“Well,” returned Tom to her anxious questioning, “one always gets into hot water when matchmaking between two persons, especially if those two have had a taste of matrimonial troubles. But I know Nolla and you well enough to see that you will not give up a pet plan until you are driven to desperation over its failure. With Elizabeth Dalken to frustrate every tête-à-tête, or other plans to throw these two mature hoped-for lovers together, what will you do? Either come out boldly and show your cards, or call that girl’s bluff, or in some way be the means of shipping her back home.”
“Well, how can we call her bluff when she won’t admit us to her confidence?” asked Polly, eagerly.
“Watch opportunities! But it will be easier to ship her back home, if you can get her deeply interested in an objective in going north and allowing you-all to continue your voyage.”
“Show me the objective and I’ll do it! She’s getting on everybody’s nerves, as it is. And I verily believe that Dalky is heartily sorry he had her come,” declared Polly.
“One objective would be to induce her to remain at Palm Beach, now that she is here with friends, and get her father to give her a sufficient inducement in cash to tear herself away from the yacht and the prospective voyage. Another objective might be Jack Baxter. She knows he is enormously wealthy, and it is her sole aim and ambition to marry a fortune and a good family name. She would get both in Baxter, but I doubt if Jack would fall for her. However, if he could be induced to pose as a cavalier, and cut short his trip to South America, I’m sure the girl would follow—providing she had a satisfactory chaperone to give the entire proceeding Mother Grundy’s approval.”
Polly frowned down both of the propositions. “She won’t remain at Palm Beach because she has been here too often to have it afford her any novelty now. On the other hand we can’t expect Jack Baxter to place his head upon the block for execution, just to please us in ridding ourselves of the girl. Why, Elizabeth might claim Jack as a suitor, and then drive poor Jack to desperate steps in order to show he is a gentleman!”
While they were discussing such weighty matters the two had turned and were walking back again in the direction of the hotel. Neither one had seen the moonlight on the sea, nor had they realized that they had strolled across the hard beach and back again—so full of plans were they over the little plot for happiness for their two good friends. Now they came to the Palm Walk again.
“Where have you two been?” demanded Eleanor, impatiently.
“We’ve spent half an hour looking for you. Dalky wants us to find Elizabeth and start back for the yacht,” added Nancy Fabian.
“We will have no trouble in starting for the yacht, but to find Elizabeth is quite a different matter,” laughed Tom.