I told you to drive us to the Spring Hotel, and this never is it !
Nom, youse says foh me to drive you-all affer dat man what cotched hoi of dat hosss head. Well, dat hoss and man done runned away somewhere, so I jus brings you to the fust-class place I knows of, explained the driver.
Eleanor now screamed with laughter at the funny experience, and was unable to help Polly in her cross-examination of the man.
You get back in that seat and take us to the Spring Hotel, or I will hand you over to the police! threatened Polly, but she could not help wondering if Kingston ever had a police force!
Ef I has to take you-all another trip, its goin to cost more money, bargained the fellow, not knowing the nature of the girl he thought he had at a disadvantage.
Polly leaned out from the door of the hack. You get in that seat in double-quick time or youll find out where I came from! Did you ever hear of Colorado people who know how to shoot a fly from a swinging street lamp forty feet away? Well, thats me! Pollys tone was that of a hangmans, her expression similar to that of an Empress who is judging a criminal, her sudden wave of the hand that of a western hold-up man. The driver, never having had such a fare with which to deal, obeyed like a whipped puppy. He climbed back into his seat and drove away midst the jeers and hoots of the loafers on the hang-too verandah. Even the landlady of the house jeered at him.
By this time Eleanor found herself able to gasp forth a cheer for Polly. But Polly turned blazing eyes upon her friend and said: A fine assistant you will make in time of need!
Oh, Polly, what could you expect of me in such a ridiculous predicament? You looked too surprised and shocked for anything!
But Polly was really offended this time, and she would not reply to Eleanors attempts at making up. Not until the meek driver turned into the beautiful avenue that brought them up in front of the Spring Hotel, where all but Jack and Ray lounged in great comfortable wicker chairs and sipped orangeade, did she forgive Eleanor.
Polly gave one glance at her friends and stiffened up. Well! Is that the way you-all trouble over the safety of Nolla and me? We might have been offered up on the altar of the voodoo worshippers for all you cared!
We knew you would be perfectly safe in this town no such menace as voodooism here, laughed Mr. Dalken, coming down the three steps to welcome his charges.
Two sovrens, please, now demanded the driver.
Two what? shouted Mr. Ashby, who had joined his friend.
With not so much bravado the hackman said: I druv dese ladies all over Kingston tryin to keep up wid dere young man. Now I gotta be paid foh all dat trouble.
Dalky, he never did! He took us way off to a dump of a house where he tried to make us believe you would come to board. I actually had to threaten to shoot him, as we do out west, before he would condescend to bring us here, explained Polly, her color rising ominously as she glared at the man.
Ill pay you exactly what all fares are from the wharf to this hotel heres a dollar a fare, and that makes two dollars. Now begone before this young sixshooter gets out a gun and wings your ear! Mr. Dalken tossed the man two dollars and waved him away.
The driver caught the money with one hand, caught hold of the iron rail of the front seat with his other hand and swung himself up. In another moment he was whipping his horse and whizzing off out of range of that gun. He had never in his life delivered a fare who had such spirit as that western girl expressed, and he began to ponder whether the life of a hackman was the most delightful one now that women in the States had suffrage and could carry guns!
A coal-black waiter brought more cooling drinks to the parched guests, and when Polly had emptied a long thin glass filled with iced orangeade, she felt better. Then she explained.
The interested audience laughed, but when she demanded: What did you do with Jack and Ray? no one could reply.
Im here to answer for myself, came a weak, quavering voice from the road. Every one jumped up and ran to the steps, and there stood poor Jack, still coated
with heavy dust and painfully clambering out of the one-sided carriage.
Such a ludicrous picture did dandy Jack present to his friends that they could not restrain a shout of laughter. He looked hurt but shook his head hopelessly. I knew what sort of friends I had! he muttered as he limped up the steps and dropped into a chair. As he fell into its cushioned depths a choking cloud of dust rose from his form and floated over the group that now surrounded him.
Before Jack had concluded his narrative Ray came up to the steps of the hotel and joined his friends. With his appearance the others called for an explanation of his clean-looking summer garb, his cool-looking face, and the smile that told he had not had such disturbing experiences as the other three wanderers in an unknown town.
I saw a driver whisking Polly and Eleanor past my resting place, but they went too fast for my speed. Ray laughed as he remembered again the perplexed girls in that hack.