Peggy Raymond's Vacation Part 29

"Do you like it?" asked Rosetta Muriel, immediately interested. The fair hair which she usually arranged so elaborately, was parted and drawn back rather primly over her ears, giving her face a suggestion of refinement which was becoming, if a little misleading.

Peggy was glad she could answer in the affirmative. "Indeed, I do. The simple styles are so pretty, I think."

"There was a picture of Adelaide Lacey in the paper, with her hair done this way. She's going to marry a duke, you know." It was characteristic of Rosetta Muriel thus to excuse her lapse into simplicity, but though the ingenuous explanation was the truth, it was not the whole truth.

Even Rosetta Muriel was not quite the same girl for having come in contact with Peggy Raymond, and her poor little undeveloped, unlovely self was reaching out gropingly to things a shade higher than those which hitherto had satisfied her.

The news of the hasty departure was magically diffused. Amy said afterward that she began to understand what they meant when they talked about wireless telegraphy. For as the stage rattled and b.u.mped along the dusty highway the next morning, figures appeared at the windows, handkerchiefs fluttered, and hands were waved in greeting and farewell.

In many a harvest field, too, work halted briefly, while battered hats swung above the heads of the wearers, as a subst.i.tute for a good-by. And at the station, to the girls' astonishment, quite a company had collected in honor of their departure.

Graham and Jack had deferred their start till they had put the girls on the train, and they regarded the gathering in amazement. "Sure they're not waiting for a circus train?" Graham demanded. "Are you responsible for all this? Rather looks to me, Jack, as if we weren't quite as indispensable as we fancied."

The stage was never early, and the girls hardly had time to make the rounds before the whistle of the train was heard. "Come back next summer," cried Mrs. Cole, catching Peggy in her arms, and giving her a motherly squeeze. "I declare it'll make me so homesick to drive by the cottage, with you girls gone, that I shan't know how to stand it."

Peggy was saying good-by all over again, but she saved her two special favorites for the last. "Now, Lucy," she cried, her hands upon the shoulders of the pale girl, whose compressed lips showed the effort she was making far self-control, "you must write me now and then. I want to know just how you're getting along."

"Yes, I'll write," Lucy promised. "But you mustn't worry about me. I'm not going to get discouraged again, no matter what happens." The train was coming to a snorting halt and Peggy had time for just one more word.

"Good-by, Jerry. Don't forget."

The girls scrambled aboard, followed by a chorus of good-byes. "What's this? Old Home week?" asked an interested old gentleman, dropping his newspaper and crossing the aisle, to get a better view of the crowd on the platform. And, meanwhile, Amy was tugging at the window, crying excitedly, "Oh, help me, quick, Peggy, or it'll be too late."

The window yielded to the girls' combined persuasion. Amy's camera appeared in the opening, and a little click sounded just as the train began to move. "Oh, I hope it'll be good," cried Amy, whose successes and failures had been so evenly balanced that her att.i.tude toward each new effort was one of hopeful uncertainty. "It would be so nice to have something to remember them by." But Peggy, looking back on the station platform, was sure that she needed no aid to remembrance, Amy's camera might be out of focus, and the plate blurred and indistinct, as so often happened, but the picture of those upturned, friendly faces was printed upon Peggy's heart, a lasting possession.

"Well, old man!" It was Jack Rynson speaking over Graham's shoulder.

"Guess we might as well start. Come on, Hobo--beg pardon, Hero." And the dog who had whimperingly watched the train which bore Peggy out of sight, only restrained by Jack's hand on his collar from rushing in pursuit, yielded to the inevitable, and followed his new master with the curious loyalty which does not change, no matter how often its object changes.

The people were breaking up into groups of twos and threes, and moving away, but Lucy Haines and Jerry stood motionless, their gaze following the vanishing speck which was the south-bound train. Then slowly Lucy's head turned. She had never been friendly with Jerry Morton. She had shared the disapproval of the community, intensified by her inherent inability to understand the temperament so unlike her own. Yet all at once she found herself feeling responsible for him. To be helped means an obligation to help, at least to unselfish natures.

She went toward Jerry half reluctantly. But when she was near enough to see that he was swallowing hard, apparently in the effort to remove some obstruction in his throat which would not "down," the discovery seemed to create a bond between them. Her voice was eager and sympathetic as she said: "It's fine that you're going to start school again, Jerry. And if I can help you with anything, I'll be glad to." She hesitated, and then, in spite of her natural reserve, she added: "We mustn't disappoint her, either of us."

Jerry had to swallow yet again before he could reply. But his answer rang out with a manful sincerity which would have gladdened Peggy's heart had she heard it.

"Disappoint her! Not on your life!"

SAVE THE WRAPPER!

If you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends you have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket--on the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt's fine series of carefully selected books for young people has been placed for your convenience.

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THE ANN STERLING SERIES

By HARRIET PYNE GROVE

Stories of Ranch and College Life For Girls 12 to 16 Years

Handsome Cloth Binding with Attractive Jackets in Color

ANN STERLING

The strange gift of Old Never-Run, an Indian whom she has befriended, brings exciting events into Ann's life.

THE COURAGE OF ANN

Ann makes many new, worthwhile friends during her first year at Forest Hill College.

ANN AND THE JOLLY SIX

At the close of their Freshman year Ann and the Jolly Six enjoy a house party at the Sterling's mountain ranch.

ANN CROSSES A SECRET TRAIL

The Sterling family, with a group of friends, spend a thrilling vacation under the southern Pines of Florida.

ANN'S SEARCH REWARDED

In solving the disappearance of her father, Ann finds exciting adventures, Indians and bandits in the West.

ANN'S AMBITIONS

The end of her Senior year at Forest Hill brings a whirl of new events into the career of "Ann of the Singing Fingers."

ANN'S STERLING HEART

Ann returns home, after completing a busy year of musical study abroad.

A. L. BURT COMPANY, Publishers, 114-120 EAST 23rd STREET NEW YORK