rah!" whooped Ted, and all rushed for the door.
Gaily Tavia hugged them all. Bob stood discreetly aside.
"Father was called away, and it was so dreary--I just ran over to see
everyone," gushed Tavia.
"Well, we're glad to see you," welcomed Aunt Winnie.
"Oh, Tavia," whispered Dorothy, "how did you manage to get Bob?"
"Get whom?" Tavia tried to look blank. Dorothy spoiled the blankness by
stuffing a large chocolate cream right into Tavia's mouth before her chum
could close it.
"Thought you'd find Tavia interesting," grinned Ned, helping Bob take off
his great ulster, at which words the lad addressed flushed to his
temples.
"Say, fellows, that yarn about the hose----" began Nat.
"Nat no longer believes in Santa and the stockings," chimed in Ned, "he
hung up all his socks last night and----"
Nat glared at Ned, then calmly proceeded: "About the hose, as I was
saying, is nonsense! I own some pretty decent-looking socks, as you've
noticed--I hung 'em all up and nary a sock remained on the line this
morning. Santa stole them!"
"It's the funniest thing about Nat's socks," explained Dorothy, hastily,
"he thought one pair would not hold enough, and so strung them all over
the fireplace, and this morning they were gone!"
Ted hummed a dreamy tune, and stared at the beamed ceiling, with a
faraway look in his eyes. Nat, with sudden suspicion, grabbed Ted's leg,
and there, sure enough, was one pair of his highly-prized, and
highly-colored, socks, snugly covering Ted's ankles.
A rough and tumble fight followed, and Tavia, with high glee, jumped into
it. Finally, breathless and panting, they stopped, and demurely Tavia,
for all the world like a prim little girl in Sunday School, sank to a low
stool, with Bob at her feet. Nothing could be quieter than Tavia, when
Tavia decided on quietness.
"We came over in the biggest sleigh we could find," said Bob, "so that
all could take a drive--Mrs. White and Major Dale too, you know."
"Oh, no, the young folks don't want an old fellow like me," protested
Major Dale.
"We just do!" Dorothy replied, resting her head against her father's arm
affectionately. "We simply won't go unless you and Aunt Winnie come."
"Why, of course, dear, we'll go," answered Aunt Winnie, who was never
known to stay at home when she could go on a trip. As she spoke she
sniffed the air. "What is that smell, boys?"
"Something's burning," yawned Ted, indifferently, just as if things
burning in one's home was a commonplace diversion from the daily routine.
Noses tilted, the boys and girls sniffed the air.
Suddenly Bob and Nat sprang to Tavia's side and quickly beat out, with
their fists, a tiny flame that was slowly licking its way along the hem
of her woollen dress. With her reckless disregard of consequences, Tavia
had joined in the rough and tumble fight with the boys, and, exhausted,
had rested too near the grate. A flying spark had ignited the dress,
which smouldered, and only the quick work of the boys saved Tavia from
possible burns. For once she was subdued. Mrs. White soothed her with
motherly compassion. She was always in dread lest Tavia's reckless spirit
would cause the girl needless suffering.
"You see," said Bob, smiling at Tavia, as they piled into the sleigh and
he carefully tucked blankets about the girls, "you can't entirely take
care of yourself--some time you'll rush into the fire, as you did just
now."
For an instant Tavia's cheeks flamed. He was so masterful! She yearned to
slap him, but considering the fire escapade, she couldn't, quite.
The major was driving, with Dorothy snuggled closely to his side, and Ted
curled up on the floor. Nat took care of Aunt Winnie on the next seat and
Bob and Tavia were in the rear.
On they sped over snow and ice, the bitter wind sharply cutting their
faces, until all glowed and sparkled at the touch of it.
"Did you hear from the girls?" asked Dorothy, turning to Tavia.
"Just got Christmas cards," answered Tavia.
"I fared better than that. Cologne wrote a fourteen page letter----"
"All the news that's worth printing, as it were," laughed Tavia.
"Underlined, Cologne asked whether I had heard the news about Mingle, and
provokingly ended the letter there. I'm still wondering. Her departure at
such an opportune moment was a blessing, but we never stopped to think
what might have caused it," said Dorothy, thoughtfully.
"Well, whatever it was, it saved us," contentedly responded Tavia. "By
the way, Maddie sent me the cutest card--painted it herself!"
"Who wants to ride across the lake?" demanded Major Dale, slowing up the
horses, "that will save us climbing the hill, you know, and the ice is
plenty thick enough; don't you think so, Winnie?"
"Yes, indeed," Aunt Winnie answered, ready for anything that meant
adventure, and as they all chorused their assent joyfully, away they
drove over the snow-covered ice.
The horses galloped straight across the lake, up the bank, and then came
a smash! The steeds ran into a drift, dumped over the sleigh; and a
shivering, laughing mass of humanity lay on the new, white snow.
"Such luck!" cried Tavia, "out of the fire into the snow!"
While Major Dale and the boys righted the overturned sleigh, Bob took
care of the ladies.
"You and the girls leave for New York to-morrow, Tavia tells me," said
Bob.
"Yes," replied Aunt Winnie, with a sigh, "a little pleasure trip, and
some business."
"Business?" cried Dorothy, closely scrutinizing her aunt's worried face.
Quick to scent something that sounded very much like "family matters,"
Tavia turned with Bob, and deliberately started pelting with snow the
hard-working youths at the sleigh.
"Aw! Quit!" scolded Ted.
"There, you've done it! That one landed in my ear! Now, quit it!" Nat
stopped working long enough to wipe the wet snow from his face.
But Tavia's young spirits were not to be squelched by mere words; Bob
made the snow balls for Tavia to throw, which she continued to do with
unceasing ardor.
"Why, yes, Dorothy," Aunt Winnie replied, watching Tavia. "I'm afraid
there will be quite a bit of business mixed with our New York trip. I'm
having some trouble. It's the agent who has charge of the apartment house
I am interested in--you remember, the man whom I did not like."
"The apartment you've taken for the Winter?" questioned Dorothy,
shivering.
"You're cold, dear." Aunt Winnie, too, shivered. "Run over with Tavia and
jump around, it's too chilly to stand still like this. How unfortunate we
are! The sun will soon dip behind those hilltops, and the air be almost
too frosty for comfort."
"Tell me," persisted Dorothy, "what is it that's worrying you, Aunt
Winnie? I've noticed it since I came home. I want to be all the
assistance I can, you know."
"You couldn't help me, Dorothy, in fact, I do not even know that I am
right about the matter. I do not trust the agent, but he had the rent
collecting before I took the place, so I allowed him to continue under
me. I can only say, Dorothy, that something evidently is wrong. My income
is not what it should be."
"Oh, I'm so sorry! But, I'm glad you told me. Wait until we reach New
York--we'll solve it," and Dorothy pressed her lips together firmly.
Aunt Winnie laughed. "Don't talk foolishly, dear. It takes a man of wide
experience and cunning to deal with any real estate person, I guess; and
most of all a New York agent. My dear, let us forget the matter. There,
the sleigh seems to be right side up once more."
"Tavia," whispered Dorothy, as she held her friend back, "we're in for
it! Aunt Winnie has a mystery on her hands! In New York City! Let us see
if you and I and the boys can solve it!"
"Good! We'll certainly do it, if you think it can be done," said Tavia.
"Oh, good old New York town! It makes me dizzy just to think of the
whirling mass of rushing people and the autos and 'buses, and shops and
tea-rooms! Doro, you must promise that you won't drag me into more than
ten tea-rooms in one afternoon!"
"I solemnly promise," returned Dorothy, "if you'll promise me to keep out
of shops one whole half-hour in each day!"