The Ranch Girls in Europe Part 9

A moment later, when the second carriage had driven up and its occupants were alighting, for just a moment Ruth Drew had a brief chance to speak to Olive alone.

"Don't leave Jack by herself tonight if you can help it, and on no account let her be with Captain Madden without the rest of us." Then, scarcely waiting for Olive's reply, Ruth moved off slipping her own arm firmly through Jack's.

Certainly the next hour afforded no opportunity for interchange of confidences between Jacqueline Ralston and her new friend. But the girl seemed glad enough to have Ruth and Olive close beside her. Now and then she even asked aid of one or the other of them. For stumbling about in semi-darkness among crumbling earth and stone seemed to be making her nervous.

Then came a moment when both Olive and Ruth lost sight of Jack completely. It was the simplest possible accident. They were in a place of shadows, lit only by the moon, which made the s.p.a.ces behind the ruined buildings of almost impenetrable blackness. And although their guide and d.i.c.k Grant carried lanterns, it was difficult to catch their reflections unless one were near.

Olive, believing Ruth to be with her friend, had drawn closer to the guide to listen to some bit of information that he was struggling to impart to Mrs. Grant. While Ruth, thinking that Olive was discharging her task, and finding d.i.c.k Grant and Frieda engaging in one of their frequent quarrels, had interposed herself between them.

It was at this time that Jack, wearier than she cared to confess, sat down on one of the steps beyond the Arch of t.i.tus, descending toward the Coliseum. For the moment a cloud had pa.s.sed half over the moon, making the ancient ruin before her appear more gigantic and mysterious. The next instant a figure seated itself beside her and Captain Madden's voice spoke:

"You think you don't care for poetry, Miss Jack, but surely tonight is made for poetry, or poetry is made for tonight. Do you know these lines of Byron's in Childe Harold?"

Captain Madden moved nearer the girl so that he might see into her face.

Then he pointed toward the magical scene close by.

"A ruin--yet what a ruin! from its ma.s.s Walls, palaces, half-cities, have been rear'd; Yet oft the enormous skeleton ye pa.s.s, And marvel where the spoil could have appear'd, Hath it indeed been plunder'd, or but clear'd?

Alas! developed, opens the decay, When the colossal fabric's form is near'd: It will not bear the brightness of the day, Which streams too much on all years, men, have reft away.

"But when the rising moon begins to climb Its topmost arch and gently pauses there; When the stars twinkle through the loops of time, And the low night breeze waves along the air The garland forest, which the gray walls wear, Like laurels on the bald first Caesar's head; When the light shines serene, but doth not glare, Then in the magic circle rise the dead; Heroes have trod this spot--'tis on their dust ye tread.

"'While stands the Coliseum, Rome shall stand; When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall; And when Rome falls,--the world.'"

Jack made no answer for a moment. Then she said quietly, "It is a beautiful description; thank you for repeating it to me." She did not feel in the mood for talking tonight. The world was too beautiful and too strange. Here was she, Jacqueline Ralston, a girl raised on a ranch in far-off Wyoming, in the ancient city of Rome. And Captain Madden, the friend near her, why should a man so much older and wiser and with so great a knowledge of the world that even Rome itself did not seem unfamiliar to him, feel an interest in her? She was neither beautiful nor clever like Olive and Jean. Yet Jack, though not twenty, was woman enough to realize that Captain Madden liked her best.

The next instant she started to get up when, placing his hand on her arm, her companion held her back.

"I don't want to speak to you too soon," he whispered. "I don't wish to hurry or frighten you. But you must know why I have so longed to be with you alone for a few minutes tonight."

"Please," Jack faltered.

And then, suddenly appearing from out of nowhere, Ruth Drew actually seemed to swoop down upon the man and girl. Almost immediately she took tight hold on Jack.

"Let us go to our carriage at once, if you please, Captain Madden," she demanded brusquely. "We have stayed out in the night air far too long as it is. It is time we were safe in bed."

Then, although Jack kept obediently close to her chaperon until they were back in their hotel, that night when the three girls had fallen asleep, Ruth was so restless that, putting on her dressing gown, she walked up and down her room for a quarter of an hour. It simply could not be possible that this Captain Madden was falling in love with their Jack or that she could entertain the slightest interest in him! Why Jack was still a child and the man twice her age! Besides, what in the world did they know of him except what he himself had told them? The man might be a fortune hunter, he might be most anything! Ruth wiped her eyes in consternation at the thought of what Jim Colter would say and do if she allowed his splendid, brave Jack to become entangled in an unfortunate romance. Then she asked herself: Was there no one in Rome who could tell them of Captain Madden's history? Recalling Jean's statement that the Princess Colonna and Captain Madden were acquaintances before their meeting on board the Martha Washington, Ruth relieved her anxiety by writing a long letter to Jean. In it she confessed her own uneasiness and asked that Jean inquire of the Princess what knowledge she had of Captain Madden's past. But she also insisted that Jean keep her reason for wishing to know a secret and that beyond everything else she should never betray their suspicions to Jack.

CHAPTER XIV

THE PRINCESS' MYTHOLOGICAL BALL

FOR some little time before and after the event, the Mythological Ball given at her villa by the Princess Colonna was the most talked-of entertainment in Roman society.

The Princess was young, an American and immensely rich. Having married into one of the n.o.blest families in Italy, in spite of their poverty, it was but natural that she had soon become a conspicuous social leader in Rome. Her parties were always regarded with deep interest, but this latest ball was to outstrip all the others in novelty and beauty. For her guests were invited to appear as characters from ancient Greek or Roman mythology. Surely the idea was sufficiently original and daring to excite wide curiosity.

And to the Ranch girls, naturally, the Princess' ball was _the_ important social occasion of their lives. For days Jean had written of nothing but the preparations going on at the villa and to inquire what parts they wished to impersonate and what costumes to wear. Several times she had driven into the hotel for long consultations with Ruth and the other girls, for Jean had been asked to remain at the villa until after the costume ball. As a matter of course the four girls were a good deal overwhelmed at the decisions before them. For in the first place Ruth positively declined to be present at the entertainment unless she were permitted to appear in a regulation evening dress. For Ruth would always be a Puritan at heart and the thought of arraying herself as a Pagan G.o.ddess, or even as an humbler heroine, actually made the cold shivers run up and down her back. To Ruth the Princess' idea seemed fantastic and absurd. Nevertheless, she did not wish to spoil the Ranch girls' pleasure, and was in reality more deeply anxious than any one of them that they should make as beautiful an impression as possible. The girls were lovely enough, she felt sure; their only problem was to select suitable characters and to see that their toilettes were exquisite and appropriate.

Of course the Princess Colonna agreed to Ruth's desire about herself, a.s.suring her that there would be others of her guests who would dress as she did. However, she made a great point of the Ranch girls' coming in costume. For she had been talking of her four American girls to her friends in Rome and was counting on their making a sensation. She and Jean together had decided on their heroines and also what they were both to wear. Jean had then kept her character a secret from the other three girls and from Ruth, wishing to be a complete surprise to them as well as to everybody else.

The drive from the hotel to the Princess' villa would require almost an hour. Notwithstanding, when Captain Madden asked that he might accompany the Rainbow Ranch party, Ruth thanked him and declined. There were only Jack, Frieda and Olive, she herself making the fourth, so with Jean away, one carriage would hold them all comfortably. She did not care to separate their little party. They would see Captain Madden later at the ball.

No one could have guessed whether or not Jacqueline Ralston had noticed it, but it was perfectly true that her chaperon had never allowed her a minute alone with her new friend since the night of their moonlight excursion. Captain Madden was well aware of it, though he had not yet made any protest or given any sign. He had been studying Jack pretty closely in the few weeks of their acquaintance and felt fairly sure that if she could once be persuaded to make a decision, no amount of opposition afterwards would have the power to change her. It was not for nothing that her chin had that slightly square outline and that she held her head with an unconscious and therefore a beautiful pride. Jack had a look of purity and faithfulness that sometimes made older persons watch her with a kind of wistful anxiety. Would life ever make her lose her faith in her ideals and in the few persons to whom she would give her undivided love?

The entrance to the Prince Colonna's estate was through a long avenue of magnolia trees so that the night air was heavy with their fragrance. As there were several hundred guests driving into the grounds at nearly the same time, the Ranch girls' carriage was compelled to move slowly. And for this they and Ruth were devoutly thankful. Because they were one instant thrilled beyond measure at the prospect of the brilliant scene before them, and the next terrified at the thought of the parts they were expected to play.

"I don't see how Jean Bruce has ever managed to spend an entire week in such grandeur as this and with strangers. I should have died of embarra.s.sment!" Olive exclaimed, in a rather shaky voice, slipping her hand inside Jack's and giving it a gentle squeeze. She wished to a.s.sure herself of the reality of the fairy world about her and also to receive strength for the coming ordeal from the sense of Jack's presence. For never, for an instant, had these two friends swerved in their devotion to each other, the one always finding in the other just the qualities she herself lacked.

Jack laughed. "Jean, you must remember, is never afraid of any one and is the only truly society person among us. Then, if you please won't mention it, I've an idea that the Italian nephew is entertaining Miss Bruce mightily. Remember she confided that he was teaching her Italian and she instructing him in English, poor Ralph! I am afraid Jean will never be content at the Rainbow Ranch any more after this experience of foreign life."

With her pale blonde hair carefully concealed from the night air in clouds of pale blue chiffon, Frieda, from the opposite seat, now leaned over toward her sister.

"Jack," she demanded seriously, as only Freida could, "why do you say, 'poor Ralph!' Do you think Ralph Merrit has ever been in love with Jean?

They were always friends at the ranch, I know, but Ralph is poor and isn't good-looking and doesn't care for society. I am sure he would never suit Jean one bit."

But before she had finished speaking, Jack's gloved fingers were laid lightly on her small sister's lips. "For goodness sake, baby mine, do hush," she implored. "Of course I was only joking about Jean and Ralph.

I can see how Ruth is frowning at me even in the dark. Who would ever have supposed that an infant like you would talk about 'being in love'

in such a solemn fashion! You don't know the meaning of the word."

"Do you?" Frieda returned, speaking just as seriously.

But Jack only shook her head without replying.

The wonderful ivory-colored house, built in the fashion of the Italian Renaissance, was now coming into view with hundreds of low-growing evergreen shrubs close at its base. The house itself was lighted with golden, shaded lights. To one side was the Italian garden, where the girls had had tea with the Princess several afternoons before. It was also lighted, but hardly discernible now from the driveway.

By the Princess' orders, Ruth and the three Ranch girls were shown immediately to Jean's bedroom, which was apart from the dressing rooms provided for her other guests.

There Jean was waiting for them in her fancy costume and in a delicious state of excitement. As her door opened, the newcomers, forgetting themselves altogether, gave a cry of surprised admiration and were then curiously silent.

Jean had been standing in front of a long, gold-framed mirror, and now, turning swiftly, moved in their direction. Her costume was of the palest pink. The little bodice was of pink silk and pink chiffon, simply made and cut with a girlishly rounded neck, trimmed with a narrow edging of old lace. But from her silk girdle the skirt showed a wonderful arrangement of chiffon drapery, falling below her feet into a slightly pointed train at the back. She wore pink sandals bound with pink ribbons.

All this Ruth and the three girls observed in the instant that she ran to greet them. But the next moment, swinging slowly around on one lightly poised toe that the full effect of her appearance might be disclosed, between Jean's shoulders could be seen a tiny pair of b.u.t.terfly wings. Her dark hair was parted low over her forehead and drawn into a loose knot high toward the back of her head. The costume was a lovely one, and Jean looked exquisite in it.

"Can you guess whom I represent?" she asked shyly, abashed by the admiration of her own family.

In answer Jack did something unusual between the two cousins, who were not usually as demonstrative with each other as with Ruth or with Olive and Frieda. For suddenly she leaned over, and holding Jean's chin in her white gloved hand kissed her, afterwards studying her face closely.

"I think I can guess, Jean," she returned. "I have been reading so much mythology lately, besides seeing so many famous statues. Your b.u.t.terfly wings tell me that you are Psyche. I remember your story. Psyche was the daughter of a king and so beautiful that Venus, the G.o.ddess of beauty, grew jealous of her and sent her son Cupid to punish her for her presumption. But Cupid wounded himself with his own arrow and so fell in love with Psyche. There is a great deal more to the story, of course; afterwards Psyche and Cupid quarreled and for many years she had to wander around the world performing difficult tasks before being reunited with her love again. Psyche is the Greek name for soul and a b.u.t.terfly the ancient emblem of the soul. Somehow you don't look like yourself tonight, Jean," here Jack hesitated; "you are like a spirit. Please don't be finding your fate too soon and so flying away from us."

But although Jean blushed and seemed for half a second troubled by her cousin's suggestion, she shook her head and began helping Frieda remove her wraps. When the blue cloak and the blue veil were thrown aside, the youngest of the Ranch girls stepped into the center of the room.

"Do I look almost as well as Jean?" she inquired earnestly. "I thought my costume so pretty when we left the hotel. But now that I have seen hers--"

Jean was dancing around Frieda as though she had been in reality a b.u.t.terfly. Ruth, Jack and Olive would not allow the maids to take off their cloaks in order to give her their undivided attention.

"Frieda is the star of us all, isn't she?" Jack declared, since the spoiling of her small sister was a sin upon which the entire ranch party agreed. Unwrapping a round gold bowl, she then handed it to her. "Frieda represents the lovely G.o.ddess, Hebe, who served nectar and ambrosia to the high G.o.ds on Mount Olympus," she explained.