CHAPTER XV
SOME RECORDS
"_Sur le pont D'Avignon,On y dansait, on y dansait, Sur le pont D'Avignon,On y dansait tout le rond_!"
Patty's sweet, clear soprano notes rang out gaily as she trilled thelittle song she had picked up in France.
"What a pretty thing," cried Elise, "teach it to me, do, Patty."
"All right, I will. But there's a record of it,--my singing,--for thephonograph. You'll learn it better from that."
"All right; Chick, come and find the record for me."
The two went into the library, leaving the others on the porch.
It was Sunday afternoon, and everybody was idle and happy. Patty was agood hostess and did not bother her guests by over-entertaining them.
But at Wistaria Porch there was always enough to do, if any one wantedto do it,--and delightful lounging places, if one were indolentlyinclined.
Searching among the catalogued records, Chick easily found the one Elisewanted.
"What a lot of records they have of the baby's voice!" he exclaimed.
"Yes," Elise assented, "they make them on all occasions. Patty's keepingthem for her, when she grows up. Clever idea."
"Yes, but she'll have to build a town hall to keep them in! The childhasn't begun to talk yet, but here are dozens--"
"Oh, well, they'll weed them out. Some of them are awful cunning,--andone is a first-class crying spell! They never could get but one ofFleurette crying, she's such a good-natured kiddy. All right,Chick,--start it off."
They listened to the pretty little _chanson_, and repeated it untilElise felt satisfied she had added it to her repertory.
Just as she finished Betty Gale came flying in.
"Skip into your togs, Elise, and come for a drive with us," she said."I've corralled Bill and Patty,--and Ray wants you,--and I," she lookedsaucily at Channing, "I want Mr. Chick."
"We're with you to the last ditch!" Channing replied and Elise went offfor her hat.
"Shall I put away these records?" Chick asked looking at several theyhad been using.
"No," said Betty, carelessly, "Patty has hordes of minions who do suchthings. Leave them, and get your duster on. We're off,--_pronto_!"
"Where's Azalea?" Raymond Gale inquired, as, a few moments later, he hadhis merry party in his car, and took hold of the wheel.
"She and Van Reypen went for a long walk," Farnsworth replied. "And themarried Farringtons have gone back to town, so this is all ourparty--for the moment."
"All right; here we go, then." And the big car rolled down the driveway.
"I hesitated about going," Patty demurred, "for it's Winnie's Sundayout, and I had to leave baby with Janet. I've never done it before."
"Oh, well," Betty laughed, "she'll probably sleep till you get back.Don't babies always sleep all the afternoon?"
"Not always, but Fleurette often does. Oh, of course, she'll be allright"
"And Azalea isn't there," she added, in a low tone to her husband.
And indeed, just then, Azalea was far away from there.
She and Phil had gone for the sort of walk they both loved,--alongwoodland paths, cross-lots, now and then back on the highroad, and ifthey got too far to walk back, prepared to return by train or trolley.
The two were congenial spirits, which fact had rather surprised VanReypen's friends. For he was a conservative, fastidious aristocrat, andthough Azalea's rough edges had been rubbed down a bit by Patty'straining, she was still of a very different type from the Van Reypenstock.
But they both loved the open, and they strode along, chatting or silentas fitted their mood.
"What's in your mind just now, Brownie?" he asked, as Azalea lookedthoughtful.
"Why,--a queer sort of a notion. Did you ever have a premonition,--asort of feeling that you ought to do something--"
"A hunch?"
"Yes; a presentiment that unless you do what you're told to do, there'llbe trouble--"
"Who told you?"
"That's just it. Nobody,--except a--oh, a mysterious force, a--justan impulse, you know."
"Obey it if you like. May I go, too?"
"Well, it's this. Just before we turned that last corner a motor passedus, you know."
"Yes, I saw it. One of Farnsworth's,--with some of the servants in it."
"It was. Patty gives them rides in turn. Now, Winnie the nurse was in,and so it must be her Sunday out. And, of course, Patty is home therewith the baby,--she never leaves her if Winnie's away, but still--I feelas if I must go home to look after that child!"
"Is that all? Let's go, then. We can walk back as well as to go on."
"But,--don't laugh, now,--I feel we ought to hurry. Let's take thetrolley-car,--it isn't far to the line."
"You sure have got a hunch! But your will is my law. Wish we were near agarage,--I'm not a bit fond of Sunday trolley riding!"
"I'm not either,--but, Phil, you're awful good not to laugh at me."
"Bless your soul, I've no notion of laughing at you! Your presentimentmay be the real thing,--for all I know. Anyway, if you want to go home,you're going."
So go they did, and, by the trolley-car route, arrived at the house inhalf an hour.
As they passed the Gales' place, on their way from the car-line to thehouse, Van Reypen said, "Guess I'll stop here a minute if you don'tmind. I left my pet pipe here yesterday. Skip along home, and I'llfollow."
Azalea went on and was surprised to find the house deserted.
She went straight to the nursery, and found Fleurette in the care ofJanet, who was substitute nurse in Winnie's absence.
"Everything all right, Janet?" said Azalea.
"Yes, Miss Thorpe. Baby's had her milk, and I think she'll soon go tosleep."
"She doesn't look much like it now," and Azalea smiled at the gurgling,laughing child, who was wide awake and in frolicsome mood.
"Where's Mrs. Farnsworth?" Azalea asked.
"She went motoring with Miss Gale. They all went,--and all the help havegone too. I'm alone in the house with the baby."
"Glad I came home, then. Mr. Van Reypen is here too, and I think I'lltake Fleurette down on the porch for half an hour. When she gets sleepyI'll bring her up here."
"Very well, Miss Thorpe. I'll be here."
Janet busied herself about the nursery and Azalea went downstairs withthe baby in her arms.
On the vine-shaded porch they sat, and as Van Reypen stayed chattingwith some of the Gale family, Azalea and the baby were each other's solecompanions.
Their conversation was a little one-sided, but Azalea's remarks weremostly eulogies and compliments and Fleurette's engaging smiles seemedto betoken appreciation if not acknowledgment.
A footstep approaching made Azalea look up.
Before her stood Mr. Merritt, the assistant director of the filmcompany.
"Good afternoon, Miss Thorpe," he said, politely; "I see the little oneis in a sunshiny mood."
"Yes;" Azalea returned, but her very soul quaked with fear. Well sheknew what was in this man's mind.
"And so, I'm going to ask you to run over to the studio just a fewminutes and give us one more chance at a good picture of that scene."
"And I'm going to refuse," Azalea returned with spirit. "You know verywell, Mr. Merritt, that I'm not going to let you pose this child again."
"I know you _are_,--and mighty quick, too," he retorted, in a low voice,but tones of great determination. "I know everybody is out,--you arepractically alone in the house, and I know you're coming withme,--willing or not! It won't hurt the baby a mite,--I've my little carout in the road,--and if you _don't_ consent,--I'll--"
He voiced no threat, but Azalea felt pretty sure he meant to take thebaby himself if she refused to go with them.
She thought quickly, but no avenue of escape could she see. It would beutterly useless to call Janet, for she was a nervous, timid girl, andwould probably run away at sight of this strange man.
The nursery, too, was on the other si
de of the house, and she couldn'tmake Janet hear if she tried.
The Gale house also was on the other side of the Farnsworth house, andso, indeed, if Azalea chose to call for help, it would do no good.Doubtless Phil would be along shortly, but there was no telling, forthere was always a merry crowd on the Gale's piazza and he would staythere talking for a time.
But Merritt was impatient, and he finally broke out with; "Make up yourmind, please, and quickly. Will you bring the baby quietly, or shall Ijust--take her along."
He held out his arms to Fleurette, who, always ready to make friendswith strangers, smiled and leaned toward him.
Azalea had wild thoughts of running away,--anywhere,--but she knew thefutility of such a plan. Merritt was a big and strong man, and thoughAzalea was a swift runner, she could not get a start without hisintervening.
She tried pleading. She appealed to his manliness, his kindness, hisgenerosity,--all with no success.
"Don't talk rubbish," he said, shortly; "you know as well as I do, itwon't hurt the child. In fact, I came to get her to-day, myself, becauseI knew her nurse was out,--and I saw you go off,--and later, all therest of the bunch. If _you_ hadn't come back,--confound you! I'd havehad that child over there by this time!"
Azalea gasped. So her premonition had been a true one after all! Hadshe not returned, Merritt would have easily overcome Janet and taken thebaby off with him. She knew they would not harm Fleurette,--indeed,would be most careful of her. Unless, perhaps, they should give hersoothing-sirup again. Well they'd get no chance, for Azalea wasdetermined the baby should not be taken from her, and she most certainlywas not going herself.
"You know what it will mean to you," Merritt threatened; "if I so adviseBixby, he'll throw you over. How'd you like to lose your job now thatyou've just begun to make good?"
"That's nothing to do with it," Azalea said, trying to speak calmly andnot show how frightened she was.
But Merritt discerned it.
"All right," he said, "sorry you won't listen to reason,--but since youwon't,--guess I'll have to use force."
He took hold of Fleurette's little arm, to lift her from Azalea's lap,and the touch roused the girl's wrath to boiling point.
"Don't you dare!" she cried, holding the baby tightly. "Leave,--leave atonce! or I'll call for help!"
She rose, as if to make good her threat, though she knew there was nohelp within call.
Merritt knew it too, and he laughed at her.
"Stop this nonsense, now," he commanded roughly. "I'm going toaccomplish what I came here for, so you may as well take it quietly. Ican take the child without a whimper from her,--and you know it! So, whynot be sensible and come along too, and look out for her yourself?"
"You shall not take her!" Azalea looked like an angry tigress.
"Gee! Wish I had you on the screen like that! You're some picture!"
"Please, Mr. Merritt," Azalea tried coaxing again, "please believeme,--I can't take Fleurette again. Her mother--why, Mr. Merritt, youhave children of your own--"
"Sure I have! That's how I know how to treat 'em so well. If mine wereonly small enough, I wouldn't need this little cutie. Well, here goes,then!"
This time he laid such a definite hold on the baby, that Azalea couldscarcely keep the child in her own arms.
In her utter desperation, a new idea struck her. She would try strategy.
"Oh, don't!" she cried, "rather than have you touch her, I'll go--I'lltake her. Let me get her cap and coat."
"Where are they?" he asked, suspiciously.
"Right here, in the library,--just across the hall."
"Go on, then,--I trust you, 'cause I think you're sensible. I'd go alongand keep you in sight, but I want to keep watch if anybody comes. Butyou sing, or whistle or something, so's I'll know you're right there."
"All right," and Azalea's heart beat fast, for she had a splendidscheme.
Into the library she carried Fleurette, singing as she went, and once inthe room, she put the baby on a chair and flew for the record rack.
Quickly she found the record of the baby's crying spell and put it inplace in the phonograph.
Then, picking up Fleurette, she set the needle going and hurried fromthe room.
Merritt, hearing the cries, screams and sobs, scowled with anger at thebaby's fit of ill temper, but never dreamed that it was not really thechild crying at all.
So Azalea had ample chance to escape by a back door from the library,and crossing the dining-room went out on a side porch that faced theGale place.
Looking carefully to see that Merritt had not followed her, andlistening a moment to learn how much longer the record,--of which sheknew every familiar sound,--would last, she ran with all the speed ofwhich she was capable over to the Gales'.
Van Reypen was just taking leave, and he, as well as the others present,looked in amazement at the flying figure coming nearer and nearer untilAzalea reached the group.
"Take her," she said to Mrs. Gale, as she gave her the baby, "keep hersafe--_safe_!"
And then Azalea went flying back.
The record was finished,--and with the sudden stop of the child's cryingMerritt had started into the library to see what it meant.
There Azalea found him, and she faced him bravely.
"That baby is safe," she said, "where you can't get at her! And now Iwill tell you what I think of _you_! You are a thief and a scoundrel!You don't deserve to be allowed to carry on a reputable business! Idon't want any further connection with you or your company. I am proudto be fired from such a lot of bandits as you people are!"
So angry was she, and so unguarded as to what she was saying that shefairly flung the words at him.
For a moment he was stunned at her wild tirade, and then his artistinstinct was stirred,--for the picture she made was beautiful anddramatic. She had no thought of this, for she was in earnest, and herwhole soul was up in arms at thought of the threatened abduction ofFleurette. And, so, knowing that the child was safe with Mrs. Gale, shelet the vials of her wrath pour forth on the villain who had so arousedit, and her voice was raised in scathing obloquy.
"All right!" Merritt said, as she paused from sheer want of breath,"I'll take my beating, if you'll go over to the studio with me andrepeat this scene. Let me pose you while you're in this humour,--you'llnever reach such heights again!"
"Nor will I ever pose for you again! I'm through with you,--all ofyou, and all the moving-picture business! I was warned to keep out ofit,--but I didn't know what wretches I would find in it! Go! Go at once!and never let me see your face again!"
It was at this moment that the Gale motor party returned.
Patty and Bill, hearing Azalea's loud tones, rushed to the library andfound her there with Merritt.
"Where's Baby?" Patty cried, starting for the stairs.
"She's safe, Patty," Azalea said, stopping her. "She's all right,--she'sover to Mrs. Gale's."
"Mrs. Gale's!" and Patty flew off like the wind, caring for nothing butthe assurance of her own eyes that Fleurette was safe.
"Help me, Bill," said Azalea, going toward Farnsworth, "you said once,you'd defend me."
"I will, dear. What's this all about? Who are _you_?" He addressedMerritt quietly, but with a fire in his blue eyes that was disturbing.
"Merritt, of the Flicker Film Company, very much at your service," andthe man drew a card from his pocket and presented it.
"Well, Mr. Merritt, leave at once, and never return. I don't care foryour explanations or excuses. Simply _go_."
Merritt went.
"Is that right, Zaly?" Bill said, as the crestfallen visitor left them."I didn't want any words with him,--for I might have lost my temper. I'drather have the story from you."
"And I'll tell it to you,--all. But, oh, Bill, I'm so _glad_ Fleuretteis all right!"
"She is _so_!" and Patty came dancing on, with the smilingest child inthe world. Van Reypen followed, and then the whole crowd drew togetheranxious to know what the commotion was all ab
out.
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