"I-I don"t understand it at all," confessed the hotel proprietor"s wife.
"Surely, my cousin would not accuse these girls without some reason. She is from the North, too, and must understand them better than _we_ do."
No comment could have been more disastrous to the peace of mind of Ruth and Helen. The latter uttered a cry of anger and Ruth could scarcely keep back the tears.
"Perhaps we had better look out for our possessions," said one of the other ladies, doubtfully.
"Yes. They _did_ just come out of one of these rooms," said another.
"Oh! these are the rooms they were to occupy," cried Mrs. Holloway, all in a flutter. "I-I do not think they would do anything--"
"Say!" gasped Nettie, at last finding voice. "I want to know what yo"-all mean? Yo" can"t be speaking of my friends?"
"Who is _this_ girl, I"d like to know!" exclaimed Miss Miggs. "One just like them, no doubt."
"Oh, Martha! Mrs. Parsons" niece," gasped Mrs. Holloway. "Mrs. Parsons will never forgive me."
"Gracious heavens!" gasped one of the other women. "You don"t mean to say that these are the girls from Merredith?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Holloway. "Of course, n.o.body believes that Miss Parsons would do any such thing; but these other girls are probably merely school acquaintances--"
"I should like to know," said Nettie, with sudden firmness, "just what you mean-all of you? What have Ruth and Helen done?"
"They stole my railroad ticket on the boat coming down from New York,"
declared Miss Martha Miggs.
"That is not so!" said Nettie, quickly. "Under no circ.u.mstances would I believe it. It is impossible."
"Do you say that my cousin does not tell the truth?" asked Mrs.
Holloway, stiffly, while Miss Miggs herself could only stammer angry words.
"Absolutely," declared Nettie, her naturally pale cheeks glowing. "I am amazed at you, Mrs. Holloway. I know Aunt Rachel will be offended."
"But my own cousin tells me so, and--"
"I do not care who tells you such a ridiculous story," Nettie interrupted, and Ruth and Helen were surprised to see how dignified and a.s.sertive their usually timid friend could be when she was really aroused.
"Ruth Fielding and Helen Cameron are above such things. They are, besides, guests at Merredith, and we were put in your care, Mrs.
Holloway, and when you insult them you insult my aunt. Oh! if Aunt Rachel were only here, she could talk to you," concluded Nettie, shaking all over she was so angry. "_And she would, too!_"
CHAPTER XX-CURLY PLAYS AN HEROIC PART
Mrs. Rachel Parsons" name was one "to conjure with," as the saying goes.
Ruth and Helen had marked that fact before. Not alone in the vicinity of Merredith plantation, but in the cities and towns through which the visitors had come in reaching the cotton farm, they had observed how impressive her name seemed.
Several of the ladies who had been listening avidly to Miss Miggs"
declaration that she had been robbed, now hastened to disclaim any intention of offending Mrs. Parsons" niece and her friends.
But the angry Nettie was not so easily pacified. She was actually in tears, it was true, but, as Helen said, "as brave as a little lioness!"
In the cause of her school friends she could well hold her own with these scandal-mongers.
"I am surprised that anybody knowing my aunt should believe for a moment such a ridiculous tale as this woman utters," Nettie said, flashing an indignant glance about the group.
"It is self-evident that if Aunt Rachel invites anybody to her home, that the person"s character is above reproach. That is all _I_ can say.
But I know very well that she will say something far more serious when she hears of this.
"Come, Ruthie and Helen. Let us go downstairs. I am sorry I cannot take you immediately home. But be sure that, once we are away from Holloway"s, we shall never come here again."
"Oh, Miss Nettie!" gasped the hotel keeper"s wife. "I did not mean--"
"You will have to discuss that point with Aunt Rachel," said Nettie, firmly, yet still wiping her eyes. "I only know that I will take Ruthie and Helen nowhere again to be insulted. As for that woman," she flashed, as a Parthian shot at Miss Miggs, "I think she must be crazy!"
The girls descended the stairs. At the foot Nettie put her arms about Ruth"s neck and then about Helen"s, and kissed them both. She was not naturally given to such displays of affection; but she was greatly moved.
"Oh, my dears!" she cried. "I would not have had this happen for anything! It is terrible that you should be so insulted-and among our own people. Aunt Rachel will be perfectly wild!"
"Don"t tell her, then," urged Ruth, quickly. "That woman will not be allowed to say anything more, it is likely; so let it blow over."
"It cannot blow over. Not only did she insult you, and her cousin allowed her to do so, but their att.i.tude insulted Aunt Rachel. Why!
there is not a person in this hotel the equal of Aunt Rachel. The Merrediths are the best known family in the whole county. How Mrs.
Holloway _dared_--"
"There, there!" said Ruth, soothingly. "Let it go. Neither Helen nor I are killed."
"But your reputations might well be," Nettie said quickly.
"n.o.body knows us much here--"
"But they know Aunt Rachel. And I a.s.sure you they will hear about this matter in a way they won"t like. The Holloways especially. She"d better send that crazy woman packing back to the North."
At that moment a shout arose from the front veranda. The girls, followed by Norma screaming in renewed fright, ran to the door. The water was still over the flooring of the veranda, but it had not advanced into the house.
The group of excited men on the porch were pointing off into the river.
Out there it was very dark; but there was a light moving on the face of the troubled waters.
"A boat is coming!" explained somebody to the girls. "That"s a lantern in it. A boat from across the river."
"A steamboat?" cried Helen.
"Oh, no; a steamboat would not venture to-night-if at all. And there is none near by. It"s a bateau of some kind."
"Bet it"s the old bateau from the cotton warehouse across there," said another of the men. "Jimson is trying to reach us."
"And what can he do when he gets here?" asked a third. "That burning house is bound to fall this way. Then we"ll have to fight fire for sure!"
"Well, Holloway has a bucket brigade all ready," said the first speaker.