“No, it isn’t foolishness,” said Betty quietly, but with a look of indomitable determination.
“Well, stop it, at any rate,” begged Mrs Varian, “if you don’t I shall go into hysterics, – and it’s time now for the Herberts to come.”
Now both Fred and Betty knew that a suggestion of hysterics was no idle threat, for Minna Varian could achieve the most annoying demonstrations of that sort at a moment’s notice. And it was quite true that the expected guests were imminent.
But no truce was put into words, for just then a party of three people came in sight and neared the veranda steps.
The three were Frederick Varian’s brother Herbert and his wife and daughter. This family was called the Herberts to distinguish them from the Frederick Varian household.
The daughter, Eleanor, was a year or two younger than Betty, and the girls were friendly, though of widely differing tastes; the brothers Varian were much alike; but the two matrons were as opposite as it is possible for two women to be. Mrs Herbert was a strong character, almost strong-minded. She had no patience with her sister-in-law’s nerves or hysterical tendencies. It would indeed be awkward if the Herberts were to arrive in the midst of one of Mrs Frederick’s exhibitions of temperamental disturbance.
“Wonderful place!” exclaimed Herbert Varian as they ascended the steps to the verandah. “Great, old boy! I never saw anything like it.”
“Reminds me of the Prisoner of Chillon or the Castle of Otranto or – ” said Mrs Herbert.
“Climbing that steep path reminded me of the Solitary Horseman,” Herbert interrupted his wife. “Whew! let me sit down! I’m too weighty a person to visit your castled crag of Drachenfels very often! Whew!”
“Poor Uncle Herbert,” cooed Betty; “it’s an awful long, steep pull, isn’t it? Get your breath, and I’ll get you some nice, cool fruit punch. Come on, Eleanor, help me; the servants are gone to the circus, – every last one of ’em – ”
“Oh, I thought you were having a party here this afternoon,” Eleanor said, as she went with Betty.
“Not a party, a picnic. They’re the proper caper up here. And only a little one. The baskets are all ready, and the men carry them, – then we go to a lovely picnic place, – not very far, – and we all help get the supper. You see, up here, if you don’t let the servants go off skylarking every so often, they leave.”
“I should think they would!” exclaimed Eleanor, earnestly; “I’m ready to leave now! How do you stand it, Betty? I think it’s fearful!”
“Oh, it isn’t the sort of thing you’d like, I know. Put those glasses on that tray, will you, Nell? But I love this wild, craggy place, it’s like an eagle’s eyrie, and I adore the solitude, – especially as there are plenty of people, and a golf club and an artist colony and all sorts of nice things in easy distance.”
“You mean that little village or settlement we came through on the way from the station?”
“Yes; and a few of their choicest inhabitants are coming up this afternoon for our picnic.”
“That sounds better,” Eleanor sighed, “but I’d never want to stay here. Is Rod Grannis here? Is that why you came?”
“Hush, Nell. Don’t mention Rod’s name, at least, not before Father. You see, Dad’s down on him.”
“Down on Rod! Why for?”
“Only because he’s too fond of little Betty.”
“Who is? Rod or your father?”
Betty laughed. “Both of ’em! But, I mean, Dad is down on any young man who’s specially interested in me.”
“Oh, I know. So is my father. I don’t let it bother me. Fathers are all like that. Most of the girls I know say so.”
“Yes, I know it’s a fatherly failing; but Dad is especially rabid on the subject. There you take the basket of cakes and I’ll carry the tray.”
It was nearly five o’clock when the picnic party was finally ready to start for its junketing.
Mrs Blackwood had arrived, bringing her two promised young men, Ted Landon and John Clark.
Rearrayed in picnic garb, the house guests were ready for the fun, and the Frederick Varians were getting together and looking over the baskets of supper.
“If we could only have kept one helper by us,” bemoaned Minna Varian, her speech accompanied by her usual wringing of her distressed hands. “I begged Kelly to stay but he wouldn’t.”
“The circus is here only one day, you know, Mrs Varian,” Landon told her, “and I fancy every servant in Headland Harbor has gone to it. But command me – ”
“Indeed, we will,” put in Betty; “carry this, please, and, Uncle Herbert, you take this coffee paraphernalia.”
Divided among the willing hands, the luggage was not too burdensome, and the cavalcade prepared to start.
“No fear of burglars, I take it,” said Herbert, as his brother closed the front door and shook it to be sure it was fastened.
“Not a bit,” and Frederick Varian took up his own baskets. “No one can possibly reach this house, save through that gate down by the lodge. And that is locked. Also the windows and doors of the house are all fastened. So if you people have left jewelry on your dressing tables, don’t be alarmed, you’ll find it there on your return.”
“All aboard!” shouted Landon, and they started, by twos or threes, but in a moment were obliged to walk single file down the steep and narrow path.
“Oh, my heavens!” cried Betty, suddenly, “I must go back! I’ve forgotten my camera. Let me take your key, Father, I’ll run and get it in a minute!”
“I’ll go and get it for you, Betty,” said Varian, setting down his burden.
“No, Dad, you can’t; it’s in a closet, behind a lot of other things, and you’d upset the whole lot into a dreadful mess. I know you!”
“Let me go, Miss Varian,” offered several of the others, but Betty was insistent.
“No one can get it but myself, – at least, not without a lot of delay and trouble. Give me the key, Father, I’ll be right back.”
“But, Betty – ”
“Oh, give her the key, Fred!” exclaimed his wife; “don’t torment the child! I believe you enjoy teasing her! There, take the key, Betty, and run along. Hurry, do, for it’s annoying to have to wait for you.”
“Let me go with you,” asked John Clark, but Betty smiled a refusal and ran off alone.
Most of them watched the lithe, slight figure, as she bounded up the rugged, irregular steps, sometimes two of them at a time, and at last they saw her fitting the key into the front door.
She called back a few words, but the distance was too great for them to hear her clearly, although they could see her.
She waved her hand, smilingly, and disappeared inside the house, leaving the door wide open behind her.
“Extraordinary place!” Herbert Varian said, taking in the marvelous crag from this new viewpoint.
“You must see it from the clubhouse,” said Landon; “can’t you all come here tomorrow afternoon, on my invite?”
“We’ll see,” Mrs Varian smiled at him, for it was impossible not to like this frank, good-looking youth.
The conversation was entirely of the wonders and beauties of Headland House, until at last, Mrs Blackwood said, “Isn’t that child gone a long while? I could have found half a dozen cameras by this time!”
“She is a long time,” Frederick Varian said, frowning; “I was just thinking that myself. I think I’ll go after her.”
“No,