The Spanish Chest Part 29

At either corner of the stone cottage two coal black hens were visible, also like statues, and possessing bright yellow eyes.

"_And_ a black dog in a barrel!" Frances fairly shrieked.

"Well, a dog has some sense!" said Roger, whistling and calling.

Strange to say, the dog neither stirred nor lifted its head. Nose on its paws it remained absolutely still.

"This is a b.u.m lot of animals," observed Roger. "I never saw a dog before that wouldn't at least bark at strangers."

"It's probably dumb as well as deaf," commented Frances.

"But it might at least _move_," expostulated Roger. "Perhaps it's paralyzed."

"Perhaps this cottage and everything about it is enchanted,"

suggested Edith. "Miss Connie said something, don't you remember, about a place where the Jersey witches hold their meetings?"

"That is 'way the other end of the island," retorted Roger, "down at St. Clement's."

There was something uncanny about that collection of dusky, motionless animals and the three were conscious of real relief when the two hens at last walked off in quite a hen-like, not to say human manner. But cat, dog and goat remained as though petrified.

"Mother's calling," said Frances. "Come along, Roger. Lunch!"

Roger postponed his intention of stirring up the dog to see whether it was stuffed or paralyzed, and they turned in the direction of the call.

Luncheon was already spread on the gra.s.s in shelter of a big rock, the Stars and Stripes forming the table decoration. At sight of the flag, Roger and Fran stopped and saluted gravely as their father had taught them.

"Mother!" exclaimed Roger, his eyes widening. "Is that a chocolate layer-cake? Where did it come from?"

"I made it," said Mrs. Thayne. "Miss Estelle said I might and Annette was quite pleased to watch me, and see how an American cake was constructed."

No doubt that the young people were frankly happy, though spending this holiday in so unusual a fashion. After luncheon, Win prepared to sketch the lighthouse and the other three proposed to visit it.

As they ran down the hill toward the causeway and the heap of picturesque red rocks bared by the water, Mrs. Thayne settled herself with her embroidery and Estelle produced her netting.

After a few moments spent consulting with Win as to the exact angle desirable for his sketch, Mrs. Thayne felt for her watch, remembered that she did not bring it and looked at Estelle.

"Will you tell me the time?" she asked. "Win's hands are full with his palette and block."

"Certainly," said Estelle. "It's just two."

As she replaced her watch, a sudden look of interest crossed Mrs.

Thayne's face.

"What a curious chain you have, Estelle," she remarked. "Is it an old one? May I take it a moment?"

"It belonged to my grandmother, my mother's mother," replied Estelle, unfastening the chain and holding it out to Mrs. Thayne.

"I think it is very old for I never saw another like it."

Mrs. Thayne examined the trinket carefully. It was hand-made, of pale yellow gold, and the links, instead of being round, were rectangular, yet so fastened in a series of three as to produce the effect of a round cable.

"It is an awkward thing to use," said Estelle, "because sometimes those links get turned and it is very difficult to work them into place."

Mrs. Thayne looked up, a curiously intent expression on her face.

"Estelle," she said abruptly, "have you any relatives in America?"

"Not that I know of," Estelle replied, surprised by the sudden question, "though I suppose it is quite possible. Grandmother's sister married a young man who went out to the colonies, somewhere near Toronto, I think. We have known nothing of them since Grandmother died and that was before I was born. I think Mother completely lost touch with Great-aunt Emma. It is easy, you know, when one belongs to a different generation and has never seen one's aunt."

"Then you don't know whether your Great-aunt Emma had children?"

asked Mrs. Thayne, twisting the odd chain reflectively between her fingers.

"Oh, yes," said Estelle. "I do happen to know that. There were two, a girl and a boy. Now I think of it, I recall that the girl married and went to the States. I do not know how one speaks of your counties, but it was not the city of New York,--perhaps New Yorkshire?"

"New York State," put in Win so abruptly that his mother jumped.

To all appearances he had been completely absorbed in his painting.

"But you don't know the name of the man she married?" Mrs. Thayne asked.

"I do not," replied Estelle. "But I could find out, for it will be among Father's papers. I think he had a hazy idea of writing some time to Canada to get in touch if possible with Mother's relatives. But it was never done, and I should hesitate to do it, --especially now."

"Lest they might think you were seeking aid," Mrs. Thayne thought, with a tender appreciation of Estelle's proud independence, but she kept her inference to herself.

"Do you know whether your grandmother's sister who went to Canada also possessed a chain like this?" she asked.

"Why, yes," said Estelle, laying down her work and looking out to sea. "I know she did. Great-grandfather Avery once bought two just alike in Paris and gave one to each of his daughters. This came to me through Mother."

Mrs. Thayne started to speak but caught Win's eyes fixed upon her inquiringly. Something in their expression checked the words she was about to utter.

"After all, better be sure," she thought. "It is a very curious old trinket, Estelle," she said, returning the chain. "Some time when you think of it, I wish you would look in your father's papers and find the married name of that cousin who went to New York State."

CHAPTER XX

WIN WONDERS

"Mother," said Win solemnly, "I shook in my shoes this afternoon.

Didn't you notice the lurid mixture of colors I was daubing on my block? And all because I knew you were having psychic thoughts and I was so afraid you would say what I thought you were thinking and startle Estelle. I wanted so much to know myself just what you were driving at with your watch-chains that I almost chewed my tongue off trying not to speak."

"I know it," said Mrs. Thayne. "I felt you quaking, Win, and decided to keep still. After all, the only sensible way was to find out definitely that name. Estelle is so proud and so reluctant to accept help that one must move carefully in trying to smooth her pathway."

The two were alone in Mrs. Thayne's room after the happy picnic at Corbiere. Through the open window floated the occasional sound of voices from the end of the terrace where Roger, Edith, and Frances stood watching the steamer for Southampton round Noirmont Point.

"And now that I do know the name, I am still uncertain what is best to do," reflected Mrs. Thayne. "But you asked about the chain, Win. The moment I saw that one of Estelle's I knew that I had seen a similar one in the United States. For a time I could not place it, and really it is a thing of unusual workmanship and not likely to be largely duplicated. Then it came to me in a flash that Carrie Aldrich often wears a chain like that and once told me that it had belonged to her mother."

"But I never knew that Mrs. Aldrich was English," said Win wonderingly. "I thought she'd always lived in Boston."

"I knew that she was a Canadian," replied his mother, "but she was educated in the United States and married an American. To trace her ancestry never occurred to me. She is so thoroughly and completely American that one would never think of her forefathers as being anything else.