Ann Crosses a Secret Trail Read online

  CHAPTER XIII

  A SONG IN THE AIR

  The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is like no other. It maybring its problems, as we keep the anniversary, but there is a certainpleasure and anticipation in the very atmosphere, especially among theyoung. “Do you realize it?” Marta would ask, “--only three weeks nowtill Christmas?” Next it was only two weeks, then only one and time topack up.

  Ann saw a great deal of Suzanne, for they consulted over gifts forthis one and that one at home. Suzanne was good in suggestion for herfamily, which fact helped Ann not a little. The girls had so littletime to shop. But some things were passed over to Ann’s mother to dofor her, after the list of what she thought appropriate for each onewas made out. For their grandmother and mothers, Suzanne and Ann weredoing a little embroidery, that they might offer something of their own.

  The music and services at school treated of Christmas and the girlswent around humming carols. “It came upon the midnight clear,” “Olittle town of Bethlehem,” “While shepherds watched their flocks bynight,” “There’s a song in the air. There’s a star in the sky,” or“Holy Night” were favorite hymns at Chapel. And when on that lastmeeting of the society, Eleanor sang “Thou didst leave thy throne andthy kingly crown, When thou camest to earth for me,” she sang with suchexpression and feeling that Ann received a new impression of a soberand earnest Eleanor, who cared about the higher things. ImpressionableAnn was thrilled at her rendering of the last stanza, and poor littleAline, whose mother had so recently joined those heavenly choirs,clutched Ann’s hand and bit her lip to keep back the tears. Aline wasgoing home with Eleanor for the Holidays. It was, however, the secondChristmas since the home had been broken up.

  Marta was going back to New York with Ethel and Lucile, having added somuch to the good time of everybody at Thanksgiving that both familieswanted her. Ann was delighted, for she could not bear to leave Martaagain at Christmas time. It was with a very happy heart that Ann saidher goodbyes at school and rolled away in the ’bus to take the train.This time she and Suzanne were traveling together, in the most amicableway in the world. “O Ann, don’t you _hope_ that we go to Florida?” wasa frequent question, put in one form or another, as they drew nearerhome. It was home now to Ann, for her dearest and nearest were therenow. A jolly telegram from her father had informed her of his arrival.

  It kept growing colder, the girls thought, and even in the train theywore their coats, Suzanne’s a fur one. At the village station whoshould be there but Maurice, handsome in a big fur coat and pulling offgloves, to greet Ann and draw her furs up to her ears. “Got the bigsleigh that was Grand-Dad’s, Ann. Thought that I’d give you a real NewEngland welcome!”

  Ann was delighted. “Is it really Grandfather’s sleigh, Maurice?” sheasked. “It looks perfectly new to me, so pretty, Maurice!”

  “The real, sure enough article, Ann. Of course, it has been freshlypainted.”

  “Give me a warm, closed car for mine,” said Suzanne, shivering.

  “No good, Suzanne. Every car we own has something the matter with it;besides, these roads are made for sleighing. It melted, then it froze,slippery as could be,--then the snow; and it is pretty well packed bynow. How does it compare with Montana, Ann?”

  “‘Comparisons are odious,’ Maurice. This is perfect and nothing canexceed perfection, you know.”

  Maurice had put Ann in the front seat, tucking Suzanne in behind withrobes galore. Climbing in beside Ann, he made sure that she had therobes well up around her before he started his stamping team. “Lookhere, Ann,” said he. “I found an old buffalo robe up in the attic, andpleased Grandmother almost to death by bringing it down. It was alldone up in moth-balls and things,--what makes you laugh?”

  “Its being ‘done up in’ moth-balls.”

  “You are too recently in the thralls of some English class, Ann!”

  “Bunny, you know!”

  “Ah, yes; I’ve heard of her, I believe.”

  Ann patted the robe, which was on top of the others. “Think what goodtimes Grandfather and Grandmother had riding around with this!”

  “Yes, and I hope that we shall have just as good times.”

  Maurice did not look at Ann as he said this, but he drew the robesaround her, with an unnecessary care, and gave rein to the prettyblacks.

  “I adore black horses,” said Ann. “That is the only drawback to Zep.But Zep’s character makes up for his lacking the ‘coal-black’ color Iwanted. You can’t have everything at once.”

  “Alas, how true,” remarked Maurice, holding a tight rein. “Thesefellows want to run. They are feeling their oats to-day.”

  “I never saw you drive anything but a car, Maury.”

  “Didn’t you? When I was a kid I used to ride everything on the place,with or without a saddle. A boy brought up in the country has a prettygood chance for a fine time.”

  “Some way I never thought of you as brought up in the country.”

  “I would call ours a country place, wouldn’t you?”

  “I suppose so; but you are so close to villages and towns. It isn’tlike our ranches.”

  “No, that’s so; but I like it all the better. Suzanne, are your feetwarm with that little heater?”

  “I’m all right, Maury; but my breath freezes when I talk! Please stepon the gas!”

  Ann laughed at Suzanne’s comical tone. This was just what Ann liked,though she felt of her nose occasionally, from habit, she told Maurice.

  “I suppose that you do have it a good deal colder than this in Montana.”

  “Yes; but it’s dry, you know.”

  “So they always say. I’m going out there some time and see if it istrue.”

  “Isn’t that nice of you to doubt my word!”

  “I wouldn’t put it that way, Ann. I just make allowances for localpride. The first winter that you spend out there I’m coming.” Mauricegave Ann a swift look, then let the horses go a little faster. “How doyou like the tone of our sleigh-bells, Ann? They are the old ones, from‘time immemorial,’ Grandmother says.”

  “It’s just too Christmasy for words! Please take me out again while I’mhere.”

  “As often as you want to go. Ron says that we are going to get up asled party some night, a regular old-fashioned jaunt, you know.”

  “That will suit me, Maurice. But where is my wandering father? Whydidn’t he care enough for his daughter to come after her?”

  “Say, Ann--that is hard on me. Not content with her gay cavalier, sheis crying for Papa! Suzanne, do you realize that the thermometer hasdropped at least ten degrees? Git-ap!”

  “Honestly, Maurice? How do you know?” called Suzanne, above thejangling bells.

  “He is just joking me, Suzanne. Don’t pay any attention!”

  “Well said, Ann. I won’t.”

  “Your father, Miss Sterling, when I last saw him, was sitting beforea rousing fire in Grandmother’s biggest fire-place. I begged him toaccompany me, but saying that he was not accustomed to such severeweather in Montana, he refused and continued to talk politics with Dad.”

  “I’ll find out the truth yet, Maurice Tyson,” laughed Ann. “Oh, here weare! How beautiful everything looks! I do love this place!”

  “I’m glad that you have gotten that far, at least.”

  The LeRoy place was worthy of Ann’s exclamation. She had last seenit with its waving foliage on the tall old trees, and the flowers,carefully tended, along the walks or in beds upon the lawn. Now thetrees, as on the campus at Forest Hill, were laden with snow, theevergreens bending to the ground where the broad spruce branches spreadtheir beauty. The shrubbery along the curving drive bore also the whitewintry blossoms from the snow drifts. The walks had been cleared andthe entrance was free from snow.

  Maurice fairly lifted Ann from the sleigh and turned to help Suzanneout of her nest of blankets. But Ann had gone on to meet a big man,who came out upon the veranda to find his little girl and take her ina fatherly embrace. “You shouldn’t h
ave come out without a hat, Daddy.Maurice says that you are not used to cold, so couldn’t come to meetme.”

  “I’ll have to have it out with Maurice,” said Mr. Sterling. “But it wascomfortable before the fire this morning; and as I saw that Mauricepreferred to meet you himself, I let him do it. Does he make love toyou very seriously?” Mr. Sterling, Ann saw, was in joking mood.

  “Not so very, Daddy. I’ll not have to call on you to send him away yet.”

  And here was Mother, sweet and happy, all her precious family togetherat last, under Grandmother’s roof. Ann had a glimpse of Aunt Sue andUncle Tyson, as she passed the door on her way to the stairs; but theywaited until the travelers should come downstairs to greet them. AuntSue, Ann thought, would not care for embraces from cold arms. Adelinewas waiting for Ann, to take her wraps and make her comfortable, whileFelice performed a like service for Suzanne. The house was warm andAdeline brought Ann a hot cup of chocolate with some wafers.

  “You knew that I liked chocolate better than tea, didn’t you, Adeline?”said Ann, as she sipped the hot drink.

  “Your mother reminded me, Miss Ann.”

  As soon as Ann’s toilet was properly made, according to Adeline’snotion rather than to Ann’s, she hurried to her grandmother’s room andrapped. Nancy, smiling broadly, opened the door, and beyond were theopen arms of Grandmother.

  “Dear child, dear child! How glad I am to see you! Your Grandmother isgetting so she can scarcely spare you any more!”

  “Good, Grandmother! It is fine to hear that. I hope that we canbe together except in school time, and we might even manage thatsometimes, if you would come oftener.”

  “When you go to Paris to study, I’ll go with you,” laughed Grandmother.She waved Ann to a seat near her and asked to hear the latestschool news. How glad Ann was that there were no more things to beexplained, no more uncertain strivings to find and destroy the cause ofmisunderstanding. “Your father seems to be having a pleasant visit,”said Madam LeRoy proudly.

  “I never saw Dad look happier,” agreed Ann. “We are all happy,--Ihope.” Ann added that, for she wondered about Aunt Sue. “It will be awonderful Christmas time. Why, Maury brought us home in the ‘familysleigh,’ so pretty, with its curves and fine fittings!”

  “Did you like it? That old sleigh has quite a history. I will tellyou some of it this vacation, when there is an opportunity. But tellme more about those girls,--the Jolly Six, is it, or have you more innumbers, as you had in Montana last summer?”

  “The Jolly Six still exists, but they are not all of my friends, by anymeans. We have had a wonderful time, rushing girls for the ‘Bats’ and‘Owls,’ and Suzanne is so much happier and better off in the new suite.”

  “I never liked her friendship with Madeline Birch,” said Madam LeRoy,“but I did not like to insist on her rooming with you last year, afterSue explained the arrangement, though it was largely for your sake thatI let it alone. Although you and Suzanne are cousins, and Suzanne isa dear child, it does not necessarily follow that relationship makespeople congenial. So it was that I did not interfere.”

  “I was perfectly willing to room with Suzanne, this year; but afterthe arrangements had been made, it scarcely seemed fair to Marta. MissTudor arranged it very sensibly, I thought.”

  “What did Madeline think of the new arrangement?”

  “She would not speak to Suzanne; but what with the Sig-Eps saying thatit would not do to keep mad, and Miss Tudor’s putting just the rightgirls with Madeline and Genevieve, it all blew over. Suzanne told methat Madeline will be at her Christmas party!” Ann’s bright face lookedup into the amused face so like her own in expression, at times.

  “We have a new club now, the ‘Scribblers’ Club.’ Eleanor asked me if Idid not want to be a famous authoress, so I am considering the matter!I haven’t written the great composition as yet, the one that willentitle me to membership, but I am hoping to get an inspiration thisvacation.”

  “Write about your mountains, Ann, or something in Florida, when you getthere.”

  “Am I really going, Grandmother?”

  “Of course you are. I would not go without you. Your mother and fatherwould not have so good a time and we would all of us be saying, ‘How Iwish Ann were here.’”

  Grandmother, with her head on one side, was looking at Ann with aquizzical smile; but Ann knew that she meant what she was saying atthat.

  “It is fine to be of so much importance,” returned Ann.

  “My elder daughter and I have about come to an agreement in regard towhere and how we go, which is high time, since we start as soon afterChristmas day as possible.”

  “I just can scarcely believe it, Grandmother. What is Florida like?”

  “Like no place else in the United States and worth seeing, at leastonce. I think that I will buy a place there this time, if we find whatwe want. You can help me select it. How would you like that?”

  “I’m afraid that I would not know enough about it. But if there are nomountains in Florida, let’s get a place near the ocean. I’ve never evenseen it, you know.”

  “Is that so, child? You will see it shortly, then, and the Gulf, too,if you would like. It is likely that your father will want to take someauto trips over the state. You can see it better in that way, if theroads are good.”

  “The Gulf of Mexico, I suppose you mean. Have you an atlas,Grandmother? I don’t know a thing about Florida, except the outline ofit that I used to draw with the map of the United States. There is LakeOkeechobee, I remember, and the Everglades are there.”

  “There ought to be atlases enough for your purpose in the library, Ann.It is not a bad idea to have some idea of the geography before you go.But have you had a visit with your father yet, Ann? I heard the bellsthat accompanied you not very long ago, it seems to me.”

  “No,--I haven’t visited with any one yet; but I saw Daddy a few minutesbefore I went upstairs. I came around here as soon as Adeline wasthrough with me.”

  “That was good of you, my child. Come; I will go with you, and we willjoin the family. Nancy has been fixing a dress for me. You do not needme any more, do you, Nancy?”

  “No ma’am. I know what you want done now.”

  They met Mrs. Sterling on the stairs. She was going up to see whatdetained her daughter, though she had surmised that Ann would see hergrandmother as soon as she dressed. Mr. Sterling made room for Annbeside him on the davenport, in front of the fire, though not tooclose. His strong arm went around her and Ann leaned against him, safewith Daddy once more. Mrs. Tyson had met Ann cordially when she enteredthe room and Uncle Tyson had welcomed her with his usual courtesy.Suzanne had not yet come down, nor was Maurice present; but Ann had notlistened long to the conversation of her elders when he appeared anddrew Ann away from her father to talk to him.

  Looking out of the window as they stood by a little table near it,Maurice pointed to a red-coated little figure struggling through thedeep snow between walk and drive, and dragging a sled after him.“Aren’t kids funny?” asked Maurice. “Roy would rather go through thesnow than go around by the walk. I used to think it fun myself. He’llcome in all wet, and with ice-cold feet, and say that he has had agreat time!”

  “Bless him!” murmured Ann. “I’ll go out and see him.” With Maurice, Annwent through the devious passages of the old house to the kitchen andthe back porch, where Roy, as commanded of him, would make his firstappearance. Madge, who had been reading in the library and had noteven heard the bells which announced the arrival, came out into thehall, just in time to meet Ann and welcome her with more enthusiasmthan Madge was ordinarily known to show. She made the third boundkitchenward.

  Roy, stamping off the snow on the back porch and boisterously entering,was quite surprised to see members of the family waiting. “What’s thematter?” he asked. “Oh, yes; hello Ann. When did you get in?”

  “Do you mean to say that you did not see us coming in the sleigh,literally ‘with bells on,’ as Maurice says?”

 
; “I was slidin’ down hill over in the hollow. Never heard a thing. Yes,you can kiss me, if you want to; I don’t usually let ’em any more. I’mgetting too big.”

  This was a new phase in Roy. “I’ll do it for you, if you like,” offeredMaurice with a very sober expression.

  “She might not like it,” as soberly replied Roy, offering his coldcheek to Ann, who patted his shoulder as she bestowed her salute. “Youare my friend, Roy, aren’t you?” said she.

  “I’m your cousin, and so is Maurice,” said Roy.

  “Then I have some rights, haven’t I, Roy?” inquired Maurice.

  “Better be careful. Girls are funny,” replied Roy.