Widow Adams was sitting up again, for it was way past midnight,
and Virginia was out. Many months ago Virginia was also out, and
was brought back, unconscious. So now Nina was again sitting up,
for Virginia was not a night-owl sort of a girl. Finally, around
two o'clock, Nina couldn't stand it, and had to call in a passing
patrolman. Now this patrolman was an original Organization of Youth
boy, and had always known Nina and Virginia; and said:--
"Oh, now! I wouldn't worry so. Possibly a bus had a blowout; or--"
"But Virginia said nothing _about_ going on a bus! Oh!! _How_ could
that child vanish so?"
Naturally, all that that patrolman could do was to call his station;
and Nina, almost all in, lay down, until, just about dawn a jangling
ringing brought this half wild woman to a front hall, shouting:--
"This is Nina Adams talking! Who? _What?_ Virginia, is that you? What's
wrong? What! You and Harold Thompson? Our aviator? You did what? Took
his aircraft to _what_ city? Why, that's so far you can't----" but
Virginia had hung up. So Nina also hung up, and sat down with a big,
long sigh:--
"My Virginia, not _running_ away, but _flying_ away, to marry! Oh, this
Youth of today!"
* * * * *
Around six o'clock that night, Virginia and Harold stood arm in arm in
Nina's parlor, as a big bus was groaning noisily away.
"But, Mama," said Virginia, sobbing pitifully, "I didn't think you
would----"
"That's just it, Virginia, you _didn't_ think!! But you _should!_ How
could I know what was going on? That's just you young folks of today.
You think of nothing but your own silly, foolish doings, and you allow
us old _good-for-nothings_ to go crazy with worry!!" and Nina sank in a
gasping swoon onto a sofa.
But old Doc Wilkins, arriving at Virginia's frantic call, knowing
Nina's iron constitution from childhood, soon had that limp form back
to normal; and, with a dark, disapproving scowl at Virginia, said:--
"Bring in a good batch of hot food, and your Ma will turn out all
right," and going out, with a snort of disgust, and banging viciously
that big front door!