Part 13 (1/2)

Ka-kee-ta with his ax and a proud tilt to his frizzled head became a familiar sight in Waloo. He caused more excitement and roused more interest than the queen.

”Bring your bodyguard with you,” begged the president of the Home for Aged Women, when Tessie consented to appear at an entertainment the directors had arranged to increase its revenue.

”And do please have your picturesque guard come, too,” coaxed the committee from the Junior League, which had invited Tessie to open the ball which the League gave every year to raise funds for its philanthropic work.

So Ka-kee-ta, in his blue clothes, his hair freshly oiled, his tattooed face oiled also, so that he was redolent of rancid cocoanut, his ax in his hand, stood in the back of the royal box, where Granny, in smart black lace and jet beads, and Johnny, in a new scout uniform, and Tessie, wearing a wonderful dancing frock of blue and silver, were the cynosure of all eyes.

When Tessie was asked by a giggling committee if she wished to follow the royal custom and choose her partners, she had blushed and exclaimed fervently, ”Gracious! I should say not! I want to be just like the other girls!”

There was a rush when her wish was made known, for every man in the ballroom wanted to be able to tell his friends that he had danced with a queen. Granny beamed at the pus.h.i.+ng throng.

”The Gilfoolys always stood well with their friends,” she said to no less a person than Mr. Kingley, who had stopped for a word with his former humble employee, and who remained to listen to Granny as she bragged of the Gilfoolys.

Tessie had never imagined there were so many attractive men in the world as she met at the Junior League ball. She was unable to dance a dozen steps with one before another cut in. It was confusing, if flattering, and she gave a little sigh of relief when Bert Douglas swung her through a doorway into a little ante-room.

”Lucky for me I know this place as well as my hat,” grinned Bert, when he and Tessie were seated on a red velvet sofa. ”Say,” he went on even more radiantly, ”is this evening real? Am I actually twosing here with a queen?”

”It doesn't seem real, does it?” murmured Tessie, her eyes s.h.i.+ning.

”I hope that special representative never comes,” went on Bert. ”I'll hate to have you go to the Suns.h.i.+ne Islands!”

”I'll hate to go,” confessed Tessie. She could never tell him how she would hate to leave Waloo. ”I'm having such a good time here!”

”There was a funny thing happened to-day,” Bert said lazily. ”Did Mr.

Marvin tell you about it? A man came into the office and wanted to buy your kingdom.”

”My kingdom!” Tessie was astonished and indignant. The idea of any one wanting to buy her kingdom before she had seen it.

”Yes. The Suns.h.i.+ne Islands. He said you might as well sell them because a white woman would never be allowed to reign over them.”

”The idea!” Tessie was on her feet staring at him. ”The very idea! I guess if my Uncle Pete could reign over them, Granny and Johnny and I can look after them! What did Mr. Marvin say?”

”He said he would take the matter under advis.e.m.e.nt and present it to you. That doesn't mean anything,” he added hastily--for Tessie frowned and exclaimed again, ”The very idea!”--”It's what lawyers always say.

They have to say something!”

”I don't like it! I mean I don't like any one wanting to buy my islands.

You can tell Mr. Marvin that the very first thing in the morning. The Suns.h.i.+ne Islands aren't for sale!”

”I was a fool to speak of it,” mumbled Bert regretfully. He had not thought that she would be so concerned. ”And don't think about it again.

No one can buy your islands if you won't sell them, you know. That's a peach of a frock!” He changed the subject abruptly and gazed admiringly at Tessie's blue-and-silver dancing frock. ”And awfully becoming!” His admiration s.h.i.+fted to her puzzled little face. ”You look like a--a--” he stammered as he tried to tell Tessie what she resembled--”a dream!” he finally decided. ”Is that the royal jewel?” He bent forward to look at the Tear of G.o.d as it hung around Tessie's white neck. ”Some pearl, isn't it?”

Tessie shook her head. ”I have to wear it, but I don't like it, not a bit. It's beautiful, of course, and different, but it makes me think of all the kings and queens who must have worn it. I don't mind Uncle Pete, but some of those old cannibals before Uncle Pete civilized the islands make me s.h.i.+ver. But if I don't wear it Ka-kee-ta has a fit. H-s.h.!.+ Some one is looking for me!” For in the hall she heard a voice call, ”Tessie!

Tessie! Where has the child gone?”

And there in the doorway stood Granny in her black lace and jet, as fine a Gilfooly as ever was.

”Tessie, Tessie,” she scolded. ”This is no way for a queen to behave.

Queens don't go lalligaging with lawyers! They have to stay where folks can see them. Come right back to the ballroom with me. Ka-kee-ta has been in such a way. He missed you at once and made such a fuss I had to look for you.”