CHAPTER II
FREDA'S STORY
"Well, are we all here?"
"Count noses!"
"Did anybody lose anything?"
"If it's a pocketbook it's mine!"
"Especially if it has money in it!"
Thus the motor girls, and their boy friends, sent merry quip and jestback and forth as they found seats in the coach, and settled down forthe trip to Crystal Bay. Cora, after making sure that the girls hadcomfortable seats, and noting that Jack had pre-empted the placebeside Marita, leaned over Bess and whispered:
"I'm going back in the next car for a little while."
"What for?"
"Did you lose anything?" asked Belle, who overheard what Cora said.
"No, but you saw me talking to that girl on the platform; didn't you?"
"Yes, and I wondered who she was," remarked Bess.
"She was Freda Lewis."
"Freda Lewis! Why, I never would have known her!"
"Nor I!" added Belle. "How she has changed! Of course you were moreintimate with her than we were, Cora; but she certainly doesn't seemto be the same girl."
"She isn't," replied Cora. "She and her mother are in trouble--financialtrouble. I'm going back and talk to her. I want to help her if I can."
And while Cora is thus bent on her errand of good cheer, it may not beout of place, for the benefit of my new readers, to tell a littlesomething more about the characters of this story, and how theyfigured in the preceding books of this series.
To begin with the motor girls, there were three of them, thoughfriends and guests added to the number at times. Somehow, in speakingof the motor girls, I always think of Cora Kimball first. Perhaps itis because she was rather of a commanding type. She was a splendidgirl, tall and dark. Her mother was a wealthy widow, who for someyears had made her home in the quiet New England town of Chelton,where she owned valuable property. And, while I am at it, I mightmention that Jack was Cora's only brother, the three forming theKimball household.
Bess and Belle Robinson were twins, the daughters of Mr. and Mrs.Perry Robinson. Mr. Robinson was a wealthy railroad man, associatedwith large metropolitan interests.
Bess, Belle and Cora had been chums since their motoring days began,when Cora had been given a car, and, after some persuasion, Mr.Robinson also had bought one for his daughters.
I think I have already intimated that Bess was plump and rosy--alittle too plump, she herself admitted at times. Her sister was justthe opposite--tall and willowy, so that the two formed quite acontrast.
Marita Osborne was a newcomer in Chelton, who had soon won her wayinto the hearts of the motor girls, so much so that Cora had invitedher to come to the bungalow at Crystal Bay.
Each year Cora and her chums sought some new form of Summer vacationpleasure, and this time they had decided on the seashore, in a quietrather old-fashioned resort, which the girls, on a preliminaryinspection trip, had voted most charming. In fact they went into suchraptures over it that Jack and his chums had decided to go there also.So the boys and girls would be together.
Speaking of the boys, the two who will come in for the mostconsideration will be Walter Pennington and Ed Foster. Walter wasperhaps a closer chum of Jack's than was Ed, the former attendingExmouth College with Jack, where, of late, Ed had taken apost-graduate course. Ed was considered quite a sportsman, and wasfond of hunting and fishing.
The first book of this series, entitled "The Motor Girls," tells howCora became possessed of her car, the _Whirlwind_, and what happenedafter she got it. In that powerful machine she and her girls chumsunraveled a mystery of the road in a manner satisfactory to themselvesand many others.
When the motor girls went on a tour, they made a strange promise--orrather Cora did--and how she kept it you will find fully set forth inthe second volume. In the third you may read of the doings of thegirls at Lookout Beach, where came two runaways whom Cora befriended.The runaways were two girls--but there, I must not spoil the story foryou by telling you their secret.
Going through New England in their cars, the motor girls had a strangeexperience with the gypsies, as set forth in the fourth volume. Corawas in dire straits for a time, but with her usual good luck, and hergood sense, she finally turned the situation to the advantage ofherself and her chums.
Motoring so appealed to the girls that when they got the chance tochange from the land to the water they eagerly took it. Cora becamethe owner of a fine motor boat, and in the story "The Motor Girls onCedar Lake," you may read of what she and her friends did with theircraft. The hermit of Fern Island had much to be thankful for, aftermeeting Cora, who did him a great service.
Longing for wider waters in which to display their skill as amateurmotor-boatists, the girls went to the coast the Summer following theirexperiences on Cedar Lake, and there they found the waif from the sea.Again did Cora and her chums take advantage of an opportunity tobefriend an unfortunate.
The experiences of that Summer were talked of nearly all of thefollowing Winter. Now warm weather had come again, and with it thedesire to be flitting to a watering place. Crystal Bay, as I havesaid, was selected, and of the start for that place I have alreadytold.
Cora, walking back through the coaches, looking from side to side forFreda, found herself wondering what had caused the sudden change inher former companion.
"She was considered well-off at school," murmured Cora, as she saw herfriend half way down the second coach, "but she never appeared fond ofmoney. Now the loss of it seems to have changed her terribly. I wonderif it can be--just money?"
Cora reached the seat where Freda was, with her face turned toward thewindow.
"Well, I am here, you see," announced Cora, pleasantly. "I left themto shift for themselves a while. They do seem to depend so much onme."
"That's because you are always doing things for others," said Freda,and there was a suspicious brightness in her eyes.
"Then I hope I can do something for you!" exclaimed Cora, earnestly."Come, Freda, dear, tell me your troubles--that is, if you would liketo," she added quickly, not wishing to force a confidence for whichthe other might not be ready.
"Oh, Cora, dear, of course you know I want to--it isn't that! Only Idon't like to pile my worries on you."
"Go on--it always helps to tell someone else. Who knows but what I mayhelp you. Is it a real worry, Freda?"
"So real that sometimes I am afraid to think about it!"
There was no mistaking the girl's fear. She looked over her shoulderas though she expected to see some unpleasant object, or person.
"Suppose you begin at the beginning," suggested Cora, with a smile."Then I'll know what we are talking of."
"I don't know what the beginning was," said Freda slowly, "but I canalmost see the--ending," and she seemed to shiver. "But where are yougoing, Cora, you and your friends?" she asked. "I must not be selfishand talk only about myself."
"We are going to Crystal Bay."
"Crystal Bay! How odd, just where mother is, and where I am going.Then I shall see you often."
"I hope so," murmured Cora. "We have a cute little bungalow, and theboys--my brother and his chums--will use a tent. But I want to hearmore about your trouble. Really, Freda, you do look quite ill."
"Perhaps that is partly because I have been traveling all night. It isalways so wearying. But my chief cause of anxiety is for mother. Sheis really on the verge of a breakdown, the doctor says. Oh, ifanything happens to her----"
"Don't think of it," urged Cora. "Perhaps it will help you if you tellme some particulars."
"I will," said Freda, bravely. "It is this way. My grandfather was apioneer land-owner of a large tract at Crystal Bay. It came to us,after papa died, and we lived well on the income from it, for therewas much farm land besides the big house we lived in. But a month orso ago a big land company, that wants to get our property for afactory site, filed a claim against us, saying we had no good title tothe estate. They said certain deeds had not been filed, and that we
were only trespassers, and must get off."
"And did you go?" asked Cora, with deep interest.
"Not yet, but I am afraid we'll have to. You see these men took thematter to court. They got an injunction, I think it is called. Anyhow,it was some document that forbade the people who rent the land from usfrom paying us any more money until the case was settled. And, as wedepend on the rents for our living--well, you see we haven't anyliving now, to speak of," and Freda tried to smile through her tears.
"Oh, that's a shame!" cried Cora, impulsively. "And can nothing bedone?"
"We have tried, mother and I. But we really have no money to hirelawyers, and neither have any of what few friends and relations thereare left. I have just been on a quest of that kind, but it was notsuccessful.
"There are supposed to be some documents--deeds, mortgages, orsomething like that, in existence, and if we could only get hold ofthem we might prove our claim, and force the men to let us have ourrent money again. But until we get those papers----"
Freda paused suggestively.
"Oh, I wish I could think of a way to help you!" murmured Cora. "I cansee you have been suffering!"
"I don't mind so much about myself," said Freda, bravely, "but I amreally more worried about mother than I am about the property. Ifworst came to worst I could go to work, but mother has taken so toheart the actions of the land sharks! She never was strong, you know.You met her; did you not?"
"I think not, but perhaps I may have done so. Now, Freda, I am goingto help you!"
Cora spoke enthusiastically.
"Are you? How?" asked the other, eagerly.
"I don't just know how, but I am. First I'm going to think this over,and then I'm going to talk about it with Jack. He has a friend--EdFoster--who knows something about law. We may be able to get ahead ofthese land sharks yet."
"Oh, I hope so!" gasped Freda, with a fond look at Cora. "It is sogood of you to bother with poor me."
"And why shouldn't I?" asked Cora. "You look as though you neededbothering with. Take care that you don't break down, too, Freda."
"I shall keep up. I must, for mother's sake. Oh, but those men werepositively brutal when they told her she had no right to grandfather'sproperty! But it has done me good to talk to you, Cora dear."
"I am glad of it. You look better already. Now wouldn't you like tocome forward and meet some of the girls? You know the Robinson twins,anyhow."
"Yes, I know them. But I don't want to see anyone just yet. Later on,perhaps. I just want to rest, and think. It was awfully good of you tocome to me. We shall see each other at Crystal Bay."
"Oh, indeed we shall. Well, then, if you won't come I'll go back to myfriends. Now don't forget--I'm going to help you, Freda!"
"Oh, that's so good of you! I feel more hope and courage now. I--Ifeel like--fighting those land sharks!" and Freda clenched her littlehands as though the struggle to come would be a physical one.
With a reassuring pat on Freda's shoulder Cora left her friend, to goto her chums in the other coach. She found them about to organize asearching party to look for her, and they clamored for the reason forher desertion.
She told them something of Freda's story, and Ed Foster promised totalk the matter over with Mrs. Lewis later, and see if he could giveany legal aid.
"It's too bad!" exclaimed Bess. "There ought to be a law to punishsuch men."
"There probably are laws," said Cora, "but the trouble is there are somany laws that bad men can often use them for their own ends."
"Bravo, Portia. A Daniel come to judgment!" cried Ed. "With you on herside, Freda is sure to win!"
But, though the motor girls tried to be merry, the little cloud ofFreda's trouble overshadowed them all the way to Crystal Bay.
The Motor Girls on Crystal Bay; or, The Secret of the Red Oar Page 2