The ride back to the city was like a dream to Shirley afterward. To
see the staid Mr. Barnard so excited, babbling away about her bravery
and exulting like a child over the recovery of the precious notes, was
wonder enough. But to feel the quiet protection and tender interest of
Sidney Graham filled her with ecstasy. Of course it was only kindly
interest and friendly anxiety, and by to-morrow she would have put it
into order with all his other kindlinesses, but to-night, weary and
excited as she was, with the sense of horror over her recent experience
still upon her, it was sweet to feel his attention, and to let his
voice thrill through her tired heart, without stopping to analyze it
and be sure she was not too glad over it. What if he would be merely a
friend to-morrow again! To-night he was her rescuer, and she would
rest back upon that and be happy.
"I feel that I was much to blame for leaving you alone to go to the
station with a bait like these notes in your possession," said Mr.
Barnard humbly. "Though of course I did not dream that there was any
such possibility as your being in danger."
"It is just as well not to run any risks in these days when the country
is so unsettled," said the detective dryly.
"Especially where a lady is concerned!" remarked Graham significantly.
"I suppose I should have taken Miss Hollister with me and left her in
the cab while I transacted my business at the War Department!" said
Barnard with self-reproach in his tones.
"They would have only done the same thing in front of the War
Department," said the detective convincingly. "They had it all planned
to get those notes somehow. You only made it a trifle easier for them
by letting the lady go alone. If they hadn't succeeded here, they
would have followed you to your home and got into your office or your
safe. They are determined, desperate men. We've been watching them
for some time, letting them work till we could find out who was behind
them. To-night we caught the whole bunch red-handed, thanks to the
lady's cleverness. But you had better not risk her alone again when
there's anything like this on hand. She might not come out so easy
next time!"
Graham muttered a fervent applause in a low tone to this advice,
tucking the lap robes closer about the girl. Barnard gave little
shudders of apology as he humbly shouldered the blame:
"Oh, no, of course not! I certainly am so sorry!" But Shirley
suddenly roused herself to explain:
"Indeed, you mustn't any of you blame Mr. Barnard. He did the
perfectly right and natural thing. He always trusts me to look after
my notes, even in the most important cases; and I heard the warning as
much as he did. It was my business to be on the lookout! I'm old
enough and have read enough in the papers about spies and ruffians. I
ought to have known there was something wrong when that boy ordered me
back and said Mr. Barnard had sent me word. I ought to have known Mr.
Barnard would never do that. I did know just as soon as I stopped to
think. The trouble was I was giving half my attention to looking at
the strange sights out of the window and thinking what I would tell the
folks at home about Washington, or I would not have got into such a
position. I insist that you shall not blame yourself, Mr. Barnard. It
is a secretary's business to be on her job and not be out having a good
time when she is on a business trip. I hadn't got beyond the city
limits before I knew exactly what I ought to have done. I should have
asked that boy more questions, and I should have got right out of that
car and told him to tell you I would wait in the station till you came
for me. It troubled me from the start that you had sent for me that
way. It wasn't like you."
Then they turned their questions upon her, and she had to tell the
whole story of her capture, Graham and Barnard exclaiming indignantly
as she went on, the detective sitting grim and serious, nodding his
approval now and then. Graham's attitude toward her grew more tender
and protective. Once or twice as she told of her situation in the old
house, or spoke of how the man dragged her along in the dark, he set
his teeth and drew his breath hard, saying in an undertone: "The
villain!" And there was that in the way that he looked at her that
made Shirley hasten through the story, because of the wild, joyous
clamor of her heart.
As soon as the city limits were reached, Graham stopped the car to
telephone. It was after eleven o'clock, and there was little chance
that George would have stayed at the phone so long, but he would leave
a message for the early morning at least. George, however, had stuck
to his post.
"Sure! I'm here yet! What'd ya think? Couldn't sleep, could I, with
_my sister_ off alone with a fella somewhere _being kidnapped_? What'd
ya say? Found her? She's all right? Oh, gee! That's good! I told
Carol you would! I told her not to worry! What'd ya say? Oh,
Shirley's going to talk? Oh, hello, Shirley! How's Washington? Some
speed, eh? Say, when ya coming home? To-morrow? That's good. No,
mother doesn't know a thing. She thinks I went to bed early 'cause I
planned to go fishing at sunrise. She went to bed herself early. Say,
Mister Graham's a prince, isn't he? Well, I guess I'll go to bed now.
I might make the fishing in the morning yet, if I don't sleep too late.
I sure am glad you're all right! Well, so long, Shirley!"
Shirley turned from the phone with tears in her eyes. It wasn't what
George said that made her smile tenderly through them, but the gruff
tenderness in his boy tones that touched her so. She hadn't realized
before what she meant to him.
They drove straight to the station, got something to eat, and took the
midnight train back to their home city. Graham had protested that
Shirley should go to a hotel and get a good rest before attempting the
journey, but she laughingly told him she could rest anywhere, and would
sleep like a top in the train. When Graham found that it was possible
to secure berths in the sleeper for them all, and that they would not
have to get out until seven in the morning he withdrew his protests;
and his further activities took the form of supplementing her supper
with fruit and bonbons. His lingering hand-clasp as he bade her
good-night told her how glad he was that she was safe; as if his eyes
had not told her the same story every time there had been light enough
for them to be seen!
Locked at last into her safe little stateroom, with a soft bed to lie
on and no bothersome notes to be guarded, one would have thought she
might have slept, but her brain kept time to the wheels, and her heart
with her brain. She was going over and over the scenes of the eventful
day, and living through each experience again, until she came to the
moment when she looked up to find herself in Sidney Graham's arms, with
her face against his shoulder. Her face glowed in the dark at the
remembrance, and her heart thrilled wildly sweet with the memory of his
look and tone, and all his carefulness for her. How wonderful that
_he_ should have come so many miles to find her! That he should have
been the one to find her first, with all those other men on the hunt.
He had forged ahead and picked her up before any of the others had
reached her. He had not been afraid to rush up to an armed villain and
snatch her from her perilous position! He was a man among men! Never
mind if he wasn't her own personal property! Never mind if there were
others in his own world who might claim him later, he was hers for
to-night! She would never forget it!
She slept at last, profoundly, with a smile upon her lips No dream of
villains nor wild automobile rides came to trouble her thoughts. And
when she woke in the home station with familiar sounds outside, and
realized that a new day was before her, her heart was flooded with a
happiness that her common sense found it hard to justify. She tried to
steady herself while she made her toilet, but the face that was
reflected rosily from the mirror in her little dressing room would
smile contagiously back at her.
"Well, then, have it your own way for just one more day!" she said
aloud to her face in the glass. "But to-morrow you must get back to
common sense again!" Then she turned, fresh as a rose, and went out to
meet her fellow travellers.
She went to breakfast with Sidney Graham, a wonderful breakfast in a
wonderful place with fountains and palms and quiet, perfect service.
Mr. Barnard had excused himself and hurried away to his home, promising
to meet Shirley at the office at half-past nine. And so these two sat
at a little round table by themselves and had sweet converse over their
coffee. Shirley utterly forgot for the time that she was only a poor
little stenographer working for her bread and living in a barn. Sidney
Graham's eyes were upon her, in deep and unveiled admiration, his
spirit speaking to hers through the quiet little commonplaces to which
he must confine himself in this public place. It was not till the meal
was over and he was settling his bill that Shirley suddenly came to
herself and the color flooded her sweet face. What was she better than
any other poor fool of a girl who let a rich man amuse himself for a
few hours in her company and then let him carry her heart away with him
to toss with his collection? She drew her dignity about her and tried
to be distant as they went out to the street, but he simply did not
recognize it at all. He just kept his tender, deferential manner, and
smiled down at her with that wonderful, exalted look that made her
dignity seem cheap; so there was nothing to do but look up as a flower
would to the sun and be true to the best that was in her heart.
She was surprised to find his own car at the door when they came out on
the street. He must have phoned for it before they left the station.
He was so kind and thoughtful. It was so wonderful to her to be cared
for in this way. "Just as if I were a rich girl in his own social
set," she thought to herself.
He gave his chauffeur the orders and sat beside her in the back seat,
continuing his role of admirer and protector.
"It certainly is great to think you're here beside me," he said in a
low tone as they threaded their way in and out of the crowded
thoroughfare toward the office. "I didn't have a very pleasant
afternoon and evening yesterday, I can tell you! I don't think we'll
let you go off on any more such errands. You're too precious to risk
in peril like that, you know!"
Shirley's cheeks were beautiful to behold as she tried to lift her eyes
easily to his glance and take his words as if they had been a mere
commonplace. But there was something deep down in the tone of his
voice, and something intent and personal in his glance that made her
drop her eyes swiftly and covered her with a sweet confusion.
They were at the office almost immediately and Graham was helping her
out.
"Now, when will you be through here?" he asked, glancing at his watch.
"What train were you planning to take down to the shore? I suppose
you'll want to get back as soon as possible?"
"Yes," said Shirley, doubtfully, "I do. But I don't know whether I
oughtn't to run out home first and get mother's big old shawl, and two
or three other little things we ought to have brought along."
"No," said Graham, quickly, with a flash of anxiety in his face. "I
wouldn't if I were you. They'll be anxious to see you, and if it's
necessary you can run up again sometime. I think you'll find there are
lots of shawls down at the cottage. I'm anxious to have you safely
landed with your family once more. I promised Carol you'd be down the
first train after you got your work done. How long is it going to take
you to fix Mr. Barnard up so he can run things without you?"
"Oh, not more than two hours I should think, unless He wants something
more than I know."
"Well, two hours. It is half-past nine now. We'll say two hours and a
half. That ought to give you time. I think there's a train about
then. I'll phone to the station and find out and let you know the
exact time. The car will be here waiting for you."
"Oh, Mr. Graham, that's not a bit necessary! You have taken trouble
enough for me already!" protested Shirley.
"No trouble at all!" declared Graham. "My chauffeur hasn't a thing to
do but hang around with the car this morning and you might as well ride
as walk. I'll phone you in plenty of time."
He lifted his hat and gave her a last look that kept the glow in her
cheeks. She turned and went with swift steps in to her elevator.
Sidney Graham dropped his chauffeur at the station to enquire about
trains and get tickets, with orders to report at his office within an
hour, and himself took the wheel. Quickly working his way out of the
city's traffic he put on all possible speed toward Glenside. He must
get a glimpse of things and see that all was going well before he went
to the office. What would Shirley have said if she had carried out her
plan of coming out for her mother's shawl? He must put a stop to that
at all costs. She simply must not see the old barn till the work was
done, or the whole thing would be spoiled. Strange it had not occurred
to him that she might want to come back after something! Well, he
would just have to be on the continual lookout. For one thing he would
stop at a store on the way back and purchase a couple of big steamer
rugs and a long warm cloak. He could smuggle them into the cottage
somehow and have the servants bring them out for common use as if they
belonged to the house.
He was as eager as a child over every little thing that had been
started during his absence, and walked about with the boss carpenter,
settling two or three questions that had come up the day before. In
ten minutes he was back in his car, whirling toward the city again,
planning how he could best get those rugs and cloaks into the hands of
the housekeeper at the shore without anybody suspecting that they were
new. Then it occurred to him to take them down to Elizabeth and let
her engineer the matter. There must be two cloaks, one for Shirley,
for he wanted to take her out in the car sometimes and her little scrap
of a coat was entirely too thin even for summer breezes at the shore.
Shirley met with a great ovation when she entered the office. It was
evident that her fame had gone before her. Mr. Barnard was already
there, smiling benevolently, and Mr. Clegg frowning approvingly over
his spectacles at her, The other office clerks came to shake hands or
called congratulations, till Shirley was quite overwhelmed at her
reception. Clegg and Barnard both followed her into the inner office
and continued to congratulate her on the bravery she had shown and to
express their appreciation of her loyalty and courage in behalf of the
firm. Mr. Barnard handed her a check for a hundred dollars as a slight
token of their appreciation of her work, telling her that beginning
with the first of the month her salary was to be raised.
When at last she sat down to her typewriter and began to click out the
wonderful notes that had made so much trouble, and put them in shape
for practical use, her head was in a whirl and her heart was beating
with a childish ecstasy. She felt as if she were living a real fairy
tale, and would not ever be able to get back to common every-day life
again.
At half-past eleven Graham called her up to tell her there was a train
a little after twelve if she could be ready, and the car would be
waiting for her in fifteen minutes.
When she finally tore herself away from the smiles and effusive thanks
of Barnard and Clegg and took the elevator down to the street she found
Sidney Graham himself awaiting her eagerly. This was a delightful
surprise, for he had not said anything about coming himself or
mentioned when he would be coming back to the shore, so she had been
feeling that It might be some time before she would see him again.
He had just slammed the door of the car and taken his seat beside her
when a large gray limousine slowed down beside them and a radiant,
well-groomed, much-tailored young woman leaned out of the car, smiling
at Graham, and passing over Shirley with one of those unseeing stares
wherewith some girls know so well how to erase other girls.
"Oh, Sidney! I'm so glad I met you!" she cried. "Mother has been
phoning everywhere to find you. We are out at our country place for a
couple of weeks, and she wants to ask you to come over this afternoon
for a little tennis tournament we are having, with a dance on the lawn
afterward."
"That's very kind of you, Harriet," said Graham pleasantly, "but I
can't possibly be there. I have an engagement out of town for this
afternoon and evening. Give my regards to your mother, please, and
thank her for the invitation. I know you'll have a lovely time, you
always do at your house."
"Oh, that's too bad, Sidney!" pouted the girl. "Why will you be so
busy! and in the summer-time, too! You ought to take a vacation!
Well, if you can't come to-night, you'll run down over the week-end,
won't you? We are having the Foresters and the Harveys. You like
them, and we simply can't do without you."
"Sorry," said Graham, smilingly, "but I've got all my week-ends filled
up just now. Harriet, let me introduce you to Miss Hollister. Miss
Hale, Miss Hollister!"
Then did Harriet Hale have to take over her unseeing stare and
acknowledge the introduction; somewhat stiffly, it must be
acknowledged, for Harriet Hale did not enjoy having her invitations
declined, and she could not quite place this girl with the lovely face
and the half-shabby garments, that yet had somehow an air of having
been made by a French artist.
"I'm sorry, Harriet, but we'll have to hurry away. We're going to
catch a train at twelve-fifteen. Hope you have a beautiful time this
afternoon. Remember me to Tom Harvey and the Foresters. Sorry to
disappoint you, Harriet, but you see I've got my time just full up at
present. Hope to see you soon again."
They were off, Shirley with the impression of Harriet Hale's smile of
vinegar and roses; the roses for Graham, the vinegar for her.
Shirley's heart was beating wildly underneath her quiet demeanor. She
had at last met the wonderful Harriet Hale, and Graham had not been
ashamed to introduce her! There had been protection and enthronement
in his tone as he spoke her name! It had not been possible for Miss
Hale to patronize her after that. Shirley was still in a daze of
happiness. She did not think ahead. She had all she could do to
register new occurrences and emotions, and realize that her joy was not
merely momentary. It had not occurred to her to wonder where Graham
was going out of town. It was enough that he was here now.
When they reached the station Graham took two large packages out of the
car, and gave some directions to the chauffeur.
"Sorry we couldn't have gone down in the car again," he said as they
walked into the station, "but it needs some repairs and I don't want to
take as long a run as that until it has been thoroughly overhauled."
Then he was going down too! He had declined Harriet Hale's invitation
to go back to the cottage with her! Shirley's breath came in little
happy gasps as she walked beside her companion down the platform to the
train.
She found herself presently being seated in a big green velvet chair in
the parlor car while the porter stowed away the two big packages in the
rack overhead.