The Automobile Girls at Palm Beach; Or, Proving Their Mettle Under Southern Skies

by Laura Dent Crane

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE WARNING

  In the meantime Mr. Duval was making himself exceedingly entertaining toMiss Sallie, Grace and Barbara in the tea garden. Maud and the Count deSonde had withdrawn to a seat near the music, and were engrossed in atete-a-tete.

  Mr. Duval had traveled widely. He told his little audience about Chineseand Japanese tea gardens. He told tales of many lands and gave accountsof numerous adventures in which he had participated.

  Barbara and Grace listened fascinated. They hardly knew how the timepassed. At last Mr. Stuart came back with Ruth and Mollie. Mr. Warrenand Mrs. De Lancey Smythe had joined them, without Marian. Mr. Warrenwas looking for Maud. But Bab wondered how poor Marian had weathered thestorm that must have broken when Mrs. De Lancey Smythe returned to thehotel that morning.

  "Where is Marian?" Ruth asked the widow abruptly, looking her straightin the eyes.

  Mrs. De Lancey Smythe's eyes dropped before Ruth's clear gaze. Shetwirled her parasol, looked annoyed then said frigidly: "Marian has aheadache this afternoon."

  "I trust the wetting she got this morning had nothing to do with it."

  "Marian is an impulsive and reckless girl," snapped her mother. "She isentirely too fond of disregarding all conventions."

  "Has any one seen my daughter?" Mr. Warren's deep voice was now heardabove the hum of conversation. Mrs. De Lancey Smythe joined him andtogether they strolled over toward Maud and the count. Mrs. De LanceySmythe seized this opportunity to say a few words in favor of the Countde Sonde, for it was evident that Mr. Warren had taken a violent disliketo the young man. Had some one persuaded the widow to make this appeal,or was she genuinely attracted by the young French nobleman?

  Mr. Stuart found himself agreeably surprised by Monsieur Duval. When thesun began to sink, and the tea drinkers prepared to return to theirhotel, Mr. Duval occupied a seat in the Stuart automobile. Moreover,when he said good-bye on the hotel veranda, he carried with him twoinvitations. One was to dine with the Stuart party that very evening,the other, to go with them the next day on a picnic.

  No sooner was Bab out of the automobile than she determined to run up toMarian's room. She knew the widow had not yet returned. Bab found thenumber of Marian's room from the hotel clerk. Then she got in theelevator and went up to the top floor of the hotel.

  She knocked at a door in the middle of a long narrow passage, and afaint voice said: "Come in."

  Bab entered a small bed room situated under the eaves of the hotel roof.There were three trunks in the tiny chamber which overlooked a courtyard. The room was very close and hot. Marian was on the bed. She hadcried herself to sleep. At Bab's knock she opened her heavy eyes.

  "Why, Barbara!" she exclaimed. "It is awfully good of you to come up tosee me, but Mama would have three fits if she knew you had seen thisroom. I am glad you have come, because I have something special to tellyou. I----" Poor Marian hesitated and stopped.

  Barbara looked at her with questioning eyes.

  "I am afraid it is dreadfully disloyal of me to say another word."Marian pressed her hands to her temples. "And I haven't anything reallydefinite to tell you. But, oh Barbara, I have a suspicion that somethingmay happen soon! Will you remember that I had nothing to do with it, andthat I mean to prevent it if I can?"

  Barbara, completely mystified, hardly knew what to reply.

  "Do you mean to warn me, Marian?" she asked her new friend. "Do you meanthat something is going to happen that may concern us?"

  "No; not exactly," Marian answered. Then she made an impetuous movement."Please don't question me," she begged. "There is a reason why I darenot answer your questions. Forget what I have said, if you can. But forgoodness' sake, don't mention to Mama that I have talked with you. Isometimes wonder what will become of us. Things can't go on much longer.There is sure to be a grand crash. But please go, now, Barbara, Mamamight come in and she would be very angry to find you here. I will seeyou to-night."

  Barbara did not meet Mrs. De Lancey Smythe as she left Marian's room,but she did run across her in the evening. The widow was hurryingthrough a side corridor in the hotel. She was wrapped in a long darkcloak, and appeared to be trying to leave the hotel by stealth. Bab drewback into one end of the corridor until the widow had disappeared, thenshe walked slowly out on the piazza. Marian's warning was ringing in herears. What was it that Marian had feared might happen, and why did hermother leave the hotel in that stealthy mysterious manner?

  On the piazza Bab found her own friends enjoying the beauty of thenight. Maud and the Count de Sonde were talking just outside the group.

  "Do you know what I heard to-day?" remarked Mr. Stuart. "I understandthat there is a swindler abroad at Palm Beach. A woman at that."

  "You don't mean it," exclaimed Miss Sallie. "How dreadful!"

  "It seems," continued Mr. Stuart, "that the detectives have been on thewatch for her for some time, but so far she has been too clever forthem. However, they have traced her to the Beach, but among the hundredsof tourists they have lost their clue. They do not despair of findingher yet, and a strict watch is being kept. She may be apprehended at anymoment."

  "Well, let's hope she doesn't attempt to swindle us," commented Ruth."By the way where is Monsieur Duval? He disappeared mysteriously themoment dinner was over."

  "He had an engagement, and begged to be excused," replied Mr. Stuart."He said he would return in a little while."

  "Speaking of angels," remarked Mollie, "here he comes now."

  "Yes, and he's towing along our pet aversion Mrs. D. L. Smythe," saidGrace.

  Bab looked toward the approaching pair.

  Monsier Duval and Mrs. De Lancey Smythe not yet aware that they wereunder the observation of the Stuart party, were deeply engaged inconversation.

  Barbara, watching closely, saw the Frenchman glance up, then he quicklydropped his eyes, and an expression of cautious cunning flitted over hisface. His lips moved, the widow gave a half frightened look, then herexpression of absorption changed to one of languid indifference. As thetwo neared the steps, from their demeanor, one would have concluded themto be mere acquaintances.

  What was the meaning of it all? Barbara wondered. And what secretunderstanding was there between those two people? Bab's observant eyenoted that Monsieur Duval carried over one arm the heavy cloak in whichshe had seen the widow wrapped a short time before. Had Mrs. De LanceySmythe gone to meet the Frenchman, and, if so why did she not do soopenly? Suppose Mrs. De Lancey Smythe were an impostor, with a game toplay. Suppose Mr. Duval were--Barbara sighed impatiently. She wasletting her imagination run riot. She resolved to dismiss the wholetiresome business from her mind, and enjoy herself.

  At that moment Maud Warren came languidly forward, the little count ather heels. "Miss Stuart," she announced, "I have persuaded Papa to letme give a masked ball before we go back to New York. There are a numberof smart people here at Palm Beach, and I want the count to see one ofour American balls. We shall wear our masks until midnight, and thenhave a cotillon afterwards."

  "That will be delightful, Maud!" replied Ruth. "And that reminds me.Father and I have never arranged about our picnic to-morrow. Don't youthink it would be fun to motor over to the big ostrich farm and have ourluncheon there under the trees?"

  "Very delightful," agreed Maud. "Don't you think so, Count?"

  "I shall be charmed," replied the little count, with an exaggerated bow.

  "But we shan't," whispered Mollie, naughtily to Barbara, under cover ofgeneral conversation.

  "In order to cure, we must endure," returned Bab in an undertone.Whereupon the sisters both chuckled softly.

  At this juncture Marian appeared at the end of the piazza, and cameslowly toward the group. Her eyes still showed traces of tears, and shelooked ill and wretched.

  Mr. Stuart greeted Marian kindly, and immediately invited her to Ruth'spicnic. And the invitation, of course, had to include Marian's mother."I am sorry you have been ill," he said courteously, interrupting hisconversat
ion with Mr. Duval.

  Monsieur Duval's eyes rested curiously on Marian. His look searched herface. "Perhaps the climate of Palm Beach does not agree with yourhealth," he suggested. "You do not like it here?"

  "It is not a question of what I like or dislike, Mr. Duval," said Mariancurtly.

  "But what do you prefer?" persisted the Frenchman with a shade ofinterest in his manner.

  "To mind my own affairs," returned Marian coldly, turning her back onMonsieur Duval.