"I know that. And she would not neglect you wilfully for the world. But she has not had experience. She takes people and things at their face value. She doesn"t understand--Why are you smiling? Is it so funny?"
Captain Dan rubbed the smile from his lips. In spite of his perturbation he had been amused for the moment.
"Why," he observed, "I don"t know as "tis, but--but--well, I couldn"t help wonderin" how old you"d got to be in the last couple of months, Gertie. You talk as if you was the grandmother and your ma and I were young ones just out of school. About how much experience have YOU had, young lady? now that we"re speakin" of it."
Gertrude"s earnestness was too real to be shaken by this pertinent inquiry.
"I have had a good deal," she declared. "One can get a lot of experience in college. There are as many kinds of character there, on a small scale, as anywhere I know. I have seen girls--but there! this is all irrelevant, away from the subject. You ARE neglected, Daddy; you are lonely and miserable. Now, I want you to tell me all about it."
But her father had, in a measure, recovered his composure, and he declined to tell. He had been longing for a confidant, and here was the one he had longed for most; but his sense of loyalty to Serena kept him silent.
"There"s nothin" to tell," he vowed stoutly. "I"m all right. You"re dreamin", Gertie."
"Nonsense! I shall lose patience with you pretty soon, and I don"t want to. Judging by what I have seen and learned so far, I am likely to need a great deal of patience in this house, and I can"t waste any. Mother has gone head over heels into this precious Ladies of Honor work of hers, hasn"t she?"
"We-ll, she"s terrible interested in it, of course; but she"s so smart anyhow, and here in Scarford she"s got the chance she"s been lookin"
for."
"And she is very much in society here, isn"t she?"
"Yes. That"s natural, too, with her smartness and all."
"What kind of society is it?"
"Hey? What kind? Why, it"s the genuine gilt-edged kind, I should say.
_I_ never saw such clothes, nor such dinners, nor dances. It--"
"Hush! Yes, I can believe all that. You wouldn"t be likely to see them--in Trumet. And I can believe in the gilt; the genuine part is what I am most doubtful of. Mrs. Black is as influential with Mother as ever, isn"t she?"
"Yes. She and Serena bein" such close friends, it--"
"I know. Tell me, Daddy, are the rest of Mother"s friends like the Blacks?"
"Pretty much. They"re all the same tribe--that is, I mean they"re all brilliant, fashionable folks."
"I see. What sort of friends have YOU made?"
This was straight from the shoulder and the captain was somewhat staggered.
"Well," he admitted, after a slight pause, "I--I ain"t made so dreadful many friends, Gertie. Most of the men here are--are kind of different from me, seems so. They belong to clubs and such, and they"re out a lot nights. I don"t care for goin" out much; I"ve always been a great home body--you know that, Gertie. I don"t doubt, if I joined the club and went to "stag" dinners and so on, I"d have more friends. It ain"t their fault, you know, it"s me."
"Yes, it always is you, isn"t it, Daddy? No one else is to blame, of course. Well, I"m very glad I came when I did. How many evenings have you spent alone, as you were spending this one?"
"Not a great many. I just--"
"Why didn"t you go to the Chapter to-night? It must have been an open meeting, otherwise Mr. Hungerford couldn"t have gone. Why didn"t you go with Mother?"
Here was the one question Daniel had dreaded most. To answer it truthfully meant telling of the quarrel between Serena and himself. He could not tell that, not even to his daughter.
"I--I didn"t feel like goin", somehow," he faltered.
"That"s strange. I knew that you were not particularly interested in the Chapter--at least you never were in Trumet--but I never knew you to stay at home when Mother asked you to go with her. Did she ask you?"
"Now--now, Gertie, "tain"t likely I--I--"
"Never mind; you needn"t answer. Tell me more about this new relative of ours, "Cousin Percy." Do you like him, now that you really know him?"
"Why--why, yes, I like him all right enough, I guess. Course he and I are different, in some ways; but, then, he"s younger by a good many years."
Gertrude nodded slowly. "I see," she said. "You"ve made up your mind not to tell me anything, haven"t you, Daddy? You wouldn"t hurt anyone"s feelings for the world, and you are afraid I may blame Mother. Well, I am not going to blame anyone yet. And I am not going to quiz you any longer. But I came home to find out things, and I am going to find out.
If you won"t help me, I must help myself."
Her father leaned forward and patted her hand.
"Now--now, Gertie," he pleaded nervously, "don"t be foolish.
Everything"s all right, I tell you. Don"t go stirrin" up any trouble.
I am so tickled to have you here I don"t know what to do. Let"s be contented with that. Let"s just be happy together. Don"t--h.e.l.lo! here comes the Chapter folks now, I guess. Maybe your mother won"t be glad to see you! Oh, Serena, who do you think is here? I"ll bet you"ll be some surprised!"
There was no doubt of the surprise; neither was there any doubt as to Serena"s joy at seeing her daughter. An outburst of greetings and questions and explanations followed. Gertrude explained that she had had an opportunity to leave college a week earlier than the end of the term and had availed herself of it.
"I just had to see you and father," she declared. "I couldn"t wait any longer. I"ve been telling father so; haven"t I, Daddy?"
She accompanied this question with a glance which Captain Dan recognized as a warning. He nodded.
"Yes," he said.
Serena suddenly remembered that the family was not alone.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "What have I been thinking of? Your coming home like this, Gertie, has made me forget everything else. Cousin Percy--Why, where is Cousin Percy?"
Mr. Hungerford, who, from motives of delicacy or other reasons, had stepped back into the hall, where he could see and hear without being too conspicuous, now made his appearance.
"Gertrude," said Mrs. Dott, "this is our cousin, Mr. Percy Hungerford.
You"ve heard him spoken of. Oh, yes--why, you and he have met. I remember now, so you have."
Mr. Hungerford bowed.
"I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Dott one evening a year or two ago,"
he observed politely. "No doubt she has forgotten me, however, by this time."
Gertrude shook her head.
"Oh, no," she said. "I remember you very well, indeed. How do you do, Mr. Hungerford?"
The young gentleman announced that he was quite well. He made a move as if to shake hands, but as there was no corresponding move on Miss Dott"s part, he put his hand in his pocket instead.
"That evening--the evening of the college dance--is one of my pleasantest recollections," he observed. "I made some delightful acquaintances there. I am ashamed to say that I have forgotten the names of the young ladies, but forgetfulness is one of my failings."