Volume V Part 21 (1/2)

Aunt Matilda was shocked and silent for a moment, then over her pale cheeks crept a pink flush.

”I'll not deny,” she presently confessed in a hesitant voice, ”that if we had not had each other to rely upon for firmness we might perhaps have been deluded by some of these young scapegraces. They were truly quite appealing at times. There was one in particular--”

Again Aunt Matilda became lost in meditation. The young man in the pool swore softly, even though he perceived the tear that trembled upon the lady's eyelash. It was impossible to be sympathetic while a leech was fastened to his ankle.

”My mother must have thought the way I do, I am sure,” persisted Adnah.

The remark brought Aunt Matilda out of the past with a jerk.

”Your poor mother had the most pitiful experience of all, child,” she replied. ”She married. Shortly after you were born, she died, fortunately spared all knowledge of your father's faithless fickleness.

Adnah, he, too, married again! You, Adnah, was too young to protect yourself from a stepmother, but we came to your rescue. Your great uncle, Peter, had just died and left us this fine estate, and here we are, trying to s.h.i.+eld you from the wiles of the destroyer, man!”

”Some men must be nice, or so many, many girls would not want them,”

commented Adnah, still unconvinced.

”I'll not deny, dear, that some of them _seem_ quite nice,” admitted the other with a sigh. ”There was one in particular--”

The dogs interrupted at this moment with a racing struggle for some red and brown object.

”_Now_ what has Castor got?” cried Adnah, jumping up to give chase in a healthy and delightful burst of speed.

The youth in the pool dismally realized that Castor had his missing sock, a brown lisle affair with a quaint red pattern in it, at a dollar a pair. His teeth were pounding together like castanets, now, so loudly that he feared Aunt Matilda must surely hear them. Adnah presently returned, flushed rosy red by the exercise and more charming than ever.

”I couldn't catch them,” she panted. ”Gracious, but I am warm! There is plenty of time for a plunge before dinner. Just wait, Aunt Mattie, until I run for the bathing suits,” and she flashed away again.

Great Caesar's ghost! The hidden youth grew so warm with apprehension that the goose-flesh disappeared and the chattering of his teeth stopped. His dilemma was unspeakable and unsolvable, seemingly, but suddenly it was solved for him. The dogs came back!

The sock had been shredded and they sought fresh diversion. After a cordially barked invitation for the young man to come out and play, they went in after him. There was a tremendous splas.h.i.+ng struggle. Suddenly the willows were pulled down by a muscular bare arm, and the face of a young man appeared above it to the astounded gaze of Aunt Matilda.

”Excuse me, madam,” he began, lunging viciously at Castor and Pollux with his feet. ”Please call off your dogs.”

Aunt Matilda, pale but determined, whipped an antiquated monster of a pistol from her pocket, though she held it far off from her and to one side, with no intention, past, present or future, of ever firing it. It got its effectiveness from size alone, and was built for pure moral suasion if ever a pistol was.

”Hold perfectly still or I shall shoot,” she quaveringly warned him.

”You are a male trespa.s.ser, sir!”

”I sincerely regret it, madam,” replied the culprit, slapping viciously at the mosquito behind his ear. He got it that time.

”You probably will,” freezingly retorted Aunt Matilda. ”I shall telephone for the sheriff immediately, and if you are still here when he arrives you shall receive the full penalty of the law.”

The young man did some quick thinking. It was necessary.

”Madam, your dogs have stolen my clothing and my money, and I can not leave until I get them back,” he presently declared with lucky inspiration. ”If you have me arrested for trespa.s.s I shall bring suit for the recovery of property.”

Aunt Matilda was sufficiently perplexed to lower her pistol and allow him to explain, while she coaxed the dogs out of the water. He was a splendid talker, and had fine, honest-looking blue eyes.

There was a rush of swift footsteps among the trees.

”Hide!” she commanded in sudden panic.