Chapter XIV An Interview
Seated on a log and looking out toward the water, hearing some one coming up behind her, not anxious to begin an interview which might lead to uncomfortable explanations, Sally did not turn her head.
When some one called her name, she jumped quickly to her feet and swinging around, faced Dan Webster.
Instantly her face grew scarlet.
“You have followed me, Dan. I shall never forgive you. Deliberately you made a pretence of going away with the others for the afternoon in order that I might be deceived.”
Sally’s words were harsher than her manner, for even as she spoke she put her hands to her hot cheeks and her voice trembled.
Dan was looking at her as she never had seen him. His usually ruddy, freshly colored skin had lost nearly every vestige of color, his lips were set and hard and his blue eyes at once stern and unhappy.
“Certainly I followed you, Sally, I told you that was my intention, and you are perfectly right in your supposition that I tricked you by appearing to leave the island. I did this not because I really believed you would continue your secret meetings, but because I wanted to be convinced.”
“Secret meetings!” Sally exclaimed, moving backwards a step or two and dropping her hands at her sides. “I think it is my right, Dan, to ask what you mean.”
“Why, I mean what I said. How could I mean anything else? Please don’t make things worse by failing to tell the truth, particularly now when it is too late to do anything else. I have been tramping about for the past half hour trying to decide what was best. I am going directly to Tante, and I wish you would come with me, and tell her that you have had half a dozen secret meetings with a young fellow who lands on the island in an out-of-the-way spot, instead of using the lagoon where he could be seen from the house. Doubtless you will explain your reason.”
Sally was silent, her face now paler than her companion’s.
“Of course I know, Sally, there is no harm in what you have been doing, but you yourself will confess that it does not look well and that anyone who cares for you has a right to try to protect you from your own indiscretion. Who is this fellow? Is he some friend whom you don’t think the rest of us would care to know? And for what reason? I saw you stop behind a clump of trees and a few moments later his boat landed and I walked away. I did mot wish actually to spy upon you. You must only have spoken to him, as it was a brief time ago. Perhaps you are befriending this fellow in some way; if you are, why not let me help?”
“I am befriending no one,” Sally returned.
“Then come with me to Tante. Perhaps you will confide in your Camp Fire guardian. I was never so disappointed in any human being in my life, Sally, as I am in you. I feel as if I were in a nightmare from which I must wake up.”
Almost roughly Dan took Sally by the arm.
The next instant she had broken away and a second time seated herself on the log.
“Go and tell whom you like, Dan Webster, and whatever you like, and not only Tante, but Aunt Betty and the entire group of Camp Fire girls. Be sure to miss no one. Afterwards don’t speak to me again.”
Hesitating, his sternness slightly relaxed, as whose would not have been by the sight of Sally, Dan took one step in her direction and then paused. Unexpectedly her head went down, the golden brown eyes that had been so full of defiance the moment before, filled and brimmed over, as she buried her head in her hands.
He was under the impression that he had been sufficiently unhappy upon making the discovery that she was keeping a secret from her friends, but his past unhappiness was as nothing to this.
“Sally, dear, I am afraid I spoke rudely to you. You know I was concerned for your sake. Of course I am not going to speak of the matter to Tante, as you’ll tell her yourself at once.”
“I shall do no such thing, Dan,” Sally answered in a muffled tone.
Dan appeared and felt defeated.
Slowly he began walking up and down a few feet away, his head bowed, an expression of anxiety and depression on his handsome, boyish face.
Finally he came and stood in front of the girl.
“Sally, I want to apologize to you, you must do what you think best. You asked me to have faith in you and I have not had. Good-by. I won’t ask you to walk home with me, but come soon, dear, you are tired and upset and ought to rest before dinner.”
Dan was moving away when Sally caught up with him.
“Dan, please listen. I want to tell you what actually has happened, I never wanted to tell anyone anything so much in my whole existence. I am afraid you will think I have not behaved very well, but you may scold as much as you like because I agree with you.
“Of course I have not been meeting any strange youth for any purpose whatsoever. What I have been doing is following Juliet Temple and I have little excuse to offer.
“Soon after her arrival I noticed that she slipped off several times alone and one day I followed her, partly from curiosity and the old distrust I always have felt for her. It is a curious thing, Dan. I believe Juliet is honestly fond of Tante, but I think in the end she will use her for her own purpose.
“Well, Juliet went farther than I expected and I saw her meet some one whom I feel sure is her brother, as they look so exactly alike. Besides, I heard that he was a soldier and most of the time he is in uniform. It is Juliet’s affair of course and she probably has some legitimate excuse for not wishing us to know him, but I confess it troubles me.
“In a way I feel I owe an apology to Juliet, but it might be more comfortable for us both not to speak of it. I was just reaching a decision to forget the whole matter when you interrupted and frightened me. If you doubt what I have told you, Dan, you can wait until Juliet returns and tell her what I have told you. I would prefer she and Tante should both know than that you should doubt me.”
“But I don’t doubt your word, Sally; nothing would ever induce me to doubt you now or in the future,” Dan returned with more earnestness than his previous point of view gave him the excuse for possessing. “Besides, now I recall that twice I have seen Juliet Temple not far away, soon after observing you. I am a dunce and a blockhead and your devoted friend, Sally.
“Why in the world do you feel this distrust of Juliet Temple? No wonder Tante thinks she has a hard time among you girls and appeals to me to be kind to her. She seems to me a tiresome kind of girl, who isn’t capable of anything out of the ordinary. She is clever enough to be a good secretary, or companion, or whatever she is to Tante, and that is the end of it.”
“Think so, Dan? Well, perhaps you are right,” Sally replied. “Suppose we hurry home. I don’t wish to appear as if you had made me cry, although it is perfectly true that you have.”
“Never as long as we live shall I trouble you again.”
Wise in things feminine, Sally shook her head and smiled.