_Her Father's Gift_
As Linda had no plans for the day after her class exercises, she had
intended to sleep late. But the arrival of her chum, Louise Haydock,
accompanied by Ralph Clavering and his Harvard room-mate, Maurice
Stetson, changed things for her.
At half-past eight her aunt came into her bedroom, half apologetically,
half smiling.
"Linda dear, I want you to wake up," she said. "You have company."
"Yes?" replied the girl sleepily.
"You are rested, aren't you? And it's so much cooler. It's a real June
day--the kind the poets write about!"
Linda sat up in bed, and blinked her eyes. Then suddenly she thought of
her father. Did Aunt Emily mean he had come?
"Daddy?" she asked excitedly. "Do you mean he's here?"
Miss Carlton's smile faded; she had not meant to mislead her niece. It
was cruel to disappoint her.
"No, dear. It's only Louise--with Ralph and another boy. They want you
to wake up, and go on the picnic."
"Oh, I see.... But you know I didn't invite anybody, Aunt Emily."
"That's just it. You're to go with this other boy. He's Ralph's
room-mate, and he's here on a visit. You will go, won't you, dear?"
"Yes, of course, if Lou wants me to. I'll get dressed right away....
And Auntie, may I have some strawberries up here, to eat after I take
my shower? That's all the breakfast I'll want."
"Certainly, dear. I'll send Anna up right away. And how soon shall I
tell Louise that you'll be ready?"
"Ten minutes!"
Linda jumped out of bed, and began to sing as she took her cold shower.
It was a wonderful day--a good world after all! Of course the picnic
would be fun; she was glad now that she wasn't going to miss it. Lou
was a peach to arrange things for her in this way! And it would be
exciting to meet a new man. She wondered what he would be like, and
hoped she would find him nice. But, even if she didn't, it wouldn't be
necessary to stay with him all day. There wasn't much "two's-ing" in
their crowd.
Ten minutes later she found her visitors on the porch, singing and
amusing themselves, for Miss Carlton had gone to oversee the packing of
Linda's lunch. Ralph introduced his friend, Maurice Stetson, a short,
light-haired youth, who was utterly at ease with everybody, and who
seemed to think that he was born to be funny. Indeed, he called himself
"the prince of wise-crackers." Linda, who was both sensitive and shy,
was afraid she would be made uncomfortable by his comments.
"Miss _Linda_ Carlton," he repeated, solemnly shaking her hand. "The
famous Lindy's namesake?... Let's see--what year was that when he flew
the Atlantic? About twenty-seven? Why, you can't be more than three
years old!"
Linda smiled; she really couldn't laugh at the silly remark, though the
others seemed to think him exceedingly witty.
"And is your ambition flying?" he asked.
Linda blushed; she had no desire to admit her dreams and ambitions to
the general public.
"Doesn't everybody want to fly now-a-days?" she countered.
"Not your uncle Maurice!" replied the youth, gravely. "My dad gave me a
plane, and I wrecked it. I'm through! My flying almost took me to the
angels!"
"What's this?" interrupted Miss Carlton, coming out on the porch with a
hamper of lunch for the picnic. "You've been in an airplane accident?"
"And how!" he replied, feelingly.
"Now you see, Linda! You better not go over to that field again! I'm so
afraid of planes!"
"All right, Aunt Emily," replied the girl, graciously. "You needn't
worry today, anyhow. We're going to the picnic in cars."
But, had Miss Carlton seen Maurice Stetson behind the wheel of his
yellow sports roadster, hitting seventy-five miles an hour, and all the
while keeping up a conversation not only with Linda beside him, but
with the couple in the rumble-seat as well, she would not have felt so
satisfied.
Nevertheless, nothing happened, and the picnic promised to be lots of
fun. The girls had selected a beautiful wooded spot outside of the
city, where a lovely stream widened into a small lake, deep enough for
swimming.
Most of the others had already arrived in their cars, when Louise's
party drove up. Two large tents, on opposite sides of the lake, had
been set up early in the morning for bath-houses.
"Everybody into their suits!" cried Sara Wheeler, who seemed to be
managing the picnic, because her mother was the chaperon. "First one
into the water gets a prize!"
"Then I get it, without even trying," remarked Harriman Smith, a nice
boy, and a particular friend of Linda's, "because I have mine on now! I
got dressed in it this morning, and carried my other clothing."
"Lazy brute!" exclaimed Maurice, enviously, wishing that he had thought
of such a labor-saving device.
In fifteen minutes the whole crowd were in the water, diving and
swimming, and ducking each other, and finally dividing off into sides
for a game of water-polo. It was only when they actually smelled the
steaks that Mrs. Wheeler's cooks were broiling, that they were finally
induced to leave the lake and get dressed.
A treasure-hunt through the woods was the program for the afternoon.
Linda, who had expected to be coupled with Maurice Stetson for this
event, was agreeably surprised to find herself with Ralph Clavering.
Louise's doing, in all probability! No doubt she guessed that her chum
did not care for Maurice.
They walked along slowly, keeping their eyes on the ground for all
possible clews, chatting at intervals about the class-day and the
usual gossip, and now and then, when they met other couples, stopping
to compare notes. Finally Ralph spoke about his plans for the summer
months.
"I'm hoping to persuade your aunt to go to Green Falls with us, Linda,"
he said. "There will be quite a bunch of us together. Dot Crowley, Sue,
Sally Wheeler, and of course Lou and Kit--from your sorority, and some
of the boys from our frat, besides several from Spring City. Harry
Smith's going to get a job as a life-guard, and Maurice has promised to
go. We ought to be able to make whoopee, all right!"
"Sounds good," admitted Linda, absently.
"Yes, and I really think we could pull off some serious work there."
"Serious work?" repeated Linda. As far as she knew, Ralph had never
done any real work in his life.
"Yeah. In the competitions, I mean. I think if we go after it tooth and
nail, you and I'd make a pretty good team to pull down the cup for the
tennis doubles. They have a big meet at the end of the season that's
the talk of the whole Great Lakes region.... And Sally swings a mean
club in golf. And look at Louise's diving!"
"Yes, that's true," agreed Linda. She had always liked golf and tennis
and swimming, but somehow this year they had all lost their charm. It
was different after you graduated, she decided. Then you wanted to make
something out of your life--like Ted Mackay. There was no more time to
be wasted.
"Promise me you'll go," begged Ralph, leaning over eagerly and putting
his hand on her arm.
Instinctively she drew it away, but before she could answer, Louise and
Maurice appeared from a cross-path that was hidden by tall bushes.
"Why, there's my little Lindy!" cried Maurice, though Linda was several
inches taller than he was. "Grieving for papa?"
"Shedding tears," laughed Linda. But the words made her think of her
own father, and she grew sober. Suppose he were home now--waiting for
her! He never stayed more than a day; how she would hate to miss him!
"Has anybody found the treasure yet?" she inquired.
"I've found _two_ treasures," replied Maurice complacently, looking
first at Louise and then at Linda.
"Forget it!" commanded Louise, tersely, lifting her head. She, like
Linda, was tall, but in that the resemblance ended. Her dark, sleek
hair was short and almost straight, and she wore earrings--even in
swimming. She said she felt undressed without them--"practically
immodest," were her exact words.
"No, but really--?" persisted Linda.
A wild shout from Dot Crowley, followed by a chorus of "Whoopee!" from
half a dozen others, answered Linda's question immediately. Dot always
was lucky. The others ran to the spot where the crowd was gathered,
and Dot, a tiny, vivacious blonde, who could take child's parts in the
amateur plays, was holding two boxes of golf balls triumphantly up to
view.
"Do I have to give one box to that lazy kid?" she demanded, pointing
scornfully at her long-legged partner, Jim Valier, who had been
languidly following her around. At the time when she had discovered the
prize, he was lolling under a tree, resting his "weary bones," as he
said, smoking a cigarette.
"Sure you do!" he drawled. "Didn't I supply the brains to our combine?"
"Brains!" repeated Dot. "Where did you get 'em? I'll have to have you
arrested for stealing 'em, if that's the case! But here--take your box!"
"Couldn't possibly," he said, waving them aside with his cigarette
holder. "Besides, I hardly ever play golf. Too fatiguing."
"How about your school-girl figure?" asked Maurice. "Aren't you afraid
if you don't exercise, you'll lose it?"
Everybody, even Linda, laughed, for Jim Valier was about the world's
thinnest youth.
"He's really afraid somebody will mistake him for a golf-stick, and
bang a ball with him," remarked Ralph.
In groups, and some in pairs, the whole crowd went back to the lake.
After all that exercise and excitement, everybody wanted another dip
to cool off. It was six o'clock by the time they all piled into their
cars, and half-past when Linda reached home.
Hoping to find her father, as she had been hoping every day that
week, she dashed up the steps quickly, merely waving good-by to
her companions as the sports car shot from the driveway. And then,
miraculously, she saw his beloved face at the door!
"Daddy!" she cried rapturously, rushing breathlessly into his arms.
He was taller than Linda, with a straight, lithe figure like that of
a much younger man. His hair was dark, with just a little gray at the
temples, and his skin deeply tanned from his out-door life. A sort of
habitual smile played about his lips, as if he had made up his mind to
find life pleasant, no matter what came.
"My dear little girl!" he said, quietly, patting her hair. "Will you
forgive me for coming a day too late? Your Aunt Emily tells me that
both Commencement and class-day are over--and you are an old Grad now!"
"Yes, but I don't mind, Daddy, so long as you came today!" she replied,
squeezing his hand. "Maybe it's better this way, because I've been so
rushed lately that I wouldn't have had much time to see you."
"You must tell me all about everything," he said, drawing her arm
through his, and leading her down the steps of the porch. Of course
he thought he meant what he said, but Linda knew from experience that
if she did tell him, he wouldn't be listening. A dreamy expression so
often came into his eyes when she chattered, and she would wonder what
he was thinking of. Strange lands--or his ranch out west--or perhaps
her mother?
"Where are we going?" she asked. "I really ought to dress for dinner,
Daddy. You know what picnics are."
"Yes, To be sure. But I want to show you your graduation present."
"My present?" There was excitement in her tone; it was sure to be
something wonderful--and unusual. All the girls were wild with envy
when Kitty Clavering received a real pearl necklace from her father.
All--except Linda. She had no desire for pearls, or for any jewelry,
for that matter. She had known that her father's present would be much
more thrilling. At least--if he didn't forget!
"You didn't think your old Dad would forget you, did you, Honey?" he
asked.
"No--no--of course not.... But, Daddy, where is it? Why are we going
out back of the house?"
"We have to walk over to our big field across the creek," he explained,
mysteriously.
"The big field? Why?... That's a hot walk, Daddy. No shade at all!
If you want a nice walk, we ought to go in the other direction, down
towards the orchard, where there are some trees."
"Trees are the one thing we don't want," he replied, solemnly. "You're
going to hate trees, after you get my present, daughter."
"Hate--trees?" Linda's eyes were traveling all over the landscape,
scanning it in vain for a clew. And then, as they mounted a slight
incline, the thing came into sight. The marvelous, wonderful present!
Too good to be true! Her heart stopped beating, her legs shook. She
clutched at her father for support.
A beautiful, shining airplane! A superb Arrow Sport! The very kind she
had been reading about, had been longing some day to possess! And even
a hangar, to keep it in safety!
"Daddy!" she gasped, hoarsely.
He was watching her face, rapturously.
"You like it?"
"Oh!" she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck, and suddenly
bursting into tears. "How could you know that I wanted it so much?"
He patted her hair, a little embarrassed by her emotion.
"I just tried to imagine what I would want most if I were your age....
You know, dear, you're your father's own girl! You look like your
mother, but you're much more like me.... A strange mixture...." He was
talking more to himself now, for Linda was almost running, pulling him
along excitedly. "Feminine beauty--with masculine ambition...."
But Linda was not listening. She had reached the plane now, and was
walking around it, enthralled. Touching its smooth surface, to make
sure that it was not only a dream. Dashing back to hug her father,
and then climbing into the cockpit, to examine the controls, the
instruments, the upholstery. If she lived to be a hundred years old, no
other moment could hold greater happiness than this!
Her father smiled softly in satisfaction. He wanted her to have all
the happiness that he had somehow missed. Money couldn't buy it for
him; but money spent for his daughter could bring it to him in the only
possible way now.
"You're not a bit afraid?" he asked, though he knew from her shining
eyes that his question was unnecessary.
"Dad!"
"And now the question is, who can teach you to fly? Unfortunately, the
man who brought it here for me couldn't stay, even to explain things to
you--although of course there is a booklet. But I understand there's an
air school here at Spring City...."
"Yes! Yes!" she interrupted. "I've been there--been up with one of the
instructors. Can we drive over for him tonight?"
"My dear, you can't take a lesson at night," he reminded her. "You know
that."
"Oh, of course not!" she agreed, laughing at her own folly. "But
tomorrow?"
"Yes, certainly. At least we can see about it. You have to pass a
physical examination first, I understand."
"And I want to take the regular commercial pilot's course, Daddy! I
want to go to the bottom, and learn all about planes, and flying. May
I?"
"I don't see why not.... You needn't stop for the expense."
Linda blushed; she hadn't been thinking of the expense--she never did.
But perhaps she ought to now, for the plane must have cost a lot of
money. At the present, however, something else was worrying her.
"It was the time I was thinking of," she admitted. "Aunt Emily wants
to go away in a week or so. And oh, Dad, I just couldn't bear to leave
this!" There were actually tears in her eyes.
"Of course not, dear. Well, we'll see if we can't compromise with
your aunt. Stay at home the rest of June and July, be content with a
private pilot's license for the present, and then go away _in_ your
plane in August. Wouldn't that suit you?"
"To the ground--I mean to the skies!" corrected the happy girl.
"And now we must get back to dinner," he reminded her. "Aunt Emily's
waiting."
Solemnly, tenderly, as a mother might kiss her baby, Linda leaned over
and kissed the beautiful plane. Then giving her hand to her father,
she walked back to the house with him in silence, knowing that now her
greatest dream was fulfilled.