Blue Robin, the Girl Pioneer — Part 173

“Grace says she is afraid to go,” explained Helen.

“Afraid!” repeated Nathalie bewildered. “What are you afraid of?” she demanded abruptly turning towards her friend.

“Why Nathalie, don’t you remember that day we—”

Nathalie continued to gaze at her blankly, and then her face broke into a smile as she remembered the day she and Grace had run away from the gray house afraid of the crazy man.

“Oh, Grace,” she cried with merry laughter, “that was the best joke on you and me, for, O dear, why, Grace, it wasn’t any crazy man at all, it was only a cockatoo!”

The long kept secret that had troubled Nathalie so much at first was out at last, and she and Helen, who had been told about that when her friend’s silence was first broken as far as she was concerned, broke into prolonged laughter at the richness of the joke.

“A cockatoo?” exclaimed Grace incredulously, and then annoyed at the girls’ merriment she added crossly, “Oh, I do wish you would explain what is so funny, I think it real mean of you both to laugh that way!”

“Yes, it is mean,” added Nathalie, stifling her laughter as she saw the irate expression on her friend’s face. “But, Grace, it was funny. I would have told you all about it before—that is how I found out—only I had sworn not to tell. But if you will promise not to reveal what I am going to tell you—honor bright—” this in answer to the girl’s nod of assent, “I will tell you the mystery of the gray house!”

It was not long now before Grace heard the long story of how Nathalie had come to go to the house, how she had found out about the cockatoo, the star part she had played with the princess, and the many other happenings that had taken place within the last few weeks.

“But is the poor thing such a terrible monster?” demanded Grace in ready sympathy.

“A monster?” ejaculated Nathalie in amazement. “Who said she was a monster?”

“Why, don’t you remember? Edith—”

“Now, see here,” exclaimed Nathalie stamping her feet angrily, “don’t tell me another word of what the Sport says. I am just beginning to hate that girl, she is always saying and doing things she has no—” She stopped suddenly as it came to her in a conscience-stricken flash that Pioneers were never to say evil of any one.