“Yes, Polly, I agree with you. We will say our goodbys now, friends, and hurry away from here,” replied Mrs. Courtney.
The farewells were not prolonged, therefore, and Tom found he was short-circuited in his plans to have a lover’s tête-à-tête with the girl he adored so devotedly. John and Anne had their good hugs and kisses from Polly, and then she turned quickly to Tom and extended her hand.
“Goodby, Tom, old friend. Take good care of Anne and see that she doesn’t worry herself to a frazzle over Elizabeth Dalken and her social tricks.” With a hasty shake of his hand, Tom found Polly was running away to the rear end of the yacht where she could enter without coming face to face with any one coming from the main door.
Mrs. Courtney had said her farewells and was following Polly when Mr. Dalken came from the door which opened to the saloon. Elizabeth was closely veiled and dressed in a plain tailormade suit. Without a spoken word to any one she went directly to the stairs that led down to the wharf. The other four adults followed her and soon all were seated in the waiting limousine.
Polly could not help peeping out from her retreat at the back entrance to the companionway, and when she saw the automobile drive away she sighed with relief. “There go the two troubles of my life—one whom I despise, and one whom I am not sure about adoring or hating!”
From this honest confession of Polly’s it can be readily surmised that she was not head over heels in love with Tom.
In less than half an hour’s time Mr. Dalken came on board his yacht again and immediately gave orders to sail. Even as the Captain obeyed and placed the distance of a rod or so between the craft and the pier, a sprinting reporter reached the wharf to take a snap-shot of the White Crest.
Mr. Dalken watched him with grim satisfaction. He then murmured to himself: “Well, that’s all you got out of your run!”
Later he remarked casually to Polly and Mrs. Courtney, when they happened to be alone after luncheon: “Our friends just caught the Express as it was about to pull out. The conductor saw us making for it and he very obligingly held up the train a moment. Naturally, no one was present to interview us about this hasty departure for the North, and only one solitary reporter saw me returning in the car. He failed to reach me in time!”
But their host did not add that he had used every influence possible to insure the success of his plan: to reach the train at the very minute of departure, and then see his daughter off before she could get in touch with any friends at Palm Beach. The conductor exchanged a friendly but knowing look with the financier as the four travelers boarded the train, and Mr. Dalken stood watching it pull out.