“OH, I’M SO SORRY IF WE STARTLED YOU,” SAID BETTY.
The Outdoor Girls Around the Campfire. Page 141
“Oh, I’m so sorry if we startled you,” said the Little Captain, penitently. “You see we saw the smoke from your fire and we thought——”
“Oh, were you coming to see me?” asked the little old lady, a light springing to her eyes. “I’m glad. I’ve been very lonesome, lately. Do come up, dears, and rest yourselves. You look very worn.”
And so she turned, retracing her steps and evidently taking it as a matter of course that the girls would follow her. Betty ran forward, catching the old lady’s arm and helping her over the rough places, meanwhile sending an urgent look of command over her shoulder to the still amazed girls. The look said more plainly than words:
“If you dare tell this old soul we didn’t come on purpose to see her, I’ll murder you all.”
“We’ll play the game,” Mollie called, as though in response to spoken words, and Betty nodded contentedly.
Their queer little hostess caught nothing of this byplay, she was seemingly too intent upon not stumbling over the stones and tree stumps that dotted her front yard.
“Some day,” she said, in quaint apology, “I am going to have all these rocks and logs removed. But, you see, I’m not strong enough to do it myself.” At this pathetic admission Betty felt a strong desire to take the frail little person in her arms and tell her it was all right. Who minded a few sticks and stones, anyway?
Midway of the clearing there stood a little cabin, badly in need of paint and repairs, and it was from the chimney of this small abode that the smoke was pouring in a thin spiral—the smoke which had first warned the girls of human presence.