“Tell me one thing before you go to your rooms,” she said: “how did you two young men happen to come from the east to track my nephews and their friends?”
“Marjorie sent for us!” replied John Hadley, proudly. “She suspected something—and wanted proof!”
“Good! Splendid!” exclaimed Miss Vaughn; and after all the young men had withdrawn, she seemed quite herself again as she chatted cheerfully with the girls until the summons to dinner.
CONCLUSION.
CHAPTER XXIII
CONCLUSION.
The dinner party that evening was the most pleasant occasion of both of the scouts’ visits at Miss Vaughn’s home; now all the disturbing elements, all the distasteful companions, were removed; the girls felt at last that they were among friends. The boys’ aunt seemed to forget her own nephews and their disgraceful deeds and entered whole-heartedly into the joy of the event. Jack’s and John’s heroism had restored the good name of Pansy Troop; once more the scouts, freed from suspicion of dishonor, had been able to establish the truth.
“Aren’t you glad that you accepted Miss Vaughn’s invitation to stay?” asked Marjorie of Mrs. Hart, when the little party of six were seated at the table.
“Indeed I am!” replied the older woman, admiringly, for Marjorie was radiant with her triumph. “But you mustn’t forget that I believed in you girls all along!”
“And you would have believed in our boys, too, if you had known them!” returned the girl, proudly.