CHAPTER XXII

CONFESSIONS.

When Mrs. Hart and the two girls returned to Miss Vaughn’s palacial home, they found the old lady alone. Her nephews, she explained, had gone off on a camping trip, in Milton’s car.

In what direction did they go? asked Marjorie, suspiciously.

I hardly know, replied her hostess. They didn’t leave any address—or tell me when they would be back again. Now tell me all about your own experience.

As briefly as possible the girl related the story of the stolen car, ending with the departure of the other three scouts for the east.

And Lily and I are going as soon as we can arrange for accommodations, she concluded.

No! No! protested Miss Vaughn. Not without your motor-car, Marjorie! If ever a girl earned one, that girl is you!

But Marjorie shook her head decidedly.

Never will I accept one until Daisy’s and Florence’s innocence is proved. And there doesn’t seem to be any hope of doing that!

Why not change your mind, Emeline, and believe the girls? put in Mrs. Hart. I know that they are telling the truth!

No, we wouldn’t accept that! protested Lily, with spirit. But I do think Marj might take hers!

Well, I won’t! returned the other. So let’s don’t talk about it any more.

Visitors are coming, Emeline, interrupted Mrs. Hart from her place beside the window. Why—I do believe it’s Milton!

Milton Crowell? demanded Marjorie, in surprise.

Yes—in his car.

And isn’t Vaughn with him? asked the boys’ aunt.

They all looked up expectantly as the young man entered the room. He appeared rather embarrassed at the presence of the girls, but greeted his aunt with his customary kiss.

Have a nice time? asked Miss Vaughn.

Yes—yes—fine, he stammered.

Where’s Vaughn?

Why—er—he’ll be along some time later, I expect. He went off fishing with a bunch of fellows, and didn’t know just how long he’d be gone.

Aren’t you surprised to see the girls again? questioned his aunt.

Why—yes, of course. What—er—happened? Not bandits—?

Our car was in a garage for the night, and was stolen from there, replied Marjorie, watching the young man narrowly to see what the news would mean to him. But if he was pleased at the idea of keeping all that money for himself and his brother, he did not allow his expression to betray him.

Really? I’m awfully sorry! he murmured, with apparent sincerity. You girls certainly do have hard luck!

Again Marjorie eyed him suspiciously; was it possible that he and his brother had had a hand in the theft? It seemed scarcely possible that their car could have been stolen at random, by some ordinary thief. And yet, how could these young men have obtained entrance to a locked garage? The thought however, gave her new stimulus for investigation; silently she made a resolve not to be in any hurry to leave Miss Vaughn’s.

Mrs. Hart interrupted her musings with an announcement of her intended departure.

Indeed you aren’t going! insisted Miss Vaughn, heartily. You’re tired out—and need a rest. Besides, she added, with a twinkle in her eyes, I kept your room ready for you. I expected something like this to happen!

What? demanded Marjorie, in surprise. You didn’t expect us to complete our trip, Miss Vaughn?

I hardly thought it possible.

Yes! stormed Marjorie; there is something against us—something too big for us to fight against alone!

Again she noted the uneasiness, the embarrassment of Miss Vaughn’s nephew—an attitude so uncharacteristic of either of the young men as to arouse her suspicions afresh.

Have you seen Mr. McDaniel and Mr. Cryton since we left, Miss Vaughn? she asked, with apparent carelessness.

No; but I know that they are in town. They telephoned last night to find out whether I had heard from your girls.

Marjorie closed her lips tightly; this piece of evidence cleared them from implication in the theft.

But Milton can telephone them and invite them to dinner if you wish, continued Miss Vaughn, anxious to do anything to divert the girls’ minds from their misfortune.

Oh, do! cried Marjorie, enthusiastically, but for a reason very different from the one Miss Vaughn believed.

Glad of the excuse to escape from the room and from the presence of the two girls whom he so thoroughly disliked, Milton Crowell withdrew to carry out Marjorie’s wish. A moment later the whole party separated.

As soon as Marjorie and Lily were alone, the latter began again with her questions.

You’re on the war-path again, Marj! she exclaimed. What have you up your sleeve now?

Nothing definite, Lil, replied Marjorie, smilingly. But that Crowell boy acts queerly—and I mean to try to find out more, before I leave!

Righto! agreed Lily, throwing herself upon the bed, for she was exceedingly weary. But what makes you so anxious to see McDaniel and Cryton?

I don’t know myself, returned her companion. Let’s take a nap now, Lil; maybe something will be revealed to us in a dream!

When the girls returned to the porch at six o’clock, they found all three of the young men assembled. Marjorie greeted the new-comers coolly, taking care to question them cleverly as to their whereabouts since the scouts’ departure. But both Cryton and McDaniel told, without any hesitation, all they had been doing in San Francisco during the girls’ absence. They, in turn, demanded all the details of the girls’ trip, which ended in such disaster.

But where is Vaughn? asked Cryton, turning to Milton, after the story was finished.

The latter repeated his explanation in the same embarrassed manner.

He’ll be along directly, he concluded, avoiding Marjorie’s eyes.

Maybe this is he now, remarked McDaniel, catching sight of a car that was just about to enter the gate.

No, replied Milton immediately; that’s a touring car, and his is a racer.

At these words Marjorie’s heart took a wild leap. A touring car! Could it—was it possible that it could belong to the boys?

She did not have long to wait for her hope to be confirmed; a moment later the machine stopped in front of the steps, but, to her consternation, only her brother got out!

Jack! cried Marjorie and Lily, both rushing down the steps at the same time. Oh, where did you come from?

Sis! he exclaimed joyfully, but taking care to hold her at arms’ distance. I’m too dirty to touch—have been driving day and night!

Almost beside herself with happiness, the girl led her brother up to the porch and presented him to Miss Vaughn. Then she introduced the others, recalling the fact of his previous acquaintance with Cryton and McDaniel at Lima.

This is lovely for Marjorie, beamed Miss Vaughn, glad to see the girl so happy again. But tell us how you happened to come.

No, interrupted Marjorie, too impatient to wait; tell us what happened to John!

He’ll be along directly, replied Jack, with a twinkle in his eyes. Turning to Miss Vaughn, he added, And your other nephew is with him.

Marjorie only had time to notice that Milton Crowell’s face grew deathly white at this piece of information, and that Miss Vaughn’s took on a puzzled expression. Before anyone could ask any questions, another mud-spattered touring car came up the drive.

It’s—it’s our own car! cried Marjorie, jumping off the porch in her wild haste and excitement.

And Vaughn at the wheel! gasped Lily in amazement.

The car pulled up in front of the porch, behind the other, with Marjorie riding on the running-board. It seemed almost as if she wanted to hug her precious possession.

Both girls had jumped immediately to the correct explanation of the robbery, but both waited for the boys to relate the facts. They did not even ask any more questions, but continued to watch John with admiration as he accompanied Vaughn Crowell up the steps.

There is a great deal to be explained, Miss Vaughn, he began, after he had been duly presented; not only by us and your nephews, but— he glanced significantly at Cryton and McDaniel—but by these other two young men as well. So, if you will permit, I think the best thing to do would be to go inside, and get it over at once!

Certainly, murmured the puzzled Miss Vaughn, rising, and leading the way.

When they were all seated again in the drawing-room, Jack turned to Vaughn Crowell.

Suppose you tell your story first, Mr. Crowell, he suggested.

The young man acquiesced, sullenly.

As some of the girls no doubt expected, he began, Milt and I got our car and followed them back to the east. But they never camped at night, and they never seemed to get far enough away from some other car to let us plan a delay.

A delay? interrupted his aunt, sharply. You actually meant to prevent the girls from making their trip?

Yes—we did, admitted the young man.

But why? Just for a joke?

Yes, of course! put in Milton, hastily, grasping at the suggestion. We thought it would be fun to give them a scare in some way. They were so cocksure of themselves—

Pardon me! interrupted John, in a tone of disgust, but there is not a word of truth in that statement. We caught your brother and forced a confession from him, his alternative being that we would hand him over to the police for stealing the girls’ car! So please allow him to go on with his story.

But your motive? persisted the old lady.

The money, of course! John explained.

Well, continued Vaughn, more sheepishly than ever, we hit upon the plan of entering the garage where the scout car was stored, and watching our opportunity to take it. We had no difficulty in accomplishing this.

But the garage was locked! objected Marjorie; and the bolt was found unbroken!

Crowell smiled grimly; even now he considered it a clever trick.

Milt drove into the garage in our car, he explained, with me hidden in the space in the back where we carry tools and baggage. He parked the car there for an hour, and went away; meanwhile, I watched my chance, slipped out of our car, and stored myself away in yours. When Milt came back and drove off, the garage-man suspected nothing. I managed my get-away while the garage was locked, and the man at supper.

But how did you bolt the door—from the outside? inquired Lily.

Easy! I left the office dead-latch off, went back after the car was out, and let myself out through the office. Nobody was around, so I got away without suspicion.

And we never discovered our loss until the next morning! murmured Marjorie, regretfully.

No, because I left no clues. The garage-man found the garage as he left it; why should he suspect anything?

And how were you caught? flashed Marjorie.

You tell it, John, suggested Jack, modestly.

There’s not much to tell, replied John; only that we recognized the girls’ car, and gave it a chase.

And caught it! added Marjorie, triumphantly.

To everyone the story seemed almost incredible in its exposure of the Crowells’ villainy; but to Miss Vaughn each word was like a blow. Her face grew ashen, and her expression distorted. For some moments she was so angry that she could not speak.

Finally Jack broke the silence.

That isn’t half of it, he said. We succeeded in learning all you wanted explained about your trip out, Marj, he added, turning to his sister.

Marjorie’s eyes flashed expectantly; she glanced across the room at McDaniel and Cryton, but found them looking fixedly at the floor.

Proceed! commanded Jack again, to the culprit.

The whole thing started, as near as I can remember, about two months ago, said Vaughn, doggedly, at a frat smoker. The fellows were all talking about a new frat house, and nobody could see any way of getting the money together. Then Milt and I hit on the plan of approaching Auntie on the subject. And do you remember, Aunt Emeline, that you turned us down on the grounds that this scout trip would eat too heavily into your income?

Yes, I recall the circumstance, nodded Miss Vaughn, with an effort.

Then Milt and I suggested that if the trip fell through, or the girls failed to earn their cars, that we should get the money. And you agreed.

Again the old lady nodded, coldly.

So the idea must have come to one of us to make that trip fail, and we let McDaniel and Cryton into the scheme, got all our details from Auntie, and proceeded to do everything in our power to keep the girls from winning.

But we won in the end! retorted Marjorie, defiantly. At least, we would have, if you hadn’t lied!

And just what was this plan of action? asked Miss Vaughn, turning not to her nephews, but to McDaniel instead.

What we wanted to do, explained the latter, was to delay the girls so they wouldn’t get here on time, or else in some way to trick them into accepting assistance from us. In other words, we meant to accomplish our plan without doing any harm to the girls, if possible.

That was kind of you, remarked Lily, sarcastically.

So we scattered the tacks that made the punctures, obtained an invitation for ourselves from Tom Melville at Lima and put forth every effort to make ourselves so interesting that you girls would forget all about time and stay over.

You tried to work that little stunt in Chicago, too, didn’t you? asked Marjorie, shrewdly. And when you sent us out on that muddy road, you weren’t surprised when we got stuck, were you?

No, answered Cryton; the thing that surprised us was your persistence. Would you believe it, Miss Vaughn, these girls not only turned us down, but a farmer with horses as well! Just because he was a man!

Then, inquired the hostess, it is true that the girls never accepted help from a man—all the way out?

It’s absolutely true! cried McDaniel. Those other two fellows were bribed to lie!

Miss Vaughn now looked utterly disgusted; indeed, it seemed as if she hardly cared to hear the remainder of the story. Nevertheless, McDaniel continued.

Let’s see, he mused; what was it we did next?

Stole our food, wasn’t it? prompted Marjorie. So we had to lose all that time getting more! And then made up a story about being at a smoker that evening!

Yes, I guess that was our next offense, admitted the young man.

And stole our uniforms at Salt Lake City—and later Lily’s car!

Yes, yes—we’re guilty!

But how about the robbery? asked Lily. Surely you didn’t disguise yourselves as bandits, and hold us up for our money and jewelry?

Yes, even that!

What did you do with the money? asked Miss Vaughn, with a sudden return of interest.

It’s all here in an envelope, replied McDaniel, reaching in his pocket and handing it to Marjorie. Will you see that it gets back to its owners?

And where is my car? demanded Lily, sharply.

Stored in a friend’s garage, along the road. I’ll ship that east to you soon. And your uniforms have already gone parcel-post to Daisy’s house.

One more thing, persisted Marjorie; did you have anything to do with that woman and child whom we took back across the desert?

Yes, to that too, replied McDaniel. We bribed her, so that she would beg you to take her. If she got you half way, she was to receive fifty dollars; if she succeeded in making you take her all the way across, she was to get a hundred.

And she succeeded all right, concluded Marjorie. For I saw her get her money.

Miss Vaughn rose suddenly; she had listened to enough.

Stop! she commanded. I am simply astounded at your audacity—all four of you boys. I am worse than ashamed of you! Needless to say, I do not wish you to remain to dinner. In fact, she concluded, addressing her nephews, you may pack your things and go over to your club. Don’t come back until I send for you!

Then, changing her tone, she issued a cordial invitation to Jack and John to remain.

Tell me one thing before you go to your rooms, she said: how did you two young men happen to come from the east to track my nephews and their friends?

Marjorie sent for us! replied John Hadley, proudly. She suspected something—and wanted proof!

Good! Splendid! exclaimed Miss Vaughn; and after all the young men had withdrawn, she seemed quite herself again as she chatted cheerfully with the girls until the summons to dinner.