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"Really, Miss Harris isn't worth it. It's dreadful to have a long list of grudges; it only hurts one to remember them." Madge listened politely, though she didn't appear convinced by their chaperon's remarks. Wilful Madge was never convinced except by experience. "I don't hate the Harris girl just because she made one rude speech, Miss Jenny Ann," she returned; "I hate her because she is hateful!
"I gave Jeff a paper and pencil to take to the man inside that house," she went on bravely. "I suppose I ought not to have done it." Miss Jenny Ann looked worried. "I am sorry, Phil," she answered quietly. Of course, Phil was more unhappy at her chaperon's quiet speech than she would have been if Miss Jones had scolded her.
The door was closed only by a wooden latch, which Phil had made. The banging continued. "Who's there?" Miss Jenny Ann demanded. There was no reply. Phil came over and stood by her chaperon's side. "Tell us who it is at the door and we will open to you. We can not open to a stranger," she declared. Still the stupid beating on the door with no response to the questioning.
"Never mind, dear," replied Mrs. Curtis soothingly. "If the lad really turns out to be your chaperon's brother, you are right; his behavior must be kept a secret from her." Mrs. Curtis, Mr. Brown and Tom afterward found the statement of the wild boy to be true. He was really Miss Jones's brother. His parents had died when he was a little boy, and his sister had sacrificed her life's hopes to him.
He wondered listlessly as he opened the message, then started as if disbelieving his eyes; the marks of a wild emotion spread over his features, he burst into shrill, hysterical laughter. "Do tell us!" begged Roberta. "Covington Covington is coming!" Wally felt his head whirl, and failed to note the chaperon's cry of surprise and see the paling of her cheeks. "Covington is coming!
"Oh, nothing much. Some cards, a bill or two " "Bill or coo, you mean," said her niece with a playful clutch at her chaperon's lap-full of missives. "If that isn't a man's letter, I'll eat my cap, ribbons and all and that one, and that one." Mrs. Mellows rose hastily, gathered her flowing negligee about her and beat a retreat.
Miss Jewell expressed her relief the next evening, and, stealing a glance at the face of the skipper, experienced a twinge of something which she took to be remorse. Ignoring the cook's hints as to theatres, she elected to go for a long 'bus ride, and, sitting in front with the skipper, left Mr. Jewell to keep a chaperon's eye on them from three seats behind.
In the course of two or three seances, with lights turned low, but honesty burning high for Lady Macbeth was guileless, and her Chaperon above suspicion, various other "spirits" hastened to be interviewed. There was "Ma," who afterwards turned out to be the Chaperon's "Pa," whose name a queer French name it gave in full.
The thought of their chaperon's anxiety at last persuaded them to go, and they departed after promising to send the boat over immediately they reached the "Merry Maid." "What do you think we had better do, Phil?" asked Madge as the other two girls rowed out of sight. Phil frowned and shook her head. "I haven't the faintest idea, Madge; I am afraid we are too late to do anything.
Then, seeing the chaperon's expression, she went up to her and put her arms about her. "See here, Miss Jenny Ann, you are not to worry over us. We are going to have a good time. As long as we have got into this scrape, let's make the best of it. Don't you see it is rather a lark. Of course, I am sorry that our families and friends will be so dreadfully worried about us.
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