Polly and Her Friends Abroad Part 15

"How did you ever learn about it, Prof?" asked Eleanor eagerly.

"The records of the entire transaction and the courageous though fearful stand the Early Christians took to defend their religion, can be read in the books called 'The Anti-Nicean Fathers.' There one can learn how wonderful were the cures and the over-coming of death for all who accepted Christianity, up to the time when it became defiled by greed and avarice and earthly taint.

"But, to me, the saddest part of all that sad event, is the fact that mankind, today, believes it _has_ the Truth as taught and practised by Christ Jesus. Whereas they only have the form and farce of it, as it was changed from the pure spiritual power to that counterfeit endorsed by Constantine. And for this subterfuge, the world honors that unscrupulous politician!"

Mr. Fabian was so incensed at the thought of all the act meant to the world, that he stalked out of the Minster and went on silently, followed almost as silently by the others. They were all thinking earnestly of what he had said, and everyone pondered on what _might have been_ had Constantine never interfered with the Truth.

After leaving York, the cars went through Selby, and stopped at Doncast long enough to give the tourists time to visit the gargoyled church.

Then they sped on to Sheffield where Mr. Fabian showed the girls how the famous Sheffield Plate was made.

The next stopping place was Haddon Hall, the home and burial spot of Dorothy Vernon. The country in this part of England is wild and ruggedly beautiful, with good roads for automobiles. So the cars sped smoothly along to Derby, where the collectors had dreams of old Crown Derby ware, but found nothing to materialize those visions.

Jimmy had been so annoying with his attentions to Polly, with his hang-dog expression, as he followed her everywhere, that the others began to feel impatient about it, instead of laughing as at a good joke as they had done. Finally Mr. Fabian spoke to him severely.

"See here, James, I can make allowances for a young man of your type, naturally, but when you make a beastly nuisance of yourself, I must interfere. Now leave Polly alone, and don't annoy her further with your transitory love. Throw it away on some girl who wants it."

But Mrs. Fabian felt that a better cure might have been applied. "If Polly would only hang on his arm and tell him how she loves him, he will drop her like an old shoe."

"I don't believe it! He has a double-edged axe to grind, and there's no use getting Polly in wrong, in case he wanted to get her and what she owns," returned Mr. Fabian, wisely.

Jimmy had not the character that would give perseverance and persistence for any problem, so he finally lost interest in the affair he had created for himself with Polly. Mrs. Alexander felt greatly elated when she saw him casting eyes at Dodo, oftener than he had in the past. And to show her appreciation of this, she quietly urged another roll of bills into his willing palm.

Perhaps it was the understanding that Polly and Dodo had had with each other that had caught Jimmy's attention. To spare Polly any further annoyance, Dodo had offered to divert the silly affair to herself, if possible. So she dressed in her finest, and flirted with Jimmy, and tried in every way to attract his eyes to herself. And it was not difficult to do, either.

Before they started for London, having done the points of interest at Coventry, Kenilworth, and so on to Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon, Jimmy was recovering from his desire to die, and was taking notice of Dodo. By the time they reached Stratford he was able to act any lover's part in the Shakespearian plays, provided Dodo was the lady-love in the scene.

His companions, excepting Angela and Dodo's mother, were out of all patience with him. He was such a weak-hearted lover who had no idea of the first principles of the game, that they had very little to say to him the last days of the trip.

Dodo bravely endured his soft speeches and smilingly accepted the bon-bons and blossoms her mother's money enabled him to shower upon her, but when they reached London, and the time came when the a.s.sociation could be severed, she ruthlessly did so.

The Americans stopped at one of the best hotels, while Angela and Jimmy drove to their home to get the directions left there for them by Sir James.

Shortly after everyone had decided to rest at the hotel after the long ride that day, Jimmy came rushing in to see the men.

"We found these letters at the house, so Angela made me come right in with them. Of course, you will all accept!"

There was a special invitation for each family, inviting them down to Sir James' country place for a week or two. When Mr. Alexander read and pa.s.sed the letter on to his wife, she was so pleased that she could hardly wait to hear what the others would say.

"Very sorry, Jimmy, but I am booked for business interviews from now on until I sail for the States, again," explained Mr. Ashby, answering for his family as well as for himself.

"And we plan to leave London very shortly, Jimmy, to tour the Continent, as you know," added Mr. Fabian.

"But we will go down with you, Jimmy, and thank your dear father, again and again," exclaimed Mrs. Alexander, sweetly.

"How do you know we will?" demanded Mr. Alexander; "I don't want to be bothered with style and society when I can have a nice time in my car touring over Europe."

"We'll have to go for a week, at least," said Mrs. Alexander, positively. "There are many reasons why." Then turning to Jimmy she added: "So tell your dear parents that we will be pleased to accept, Jimmy."

Dodo hurried from the parlor where this meeting took place, and Jimmy could not find her when he tried to have a few words with her, alone.

"Never mind, now, Jimmy," whispered Mrs. Alexander as she followed him from the room. "You will have Dodo all to yourself when we get down to Osgood Hall."

Rolling his eyes dramatically and sighing with joy as he shook the plump bejewelled hands of his expectant mother-in-law, Jimmy hurried away to rejoin his sister Angela in the car.

CHAPTER VII-DODO'S ELOPEMENT

"Dodo, your mother says we got to go with her to visit the Osgoods," Mr.

Alexander informed his daughter, early the next morning at breakfast.

"Well, I won't! so there! I'm going with Polly and her friends, to Paris. I just guess I can take up decorating if I want to, and Ma can't stop me!" Dodo was really angry.

"I've been thinking, Dodo, that if we don't go down with Ma, she can't go there alone. Now she wants to go the worst way, but she won't care so much whether we stay on or not-as long as she can hold on to the invitation."

Dodo looked up quickly at her father's tone. "What do you mean, Pa?"

"Well, you see, we plan to go down in the car. We can carry all the trunks and other traps, that way. But going down there doesn't say we've got to stay, does it?"

"N-o-o," agreed Dodo, beginning to see light.

"Well then, getting Ma down there, and you and I clearing out again, is all that I want to do. She will stay on and we will fly to Paris. How is that?"

Dodo laughed merrily at the plot, but she still had to hear further particulars. For instance, how did Pa expect to get away from the others without suspicion, and on what plea would he get back to London?

"Say now, Do-you don't suspect me of telling to them people all I expect to do, do you? No, I'll just wait for night, and then you and I will elope together."

"Elope! Oh, Pa, how funny!" laughed Dodo, clapping her hands.

"Yeh, easy as pie, Do! Now listen to me. Ma gets all nicely settled the first night, and you have your little room by yourself. I go out for a smoke with my friend pipe-all by myself. I see you trying to steal away with your bundles, and a MAN! I hear a motor purr, and I see you and that man get in a car-and off you tear. I foller you to London, and keep right on your heels to Paris. There I catch you, and send word back to Ma to ease her mind.

"When she hears that you eloped with a _man_, and I went after, to catch you, before you married someone we don't know about, she will be so glad that she'll forgive me. And she won't dare say a word to you, because that will spoil her little game for Jimmy, see?

"The Osgoods will make her stay on with them, if they really plan to land our million, because they will need some link by which to win you back, see? If they think more of their _family_ than of our money, they'll let Ma go and join us in Paris.

"Now, Dodo, what you think of your Pa's little scheme?" laughed the little man, as he rubbed his hands together in glee.

"Say, Pa! It's a shame such a wonder as you should be hidden to the world," exclaimed Dodo, admiringly.

"As long as it hides you and me until the storm blows over, will be enough to satisfy me," retorted Mr. Alexander.

At this moment, the Fabians and Ashbys entered the room, and Mr.

Alexander winked at his daughter for secrecy on the subject they had been discussing. Soon after the others sat down at the breakfast table, Mrs. Alexander joined them, and the conversation turned to their parting.

"When do you plan to leave London, Mrs. Alexander?" asked Mr. Ashby, politely.