THEIR EYES ARE OPENED
As her cousins were not at all interested in what became of Helen during
the day, neither was Helen interested in how the three Starkweather girls
occupied their time. But on this particular afternoon, while Helen was
visiting Lurcher, and chatting with Sadie Goronsky on the sidewalk in
front of the Finkelstein shop, she would have been deeply interested in
what interested the Starkweather girls.
All three chanced to be in the drawing-room when Gregson came past the
door in his stiffest manner, holding the tray with a single card on it.
"Who is it, Gregson?" asked Belle. "I heard the bell ring. Somebody to see
me?"
"No, mem, it his not," declared the footman.
"Me?" said Hortense, holding out her hand. "Who is it, I wonder?"
"Nor is hit for you, mem," repeated Gregson.
"It can't be for _me_?" cried Flossie.
But before the footman could speak again, Belle rose majestically and
crossed the room.
"I believe I know what it is," she said, angrily. "And it is going to
stop. You were going to take the card upstairs, Gregson?"
"No, mem!" said Gregson, somewhat heated. "Hi do not carry cards above the
second floor."
"It's somebody to see Helen!" cried Flossie, clapping her hands softly and
enjoying her older sister's rage.
"Give it to me!" exclaimed Belle, snatching the card from the tray. She
turned toward her sisters to read it. But when her eye lit upon the name
she was for the moment surprised out of speech.
"Goodness me! who is it?" gasped Hortense.
"Jessie Stone--'Miss Jessie Dolliver Stone.' Goodness me!" whispered
Belle.
"Not the Stones of Riverside Drive--_the_ Stones?" from Hortense.
"Dud Stone's sister?" exclaimed Flossie.
"And Dud Stone is the very nicest boy I ever met," quoth Hortense,
clasping her hands.
"I know Miss Jessie. Jess, they all call her. I saw her on the Westchester
Links only last week and she never said a word about this."
"About coming to see Helen--it isn't possible!" cried Hortense. "Gregson,
you have made a mistake."
"Hi beg your pardon--no, mem. She asked for Miss Helen. I left 'er in the
reception parlor, mem----"
"She thinks one of us is named Helen!" cried Belle, suddenly. "Show her
up, Gregson."
Gregson might have told her different; but he saw it would only involve
him in more explanation; therefore he turned on his heel and in his usual
stately manner went to lead Dud Stone's sister into the presence of the
three excited girls.
Jessie by no means understood the situation at the Starkweather house
between Helen and her cousins. It had never entered Miss Stone's head, in
fact, that anybody could be unkind to, or dislike, "such a nice little
thing as Helen Morrell."
So she greeted the Starkweather girls in her very frankest manner.
"I really am delighted to see you again, Miss Starkweather," Jess said,
being met by Belle at the door. "And are these your sisters? I'm charmed,
I am sure."
Hortense and Flossie were introduced. The girls sat down.
"You don't mean to say Helen isn't here?" demanded Jess. "I came
particularly to invite her to dinner to-morrow night. We're going to have
a little celebration and Dud and I are determined to have her with us."
"Helen?" gasped Belle.
"Not Helen Morrell?" demanded Hortense.
"Why, yes--of course--your Cousin Helen. How funny! Of course she's here?
She lives with you; doesn't she?"
"Why--er--we have a--a distant relative of poor mamma's by that name,"
said Belle, haughtily. "She--she came here quite unexpectedly--er quite
uninvited, I may say. Pa is _so-o_ easy, you know; he won't send her
away----"
"Send her away! Send Helen Morrell away?" gasped Jess Stone. "Are--are we
talking about the same girl, I wonder? Why, Helen is a most charming
girl--and pretty as a picture. And brave no end!
"Why, it was she who saved my brother's life when he was away out
West----"
"Mr. Stone never went to Montana?" cried Flossie. "He never met Helen at
Sunset Ranch?"
"Be still, Floss!" commanded Belle; but Miss Stone turned to answer the
younger girl.
"Of course. Dud stopped at the ranch some days, too. He had to, for he
hurt his foot. That's when Helen saved his life. He was flung from the
back of a horse over the edge of a cliff and fortunately landed in the top
of a tree.
"But the tree was very tall and he could not have gotten out of it safely
with his wounded foot had not Helen ridden up to the brink of the
precipice, thrown him a rope, and swung him out of the tree upon a ledge
of rock. Then he worked his way down the side of the cliff while Helen
caught his horse. But his foot hurt him so that he could never have got
into the saddle alone; and Helen put him on her own pony and led the pony
to the ranch house."
"Bully for Helen!" ejaculated Flossie, under her breath. Even Hortense was
flushed a bit over the story. But Belle could see nothing to admire in her
cousin from the West, and she only said, harshly:
"Very likely, Miss Stone. Helen seems to be a veritable hoyden. These
ranch girls are so unfortunate in their bringing up and their environment.
In the wilds I presume Helen may be passable; but she is quite, quite
impossible here in the city----"
"I don't know what you mean by being 'impossible,'" interrupted Jess
Stone. "She is a lovely girl."
"You haven't met her?" cried Belle. "It's only Mr. Stone's talk."
"I certainly _have_ met her, Miss Starkweather. Certainly I know her--and
know her well. Had I known when she was coming to New York I would have
begged her to come to us. It is plain that her own relatives do not care
much for Helen Morrell," said the very frank young lady.
"Well--we--er----"
"Why, Helen has been meeting me in the bridle-path almost every morning.
And she rides wonderfully."
"Riding in Central Park!" cried Hortense.
"Why--why, the child has nothing decent to wear," declared Belle. "How
could she get a riding habit--or hire a horse? I do not understand this,
Miss Stone, but I can tell you right now, that Helen has nothing fit to
wear to your dinner party. She came here a little pauper--with nothing fit
to wear in her trunk. Pa _did_ find money enough for a new street dress
and hat for her; but he did not feel that he could support in luxury every
pauper who came here and claimed relationship with him."
Miss Stone's mouth fairly hung open, and her eyes were as round as eyes
could be, with wonder and surprise.
"What is this you tell me?" she murmured. "Helen Morrell a pauper?"
"I presume those people out there in Montana wanted to get the girl off
their hands," said Belle, coldly, "and merely shipped her East, hoping
that Pa would make provision for her. She has been a great source of
annoyance to us, I do assure you."
"A source of annoyance?" repeated the caller.
"And why not? Without a rag decent to wear. With no money. Scarcely
education enough to make herself intelligibly understood----"
Flossie began to giggle. But Jessie Stone rose to her feet. This volatile,
talkative girl could be very dignified when she was aroused.
"You are speaking of _my_ friend, Helen Morrell," she interrupted Belle's
flow of angry language, sternly. "Whether she is your cousin, or not, she
is _my_ friend, and I will not listen to you talk about her in that way.
Besides, you must be crazy if you believe your own words! Helen Morrell
poor! Helen Morrell uneducated!
"Why, Helen was four years in one of the best preparatory schools of the
West--in Denver. Let me tell you that Denver is some city, too. And as for
being poor and having nothing to wear--Why, whatever can you mean? She
owns one of the few big ranches left in the West, with thousands upon
thousands of cattle and horses upon it. And her father left her all that,
and perhaps a quarter of a million in cash or investments beside."
"Not Helen?" shrieked Belle, sitting down very suddenly.
"Little Helen--_rich_?" murmured Hortense.
"Does Helen really _own_ Sunset Ranch?" cried Flossie, eagerly.
"She certainly does--every acre of it. Why, Dud knows all about her and
all about her affairs. If you consider that girl poor and uneducated you
have fooled yourselves nicely."
"I'm glad of it! I'm glad of it!" exclaimed Flossie, clapping her hands
and pirouetting about the room. "Serves you right, Belle! _I_ found out
she knew a whole lot more than I did, long ago. She's been helping me with
my lessons."
"And she _is_ a nice little thing," joined in Hortense, "I don't care what
you say to the contrary, Belle. She was the only one in this house that
showed me any real sympathy when I was sick----"
Belle only looked at her sisters, but could say nothing.
"And if Helen hasn't anything fit to wear to your party to-morrow night, I
will lend her something," declared Hortense.
"You need not bother," said Jess, scornfully. "If Helen came in the
plainest and most miserable frock to be found she would be welcome.
Good-day to you, Miss Starkweather--and Miss Hortense--and Miss Flossie."
She swept out of the room and did not even need the gorgeous Gregson to
show her to the door.