CHAPTER XXV
ON THE DECK OF THE SAN SALVADOR
Mr. Richard Gordon sent several telegrams before the train arrived, andthey were all of importance. One recovered Betty's locket, for, informedof the circumstances by this telegram, the lawyer in Washington sent hisclerk to Mrs. Staples and showed her in a very few words that she wascoasting very close to the law by keeping the little platinum and diamondlocket.
"So," said Betty to Bobby, "if the lawyer gets it--and Uncle Dick says hewill--I can wear the locket to parties at the school."
"If Mrs. Eustice allows it," said her chum grimly. "You know, she's downon jewelry. Remember how she got after Ada Nansen and Ruth Gladys Royalfor wearing so much junk?"
"My goodness!" giggled Betty, "what would she say to you if she heard youuse such an expression? Anyway, I am going to show her Uncle Dick'spresent and ask her. I know the beautiful diamond earrings Doctor and Mrs.Guerin sent me can't be worn till I grow up a bit. But my locket is justright."
It was a noisy crowd that boarded the train; and it continued to be anoisy crowd to the junction where it broke up. All the young folks wouldhave been glad to go with Uncle Dick and Ida Bellethorne to New York; buthe sent all but Betty and Bob on to school. They would reach the Shadysidestation soon after daybreak the next morning, and Mr. Gordon hadtelegraphed ahead for the school authorities to be on the look-out forthem.
Betty and Bob, with Uncle Dick and the English girl, left the train at thejunction and boarded another for New York City in some confidence ofreaching their destination in good season.
The train, however, was late. It seemed merely to creep along for milesand miles. Luckily they had secured berths, and while they slept thedelayed train did most of its creeping.
But in the morning they were dismayed to find that they were already twohours late and that it would be impossible for the train to pick up thosetwo hours before reaching the Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
"Now, hold your horses, young people!" advised Mr. Gordon. "We are notbeaten yet. The _San Salvador_ does not leave her dock until eleven at theearliest. It may be several hours later. I have wired to Miss Bellethorneaboard the ship and in care of the Toscanelli Opera Company as well. I donot know the hotel at which Miss Bellethorne has been staying."
"But, Uncle Dick!" cried Betty, who seemed to have thought of every chancethat might arise, "suppose Ida's aunt wants to take her along to Brazil?Her passport----"
"Can be vised at the British consulate on Whitehall Street in a very fewminutes. I have examined Ida's passport, and there is no reason why thereshould be any trouble over it at all. She is a minor, you see, and if heraunt wishes to assume responsibility for her no effort will be made tokeep her in the country, that is sure."
"Then it all depends upon Ida's aunt," sighed Betty.
"And our reaching the dock in time," amended Uncle Dick. "I would not wishto interfere with Miss Bellethorne's business engagement in Rio Janeiro;but I am anxious for her to authorize me, on behalf of her niece, to getlegal matters in train for the recovery of that beautiful mare. I believethat she belongs--every hair and hoof of her--to our young friend here.There has been some trickery in the case."
"Oh, Uncle Dick!" shrieked Betty.
"When I went to see that poor little cripple Hunchie Slattery he told methat the very papers that were given to Mr. Bolter with the horse mustprove Ida's ownership at one time of the mare. There was some kind of aquit-claim deed signed by her name, and that signature must be a forgery.
"The horse could never have been sold in England, for the Bellethornestable was too well known there. The men who grabbed the string of horsesleft when Ida's father died are well-to-do, and Mr. Bolter will be able toget his money back, even if he has already paid the full price agreed uponfor Ida Bellethorne.
"I am convinced," concluded Uncle Dick, "that the girl has somethingcoming to her. And it may even pay Miss Bellethorne to remain in theUnited States instead of going to Rio Janeiro until the matter of theblack mare's ownership is settled beyond any doubt."
When the train finally reached New York, Uncle Dick did not even delay totry to reach the dock by telephone. He bundled his party into a taxicaband they were transported to the dock where the _San Salvador_ lay.
A steward seemed to be on the look-out for the party, and addressed UncleDick the moment he alighted from the cab.
"Mr. Gordon, sir? Yes, sir. Madam Bellethorne has received your wire andis waiting for you. I have arranged for you all to be passed through theinspection line. The steamship, sir, is delayed and will not sail untilnext tide."
"And that is a mighty good thing for us," declared Mr. Gordon to hischarges.
His business card helped get them past the inspectors. It is not easy toboard a ship nowadays to bid good-bye to a sailing friend. But in tenminutes or so they stood before the great singer.
She was a tall and handsome woman. Betty at first glance saw that Ida, theniece, would very likely grow into a very close resemblance to MadamBellethorne.
The woman looked swiftly from Betty to Ida and made no mistake in heridentification of her brother's daughter. Ida was crying just a little,but when she realized how close and kindly was her aunt's embrace sheshook the drops out of her eyes and smiled.
"Father wanted I should find you, Aunt Ida," she said. "He wrote a letterto you and I have it. I think it was the principal thing he thought ofduring his last illness--his misunderstanding with you."
"My fault as much as his," Madam Bellethorne said sadly. "We were bothproud and high-tempered. But no more of this now. Something in thisgentleman's long telegram to me----"
She bowed to Mr. Gordon. He quickly stated the matter of the black mare'sownership to the singer.
"If you will come to the British consulate where Ida's passport must bevised, and sign there a paper empowering me to act in your behalf, youassuming the guardianship of Ida, I can start lawyers on the trail of thisswindle."
Miss Bellethorne was a woman of prompt decision and of a business mind,and immediately agreed. She likewise saw that her niece had made powerfulfriends during the weeks she had been in America and she was content toallow Mr. Gordon to do the girl this kindness.
It was a busy time; but the delay in the sailing of the _San Salvador_made it possible for everything necessary to be accomplished. Uncle Dickand Betty and Bob accompanied the Bellethornes aboard the ship again andhad luncheon with them. Ida cried when she parted with Betty; but it wouldbe only for the winter. When the opera company returned to New York it wasalready planned that the younger Ida Bellethorne should join the friendsof her own age she had so recently made at Shadyside School.
It was an astonishing sight for Betty and Bob to see the great shipworried out of her dock by the fussy little tugs. It was growing dark bythat time and the great steamship was brilliantly lighted. They watcheduntil she was in midstream and was headed down the harbor under her ownsteam.
"There! It's over!" sighed Betty. "I feel as if a great load had beenlifted from my mind. Dear me, Bob! do you suppose we can ever again haveso much excitement crowded into a few hours?"
As Betty was no seeress and could not see into the future she of coursedid not dream that in a very few weeks, and in very differentsurroundings, she would experience adventures quite as interesting as anywhich had already come into her life. These will be published in the nextvolume of this series, entitled: "Betty Gordon at Ocean Park; or, GayDoings on the Boardwalk."
Bob shook his head at Betty's last observation. "Does seem as though wemanage to get hooked up to lots of strange folks and strange happenings.Certain metals attract lightning, Betty, and I think you attractadventures. What do you say, Uncle Dick?"
Mr. Gordon only laughed. "I say that you young folks had better havesupper and a long night's rest. I shall not let you go on to school untilto-morrow. For once you will be a day late; but I will chance explainingthe circumstances to your instructors."
They got into the taxicab again and bowl
ed away up town. The lights cameup like rows of fireflies in the cross streets. When they struck into thefoot of Fifth Avenue at the Washington Arch the globes on thatthoroughfare were all alight. It was late enough for the traffic to havethinned out and their driver could travel at good speed save when the redlights flashed up on the traffic towers.
"Isn't this wonderful?" said Betty. "Libbie is always enthusing aboutpretty views and fairylike landscapes. What would she and Timothy say tothis?"
"Something silly, I bet," grumbled Bob. "Cricky! but I'm hungry," provingby this speech that he had a soul at this moment very little above mundanethings.
Uncle Dick chuckled in his corner of the car, and made no comment. AndBetty said nothing further just then. The brilliant lights of the avenuewere shining full in her face, but her thoughts were far away, with IdaBellethorne on that ocean-going steamer bound for South America. What awonderful winter of adventures it had been!
"And the best of it is, it all came out right in the end," murmured thegirl softly to herself.
Betty Gordon at Mountain Camp; Or, The Mystery of Ida Bellethorne Page 25