Chapter XIII The Following Day
Not in several years could Sally Ashton recall so trying a day as the present one, not since those fateful days in France when she had nursed an unknown soldier in a ruined château.
In the first place, she was worried about Gill. Characteristic of Gill to insist that the night outdoors in the fog and cold probably had been good for her; Sally was not under a similar impression. Devotedly and faithfully she had nursed and watched the other girl during the past winter, to discover that Gill possessed a boyish carelessness and lack of judgment concerning her own health.
So in and out of Gill’s room, Sally spent a portion of her morning, carrying in the breakfast tray, insisting that Gill, in spite of her protests, use a hot water bag prevent her taking cold.
At eleven o’clock again she tiptoed softly back, and finding Gill awake departed to bring a glass of milk, in case she should prefer to sleep on through luncheon.
“I may not be able to come in to see you during the afternoon, Gill; Bettina suggests that, as she is your hostess, I might permit her to have a little of the care of you, so I agreed. There is something else I may have to attend to and you seem all right.”
With a harrassed, even troubled air, unlike her usual serenity, Sally stood frowning, looking not at Gill, but out the open window.
Gill stretched forth her hand.
“Sally, dear, what is the matter? You are not worrying about me, that is too absurd! You are a perfect dear and I am everlastingly grateful, but I have not even taken cold. There is something else on your mind. If you don’t wish to confide in me, why not tell some one, Mrs. Graham or Mrs. Burton.”
Sally failed to lift her eyes.
“No, not at present. I had thought of speaking to Aunt Betty and then decided I had best wait. Tante is absolutely out of the question. By the way, she was much upset when she heard what had happened to you and Allan Drain, but after a talk with Allan is in a happier frame of mind. I was to tell you that she would see you when you were more rested.”
Sally waited, as if trying to reach a decision before stirring from her present position.
“Gill, if there was something you believe you ought to do, would you go ahead, even if it made some one you cared for angry?” she unexpectedly demanded.
Gill studied her closely.
“I don’t know what to answer, as would depend partly upon circumstances But, Sally, dear, please don’t get yourself into any difficulty. You have been through a trying winter with me and are here by the blue lagoon for a holiday.”
Sally shook her head.
“I’ll do my best to avoid it.”
A few moments before lunch Sally discovered Dan Webster alone on the front porch and went toward him in her sweetest and most friendly fashion.
“It is nice to find you by yourself, Dan. You said last night that I had been avoiding you, which was not exactly true. I have had something on my mind and it is hard, as you know, at a house party, to slip away from the others.”
Dan laughed.
“Yes, Sally, but it is the very fact of your slipping away from the others that I did object to. Had you gone with me I might have felt differently.”
Sally put out her hand, catching at her companion’s coat sleeve.
“Promise me, Dan, that if I do something you don’t like, you won’t be angry? You might have a little faith in me!”
Dan shook his head.
“Faith or no faith, Sally, I won’t have you trudging over this island alone on any kind of fool’s errand. If you do what I asked you not, I shall find it hard to forgive you. Let’s not talk of this; why not come for a walk with me this afternoon? We have not had a walk in ages!”
“No, Dan, I can’t, I am sorry, but I am tired from waiting on Gill all morning and from the dance last night and mean to have a nap.”
Then to Sally’s relief, Mrs. Graham appeared on the veranda and luncheon was announced.
In the afternoon from her bedroom window Sally saw most of the house party disappear. They were crossing over to the mainland to watch a drill at the fort. She had declined to go, but was happy to observe that Dan was with them and walking with Vera Lagerloff, whom he had known since they were children.
A short time after, making a pretence of keeping her word, Sally lay down on her bed for five minutes. Then she arose, put on a sweater and a small, close-fitting hat and unobserved went downstairs. Instead of going out at once, however, she slipped into the drawing-room and sat down by a window where she was almost completely concealed by the curtain.
She sat there about a half hour. At the end of that time another member of the house-party appeared from a side door, glanced about her, as if wondering whether she was observed, and then started alone, presumably for a walk.
Not at once, but within two or three moments, Sally arose and followed her. By walking rapidly she might be able to join her; by loitering she might keep her in view.
As the girl walked quickly and as Sally was not fond of strenuous exercise, she was forced to hurry in order not to lose sight of her.
After an hour and a quarter of fast walking the girl in advance reached the small fisherman’s hut which Allan Drain had discovered the night before.
She remained waiting in the open doorway until a small boat landed on the beach and a young man jumped out. Then she ran forward to meet him.
From her place of concealment behind a clump of trees Sally was neither surprised nor shocked. There was no question with regard to the likeness between Juliet Temple and her companion, plainly they were sister and brother. Then why did Juliet Temple not bring her brother to the “House by the Blue Lagoon”? The question puzzled and troubled Sally.
After all, she was making a mistake. If another girl chose to have secret meetings with her own brother, it was not her affair.
Had she not always distrusted Juliet Temple and believed she intended some wrong purpose, never would she have pursued her present course.
Dan must never learn what she had been doing, or he might be not only angry but disdainful.
Sally turned and started home, sitting down now and then to rest. Having finally made up her mind to cease playing detective, she was in a more comfortable frame of mind.
Should Juliet Temple by any chance overtake her, Sally determined to confess.