The Cricket Part 54

Isabelle grinned at him, but he frowned and walked away without another word.

Isabelle spent the rest of the day near the hotel that she might be at hand if he came out, but there were no signs of him. Percy Pollock had introduced two boys, who urged the girls on all sorts of expeditions, but Isabelle was adamant. She could not bother with boys if there was any chance of another encounter.

Major O'Dell came out on the terrace, saw her, and strolled over.

"May I speak to you, Miss Bryce?"

She joined him and they walked over to a seat by a wall.

"I wish to apologize for being so short-tempered this morning," he began.

"Yes, you were," she replied.

"Captain O'Leary has been in bed since that junket you took him on this morning."

"I didn't take him," said she, "he came."

"He is in no condition to endure such a strain. I ask you not to let him do such a thing again."

"I'm not his mother," she burst out. "He is old enough to take care of himself and I do not intend to act as his trained nurse."

She looked--and sounded--so young that Major O'Dell laughed.

"All right. I'll tell him. You were on our boat, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"Do you travel much, Miss Bryce?"

"Oh, not much. Why?"

"Have you ever been in the Far East?"

She glanced at him quickly. He was twisting the ends of his little moustache and gazing off to sea. Heavens! was this the man? She had almost forgotten the Chinese coat in the emotions which had swept her since landing.

"The Far East?" she managed to repeat with a semblance of indifference.

"Yes, the Philippines, j.a.pan, or China."

"No, I've never been there."

"Um. You should go. Full of treasures, jewels, embroideries, brocades--all the things that women like"--he continued, looking directly at her.

"So?" queried Isabelle, obviously bored.

"I'm afraid I am keeping you from your friends. So I'm to look elsewhere for a nurse for Captain O'Leary?"

"Why don't you try Mrs. Darlington?" she inquired. Then with a nod, she went back to her playmates.

An hour or so later a group of people, Mrs. Darlington among them, took a near-by table for tea. Major O'Dell and Captain O'Leary, the latter looking very white, came out and joined them. They did not look in her direction until she heard Mrs. Darlington remark:

"Larry, just see what a collection of little boys your ugly duckling has made."

At this they all looked. Isabelle glanced at her little boys, and said something that made them shout with laughter. But it was not so loud but that the wind carried her his reply:

"She's not _my_ ugly duckling. She's a wicked little leprechaun, born under a mushroom, on a black night, but she swims like a fish, and dances like a pixie. I tell ye she's not human at all at all!"

She heard their laughter, and her eyes smarted. What a fool he had made of her! How she despised herself. There was only one way to square it, to get back her self-respect. She would find out what a leprechaun meant, and she would bedevil the honourable Captain O'Leary, like the pixie that he named her!

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Bright-coloured days followed, like beads slipping along a thread.

Isabelle did not formulate any plan of bedevilment for the Captain, but she watched for opportunities with lynx-eyed attention.

She and Agnes were very intimate, and while Isabelle was not given to confidences, she allowed her friend to see that there was something between her and the handsome O'Leary--a sort of flirtatious feud. Agnes adored him from afar, and envied the other girl her power to attract him. She did not understand just what Isabelle wanted of him, but she stood ready to help her get it.

Early in their friendship Agnes had fired Isabelle with a new zeal. She told her about the wonderful patriotic work to be done by writing letters to soldiers, who had no relatives, and to keep them cheered up.

She, Agnes, had become _marraine_ to half a dozen Frenchmen; she considered them more exciting than plain English "Tommies" or American "Sammies." Besides, it was good practice for your French. You made them presents, sent cigarettes and candy, and they sent you back the most thrilling letters.

Agnes displayed some of hers, in confidence, and at once Isabelle felt the call of duty to rescue a French soldier. She could not wait to go through with the formality of applying to the organization in charge of this work, for names of the letter-needy; instead, she borrowed two from Agnes. She chose the two who wrote the most picturesque letters and "adopted" them at once.

Together they worked out her first letters, telling the gentlemen in question of the transfer of G.o.d-mothers. After much consideration she adopted the tone of maternal concern for their comfort and welfare, with a cheerful optimism intended to be elderly.

"Jean" and "Edouard" were told of life in Bermuda; pictures (cut from society weeklies) of the island and the people there were enclosed for their entertainment. Cigarettes and candy were promised at once and the letters despatched with much excitement.

The other patriotic offering which grew out of this beginning was the preparation of gift boxes for the soldiers. Not knitted things, but things intended to amuse them. The girls searched every gift shop and delighted in the discovery of some new trinket for "their sons."

In the meantime an earnest contest for Isabelle's favour was going on between Percy and one of his friends, Jack Porter. She accepted their attentions indifferently, played with them when it was convenient, and disposed of them cruelly when it was not. She loved to dance and, as they both danced well, they were useful after dinner; unless, of course, Captain O'Leary danced with her more than once, which sometimes happened.

Major O'Dell had shown signs of appreciating her talents since her brief encounter with him on the raft and later. She decided to cultivate him, and--eventually--to ask him for her Chinese coat.

Major O'Dell asked her to take tea with him one day. Mrs. Darlington, and a Miss Devoe, who made eyes at O'Leary, were also his guests. The Captain, and the fat little man, named Monty Haven, who had been on the ship, were there.

"I've captured a charming recruit," said the host as he presented Isabelle.

"I didn't know that you could be captured, Miss Bryce," said Mrs.

Darlington, insolently.

"It takes the military!" retorted Isabelle.

"That's right. Plain civilians haven't a chance with you girls any more, have we?" Haven asked Isabelle.

"Not much," she agreed.