Plans
One afternoon, after resting for an hour or more, Mrs. Burton appeared
at her little front door, wondering why she was encompassed by so
unusual a silence.
The fact that at present the Sunrise camp was situated several miles
from any other human habitation, with the sea stretching before it and a
great ranch as its background, did not ordinarily insure it an essential
silence. As a matter of fact, there were generally nine youthful
persons, engaged in strenuous occupations of one kind or another, in its
immediate vicinity.
This afternoon Mrs. Burton discovered that they had withdrawn to some
distance from the camping grounds.
A camp fire was burning and the girls were seated about it in ceremonial
fashion, with Mrs. Webster also forming one of the group. A little
further off her two sons were characteristically engaged, Dan in
bringing small pieces of driftwood up from the shore and Billy in lying
upon his back, gazing toward the sky.
In truth only their Camp Fire guardian appeared deliberately to have
been left out of the gathering.
Mrs. Burton suffered a distinct sensation of aggrievement.
Evidently the Sunrise Hill Camp Fire girls were deep in a consultation
of some important character, so that it seemed scarcely fair that they
should have ignored her completely.
Not wishing to go back into her room, which had grown a little close,
and yet not desiring to interrupt the proceedings, from which her
presence had been so carefully excluded, Mrs. Burton hesitated a moment
just outside her house. If she were seen wandering about nearby, as a
matter of good manners she would have to be invited to the camp fire.
With Mrs. Webster already there, she had not the excuse that her
presence might be necessary. Often the girls seemed to prefer giving her
sister their confidence.
At this instant one of the Camp Fire group observed her and gave the
information to the others. Peggy began beckoning violently, while
Bettina Graham and Marta Clark both jumped up and were coming toward
her.
"You are lazy, Tante, we have been waiting for you to wake up for ages!"
Bettina remarked, slipping her arm through the older woman's. She was
several inches taller than her Camp Fire guardian, and oftentimes at a
distance Mrs. Burton was mistaken for another girl, she was so slender
and so youthfully and ardently alive both in body and spirit.
"Yes, you seem to have been tremendously anxious for my society," she
returned in the voice and manner both Bettina and Peggy understood. If
the other Camp Fire girls were at times a little in awe of their famous
guardian, Peggy and Bettina appreciated that she was much like other
persons and now and then behaved like a somewhat spoiled young girl.
Certainly she never regarded her own achievements as placing her upon a
pedestal.
From her present speech and manner Bettina realized that she was both
jealous and hurt over their apparent disregard of her, for she had an
almost ridiculous craving for affection as an ordinary human being,
caring but little for the admiration which was a tribute to her as an
artist rather than a woman.
Nevertheless Bettina laughed in an entirely unsympathetic fashion.
"Well, we did wish to discuss something before you put in an appearance,
but now the discussion has been over for some time, we very much desire
your society. Yet only if you are amiable, because just at this time it
is enormously important that you should be."
Mrs. Burton frowned and then laughed, a little teased by Bettina's too
evident understanding of her state of mind.
Marta Clark said nothing. She had not yet acquired the habit of
regarding her Camp Fire guardian in any spirit save one of devoted
admiration. But Marta was the latest of the group of Sunrise Camp Fire
girls and of necessity knew her less well than the others. Moreover,
Marta also dreamed of a future dramatic career and it was not so easy
to take simply the one woman who personified her own ideals.
In the circle on the ground Peggy Webster had arranged a leather cushion
ornamented with Camp Fire designs as a seat of honor for their guardian
when she finally arrived.
Sitting down, Mrs. Burton clasped her hands over her knees, gazing
curiously around.
"Is this a conspiracy or rebellion, or a plot?" she demanded. "It seems
to me, Mollie Webster, not only because you are my sister, but because
we alone belong to the same generation, that you at least should not
have been one of the conspirators."
Like the proverbial Charlotte in "Wilhelm Meister," who went on cutting
bread and butter, Mrs. Webster, without replying, continued knitting.
"Oh, our plot is not dangerous, or at least we do not think it is,
although you may feel differently," Peggy Webster announced, to whom the
task of imparting the information evidently had been awarded. "We have
merely been discussing the idea of forming a Camp Fire branch to the War
Camp Recreation League. You remember this League is to do whatever is
possible for the entertainment of the soldiers and we talked of our
share in it after our visit to the war camp the other day."
Mrs. Burton appeared slightly suspicious.
"I also remember, Peggy, that it was agreed I was to be allowed to
choose what form our activities should take. Moreover, whatever plan
presented itself to us was first to be submitted to an officer at camp
to find out if the plan met with military approval. Camp Fire girls,
however clever, are scarcely the proper persons to decide upon the ways
and means for providing entertainment for our American soldiers,
valuable as their aid may be in the entertainment itself. But there,
forgive me, I do not intend being disagreeable, and I have no doubt you
have thought up some thrilling scheme! Only why not wait until our
little dinner party and dance for the soldiers tomorrow evening is over
before we precipitate ourselves into a fresh undertaking?"
"Oh, our party is just a _small_ matter compared to the plan we have
been working out this afternoon," Peggy continued, refusing to be
snubbed or argued into silence. "Our idea is that if we are to become a
branch of the War Recreation Fund Committee we must raise money for the
organization. We wish to give a play and present to the fund whatever
money we make."
Mrs. Burton shook her head. "Give a play out here in this
semi-wilderness? Well, the idea is agreeable enough if you wish to amuse
yourselves, but how you expect to make money or secure an audience is
beyond my imagination! However, if you have set your hearts upon the
scheme and think it would amuse you, do as you like. I only ask to be
left out altogether. Remember, I am resting from a histrionic career."
Mrs. Burton made a movement as if she contemplated leaving, but Peggy
resolutely held her in her place.
"We _do_ expect you to help; more, we expect you to be almost the entire
thing!" Bettina interrupted with more vigor than clearness. "We are not
contemplating a silly little amateur performance here at camp; we have
more important things to interest us. We wish to give a real play at
that exquisite open-air theater near the seaside resort that we saw the
other day on our drive. Ever since then Marta and Peggy and I have been
dreaming of little else and talking of little else to the other girls
until now they are as enthusiastic as we are. It was Marta Clark who
actually put our present scheme into our minds, and she merely spoke of
how much she would enjoy seeing you act outdoors in so lovely a place."
"I am sure Marta is very kind," Mrs. Burton answered, but without
revealing a profound appreciation of the compliment. "But don't be
foolish, please. You know I try to do whatever is possible toward making
our summers together happy and satisfying. Yet one of my chief reasons
for living outdoors is to have a complete rest from my work and to get
away from the whole thought of it as much as possible. I have given all
the money to war causes I can afford at present. Later I shall do more,
of course----"
"That is just the point," Peggy interrupted. "If people out here in
California learn you are to appear in an outdoor performance, they will
positively flock to see you. You know you could earn a lot of money for
the Recreation Fund, besides we all think it would be great fun to act
with you and have already selected the play that would be the most
interesting to produce."
"Really, Peggy, I think you have gone somewhat too far," Mrs. Burton
answered, although with a slightly dazed expression. "I don't believe I
have ever had a theatrical manager who made every arrangement, even to
selecting the play in which I was to appear, without consulting me. The
whole thing is preposterous. Mollie, I really cannot understand your
allowing the girls to become so absorbed in such a nonsensical project!
I think you might have spared me the difficulty of refusing."
"But you don't appear to be having any difficulty in refusing, Polly,"
Mrs. Webster answered with her usual placidity. Nevertheless, she
realized how greatly this same placidity annoyed her beloved twin
sister in moments of agitation. "Yet I am sorry that I agreed to permit
the girls to broach the subject to you, since the idea seems to trouble
you so much. Personally I am afraid I also found the idea charming. You
have not acted for a long time and many of your friends are giving
theatrical benefits for the Red Cross or some war need. The girls
thought they would like to present 'As You Like It,' with you as
_Rosalind_; you know you have played _Rosalind_ dozens of times before.
The open-air theater would make an exquisite Forest of Arden. Besides, I
am sure our present group of Camp Fire girls could not act, so poorly as
you used to, now and then, in private theatricals in the old days. You
know, my dear, none of us imagined then that you were to turn out a
genius."
Mrs. Burton flushed. "No one imagines it now, Mollie." She answered with
obvious irritability. Then her manner became more apologetic:
"You girls are not angry with me for refusing?"
Wisely Peggy shook her head, "No, we are only disappointed."
Then everybody in the little company remained silent for several
moments, which was a most unusual state of affairs among the Sunrise
Hill Camp Fire girls.
Plainly Mrs. Burton suffered from the depressing influence, for suddenly
she got up.
"Please leave me alone for a little while. I must think the question
over?" she announced, as if she had not already issued her ultimatum.
The next moment she turned away and walked down toward the beach.
"What do you think Tante will decide, Mother?" Peggy anxiously inquired.
Mrs. Webster shook her head. "My dear, Polly and I are twins, and I have
known her ever since I have known anything. But to tell beforehand how
she will make up her mind upon any subject is beyond me. I am a little
sorry we have made this request of her. She takes her work so seriously,
and after all she is doing so much for us without the addition of this."
At this instant a cool voice was heard speaking in the background.
The voice was Billy Webster's.
"I believe Tante will have the time of her life acting with you girls,
of course she will consent, although probably no one else on earth with
her reputation would take such a risk."