THE LAST ROUND TABLE
In honor of Katherine Moore’s farewell visit to Westhaven there was to
be a special meeting of the Girl Scouts of the Round Table in Memory
Frean’s House in the Woods.
After all, circumstances had been more powerful than Kara. The doctors
had agreed that a sea voyage and a consultation with certain eminent
surgeons in Europe would be helpful. So Kara had decided to accept the
kindness from a stranger who might have played so different a rôle in
the last twelve years of her life, but was now deeply anxious to make
amends.
In any case Mr. Moore had intended going abroad for the summer with
Lance McClain. He explained that he wanted Lance’s companionship,
having developed a keen interest in him and wishing him to have the
best possible musical education.
During the latter part of the spring--the date had not been finally
settled--Mr. Moore, with Kara and Lance, was to sail for London.
The length of Kara’s visit to Westhaven was to depend upon the time of
departure.
It was pleasant to think of the number of invitations that the young
girl, who had been in a fashion the ward of the village, had showered
upon her for these few weeks before her farewell.
With something approaching relief, Kara allowed Miss Victoria Fenton
to make the decision for her. She was to come directly to her brother
and herself and her niece. Her other friends might see her there at any
time, as their house was large and fairly quiet, when Tory permitted
it to be. The downstairs bedroom, so rarely used, was at their guest’s
disposal. Moreover, Miss Victoria permitted herself to acknowledge that
she very much wanted the pleasure of having Kara in her home. She had
developed a deep interest and affection for her.
For once Tory concurred with her aunt’s desire.
She was fascinated to observe Miss Victoria in her tender and
thoughtful attitude toward Katherine Moore during her visit in their
household and to learn her own lesson. Never had Miss Victoria
outwardly displayed so much affection, not even toward her own
brother, whom she adored. They had differed with regard to his
engagement many years before, and, although neither was aware of the
fact, the sympathy of their relation had never been entirely restored.
Kara’s practical nature, her humor and courage did not jar upon Miss
Victoria, for she had been compelled by circumstances to spend her life
with dreamers, who were trying to her narrow, well-ordered nature.
Moreover, she had a passion for looking after people who needed
her. Kara was almost embarrassed by her kindness and her attentions
until Tory confided the discovery she lately had made that her aunt
required just what Kara could give her. Certainly Miss Victoria would
rather have perished than confess the fact that in the past year she
had suffered many qualms of jealousy over her brother’s and niece’s
congeniality and a devotion that had left her out in the cold.
Kara had improved, but still continued to be troubled by a curious lack
of sensation. She was forced to spend the greater part of her time
either upon a couch or in a chair. It was difficult for Tory, who was
not conspicuously unselfish; yet she had the generosity to leave Kara
and her aunt alone as often as she could decide to make the sacrifice
of the few remaining hours with the girl friend whom she had cared for
from the hour of their original meeting.
The Round Table was toward the close of Kara’s stay in Westhaven. She
was to sail early in May and must be back in New York for a week or
more before the date set.
Without wavering, Kara still utterly declined to play any such fanciful
rôle as a Knight of the Round Table. Notwithstanding Tory’s pleading,
she would not come to the final meeting of the Round Table in any other
costume than her Girl Scout one. She was keenly interested in the
spectacle, however, and entreated the other Girl Scouts to allow her to
see how they must have looked upon the Christmas Eve entertainment six
months before.
The season made a difference in the decorations. No longer ornamented
with pines and evergreens, the living-room of the House in the Woods
was beautiful with spring flowers and shrubs.
Against the brown walls were branches of blossoming dogwood, long
sprays of the fragrant, rose-pink trailing arbutus. On the mantel
and tables were vases of white and purple lilacs and a single bowl of
splendid crimson roses that had come to the House in the Woods with no
card attached. The hostess understood, however, that they were a gift
from Mr. Fenton.
To-night they stood in the center of the Round Table.
There was no raised dais, the Troop Captain insisting on having her
place at the Round Table, which included Miss Frean.
Suspended from the rafters of the great room were the silver banners,
no longer of unmarked silver cloth. Embroidered upon them in the chosen
colors of the Knights were stories of their services during the past
half year.
Edith Linder’s was the supreme achievement! No one of the Scouts in her
Troop would have dreamed of disputing this fact.
To-night she wore the Golden Eaglet badge, the highest honor awarded a
Scout. The single act of devotion on the part of one girl had afforded
an example to the others. The sufferers from the great factory fire
had received many kindnesses and attentions from the Girl Scouts
Troop of the Eagle’s Wing. The little group of girls, members of a
comparatively unknown organization in Westhaven a year and a half ago,
were now accounted one of the chief factors for beauty and service in
the village life.
Toward the close of this evening, Katherine Moore looked slowly from
one face to the other of the friends surrounding her and then about the
exquisite room, fragrant and shining with a wealth of green-and-white
candles.
“To me it seems to have been a wonderful Scout winter, in spite of the
fact that you told me until after Christmas you feared that you were
slipping back from the enthusiasm of the early days of our Scouting. I
am sorry, but I seem to be the only one of you who has done nothing. I
am glad I declined to allow you to include me as a Knight of your Round
Table. I should have proved neither a worthy Knight nor Scout.”
Kara was so unconscious of the impression that her words were making
upon the group of girls that no one of them dared reply for a moment.
Then, not one of the Scouts answered, but the Troop Captain, Sheila
Mason, with the gentler, happier expression that her Troop of girls
were accustomed to seeing upon her face of late.
“Perhaps, Kara, you do not recognise as we do what you have
accomplished. Is it nothing to fight the good fight as you have
fought it, to have kept your courage and faith and humor under such
difficulties?
“The members of your Troop of Girl Scouts do not agree with you. Edith
Linder is the only one of us who at present wears the Golden Eaglet
badge. We have decided that _one_ other girl from our Troop deserves
this same token. Your record has been approved, Kara, so allow me to
present you with the Golden Eaglet.”
The presentation was informal. After the Troop Captain had pinned the
badge to the lapel of Kara’s pocket, she stooped and kissed her, her
eyes suddenly filling with tears.
“We want you to wear this badge for more than one reason, Kara. If you
are lonely among strangers in the days to come, think of the affection
of the Girl Scouts. One or the other of us will have you in mind every
hour of the day.”
An hour later the Round Table discussion had closed, not alone with
farewells for Kara, but with whispered suggestions of future plans.
A few moments after Kara and Tory were together outside the door of the
House in the Woods, waiting for the car that was to drive them home.
Above them in a nearly cloudless sky the moon swam, brilliant and
serene.
“It was absurd of you, Kara, and so like you to suggest to-night that
you were the least worthy member of our Troop of Girl Scouts. You
may be a sensible and practical person, Kara, but just the same your
humility was ill timed.”
“Don’t, please, Tory. Tease me on any other subject, but not that. I
feel my own unworthiness even more deeply, and yet what could I do
under the circumstances? Not to have accepted the undeserved honor
would have been too ungracious! I seem to have many things bestowed
upon me of late that I have no right to possess. Poor Mr. Moore and
Lance! Can you imagine how bored they will be by my society?”
Tory shook her head, her eyes dark and soft in the moonlight, her lips
red and trembling slightly.
“No, Kara, what you suggest is beyond even my imagination!
“Strange that you should be sailing for Europe and leaving me in
Westhaven! Do you remember how we used to talk and dread the opposite
thing happening? Then I supposed I would go away and you stay on here.
I am sure I should be less missed.”
Kara laughed.
“No, Tory. You are the yeast in our dough. Don’t you realize this? Oh,
I suppose I might have thought of a prettier figure of speech for you,
but not a truer one. You have wakened us all, and brought us beauty and
ways of thinking and living we would not have had in Westhaven without
you.
“Now for a little while we must say good-by; but wait for me here,
won’t you, Tory.”
The girls could hear the car stopping.
An instant Kara glanced upward and then at the scene before them--the
open space, the tall freshly green trees, the figure of the girl beside
her, glistening and radiant from the moonlight.
“You see, Tory, it is everywhere and all about us, what you say you
wish, a shining world. We have said good-night and good-by; let us slip
away quietly.”