CHAPTER VIII
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Mollie Thurston was not well the next day. She stayed in bed andexplained that her head ached. And Harriet Hamlin behaved very strangely.She was shut up in the room with Mollie for a long time; when she cameout Mollie's eyes were red, and Harriet looked white as a sheet. Butneither of the girls would say what was the matter.
Just before the hour for starting to the White House reception, Molliegot out of bed and insisted on dressing.
"I am afraid you are not well enough to go out to-night, Mollie," Babprotested. "I hope you won't be too disappointed. Shall I stay at homewith you?"
Mollie shook her head obstinately. "I am quite well now," she insisted."Bab, would you mind leaving me alone while I dress? I do feel nervous,and I know Ruth and Grace won't care if you go into their room."
"All right, Mollie," Barbara agreed cheerfully, wondering what hadcome over her little sister. "Call me when you wish me to button yourgown. I have put the yellow one out on the lounge, if you shoulddecide to wear it."
When Mollie was left alone two large tears rolled down her cheeks. Onceshe started to crawl back into bed and to give up the receptionaltogether. But, after a while, she walked over to her closet and drewout a great box. With trembling fingers Mollie opened it and gazed inupon the exquisite blue frock that had already caused her so muchembarrassment and regret.
Should she wear the frock that night? Mollie Thurston asked herself. Andwhat would Bab say when she saw it? For Mollie had not yet mustered upthe courage to make her confession. Well, come what might, Mollie decidedto wear her new frock this one time. She had risked everything to own it,so she might as well have this poor pleasure.
When Mollie joined Mr. Hamlin and the other girls downstairs a long partycape completely concealed her gown.
Mr. Hamlin did not keep a private carriage; so, as long as Ruth'sautomobile was in Washington, he decided to take his party to the WhiteHouse in Ruth's car.
The girls were ready early, for Mr. Hamlin explained to them that theywould have to take their position in the line of carriages that slowlyapproached the White House door, and that sometimes this procession wasnearly a mile in length.
"I suppose you girls won't mind the waiting as much as we older peopledo, because you always have so much to say to each other. And perhapsthis is my best chance to learn to know you better. I have been so busythat I have seen little of you during your visit to Harriet."
But Mollie and Harriet were strangely silent, and Bab felt absolutelytongue-tied before Mr. Hamlin. Fortunately, Grace and Ruth sat on eachside of him.
"Mr. Hamlin," Grace asked timidly, "would you mind telling me what arethe duties of the Secretary of State? Washington is like a new, strangeworld to us. I have learned the titles of the different members of thePresident's Cabinet, but I have not the faintest idea what they do.Mollie and I looked over the cards of the guests who came to yourreception. Some of the cards just read: 'The Speaker,' 'The Chief ofStaff,' 'L'Ambassadeur de France,' without any personal names at all."
Mr. Hamlin seemed pleased. The stern, half-embarrassed expression, thathe usually wore before the girls relaxed a little at Grace's eagerquestioning.
"I am glad, Miss Carter, to find you take an interest in Washingtonaffairs," he answered. "It is most unusual in a young girl. I wishHarriet cared more about them, but she seems devoted only to society."Mr. Hamlin sighed under his breath. "Yes; it is the custom for theofficials in Washington to put only the titles of their office on theirvisiting cards. You are sure you wish to know the duties of the Secretaryof State? I don't want to bore you, my child."
Grace nodded her head eagerly.
"Well, let me see if I can make it plain to you. The Secretary of Statehas charge of all the correspondence between the foreign countries andtheir representatives in the United States," Mr. Hamlin continued. "Doyou understand?"
"I think I do," Grace answered hesitatingly, while Bab leaned over fromthe next seat to see if she could understand what Mr. Hamlin wasexplaining.
"The Secretary of State also receives all kinds of information from theconsuls and diplomatic officers, who represent the United States abroad,"Mr. Hamlin went on. "Sometimes this information is very important andvery secret. It might bring on serious trouble, perhaps start a war withanother country, if some of these secrets were discovered. The Secretaryof State has other duties; he keeps the Great Seal of the United States.But my chief business as Assistant Secretary is just to look after theimportant private correspondence with all the other countries."
"Father," exclaimed Harriet, "why are you boring the girls to deathwith so much information? They don't understand what you mean. I havebeen living in Washington for four years, and I have not half an ideaof what your duties are. But thank goodness, we have arrived at theWhite House at last!"
Their motor car had finally drawn up before the entrance to the ExecutiveMansion at the extremity of the eastern wing. The house was a blaze oflights; the Marine Band was playing a national air.
Harriet, who was familiar with all the rules that govern the President'sreceptions, quickly marshaled her guests into the lobby, where they hadto take off their coats and hats.
Bab was so overcome at the enormous number of people about her, that shedid not see Mollie remove her cape.
Mollie slipped quietly into a corner, and was waiting by Harriet's side,when Harriet called the other girls to hurry up the broad stairs to thevestibule above, where the guests were forming in line to enter thereception room.
Barbara, Ruth and Grace gave little gasps of astonishment when theyfirst beheld Mollie. If little Mollie Thurston's heart was heavy withinher on this brilliant occasion, she held her pretty head very high. Theworry and excitement had given her a slight fever; her cheeks were a deepcarmine and her eyes glittered brightly.
"Why, Mollie! What a vision you are!" exclaimed Ruth and Grace together."Where did you get that wonderful gown? You have been saving it tosurprise us to-night, haven't you?"
But Bab did not say a single word. She only looked at Mollie, her facepaling a little with surprise and curiosity. How had Mollie come by agown that was more beautiful than anything Bab had ever seen her sisterwear? Barbara knew Mollie had not had the gown when they left hometogether, for she had packed her sister's trunk for her. But this was notthe time to ask questions. Bab's mind was divided between the wonder anddelight she felt at the scene before her, and amazement at Mollie'ssecret. "I do hope," she thought, as she followed Mr. Hamlin up thesteps, "that Mollie has not borrowed that gown of Harriet. But no; itfits her much too well. Some one must have given it to her as a presentand she has kept the secret until to-night to surprise me."
The "Automobile Girls" stood behind Mr. Hamlin and Harriet in the greatvestibule just outside the famous Blue Room of the White House, wherethe President and his wife were waiting to receive their guests. Theline was moving forward so slowly that the girls had a chance to lookabout them. Never had any one of them beheld such a beautiful spectacle.Of course the "Automobile Girls" had been present at a number ofreceptions during their brief social careers, but for the first timeto-night they saw men in other than ordinary evening dress. Thediplomats from other countries wore their superb court costumes with theinsignia of their rank. The American Army and Navy officers had on theirbright full dress uniforms.
Bab thought the Russian Ambassador the most superb looking man she hadever seen, and Mollie blushed when Lieutenant Elmer Wilson bowedgallantly to her across the length of the hall.
When the girls first took up their positions in the line, they believedthey would never grow weary of looking about them. But by and by, as theywaited and the number of people ahead of them only slowly decreased, theygrew tired.
A girl passed by Barbara and smiled. It was Marjorie Moore. She wasnot going to try to shake hands with the President. She had a notebook and a pencil in her hand and was evidently bent on business.Barbara also caught a glimpse of Peter Dillon, but he did not co
me upto speak to them.
Mr. Hamlin's charges at last entered the Blue Room. The President and hisreceiving party stood by a pair of great windows hung with heavy silkportieres.
It was now almost time for the "Automobile Girls" to shake hands with thePresident. They were overcome with nervousness.
Harriet was next to her father; Bab stood just behind Harriet, followedby Ruth, Grace and Mollie.
"You are just supposed to shake hands with the President, not to talk tohim," Harriet whispered. "Then the President's wife is next and you maygreet the other women in the receiving line as you pass along. TheVice-President's wife stands next to the President's wife and the ladiesof the Cabinet just after her."
Bab watched Harriet very carefully. She was determined to make nofalse moves.
Finally, Barbara heard her name announced by the Master of Ceremonies.She felt her heart stop beating for a moment, and the color mount to hercheeks. The next moment her hand was clasped in that of the President ofthe United States.
Barbara said a little prayer of thankfulness when she had finishedspeaking to all the receiving ladies. She felt glad, indeed, when Mr.Hamlin drew her behind a thick blue silk cord, where the President'sspecial guests were talking in groups together. Bab then watched Ruth,Grace and Mollie go through the same formality.
Now nobody had ever warned Mollie that it was not good form to speak tothe President before he spoke to her. She thought it was polite to makesome kind of a remark when she was introduced to him. So all the way upthe line she had been wondering what she ought to say.
As the President took Mollie's little hand he bent over slightly. For avery small voice said, "I like Washington very much, Mr. President."
The President smiled. "I am glad you do," he answered.
A little later, Mr. Hamlin took the girls through all the stateapartments of the White House. One of these rooms was less crowded thanthe others. Groups of Mr. Hamlin's friends were standing about laughingand talking together. Barbara was next Mr. Hamlin when she happened toglance toward a far corner of the room. There she saw her newspaperfriend. The girl made a mysterious sign to Barbara to come over to herand to come alone. But Bab shook her head.
Still she felt the girl's eyes on her. Each time she turned, MarjorieMoore again made her strange signal. Once she pointed significantlytoward a group of people. But Bab only saw the broad back of the littleChinese Minister and the stately form of the Russian Ambassador. Thetwo men were talking to a number of Washington officials whose namesBarbara did not even know. Of course, Marjorie Moore's peculiar actionscould not refer to them. But to save her life Bab could not find anyone else nearby.
Womanlike, Barbara's curiosity was aroused. What could the girl want withher? Evidently, her news was a secret, for Miss Moore did not come nearMr. Hamlin's party and Bab simply could not get away without offeringsome explanation to them.
Barbara was growing tired of the reception. She had been introduced to somany people that her brain was fairly spinning in an effort to remembertheir names. Again Bab looked across at Miss Moore. This time thenewspaper girl pointed with her pencil through a small open door, nearwhich she was standing. Her actions said as plainly as any words couldspeak: "Follow me when you have a chance. There is something I must tellyou!" The next instant Marjorie Moore vanished through this door and waslost to sight.
A few minutes later Bab managed to slip over to that side of the room.She intended merely to peep out the open door to see whether Miss Moorewere waiting for her in the hall. Bab carefully watched her opportunity.Mr. Hamlin and the girls were not looking. Now was her chance. She wasjust at the door, when some one intercepted her.
"Ah! Good evening, Miss Thurston," said a suave voice.
Barbara turned, blushing again to confront the Chinese Minister lookingmore magnificent than ever in his Imperial robes of state.
The young girl paused and greeted the official. Still the ChineseMinister regarded her gravely with his inscrutable Oriental eyes thatseemed to look her through and through. He seemed always about to ask hersome question.
Of course, Barbara was obliged to give up her effort to follow MarjorieMoore, though she was still devoured with curiosity to know what the girlhad wished to say to her. The next ten minutes, wherever Bab went, shefelt the Chinese Minister's gaze follow her.
It was not until Barbara Thurston discovered that the Oriental gentlemanhad himself withdrawn from the reception room that she mustered up asufficient courage to try her venture the second time.
"Miss Moore, of course, is not expecting me now," Barbara thought. "Butas I have a chance, I will see what has become of her."
Bab peeped cautiously out through the still open door. She saw only anempty corridor with a servant standing idly in the hall. Should she goforward? No; Barbara did not, of course, dare to wander through the WhiteHouse halls alone. She was too likely to find herself in some place towhich visitors were not admitted.
The servant who waited in the hall saw Barbara hesitate, then turn back.He leaned over and whispered mysteriously: "You are to come to the doorat the west side, which opens on the lawn. The young woman left a messagethat she would wait for you there."
"But I don't know the west side," Bab faltered hesitatingly, feeling thatshe ought to turn back, yet anxious to go on.
"The young woman said it was most important for her to see you; I canshow you the way to the west door," the man went on.
Barbara now quickly made up her mind. Marjorie Moore was only a girl likeherself. If she needed her or if she wanted to confide in her, Bab meantto answer the summons.
Bab found the portico deserted. There was no one in sight.
Down on the lawn, some distance ahead, she thought she saw a figuremoving. Barbara drew her chiffon scarf more closely over her shouldersand ran quickly out into the garden without thinking. It was, of course,Marjorie Moore ahead of her. But Bab had not gone far, when the figuredisappeared, and she realized her own foolishness. She must get back intothe White House in a hurry before any one found out what she had done.
It was exceedingly dark out on the lawn in contrast with the brilliantillumination of the house, and Barbara was running swiftly. She had begunto wonder what explanation she could make if Harriet or Mr. Hamlin askedwhere she had been. As usual, Barbara was repenting a rash impulse toolate. She ran obliquely across the yard in order to return in a greaterhurry. Between a clump of bushes set at some distance apart her feetstruck against something soft and heavy and Bab pitched forward acrossthe object.
Automobile Girls at Washington; Or, Checkmating the Plots of Foreign Spies Page 8