The afternoon was wearing away, and Madeline began to grow restless, at finding no opportunity for saying a word in private to Claire. At last fortune favored her. Olive, seeing her gardener digging about a little summer-house, which was a favorite retreat on a warm afternoon, bethought herself of a plan for adding to its comfort, by laying down certain vines, etcetera, for next season's growing. So she bade the girls note how she should have improved her arbor by another season, and hurried out to begin an argument, that from previous experience she knew would be hotly contested.
"You delightfully horrible girl!"—[page 191.]
This was Madeline's opportunity. And as soon as Olive was out of hearing, she turned to Claire saying:
"Claire, I have not told you, nor Olive, all that I have discovered. For reasons, which you will understand later, I have thought it best to make them known to you first. We must invent some excuse for absenting ourselves from the parlor for a while."
Claire looked grave and somewhat startled for an instant, but recovering her composure she said, simply: "I am at your disposal, dear."
"I think I had better go to my room and lie down," meaningly. "Tell Olive, when she comes in, that I feel fatigued, and have gone to my room to rest. Then you had better plead letters to write, and follow me. Can you manage it?"
"Easily," smiled Claire. "Why, Bonnie, Aileen, this becomes more and more mysterious and interesting."