Should she speak to the major or should she say nothing?

On the whole, Barbara thought it would be better to keep quiet for a day or two. It might be that Miss Sallie would insist on taking them away after this last attack; but she believed Ruth's and the major's prayers would prevail, and that they would all stay through the visit.

They had planned so many delightful parties it seemed a shame to break up on the very first day of their visit. And, after all, Miss Sallie had a great tenderness for the major, a tenderness lasting through thirty years.

Then Barbara dropped off to sleep, and in the old house only one other soul was still awake as the clock in the hall chimed the hour of two.

In his room, by the light of a flickering candle, Jose sat examining the dagger that had so baffled Bab's curiosity. On his face was an expression of sorrow and bitterness that would certainly have aroused her pity had she seen him that moment. At last he shook his head hopelessly, muttered something in Spanish, and blew out the candle.

But before getting into bed he picked up the dagger again.

"Even in America," he said in English, "even in this far country it is the same. But I will not endure it," he muttered. "It is too much!"

Putting his dagger under the pillow, he crept to bed.

CHAPTER XII-NOSEGAYS AND TENNIS

The household was late in pulling itself together next morning. At half-past nine, Mary and her husband, John, had carried trays of coffee and rolls to the rooms of the guests, informing them, at the same time, that luncheon would be served at half-past twelve.

Mollie and Grace, in dressing gowns and slippers, had carried their trays into the room shared by Ruth and Barbara. Miss Sallie had followed, looking so charming in her lavender silk wrapper, elaborately trimmed with lace and ribbons that all the girls had exclaimed with admiration; which put the lady in a very good humor at the outset. Who does not like to be complimented, especially in the early morning when one is not apt to feel at one's best?

To add to the gayety of the company there was a knock on the door, which, when opened, disclosed John bearing a large tray of flowers, a small nosegay for each of the girls and a large bunch of dewy sweet peas for Miss Sallie, all with the major's compliments.

"What a man he is!" she cried. "He disarms me with his bunches of flowers just as I was about to tell him something very disagreeable. I really don't see how I can do it."

"Oh, please don't, auntie, dear!" exclaimed Ruth. "I know what it is. We all do. But if we broke up the party, and went trailing off home, now that the worst is over, it wouldn't do anybody much good, and think of what a beautiful time we would be missing. To tell you the truth, auntie, we are just dying to stay. In spite of everything we are. Aren't we, girls?"

"Yes, indeed," came in a chorus from the other three girls, a little faintly from Bab perhaps, but very eagerly from Mollie and Grace.

"Well, we'll see," replied Miss Sallie. "But it does seem to me that this trip has started off very badly. Three attacks in as many days."

"That's true," said Ruth. "Yet by the magic Rule of Three we should have no more. We have finished now and the curse is lifted."

"When Mollie's old Gypsy comes over we must ask her to tell a few things," observed Grace. "I believe she really can predict the future.

That night when you and Bab had gone with the Gypsies to get the automobile I asked her if she told fortunes, and all she said was: 'I can tell when there is blood on the moon.'"

"What a horrible idea!" exclaimed Miss Sallie. "Weren't you frightened?"

"No, I wasn't frightened, because she seemed to have forgotten me entirely. I really thought, at the time, she must be talking about her own affairs. She looked so black and fierce."

"Perhaps she meant Jose's blood," remarked Mollie from behind her nosegay of honeysuckle and mignonette.

"Well, there wasn't much of it," replied Bab, "because Jose received only a scratch, and lost scarcely any blood. It was a close shave, though. Just half an inch nearer and it would have gone straight through his head."

"He seems to be a very remarkable young man," said Miss Sallie. "Did you notice he never said one word? Just sat there as quietly as if nothing had happened."

"He was thinking," answered Barbara. "But of course most people would have been too frightened to think. Did you notice the knife?" she ventured.

But n.o.body had, evidently. They had all been too excited and horror-struck at the time to have noticed anything.

"I saw it was a knife, and that was all," said Ruth.

"I never saw a man dance before," observed Mollie, as if following aloud a train of thoughts she had been pursuing while the others talked. "I was almost sorry he said he would, but when I saw what kind of dancing it was I was glad. It was really and truly a man's dance. I think it must have been a toreador's dance, don't you?"

"Something like this," said Ruth, using a towel for a scarf and a comb for a dagger. "And, by the way," she continued, pausing as she pranced around the room, "how did he happen to have a dagger so handy!"

"That's because he is a Spaniard, my dear," remarked Miss Sallie. "These foreigners carry anything from dynamite bombs to carving knives. They are always murdering and slashing one another."

"Perhaps," cried Mollie, excitedly, "it was the Black Hand that tried to kill him."

The others all laughed.

"Really, Mollie," cried Miss Sallie, "don't add any more horrors to the situation. We are already surrounded by Gypsies, and tramps and a.s.sa.s.sins."

"But protected, Aunt Sallie, dear," protested Ruth, "protected by five 'gintlemin frinds,' as Irish Nora used to say."

"Well, dress yourselves now," said Miss Stuart, making for the door with her silken draperies trailing after her. "And remember, Ruth, dear, if your father scolds us for staying I shall lay all the blame on you."

"Oh, I will manage Dad," replied Ruth.

When the two girls were left alone they did not speak for a little while. Barbara, who was sitting on the floor near the window with her head propped against a pillow, closed her eyes, and for a moment Ruth thought she was asleep. A breeze laden with the perfume of the honeysuckle vines stirred the curtain. Barbara took in a deep breath, opened her eyes and sat up.

"Ruth," she said, "do you know, the smell of the honeysuckles gives me the queerest sensation? I feel as if I had been here before, once long ago, ever so long. I can't remember when, and of course I haven't been, but isn't it curious? These old rooms are as familiar to me as if I had lived in them. I believe I could find my way blindfolded around the house."

"I should like to see you try it," replied Ruth, "especially when you struck one of those back pa.s.sages that lead off into nowhere in particular. But you are tired, Bab, dear," continued her friend, leaning over and patting her on the cheek. "Come along, now, and get dressed. I told Stephen and Alfred we would play them a game of tennis some time this morning."

The girls found the two boys waiting in the hall to keep their appointment. Alfred was fast losing his shyness in the presence of these two wholesome and unaffected girls who could play tennis almost as well as he could, ride horseback, run a motor car, repel a highwayman with a pistol and not lose their heads when they needed to keep them most. But, what was more to the purpose, they were not in the least shy or afraid to speak out. They were full of high spirits and knew how to have a good time without appealing constantly to some everlasting governess who was always tagging after them, or asking mamma's permission. In fact, Alfred had suffered a change of heart. When he had heard the house party was to be increased by a number of girls he had bitterly repented ever having left England. By this time, however, he could not imagine a house party without girls, especially American girls.

"I say, you know," he said to Ruth as they strolled toward the beautiful tennis court that was shaded, at one side, by a row of tall elm trees, "must I call you Ruth? I notice the other fellows do?"

"Oh, well," replied Ruth, "we are none of us actually grown yet and what is the use of so much formality before it is really necessary? What do you do in England?"

"In England," replied Alfred, "we don't call them anything. We don't see them except in the holidays, and then they are only sisters and cousins."

"Isn't there any fun in sisters and cousins?" asked Ruth.

"Well, they're not very jolly," replied the candid youth; "not as jolly as you, that is."

Ruth laughed. By this time they had reached the court and were selecting racquets and tossing for sides.

"Stephen, Ruth and I will play against you and Barbara," said Alfred rather testily. "What is the use of tossing when it was arranged beforehand?"

"You seem rather eager, Alfred, my boy," replied Stephen. "I'm sure we have no objections, have we, Barbara?"