Part 31 (1/2)
”Why, you know Nita is Mrs. Van Vorst's daughter; she was the one who got her mother to let us have the lawn. She's just lovely, I have been going to see her every day for-”
At this moment Ellen, her face glowing with pleasure, touched Nathalie on the arm as she cried, ”Oh, Miss Nathalie, Mrs. Van Vorst has sent me to ask you to come up and see Miss Nita, and to bring two of your friends with you!”
Nathalie stared a moment as if not comprehending what Ellen had said, and then, ”Oh, Ellen, do you mean that Mrs. Van Vorst wants me to come up to see Miss Nita and to-”
”Yes, that is just what I mean, Miss,” rejoined Ellen, evidently enjoying Nathalie's amazement. ”Miss Nita wants to meet some of your Pioneer friends. Bless the child, Miss Nathalie, but you and your friends have brought real suns.h.i.+ne straight to the heart of my bairn.
Bless you for it!”
Nathalie smiled and nodded as she answered, ”All right, Ellen, I'll be right up!” Then, as the old nurse disappeared among the throngs on the lawn Nathalie turned to Grace, who was standing in open-mouthed astonishment at this sudden turn in the day's doings.
”Oh, Grace, will you go with me? Didn't I tell you Nita was lovely?”
Then seizing the girl by the arm she swept her across the gra.s.s to where Helen was standing talking to her brother.
”Helen,” she panted, ”I want you to come with me to see Nita. Mrs. Van Vorst has sent for me to come up and says for me to bring two of my friends. Will you come?”
”Come!” exclaimed Helen, ”of course I will. I have been on the point of expiring with curiosity ever since you told me of your adventure at the gray house.”
”Adventure?” repeated Grace. ”Oh, Nathalie, you have not told me about it!” in an aggrieved tone.
”But I'm going to! Oh, but I must hurry and get the cream ready or it will be too late!” She started to run, but after a few steps turned back, and waving her hand at the girls, called, ”Helen, you tell her while I am getting the tray.”
”But I'm coming to help you,” replied that young woman. ”You come, too,”
she added, catching Grace by the arm. But to her surprise Grace pulled away from her with the exclamation, ”Oh, Helen! I wouldn't go in that house for a mint of money! Why didn't you know? No, I'm not to tell,”
she ended mysteriously, ”but you go,” she added, ”that is if you are not afraid.”
”Afraid?” echoed her companion in amazement, ”why should I be afraid, surely you don't think any one could harm us as long as Nathalie has been there and come away safely?”
”I don't know,” hesitated Grace, ”I!-”
”Oh, girls, I have the tray all ready, but you will have to help me carry it. Do come on, for I do not want to keep Mrs. Van Vorst waiting too long!” Nathalie was back again.
”Grace says she is afraid to go,” explained Helen.
”Afraid!” repeated Nathalie bewildered. ”What are you afraid of?” she demanded abruptly turning towards her friend.
”Why Nathalie, don't you remember that day we-”
Nathalie continued to gaze at her blankly, and then her face broke into a smile as she remembered the day she and Grace had run away from the gray house afraid of the crazy man.
”Oh, Grace,” she cried with merry laughter, ”that was the best joke on you and me, for, O dear, why, Grace, it wasn't any crazy man at all, it was only a c.o.c.katoo!”
The long kept secret that had troubled Nathalie so much at first was out at last, and she and Helen, who had been told about that when her friend's silence was first broken as far as she was concerned, broke into prolonged laughter at the richness of the joke.
”A c.o.c.katoo?” exclaimed Grace incredulously, and then annoyed at the girls' merriment she added crossly, ”Oh, I do wish you would explain what is so funny, I think it real mean of you both to laugh that way!”
”Yes, it is mean,” added Nathalie, stifling her laughter as she saw the irate expression on her friend's face. ”But, Grace, it was funny. I would have told you all about it before-that is how I found out-only I had sworn not to tell. But if you will promise not to reveal what I am going to tell you-honor bright-” this in answer to the girl's nod of a.s.sent, ”I will tell you the mystery of the gray house!”
It was not long now before Grace heard the long story of how Nathalie had come to go to the house, how she had found out about the c.o.c.katoo, the star part she had played with the princess, and the many other happenings that had taken place within the last few weeks.