Cleo F. Garis

“ The Barking of Tania
Chief Reilly came out of the poor little house, a veritable shack it was, shaking his head.
“I suppose,” remarked Sim in an aside to Arden, “he is going to say ‘it’s a long road without a cat in the attic,’ or something equally brilliant.”
“He might,” remarked Terry, “propose that the race is not always to the swift but there are none so blind as those who won’t eat.” ”

“ My humble houseboat is alone. Come, Tania,” he replied and, giving them all a shy smile, he stepped out on the porch.
“But you’ll catch cold—the rain——” Arden began.
[28]
“It has almost stopped,” Dimitri Uzlov smiled. “We must not stay any longer. I am a solitary person. But thank you.” And he was gone, leaving only the telltale puddles behind him.
As they watched from the window they could see him walking down the damp sand in the direction of the houseboat with Tania, the Russian wolfhound, at his heels, looking thinner than ever because of the way her silk hair lay matted with the rain. ”

“ Of course, as it developed, there was nothing to report to Chief Reilly. They were quite sure that Melissa had been their erstwhile burglar. More than ever the girls felt Melissa needed a friend. They talked over the situation, trying to piece together the girl’s story and her father’s denial of that part which blamed him. But whether he was entirely fair and just, trying to protect his daughter, or whether his allusions to her “being queer” were merely a pretext to excuse himself, not even Arden the wise ventured to decide. ”

“ Instantly there was a ferocious barking, and the girls could hear a call: “Tania! Tania!” and then a rush of words uttered in a soothing tone.
They sat quite still, an embarrassed little group, while their lazy old craft hugged the side of the houseboat.
“Sim Westover,” Arden hissed, “I could cheerfully duck you, clothes and all. What will the man think?”
“But, Arden——” began Sim, and then stopped as she heard footsteps on the upper deck of the boat near them.
Dimitri Uzlov had come on deck and was gazing down at them silently. They looked back, uncertain how to explain their presence. ”

“ I have rented a houseboat out where I can be alone and have quiet. I do not need people around me. I have Tania, my dog, and my paints, and so I am happy.” He talked in a jerky fashion, as though translating from a foreign tongue, as he went on.
Sim, always the most loquacious of the three, volunteered the information that they were visiting Terry and her mother, that they were fast friends, and added, in a little burst of indignation, that of course they would not bother him or attempt to break up his “quiet.” The girls frowned at her, but Sim was ever high-spirited. ”

“ In almost no time at all Melissa and Sim walked out of the wild sea, a little further down the beach. Arden and Terry ran down to greet them.
“Sim, you idiot! I told you not to go in. Are you all right?” Arden asked breathlessly.
“Of course I’m all right,” Sim panted.
“She was caught in a sea-puss. There’s a trick in getting out. It’s because the storm is coming and the inlet to the bay is so near,” Melissa answered modestly.
“It was very brave of you to go out, just the same,” Terry insisted. “It was just fine!”
Sim looked a little sheepish and pulled her sweater on over her dripping suit. ”

“ Mrs. Landry replied. “Poor creature! She doesn’t lead a very happy life. I hope you girls will be kind to her if you can.”
“Of course we will, Mrs. Landry,” Sim assured her, and then in another mood she asked, “Wasn’t that a knockout snuffbox? Imagine keeping nasty old snuff in it.”
“Dimitri doesn’t keep anything in it. He loves it because it’s so beautiful,” Arden announced. “There’s a true artist for you.” She was very much in earnest.
“You like him a little, don’t you, Arden?” Terry asked whimsically.
“Don’t be silly, Terry! You like him, too,” Arden snapped back. ”

“ Terry asked, adding more interest to the mystifying questions.
“I can’t imagine. It’s strange the way she always pops up,” Arden added. “I mean Melissa, not Olga.”
“I don’t like her father, either,” Terry went on. “He’s the meanest man I ever saw, and I don’t believe a word he says!”
“Now, Terry,” Mrs. Landry rebuked, “you know nothing about him. He’s just not like the city people we’re used to, and you probably misjudge him.”
“But he seems so cruel and crafty. I wonder if he punished Melissa for staying away the other night? The night she stayed in the garage.” ”

“ Terry asked. “None of our well-known detectives ever used bloodhounds, so it’s reasonable to suppose that Detective Reilly would.”
“We’re not so bad ourselves at solving mysteries. How about the Apple Orchard and Jockey Hollow?” Arden reminded them.
“Of course—we’re really very good,” Terry agreed facetiously. “I could do with a nice mystery. This is ideal weather for it. Angry sea, howling wind and dashing rain, big black clouds——”
“Do you ever have any murders or serious crimes down here, Terry?” Sim asked suddenly. ”

“ She stooped to pet the cringing animal and then drew back in alarm as a snarl greeted her.
“Tania!” called the man in rebuke, and then to Terry’s mother he said: “You must forgive her, she is not used to strangers, but she will not harm you. Tania,” he said again, “these people are friends.” It was his voice, apparently, not his words, the dog understood.
Arden and Sim had pressed nearer to witness the little drama of the storm. The man and his white wraith of a dog now stood dripping puddles of rain water on Mrs. Landry’s spotless floor. ”

“ Terry’s mother replied and with a welcoming smile kissed Arden and Sim.
“I’m glad you arrived safely, for I think we will get a storm before night, it has been so sultry today,” she went on, and as though to give credence to her words a low, angry rumbling was heard in the west.
“But come in and get comfortable. You must be starved. We have only a cold supper, for we were not sure just when you’d get here. Ida,” she called, “the girls are here, we can begin whenever you’re ready.”
“Yes, ma’m, Miz Landry, right away,” came from the kitchen while the girls were on their way upstairs. ”

“ Arden hesitated before replying. After all, she had heard nothing. That they had an answer to their telegram was just a bit of luck, and she thought it just as well if the chief did not know of it.
“No,” she answered. “We haven’t heard a thing.”
“Well, don’t worry,” Reilly said, smiling. “Remember, a murderer always returns to the scene of his crime.”
“And you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” Sim flung back at him. He did so annoy her! Imagine “studyin’ it.” What good would that do, and what nonsense was that about a murderer? ”

“ Arden began, “why should he break open the cupboard? Surely he had a key.”
“I have known him to lose things more important than keys. Don’t worry your pretty heads over it, Dimitri is not harmed, I am sure of it.” Olga used her compact vigorously. All that she did was vigorous.
“And Tania,” Sim reminded her. “He left nothing for her to eat.”
“About that I know nothing. Oh, you dear, foolish children! What do you think has happened? Murder? Abduction? Come, I am going back!” Olga swept out of the small space. She had succeeded in making the girls feel very young and rather silly. ”

“ As Terry pushed out in the boat they heard a light step, surely a girl’s step, and a few seconds later they saw Melissa rowing quickly away from the side of the houseboat.
“There’s Melissa,” Sim exclaimed needlessly, for they had all seen her. “No need to worry about her comings and goings.”
“She’s always around from one place to another. I suppose she doesn’t know what to do with herself all day,” Terry answered between strokes, taking it all very casually.
“Where is her home, Terry? Is it near here?” Arden asked. ”

“ Emma Tash declared. “I’m going up there.”
Once more Terry pulled up the mud-hook, and again the oars were used by the detective. But just as she was easing up, in preparation to letting the boat glide up the mucky beach, a man’s voice called:
“Keep away from here! I don’t let nobody land!”
George Clayton suddenly appeared in front of his shack, holding a long pole.
“Get away!” he cried. “This is a private beach! You can crab all you want to out there, but don’t land. I’ve warned you!” ”

“ Presently Ida came back, a frightened look on her face, to announce:
“It’s a policewoman.”
“A policewoman!” exclaimed Mrs. Landry. “Are you sure, Ida?”
“Oh, yes’m. I’ve seen ’em in New York. They all dress the same, and they have a queer look on their face, and they wear heavy shoes. It’s a policewoman all right.”
“But what does she want?” Terry asked.
“Melissa Clayton,” said Ida.
“Oh!” murmured Arden. “If they arrest that poor child——”
“Perhaps we’d better have this policewoman in,” suggested Mrs. Landry.
“Oh, yes!” said Sim. “We’ve got to find out about this. ”

“ A detective woman!
A disguise!
Arden’s eyes sparkled.
“It isn’t much of a disguise,” went on Emma Tash. “We women investigators don’t go in much for that sort of thing. Some of our men do, though. But when I knew I had to come down to the seashore, naturally I thought of bathing, fishing, or crabbing.
[179]
“Now, I’m not very fond of ocean bathing, so I passed up that suit. I don’t know how to fish, but I do know how to crab, and I used to do it when I was a girl. So I brought my crabbing disguise with me.”
“What in the world is a crabbing disguise?” asked Terry, as their visitor laughed. ”

“ Dimitri then put his hand on Arden’s arm. “These are my friends,” he said; and then to the girls: “I will tell her that in Russian, and she will be sure to understand. Then if you will each pat her head, you will be fast friends.” He smiled enthusiastically.
The little ceremony of introduction was carried out, and Tania ceased her worried barking. The dog put a dainty paw on Arden’s white shorts as if to reassure them all most completely.
“Such a lovely dog,” murmured Sim.
“And intelligent, too,” added Terry. ”

“ Clayton wanted me to, about not being instrumental in having his daughter sent away, when he told me he had arranged for my release, so it is just as well. I have my pride left.”
“But you must have suffered,” said Terry.
“One must always suffer for one’s pride. Yes?”
There was little else to tell. The Merry Jane seemed like her old self again with Dimitri and Tania on board. The Russian drank more tea and offered glasses to his guests.
“What are you thinking of, Arden?” asked Sim, noticing that her chum was scarcely sipping her tea and had a dreamy far-away look in her eyes. ”

“ Dimitri Uzlov requested, opening a sagging door which led into the rear part of the houseboat. “This is where I do my work.”
The girls saw that the interior of the craft consisted of really but one large room, divided by heavy hanging curtains into two apartments. The one they had entered did the double duty of a sleeping and working space, for there was a cot in one corner. On a table gleamed a bright brass samovar with some dishes about it. There was an easel and on a chair near it brushes in pots, tubes of paint, and a much-smeared palette. The curtained-off part was the kitchen. ”

“ Arden remarked looking dreamily at the ocean.
“I hope you won’t get tired of it. As you know by now, there’s really nothing to do. Swimming, rowing, walking, and fishing if you care for it. But no country clubs. One movie that’s better left alone, and a tiny village,” Terry explained at length.
“Oh, but you’re forgetting our Russian friend and the wild girl of the swamps.”
[51]
Sim spoke up. “Not to mention the hard-hearted father and the ferocious wolfhound and the swimming. Don’t you worry, we won’t be bored. What I like best is the complete absence of mystery.” ”

“ Melissa pulled the gray sweater on over her still wet bathing suit and, smiling ruefully, followed her father, who had begun plodding up the beach. She did not look back but plodded along herself, trying to keep up with his big steps but, apparently, not intending to walk beside him.
The girls watched the retreating figures. Clayton was talking earnestly, now and then flinging out a hand in gesture and turning to shake his fist at his daughter, watching her closely as he tramped on.
“What a mean man!” Sim exclaimed, fingering the returned bracelet. “That poor child must have a rotten time.” ”

“ Sim confessed. “And from the window I saw Melissa Clayton get in the gay car—imagine that! Melissa’s been hanging around here all the time you were away. She walked around the house once, and then I saw her peek in the kitchen window.”
“What can she want, I wonder?” Arden mused. “She’s a peculiar girl. Hope she isn’t in any trouble with that sour old dad of hers.”
[67]
“Looks to me as though we’ve dropped right into the middle of another mystery,” Terry announced, nodding her head wisely. “Maybe there are always mysteries, but only wise girls really discover them.” ”

“ Haste is what gums things up. Go slowly, and you have much better results. You ain’t told anyone in town, have you? These here people are powerful talkers.”
“Not a soul, Mr. Reilly,” Arden assured him.
“You keep on studying it and let us know when you learn something, will you?” suggested Sim.
“’Deed I will, and I’ll have some news soon, sure. In the meantime don’t forget. Look before you leap,” the chief said, smiling.
“Yes,” Sim said as the car pulled away, “that’s good advice, and ‘he who hesitates is lost’ is good, too.” ”

“ Terry suggested.
The combination grocery and butcher store was without customers when the girls entered, and the beaming owner, Mr. Gushweller, came forward rubbing his hands and remarking how glad he was to see them.
Arden looked expertly at the oranges, critically “weighing” them in her hand. How should they ask about Dimitri without exciting Mr. Gushweller’s curiosity?
But Sim saved the day. “Say, Mr. Gushweller,” she said brightly, “what kind of meat is good for a dog—that Russian wolfhound, you know? The one that artist owns? He asked if we’d pick up something for her.” ”

“ Arden corrected her, “that Tania’s barking at something else. She sounds pretty angry to me.”
They listened again. Tania was snarling and barking furiously.
“Tania!” called Arden as they came alongside the houseboat. “Tania, we are your friends!”
As she called they all heard the sound of running footsteps on the part of the deck farthest away from them.
“There’s somebody here!” Serge cried, and hurried to make fast the rowboat.
Leaving the girls still seated in the skiff, Serge leaped from it to the deck of the Merry Jane just in time to see a man jump over the side into the deep marsh grass. ”