III
Jasper took dinner with us that night. He came across the lawn, freshlyshaved and in clean white flannels, just as dinner was announced, andsaid he had seen a chocolate cake cooling on the kitchen porch and thatit was a sort of unwritten social law that when the Baileys happened tohave a chocolate cake at dinner they had him also.
There seemed to be nothing to object to in this. Evidently he was right,for we found his place laid at the table. The meal was quite cheerful,although Jasper ate the way some people play the piano, by touch, withhis eyes on Bettina. And he gave no evidence at dessert of a fondnessfor chocolate cake sufficient to justify a standing invitation.
After dinner we went out on the veranda, and under cover of showing me asunset Jasper took me round the corner of the house. Once there, heentirely forgot the sunset.
"Miss Lizzie," he began at once, "what have I done to you to have youtreat me like this?"
"I?" I asked, amazed.
"All three of you. Did--did Bettina's mother warn you against me?"
"The girl has to be chaperoned."
"But not jailed, Miss Lizzie, not jailed! Do you know that I haven't hada word with Bettina alone since you came?"
"Why should you want to say anything we cannot hear?"
"Miss Lizzie," he said desperately, "do you want to hear me propose toher? For I've reached the point where if I don't propose to Bettinasoon, I'll--I'll propose to somebody. You'd better be warned in time. Itmight be you or Miss Aggie."
I weakened at that. The Lord never saw fit to send me a man I could careenough about to marry, or one who cared enough about me, but I couldn'tlook at the boy's face and not be sorry for him.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked.
"Come for a walk with us," he begged. "Then sprain your ankle or gettired, I don't care which. Tell us to go on and come back for you later.Do you see? You can sit down by the road somewhere."
"I won't lie," I said firmly. "If I really get tired I'll say so. If Idon't--"
"You will." He was gleeful. "We'll walk until you do! You see it's likethis, Miss Lizzie. Bettina was all for me, in spite of our differing onreligion and politics and--"
"I know all about your differences," I put in hastily.
"Until a new chap came to town--a fellow named Ellis. Runs a sporty carand has every girl in the town lashed to the mast. He's a novelty andI'm not. So far I have kept him away from Bettina, but at any time theymay meet, and it will be one-two-three with me."
I am not defending my conduct; I am only explaining. Eliza Baileyherself would have done what I did under the circumstances. I went for awalk with Bettina and Jasper shortly after my talk with Jasper, leavingTish with the evening paper and Aggie inhaling a cubeb cigarette, herhay fever having threatened a return. And what is more, I tired withinthree blocks of the house, where I saw a grassy bank beside the road.
Bettina wished to stay with me, but I said, in obedience to Jasper'seyes, that I liked to sit alone and listen to the crickets, and for themto go on. The last I saw of them Jasper had drawn Bettina's arm throughhis and was walking beside her with his head bent, talking. I sat forperhaps fifteen minutes and was growing uneasy about dew and myrheumatism when I heard footsteps and, looking up, I saw Aggie comingtoward me. She was not surprised to see me and addressed me coldly.
"I thought as much!" she said. "I expected better of you, Lizzie. Thatboy asked me and I refused. I dare say he asked Tish also. For you, whopride yourself on your strength of mind--"
"I was tired," I said. "I was to sprain my ankle," she observedsarcastically. "I just thought as I was sitting there alone--"
"Where's Tish?"
"A young man named Ellis came and took her out for a ride," said Aggie."He couldn't take us both, as the car holds only two."
I got up and stared at Aggie in the twilight. "You come straight homewith me, Aggie Pilkington," I said sternly.
"But what about Bettina and Jasper?"
"Let 'em alone," I said; "they're safe enough. What we need to keep aneye on is Letitia Carberry and her Cousin Angeline's legacy."
But I was too late. Tish and Mr. Ellis whirled up to the door athalf-past eight and Tish did not even notice that Bettina was absent.She took off her veil and said something about Mr. Ellis's having hearda grinding in the differential of her car that afternoon and that hesuspected a chip of steel in the gears. They went out together to thegarage, leaving Aggie and me staring at each other. Mr. Ellis wascarrying a box of tools.
Jasper and Bettina returned shortly after, and even in the dusk I knewthings had gone badly for him. He sat on the steps, looking out acrossthe dark lawn, and spoke in monosyllables. Bettina, however, was verygay.
It was evident that Bettina had decided not to take her Presbyterianisminto the Episcopal fold. And although I am a Presbyterian myself I feltsorry.
Tish and Mr. Ellis came round to the porch about ten o'clock and he waspresented to Bettina. From that moment there was no question in my mindas to how affairs were going, or in Jasper's either. He refused to moveand sat doggedly on the steps, but he took little part in theconversation.
Mr. Ellis was a good talker, especially about himself.
"You'll be glad to know," he said to me, "that I've got this race matterfixed up finally. In two weeks from now we'll have a little excitementhere."
I looked toward Tish, but she said nothing.
"Excitement is where I live," said Mr. Ellis. "If I don't find anywaiting I make it."
"If you are looking for excitement, we'll have to find you some," Jaspersaid pointedly.
Mr. Ellis only laughed. "Don't put yourself out, dear boy," he said."I have enough for present necessities. If you think an automobile raceis an easy thing to manage, try it. Every man who drives a racing-carhas a _coloratura_ soprano beaten to death for temperament. Then everyracing-car has quirky spells; there's the local committee to propitiate;the track to look after; and if that isn't enough, there's the promotionitself, the advertising. That's my stunt--the advertising."
"It's a wonderful business, isn't it?" asked Bettina. "To take a mileor so of dirt track and turn it into a sort of stage, with drama everyminute and sometimes tragedy!"
"Wait a moment," said Mr. Ellis; "I want to put that down. I'll use itsomewhere in the advertising." He wrote by the light of a match, whilewe all sat rather stunned by both his personality and his alertness."Everything's grist that comes to my mill. I suppose you all rememberwhen I completed the speedway at Indianapolis and had the Governor ofIndiana lay a gold brick at the entrance? Great stunt that! But the bestpart of that story never reached the public."
Bettina was leaning forward, all ears and thrills. "What was that?" sheasked.
"I had the gold brick stolen that night--did it myself and carried thebrick away in my pocket--only gold-plated, you know. Cost eight or ninedollars, all told, and brought a million dollars in advertising. But thepapers were sore about some passes and wouldn't use the story. Too badwe can't use the brick here. Still have it kicking about somewhere."
It was then, I think, that Jasper yawned loudly, apologized, saidgood-night and lounged away across the lawn. Bettina hardly knew he wasgoing. She was bending forward, her chin in her palms, listening to Mr.Ellis tell about a driver in a motor race breaking his wrist cranking acar, and how he--Ellis--had jumped into the car and driven it tovictory. Even Aggie was enthralled. It seemed as if, in the last hour,the great world of stress and keen wits and endeavor and mad speed hadsat down on our door-step.
As Tish said when we were going up to bed, why shouldn't Mr. Ellis brag?He had something to brag about.
Tish: The Chronicle of Her Escapades and Excursions Page 3