Mr. Harcourt returned in a moment to say that Mr. Smeltzer would be glad to go by the late afternoon train if they could be ready.
"H-m," said Mrs. Pennybacker, reflectively. "That won't give us much time. Bess, can you be ready? I told you not to unpack all those things!"
"Are we going too?" cried Bess in ecstasy. "To Washington?" Then catching the child's face between her hands and giving a swift sidelong glance beyond, "Oh, Philip Second, son of Margaret, won't—that—be—fine!"
She punctuated the sentence upon the rosy lips but Philip brushed the marks aside, considering such demonstration decidedly beneath a boy.
"Aunt Mary?"
To the mute questioning of Margaret's sorrowful face Mrs. Pennybacker replied by taking the girl into her motherly arms and saying with an odd mixture of Scripture phraseology and Pennybacker pluck, "Yes, child! It is 'Whither thou goest, I will go,' from this time on, if you want me. I'm going to see this thing through! 'Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.'"
"I have no God!" cried Margaret, passionately,—then fell to weeping on her old friend's neck.
CHAPTER XXII
AT BAY
Unfortunately, matters were not so easily arranged in Washington as Judge Kirtley had intimated in his telegram they might be. After learning of the situation, Mrs. Pennybacker had a strong suspicion that the dispatch was intentionally optimistic. Nor was she far wrong. Judge Kirtley was convinced from his knowledge of Mr. De Jarnette that his object was not to bring punishment upon his sister-in-law, but to get the child. He was equally convinced, however, that when Mr. De Jarnette found her blocking the way to the accomplishment of his purpose she would be swept aside regardless of the consequences to herself. He was, therefore, exceedingly anxious to avoid the possibility of her forcing his hand.