Billie Bradley on Lighthouse Island Part 29

"Ob, but not now," protested Connie's mother. "I want to get you a cup of tea first."

"Oh, please let me tell the girls now. I want to," begged Miss Arbuckle, and Connie's mother gave in.

"You see," the teacher began while the girls gathered around eagerly, "only a few months ago Hugo--my brother--and I were very happy. That was before the dreadful thing happened that changed everything for us. I was nurse and governess," she hugged the children to her and they gazed up at her fondly, "to these children at the same house where Hugo was head gardener. Our employers were very wealthy people, and, having too many social duties to care for their children, Hugo and I sort of took the place of their father and mother. Indeed we loved them as if they belonged to us."

She paused a moment, and the girls stirred impatiently.

"Then the terrible thing happened," she continued. "One night the children disappeared. I had put them to bed as usual, and in the morning when I went in to them they were gone."

"Oh!" cried the girls.

"But that wasn't enough--Hugo and I weren't sorrow-stricken enough," she went on, a trace of bitterness creeping into her voice. "But they--Mr.

and Mrs. Beltz--must accuse us--us--of a plot to kidnap the children.

They accused us openly, and Hugo and I, being afraid they had enough circ.u.mstantial evidence to convict us, innocent though we were, fled from the house.

"That's about all," she said, with a sigh. "Hugo built himself a little refuge in the woods and made fern baskets, selling enough to make him a scanty living, and I went as a teacher and house matron to Three Towers Hall. That is why," she turned to Billie, who was staring at her fascinated, "I was so desperate when I lost the alb.u.m, and why," she added, with a smile, "I acted so foolishly when you returned it."

"You weren't foolish," said Billie. "I think you were awfully brave. I understand everything now."

"But I don't--not quite," put in Connie's mother, her pretty forehead puckered thoughtfully. "Of course you didn't kidnap the children,"

turning to Miss Arbuckle, "but it is equally certain that somebody must have done it."

"Oh, but don't you see?" Connie broke in eagerly. "The kidnappers, whoever they were, must have gone down on the ship out there on the shoal."

"And they bound the children on that funny raft and set them adrift, probably thinking they would be able to get away themselves," added Vi eagerly.

"And then the ship went down before they could follow," said Billie, adding, as she turned earnestly to the teacher: "Oh, Miss Arbuckle, it was awful--that poor ship out there going down with all the people on board!"

"Yes, it must have been horrible. I read about it in the papers," nodded Miss Arbuckle soberly. Then a great light broke over her face as she looked down at the three children who were still not much more than babies. "But some good comes of almost everything. I have my precious children now, and I can take them back to their family and prove my innocence--and Hugo's. Oh I'm so happy--I'm so happy!"

"But won't you come back to Three Towers any more?" asked Laura, her face so long that Miss Arbuckle laughed delightedly.

"Yes, my dear," she said, a joyful light in her eyes that made her quite a different person. "Hugo will probably go back to his old position, but I--oh, I could not desert Three Towers now after all you girls have done for me."

Then Connie's mother had her way and whisked joyful Miss Arbuckle away upstairs to "take off her hat" while the children trailed after, leaving the girls alone.

Laura and Connie and Vi fairly hugged each other over the marvelous clearing up of their mystery, but Billie turned away and looked out of the window, while sudden tears stung her eyes.

She did not notice that the little boy whom Miss Arbuckle had called Davy stopped at the foot of the stairs and crept softly back to her, she did not know he was anywhere around, till a soft little hand was slipped into hers and a baby voice said plaintively:

"Me loves my Billie, too."

"You darling!" cried Billie, kneeling down and catching him close to her.

"I suppose they will take you away now where you belong, honey, but don't ever forget your Billie."

And when the girls went over to her a few minutes later they were surprised to find that her eyes were wet.

"Why, Billie, you've been crying!" Laura exclaimed. "And you ought to be as happy as the rest of us."

"I am," said Billie, wiping her eyes hard. "Only I was thinking of little Davy."

"Well, don't, if it makes you cry and gets your nose all red," scolded Connie.

"Never mind, honey," said Vi, putting an arm about her. "We are all sorry to see the kiddies go, of course. But we can see them again some time if we want to."

"And just think," added Laura happily, "the boys are coming back next week. And that means Teddy, too," she added slyly.

"Yes, I'm glad he--_they_ are coming," stammered Billie, and the others laughed at her confusion. Then suddenly she wiped away the last trace of her tears and her eyes began to shine, making her look like the Billie the girls knew and loved best. "We _will_ have some good times when the boys come, girls. Why," as if making a surprising discovery, "our fun has just begun!"

And that Billie was speaking the truth and that there were more adventures in store for the boys and girls than even the girls dreamed of on that beautiful summer day, will be shown in the next volume of the series.

In the due course of time the three Beltz children were restored to their parents. It was learned that they had been kidnapped by three men who had thought to make a large sum of money out of their scoundrelly game. But all three kidnappers had lost their lives in the wreck.

At first it was supposed that many had gone down in the foundering of the _Daniel Boley_, as the ship was named. But later on it was learned that three small boats had got away in safety and the survivors had been picked up by a vessel bound for Halifax. So the loss of life was, after all, small.

Mr. and Mrs. Beltz were heartily ashamed of having suspected Miss Arbuckle and her brother of wrong doing, and they offered both their positions back at increased salaries. Hugo returned to the Beltz estate, but not so his sister.

"I love the children very, very much," said Miss Arbuckle. "But I also love Three Towers Hall and the girls there. I shall remain at the school." And she did, much to the delight of Billie and her chums.

And now the sun shining brightly once more and happiness all around them, let us say good-bye to Billie and the other girls on Lighthouse Island.

THE END