Part 7 (1/2)
Tavia, as she had said, stood straight out in the middle of the road, watching through the dim light.
The boys were at the car now, and they were speaking to the man!
CHAPTER V
THE POLICE PATROL
For some moments neither girl spoke: Tavia stood out in the road like an officer, while Dorothy did not lift her head from her att.i.tude of prayer. Suddenly Dorothy, in a frenzy of fear, rushed out to where Tavia stood, and threw her arms around her.
”Tavia,” she exclaimed, ”I must go to them. I cannot stand another moment like this--I am simply choking. Come: See, they have not been able to manage him. He is in the car yet. Oh, do let us go!” and the look on the terrified girl's face so frightened Tavia she forgot to watch, forgot everything but Dorothy--something would surely happen to her if that anxiety was not soon relieved.
But to go to the boys! Might not that make matters worse?
”Dorothy, darling,” began Tavia, ”don't be so frightened. Perhaps they are just talking pleasantly to him--”
”Then I must hear them. I must know what it is all about. Do come!”
and she tried to drag Tavia from the spot to which she seemed riveted.
”If you would only wait here while I go down first, and then if it is all right, that is, if the boys want us to come--”
”No, no,” cried Dorothy. ”I must go at once! See! Oh, Nat is coming this way--”
”Yes, here comes Nat. It will be all right now,” and Tavia was soothing Dorothy as if she were a baby--patting her, smoothing her hair, and even pressing her lips to her cheek. In truth Dorothy appeared as weak as a baby, and seemed to require that help which a loving human hand may impart to a nervous body, at once the sense of protection and the a.s.surance of sympathy.
”Ned is starting up the machine,” exclaimed Tavia. ”Oh, I know. He is going to give the man a ride.”
Little dreaming how truly she spoke, for indeed Ned was going to give the strange man a stranger ride, Tavia showed Dorothy that she believed everything was all right now, and then Nat was there--they could call to him. Yes, he was whistling lightly. How silly they were to have been frightened!
”What is it?” demanded Dorothy, as soon as her cousin could hear her voice.
”I guess it was--”
”Nat! Nat!” screamed Tavia, at the same time running to him and whispering a word in his ear. ”There, now, Dorothy. Didn't I tell you. Only a poor farmer. Where did he say he lived, Nat?”
”Tavia, you told Nat not to tell me--”
”Ha! ha! ha!” roared Nat. ”Well, of all things. Not to tell you.
Well I guess I will. Sit right down here, my little Coz, and I shall be delighted to tell you all I know,” and at this he drew the almost exhausted girl down to a tree stump, to ”tell her.” But Tavia kept close at the other side of the young man--she could nudge him if--well, of course, just to make the story funny--perhaps!
”Wanted a ride, that was all,” declared Nat. ”See, here they are. We must not notice them as they pa.s.s!”
”Why?” asked Dorothy. But in answer Nat squeezed her hand so hard she knew he meant for her to keep quiet.
The car flew past. Ned never glanced at those by the roadside. And how strange he looked--
”Oh, Nat!” almost screamed Dorothy. ”That man had on striped clothes--like--”
”Queer kind of sweater. They come in all sorts of stripes,” her cousin interrupted, with a side glance at Tavia.