So reasoning, young Tudor boldly walked to his tent, turned his flashlight inside of it and finding it empty, except for his undisturbed possessions, entered, lit a candle and prepared for the night. He lay awake for some time, a little uncertain whether or not he might be the intended victim of some attack. He was ready but nothing happened. No suspicious noise of any human source disturbed him. Finally he had to fight to keep awake, but when the stirring of the birds denoted the dawn, he fell into a deep slumber and slept far into the morning.
CHAPTER XV
MORE DISCOVERY
There was early rising at the Eyrie on the morning after they had shared their supper with the new camper. Jack arrived from Steeple Rocks even before the men who were to help Dalton, and wore his working clothes. He reported that Peggy was up, expecting the girls at any time, but he drew Leslie aside, as he sometimes did, to tell her the developments at Steeple Rocks. Leslie was glad that Sarita was still getting ready, for Sarita was inclined to tease her over Jack’s preference. It was clear that Jack valued Leslie’s opinion on affairs at least.
“My aunt is nervous and worried, Leslie,” said Jack. “She announced this distinguished company about to arrive, but does not seem certain just when they will arrive. The Kravetz is back, but disappears for a long while and pays no attention to Peggy. I overheard her say to Mrs. Ives that it was absurd to dress up Peggy to help entertain ‘for so short a time.’ Then my aunt said that she intended to have someone of her own right at hand, and she said it almost in a tone of desperation. The Kravetz sometimes has an air of dictating to my aunt that I have wondered about.
“Aunt Kit said ‘all my own friends have been sent away on one excuse or another and I have this lot of foreigners to entertain again, half the time without my husband, I suppose!’
“‘He will be here,’ the Kravetz said, ‘and the Count and I will help you.’” Jack laughed. “The Kravetz got up and went into the house, and Aunt Kit, who knew that I was in the hammock, came right over to me. ‘Jack,’ she said, ‘if I ever needed my own people it’s now. Promise me that no matter how insulting Madame Kravetz or anyone may be, you will stay around.’ So of course I promised, though if I get scared out at ‘royalty’ I may come here and bring Peggy any time. Peg, though, is all keyed up and tickled over her new clothes. It will be all right if I escape to the Eyrie, will it?”
“You know that it will, Jack,” said Leslie heartily. “Do you know who any of them are?”
“No, not by name. I supposed that they were people of title that my aunt and uncle met abroad; but from something she said I think that they are people whom she has never met at all. Yet she spoke of entertaining them ‘again.’ How do you account for that, Leslie?”
“Perhaps she has had to entertain a different lot of them some other time,” said Leslie.
“I expected you to say that. I rather think that she has, and if they are like the Kravetz, well, good-night!”