RETROSPECTION
"Now that I look back, the room seems to have been extraordinarily
clean under the circumstances, although it was bare and poor," Mr.
Hammond continued. "There was just a bed and some chairs and a table.
You were lying on the bed, Kara, and if you had objected to being left
alone, you were perfectly agreeable and sweet tempered after I made
your acquaintance. I remember you were extremely amiable during our
ride together into Westhaven. You gave me an impression which I still
carry with me that you would meet most situations with grace and good
sense."
Mr. Hammond began wandering about the room. He appeared embarrassed by
the intensity of Kara's attitude and the conviction that possibly he
had not chosen a wise time or place for his revelation.
In fact, he had no intention of speaking of the matter at all.
Surprise at finding himself a visitor to the girl in the same spot
where he had discovered her as a baby had influenced his discretion.
"Is there anything else you could tell me, Mr. Hammond? You need not
regret having spoken before the other girls. They are my friends and
really know as much of my history as I know, there is so little
information I have ever received."
"No, I am afraid not, Kara, I am sorry. Now and then I have considered
that possibly we did not make a sufficiently thorough investigation.
Yet I do not honestly believe this. At the time I searched the room
thoroughly. I waited, thinking that in all probability some one would
come back for you. Then, when I gave up this idea and took you with me
to Westhaven, we did not fail in making another effort.
"Dr. McClain, I recall, insisted upon this and we came out here
together. Moreover, we left a letter stating that if any one desired
to find you, information could be had of Dr. McClain in Westhaven."
"There does not seem to be any doubt, no one ever did return and no
one ever wished to find me. I have always thought, almost hoped that
my mother and father were dead," Kara answered.
No one else had spoken during the grave and dramatic conversation
between Kara and Mr. Hammond. In fact, Kara herself had said little.
Now her words affected the room filled with her friends with a sense
of tragedy.
Tory Drew moved near the other girl, standing beside her in a
defensive attitude, as if disaster must first meet her before it could
again touch the friend so dear to her.
Mrs. Hammond took Lucy's hand in her own, attempting to draw the
little girl toward the open door. Some day she hoped that Lucy might
altogether forget the Gray House and think of herself as her own and
Mr. Hammond's child.
At last Sheila Mason had ceased her talk with Mr. Fenton and Miss
Frean. She turned toward the center of the room, looking as if she
wished to ask Mr. and Mrs. Hammond to say farewell. Then the interest
in Kara's face and in Mr. Hammond's words forbade the interruption.
Memory Frean had come into the room and Mr. Richard Fenton stood
immediately behind her. He was watching Tory.
"I am afraid I have said too much or too little and perhaps tired or
worried you, Kara. If you like, suppose we have a long, quiet talk
some day alone. I'll come again to see you and we can go out into the
woods together."
Conscious of the atmosphere and of his own imprudence, Mr. Hammond
picked up his hat and stick which he had placed upon a table.
Again his own interest in the situation became stronger than other
impressions.
Walking toward Kara's chair, he pushed the chair a few feet nearer the
wall.
Without explaining his purpose he moved aside a rug which lay on the
floor and struck the boards with his cane.
"Has this floor ever been taken up and a new one laid down?" he
inquired, apparently of Victoria Drew, who chanced to be standing
nearer than any one else.
Tory shook her head.
"I don't think so. The floor was in extremely good condition when we
decided to make this cabin the center of our camp in Beech wood
Forest."
"The bed stood just here," Mr. Hammond indicated with his walking
stick the exact spot where Kara's chair had been the moment before. "I
have always felt we should have had this floor removed. Kara, if you
will give me permission, when the summer camping days have passed, I
should like to undertake it. There isn't one chance in a thousand we
should come across anything, but it would be worth while to try, would
it not?"
Kara's expression made no other answer necessary.
A few moments after the Hammonds had said farewell and were gone.
An instant it appeared as if Lucy wished to break away and speak to
Kara. The other girl never glanced toward her, or seemed conscious of
her presence after her first display of affection, so apparently Lucy
lost the desire or the courage.
Immediately the Girl Scouts departed for their sleeping tents
accompanied by their Troop Captain.
Miss Mason would return to say good-night to Kara and see that she was
comfortable for the night. In the meantime there was the final evening
ceremony with her Girl Scouts.
In the big room at present were only Tory, Miss Frean and Mr. Fenton,
save for the girl in the wheeled chair.
Mr. Fenton approached Kara.
"I trust so many visitors and so much excitement will not be harmful
to you," he said in the dignified fashion that always charmed Kara and
his own niece. Mr. Fenton never addressed them as if they were merely
young girls and of no special importance.
Always his manner was courtly and agreeable.
Toward Kara he extended a box of candy which he had been carrying
under his arm.
"I know candy is to a large extent a forbidden fruit at camp. But as
you are a kind of uncrowned queen these days, Kara, I thought you
might be permitted to offer a sweet now and then to your ladies in
waiting."
During this conversation Tory had crossed over to Miss Frean,
persuading her to be seated on a low bench and sitting down beside
her.
"I was deeply offended with you, Memory, an hour ago when you held a
'mirror up to nature,' my nature. I detest being lectured. Just the
same, I promise to try not to bore Kara too much with my society and
to give the other girls more opportunity. But dear me, I did think I
was doing the right thing! Often I have wanted dreadfully to go off on
our Scouting expeditions and have remained at camp because I thought
Kara needed me and did not wish the other girls to be sacrificed. It
does require an extraordinary number of virtues to be a good Scout."
Memory Frean shook her head.
"I don't believe I would put the case in just that fashion, Tory. To
be a good Scout demands first of all common sense. You have the
artistic temperament, Tory, and common sense is perhaps more difficult
for you. Glad you are willing to be friends again."
Memory Frean and Mr. Richard Fenton walked back together to the House
in the Woods. They had not been alone with each other in more than
twenty years.