Polly and Her Friends Abroad Part 17

The next day after the Fabian party returned from the last sight-seeing in London, a wire was handed the man of the group. He opened it hastily, and read aloud: "Send word when you leave for Paris. Will meet you at train with car. Alexander."

"Now that is really nice of the little man, I say," added Mr. Fabian, as he handed the message to his wife.

"Then you'd better wire him at once, for we plan to go tomorrow,"

advised Mrs. Fabian.

Everything had been attended to in London, and the girls took a farewell look at the city as they sped away to Dover where they expected to take the Channel Boat for Havre.

Much has been said about the rough crossing of this little strip of water, but the girls found it as quiet as a mill-pond, and the steamer skimmed the waves like a sea-gull. The ride in the dusty train, from Havre to Paris, was the most unpleasant part of the trip. But upon leaving the train at Paris, they saw Dodo and her father anxiously scanning the faces that pa.s.sed by.

"Here we are, Dodo!" called Polly, eagerly, as she jumped forward and caught her friend's hand.

"Dear me! I'm as glad to see you-all as I can be," cried Dodo, shaking everyone eagerly by the hand.

"Yeh, you're a sight for sore eyes," remarked her father.

"We've only been in Paris a day and night, but Pa hasn't any French with him, and I've only got a few words that I am always using mistakenly, so we're happy to have someone who can speak and understand the lingo"

laughed Dodo, happily.

They all got into the luxurious car that had carried them so many miles over England, and as they sank down upon the soft cus.h.i.+ons, Polly said: "An automobile really is nicer than a hard old steam-tram."

Mrs. Fabian, always polite, asked: "How is your mother, Dodo?"

"Last time we saw her she was first cla.s.s, thank you."

"She may be having high-sterics now, however," added Mr. Alexander, chucklingly.

"What do you mean? Isn't she well?" asked Mrs. Fabian.

"We _hope_ she is well, Mrs. Fabian, but we left her at Osgood Hall, while we eloped to Paris," laughed Dodo.

"Eloped! What _are_ you talking about, child?" demanded Mrs. Fabian, while the girls sat up, eager to hear a story.

"Pa and I just _had_ to elope, you know, to save our lives. We waited until Ma got nicely settled with the family, then we got in the car and ran away. We haven't heard, yet, in answer to our telegram from here, so we're frightened to pieces lest Ma packs up and comes after us,"

explained Dodo.

But this fear was quieted when they all went into the hotel and the clerk handed Mr. Alexander a message. He opened it with trembling fingers, and suddenly sat down in a great chair.

"Goodness me, Pa! What is it? Is she coming for us?" cried Dodo, in an agony of suspense.

"No-that's why I caved in, Dodo. The relief was so turrible!" sighed the little man.

Everyone felt sorry for these two, but the situation was so funny that they laughed in spite of their trying not to.

"Yes, laugh," giggled Dodo, "that's just what Pa and I did when we got well away on the road to London. When I think of how they must have looked when they read the note I pinned on my cus.h.i.+on for Ma, I have to laugh myself."

"What was in the note, Do?" asked Eleanor, curiously.

"I said I was eloping with the man I loved best on earth-which was true, you know. And I knew I could never be happy with a t.i.tle, as long as I loved this everyday man. That was true, too. So I was fleeing with him, to Paris, where I hoped to meet her some day and ask her forgiveness."

The girls laughed heartily at Dodo's note, and Polly said she was awfully clever to think it out that way.

"Oh, but it was Pa who planned it all. And when we got to Paris, he wired back to Ma, saying: 'Got Dodo in time. Never laid eyes on that young man, but will keep her safe with me. Better not try to join us yet, she may not want to be reminded of the good home and young man she ran away from.'"

"And this is what Ma wired back," said Mr. Alexander, sitting up to read the message. "Just read Dodo's note about her elopement. Glad you are after her, Eben. Don't let her marry any man, while there is a chance of Jimmy. Maggie."

"So now, folks, Ma is safe at Osgood Hall, and we are here, with our car, with you. What's to hinder us from taking you all over Europe in the old machine, eh?" eagerly asked Mr. Alexander.

"Your offer is very attractive, Mr. Alex," returned Mr. Fabian, "but I am not in a position to accept it without consulting further with my wife and the girls."

"Why not? Here's a car and a fine chauffeur for you-all to use as you like, and you admit that you're going to visit the big cities of Europe, and that means travel in some sort of way."

"Oh yes, that part of the plan is as you say," admitted Mr. Fabian, "but there is more to it than mere travelling. You must understand that Mrs.

Alexander has a claim on that car, too, and I don't see how we can tour away from Paris in her car without her knowledge and willing consent."

"Oh, as for that!" retorted the little husband, "she'd be only too glad to hear Dodo was safe with you folks on a tour. Diden' I tell you-all that she's happy where she is, and nothin' can tear her away from the Osgoods, at present?"

"Besides that, I want to stay with you-all," added Dodo, plaintively.

"So that I can get more knowledge of decorating, because I've made up my mind, once and for all time, to go into a business as you girls propose doing."

Mr. Fabian yearned to encourage the girl in her ambition, but he was adamant when it came to using the Alexander car under the circ.u.mstances.

All the persuasions of father and daughter could not move him from what he considered to be a just decision.

There the matter was left for the time being, but Mr. Fabian was not so narrow-minded that he refused to drive about Paris with the little man, on the different occasions when he and his party were invited to go.

The day after their arrival at the hotel in Paris, Polly said to Dodo: "Did your wedding-chest arrive here safely?"

"Yes, it came, and it's gone again."

"Gone again! Where?" said surprised Polly.

"Gone to Ruth-for her birthday gift," giggled Dodo.

"Not really! Why how wonderful for Ruth," exclaimed the girls in a chorus.

Dodo smiled. "Don't you remember what I said to Ruth about a little gift, the day we drove away from that old shop?"

"I remember, but no one dreamed you meant that _chest_," replied Polly.

"I made up my mind about it, the moment I found how Ma got it from under Ruth's nose. That's why I made Ma say the chest was my very own-so she could not come back at me and say I had no right to give it away."

"Dodo, you are splendid in your generous way of giving. If only everyone was like you!" cried Polly, giving her a hug.

"There! That hug means more to me than a wedding-chest," laughed Dodo, pink with pleasure.

When Mrs. Fabian heard of the gift to Ruth she caught the girl's hand and said: "Dodo, Ruth will be so happy, I know."

"Dear me, you-all make as much fuss over that chest as if I had to earn the money for it. I can't forget that we have more cash than we can ever spend honestly," declared Dodo.