 Chapter 29 of Camp Fire Girls at Twin Lakes This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Lucy Burgoyne. Camp Fire Girls at Twin Lakes or The Quest of the Summer Vacation by Stella M. Francis. Chapter 29 A Cruel Woman Catherine Hazel, Ernestine and Azalea found it no easy task to pick their way through the dark timber, more than half a mile to the Graham Cottage, several times finding themselves hopelessly entangled in a thicket or stumbling over disagreeably uneven ground and fearful of losing their way. They made use of their flashlights until able to continue their journey satisfactorily. But after they caught their first glimpse of the light in the Graham Cottage, they made no further use of the flashlights, guided by the illuminated windows and their memory of the surroundings. They made their way over the intervening space until within a hundred feet of the house where they halted and looked and listened for about fifteen minutes. First, they wished to make sure that there was no dog on the place. They were reasonably certain that the Graham's kept no watchdog as several of the girls had been careful to check up in this regard when passing near or calling at the cottage. But as additional precaution they made a careful inspection from a safe distance on this scouting expedition before venturing close to the house. The night was clear and warm, but no moon was shining. There was a stillness in the air which alone might have been expected to cause a dog to howl for very lonesomeness. Even while the four scouts were waiting for evidence of a canine guard at the Graham Place, far away in the distance there came a mournful howl from a mournful hound in a farmyard. The sound was repeated several times, and although there were two or three echoing responses from as many neighbouring sources, none came from a kinship kennel at the Graham premises. At last Catherine and Hazel decided it was safe to advance nearer to the house, leaving Azalea and Ernestine at the edge of the timber to watch for any condition or circumstance that might prove unfriendly to their venture. The two leaders advanced across the clearing. As they neared the building, a sound which they had not heard before reached their ears and drove from their minds all thought or fear of a watchdog. The sound was like the plaintive cry of a child, and seemed to be muffled as it coming through two or three thick walls. There were two windows on the side of the house near as the advancing girl scouts. Through the drawn shade of one of these came the rays of incandescent bulbs which lighted the room. The other window was dark. The advance of Catherine and Hazel was guided now by the seeming source of the muffled cry. As they started for the house, their initial impulse was to direct their steps toward the lighted window. But as they approached the building, almost unconsciously, they veered gradually to the right until they found themselves standing close to their unlighted window at the rear. Without a doubt the muffled sounds came from this part of the cottage. A whispered conversation between the girls resulted in the following procedure. Hazel stood guard at a distance of 10 or 15 feet, while Catherine stood close to the window, almost pressing her ear against the glass in order the better to hear the sounds that interested them. For two or three minutes the listener continued in this attitude. Then she went to where Hazel stood and the latter advanced to the window and did likewise. She also tried the sash to see if it was locked, succeeding in raising it slightly so that the sounds within reached her ear more distinctly. Several minutes later both of the girls returned to the edge of the clearing and rejoined their two companions stationed there. A low-voiced consultation was held at the close of which Hazel said, Well, all this means that we'll have to return to the cottage and stay there until we find out something more. Let's see what we can discover in the front of the house. She and Catherine accordingly went back and directed their inspection as Hazel had suggested. The shade trees did not cover the lower pane to the full limit and they were able to look in and get a fairly good view of the room. Mrs. Graham and Jimmy Jr. apparently were the only members of the family at home if we may disregard as one of the family, Little Glen, who undoubtedly was the author of the Muffle Psalms. Mrs. Graham was reading a fashion magazine and her son was playing solitaire at a card table. Almost the first view acquainted the girls with the fact that the woman was much disconcerted over something and it soon became evident that the cause of this nervousness was the sound of weeping that reached her through the closed door of an adjoining room. Presently she arose with a hard look on her face and determined manner and moved in the direction from which the offending noise came. Catherine and Hazel did not take the additional precaution this time of alternating as watcher and guard. They stood together at the window and as they saw Mrs. Graham open the door they moved quickly to the window next toward the rear. By the time they reached it this room also was lighted. Fortunately a similar condition existed here also with reference to the width of the window shade and they were able to get a fairly good view of this apartment. Mrs. Graham evidently was disposed to lose no time and to leave ground for no misunderstanding as to her purpose. She threw open a second door, this time a closet door and the girls beheld a sight that fairly made their blood boil. There sat little Glen on a chair with a rope wound around his body, arms and legs securing him so firmly to the article of furniture on which he was seated that he could scarcely move a muscle. His face was wet with tears and a picture of suffering. For the first time the watchers observed that the woman had a leather strap in her hand and they were still further horrified when they saw her swing it cruelly against the bare legs of the quivering child. Once twice she struck the boy. Hazel and Catherine could hardly contain their indignation. Indeed it is not at all to be doubted that they would have attempted to interfere on the spot if an interruption had not come from another source before the third blow could fall. There was a disturbance in the front of the house. Somebody had entered and was talking in a loud voice. Mrs. Graham let her arm fall without dealing the third blow for which she had raised it as a man entered the room in anything but mild and pleasant manner. What are you doing Mrs. Graham? He demanded what did I tell you about this conduct of yours? Do you realize that you are bringing things to a climax where I wash my hands of the whole affair? The speaker was Pierce Langford. End of Chapter 29 Chapter 30 At Camp Fire Girls at Twin Lakes This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Lucy Burgoyne Camp Fire Girls at Twin Lakes Or The Quest of the Summer Vacation by Stella M. Francis Chapter 30 The Girls' Wing Mrs. Graham looked uncomfortable, not ashamed or abashed. Doubtless the conflict within her was between the cruelty of her nature and the fear of financial reverses in consequence of that cruelty. She did not answer the rebuke of her Confederate attorney. The latter drew a knife from his pocket and in a moment was severing the rope that bound the child to the chair. After he had released the boy who looked gratefully toward him as a protector the man threw cold water on Little Glenn's natural feeling of confidence toward him by saying, Now, mind you Mrs. Graham, my interference is not moved by any sentiment of sympathy for the kid. I merely want to inform you that things are coming to such a pass that I may be forced to drop out of this game purely as a move of self-salvation. For instance, it appears very unwise to make any further attempts to frighten that bunch of girls. They simply don't scare. See that? Langford indicated the object of his question by taking off his hat which he had neglected to remove when he entered the house and caressing gently with two or three fingers as badly swollen wound on the side of his head almost directly over his right ear. Mrs. Graham looked at it curiously, not sympathetically. Where did you get that? She inquired. Those girls did it, or one of them I presume. I thought my makeup would paralyze them, but instead they nearly paralyzed me. I think they fired some rocks at me for something of that description struck my head and you see the result. I drove my machine into the timber a little farther up the road and put on my ghost outfit. Then I walked through the woods to the girls' camp and stalked past them. You would have thought my appearance was enough to freeze their veins and arteries. Well, they pretty nearly put mine in cold storage for eternity. Now, what do you know about first aid to the injured? Will you get some cold water and alcohol or liniment? I'm going to have a fierce swelling. I don't suppose I can keep it down much now, but I'm going to have an awful headache and I'd like to prevent that as much as possible. Let the kids go to bed and do something for me. Glyn took advantage of this suggestion and went into another room. Mrs. Graham and the lawyer returned to the living room. Catherine and Hazel watched them for about twenty minutes, but heard little more conversation. Then Langford left the house and Mrs. Graham and her son prepared to retire. As it appeared that they would be able to get no further information of interest to them at the Graham Cottage that night, Catherine and Hazel and the other two girls who waited at the edge of the clearing returned to their camp and reported the success of their expedition. Early next day, Miss Lade, Catherine and Hazel went by boat to Twin Lakes and appeared before a magistrate and swore out a warrant for the arrest of Mrs. Graham on a charge of cruel and inhuman treatment of a child in her custody. Before leaving Fairberry, she had been given authority to take this move if in her judgment such emergency action were advisable. She also asked that Glyn Irving be removed from the custody of the Graham's. Then Miss Lade sent a telegram to Mrs. Hutchins asking her to come at once. Mrs. Hutchins arrived at Twin Lakes next day. Meanwhile, Mrs. Graham was arrested and the boy was taken temporarily as a ward at the court. When she was confronted with the charges against her and the evidence of the two campfire girls who had witnessed one instance of outrageous cruelty, her cold resistance was broken and she promised to accede to Mrs. Hutchins' demands if the prosecution were dropped. This seemed to be the best settlement of the whole affair and it was accepted. By order of court, Glyn was turned over to Mrs. Hutchins who assumed the obligation of his care and custody. Mrs. Hutchins remained with the girls a week at their camp at Stony Point and then all returned to Fairberry where the tents were pitched again in the broad and scenic ravine known as Fern Hollow. Here they camped again for another week, summarised, tabulated and classified the achievements of the last few weeks, conferred honours and finally adjourned to their several homes there to remain until the autumn opening of school. But the adventures of the year for this campfire was not complete. More of equally stirring character were installed for three of the girls and those who would follow these events should read the next volume entitled Campfire Girls on a Hike or Lost in the Great Northern Woods. End of Chapter 30 End of Campfire Girls at Twin Lakes or The Quest of the Summer Vacation by Stella M. Francis.