_Conclusion_
The girls' first visitor the following day was not, as they had hoped,
the party from the yacht, but a woman.
"Who can it be?" demanded Dot, for the clerk at the desk had not sent
up a name with the message.
"A reporter, probably," yawned Linda. "They'll be hot on our trail now,
Dot. That was one good thing about the island--we didn't have to read
newspapers or give interviews."
"You're not wishing you were back again?"
"Never!" affirmed Linda, surveying the breakfast tray which she and Dot
had been luxuriously enjoying. "I don't care for cold tea and crackers
as a steady diet."
"But what shall we do about this visitor?" persisted her companion.
"The clerk's still waiting for our reply."
"Oh, tell him to send her up, I suppose. After all, the poor girls have
to earn a living."
As Dot gave the message over the telephone, Linda surveyed the room
with a frown of distaste.
"It's not so neat, Dot--to receive a caller," she remarked. "Maybe we
ought to have gone downstairs."
"Think I better try to call him back?"
"No, I guess it's too late now--the girl's probably on the elevator
by this time. Anyhow, it really doesn't matter. Newspaper women are
usually awfully good sports."
To their amazement and chagrin, it was not a reporter to whom, a moment
later, Dot opened the door. A beautifully dressed woman stood before
them, smiling nervously. It was Mrs. Carter--Jackson Carter's mother!
"How do you do, Mrs. Carter!" exclaimed Dot. "Do come in--if you can
pardon the appearance of this room."
The older woman seemed scarcely to notice the unmade beds or the open
trunks. She nodded to Linda as she entered, but she appeared like a
person with something serious on her mind.
"How did you know where to find us?" inquired Dot, after she had
cleared a chair for their visitor.
"It's in all the papers," the latter replied. "Haven't you read about
yourselves? Why, everybody in town thinks you two girls are simply
marvelous! Rescuing that money was a miracle in itself--an act of
courage that Jacksonville will always be grateful to you for."
"It's awfully nice of you to say so," murmured Dot, for Linda remained
silent. Somehow the latter could never feel at home with this woman.
"Our city is planning a parade and celebration in your honor," she
continued. "And the Daughters of the Confederacy would like to invite
you to a dinner and reception afterwards. That is one of the reasons
why I came to see you--to extend the invitation in person."
"It's extremely kind of you," assented Dot. "We'll be delighted to
accept, won't we, Linda?"
"Why, yes--of course--only--" Linda paused, hoping that she was not
appearing rude.
"Except what, my dear!" asked Mrs. Carter.
"Well, it's marvelous of you to do it for us, but you see our fathers
are coming--and Dot's mother--and my Aunt Emily----"
"But they are included, of course! There will be both men and women at
the banquet, and my brother-in-law, the president of the bank that was
robbed, hopes to present you girls with the reward."
"Oh, it's going to be great fun, Linda!" exclaimed Dot, excitedly.
"We've just got to be there!"
"Yes, it will be charming," agreed the other girl. "We'll be delighted
to come--if we may bring our friends."
There seemed nothing more to say, yet Mrs. Carter made no move towards
going. To fill an awkward pause, Dot inquired how Jackson was.
"Jackson has been away since the first of July," replied the older
woman. "I haven't heard anything from him, and I am quite anxious,
though he warned me he couldn't write. He and his chum, Hal Perry, went
into the Okefenokee Swamp to search for you girls."
"The Okefenokee Swamp!" repeated Linda. It seemed ages since she had
been lost in that desolate expanse.
"Yes. And I wondered, Miss Carlton, whether you would be willing to
fly up to the northern end, up towards Camp Cordelia, and look for
them. Oh, I don't mean go into the swamp again--that would be too
dreadful--but just fly around it."
"Yes, of course," agreed Linda, not knowing what else to say. "If you
will let me wait until my Daddy comes, so I can take him with me."
"Naturally!"
Mrs. Carter rose at last, but she still appeared to be embarrassed.
"There is something else I want to say to you, Miss Carlton. An
apology, this time. I know now that you are the same girl my son
rescued in the swamp and brought home to our house. The girl to whom I
was so rude.... I--I want to beg your pardon."
It was a great deal from a woman of Mrs. Carter's dignity and
importance, and Linda was deeply touched.
"This is very sweet of you, Mrs. Carter," she said. "And of course I
understand how you felt at the time. I'm only too glad to forget all
about it.... And," she added, holding out her hand, "I'll go to your
son's rescue, as he has twice gone to mine--as soon as my Daddy comes."
Still the visitor hesitated, even after she had shaken hands with both
the girls, and had reached the doorway.
"Would you girls consider bringing your families out to our home, to
spend the weekend with us?" she asked, more as one seeking than as one
bestowing a favor.
Dot did not answer this time; she looked inquiringly at Linda.
"It would be lovely," replied the latter, with genuine enthusiasm. "But
I am afraid there are too many of us. You see there are two friends
with us now--Mr. and Mrs. Mackay, who picked us up in Havana--and there
are two more with our fathers on the yacht. With my aunt and Dot's
mother, it will make ten in all. And that is too big a crowd for any
place but a hotel!"
"Not at all!" protested Mrs. Carter. "I should love it. We have plenty
of room, and plenty of servants--and we enjoy house-parties. How I
shall look forward to seeing your mother, Dorothy!... You will come,
won't you, girls--as soon as the whole party is together?"
With such a pressing invitation as this, they could not do otherwise
than graciously accept, and, satisfied at last, Mrs. Carter bade them
good-by.
There was no opportunity to discuss this unexpected visit, for no
sooner had this caller departed than others began to arrive. Louise
dashed into the room on her return from breakfasting with Ted in the
dining-room, and before Dot and Linda could repeat the invitation to
her, news came that the yachting party had arrived.
The reunion of the two girls with their fathers was touching to see.
For some minutes they clung to one another in the lobby of the hotel,
regardless of the strangers about. Ralph Clavering and Jim Valier stood
in the background, unnoticed.
About three o'clock that afternoon Linda suddenly remembered her
promise to Mrs. Carter in regard to flying over the Okefenokee Swamp in
search of Jackson, and she suggested to her father that they go to the
airport immediately.
Mr. Carlton shook his head decidedly.
"No, daughter," he said. "You will never have my consent again to fly
within fifty miles of that dismal swamp!"
"But we must be within fifty miles of it now," returned Linda. "Shall
we leave Jacksonville?"
"Now, Linda! You know what I mean."
"But how shall I tell Mrs. Carter? I promised, you know."
"You can leave that to me," he replied. "I'll explain."
But it was not necessary to do this, for the woman telephoned herself
almost immediately to say that the boys had arrived by automobile half
an hour ago. She concluded by reminding Linda that she was expecting
the whole party the following day for luncheon.
Saturday dawned clear and bright, and the parade was scheduled for the
early morning, before the sun's rays became blistering. Linda and Dot
occupied seats of honor on the canopied grandstand, beside the Mayor,
and they bowed and smiled to everyone that passed by.
Miss Carlton and Mrs. Crowley arrived just in time to witness the
demonstration, in honor of their two brave girls.
Transcriber's notes:
- Table of contents inserted at beginning of book.
End of Project Gutenberg's Linda Carlton's Island Adventure, by Edith Lavell