“No one can get it but myself,—at least, not without a lot of delay and trouble. Give me the key, Father, I’ll be right back.”
“But, Betty——”
“Oh, give her the key, Fred!” exclaimed his wife; “don’t torment the child! I believe you enjoy teasing her! There, take the key, Betty, and run along. Hurry, do, for it’s annoying to have to wait for you.”
“Let me go with you,” asked John Clark, but Betty smiled a refusal and ran off alone.
Most of them watched the lithe, slight figure, as she bounded up the rugged, irregular steps, sometimes two of them at a time, and at last they saw her fitting the key into the front door.
She called back a few words, but the distance was too great for them to hear her clearly, although they could see her.
She waved her hand, smilingly, and disappeared inside the house, leaving the door wide open behind her.
“Extraordinary place!” Herbert Varian said, taking in the marvelous crag from this new viewpoint.
“You must see it from the clubhouse,” said Landon; “can’t you all come here tomorrow afternoon, on my invite?”
“We’ll see,” Mrs Varian smiled at him, for it was impossible not to like this frank, good-looking youth.