“Why—what do you mean, Tom?” asked Polly, surprised.
“Well, you know very well! A man who loves a girl hates to see her made a fool of in a public place,” retorted Tom, forgetting Anne Brewster’s advices and allowing his jealousy to show itself again.
“Don’t you dare speak like that to me! I am not made a fool of by you or any other man, and I refuse to allow any one to correct me—especially in a public place, and before all my friends.” With this reply, Polly turned and marched away.
Too late Tom remembered what Anne had tried to teach him, but it seemed too late now to make amends. He watched Polly go, and then, instead of running up to apologize and explain himself, he decided that this was no place for him. He then went to the porter and asked him to transfer his baggage to a cab which he would get to take him to the Denver railway station. Leaving a note of explanation for Mr. Dalken, he slipped away, and that afternoon was on his way back to Oak Creek. Long before he reached his destination, however, he had time to regret his hasty act. How he had longed for this very wonderful tour with Polly and her friends, and now because of his demon jealousy all was spoiled again!
CHAPTER IV
JACK AND ALGY ENTERTAIN
That evening the tourists were seated in their Pullman, interested in the scenery along the route—no, not all were thus engaged, for the Alexanders were otherwise concerned. Mr. Alexander had not recovered his habitual good-nature since his wife’s clever manner of compelling her friends to wait for her latest fad, Algy.
“Why, in the name of conscience, didn’t you-all get on the train at the Springs, ’stead of making us this trouble by coming to Denver for nuthing?” growled the little man.
“Ma said she had shopping to do,” explained Dodo.
“She could’ve shopped at Albuquerque, all right,” continued Mr. Alexander. “If we’d picked you-all up at the Springs, it would have saved Mr. Dalken a hull day’s time. We got a big date on at the hotel in Albuquerque, and now all this tom-foolery might spoil things.”
“You are so heartless, Ebeneezer!” whimpered Mrs. Alexander, using a costly, lace-edged handkerchief to soothe her troubled spirit.