CHAPTER XIJASON JONES IS FRIGHTENED
When Alora had retired to her bedroom that night Mary Louise told toher grandfather, who was her trusted confidant, all that the unhappygirl had related.
"Of course," she added, "Alora's explanations dispel my half formedsuspicion that there is some mystery about Jason Jones. I now see thatyou were right, Gran'pa Jim, to laugh at me when I suggested such athing, for in truth the man is easily understood once you becomeacquainted with his history. However, I now dislike him more thanever."
"In justice to Jason Jones," remarked the old Colonel, "we must acquithim of being a hypocrite. He doesn't attempt to mask his nature and astranger is bound to see him at his worst. Doubtless Antoinette Seaverunderstood the man better than we are able to and sixteen years ago, orso, when he had youth, talent and ambition, his disagreeablecharacteristics were probably not so marked. As for Alora, she isstrongly prejudiced against her father and we must make due allowancefor her bitterness. The feeling probably arose through her suddentransfer from the care of a generous and loving mother to that of anungracious father--a parent she had never before known. A child ofeleven is likely to form strong affections and passionate dislikes."
"Do you know," said Mary Louise, "it shocks me, this hatred of herfather. It seems so unnatural. I wish we could bring them to understandone another better, Gran'pa Jim."
"That might prove a difficult task, my dear," he replied with a smile,gently stroking her hair the while, "and I do not think we arejustified in undertaking it. How many times during our travels, MaryLouise, has your impulsive and tender heart urged you to assume theburdens of other people? You seem to pick up a trail of sorrow orunhappiness with the eagerness of a bloodhound and I have all I can doto call you off the scent. One small girl can't regulate the world, youknow, and in this case we are likely to see very little of Alora Jonesand her artist father. We will be nice to them during the few days weare here, but we must soon move on or we'll never get home for yourbirthday, as we have planned."
Mary Louise sighed.
"You're almost always right, Gran'pa Jim," she admitted; "but in allour European travels I've not met so interesting a person as Alora, andshe's an American girl, which draws us still closer together. I'm goingto make her promise that when she's of age and her own mistress shewill let me know, and come to us for a visit. Wouldn't that be allright, Gran'pa?"
He assured her it would be quite proper and that he also admired Aloraand was sorry for her.
On Sunday forenoon they went to the cathedral and in the afternoon tooka boat to the blue grottoes. In the evening there was a concert in thehotel. All that day the two girls were arm in arm and chattingtogether, developing their mutual liking, while the old Colonel trudgedalong in their wake and was generally ignored in the conversation. OnMonday they planned an excursion to Capri, "For you won't mind if wedon't get you home until after dinner, will you?" asked Mary Louise.
"Not at all," said Alora. "I want to make the most of this vacation."
"Her father may mind, however," suggested the Colonel.
"I don't care whether he does or not," retorted the girl, tossing herhead. "He has no consideration for me, so why should I consider him?"
"I don't like that attitude, dear," said Mary Louise frankly. "I--Idon't wish to be snippy, you know, but you should not forget that he isyour father."
"That," replied Alora doggedly, "is merely my misfortune, and I'm notgoing to allow it to ruin all my life."
On Monday morning they had scarcely finished breakfast when Jason Jonesappeared at the hotel, having driven over from the villa in his littleautomobile--a tiny foreign contrivance that reminded one of a child'scart but could cover the ground with considerable speed. They weresitting on the big piazza when Alora's father came striding up to themwith a white, fear-struck face. In his trembling hands he held themorning Naples newspaper and without a word of greeting he saidabruptly:
"Have you heard the news?"
Colonel Hathaway rose and bowed.
"Good morning, Mr. Jones," said he. "I do not read the localnewspapers, for my knowledge of Italian is indifferent."
"So is mine," responded the artist, "but I know enough of their lingoto make out that Italy has entered this fool war. She's going to fightthe Austrians," he continued, his voice shaking nervously, "and do youknow what that will mean, sir?"
"I can't imagine," replied the Colonel calmly.
"It means that presently we'll have all that horde of Germansoverrunning Italy. They'll conquer this helpless land as sure as fate,and we'll all be burned out and tortured and mutilated in the fiendishGerman way!"
"My dear sir, you are frightened without warrant," declared ColonelHathaway. "It will take some time to conquer Italy, and I cannotimagine the Austrians acting as you suggest."
"Back of the Austrians are the Germans, and those Prussians are worsethan wild American Indians," insisted Jones. "If they got theirclutches on my daughter it would be more horrible than death and Idon't propose to leave her in danger a single minute. I'm going to quitthis country. I've come for Alora. We must pack up and catch the firstship from Naples for America."
There was blank silence for a moment.
"I'm not afraid," said Alora, with a laugh, "but if it means ourgetting out of this tiresome place and sailing for home, I'm glad thatItaly's gone into the war."
Colonel Hathaway was grave and thoughtful. The agitation of the artistseemed to increase with every moment.
"When does the next boat for America leave Naples?" asked Mary Louise.
"Tuesday," said Alora's father. "We've just time to pack ourpossessions and leave."
"Time!" cried his daughter, "why, I can pack all my possessions in anhour. Go home, sir, and fuss around as much as you like. I'll join yousome time this evening."
He gave her a queer look, hesitating.
"We are surely safe enough for the present," remarked the Colonel. "Thefirst act of war will be to send all the soldiers to the north border.The fighting will be done in the Trentino for some time to come."
"You don't know these people," said Jones, shifting uneasily from onefoot to another. "They're all brigands by nature and many of them byprofession. As soon as the soldiers are sent north, all law and orderwill cease and brigandage will be the order of the day!"
"This is absurd!" exclaimed the Colonel, testily. "You're not talkingsense."
"That's a matter of opinion, sir; but I know my own business, and I'mgoing to get out of here."
"Wait a week longer," suggested Mary Louise. "We are to sail ourselveson the boat that leaves Naples a week from Tuesday, and it will be nicefor Alora and me to travel home together."
"No; I won't wait. Get your things, Alora, and come with me at once."
"Have you made reservations on the boat?" inquired Colonel Hathaway,refusing to be annoyed by the man's brusque words and rough demeanor.
"I'll do that at once, by telephone. That's one reason I came over.I'll telephone the steamship office while the girl is getting ready."
"I will go with you," said the Colonel, as the artist turned away.
While Jones used the telephone booth of the hotel Colonel Hathawayconversed with the proprietor, and afterward with the hall porter, whowas better posted and spoke better English.
"This is outrageous!" roared the artist, furiously bursting from thebooth. "To-morrow's boat is abandoned! The government requires it as atransport. Why? Why? Why?" and he wrung his hands despairingly.
"I do not know, sir," returned the Colonel, smiling at his futilepassion.
The smile seemed to strike Jones like a blow. He stopped abruptly andstared at the other man for a full minute--intently, suspiciously. Thenhe relaxed.
"You're right," said he coldly. "It's folly to quarrel with fate. I'vebooked for a week from Tuesday, Hathaway, and we must stick it out tillthen. Do you take the same boat?"
"That is my intention."
"Well, there's no objection. Now I'll go get Alora."<
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But Alora, hearing of the postponed sailing, positively refused toreturn home with him, and Mary Louise, supporting her new friend, urgedher to extend her stay with her at the hotel. Strangely enough, themore he was opposed the more quiet and composed the artist became. Heeven ceased to tremble and an odd apathy settled over him.
"The hall porter," said the Colonel, "thinks this is the safest placein Italy. The troops have been on the border for months and theirpositions are strongly fortified. There is no brigandage outside ofSicily, where the Mafia is not yet wholly suppressed."
Jones grinned rather sheepishly.
"All right, take his word for it," said he. "And if you'll beresponsible for the girl you may keep her till we're ready to sail.Perhaps that's the best way, after all." Then, without a word ofgood-bye, he entered his little motor car and started down thedriveway.
"A strange man," said the Colonel, looking after him. "I wonder if itreally was the war that frightened him--or something else--or if he wasactually frightened at all?"
Alora laughed.
"You can't guess father, try as you may," she said. "Usually he is coldas ice, but once in awhile he gets these wild fits, which I find ratheramusing. You can't understand that, of course, but if you were obligedto live under the same roof with Jason Jones you would welcome hisoutbursts as relief from the monotony of contemptuous silence."
Mary Louise Solves a Mystery Page 12