The Automobile Girls in the Berkshires Part 26

Ruth and Grace both nodded.

"And you remember Bab said she was going to discover, on that drive, what connection Eunice had with the Latham family?"

"Yes," Grace a.s.sented. "Do hurry on to the point of your story."

"No; you must hear it all over again," Mollie protested. "I want you and Ruth to remember just exactly the story Bab told us. Reginald Latham did not wish the subject of Eunice mentioned before his uncle, because Mr.

Winthrop Latham's oldest brother had married an Indian girl. It seems the brother met the Indian girl while he was studying the history of the Indians in this neighborhood; so he just married her without mentioning the fact to his family. Of course the Lathams, who were very rich and very distinguished, were heart-broken over the marriage. And I guessed they were not any too good to the poor little Indian woman, when Mr.

William Latham brought her back to his home to live. As soon as her husband died, she ran away to her own people. When Mr. Winthrop Latham tried to find her some time afterwards, to give her her husband's property, it seems that the Indian wife was dead. At any rate Reginald declares this to be the case. From that day to this, the Latham family never speak of anything that even relates to Indians." Mollie ended her speech in a slightly scornful tone.

"Why, Mollie, don't you think that is a good enough explanation of Reginald Latham's att.i.tude toward Eunice?" Ruth asked.

"I most certainly do not!" Miss Mollie replied. "And how do you explain the Indian squaw's feeling against the name of Latham?"

"Oh, Bab told us, Reginald explained all that to her, too. It seems that the Indians in this vicinity believed poor little Mrs. Latham had been persecuted by her husband's family. So, if this old squaw ever heard the story, Latham would be an evil name to her," Grace put in.

Mistress Mollie shrugged her shoulders. "I think that story is very unlikely. But, maybe, you believe it, just as Bab did. All I ask of you is--just be on the look-out to-day! I have been doing a little detective work myself. I do not agree with Bab's explanation. I told you I was going to try an experiment, and I want you to help me. Then maybe, I can convince you, Bab, and Aunt Sallie of something that I believe! I am sure our little Indian Eunice has a closer connection with the Latham family than any of you dream!"

"Dear me, but you are interesting, Mollie!" interrupted Ruth. "I have a suspicion of what you mean. But go ahead, little Miss Sherlock Holmes! We are with you to the end. We shall be delighted to render any humble a.s.sistance necessary to your detective work."

"I only want you to watch developments this afternoon, girls!" Mollie a.s.serted mysteriously. "Later on, there may be some real work for us to do. So far, I have planned everything myself."

"Well, Mollie, you are a nice one!" laughed Grace. "Kindly 'put us on,'

as the saying goes. What have you planned?"

"Nothing but a meeting between Eunice and Mr. Winthrop Latham," Mollie responded. "We are to take Eunice to the hotel to spend the day with us.

She will be looking her best in the lovely clothes Ruth sent to her. And she has grown almost fair from her weeks in the hospital. Mr. Winthrop Latham is to have tea with us this afternoon. I asked Aunt Sallie to invite n.o.body but him. I shall bring Eunice quietly in, introduce her to Mr. Latham: then we shall see what happens! I did not wish to tell Bab my plan," Mollie continued, "because she might make me give it up. But I believe Aunt Sallie agrees with me, though she did give me a scolding for having a suspicious nature! She declared, this morning, that it would be very well to have Mr. Winthrop Latham see Eunice. So just let's wait, and watch with all our eyes this afternoon."

"Bully for your experiment, Mollie!" nodded Grace. Ruth bowed her head to show how fully she agreed with both of the girls.

A pretty hospital nurse brought Eunice out to Ruth's motor car. The child had on a soft ecru dress, cut low at the throat and simply made. She wore a brown coat, lined with scarlet, and a big brown felt hat with a scarf knotted loosely around it.

And Eunice looked very lovely! Her hair was braided in two plaits, tied with soft scarlet ribbons. Her eyes were big and black with the excitement of entering a strange world. Her complexion was now only a little darker than olive. Her cheeks were like two scarlet flames.

Eunice hugged Mollie close, once she was seated in the automobile. When the big car started, she laughed gleefully, clapping her hands as she cried. "It is truly a red bird, that carries us on its wings!" She remembered what Ruth had told her.

"Always Eunice has longed for wings like the birds!" Eunice whispered softly to Mollie. "Now, behold! We are almost flying!"

"Look overhead, Mollie, Eunice, Ruth!" called Grace suddenly.

The four girls looked up.

A great white object sailed above them.

Eunice clutched Mollie. "Is it the great white spirit, my grandmother has told me about?" she inquired.

"Oh, that is Reginald Latham in his airs.h.i.+p," Mollie explained to Grace.

"He said the rudder of Mr. Latham's balloon had been mended. He meant to try some short flights to see if it was all right."

"But I do not understand!" Eunice protested. "Is a man riding on that great, great big bird?"

"Yes, Eunice," Mollie a.s.sented. "But that object above our heads is an airs.h.i.+p, not a bird."

"Then I wish to ride in an airs.h.i.+p," Eunice murmured. "It flies up in the air like a real bird. This car runs only along the earth." The child was no longer impressed with the automobile. Reginald Latham's airs.h.i.+p was the most marvelous thing she had ever beheld.

After arriving at their hotel "The Automobile Girls" showed Eunice everything they could find to amuse her. They rode up and down with her in the elevator. They gave her a peep into the hotel's splendid reception rooms. Poor little Eunice was in a daze! She wandered about like a child in a dream. Every now and then she would ask Mollie some question in regard to Reginald Latham's airs.h.i.+p. She had not forgotten it.

Miss Stuart wisely had luncheon served in the private sitting-room. She did not think it best for Eunice to be seen by so many people; besides, she did not know how Eunice would behave at the table.

To Miss Sallie's unspeakable relief the child had learned at the hospital to eat with a knife and fork. Her manners were those of a frightened child. She was neither noisy nor vulgar.

"The child is certainly an enigma!" Miss Stuart said to herself, half a dozen times during the morning. "What the doctor says is true! The child is almost refined. It is marvelous! In spite of her ignorance, she does nothing to offend one!"

After luncheon, Miss Stuart noticed that Eunice looked white and exhausted. The scarlet color had faded from her cheeks and lips. The little girl was not strong enough for so much excitement after her recent illness.

"Mollie," Miss Sallie suggested, about half-past two o'clock, "take Eunice to your room. Give her a dressing gown, and see that she rests for an hour or so. You may stay with the child, Mollie, for fear she may be frightened, but you other girls keep away. The child is worn out. Mollie, you may bring her back to us at tea-time."

Mollie agreed. She guessed that Miss Sallie was furthering her idea about the experiment.

"Remember, Bab, you have promised me to be here at tea-time," Mollie reminded her sister.

"Certainly, I shall be here, Mollie. Did you think I was going away?"

Mollie then took Eunice away to lie down.

The child was so tired she soon fell asleep on Mollie's bed.

Mollie sat thinking quietly by the darkened window. She had taken a deep fancy to little Eunice, who had seemed to cling to her since their first strange meeting.

Barbara and Mollie Thurston were both unusually thoughtful girls. Their mother's devoted companions for years, their poverty had made them understand more of life. Mollie realized it would not do for Eunice to grow up ignorant and wild, with only her old grandmother for a companion.

The little Indian was already thirsting for a different life. And, some day, the grandmother would die. What would then become of Eunice?

A little before four o'clock Eunice awakened, having slept nearly two hours. She was refreshed and happy again.

Mollie made Eunice bathe her face. She herself fixed the child's hair, now smooth and glossy from the care that the nurses at the hospital had given to it.

"We will go back to see our friends now, Eunice," explained Mollie.

Eunice nodded. "It is wonderful here where you live!" she declared.

"Sometimes I think I have dreamed of people like you and your friends. I think I have seen things like what you have here in this house. But how could I dream of what I knew nothing?"

Mollie shook her head thoughtfully. "Eunice, dear, you will have to ask a wiser person than I am about your dreams. Who knows what may be stored away in that little head of yours? Come, dear, let us put your gold chain on the outside of your dress. There can be no harm in that. I think Miss Sallie, the lady with the white hair, would like to look at it."

Eunice, who had a girl's fancy for pretty ornaments, was glad to have Mollie pull the chain out from under her dress. The curious, beautiful ornament shone glittering and lovely against the light background formed by the child's dress.

"Wait for me here, Eunice," requested Mollie. "I want to go into the other room for a minute."

Mollie peeped inside the sitting-room door.

Mr. Winthrop Latham was cosily drinking his tea in the best of humor. He had a decided liking for Miss Stuart and her "Automobile Girls."