UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES
The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought
forth an unusual chain of circumstances. Otherwise their good
resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with
surprise, pleasure and consternation. The letter was the second from
her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different
character from the original one.
Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time. Recently
his physician had insisted that he spend the winter in the country.
He knew of few places outside New York City, but recalled Tory’s
description of Westhaven. Would it be possible to find him a little
house in or near Westhaven where he might spend the winter? He must be
a large part of the time out of doors. Tory would please understand
that he could afford to pay but little and would ask only the simplest
living arrangements.
The letter Tory showed first to her uncle and then to Memory Frean.
Neither had any suggestion to make that Tory believed would to
acceptable to the gifted but disappointed artist, who was her father’s
friend, and who, perhaps, some day would be her teacher as well as
friend.
Mr. Fenton could only propose vaguely that the artist might spend the
winter with them, if his sister, Miss Victoria, were willing.
Tory appreciated that her aunt might be glad to entertain an unknown
guest for a week or ten days. She could hardly be expected to desire
one for an indefinite stay.
Moreover, Mr. Winslow would never consider the proposal. He had no wish
to be a burden.
Memory Frean, for the first time in their acquaintance, had no
suggestion to offer.
Fortunately, Dorothy McClain was almost equally as interested as Tory
in their recent acquaintance. In accordance with her advice, they
concluded to consult with their Troop Captain, Sheila Mason.
Miss Mason was not well enough to be outdoors, but, contrary to
Teresa’s Good Samaritan intentions, was a great deal better, and able
to see visitors in her own room.
The two girls found her in a lovely morning dress of gold and blue
seated in a large chair before a fire.
As Teresa had insisted upon adopting the Scout Captain as _her_
invalid, notwithstanding her recovery, at the moment of Tory’s and
Dorothy’s arrival they discovered Teresa curled up on the blue sofa
with the yellow cushions, according to her expressed desire.
Sheila Mason was an only daughter. Her family was considered a wealthy
one, according to the standards of Westhaven. She was only a few years
older than her own Troop of Girl Scouts, being in the early twenties.
This afternoon Tory dropped down on a stool at her feet, while Dorothy
seated herself upon the divan beside Teresa.
“There seems to be no little house for rent in Westhaven that is
inexpensive,” Dorothy remarked, when Tory had concluded her story.
“We have made any number of inquiries. And I feel sure Mr. Winslow is
poorer than he would be willing to confess. He says he must sublet his
studio to be able to leave New York at all. At the same time I consider
it would be best for him and a wonderful thing for Westhaven to have
him spend the winter here. He is sure to make friends. Tory and I
are convinced he is very gifted and that it is only because of some
disappointment, a love affair perhaps, that he so far has failed to
meet the success he deserves.”
Sheila Mason laughed. How unlike Dorothy to be so romantic! She would
have expected such a speech from Tory.
Then Sheila set herself seriously to considering their problem,
wrinkling her brows and biting her lips. The three girls continued to
gaze at her admiringly.
Her fair, pale-gold hair was piled loosely on top of her small head.
Her eyes were dark blue with thin level brows. Except for the gravity
of her expression she might have been almost too pretty.
Suddenly she made a movement.
“Girls, I have thought of something! Suppose we ask this Mr. Winslow if
he would like to occupy our evergreen cottage in the woods this winter.
I am sure the little place can be made comfortable for him, and from
what you tell me Mr. Winslow is not a conventional person. He can rest
out there and paint our beechwoods in the winter time whenever he likes
or is well enough. Of course we must ask the permission of our other
Girl Scouts.
“After Mr. Hammond had the floor of our cabin removed to search for
a clew to Katherine Moore’s history, he had a better floor relaid to
take the place of the old one, and the holes in the walls stopped with
plaster.
“I for one shall envy this artist person if he occupies our cabin
during the winter. I too have missed our good times out there and since
Christmas have worried over our failure to live up to our Scout ideals.”
Flushing, the young Scout Captain clasped her hands over her knees
and began slowly rocking back and forth in an unconscious and girlish
fashion.
“I had about reached the conclusion, girls, that our mistake lately
has been that we have thought too much of our own happiness and
self-development. It is part of the Scout ideal, but certainly not
the whole. Our slogan is sufficient proof, the daily good turn is for
others.”
The Scout Captain turned to Tory.
“Teresa has just told me of your suggestion; each one of us is to find
an ill person and care for him or her during the winter. If your artist
comes to the evergreen house, Tory, you may look after him. Perhaps we
may be envious of you. As soon as I am well I too shall seek out some
one to aid. This is a hard winter for many people. The Girl Scouts
ought to make themselves an influence for good in Westhaven as never
before.”
A little later, on their way home, Tory and Dorothy McClain could think
and talk of nothing but the possibility of their artist’s spending the
winter months in their evergreen house in the beechwoods.
They had adopted Mr. Winslow to the extent of speaking of him as “their
artist” to each other.
Small doubt in either girl’s mind that the other Scouts in their Troop
would agree to the Troop Captain’s suggestion!
If Mr. Winslow accepted their invitation, Dorothy and Tory decided to
do everything in their power to make his stay in Westhaven a success.
They would omit no detail. He should not be bored by their attentions,
but never allowed to feel neglected.
“Suppose he should meet some one in Westhaven who would console him for
what he must have suffered in the past?” Dorothy suggested.
In amazement Tory stared at her and smiled.
She was as surprised as their Troop Captain by Dorothy’s unexpected
romantic attitude. Of all her friends Dorothy was less given to
vicarious romanticism. Most of the girls indulged in dreams for
themselves and their friends. Dorothy was as matter-of-fact as many
boys. Her own family and friends and the daily routine of life so far
satisfied her.
But Mr. Winslow had touched her imagination as well as Tory’s. The
truth was that Lance’s absence from home left a vacant place in
Dorothy’s life which she had not known he had so completely filled.
She and Donald confessed to each other that always they had had Lance
upon their minds without appreciating the fact. He was so often in
trouble with some one, or not well, or proposing some impossible
suggestion out of which he had to be argued or bullied.
Realizing Dorothy’s need, Tory decided to be generous. She would have
preferred Mr. Winslow to be principally known as her friend upon his
arrival. In reality, she had the chief claim upon him. Still, after all
it might be pleasanter if she and Dorothy shared the pleasure.
Neither girl apparently doubted the artist’s acceptance of their
suggestion. They were right in their surmise. Before another week he
might be expected. The evergreen cottage appeared to be the one place
in the world most suited to his needs.
The arrangements to make it habitable for the winter Dorothy and Tory
gladly undertook. Mr. Winslow insisted upon paying a small rental. Miss
Virginia Fenton agreed to allow Tory to use any old furniture she might
find stored away in the attic of their house.
An entire afternoon she and Dorothy spent in fascinated search. They
discovered a battered but beautiful mahogany table, two chairs slightly
uncertain in their legs, but otherwise whole. However, the cabin was
well supplied with tables and chairs. The treasure that pleased them
most was a worn pair of dark blue and gold damask curtains. Drawn
across the windows they would make the cabin room safe from the cold
and full of beautiful color. They were, of course, too long and too
large for the cabin windows, so that odd pieces were cut off for table
covers and scarfs.
A piece of oriental embroidery, brought home by one of her early
seafaring Fenton ancestors, Tory hung on the cabin wall to break the
monotony of the exterior. She hoped Mr. Winslow would bring a certain
number of pictures with him, not only to beautify the cabin but to give
the people in Westhaven a knowledge of his ability.
If not, Dorothy suggested he would soon have new pictures of the woods
and scenes about Westhaven.
Indeed, the two girls became so interested in their work and in their
anticipations they saw nothing of the other Girl Scouts in their Patrol
for the entire week.
What they were doing to carry out Tory’s suggestion at the last Scout
meeting they neither knew nor for the time felt any special interest.
The next Scout meeting was to be delayed until the Troop Captain was
well enough to be present.
Suddenly Tory Drew found herself having to face the entire
responsibility of Mr. Winslow’s arrival and installation at the
evergreen cottage alone.
It was nearly bedtime and she was beginning to make ready to undress
when she heard Donald McClain’s familiar whistle beneath her window.
Tory fled down to the front door, calling to Mr. Fenton, who was in his
library, to explain why she had reappeared after saying good-night.
Don would only come in for a few moments. He brought a message from
Dorothy saying that her father had received a telegram asking him to
come to New York City at once.
The telegram was signed Owen Moore. Lance at last had agreed they
might learn the name of the man who had befriended them. He had told
them nothing of his history, insisting that he himself was in complete
ignorance. Mr. Moore did not seem to care to talk of his own past.
Naturally, Dr. McClain believed that Lance had been taken seriously
ill. He did not wish to face the situation alone and was taking Dorothy
with him.
Tory received permission to spend a quarter of an hour with Dorothy and
the doctor in order to say good-by and to send a dozen messages through
them to Kara.
Her own anxiety over the mysterious summons and its possible reference
to Lance, she did her best to conceal.