Part 6 (1/2)

He pressed a b.u.t.ton, and almost immediately the office boy appeared.

”Oh, John,” he began, and then caught sight of a yellow envelope in the boy's hand. ”What's that you've got there?” he asked sharply.

”Telegram for you, sir,” answered the boy promptly. ”Just came this minute.”

Gordon caught the envelope from the boy's hand, and hastily tore it open. Then, as he read it, his face clouded with vexation. ”Well, if this isn't too bad,” he cried, ”I never knew such luck. Here's a telegram from the one man in the world I can't afford to offend. The biggest customer I've got. Says he reaches town at five and wants half an hour kept absolutely free for business of great importance. I guess that means there's no getting out of it for me. It's too bad, though; I hate to see our plans spoiled like this.”

Mrs. Francis was the first to speak. ”Why, d.i.c.k, what nonsense!” she exclaimed. ”We know the way perfectly well. It was only three years ago Marian and I were there, and I don't believe things have changed a great deal since then. We'll go ahead and get everything ready, and you can come out on a later train. That's a great deal better than our staying here or going to a hotel, isn't it, Marian?”

The girl, thus appealed to, glanced quickly at Palmer. ”I think you forget, mother,” she said quietly, ”that we ought to consult Mr.

Palmer. He may not care to escort us out there without d.i.c.k, and I'm very sure I wouldn't care to go through those woods alone.”

Palmer rose gallantly to the occasion. ”Not care to?” he cried.

”Indeed, I shall be honored, Miss Francis. We'll show Gordon here how well we can get along without him, and I'll have all the shooting to myself. Go? Of course we'll go!”

Gordon turned to him gratefully. ”You're awfully good to take it this way, all of you,” he said, ”and I'll surely be out a little after eight. You'd better be starting, though. You haven't but just time.

Oh, and Aunt Dora,” he called after them, ”you don't change at Fairview any longer the way we used to. Remember not to change.

Good-by. Good luck. I'll be there about eight.”

As the door closed after them he dropped into a chair with a sigh of relief. ”Thank G.o.d that's over,” he muttered, ”so far, so good!”

CHAPTER VII

THE TRAP IS SPRUNG

The tickets secured, the baggage safely stowed away, Mrs. Francis and Marian fitted out with papers and periodicals, Palmer began thoroughly to enjoy his trip. Mrs. Francis insisted on a seat by herself, and an uninterrupted chance to read the October _Bazaar_ and Palmer, in the seat behind with Marian, inwardly blessed her literary taste. Not only did the girl's obvious beauty attract him, but as their acquaintance developed, he found her in every way a charming companion; as he himself would more probably have expressed it, ”A ripping fine girl.”

Thus everything went well until Fairview was reached. Here Mrs.

Francis roused herself from her magazine, and turned around to Palmer.

”Didn't d.i.c.k say we changed at Fairview?” she demanded.

Palmer shook his head. ”No, Mrs. Francis,” he answered, ”I think not.

I understood him to say that was just what we didn't do.”

Mrs. Francis glanced around her apprehensively. ”I was sure he said to change,” she replied, ”I know we always used to change here. This train waited five minutes for the connection. I'm going to ask the conductor, to make sure.”

Palmer started to rise, when the girl laid a detaining hand on his arm. ”Please don't bother,” she whispered. ”Mother's always like this when she's traveling. It wouldn't do any good for you to go. She'll have to find out for herself before she'll be satisfied. And I hate being made conspicuous. So please don't trouble yourself, really.”

Palmer perforce kept his seat, and they saw Mrs. Francis walk down the car aisle, and then out on to the platform. The girl laughed.

”I can't cure her,” she declared. ”She's the best mother in the world, but to travel with her is a nightmare. I've been going through this all day yesterday and part of to-day, so I believe I'm getting a little hardened to it.”

Palmer smiled in sympathy. Then, suddenly, as the engine whistled and the cars began to b.u.mp and grind, he started to his feet with an exclamation of surprise. ”By Jove,” he cried, ”isn't that your mother coming out of the station? She'll get left, as sure as fate.”

The girl glanced hastily from the car window. Sure enough, Mrs.

Francis, evidently determined to get her knowledge at first hand, had ventured too far from the train, and had succeeded in getting left behind. Even as they watched her, she began to run awkwardly, waving her umbrella. Her mouth seemed to Palmer to frame the words, ”Wait!

Stop!” and then, as their speed increased, they turned the curve, and Fairview and Mrs. Francis were left behind together.