Betty's Strange Disappearance
When Dick and Esther returned home just before dusk on that same
afternoon, Betty was not there. They found Mrs. Ashton in tears from
nervousness and fright, Polly O'Neill divided between anger and
solicitude, and only Miss Adams sufficiently composed to have been
making the necessary investigations.
So far as the newcomers could learn Betty had left the cottage at about
eleven o'clock in the morning to go to the village of Waldheim for the
work with the Camp Fire club which she had recently organized. But
instead of waiting for Polly to accompany her after their regular custom
she had seemed restless and in a most unusual hurry, and when Polly
happened to be ten or fifteen minutes late for their appointment, Betty
had gone off without her, taking their little German maid-of-all-work
as her companion for the walk.
Afterwards the maid had reported that _das Fraeulein_ had arrived safely
at the school and had joined her German friend, who was learning the
business of a Camp Fire guardian. Later the girl had returned home
expecting Betty to appear at lunch time; but it was now half-past five
and no word had come from her, notwithstanding that several hours before
Mrs. Ashton herself had gone into Waldheim and learned that Betty had
presumably started for the cottage a short time after noon.
She had no other acquaintances in the village to detain her, so that the
mystery of her disappearance was complete. There were, however, several
persons who claimed to have seen her leaving for home at about the
accustomed hour.
Naturally for the first few moments after their arrival both Dick and
Esther were more astounded and stunned over the Princess' unaccountable
behavior than frightened. For it seemed impossible to imagine that
anything serious could have happened to her. Yet ten minutes later both
the girl and man were suffering from even greater apprehension than Mrs.
Ashton had endured. For whatever had induced Betty to attempt the walk
from the village to their cottage alone? Of course the neighborhood in
which they were spending the summer was presumably a quiet and peaceful
one; still the two older women and Richard Ashton had objected to any
one of the girls going any distance from their homes without
companionship. And Betty was ordinarily obedient to her mother's
slightest wish, fearing to cause her anxiety.
Rather helplessly Richard Ashton turned toward Margaret Adams, as a
stranger is oftentimes of more use in an emergency of this kind than a
member of one's own family.
"I had better go down to the village at once, don't you think?" he
suggested. "There must be police, some one to whom I can appeal for
assistance. If we were only in our own country one would know so readily
what to do."
"I will go with you, Dick," Polly answered, beginning to put on her hat
and light wrap. "No, Esther dear, you look tired to death already and
some one must stay here with Mrs. Ashton and Margaret. In all
probability Betty will return before we are able to get back."
Esther had gone to their front door to look out, but at Polly's words
she returned and faced Mrs. Ashton.
"Don't you think we had best find Lieutenant von Reuter and ask his
assistance?" she volunteered. "We know no one in this part of the
country who would have so much influence. If Betty has lost her way, if
the woods have to be searched, why no one could give us such valuable
aid."
Mrs. Ashton's expression changed; she looked much relieved. "Esther
dear, you are such a comfort. Why in the world did I not think of that
idea at once? Lieutenant von Reuter is such a friend of Betty's and of
mine that I am sure he will tell us what to do, even if he is unable to
discover Betty himself." She put her hand on her son's shoulder, for
Dick Ashton was growing more and more stern and uneasy. "Don't you
think you had best drive up to the castle and see him yourself? Or if
you could telephone that would be quicker."
"I dislike very much asking a stranger to have any part in a family
affair of this kind, mother," Dick answered severely. "I have met
Lieutenant von Reuter only two or three times and it surprises me to
find that you appear to regard an acquaintance of a few weeks as a
friend. I shall prefer to make my own investigations first without
asking his advice."
So accustomed was Mrs. Ashton to yielding to her son's wishes that for
the moment, although she was plainly unconvinced of his wisdom, she
seemed about to give up. However, Esther Crippen laid her hand quietly
on Richard Ashton's arm. "Please, please," she whispered so faintly that
no one else could catch her exact words, "don't let anything that I have
been saying to you today influence you or keep you from following the
wisest course. Mrs. Ashton and I are right. And besides," Esther's voice
trembled in spite of her effort at self-control, "we must find Betty no
matter what method we use. I am afraid she has been taken ill and is
among strangers unable to let us hear. I--I can't imagine what else
could have occurred."
Dick's face softened. Why did Esther's advice always seem to him so much
more admirable and intelligent than other persons'? Possibly because she
so seldom thought first of herself!
"Dr. Ashton, do hurry," Polly O'Neill now urged impatiently. "I want to
study every foot of the way from here into Waldheim before it grows too
dark for me to see. If our Camp Fire training only will come to our aid!
For if Betty has lost her way, surely she ought to be able to give us
one of our old signals which we may recognize."
She was hurrying out of the door when Margaret Adams, who was sitting
next Mrs. Ashton, trying to soothe the older woman's nervousness, said
in a voice whose thrilling and sympathetic quality never failed to hold
any audience that heard it. "Please wait for a moment, Dr. Ashton and
Polly. There is something I want you to hear--a confession I must make.
Earlier this afternoon when we first began to feel afraid that Betty was
not coming home it occurred to me that perhaps Lieutenant von Reuter
might know something about her. You must not think I intended being
officious, but was there not a possibility that she might have gone for
a walk or drive with him? You see, American girls so often fail to
understand that they cannot do away from home the things they do in the
United States without any thought of harm. And so I wondered if the walk
or drive together might not have become a longer one than they realized
or if an accident might not have taken place so as to delay them
unaccountably. Therefore at about four o'clock this afternoon I
telephoned to the castle and asked to speak to Lieutenant von Reuter.
The man servant told me that he was not at home, that he had left the
castle at an early hour in the morning without saying where he was going
or when he would return. However, I left word begging him to let us hear
as soon as he came in. I made the message so emphatic that I hardly
think it could have failed to be delivered. Notwithstanding we have
heard nothing thus far. But if Dr. Ashton feels that it would be best to
inquire again, I want him to know what I have done and----"
Never in their acquaintance had Polly O'Neill before shown impatience
with her new friend. Now, however, her loyalty to Betty Ashton seemed
the most important issue in the world. Particularly when on the faces of
Mrs. Ashton, of Dick and even Esther, she could observe that Miss Adams'
suggestion had left its influence. Well, she and Betty had been like
sisters always, members of the same Camp Fire club. She knew that Betty
could do no such thing as Margaret Adams suggested, even in a spirit of
thoughtlessness. It would seem too much like an effort to mislead her
mother and deliberately to desert her.
Just as emphatically as of old Polly shook her head, although she did
manage to speak with more than her usual restraint. "You are mistaken,
Margaret, in supposing that Betty's disappearance has anything to do
with Carl von Reuter. Oh, yes, I--I know it is partly my fault because I
told you the other afternoon that Esther and I were both uneasy because
she seemed to like him so much. But that did not mean that she would
ever do anything wilful or foolish because of him. You see, dear, you
are confusing the Princess and me. Betty thinks before she does things;
I don't as often as I should, though I hope I have improved." Deserting
her position next Richard Ashton, Polly slipped across the room,
dropping on one knee before her friend. "You must not think we do not
appreciate your kindness in trying to help us, but if you had known the
Princess as long as I have you would not misunderstand her."
"Bravo, Polly," whispered Margaret Adams kindly. Then she turned
gracefully toward Mrs. Ashton. "I hope you do not feel as offended with
me as Polly does. Truly I did not mean that my suggestion should reflect
seriously upon Betty. It has not taken me so long a time to understand
her as one might think. But it did not seem to me that taking a walk or
a drive with a friend would be thought so serious an offense. Also there
is the possibility that she may have met Lieutenant von Reuter on her
way home and that without reflecting on your possible uneasiness----"
But Miss Adams could not continue her apology, for at this moment there
was an unexpected noise of some one approaching the front door. And as
the sitting room was so close to the small hall everybody started up
with broken words of relief. Betty was doubtless arriving and within a
few seconds would be able to explain the mystery of her delay.
Almost at the same moment Dick Ashton and Esther managed to reach the
little front door together, although it was Dick's hand that opened it.
The changed expression in his usually serious eyes showed the burden of
anxiety that had been so suddenly lifted from him.
However, he made no outward sign--it was Esther who gave the muffled cry
of disappointment--when outside they discovered the figures of two young
men, Lieutenant von Reuter and his cousin Frederick.
"I have been in Berlin for the day," Carl von Reuter explained formally,
"and when I returned, bringing my cousin with me, I found the message
that some one here wished to speak to me. It seemed best that I come in
person. I do not understand, but if I can be of service----"
Brushing past Richard Ashton, Esther held out her hand.
"You are very kind, Lieutenant von Reuter. Won't you both please come
in? For you see my sister Betty has been lost for five or six hours and
as we are dreadfully worried, we hoped you would be kind enough to try
to help us find her."