Directly after coming from the dressing rooms of the bath-houses, Eleanor whispered to her two companions: “Now I know why Dalky wanted this vacation. He was head over heels in attending to financial matters of the utmost importance, and suddenly, when he found that Atchison man making up to Mrs. Courtney, he takes us all away from the busy world and loses a week here at the Hot Springs. He knows he will have his chance here to carry out his plans—you know what, girls!”
Polly knew, but she was not easily persuaded that Eleanor’s interpretation was correct. “I really believe Dalky was tired out—you must remember that we had a few weeks in which to rest after the cruise from South America, but Dalky went right on racing about New York, holding conferences and attending to important business matters. From the moment we left New York City on the Limited, he has been working ceaselessly—either with brain or body, and that tells on one, unless you take a rest. At the same time, I doubt if he would have thought of resting at this ideal resort had it not been for Mrs. Courtney. Now it remains to be seen how near right Nolla is.”
“I agree with Polly—Dalky is too matter-of-fact to plan any romantic affair here at the Springs. If he wants to ask some one to marry him, I bet he’d do it right in front of us all,” said Dodo.
“There you are mistaken!” exclaimed Polly and Eleanor together. And Polly added: “Dalky has more romance in his make-up than you give him credit for. The only trouble is that it has been suppressed by the unhappy conditions of his first marriage.”
“You might say the same about Mrs. Courtney, too!” declared Eleanor. “If it were not that both of them have had such lamentable experiences, I am sure they would have shown each other plainly, long before this, that they were ideally mated, and that would have ended all our worries.”
Dodo laughed merrily and then added: “Nothing to worry about, Nolla. It isn’t as though he was your beau.”
“No; but can’t you see that it does matter? If Dalky is happily married to Mrs. Courtney, who is his other half-soul if there is such a thing, it stands to reason that Polly and I shall always be welcome additions to their little nest. Should Dalky marry some woman of whom we know nothing, what chance is there for our future welcome?” Eleanor frowned at such a dreadful supposition, and her two friends laughed.
“You may be married first, Nolla, and then you can invite Dalky to visit you,” ventured Dodo.
“No, Doe! Polly and I have sworn to see dear Dalky happily settled first, before we may give a thought to husbands for ourselves,” explained Eleanor, seriously.
“Wouldn’t it be queer if Dalky should confess he was in love with Polly? He certainly likes her more than any one else I know. If Polly became Mrs. Dalken we would sure have a good time with her,” laughed Dodo.