FAREWELLS
One morning in May two months later two girls were in the
much-discussed back bedroom overlooking the Ashton garden. It was very
much the same kind of cheerless day outdoors that it had been when they
had first met each other after a lapse of many years. And then of
course neither one knew of the closeness of the tie between them.
However, at the present moment they were busily engaged in packing two
steamer trunks that were standing open before them.
"I never shall get all this stuff in if you don't come and help me,
Esther," Betty protested in the spoiled fashion of an earlier time.
And since Esther never would cease to believe that the whole world
should be grateful to Betty for the honor of her presence in it, it is
doubtful whether her methods of spoiling "The Princess" ever would be
entirely given up.
"Sit down, dear, or else run and see Polly and Mollie and Mrs. Wharton
for a few moments. You are tired and I can finish putting the things
in for you without any trouble. Poor Polly is kind of pathetic these
days, I think; she is so desperate over our going away and leaving her
behind, and then, though she tries her best not to show it, she is
jealous of our being so much together. I am sorry for her, because it
is pretty much the same way that I used to feel toward her. And of
course I have tried to show her that no one can take her place with
you; but she is so low-spirited and so unlike herself that there is no
convincing her of anything agreeable."
Betty had sunk into a low chair and was rocking thoughtfully back and
forward knitting her brows.
"Mother and I both consider that Mrs. Wharton is making a mistake in
not allowing Polly to leave Woodford for three years; for she will
probably grow so tired of it by that time that she will never want to
come home again--that is, if she goes on the stage. When it was
decided that we were to go abroad mother suggested to Mrs. Wharton that
she let Polly come over and join us later. She thought it would be
very much more apt to distract her attention than if she stayed on here
with nothing else to dream about."
"And what did Mrs. Wharton answer?" Esther queried, turning from her
own trunk and beginning to straighten out the confusion in her sister's.
"Oh, she wouldn't hear of it," Betty returned. "So sometimes I feel
pretty selfish at being so happy over our sailing. But just think, we
are going straight to Germany and dear old Dick! It seems a hundred
years since he went away. How strangely things have turned out! Here
are Miss McMurtry and my new father getting married, when I have been
predicting that they would, with no one believing me, ever since that
evening at the cabin. So they will be able to look after the house and
let the people stay on in it just as if mother and I were here, and
send us a check for the rent each month so that we will have enough to
live upon. But better than anything, Esther dear, is the wonderful
chance you will have for your music. You are going to study under one
of the greatest teachers in the world and not because of what your own
family believe about your talent, but because of what your teacher in
New York wrote the Professor." It was not often that Betty was able to
speak of Herr Crippen as father; Mr. Ashton had been her father too
long, and she had cared for him too much to be willing to give the
title to any one else. So "the Professor" and "Donna" were the names
she ordinarily bestowed upon her new parents.
"You must not expect too much of my singing, Betty," Esther replied in
her same shy, nervous fashion. "And, for goodness sake! don't write
your brother Dick that my voice has improved, or he will be
disappointed."
Betty laughed teasingly. "Oh, I have told him already that you were
greater than Melba and Farrar rolled into one. But never mind, Esther,
he will soon find out the real truth for himself. Isn't it too
splendid how happy mother is over our plans! She has not been so like
herself since father's death. And somehow instead of acting as if she
had given me up to the Professor as a daughter, she behaves far more as
if he had just presented her with you as well. I believe she feels it
helps to make up to you, Esther, for the years of loneliness--her being
able now to chaperon you, when you so much need to have your big
chance."
Esther was kneeling on the floor; but she turned her light blue eyes
appealingly upon her sister and her lips quivered, revealing her one
beautiful feature in the mobility of the lines of her mouth and in the
whiteness of her teeth.
"You must not expect too much of me, little sister, will you?" she
pleaded. "You know I have only consented to father's making this big
sacrifice for me so that we may all be abroad together, and you and
Mrs. Ashton have the rest and change you so much need. And then, of
course, I may be able to learn to sing well enough some day to earn the
money to buy you a Paris frock and hat," she ended with an attempt at
lightness.
However, Betty was not deceived, and getting up from her rocking chair,
she deliberately pushed Esther aside.
"For goodness sake! let me finish packing my own trunk, Esther
Crippen," she commanded. "Here I have been carefully trying to
cultivate an angelic character ever since I became a Camp Fire girl,
and in a few weeks of your spoiling you do away with the labor of
years."
Betty therefore was not looking up when some one tiptoed quietly into
the room, and, before she became conscious of her presence, dropped a
bunch of May blossoms under her eyes.
"There are two automobiles waiting before your door at the present
moment, children," Polly announced. "And John Everett suggested that I
tell you to get into your coats and hats at once. He came home for the
day; I've an idea he may have desired to say farewell to 'My Lady
Betty,' but I was given no such information. What I was told to say
was that he and Meg were giving an automobile ride in your honor and
that we were to end up by having our lunch at the cabin. They have
asked all the Camp Fire Club and some of John's friends, Billy
Webster," and Polly's face expressed her chagrin. "John has even
invited Anthony Graham, and the poor fellow has fixed himself up until
he is positively shining with cleanliness, though I am afraid he will
be cold in that shabby overcoat of his."
While Polly was chattering, she was assisting Betty to slip into her
new violet dress which had been made for the steamer crossing and
happily was lying ready and spread out upon the bed. And the next
instant she had pinned Esther's new blue _crêpe de chine_ blouse down
in the back, hurried them both into their heavy coats and hats, and was
ushering them out to their friends, who were impatiently awaiting their
coming.
No one of the little party forgot their May day together in the woods
and at the Sunrise Hill cabin for a long time to come. And among the
many kind things that were said to her in farewell, it was curious that
the speech made by Anthony Graham should make the deepest impression
upon Betty Ashton's mind.
He had asked her come away from her other friends for a few moments,
and they had walked to the edge of the group of pines not far from the
foot of Sunrise Hill. It was almost sunset, for no one had thought of
going home after the late luncheon was over.
Betty glanced about her rather wistfully. This particular bit of
country was dearer to her than any place in the world except her old
home and yet she was leaving it for an unknown land, to be away she
could not tell how long.
"Miss Ashton," Anthony began, "there will probably be a good many
changes in people and things before you come home again. And I am
hoping with all my strength that of the greatest changes will have
taken place in me. I mean that by that time you need not be ashamed of
having befriended me. It is pretty hard sometimes to climb a hill
along with other people when you have started so much nearer the bottom
than they have. But I feel now that I have made at least a fair start.
Judge Maynard told me yesterday that he believed I meant business and
that he would teach me all the law he knew and that he would see that I
wasn't far behind the fellows at the law schools when the time came for
my examinations."
Betty's face glowed with interest and enthusiasm and she gave her two
hands to the young man with the same friendliness which she had used in
his first call upon her.
"I am so glad, so glad!" she answered. "But please don't speak of my
feeling ashamed of you ever again. I know I was rather horrid to you
once and that afterwards you saved my life, or what perhaps means more
than one's life. Suppose we promise to repay our debts to each other
in some entirely new way when we meet after my return." Betty made her
idle speech with no special meaning attached to it. And although
Anthony agreed in much the same manner, it was possibly fortunate that
Betty did not observe his expression as he turned away and walked a few
paces ahead of her, gazing up toward the summit of Sunrise Hill. The
golden disk of the sun was at this instant resting upon it like the
crown of the world. And to Anthony it seemed none too beautiful or too
magnificent a gift to have laid at the feet of a gray-eyed Princess.
Voices were heard calling to them from the cabin, and a short while
after good-nights were said and Sunrise Cabin was once more left to
solitude and memories.
* * * * * *
The next volume of the Camp Fire Girls' Series will be known as "The
Camp Fire Girls Across the Seas." Several years will have intervened
between it and the previous book and the girls will be introduced under
very different influences and circumstances. Just how many of them
will have crossed the seas and for what purposes, and how the old Camp
Fire influence will still follow them, it is the plan of this story to
reveal.