_ CHAPTER XVII. THE CONSPIRATORS OUTWITTED
Senator Langdon's dinners had well won popularity in Washington. Invitations to them were rarely answered by the sending of "regrets." He had brought his old Mississippi cook from the plantation, whose Southern dishes had caused the Secretary of State himself to make the Senator an offer for the chef's services. "No use bidding for old General Washington," said the Senator on that notable occasion. "He wouldn't leave my kitchen, sir, even to accept the presidency itself. Why, I couldn't even discharge him if I wanted to. I tried to let him go once, sir, and the old general made me feel so ashamed of myself that I actually cried, sir."
Peabody and Stevens were the dinner guests to-night, as they were to confer afterward with Langdon and settle on the action of the naval affairs committee regarding the naval base. The three, being a majority, could control the action of the committee.
Senator Peabody had finally postponed leaving for Philadelphia until the midnight train in order to be present, he assured Langdon as the trio entered the library. The girls, Norton and Randolph were left to oversee preparations for the prominent Washingtonians invited to attend the musicale to be given later in the evening.
Carolina and Hope Georgia were in distinctly different moods--the elder, vivacious, elated over the bright outlook for her future; the younger, cast down and wearing a worried expression. Norton and Randolph in jubilant spirit tried to cheer her, and failing, resorted to taunts about some imaginary love affair.
The courage of the afternoon, which had enabled her to speak to Haines as she had, was gone; girlish fears now swept over her as to the outcome of the evening. Haines had not come! Was he really guilty and had promised to come merely to get rid of her? Why was he late? If he did come, would she be able to have her father see him, as she had promised? If she failed, and she might, she would never see this young man again.
"If I looked as unhappy as you, Hope, I'd go to bed and not discourage our guests as they arrive," Carolina suggested. "Our floral decorations alone for to-night cost $700, and the musical program cost over $3,000. The most fashionable folks in Washington coming--what more could you want, Hope? Isn't it perfectly glorious? Why--"
"Mr. Haines is below, asking to see Senator Langdon," announced a servant, entering.
"Oh, I knew he'd come! I knew it! I knew it!" cried Hope Georgia in pure ecstasy, clapping her hands.
The three plotters turned on the girl in amazement; then they stared at each other.
"Mr. Haines!" ejaculated Carolina.
"Haines!" exclaimed Randolph, hurriedly leaving the room.
"Haines!" sneered Norton. "We can take care of him. The Senator won't see him."
Carolina caught the suggestion.
"Tell Mr. Haines that Senator Langdon regrets that he cannot possibly receive him," she directed.
"Carolina!"
There was a ring of protest and pain in Hope Georgia's voice as she darted out of the door after the servant.
"What's the matter with that girl?" asked Norton, trying to be calm.
Carolina shook her head.
"I don't know. She's queer to-day. I believe she imagines herself in love with Mr. Haines."
"Aren't you afraid she'll make trouble?"
The other sister laughed confidently.
"Little Hope make trouble? Of course not. If she does, we can always frighten her into obedience."
The door reopened and Hope entered, followed by Bud Haines. The girl's head was high; her cheeks were red; her eyes glittered ominously.
"I brought him back, Carolina," she said coolly. "Father will want to see him. I know there has been some mistake."
"Yes," supplemented Bud, "there has been a decided mistake, and I must refuse to accept the word that came to me from Senator Langdon."
Carolina Langdon drew herself up in her most dignified manner.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Haines, but you must accept it," she said.
"Exactly," seconded Norton. "Senator Langdon entirely declines to receive you."
"I don't trust anything you say, Congressman Norton, and I may say also that I recognize no right of yours to interfere in any affair between me and the Langdon family."
"Perhaps I can explain my right, Mr. Haines," Norton said coolly, stepping beside Carolina. "I have just had the pleasure of announcing to Miss Hope Georgia Langdon my engagement to Miss Carolina Langdon."
Haines, entirely unprepared for such a denouement, shot a searching glance at Carolina. She bowed her head in affirmation.
"So that's why you tried to ruin me!" he cried. "You're both from the same mold," turning from Carolina Langdon to Congressman Norton, then back to the girl.
They stood facing each other when Randolph Langdon returned. At sight of Bud Haines he started, stopped short a second, then came forward quickly.
"Mr. Haines, my father has declared that he will not see you, and either you leave this house at once or I shall call the servants."
Bud looked at young Langdon contemptuously.
"Yes, I think you would need some help," he sneered, feeling in his veins the rush of red blood, the determination in his heart that had a few years back carried him through eighty yards of struggling Yale football players to a touchdown.
The Senator's son drew back his arm, but the confident look of the New Yorker restrained him.
"Mr. Haines, in the South gentlemen do not make scenes of violence before ladies."
The cold rebuke of Carolina cut into the silence.
Haines stood in perplexity. He did not know what to do or how to get to the Senator. It was Hope who came to his rescue.
"I'll tell father you are here. I'll make him come, Mr. Haines. He shall see you."
With the air of a defiant little princess she started for the door.
"Hope, I forbid you doing any such thing," exclaimed her older sister, but the younger girl paid no attention. Randolph caught her arm.
"You shall not, Hope," he cried.
Hope Georgia struggled and pulled her arm free.
"I reckon I just got to do what seems right to me, Randolph," she exclaimed. "I reckon I've grown up to-night, and I tell you--I tell all of you"--she whirled and faced them--"there's something wrong here, and father is going to see Mr. Haines to-night, and they are going to settle it."
Norton alone was equal to the situation, temporarily at least.
"I'll be fair with you, Hope," he said reassuringly, and she stopped in her flight to the hall door. "I'll take Carolina and Randolph in to see the Senator, and we'll tell him Mr. Haines is here. Perhaps we had better tell the Senator," Norton suggested, beckoning to Carolina and her brother. "Let Mr. Haines wait here, and we will make the situation clear to the Senator."
"You'd better make it very clear," exclaimed the younger girl, "for I'm going to stay here with Mr. Haines until he has seen father."
The guilty trio, fearful of this new and unexplainable activity of Hope Georgia, slowly departed in search of Senator Langdon to make a last desperate attempt to prevent him from meeting this pestilential secretary that was--and might be again.
When the door closed after them Hope came down to the table where Bud Haines was standing.
"Won't you sit down, Mr. Haines?" she said. "I'll--I'll try to entertain you until father comes," she said weakly, realizing that again she was alone with the man she loved. _