CHAPTER XII
A WELCOME SHELTER
A piano stood open, and Daisy sat at it, striking a few chords of"Home, Sweet Home."
This made them all laugh, but Farnsworth said, reprovingly, "Come awayfrom that, Daisy. We have to enter this house to shelter ourselves, butwe needn't spoil their belongings unnecessarily."
Daisy pouted, but she came away from the piano, having already leftmany drops of water on its keys and shining rosewood case.
Patty smiled appreciatively at Bill's thoughtfulness, but said, withgrowing alarm:
"Where DO you suppose the people are? They MUST have heard us come in,even if they were sound asleep."
"It's pretty queer, I think," said Jack.
"Oh!" cried Daisy, "what do you mean? Do you think there's anythingWRONG?" and she began to cry, in sheer, hysterical fright anddiscomfort.
"It IS queer," agreed Bill, looking out into the hall, and listening.
Then Patty's practical good sense came to her aid.
"Nonsense!" she said. "You're an ungrateful bunch! Here you haveshelter from the storm, and you all begin to cry! Well, no," she added,smiling, "you boys are not exactly crying,--but if you were girls, youWOULD be! Now, behave yourselves, and brace up to this occasion! First,there's a fireplace, and here's a full woodbox. Build a roaring fire,and let's dry off a little. Meantime, I wish you two men would go overthe house, and find out who's in it. Daisy and I will stay here."
"_I_ won't stay here alone with Patty," sobbed Daisy, who was shakingwith nervous fear.
"There, there, Daisy," said Bill, "don't cry. I'll fix it. MissFairfield, you're a brick! Your ideas, as I shall amend them, are fine!Pennington, you stay here with the girls, and build the biggest fireyou can make. I'll investigate this domicile, and see if the family arereally the Seven Sleepers, or if they're surely afraid to comedownstairs, for fear we're burglars."
Patty flashed a glance of admiration at the big fellow, but she onlysaid:
"Go along, Little Billee; but hurry back and dry yourself before youcatch pneumonia."
Bill went off whistling, and Jack and Patty built a rousing fire. Thewoodbox was ample and well filled, and the fireplace, a wide one, andthe crackling flames felt most grateful to the wet refugees. Jackwanted to go after Farnsworth, but Daisy wouldn't hear of it, so hestayed with the girls. Soon Big Bill returned, smiling all over hisgood-natured face.
"Not a soul in the whole house!" he reported. "I've been all over it,from attic to cellar. Everything in good order; beds made up, and soforth. But no food in the larder, so I assume the family has gone awayfor a time."
"Well, of all funny situations!" exclaimed Patty. Cheered by thewarmth, her face was smiling and dimpling, and her drying hair wascurling in soft tendrils all over her head.
"Come to the fire, Little Billee, and see if you can't begin tocommence to dry out a little bit."
"I've just washed my hair, and I can't do a thing with it!" said BigBill, comically, as he ran his fingers through his thick mane of brown,wavy hair. "But, I say, this fire feels good! Wow! but I'm damp! I say,Pennington, I've been thinking."
"Hard?"
"Yes, hard. Now you must all listen to me. I expect opposition, but itdoesn't matter. What I'm going to say now, GOES! See?"
Bill looked almost ferocious in his earnestness, and Patty looked athim with admiration. He was so big and powerful, physically, and nowhis determined face and strongly set jaw betokened an equal mentalpower. "I'm at the head of this expedition, and in the presentemergency, my word is law!" He banged his clenched fist on the mantel,as he stood before the fire, and seemed fairly to challenge a reply.
"Well, go on," said Patty, laughing. "What's it all about?"
"It's just this. You two girls have got to stay in this house, ALONE,while Pennington and I walk back to Spring Beach, NOW!"
"Good gracious! What for?" exclaimed
Patty, while Daisy screamed, "I WON'T do it! I WON'T stay here alone!"
"Be quiet," said Bill, looking at Daisy sternly. "You MUST do as I say."
"You're right, Farnsworth," said Jack Pennington. "It's nearly oneo'clock, and we must start right off."
"Yes," agreed Bill. "Now, Miss Fairfield, I assure you, you will beperfectly safe here. It isn't a pleasant prospect, but there's nothingelse to be done. The house is securely fastened against intruders. Youcan lock the drawing-room doors on this side, so the broken window needcause you no uneasiness. We will walk back to 'Red Chimneys,' unless wecan get a lift somehow. But, at any rate, we will send a car back herefor you at the earliest possible moment."
"It IS the only thing to do," agreed Patty; "but I hate to have youboys start out so wet. Can't you borrow from your host's wardrobe?"
"Good idea!" laughed Bill. "I saw some men's raincoats in the hall. Ithink we will appropriate them, eh, Pennington?"
With very few further words, the two men took possession of raincoats,rubbers, and umbrellas belonging to their unknown hosts, and went outthrough the open, broken window into the night. It was still raining,but not so hard, and Bill called back cheerily, "Good-night, ladies,"as they tramped away.
"It's awful," Daisy whimpered, "to leave us two girls here alone andunprotected! I know we'll be robbed and murdered by highwaymen!"
"You're talking nonsense, Daisy," said Patty, sternly. "Now, look here,if you'll just be friendly and decent, we needn't have such a bad time,but if you're going to be cross and cry all the time, I shall simplylet you alone, and we'll have a horrid, uncomfortable time."
This straightforward, common-sense talk brought Daisy to her senses,and though she still looked petulant, she made no more cross or unkindspeeches.
"What are you going to do?" she enquired as Patty took off her chiffongown, and held it carefully before the fire. "That frock is ruined."
"Yes, I know, but I'm going to pick it out and make it look as decentas I can. I suppose I'll have to wear it home when I go. Take offyours, and I'll dry them both nicely. I'm good at this sort of thing.Here, I'll unhook it."
Daisy dropped her own party frock on the floor and showed littleinterest as Patty picked it up and daintily fingered its frills intosomething like shapeliness.
"Hunt around, Daisy," Patty said, knowing it best to keep the girloccupied. "Surely you can find something to put round our shoulders. Anafghan or even a table cover would do for a dressing jacket."
Slightly interested, Daisy went into the next room and returned withtwo lengths of brocaded silk.
"They're bookcase curtains," she explained. "I slipped the rings offthe pole. See, we can each have one."
"Good!" said Patty, draping the curtain round her shoulders, sontagfashion. "These are fine. Now, see, I'm getting your dress quite fluffyagain."
"So you are. I'll finish it, and you do your own. Aren't you going tobed, Patty?"
"No, not exactly. Suppose we sleep here. You take the couch, and I'lldoze in this big armchair."
"Are you--are you frightened, Patty?"
"N--no; NO! Of course I'm not! What's there to be afraid of?"
"Well--I am," and Daisy began to whimper, and then to cry.
"Daisy Dow! You stop that! I'd be all right if you'd behave yourself!Now, don't you get hysterical! If you do, I'll--I'll telephone for thedoctor! Oh, Daisy! the TELEPHONE! WHY didn't we think of that before?There MUST be one! Let's hunt for it."
Spurred by this new thought, Patty ran through the rooms in search of atelephone. She found one in the back part of the hall, but, alas, ithad been disconnected and was useless.
"Bill must have found that out," Patty said, thoughtfully; "and hedidn't tell us."
"Why not?" demanded Daisy. "Why wouldn't he tell us?"
"Because he's so thoughtful and considerate. I feel sure he thought itwould make us feel more lonely if we knew the telephone was there, butwouldn't work."
"Well, it does!" declared Daisy. "I'm so lonely and frightened andmiserable, I believe I'll die!"
"Oh, no, you won't," s
aid Patty, cheerfully. "Now, I'll tell you what,Daisy. You lie down on the couch,--here's a nice afghan to put overyou,--and I'll sing a little."
This sounded comfortable, so Daisy, now quite warm and dry, lay down,and after tucking the afghan over her, Patty went to the piano. Sheplayed a few soft chords, and then sang, softly, a crooning lullaby. Itis not surprising that under the influence of the soothing music, thewarm fire, and her own fatigue, Daisy soon fell sound asleep.
Assured of this, Patty left the piano, and sat in the big easy-chair infront of the fire. She thought over their escapade, and though it wascertainly serious enough, she smiled to herself as she thought of thehumorous side of it. It certainly seemed funny for Daisy and herself tobe alone in a big, handsome, strange house,--wrapped in other people'sbookcase curtains! Then she thought of Big Bill and Jack trudging milesand miles through the storm. What a splendid fellow Bill Farnsworthwas, anyhow! He had left no room for argument or even discussion; hehad decided there was but one way out of this situation, and he tookit. Jack had acquiesced, and had done as he was told, but Bill had beenthe moving spirit. What good sense he had shown! And with whatforgetfulness of self he had accepted his own hard part of theperformance. Of course the boys wouldn't have to walk all the way toSpring Beach. Of course they would manage somehow to get a conveyance,but Bill had not bothered about such details; he had seen his way, andhad walked straight out into it. Surely he was a splendid man,--a big,fine man,--and--he had taken her apple-blossom wreath,--and he had putit in his pocket,--because--because--
And even as she thought of Bill's confiscation of her flowers, Patty'sgolden head drooped a little, the long lashes fell over her blue eyes,and in the sheltering depths of the soft-cushioned chair, she fellsound asleep.
A few hours later she awoke. At first she couldn't realise where shewas, then, like a flash, the truth came to her. Greatly refreshed byher nap, she jumped up, smiling.
The fire was out, so she rekindled it, and proceeded to don her driedbut sadly wilted looking party dress. She hesitated a moment, and thenconcluded to wake Daisy, as a rescuing party might arrive at any minute.
Daisy sat up on her couch, and rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?" sheasked, not yet fully awake.
"I've no idea," said Patty, laughing. "I never wear my watch in theevening. But," and she looked from the window as she raised the blind,"I see streaks of pink, so that must be the east, and the sun is aboutready to rise. So up, up, Lucy, the sun is in the sky, or will be soon.And I'm sure our deliverers will soon come to rescue us from thisdurance vile!"
Patty was in high spirits now, and danced about the room while sheurged Daisy to get into her frock.
"Bookcase curtains are all very well for boudoir jackets," she said,"but not fit for appearance in polite society. See, your frock looksfairly well; a lot better than mine."
Sure enough the soft silk of Daisy's gown had stood its wetting muchbetter than Patty's chiffon, but they were both sad wrecks of thedainty costumes they had been the evening before.
Patty flung open the windows, and let in the cool morning air, and asshe stepped out on the veranda she cried, "Oh, Daisy, here they come!"
A big touring car was visible at a distance, and in a moment Patty sawthat Farnsworth himself was driving it.
"Hooray!" he called, as he came nearer, and Mona, who sat beside him,cried out, "Oh, Patty, Patty! Are you safe?"
"Safe? Of course I'm safe," said Patty, who despite her draggled dress,looked like the incarnation of morning as she stood on the veranda, hersweet face glad and smiling beneath its cloud of golden curls.
"Thank Heaven!" cried Big Bill, as he fairly flung himself out of hisdriver's seat and rushed up to her. He almost took her in his arms, butjust checked his mad impulse in time, and grasping both her hands,shook them vigorously up and down as he whispered, "Oh, my little girl!You never can know what it cost me to go off and leave you here alone!"His frank, honest blue eyes looked straight into her deep violet ones,and his glance told eloquently of his remorse and regret for themischief he had thoughtlessly brought about.
Patty understood at once all his unspoken message, and smiled a fulland free forgiveness.
"It's all right, Little Billee," she said, softly. "You were a brave,true friend, and I shall never forget your chivalry and true kindness."
A moment more he held her hands, gazing deep into her eyes, and thenturned abruptly to greet Daisy.
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