Part 3 (1/2)

The s.h.i.+p's siren sent a stuttering blast into the air that seemed to shake the skysc.r.a.pers opposite the dock. The young folks trooped back to the pier. Tom did his best to escort Ruth; but to his amazement and anger Chess Copley pushed in front of him and Ruth took the sergeant's arm.

Helen came along and grabbed her brother with a fierce little pinch. Her eyes sparkled while his smouldered.

”I guess we are relegated to the second row, Tommy-boy,” she whispered.

”I do not see what has got into Ruth.”

”It's not Ruth. The gall of that 'La.s.ses!” muttered the slangy Tom.

”So you think he is at fault?” rejoined his sister. ”Oh, Tommy-boy! you do not know 'us girls'--no indeed you do not.”

It was a gay enough party on the dock that watched the big s.h.i.+p back out and being turned in the stream by the fussy tugs. The bride and groom shouted until they were hoa.r.s.e, and waved their hands and handkerchiefs as long as they could be seen from the dock.

If Helen and Tom Cameron were either, or both, offended by Ruth, they did not show it to the general company. As for the girl of the Red Mill, she enjoyed herself immensely; and she particularly liked Chess Copley's company.

It was not that she felt any less kindly toward Tom; but Tom had disappointed her. He seemed to have changed greatly during this past winter while she had been so busy with her moving pictures.

Instead of settling down with his father in the offices of the great drygoods house from which Mr. Cameron's fortune had come, Tom, abetted by Helen, had become almost a social b.u.t.terfly in New York.

But Chess Copley, although no sober-sides, had thrown himself heart and soul into the real estate business and had already made a tidy sum during the six months that had ensued since his discharge from the army.

It was true, Chess was looking forward to taking a vacation at the Thousand Islands with his family. He told Ruth so with enthusiasm, and hoped to see her again at that resort. But Chess, Ruth felt, had earned his vacation, while Tom remained a mere idler.

Chess accompanied the Cheslow young people to the Grand Central Terminal when they left the dock and there bade Ruth good-bye.

”I shall see you in a fortnight at the Thousand Islands,” he a.s.sured her, and shook hands again. ”I shall look forward to it, believe me!”

Tom hung about, gloomy enough, even after they boarded the train. But the girls were gay and chattering when they entered their compartment. Ann Hicks was going home with Helen for a brief visit, although she would be unable to go elsewhere with them during the early part of the summer, owing to previous engagements.

”I am determined to go to the St. Lawrence with you, Ruth,” declared Helen. ”And I know Tommy-boy is aching to go.”

”I thought,” said Ruth rather gravely, ”that he might really take to business this summer. Doesn't your father need him?”

”Plenty of time for work, Tommy thinks,” rejoined Tom's sister gaily.

But Ruth did not smile.

CHAPTER IV

BILBY

The old, s.h.i.+ngled Red Mill, which Jabez Potter had revamped each spring with mineral paint, was as brilliant a landmark on the bank of the Lumano River as ever it had been. In fact, it seemed as though Ben, the hired man, had got the red of the s.h.i.+ngles and the trim a little redder and the blinds a little greener this last spring than ever they had been before.

Overshadowed by great elms, with the yard gra.s.s growing thick and lush right up to the bark of the trees, the surroundings of the mill and farmhouse connected with it (at least, all of those surroundings that could be seen from the Cheslow road), were attractive indeed.

Although the old house seemed quite as it always had been from without, many changes had been made inside since first Ruth Fielding had stepped out of Dr. Davison's chaise to approach her great-uncle's habitation.

At that time Ruth had been less than a mote in the eye of Uncle Jabez.

She was merely an annoyance to the miller at that time. Since then, however, she had many and many a time proved a blessing to him. Nor did Jabez Potter refuse to acknowledge this--on occasion.