Blue Robin, the Girl Pioneer Part 43

And from the Pioneer industries and crafts she had learned to be useful.

She thought of the first time she had tried to darn a stocking at the Rally. Yes, and they had helped her to be happy, for they had given her a purpose in life. As for the sports and activities, they had brought her in closer touch with nature, giving her a keener interest in things that had never appealed to her before. And the rules and laws, even the good old-timey women had all done their share in making definite those qualities which she now saw were necessary in order to be a success in life.

She realized, but dimly, perhaps, that she had gotten nearer the hearts of these people of the workaday world, not only Helen, but Edith and Jessie, who were all to be wage-earners that fall, thus opening up to her a new avenue of hopes and desires. Wasn't it strange how she used to dread the thought of having to earn her own living, and now she was worrying as to how she could earn more money to add to what she had earned already for d.i.c.k! Then a sudden thought jarred, oh, suppose Mrs.

Van Vorst, now that Nita had become so different with her sunburned cheeks and merry ways from what she had been before she met the Pioneers, should not want her any more! Oh, well, if that should be-ah, they were getting into New York! She stooped and had begun to gather up her belongings when some one spoke to her.

It was Mrs. Van Vorst, who, with her gracious little smile-how changed she seemed from on that morning when Nathalie had handed her the card in front of the library-said, "Nathalie, Nita and I are going to take a run up to St. Luke's Hospital to visit that sick friend-you know the one I told you about, who just had an operation performed-and Nita wants you to go with us."

"Oh, but Mother will be waiting to see me!" exclaimed the girl blankly.

O dear, she didn't want to go, for she was in such a hurry to see her mother and d.i.c.k.

"Oh, that will be all right," nodded her friend quickly. "Mrs. Morrow will stop at the door, and you can tell her you will be along in the next train, for we shall not be long at the hospital."

Twenty minutes later the three ladies, each with a big bouquet which Nita had insisted upon their taking, were entering a large, bare-looking reception room. "Now, girls," said Mrs. Van Vorst, "I will hurry up in the elevator and see how the patient is, and then perhaps you can both come and see him-her-" Mrs. Van Vorst's face grew strangely red-she turned abruptly and hurried from the room.

It was but a few moments when she was back again, and with a bright little nod cried, "Come, Nathalie, my friend is fine this morning, and very anxious to see visitors, so come along!"

"I wonder why the patient wants to see me," soliloquized the girl in puzzled query. "Isn't Nita coming?" she cried aloud, seeing the girl standing by the window with an odd little smile on her face.

"Oh, yes, later; only one at a time at present," was the quick reply.

Nathalie was still thinking how strange it seemed and how smiling Mrs.

Van Vorst appeared, when they came to a halt in front of a door in an upper corridor. "Here we are," said her companion, "now run in and see my friend!" She threw open the door as she spoke.

Nathalie took a step forward, stared a minute with puzzled brows, and then with a loud cry flung herself with outstretched arms upon a figure standing in the center of the room, for it was d.i.c.k!

"Oh, how did you get here and-" but the rest was lost, for d.i.c.k was hugging her and kissing her in a way that more than astonished the girl, for he had always declared he hated to kiss people. And then he held her off and with shining eyes surveyed the suntanned cheeks of Nathalie approvingly, as he cried, "So you're back, Blue Robin-and-great guns, as fat as a porpoise, too!"

"But what are you doing here?" inquired the still dazed girl slowly-"are you the lady?"

"Lady!" echoed d.i.c.k. "I, a lady? Not on your life! What have you got into your head now?" he quizzed teasingly.

"But Mrs. Van Vorst said I was to meet a lady-"

"Oh, she was just bluffing you, that's all," jeered d.i.c.k. "She wanted to surprise you, for-" then Nathalie gave a loud scream, for d.i.c.k had begun to walk towards the bureau, slowly, to be sure, for his muscles were stiff, but he was straight as an arrow.

"Oh-why, d.i.c.k, where is your cane? You'll fall-" and then something must have whispered to the girl,-perhaps it was intuition for in a flash she seemed to know.

"d.i.c.k," she gasped, "you've had the operation, and you're all right?"

This last was in a tense whisper.

"You bet I am," returned d.i.c.k cheerily, "and in good shape, too. The doctor says I can go home in a week."

"But where did you get the money?" asked the girl, her eyes big with wonder.

"From a check sent by Mrs. Van Vorst as a tribute to her little friend and adviser, Nathalie Page," read d.i.c.k slowly from a letter which he had suddenly slipped from his pocket. As he glanced down at the girl and saw her staring eyes he flicked the letter before them, laughing as if to recall her to herself. Nathalie blinked, stepped back, and then a sudden light flashed into her eyes, and with a swoop of her hand she s.n.a.t.c.hed the letter from her brother, crying, "Oh, d.i.c.k, isn't she just the dearest! Oh, I'm not worth so much money, I-" Then her eyes swept the page before her.

"No, I don't believe you are, Blue Robin," teased d.i.c.k smilingly. And then his voice grew more earnest, as he added, "Nathalie Page, you're the blood, all right. You captured her heart on sight, and this is the result." He started to walk slowly towards the bed, but the girl was at his side, for she saw that he was beginning to feel a little tired.

"To be sure," he cried apologetically as he leaned on her a little heavily. "I'm not a speeder just yet, but wait a bit and you'll see me do a twenty-mile dash in no time.

"Yes," explained d.i.c.k, after he was resting on the bed again, and Mrs.

Van Vorst's kindness had been rehea.r.s.ed in detail; "Mrs. Van Vorst sent a letter to Mother expressing her love, admiration, and all the rest of it, for you, and then begged to be allowed to give you this surprise.

She said we could consider the money a loan and pay it back when we liked."

"Oh, was that the letter that came just before I went away, that you wouldn't tell me about?"

d.i.c.k nodded, and then went on, "I was brought here the day after you left for the Lake; operated on the day after, and have had the jolliest time ever since. The nurses here are O. K. I have only been permitted to stand on my feet the last few days, but the doctor says I'll soon be walking all right. But Blue Robin, how goes it with you? I hear you're a great sport since you left."

But Nathalie's thoughts were elsewhere. "Oh, d.i.c.k," she exclaimed presently, "when do you think we can pay Mrs. Van Vorst the money back?

I have some, you know-" her eyes grew bright-"fifty dollars, in the bank!"

"And I have, well, I guess I have more than that," said the boy proudly, "from the various jobs I did. Oh, Nathalie, did I tell you I wrote a little skit and sold it to 'Life' for fifty dollars?"

"You did?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the girl. "Oh, I'm so glad! I always said you could write funny things. Well, that will make-" but at this moment she heard the door open. Oh, it was Mrs. Van Vorst-what should she say to thank her?

But the question faded from her mind as with a cry of delight she sprang into the outstretched arms of her mother.

Well, it seemed as if the three would never get through going over this great joy that had come into their lives! Then, too, they were all anxious to pay back as soon as possible Mrs. Van Vorst's kind loan.

"Well," said Nathalie at length, "I am sure if we all work hard we can do it pretty soon. How much did you say it cost?"

But before d.i.c.k could answer Mrs. Page cried, taking a hand of each as she spoke, "It will take time to be sure, but Mother is going to do her share, for, children, the bonds are all right, I received my interest yesterday, the usual six per cent."

"Oh, isn't that just too lovely!" exclaimed Nathalie. But before she could say more the door opened and Mrs. Van Vorst and Nita entered, Nita all shyness again as she bowed stiffly to d.i.c.k, whom she had always been anxious to meet. And then the unexpected happened, for as Nathalie turned to thank her kind benefactor she burst into tears and cried as if her heart would break, to the dismay of every one present. Oh, what a fool she did make of herself, she afterwards confessed with shamed eyes to Helen.

But Mrs. Van Vorst had been a girl herself once, and so she understood just how her young friend felt. She comforted Nathalie so sweetly that the girl fell in love with her over again, her tears dried, and she was soon her happy self.

In a short s.p.a.ce the good-bys were said to d.i.c.k, and the four ladies hurried to the taxi that was to whirl them to Westport. Of course there was so much to tell and talk over during the journey that it was not until Nathalie was undressing for bed that she heard that as soon as d.i.c.k was able he and her mother were to spend two weeks at Eagle Lake with Mrs. Van Vorst. Nathalie received this news with unfeigned joy, for now her mother would have a change, and then she and d.i.c.k could see what a lovely place the Lake was.

There had been so many unexpected bits of brightness to make Nathalie happy that day that when she finally got into bed, although she was terribly tired, her brain was in such a whirl she was sure she would never go to sleep. But at last, with a drowsy sigh, she snuggled down on her pillow with the happy thought that she was so glad she had found that nest-of blue birds-and had become-a Girl Pioneer!

THE END