“I hadn’t heard anything about it,” Doris commented dryly.
She turned as though to leave, but the magician caught her by the hand.
“Ah, Miss Force, you will dance with me after the show?”
Doris was provoked, but she did not wish to make a scene in the lobby. It seemed to her that the easiest way to escape was to grant Ollie Weiser’s request. After all, perhaps she owed him a favor. Aware that several persons were watching curiously, she jerked her hand free.
“Yes, if you feel that I owe it to you, I’ll give you one dance,” she murmured hastily.
“Only one?”
“Only one!” Doris returned firmly.
Without stopping at the desk to inquire about the mail, she fled. She found Kitty already dressing for dinner and told her of the unpleasant meeting.
“Now what are we to do?” she wailed. “That man will pester us to death with his attention! I don’t want folks to say I’m infatuated with a snake charmer!”
“No one knows us here,” Kitty consoled, “and after all, he isn’t so bad looking. Folks can’t talk as long as we have Mrs. Mallow along as a chaperon. We’ll stick close to her tonight and perhaps Ollie will be scared away.”
“Not he!”
“We mustn’t show our real feelings or he may make trouble for us, Doris. After all, we’re in a strange town and we haven’t any friends here, you’re on an important mission and—”
“You’re quite right,” Doris interrupted decisively. “We must see the thing through, but it’s going to be as pleasant as taking a dose of cod liver oil. Thank goodness, Dave and Marshmallow arrive tomorrow!”
Being informed of the promise Doris had made to the magician, Mrs. Mallow reluctantly agreed that the girls would be wise not to antagonize him. She assured them that she would maintain a watchful eye and to interfere if he became too aggressive. The prospect of an unpleasant evening was so discouraging that Doris was tempted not to dress especially for dinner, but when she saw Kitty decked in her gay finery, she brought her own evening dress out of the suitcase.
“Ollie will be crazier than ever about you when he sees you in that gown,” Kitty teased.
Doris’s response was a grunt of disgust and a slipper hurled with unerring accuracy.
She was indeed a picture in her Alice blue frock which accentuated her beauty, and her high heeled slippers added a full inch to her height.
“Wear the ruby ring the twins gave you!” Kitty pleaded.
When the girls and Mrs. Mallow entered the dining room some time later, their appearance caused many of the diners to glance up in admiration. Particularly did heads turn to look at Doris, for she was very lovely.
The three seated themselves at a table in an inconspicuous corner of the room, the girls casting an apprehensive glance about them. They were relieved that Ollie Weiser had not as yet put in his appearance.
The dinner was not of the best and Mrs. Mallow (expressed her impatience.
“If we could secure rooms at another hotel I certainly should be tempted to change,” she announced, as they left the dining room. “I’d like to show that chef a thing or two about cooking!”
Already a group of hotel guests had gathered in the parlor, where the evening’s entertainment was to be given. Mrs. Mallow and the girls reluctantly turned their steps in that direction.
“I hope it doesn’t last long,” Mrs. Mallow said with a tired sigh. “I’ve had quite enough of snakes.”
“Madame Curly is to sing,” Doris told her. “I am sure you will enjoy hearing her, even if Ollie Weiser is a bore. She’s quite noted.”
Nearly all of the seats in the parlor were taken, and as they entered, the three paused uncertainly. While they were looking about for vacant chairs, Ollie Weiser rushed over to them.
“Miss Force,” he began, laboring under great excitement, “a terrible thing has happened! Madame Curly has not arrived and the entertainment must start in ten minutes. We must find a substitute. Will you not take her place?”
“Why, how did you learn that I sing?” Doris asked in astonishment.
“I’m afraid I told him,” Kitty confessed. “I just happened to mention it on the train.”
“Really, I don’t know what to say,” Doris stammered.
“It is a wonderful opportunity,” the magician urged.
“But Madame Curly is a professional singer, while I am only an amateur. The audience will be too critical.”
At this moment the manager stepped up and added his plea to that of the magician. As Doris wavered, Mrs. Mallow said quietly:
“Why not do it, if you feel that you can? This will be a real test of your ability.”
Doris cast a troubled glance over the audience, which she knew was composed largely of society folk. She realized that she was not being asked to do an easy thing. Yet the challenge of it appealed to her.
“I’ll do it!” she announced.
CHAPTER X
Doris’s Debut
The moment Doris gave her promise to substitute for Madame Curly she was assailed with misgivings. She had brought no music with her and was forced to make her selection from the numbers which Miss Wesley, the accompanist, had at the hotel.
“I’m afraid I’ll make a flop of it,” she confided nervously to Kitty. “A poor accompanist can just ruin a piece and we haven’t practised together.”
She sat tensely, waiting for the program to begin, yet dreading the moment when she would be called. At last, after every seat in the parlor had been taken, the manager arose and explained that Madame Curly would be unable to appear. A murmur of disappointment passed over the crowd and Doris felt her spirits sink lower. She did not realize that her own name had been spoken until Kitty nudged her.
Doris forced a smile to her lips and took her place beside the piano. As from a far distance she heard Miss Wesley plunge into the opening measures of the song. She began to sing, and then, as she gained confidence in her accompanist, forgot to be afraid. She lost sight of the fact that she was appearing before a critical audience, and lost herself in the music.
As the last note of the piano died away, there was a moment of silence; then thunderous applause burst forth. Doris offered another selection and would have slipped back to her seat, had the crowd permitted her to do so. She was called back for two encores.
“You covered yourself with glory, old dear!” Kitty whispered in delight, as her chum finally returned to her friends.
Ollie Weiser’s demonstration of magic followed, but the audience became restless and a great many persons wandered away. Since Doris felt that she owed her opportunity to the magician, she remained out of sheer politeness, as did Kitty and Mrs. Mallow.
Everyone was relieved when the man left the floor and the chairs were cleared away for dancing.
“I wish we could escape to our rooms,” Doris said.
There was no hope of it, for just then the magician came over to the girls, his face aglow with pleasure.
“I’ve just put the snakes to bed,” he declared, “so now I’m free to devote myself to you girls for the rest of the evening.”
“Really, I’m dreadfully tired,” Doris protested. “I don’t feel like dancing.”
“But you promised,” the magician said accusingly. “You’re not going back on your word?”
“Oh, I suppose I can dance if you insist.”
As Ollie whirled her about on the floor, Doris was forced to admit that he was an excellent dancer. Yet she could not help but wish that she were with Dave instead. She scarcely listened to his extravagant praise of her singing and was relieved when the dance ended. Kitty was forced to take her turn, but after one dance she, too, refused to remain in the parlor longer, pleading fatigue.
“Seems to me you girls get tired mighty easy,” Ollie grumbled. “Oh, well, I’ll be seeing you again.”
“You’re not staying here at the hotel?” Kitty demanded in dismay.
“Sure, the manager let me have a room ove
r the kitchen.” The magician was nothing if not frank. “It’s a miserable dump, but as long as I’m not paying for it, I guess I shouldn’t kick. Sort of like this town. Think I’ll stick around for a week or two.”
Doris and Kitty exchanged significant glances. They felt certain that Ollie Weiser was remaining on their account and tljey were at a loss to know just how to discourage his attentions. What a pest he was!
The man was unwilling that they should leave, and as Doris said goodnight, caught her by the hand and tried to hold her back.
“Can’t you be a bit nicer to me?” he begged. “You’d like me, if you’d give me a chance to become better acquainted.”
“It seems to me you’re making the most of your opportunities!” Doris retorted.
She and Kitty hurried away, breathing a sigh of relief when they had reached their own room.
“That man annoys me beyond words,” Doris snapped. She began to undress rapidly.
“Anyhow, he’s a good dancer,” Kitty offered. “I can almost forgive anything else in that kind of a person.”
“I’m afraid I’m not as charitable as you are,” Doris went on. “If my future dancing depended upon Ollie Weiser, I’d give up the fun of it altogether. You better hurry and get into bed, young lady.”
“I think he’s fallen hard for you, Dory.”
“If he doesn’t leave me alone, I’m going to do something rash! A snake charmer isn’t my idea of a Prince Charming! I can see the girls at home giving me the laugh, if this story ever gets out.”
Somewhat crossly Doris switched out the light and tumbled into bed beside her chum. So far she felt that everything had gone wrong. First, Marshmallow and Dave had been delayed. Then, it appeared that there would be a long wait before she could see the President of the National Bank about her Uncle John Trent’s Estate. It was all very annoying! To top it off, Ollie Weiser was bent upon making her existence an unhappy one!
Long after Kitty had fallen asleep, Doris lay awake thinking. Back at Chilton it had seemed an easy matter to come to Cloudy Cove and settle up the financial affairs of her uncle, but now she realized that it would not be as simple as she had anticipated. Things moved so slowly.
“Mrs. Mallow is a dear,” she thought, “but she isn’t very businesslike and I’m afraid won’t be of much help to me. How I wish Uncle Ward could have come with me!”
After a time Doris fell into a troubled sleep. When she opened her eyes again, it was with the feeling that something was wrong. She found herself wide awake, though she could not imagine what had disturbed her. Kitty was sleeping soundly beside her.
“I must have had a bad dream,” she told herself.
Resolutely closing her eyes again, she turned over on her side and tried to sleep. Suddenly she heard a strange, crackling noise.
Startled, Doris sat up in bed and listened intently. Had she imagined it? No, there it was again. Something was amiss.
Springing from the bed, she rushed to the window and looked down. She saw a red glare against a pane of glass, and shooting flames. They leaped upward from the vicinity of the kitchen wing.
For an instant Doris was too startled to cry out. Then she ran to Kitty, shaking her violently.
“Fire!” she warned. “Quick! We must wake Mrs. Mallow and get out of here!”
CHAPTER XI
Fire!
“What is it?” Kitty murmured drowsily, nestling deeper into the blankets.
“The hotel is on fire!” Doris cried, dragging her from the bed. “Get dressed as quickly as you can! There’s not a minute to lose!”
“Oh!”
Assured that her chum was thoroughly awakened, Doris ran into the adjoining room to arouse Mrs. Mallow. Already she could smell the smoke and hear people rushing down the halls. Frightened shouts were to be heard from all parts of the building.
Mrs. Mallow was out of bed in an instant, but, as she realized the danger, she became so excited she could not find her clothing. Doris switched on the light, thrust the garments into her hands, and raced back to her own room.
Kitty was nearly dressed and it required but a moment for Doris to slip into her clothing. Frantically, they tore their clothes from the hangers and thrust them helter-skelter into the suitcases.
Their own luggage ready, the girls hurried to the aid of Mrs. Mallow. Fortunately, she had removed only a few articles from her bag and it required but an instant to sweep the dresser clear and cram other scattered objects inside.
“Hurry!” Doris commanded, flinging a coat over Mrs. Mallow’s shoulders.
“My purse!” Kitty cried, rescuing it from a bureau drawer.
Smoke had commenced to filter into the suite and the three dared tarry no longer. Snatching up their bags, they rushed out into the hall. The elevator did not appear to be running, so Doris led the way to the stairs. Halfway down she suddenly halted and gave a little cry of horror.
“Oh, I’ve left my ruby ring!”
“You can’t go back,” Kitty warned, catching her chum by the arm.
“I must get it! I believe there’s time. You two go on!”
Before Mrs. Mallow could prohibit the rash act, Doris dropped her heavy bag and dashed back up the stairs. Groping through the hall she found her room and entered. The lights were off and she could see nothing. Blindly she made her way toward the dresser. She distinctly remembered leaving the ring in the pin tray. She must find it!
She stumbled over a chair and fell against the dresser. Eagerly she ran her hand over the top in search of the tray. If she only had a light!
Suddenly her hand touched it and with a cry of joy she located the ring and slipped it on her finger. At that instant a blazing timber fell into the court below the suite window. At the sound of the loud crash Doris bolted for the door.
Smoke was now so dense in the hall that she could scarcely get her breath. The heat was terrific. At the far end of the hall Doris could see leaping flames, and the sight threw her into a momentary panic.
“Trapped!” she thought.
Then her mind cleared and she raced for the stairs. The fire had not reached there. Coughing and choking, she groped her way down to the lobby. What had become of Kitty and Mrs. Mallow? She hoped they had reached safety.
Someone grasped her by the arm. It was Kitty.
“We were dreadfully frightened! It took you such a long time!”
“I found the ring all right!” Doris gasped.
The lobby was comparatively clear of smoke, but fearful lest the floor above topple upon their heads Mrs. Mallow and the girls rushed to the door. A large group of men, women and children had gathered outside, many of them scantily robed.
“I wonder if everyone is out?” Mrs. Mallow murmured anxiously.
“I didn’t see anyone in the halls,” Doris returned. “Why aren’t the firemen here?”
Just then they heard the familiar siren and two red engines swung into view. In a twinkling the men had their ladders up and several streams of water were trained upon the blaze.
“The fire seems to be confined to the east wing,” Mrs. Mallow observed. “If you hadn’t awakened us when you did, Doris, we’d have been burned in our beds.”
Several of the firemen had entered the building and the girls watched anxiously for their return. Two women were carried out, but, although they were unconscious, they quickly revived once they breathed the fresh air.
“I guess everyone is out now,” Mrs. Mallow said in relief. She had just overheard the excited manager talking with the fire chief.
Doris and Kitty were eager to aid in the rescue work, but it appeared that there was little to be done. Fortunately, no one had been injured. Several women whimpered and sobbed, but only from hysteria. However, the early morning air was chilly and few of the hotel guests were heavily clothed. Many of them had been forced to abandon all of their baggage. Everyone shivered from the cold, until a generous quick-lunch owner volunteered to serve hot coffee. Doris and Kitty were assigned to the task of pour
ing out the steaming liquid to the dejected hotel guests, neglecting their own appetites entirely.
“I guess they’ll be able to save most of the building, after all,” Doris commented, as she surveyed the smoking ruin of the east wing.
The firemen had worked swiftly and effectively, with the result that very soon, after their arrival on the scene they had the fire well under control. However, before the blaze could be extinguished, the east wing had been reduced to a blackened shell and the entire hotel was damaged by smoke and water. The manager, greatly distraught, went from one guest to another, assuring them that the hotel would be ready for occupancy within a week or ten days.
“A week nothing!” Doris remarked. “He’ll be lucky if he gets the place fixed up in a month.”
“The hotel wasn’t much to boast of, even before the fire,” Mrs. Mallow said dryly, “but I must say that this disaster comes at a most inconvenient time for us. Every hotel in Cloudy Cove jammed! I guess we’ll have to go back home.”
“Oh, we can’t do that, until I’ve settled up the Estate,” Doris put in quickly.
“But what are we to do?” Mrs. Mallow gazed dejectedly at the bags which were spread out about her. “We can’t camp on the street.”
A flash of inspiration came to Doris.
“Camp!” she cried exultingly. “That’s just what we can do. We’ll all go out to Mr. Baker’s grounds and live in the cabins!”
“And eat Mrs. Mallow’s home cooking,” Kitty added. “It will taste a lot better than this hotel food, too!”
“I never thought I’d care for camping,” Mrs. Mallow said doubtfully, “but it seems we have no choice. As soon as Marshall and Dave come, we’ll move our things out there.”
Since they could not stand on the street, the three took their bags and went to a nearby restaurant, where they ordered breakfast.
“Wonder what became of Ollie Weiser?” Kitty asked, as they lingered over their toast and cocoa. “Have you seen him since the fire, Doris?”
“No, I haven’t. I hope nothing happened to him. He was sleeping in a room over the kitchen, and that seemed to be w}iere the fire started.”
“I heard the firemen say no one was trapped inside, so he must have escaped,” Mrs. Mallow declared. “What caused the fire, anyway?”
The Second Girl Detective Megapack: 23 Classic Mystery Novels for Girls Page 19
