A SECOND CHANCE.
As the girls entered the great reception-room where the young men were
now waiting for them, it would not have been difficult for an outsider
to read from their faces the fact that something unpleasant had
happened. The Crowell boys and Wallace and Hitchens, who all instantly
guessed at the portent of the interview, could not hide their
embarrassment. Both Cryton and McDaniel looked frankly curious. The
latter searched the group anxiously for Daisy.
“Where’s Daisy?” he asked Florence when he reached her side.
The girl made an effort to control herself before she could answer
calmly.
“She and Marj went upstairs for their powder boxes,” she replied.
“They’ll be here in a minute. But can’t you find another partner?”
“Where could I find another such partner?” he replied, relinquishing his
claim upon Florence to Cryton.
Retiring into the hall, he impatiently awaited Daisy’s return. But three
dances were over before she put in an appearance, and then she came
reluctantly.
“Daisy!” he cried suddenly, as the girls descended the wide stairway.
“I’m simply dying to dance!” The girl dropped her eyes as she came
towards him, and Marjorie explained briefly that her companion had a
headache. Then she vanished through the doorway, leaving the couple
together.
“Something has happened!” exclaimed McDaniel anxiously. “Tell me, Daisy!
The girls all seemed to be worked up.”
“Come out here on the porch,” murmured the girl, “and I’ll tell you all
about it. Flos and I are in disgrace!”
“In disgrace!” he faltered. “But—but—why?” Daisy waited until they were
seated before she began her story. She related it just as Miss Vaughn
had presented it, but as she spoke her voice shook with emotion, and
before she had concluded she was again on the verge of tears.
“You know that it isn’t true, Clyde!” she wailed. “Can’t you do
something?”
“Of course I’ll try!” replied the young man angrily. “The very idea of
their bringing such an accusation! But—as you say—I’m afraid they won’t
believe me.”
Daisy looked up through her tears into McDaniel’s eyes, but somehow they
seemed to lack assurance. Was it possible that he would not come to her
aid?
“You know we’re innocent!” she protested.
“Yes, certainly I do!” His tone grew irritable, as though he wished to
forget the matter. Then, as if to accomplish this, he reminded her that
they were missing the dancing.
But Daisy hesitated, still borne down by the sense of shame and
disgrace.
“I don’t feel like dancing, Clyde!”
“Did the possession of an automobile mean so much to you?”
“No, no! It isn’t the loss of the car,” murmured the girl. “It’s my
honor! To think that they actually believe that I lied!”
“But you can’t blame Miss Vaughn,” he consoled her. “She doesn’t know
you. Oh, Daisy, if I could only help you—”
“You do help me by believing me.”
“Then try to forget it all. Now—will you dance with me?”
But although Daisy consented, and made every effort to put the
unfortunate occurrence from her thoughts, she was not very successful,
and long before the evening was over she realized that it would be
better to give up and go to bed. Perhaps in sleep she could forget her
trouble.
Having made up her mind to withdraw quietly from the party, she looked
about for Marjorie. To her surprise she found her—not on the floor as
she usually was when music was playing—but over in the corner of the
room talking with Miss Vaughn. As inconspicuously as possible she made
her way across to them. As she drew near enough to hear their voices she
realized that Marjorie’s was ardent, pleading; she was evidently asking
the old lady for something. However, she looked up cordially as Daisy
approached, not seeming to mind the interruption.
“Yes—come here, Daisy—I am pleading your cause! I am trying to convince
Miss Vaughn that Mr. Wallace and Mr. Hitchens made a mistake.”
The woman’s eyes searched those of the new-comer, but she could read
neither guilt nor innocence from her countenance—only distress.
“But how could they?” asked Miss Vaughn.
“They admitted that they didn’t stop,” argued Marjorie; “so it might
have been rather difficult to determine whether the boys or the girls
were doing the work!”
“Why didn’t you ask Mr. McDaniel?” suggested Daisy.
“I have already asked Mr. Cryton,” replied Miss Vaughn; “and, as I
expected, he denied it. He would hardly be a man if he didn’t, knowing
the circumstances. No, I am afraid that in a case like this, the word of
these two young men could not be relied upon.”
“Then why rely upon that of the other two men?” flashed Marjorie.
“That is different—they are disinterested, as I told you before. And
they gave me the information before they heard of my conditions—not
afterwards! Now they too would probably lie for you, out of chivalry,
since they know how much it means to you.”
As she continued, Marjorie grew increasingly excited, while Daisy only
became more and more unhappy. Her eyes sought Marjorie’s in a mute
appeal for her to take her away from the party. But the other girl was
not ready; she had a plan at the back of her mind which she was saving
to utilize if all else failed.
“Miss Vaughn,” she said, finally, “then I ask that you give us another
chance! That you consent to let these two suspected girls make the trip
back, accompanied by a chaperone whom you appoint, who will serve as
referee. Give them a chance to prove that they can do it!”
Miss Vaughn listened in surprise, but not with disfavor. It was
characteristic of her that she wanted to play fair.
“And if they make it according to conditions?” she asked.
“Then we all receive the cars. If not, nobody does!”
“Would you expect all the girls to make the trip again?”
“No—only Florence and Daisy—and anyone else who wishes,” returned
Marjorie.
Then Daisy spoke up.
“Please, don’t give yourself the trouble of considering such a proposal
on my account. I never could consent to such a plan!”
“Why not?” asked Miss Vaughn, rather wearily.
“Pride, I suppose,” answered Daisy. “But it wouldn’t improve matters
any. It wouldn’t convince you in the least that we had not lied in the
first place; and since you won’t believe us, let us say no more about
it.”
“My dear, I should be only too happy to believe you; in fact, I am more
inclined to take people at their word than otherwise. That is why I
believed Mr. Wallace and Mr. Hitchens; and I fully expected you two
girls to confess when confronted with the accusation. But you did not;
and then I regretted the very foolish outburst on my part, which now
places me in the very delicate position that, since everyone knows how
matters stand, I can’t seem to believe one side without making out the
others as liars. I thought to shift the responsibly upon your shoulders
by offering you the cars if you would take them under the circumstances.
You refused, which is something in your favor, but my position remains
unaltered. Yes, it may be that this is a way out, if you will consent to
it. That is why I say it is worth considering.”
“I think it would be better for everyone concerned if we let the matter
drop,” repeated Daisy.
“Don’t mind Daisy, Miss Vaughn,” said Marjorie, as she put her arm about
the girl to lead her away. “It’s natural for her to feel this way.
Consider the proposition as a special favor to me, and to Pansy Troop.”
“Well, I will think it over,” replied the hostess. “I’ll let you know
tomorrow morning.”
Daisy and Marjorie took the reply as a dismissal, and left the ball room
together. When they reached the door of their own room, Daisy questioned
Marjorie once more for assurance of her belief in their innocence.
“You don’t believe that we did accept assistance, do you, Marj? Tell me
again!”
“No, Daisy! A hundred times, no! In fact—I don’t even believe that you
looked as if you did!”
“But then why would those two boys make such a report?”
“Because there’s a mystery that underlies all this! A mystery which I
mean to solve, if I possibly can!”
“Could somebody be plotting against us?” asked Daisy, incredulously.
“Yes, I think so. Some of our mishaps may have been accidental, but I’m
sure some of them were deliberate. And when you think back, you may
remember how many times Mr. Cryton and Mr. McDaniel tried to delay us!”
“Surely you don’t mistrust them?” faltered Daisy. “I—I thought that
every time they just wanted—”
“Yes,” interrupted Marjorie. “I know what you want to say, only you are
too modest! You believed that they wished to see more of you and Flos.
Probably they did, Daisy; but that wasn’t the only reason.”
“I’d hate to think that they had anything to do with this!” sighed
Daisy. “Flos and I think a lot of them.”
“But Jack and John said they didn’t consider them absolutely straight,
and hoped that we wouldn’t see too much of them this summer,” Marjorie
reminded her.
“Marj,” interrupted Daisy, with a sudden return of the spirit she had
displayed in her hostess’s presence, “I positively refuse to make that
trip back! I don’t care enough for the cars to accept them under the
circumstances—even if we do win them!”
“Not for the sake of the cars, Daisy; but because we want to clear you
and Florence—and save the honor of Pansy Troop!”
“But that wouldn’t clear us!” protested the other.
“If you will just be willing to pocket your pride, Daisy, and accept
Miss Vaughn’s offer—I’ll show you that it will be best in the end.”
“How could it be?”
“You’ll see! I have a little scheme up my sleeve—to set a trap,”
Marjorie explained; “and try to catch our enemies at their game!”
Daisy’s eyes grew big at the thought of the adventure Marjorie must be
planning. Could she have a plot, too, then—to catch the boys and prove
their trickery, and the girls’ honesty? Eagerly she demanded more
information.
“Tell me more about it, Marj!” she pleaded. But Marjorie shook her head.
“I can’t, Daisy—it’s all too uncertain. But if you and Florence will
only trust me enough to accept the terms of the proposition, I think I
may succeed. Would you be willing to place yourself in my hands?”
Daisy looked into Marjorie’s animated face, and the old feeling of
admiration, of respect, took possession of her, and she knew that she
was only too glad to follow such a competent leader. She laid her cheek
up against Marjorie’s, and in endearing words, murmured her loyalty.
Early the next morning before Marjorie went to Miss Vaughn to learn of
her decision, she made it a point to lay the proposition before
Florence. Like Daisy, she protested at first, but was won over in the
end. No one in the patrol ever resisted Marjorie long, not only because
her personality was so compelling, but because her foresight always
found a way out of every difficulty. The latter, however, decided to say
nothing of her scheme to the other girls until after her talk with Miss
Vaughn.
She found her hostess before breakfast in her favorite spot on the
veranda, near to the honeysuckle vine.
“Come sit beside me, Marjorie,” the old lady said. “I want a little talk
with you.”
“Yes?” answered Marjorie, trying to hide her impatience.
“I am only too glad to grant your request,” continued Miss Vaughn. “It
seems to me a very good solution of the way out of both your problem and
mine. And this time everything will probably turn out all right.”
“I hope so,” agreed Marjorie, concealing the doubts that she felt.
“Now about a chaperone. I think I know of just the right person—a Mrs.
Hart, a charming woman, who, I think would be willing to go.”
They continued to discuss their plans until the breakfast bell sounded.
No sooner was the party gathered at the table than she announced her
good news.
“Girls,” she said, gaily, “we are to have a second chance! Miss Vaughn
has decided to let Daisy and Florence try the trip back again, under the
same conditions.”
The girls glanced doubtfully at the two who were mentioned, but, seeing
that they did not protest, they all expressed their approval.
“But how do we know that someone won’t turn up to tell lies this time?”
asked Ethel, morosely.
“We’re to take a Mrs. Hart, a friend of Miss Vaughn,” replied Marjorie,
watching the Crowell boys closely to see how the announcement affected
them. To all appearances, they were delighted.
“Flos, Daisy, Mrs. Hart, I—and one other girl,” she continued. “Who else
wants to go?”
“I do!” volunteered Ethel, instantly.
“Agreed!” concluded Marjorie.
“Now,” added Miss Vaughn, who was warming more and more to the idea, “to
show you how fair I wish to be: if you girls succeed this time, I will
leave a considerable sum to the Girl Scout organization in my will. I
have no doubt that it is in need of funds?”
“Oh, yes!” cried Marjorie, her eyes sparkling at the thought of so much
generosity. She had always dreamed of doing something such as this for
the movement, but could never see just how.
Again she glanced at Miss Vaughn’s nephews to ascertain how they were
taking the announcement, for such a gift would necessarily come out of
their inheritance. This time she thought she perceived a sense of
irritation which they were making an effort to conceal.
“It would be a wonderful thing to do!” she added. “I would be glad to
attempt the automobile trip for that reason, if for nothing else.”
“I will even modify it to a safe journey to Lima, where your friend
lives,” said Miss Vaughn. “If you can reach there—”
“We can! We can!” exclaimed Daisy, rapturously. “And we’ll start soon!”
“As soon as your car comes back from the repair shop,” concluded their
hostess; “inside of ten days—at the latest.”