CHAPTER XIV
AT THE PICTURE PLAY
By a little adroit manoeuvring Van Reypen managed things so that he andAzalea did not go to New York in the motor with Patty and Mona, but wentdown by themselves in the train.
For Azalea was most anxious that Patty should not know she was going tothe moving pictures, and especially that she was going to see "Star ofthe West."
It had already become a popular picture and was drawing crowds. Andthough Azalea's part in it was a small one, yet her work was so goodthat one or two reviews had mentioned it approvingly.
Azalea had hoped that it would be possible to let Van Reypen continue inhis mistaken impression that the girl on the screen was not herself, butsome one who looked marvellously like her.
But the first sight of herself in the play so thrilled Azalea that shewas unable to repress an exclamation of surprised delight.
"It _is_ you, Azalea!" whispered Phil, realising the truth. "How _did_you manage it? Oh, you wonderful girl!"
Azalea looked at him in astonishment. In the dim light of the theatreshe could see his face glowing with pride and pleasure.
She gave a little gasp. "Oh, Phil, aren't you--I mean--are you _glad_about it?"
"I don't know,--Azalea,--it seems so queer--but, oh, look at that! Didyou really do that, Azalea!"
For the girl on the screen had flung herself, bareback, on a vicious,bucking pony, and holding on by his mane, went through the mosthairbreadth escapes, yet was not thrown. Indeed, she finally tamed thewild creature, and dashed madly off on her errand. This was the rescueof a baby who had been left behind, when those who should have lookedafter the child were themselves fleeing from a cyclone.
The scene was remarkably well staged, and the illusion of the cyclonewonderfully worked out.
The baby, left to the care of servants, was in a lightly built housethat rocked in the blasts. It threatened to collapse at any minute, andAzalea, racing against time, in the face of the gale, spurred on herflying steed, and reached the house just as it crashed to ruins.
Flinging herself from the horse, she dashed into the piles of debris,and, the gale nearly blowing her off her feet, contrived to find thechild.
Of course, in the taking of the picture, Fleurette had been in no dangerwhatever; in fact, had not been in the falling house at all, until timefor Azalea to find her in the ruins.
But this was not apparent to the audience. To them it seemed that thebaby must have been there all the time.
Van Reypen sat breathless, watching the screen with rapt attention.
He thought little of the baby's danger, knowing the methods of makingpictures, but he was lost in admiration of Azalea, her fine athleticfigure, and her free, strong motions, as she battled with the winds andtriumphantly snatched the baby from harm.
Then, the child in one arm, she flung herself again on the pony's back,the animal prancing wildly, but tractable beneath Azalea's determinedguidance, and they were off like the wind itself to a place of safety.The wild ride was picturesque, if frightful, and there was a burst ofapplause from the spectators, as Azalea, panting, exhausted, but safe,at last reached her goal, and leaning down from the horse, placed thebaby in the arms of its weeping, distracted mother.
Azalea's beauty was of the sort that needs excitement or physicalexertion to bring out its best effects and as she stood beside thequivering, spent horse, her own heart beating quickly, her own breathcoming hard, she was a picture of vivid beauty.
Her dress was disordered, her hair hung in loosened coils, her collarwas half torn off by the wind, but the happy smile and the justifiablepride in her success lighted up her countenance till it was fairlyradiant.
"By cricky, you're stunning!" exclaimed Phil, under his breath, as hegrasped her hand in congratulation.
And so, because of his praise and appreciation Azalea forgot her fearsof censure from the Farnsworths and gave herself up to the delights ofthe moment.
She would not have felt so comfortable had she heard Patty's remarks atsight of the picture.
Patty and Mona had come to the theatre later than Azalea, and had beengiven seats on the other side of the large house. The darkness, too,made it unlikely that they should see each other, and so Azalea remainedin blissful ignorance of Patty's presence.
* * * * *
"Of course, it's Azalea," Patty said to Mona, the moment the girlappeared on the screen. "I--oh, I don't know _what_ to think aboutit,--but, isn't she splendid!"
"She is! That rig is most becoming to her, and she has such poise,--sostrong and free, yet graceful."
"She's certainly at her best."
"Of course, the director saw her possibilities and has brought out allher best points. How pretty her hair is,--loose, like that."
"Yes, she's a real beauty,--of the true breezy, Western type. But, Mona,what _will_ Bill say? I do believe I shall feel more lenient about itall than he will! He is conservative, you know, for all his Westernbringing up. Oh, my gracious, Mona, _what's_ she doing now?"
"She'll kill herself with that wild horse! She _never_ can get on hisback!"
In a state of great excitement, they watched Azalea's skilful managementof the pony and clutched each other's hands in speechless fear as shetore through the gale to rescue her brother's child.
And then--when at last Azalea emerged from the tumbled-down ruin of thelittle old house, with a baby in her arms, Patty gave a cry of startledfear, and then clapped her hand over her mouth, lest her dismay be tooevident to those sitting near by.
"Mona!" she whispered, "it's Fleurette!"
"No! I don't believe it! You can't tell,--such a _little_ baby--they alllook alike,--you're imagining, Patty--"
"It is! it _is_! That's where they went when Azalea took Baby off for awhole day,--and two or three times for an afternoon or a morning! Oh, Ican't _stand_ it!"
Patty buried her face in her hands and refused to look up while Azalearode the galloping horse, with the child held fast in one arm.
Mona felt it must be true. To be sure she couldn't really recogniseFleurette's face, but she was certain that Patty's mother heart couldmake no mistake, and it was small wonder that she was overcome at seeingher child in such scenes.
"Hush, Patty," said Mona, as Patty's sobs began to sound hysterical,"hush,--this is only a picture, you know,--this isn't reallyFleurette,--she is safe at home--"
"But she must have been here! Azalea _must_ have carried her,_really_--on that terrific horse! They couldn't have got the picturesif she hadn't!"
"Well, it's all right, anyway. It didn't hurt the baby--"
"Oh, hush, Mona! you don't know what I'm suffering! I guess if your babyhad been taken off and put through such awful doings, you'd know what Ifeel! My baby,--my little flower baby! In that awful crashing, tumblingdown old shanty! Oh, I _can't_ stand it!"
"Let's go out, Patty, there's no reason for us to stay longer."
"Yes, let's," and gathering up her wraps, Patty rose to go.
They made their way out of the dark, crowded place, and finding themotor-car, they went straight home.
Once there, Patty flew to the nursery, and fairly snatching the babyfrom Nurse Winnie's arms, she held it close, and crooned loving littlebroken songs.
"You're all right," Mona said, laughing at her. "You've got your baby,safe and sound,--now just sit down there and enjoy her for a while."
This Patty gladly did, and Mona went in search of Farnsworth.
She finally found him, down in a distant garden, where he was lookingafter some planting matters.
"Come along o' me," she said, smiling at him.
Wonderingly Farnsworth looked up.
"Thought you girls went to the city," he said.
"We did,--also, we returned. Patty is in the nursery, and I want a fewminutes' talk with you."
"O.K.," and the big man gave some parting instructions to a gardener andthen went off with Mona. She led him to a nearby arbour, and commencedat once.
"You and I are old friends," she said, "and so I'm going to take anold friend's privilege and give you some advice, and also ask a fewquestions. First, who is Azalea?"
"My two or three times removed cousin."
"Are you sure?"
Farnsworth looked at her. "What do you mean, Mona?"
"What I say; are you _sure_?"
"Funny thing to ask. Well,--I am and--I'm not."
"Now, what do _you_ mean?"
"I'll tell you." And then he told her how queer he thought it thatAzalea had had no letters from her father since her arrival,--nor anyletters at all from Horner's Corners.
"And she's so sly about it," he wound up; "why once she wrote a letterto herself, and pretended it was from her father!"
"I can't make it out," Mona mused. "If her father were dead, she'd haveno reason to conceal the fact. Nor if he had remarried. And if he hasdone anything disgraceful--maybe that's it, Bill! Maybe he's in jail!"
"I've thought of that, Mona, and, of course, it's a possibility. Thatwould explain her not getting letters, and her unwillingness to tellthe reason. But,--somehow, it isn't very plausible. Why shouldn't sheconfide in me? I've begged her to,--and no matter what Uncle Thorpe mayhave done, it's no real reflection on Azalea."
"No; but now _I've_ something to tell you about the girl."
Mona gave him a full account of the moving-picture play that she andPatty had visited, and told him, too, of Patty's distress over thepictures of Fleurette.
Farnsworth was greatly amazed, but, like Mona, he knew Patty could notbe mistaken as to the identity of Fleurette.
"And I just thought," Mona went on, "that I'd tell you before Pattydid,--for,--oh, well, this is my real reason,--Patty is so wrought upand so wild over the Fleurette matter that she can't judge Azaleafairly,--and I don't want to have injustice done to her at this stage ofthe game. For, Bill, Azalea has real talent,--real dramatic genius, _I_think, and if there's no reason against it,--except conventionalones,--I think she ought to be allowed to become a motion-pictureactress. She's bound to make good,--she has the right sort of a face forthe screen,--beautiful, mobile, expressive, and really, a speakingcountenance. Why, she'd make fame and fortune, I'm positive."
"Oh, Mona! what utter rubbish! One of _our_ people in the 'movies'!Impossible!"
"I knew you'd say that! And I know Patty will say--oh, good Heavens, Idon't know _what_ Patty will say! But I do know this; she would havebeen sensible and would have felt just as I do about it, if it hadn'tbeen for the Fleurette part of it. Before the baby appeared on thescreen Patty was really delighted with Azalea. She was enthusiasticabout her talent and her beauty,--really, Bill, she looked verybeautiful in the pictures."
"Oh, Zaly is good-looking enough. But her taking our baby is--why,there's no term suitable! Where is Azalea!"
"I hope nowhere near, while you look like that!" and Mona laughed. "Yourexpression is positively murderous!"
"I feel almost that way! Just think, Mona, Azalea is _my_ relative! Iinflicted her on Patty, poor little Patty--"
"Oh, come now, Bill, don't overdo it! Azalea was most daring and evenfoolish, but not criminal. You know how she loves that child, and youknow she wouldn't let harm come near her."
"But accidents might happen, for all Azalea's care and watchfulness--"
"I know that, but an accident might happen to Winnie when she takes Babyout in her coach!"
"Are you standing up for Azalea?"
"That's just what I'm doing! I'm glad you've got it through your headat last. And I ask this of you, old friend. Whatever you do or say toAzalea, think it well over beforehand. If you talk to Patty, as she isfeeling now you'll both be ready to tar and feather poor Zaly; and,truly, she doesn't deserve it! Please, Bill, go slow,--and be just. Begenerous if you can,--but at any rate, be just. That's all I ask. Andyou can't be just if you act on impulse,--so, go slow. Will you?"
"Yes, Mona,--there's my hand on it We're not often over-impulsive,--Pattyand I,--but in this case we may be,--might have been,--if you hadn'twarned me. You're a good girl, Mona, and I thank you for your foresightand real kindness,"
And so Farnsworth went in search of Patty with a resolve to try toreason out the matter with a fair consideration of all sides of it.
He found his wife and daughter in the nursery.
Patty had sent Winnie off, feeling that she must hold Fleurette in herarms for some time, in order to realise that she was safe from thewhirling winds of that awful cyclone!
When Bill appeared, Patty began at once, and launched forth a fulldescription of the picture play, and of Azalea's and Fleurette's partsin it.
Farnsworth sat looking at her, his blue eyes full of a contentedadmiration. To this simple-minded, big-hearted man, his wife and childrepresented the whole world. All he had, all he owned, he valued onlyfor the pleasure it might mean to them.
"Darling," he said, as she finished the tale, "what do _you_ think aboutit all?"
"Mona's been talking to you!" Patty cried, with sudden intuition.
"What! How do you know? You clair-voyant!"
"Of course I know," and Patty wagged a wise head at him. "First,because you're not sufficiently surprised,--she told you all about it!And second, because you're not furious at Azalea! Mona has talked youaround to her way of thinking,--which is, that Azalea is a genius,--andthat--"
"That Fleurette is another! Think of being on the screen at the tenderage of six months!"
"You're a wretch! you're a monster! you're a--a--dromedary!"
Patty was feeling decidedly better about the whole matter. Having satfor nearly an hour, holding and fondling her idolised child, sherealised that whatever Fleurette had gone through, she was safenow,--and that whatever was to be done to Azalea by way of punishment,was more Bill's affair than hers.
"You don't care two cents for your wonder-child! Your own littlebuttercup,--your daffy-downdilly baby!" she cried, in pretendedreproof, and then Farnsworth took Fleurette and tossed her about untilshe squealed with glee.
"Oh, I guess we'll keep her," he said, as he handed her back to hermother's arms. "She's the paragon baby of the whole world, even if Idon't appreciate her."
"Oh, you do! you _do_!" exclaimed Patty, remorseful now at having teasedhim. "And now, Sweet William, what's _your_ idea of a right and properpunishment for Cousin Azalea?"
"That's a matter for some thought," he responded, mindful of Mona'swords. "Look here, Patty, quite aside from Fleurette's connection withthis case,--what's your opinion of Zaly as a 'movie' star?"
"She's great, dear,--she really is. And--if she weren't our relative--"
"_My_ relative--"
"_Our_ relative, I should advise her to go in for the thing seriously;but,--I may be over-conservative,--even snobbish, but I do hate to haveour cousin's portrait all over the fences and ashbarrels, and in all theSunday papers, and--"
"I don't mind that publicity so much as I do the possible effects onAzalea's life. I don't know that the career of a 'movie' star is as fullof dangerous pitfalls as the theatrical line, but--I hate to see Azaleasubjected to them,--for her own sake."
"I'm not sure we'll have anything to say in the matter," Patty observed,thoughtfully.
"She may take the bit in her own teeth. After seeing her break thatbucking broncho to-day,--I don't think her as tractable and easilyinfluenced as I did!"
"How's this plan, dearest? Suppose we don't tell Azalea, for themoment, that you saw the picture to-day, and see what she'll do next."
"All right, I'd be glad to think it over a little. We'll warn Mona notto give it away,--and nobody else knows we went there."
"Of course, I'll take up the matter of Fleurette with Azalea,separately," Farnsworth went on. "But even if she's determined on hercareer, I feel sure we can persuade her to leave her little assistantout of it!"
"I rather just guess we can!" and Patty cuddled the baby to her breast."Well, the crowd will gather on the porch soon. I'll make a freshtoilette and play the serene
hostess, once again."
Fleurette was given over to Winnie, and Patty, calm and happy now, ranoff to dress.
"You're such a darling,--Big Billee," she whispered turning back to herhusband, and she went into his embracing arms; "you always know justwhat is right to do."
"Especially when Mona coaches me beforehand," he laughed, unwilling todeceive her in the slightest degree.
"Pooh," said Patty, "you're so right, even Mona can't make you anyrighter!"
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