“Sure enough. Why not tell her now?”
“No,—I—think not,” hesitatingly said Dalton. “I’ve another letter for her from Jim,—I told him that she did not know what Mr. Ives said and that we are trying to keep her from worry. I transacted some business about the building, and that will be enough news for Beth about my trip. If Beth and Peggy don’t know, it will make relations less strained, I think.”
“I told Peggy to-day, Dal. I almost had to. Do you mind?”
“You have as much right as I have, Leslie, to manage affairs with Peggy. Tell me about it.”
“I will. I’ll tell nearly everything at supper, then we’ll have a private confab later. What do you think? I was at the very stronghold of the enemy,—Steeple Rocks!”
Leslie enjoyed the surprise of Dalton and Sarita, but she continued to speak of Beth. “We’d better let her have a little longer time to rest. This doesn’t spoil our fun at all, but she might worry and not sleep.”
Dalton wore a wide grin. “Your freedom from care shows your confidence in your natural protector,” said he, tapping his chest.
Leslie laughed with Sarita, but told her brother that he was more nearly right than he thought. “Under these circumstances I’d certainly hate to be here without you!”
“Thanks for the tribute, Les; I’m almost overcome, but I think that I can manage to get into camp without assistance.”
But Dalton pretended to stagger a little, while both laughing girls ran to his support just as they emerged from the deeper wood into the clearing. Elizabeth, watching the soup, looked up, startled to see Dalton apparently in need of help, but it was evident in a moment that it was only what she termed “some silly joke” as she summoned them to supper.