_An Anxious Day for Linda_
Never in her life did Linda remember being so exhausted as she had been
on the evening of her flight to Green Falls. With her Aunt Emily's help
she had somehow gotten into bed, and eaten the supper of milk-toast
which the maid had brought to her.
Inside of an hour she was fast asleep, not to awaken until eleven
o'clock the following morning, although her aunt, still a little
worried about her fainting, was in and out of her room three times. It
was upon the last occasion that she finally opened her eyes.
"Oh, such a good sleep, Aunt Emily!" she murmured, contentedly.
"Do you feel better, dear?" inquired the other.
"Just fine, thanks. And hungry."
"I'll have Anna bring you up some fruit, and then you can have lunch
with us. Or would you rather have a regular breakfast in bed?"
"Just the fruit, please, Aunt Emily," replied Linda. How kind, how
thoughtful, her aunt always was! No real mother could ever be more so.
"You are so good to me, Auntie!" she cried, impulsively catching the
older woman's hand.
"And you're always so appreciative, dear," responded her aunt,
affectionately. "I don't think most young girls are like you. They just
expect their parents to do everything. Older people like thanks."
"I guess everybody likes to be thanked, when they deserve it...." She
jumped out of bed, and slipped into a chiffon negligee that hung over
the chair. "And now I'll hurry with my bath!"
"Yes, dear--because your father arrived yesterday, after you had gone
to bed. He'll be here for lunch, but he has to leave right after
supper."
"Is he downstairs now?" asked Linda, excitedly.
"I don't know whether he has come in or not. He went somewhere with
Ralph this morning."
"With Ralph?"
"Yes. Something about the theft, I believe.... Well, dear, I'll send up
some raspberries--or would you rather have cantaloupe?"
"Cantaloupe, I think, Aunt Emily," replied Linda, as Miss Carlton left
the room.
Some of the happiness with which Linda awoke seemed to vanish at her
aunt's statement about her father and Ralph. She had forgotten for the
moment about the necklace--that airplane accident, and the shock of
finding Ted Mackay. What could it all mean? Was Ted really involved in
the affair?
By this time her father must know about him, since her Aunt Emily said
he was with Ralph. What were they up to now? If Ted really were in
league with the thief, would they put him in prison too? She hated the
thought of such a thing--it did not seem possible. Surely, there must
be some explanation. All of a sudden she longed fiercely to see the
boy, to hear the story from his own lips. But he was in a hospital,
unconscious--perhaps dying!
Anna came in with the cantaloupe as Linda finished her bath, and she
sat on the edge of the bed to eat it. She made a pretty picture, her
soft curly hair damp from the water, her cheeks pink with color after
the cold shower, her charming blue negligee wrapped about her slender
figure. She looked like a lady of leisure enjoying her late breakfast
as if it were a regular thing; not an aviation student who arose every
morning at seven o'clock and put in a hard day's work at school.
When she entered the living-room, she found her father there waiting
for her. She was all in white now, white linen sports suit, and white
shoes. He held out his arms invitingly, and she leaped gracefully into
his lap.
"Daddy dear!"
"Linda!"
"You didn't mind my not waking up for supper last night, did you?" she
asked, after she had kissed him. "I would have been too tired to talk."
"Of course not! It was the wisest thing to do. Sometimes when you force
yourself to keep awake after a strain like that, you find you cannot go
to sleep again. But you're rested now?"
"Fresh as a freshman," she replied, laughing.
"And I'm mighty proud of my little girl," he added, affectionately,
"for passing your examination and flying all the way up here without
any mishaps."
Linda's face grew sober, and her eyelids fluttered.
"But--I didn't, Daddy. You--you heard about the necklace?"
"Yes. That was too bad, but I can't see that it was in any way
your fault. You'd be a queer flyer if you didn't want to test your
knowledge."
"Then you don't really blame me?" she asked eagerly. Her father's
approval had always meant so much to her.
"Of course not. It was the boy's carelessness. He agrees with me, and
so do his father and mother. I went over to see them last night."
"Ralph hasn't heard anything more, has he?" she asked anxiously. How
she longed for news of Ted! But she was afraid to mention his name to
her father.
Mr. Carlton, however, answered her unspoken wish.
"No," he said. "We drove over to see Mackay at the hospital this
morning, and tried to talk to him. But he wouldn't admit a thing. He
became hysterical when we accused him, and the nurse had to ask us to
go away. We're as much in the dark as ever."
Linda got up quietly and went over to a chair. Somehow she wouldn't sit
on her father's lap when he held such widely different opinions from
her own. But Mr. Carlton did not seem to notice that she had gone. He
sat perfectly still, thinking.
"You really believe Ted--Mr. Mackay--had a part in the horrible thing?"
she asked, dismally.
"I don't think there is a doubt of it."
"But how do you explain the fact that he was shot? Surely, if he and
this thief were working together, one wouldn't shoot the other!"
Her father shook his head, and smiled indulgently. What a child she
was! What did she know about the wickedness of criminals?
"I'm sorry to tell you, dear, that in spite of that old proverb about
there being honor among thieves, there isn't much. They are so utterly
selfish and unprincipled that if one finds that his pal is getting the
better of him, he doesn't hesitate to wound--and oftentimes kill--the
other. If Mackay was making off with the necklace, and this other
fellow saw that all his work had been for nothing, one could hardly
blame him for shooting.... No, I'm afraid that doesn't prove a thing."
Linda sighed; everything seemed hopelessly black for Ted.
"Will they put him in jail?" she asked.
"Whom?"
"Mr. Mackay."
"Of course, when he is well enough. Our detectives will see to that.
We can't actually convict him till we have more evidence. But we can
force him to tell what he knows about this other thief."
A lump came into Linda's throat, and she felt as if she couldn't talk
any more. For the time being, even her interest in her plane was gone.
It had brought so much unhappiness--first to Kitty, and now to Ted
Mackay.
She was thankful when her aunt came into the room, to take her mind
from her morbid thoughts. At the same time, Anna announced luncheon.
"What are you planning to do this afternoon, dear?" inquired her Aunt
Emily, as she ate her iced fruit-cup. "Because I want part of your
time."
"Certainly, Aunt Emily. But tell me, have you decided you would like to
go up in the Pursuit?"
"No, no--nothing like that. I want to live a little while longer,
dear--Green Falls is so pleasant! But, seriously," she added, "I do
want you to do something for me. I want you to try on your costume for
the Midsummer Ball. I had to order it without asking you, dear, for of
course you were too busy learning to fly, and it hadn't come when we
left Spring City. But I think it is very charming--and I hope you will
like it."
"I'm sure I shall. But, Aunt Emily, I could have worn my flyer's suit,
and saved you all that trouble."
"You're going to get tired enough of that suit, attractive though
it is. Besides, everybody would know you. And I like you to look
especially pretty--in fluffy, feminine things. I have chosen the
costume of Queen Mab for you."
"Oh, that will be adorable!" cried Linda, her eyes sparkling with
pleasure, for she too loved dainty things.
"And may I see you when you are trying it on?" put in Mr. Carlton "Your
mother once wore something like that in a fairy play--and she was very
beautiful. I'd like to see whether you remind me of her."
"Certainly, Daddy. I'll put it on right after lunch. And then I'll do
whatever you want. Take you up for a ride, if you would like it."
"I think you're too tired for that," he replied. "No--I'll wait till
the next time I come. Besides, the mechanics ought to have a chance to
go over your motor before you fly it again. Don't forget the promises
you made to me."
"I won't forget, Daddy. I'll telephone over to the airport this
afternoon."
"By the way, daughter, have you ever tried jumping with a parachute?
Did they make you do that at school?"
At his question, Miss Carlton suddenly stopped eating and gazed at the
girl in terror. Surely Linda would not do such a hazardous thing as
that!
"Yes, Daddy," replied Linda, blushing, for she did not want to say
anything about her jump with Ted Mackay. "Lieutenant Kingsberry himself
was with me. Mr. Taylor didn't want to let me try it--I don't think
he has much use for girls who want to fly--so I went straight to the
Lieutenant. He went up with me himself."
"Wasn't it a dreadful experience?" asked her aunt, with a shudder.
"No--not terrible at all. I felt a little queer before the parachute
opened, but after that it was delightful. Just softly floating down
from the skies. I loved it."
"Well, I'm glad you did it," remarked her father. "Because now you
won't be afraid if you ever have to."
"I am hoping I won't have to--with my Pursuit. Not that I'd be afraid,
but because it would be the end of my plane. Think of just leaving it
alone, to crash!"
"It would be too bad, of course--but I could buy you another plane. We
couldn't buy another daughter, could we, Emily?" he asked his sister.
"Don't talk about it!" begged Miss Carlton, miserably.
"All right," agreed Linda. "Suppose Daddy tells me what he would like
to do this afternoon--after I try on the costume."
"Sure you don't want to be with your young friends?" he inquired.
"I'll have all the rest of the summer for them."
"Then let's go for a little drive in your roadster. Out to some pretty
road. And come back in time to go swimming with your crowd."
"I'd love that, Daddy!" she exclaimed. Then, turning to her aunt, "But
is my car here, Aunt Emily? Did Thomas bring it up all right?"
It was strange indeed, that she had forgotten to ask about it. Always
before she had driven it herself, while Thomas, the chauffeur took
charge of her aunt's limousine. This time he had hired a friend to
drive the other, and brought hers himself.
"Yes, he drove it up yesterday," replied her aunt.
The hours that followed would have been very pleasant for Linda, had
she not felt underneath her cheeriness, a growing anxiety about Ted
Mackay. After their little outing, she and her father put on their
bathing-suits and joined the group at the lake. In the diving, the
racing, the polo game, Mr. Carlton proved a match for the young people;
indeed he was the ringleader in suggesting tricks to the more daring
members of the crowd. Even Louise, who had always stood somewhat in awe
of him because he was sterner than her own parents, had to admit that
he was a good sport.
Ralph, who had not counted upon seeing Linda until evening, was
delighted to find her at the lake, and tried immediately to date her as
his partner for the canoe trip of the evening. But Linda shyly refused,
telling him that her aunt was one of the chaperons, and the only
partner she was willing to have. She shrank from the thought of talking
to Ralph about Ted, or the robbery; she decided not to see him alone.
Early after supper Mr. Carlton departed in a taxi, and Linda and her
aunt drove over to Louise's bungalow to join the group for the canoe
trip. There were a dozen young people besides themselves, and Mr. and
Mrs. Haydock, too. Six canoes had been chartered.
"Canoeing will seem kind of tame after flying, I guess," remarked Dot
Crowley, as the young people walked over to the lake. "By the way, how
soon will you take me for a fly?"
"Anybody might take you for a fly," remarked Maurice Stetson. "You buzz
around so!"
Linda smiled, but she answered Dot's question immediately. Maybe the
latter was as keen about airplanes as she was herself! You never could
tell.
"In a few days," she said. "For the time being I want to hold myself
and my plane in readiness to chase that thief--if we ever get the
chance!"
"You still worrying about those pearls?" inquired Maurice, lightly.
"Naturally," answered Linda.
"Well, I command you to forget it. Kitty'll soon get over it. Anybody
as beautiful as Kit is, doesn't need pearls. Besides, when she marries
me, I'll buy her a bigger string!"
"You mean _if_, not _when_, don't you?" countered Kitty. But she was
evidently in high spirits again, thanks perhaps to the young man who
made no secret of this adoration.
There wasn't much opportunity for conversation, however. Jim Valier had
brought his mandolin, and from the moment when the canoes pushed off
until they were tied at the opposite side of the lake, where the young
people made a fire and toasted marshmallows, everybody sang. Linda
naturally joined in with the music, but only with her lips. Her heart
was still heavy with the misfortune the preceding day had brought.
On the way home she made up her mind to telephone the hospital the
following morning. At least she could inquire about Ted--and maybe--oh,
how she hoped it would be possible--she could speak with him, and
hear from his own lips the explanation of his connection with the
unfortunate robbery.