The Merriweather Girls and the Mystery of the Queen's Fan Part 28

Business investments had all gone wrong. In fact everything he had touched for the last year had been a disappointment. Now it seemed as if the only way to save what he had was to get a large sum of money, and in these uncertain tunes, that was impossible.--Unless he sold the Manor.

It was this problem that was worrying him. He could not bear to give up his home. It was here that he had brought his young wife and for two years had lived in a Paradise. Her early death had crushed him for a time, and it was only in the Manor where the dear memories of her happy spirit filled each room, that he was content.

It was the fear that he might have to give up his home, that made Colonel Baxter worry, and Bet watched him with troubled eyes.

He had put forth an extra effort to appear happy during the Christmas season, and he tried to throw himself into the plans for the party with his usual enthusiasm.

Bet saw the difference, but wisely said nothing.

At the Colonel's suggestion, they decided on a costume party. That would give the girls a chance to wear some of the lovely old dresses that he had collected.

Bet was terribly disappointed when her father came hurrying in at noon before the party with the announcement that he had a business call to Chicago, and would not be able to attend the party.

"Then we'll put it off, Daddy. A party wouldn't be any fun without you."

"No, I wouldn't do that, Bet. Think of the many who would be disappointed if you postpone it. Then too, I may not be back for two weeks. It is a business matter that I must attend to. It's important."

Reluctantly Bet went on with her plans. There were a few tears when she told the bad news to her chums in the afternoon.

"That's the worst of having a father who plays with you," said Joy. "I never expect _my_ mother and father to care about my good times."

"I just can't make it a real success without Dad," exclaimed Bet tearfully.

"You can, if you try, Bet Baxter. So brace up and stop your sniffling!"

"I wasn't sniffling, Joy Evans," exploded Bet.

"What do you call it, then?" laughed Joy.

"Just a few regretful tears."

Even s.h.i.+rley, the serious one laughed heartily at Bet. And in a few minutes they were busy with their plans.

"Say Bet, what possessed you to ask Edith Whalen? I've tried to be glad but it isn't in me to be," said Joy.

"I'm not glad, myself, but what's the use of being a Merriweather Girl unless you live up to the heroine of the Manor? Lady Betty would have asked her, I'm sure," replied Bet.

"Then she must have been an angel!" exclaimed Kit, who had so much joy taken out of her school life by the unpleasant remarks of Edith and her friend Vivian Long, that she did not welcome the thought of meeting her at the party.

"Lady Betty was an angel!" cried Bet, tossing a kiss to the smiling face above her.

"Then why did we take her as an ideal? Who can live up to an angel? I can't," said Kit sadly.

"None of us can, but Dad says it's a good thing to have a star to aim at. Course it's away above our heads but we can aim, just the same.

She's _our_ star. Each of us can have our own pet ones. I have my lovely mother, who is another angel. She's for myself, but Lady Betty is a company affair."

"Did you think all that out, Bet?" asked s.h.i.+rley.

"Dad helped me. It troubled me to have Lady Betty for our club ideal!

It seemed like putting her before my mother, then Dad explained that I could hardly share mother! And that makes it all right."

"I think Lady Betty is pleased, don't you. She smiles so sweetly,"

whispered Kit.

"She always smiled sweetly, even when she was having terrible troubles.

_She_ didn't cry just over a disappointment. She was brave!" Bet straightened up and brushed a tear away.

"We'll have to be like her," laughed Kit as she added: "And believe me, it takes bravery to meet Edith."

"Therefore Kit Patten, I'm going to give you full charge of Edith tonight. See that she has a good time," commanded Bet.

"Hold on there, Bet Baxter. I'm a bucking bronco and you can't trust me to drive in harness. I'll disgrace you! Like as not when Edith puts on that superior air, I'll take her by the arm and escort her out of doors."

"No, you won't. I know you!" Bet patted her friend lovingly.

"Just the same, I hope her mother will keep her at home on account of the snow storm."

Kit did better than she thought she could. The fact that the four Merriweather Girls were the hostesses and received the guests as they came in, gave Kit prestige that Edith dared not ignore.

Some of the guests in gay and weird costumes had arrived when the phone rang. Laura Sands' voice was husky with crying. "Oh Bet, I can't come. I've ruined my costume and I won't go without one."

"You come right along up here, Laura. I have lot of costumes and you can take your pick."

Laura arrived in ordinary clothes and Bet and Kit conducted her to the attic to choose a Colonial gown.

When the door to the narrow stairway was opened, Bet heard a queer sc.r.a.ping sound as if one of the old trunks had been moved.

"What's that?" asked Kit. "Do you suppose it's rats?"

"No, don't worry! It isn't anything!" But as Bet switched on the light and reached the top step she was just in time to see a figure in bright clothes go out the window. She heard the sound of a thud on the veranda of the second floor and running feet along the corridor.

"Somebody was in here!" exclaimed Bet.

"Don't be silly, Bet! I thought you were too big to be frightened in the dark."

"Well look at that window, Kit Patten! Did we leave it open? We certainly didn't. And look how the costumes are all tumbled out of the chests! A man has been in here, anyway. I saw him slide out that window."

"And look at the footprints!" exclaimed Kit.

"Nothing to worry about. This is a costume party and someone is playing a trick on us," decided Kit.

"Maybe so," a.s.sented Bet. "But if so, why didn't they play their tricks instead of just mussing things up and then running away?"

Grabbing a gown of gold cloth, Bet exclaimed, "Come on, girls, let's get out of here. It's spooky!"

"Lock the window first, Bet. Then if anyone is prowling around they can't get back this way," Kit suggested.

"Who could it have been?" puzzled Bob Evans when they reported the episode to the guests. "I know all the boys, and none of them would do a thing like that."