Bab: A Sub Deb

M >> Mary Roberts Rinehart >> Bab: A Sub Deb


I was very angry and tired to, having had to get up at sunrise to put
out the Emblem, and father having wakened and been very nasty. So I got
up and said:

"It is clear that our Families are Patriots in name only, and not in
deed. Since they have abandoned us, The G. A. C. must abandon them
and do as it thinks best. Between Familey and Country, I am for the
Country."

Here they all cheered, and Hannah came in and said mother had a headache
and to keep quiet.

I could but look around, with an eloquent gesture.

"You see, Members of the Corps," I said in a tence voice, "that things
at present are intollerable. We must strike out for ourselves. Those who
are willing please signafy by saying Aye."

They all said it and I then sugested that we take my car and as many as
possable of the officers and go out to find a suitable spot. I then
got my car and crowded into it the First and Second Lieutenants, the
Sergeant and the Quartermaster, which was Jane. She had asked to be
Veterinarian, being fond of dogs, but as we had no animals, I had made
her Quartermaster, giving her charge of the Quarters, or Tent, etcetera.
The others followed in the Adams's limousine, taking also cooking
utensils and food, although Mademoiselle was very disagreeable about the
frying pan and refused to hold it.

We went first to the tent store. The man in the shop then instructed me
as to how to put up the Tent, and was very kind, offering to send some
one to do it. But I refused.

"One must learn to do things oneself if one is to be usefull," I said.
"It is our intention to call on no member of the Male Sex, but to show
that we can get along without them."

"Quite right," he said. "I'm sure you can get along without us, miss,
much better than we could get along without you."

Mademoiselle considered this a flirtatious speach and walked out of the
shop. But I consider that it was a General Remark and not personal, and
anyhow he was thirty at least, and had a married apearance.

As there was not room for the Tent and camp chairs in my car, the
delivery waggon followed us, making quite a procession.

We tried several farm houses, but one and all had no Patriotism whatever
and refused to let us use their terratory. It was heartrending, for
where we not there to help to protect that very terratory from the
enemy? But no, they cared not at all, and said they did not want papers
all over the place, and so on. One woman observed that she did not
object to us, but that we would probably have a lot of boys hanging
around and setting fire to things with cigarettes, and anyhow if we were
going to shoot it would keep the hens from laying.

Ye gods! Is this our National Spirit?

I simply stood up in the car and said:

"Madame, we intend to have no Members of the Other Sex. And if you put
eggs above the Stars and Stripes you are nothing but a Traitor and we
will keep an eye on you."

We then went on, and at last found a place where no one was living, and
decided to claim it in the name of the government. We then put up the
tent, although not as tight as it should have been, owing to the Adams's
chauffeur not letting us have his wrench to drive the pins in with, and
were ready for the day's work.

We have now had luncheon and the Quartermaster, Jane, is burning the
papers and so on.

After I have finished this Log we will take up the signaling. We have
decided in this way: Lining up in a row, and counting one to ten,
and even numbers will study flag signals, and the odds will take up
telagraphy, which is very clearly shown in the Manual.

After that we will have exercises to make us strong and elastic, and
then target practise.

We have as yet no guns, but father has one he uses for duck shooting in
the fall, and Betty's uncle was in Africa last year and has three, which
she thinks she can secure without being noticed. We have passed this
Resolution: To have nothing to do with those of the other Sex who are
not prepared to do their Duty.


EVENING, APRIL 12TH. I returned to my domacile in time to take in Old
Glory, and also to dress for dinner, being muddy and needing a bath,
as we had tried bathing in the creek at the camp while Mademoiselle was
asleep in the tent, but found that there was an oil well near and the
water was full of oil, which stuck to us and was very disagreeable to
smell.

Carter Brooks came to dinner, and I played the National Anthem on the
phonograph as we went in to the Dining Room. Mother did not like it,
as the soup was getting cold, but we all stood until it was finished. I
then saluted, and we sat down.

Carter Brooks sat beside me, and he gave me a long and piercing glance.

"What's the matter with you, Bab?" he said. "You were rather rude to
me last night and now you've been looking through me and not at me ever
since I came, and I'll bet you're feverish."

"Not at all." I said, in a cold tone. "I may be excited, because of
war and my Country's Peril. But for goodness sake don't act like
the Familey, which always considers that I am sick when I am merely
intence."

"Intence about what?" he asked.

But can one say when one's friends are a disapointment to one? No, or at
least not at the table.

The others were not listening, as father was fussing about my waking him
at daylight to put out the Emblem.

"Just slide your hand this way, under the table cloth," Carter Brooks
said in a low tone. "It may be only intencity, but it looks most awfully
like chicken pocks or somthing."

So I did, considering that it was only Politeness, and he took it and
said:

"Don't jerk! It is nice and warm and soft, but not feverish. What's that
lump?"

"It's a blister," I said. And as the others were now complaining about
the soup, I told him of the Corps, etcetera, thinking that perhaps it
would rouse him to some patriotic feelings. But no, it did not.

"Now look here," he said, turning and frowning at me, "Aviation Corps
means flying. Just remember this,--if I hear of your trying any of that
nonsense I'll make it my business to see that you're locked up, young
lady."

"I shall do exactly as I like, Carter" I said in a friggid manner. "I
shall fly if I so desire, and you have nothing to say about it."

However, seeing that he was going to tell my father, I added:

"We shall probably not fly, as we have no machine. There are Cavalry
Regiments that have no horses, aren't there? But we are but at the
beginning of our Milatary existence, and no one can tell what the next
day may bring forth."

"Not with you, anyhow," he said in an angry tone, and was very cold to
me the rest of the dinner hour.

They talked about the war, but what a disapointment was mine! I had
returned from my Institution of Learning full of ferver, and it was a
bitter moment when I heard my father observe that he felt he could be
of more use to his Native Land by making shells than by marching and
carrying a gun, as he had once had milk-leg and was never the same
since.

"Of course," said my father, "Bab thinks I am a slacker. But a shell is
more valuable against the Germans than a milk leg, anytime."

I at that moment looked up and saw William looking at my father in a
strange manner. To those who were not on the alert it might have apeared
that he was trying not to smile, my father having a way of indulging in
"quips and cranks and wanton wiles" at the table which mother does not
like, as our Butlers are apt to listen to him and not fill the glasses
and so on.

But if my Familey slept mentaly I did not. AT ONCE I suspected William.
Being still not out, and therfore not listened to with much atention, I
kept my piece and said nothing. And I saw this. WILLIAM WAS NOT WHAT HE
SEEMED.

As soon as dinner was over I went into my father's den, where he brings
home drawings and estamates, and taking his Leather Dispach case, I
locked it in my closet, tying the key around my neck with a blue ribben.
I then decended to the lower floor, and found Carter Brooks in the hall.

"I want to talk to you," he said. "Have you young Turks--I mean young
Patriots any guns at this camp of yours?"

"Not yet."

"But you expect to, of course?"

I looked at him in a steady manner.

"When you have put on the Unaform of your Country" I said, "or at least
of Plattsburg, I shall tell you my Milatary secrets, and not before."

"Plattsburg!" he exclaimed. "What do you know of Plattsburg?"

I then told him, and he listened, but in a very disagreeable way. And at
last he said:

"The plain truth, Bab, is that some good-looking chap has filled you up
with a lot of dope which is meant for men, not romantic girls. I'll bet
to cents that if a fellow with a broken noze or a squint had told you,
you'd have forgotten it the next minute."

I was exasparated. Because I am tired of being told that the defence of
our Dear Country is a masculine matter.

"Carter" I said, "I do not beleive in the double, standard, and never
did."

"The what?"

"The double standard," I said with dignaty. "It was all well and good
when war meant wearing a kitchin stove and wielding a lance. It is no
longer so. And I will show you."

I did not mean to be boastfull, such not being my nature. But I did not
feel that one who had not yet enlisted, remarking that there was time
enough when the Enemy came over, etcetera, had any right to criticise
me.


12 MIDNIGHT. How can I set down what I have discovered? And having
recorded it, how be sure that Hannah will not snoop around and find this
record, and so ruin everything?

It is midnight. Leila is still out, bent on frivolaty. The rest of
the Familey sleeps quietly, except father, who has taken cold and is
breathing through his mouth, and I sit here alone, with my secret.

William is a Spy. I have the proofs. How my hand trembles as I set down
the terrable words.

I discovered it thus.

Feeling somewhat emty at bed time and never sleeping well when hollow
inside, I went down to the pantrey at eleven P. M. to see if any of the
dinner puding had been left, although not hopeful, owing to the servants
mostly finishing the desert.

WILLIAM WAS IN THE PANTREY.

He was writing somthing, and he tried to hide it when I entered.

Being in my ROBE DE NUIT I closed the door and said through it:

"Please go away, William. Because I want to come in, unless all the
puding is gone."

I could hear him moving around, as though concealing somthing.

"There is no puding, miss," he said. "And no fruit except for breakfast.
Your mother is very particuler that no one take the breakfast fruit."

"William," I said sternly, "go out by the kitchen door. Because I am
hungry, and I am coming in for SOMTHING."

He was opening and closing the pantrey drawers, and although young, and
not a housekeeper, I knew that he was not looking in them for edables.

"If you'll go up to your room, Miss Bab," he said, "I'll mix you an
Eggnogg, without alkohol, of course, and bring it up. An Eggnogg is a
good thing to stay the stomache with at night. I frequently resort to
one myself."

I saw that he would not let me in, so I agreed to the Eggnogg, but
without nutmeg, and went away. My knees tremble to think that into our
peacefull home had come "Grim-vizaged War," but I felt keen and capable
of dealing with anything, even a Spy.

William brought up the Eggnogg, with a dash of sherry in it, and I
could hear him going up the stairs to his chamber. I drank the Eggnogg,
feeling that I would need all my strength for what was to come, and then
went down to the pantrey. It was in perfect order, except that one of
the tea towles had had a pen wiped on it.

I then went through the drawers one by one, although not hopeful,
because he probably had the incrimanating document in the heal of his
shoe, which Spies usually have made hollow for the purpose, or sowed in
the lining of his coat.

At least, so I feared. But it was not so. Under one of the best table
cloths I found it.

Yes. I FOUND IT.

I copy it here in my journal, although knowing nothing of what it means.
Is it a scheme to blow up my father's mill, where he is making shells
for the defence of his Native Land? I do not know. With shaking hands I
put it down as follows:

48 D. K.
48 D. F.
36 S. F.
34 F. F.
36 T. S.
36 S. S.
36 C. S.
24 I. H. K.
36 F. K.

But in one way its meaning is clear. Treachery is abroad and Treason has
but just stocked up the stairs to its Chamber.


APRIL 13TH. It is now noon and snowing, although supposed to be
spring. I am writing this Log in the tent, where we have built a fire.
Mademoiselle is sitting in the Adams's limousine, wrapped in rugs. She
is very sulky.

There are but nine of us, as I telephoned the Quartermaster early this
morning and summoned her to come over and discuss important business.

Her Unaform had come and so had mine. What a thrill I felt as she
entered Headquarters (my chamber) in kakhi and saluted. She was about
to sit down, but I reminded her that war knows no intimacies, and that
I was her Captain. She therfore stood, and I handed her William's code.
She read it and said:

"What is it?"

"That is what the G. A. C. is to find out," I said. "It is a cipher."

"It looks like it," said Jane in a flutering tone. "Oh, Bab, what are we
to do?"

I then explained how I had discovered it and so on.

"Our first duty," I went on, "is to watch William. He must be followed
and his every movement recorded. I need not tell you that our mill is
making shells, and that the fate of the Country may hang on you today."

"On me?" said Jane, looking terrafied.

"On you. I have selected you for this first day. To-morrow it will be
another. I have not yet decided which. You must remain secreted here,
but watching. If he goes out, follow him."

I was again obliged to remind her of my rank and so on, as she sat down
and began to object at once.

"The Familey," I said, "will be out all day at First Aid classes. You
will be safe from discovery."

Here I am sorry to say Jane disapointed me, for she observed, bitterly:

"No luncheon, I suppose!"

"Not at all," I said. "It is a part of the Plattsburg idea that a
good soldier must have nourishment, as his strength is all he has, the
Officers providing the brains."

I then rang for Hannah, and ofered her to dollars to bring Jane a tray
at noon and to sneak it from the kitchin, not the pantrey.

"From the kitchin?" she said. "Miss Bab, it's as much as my life is
worth to go to the kitchin. The cook and that new Butler are fighting
something awfull."

Jane and I exchanged glances.

"Hannah," I said, in a low tone, "I can only say this. If you but do
your part you may avert a great calamaty."

"My God, Miss Bab!" she cried. "That cook's a German. I said so from the
beginning."

"Not the cook, Hannah."

We were all silent. It was a terrable moment. I shortly afterwards left
the house, leaving Jane to study flag signals, or wig-waging as vulgarly
called, and TO WATCH.


CAMP, 4 P. M. Father has just been here.

We were trying to load one of Betty's uncle's guns when my Orderley
reported a car coming at a furious gate. On going to the opening of the
tent I saw that it was our car with father and Jane inside. They did not
stop in the road, but turned and came into the field, bumping awfully.

Father leaped out and exclaimed:

"Well!"

He then folded his arms and looked around.

"Upon my word, Bab!" he said. "You might at least take your Familey into
your confidence. If Jane had not happened to be at the house I'd never
have found you. But never mind about that now. Have you or have you not
seen my leather Dispach Case?"

Alas, my face betrayed me, being one that flushes easily and then turns
pale.

"I thought so," he said, in an angry voice. "Do you know that you have
kept a Board of Directors sitting for three hours, and that--Bab, you
are hopeless! Where is it?"

How great was my humiliation, although done with the Highest Motives, to
have my Corps standing around and listening. Also watching while I drew
out the rihben and the key.

"I hid it in my closet, father," I said.

"Great thunder!" he said. "And we have called in the Secret Service!"

He then turned on his heal and stocked away, only stopping to stare at
Mademoiselle in the car, and then driving as fast as possable back to
the mill.

As he had forgotten Jane, she was obliged to stay. It was by now
raining, and the Corps wanted to go home. But I made a speach, saying
that if we weakened now what would we do in times of Real Danger?

"What are a few drops of rain?" I inquired, "to the falling of bullets
and perhaps shells? We will now have the class in bandageing."

The Corps drew lots as to who would be bandaged, there being no
volunteers, as it was cold and necesary to remove Unaform etcetera.
Elaine got number seven. The others then practiced on her, having a book
to go by.

I here add to this log Jane's report on William. He had cleaned silver
until 1 P. M., when he had gone back to the kitchin and moved off the
soup kettle to boil some dish towles. The cook had then set his dish
towles out in the yard and upset the pan, pretending that a dog had done
so. Hannah had told Jane about it.

At 1:45 William had gone out, remarking that he was going to the drug
store to get some poizon for the cook. Jane had followed him and HE HAD
REALLY MAILED A LETTER.


APRIL 14TH. I have taken a heavy cold and am, alas, HORS DE COMBAT. The
Familey has issued orders that I am to stay in bed this A. M. and if
stopped sneazing by 2 P. M. am to be allowed up but not to go to Camp.

Elaine is in bed to, and her mother called up and asked my Parents if
they would not send me back to school, as I had upset everything and
they could not even get Elaine to the Dentist's, as she kept talking
about teeth being unimportant when the safety of the Nation was hanging
in the Balence.

As I lie here and reflect, it seems to me that everywhere around me I
see nothing but Sloth and Indiference. One would beleive that nothing
worse could happen than a Cook giving notice. Will nothing rouze us to
our Peril? Are we to sit here, talking about housecleaning and sowing
women and how wide are skirts, when the minions of the German Army may
at any time turn us into slaves? Never!


LATER: Carter Brooks has sent me a book on First Aid. Ye gods, what
chance have I at a wounded Soldier when every person of the Femanine
Sex in this Country is learning First Aid, and even hoping for small
accidents so they can practice on them. No, there are some who can use
their hands (i. e. at bandageing and cutting small boils, etcetera.
Leila has just cut one for Henry, the chauffeur, although not yellow
on top and therfore not ready) and there are others who do not care for
Nursing, as they turn sick at the sight of blood, and must therfore use
their brains. I am of this class.

William brought up my tray this morning. I gave him a peircing glance
and said:

"Is the Emblem out?"

He avoided my eye.

"Not yet, miss," he said. "Your father left sharp orders as to being
disturbed before 8 A. M."

"As it is now 9:30," I observed coldly, "there has been time enough
lost. I am HORS DE COMBAT, or I would have atended to it long ago."

He had drawn a stand beside the bed, and I now sat up and looked at my
Tray. The orange was cut through the wrong way!

Had I needed proof, dear log or journal, I had it there. For any BUTLER
knows how to cut a breakfast orange.

"William," I said, as he was going out, "how long have you been a
Butler?"

Perhaps this was a foolish remark as being calculated to put him on his
guard. But "out of the fullness of the Heart the Mouth speaketh." It was
said. I could not withdraw my words.

He turned suddenly and looked at me.

"Me, miss?" he said in a far to inocent tone. "Why, I don't know
exactly." He then smiled and said: "There are some who think I am not
much of a Butler now."

"Just a word of advise, William," I said in a signifacant tone. "A real
Butler cuts an orange the other way. I am telling you, because although
having grape fruit mostly, some morning some one may order an orange,
and one should be very careful THESE DAYS."

Shall I ever forget his face as he went out? No, never. He knew that I
knew, and was one to stand no nonsense. But I had put him on his guard.
It was to be a battle of Intellagence, his brains against mine.

Although regretful at first of having warned him, I feel now that it
is as well. I am one who likes to fight in the open, not as a serpent
coiled in the grass and pretending, like the one in the Bible, to be a
friend.


3 P. M. No new developments. Although forbidden to go out nothing was
said about the roof. I have therfore been up on it exchanging Signals
with Lucy Gray next door by means of flags. As their roof slants and it
is still raining, she sliped once and slid to the gutter. She then
sat there and screamed like a silly, although they got her back with a
clothesline which the Policeman asked for.

But Mrs. Gray was very unpleasant from one of their windows and said I
was a Murderer at heart.

Has the Average Parent no soul?


NOON, APRIL 14 (In Camp).

This is a fine day, being warm and bright and all here but Elaine and
Mademoiselle--the latter not greatly missed, as although French and an
Ally she thinks we should be knitting etcetera, and ordered the car to
be driven away when ever we tried to load the gun.

A quorum being present, it was moved and seconded that we express
wherever possable our disaproval in war time of


1. Cigarettes

2. Drinking

3. Low-necked dresses

4. Parties

5. Fancy deserts

6. Golf and other sports--except when necesary for health.

7. Candy.


We also pleged ourselves to try and make our Families rise early, and to
insist on Members of our Families hoisting and taking down the Stars and
Stripes, instead of having it done by those who may not respect it, or
only aparently so.

Passed unanamously.

The class in Telegraphy reported that it could do little or nothing, as
it is easy to rap out a dot but not possable to rap a dash. We therfore
gave it up for The Study of the Rifle and Its Care.

Luncheon today: Canned salmon, canned beans and vanila wafers.


2 A. M., APRIL 15TH. I have seen a Spy at his nefarius work!

I am still trembling. At one moment I think that I must go again to
Father and demand consideration, as more mature than he seems to think,
and absolutely certain I was not walking in my sleep. But the next
moment I think not, but that if I can discover William's plot myself, my
Familey will no longer ignore me and talk about my studying Vocal next
winter instead of coming out.

To return to William, dear Log or journal. I had been asleep for some
time, but wakened up to find myself standing in the dining room with a
napkin in each hand. I was standing in the Flag Signal position for A,
which is the only one I remember as yet without the Manual.

I then knew that I had been walking in my sleep, having done so several
times at School, and before Examinations being usualy tied by my
Room-mate with a string from my ankle to the door knob, so as in case of
getting out of bed to wake up.

I was rather scared, as I do not like the dark, feeling when in it that
Something is behind me and about to cluch at me.

I therfore stood still and felt like screaming, when suddenly the door
of the Butler's pantrey squeaked. Could I then have shreiked I would
have, but I had no breath for the purpose.

Somebody came into the room and felt for the table, passing close by me
and stepping by accident on the table bell, which is under the rug. It
rang and scared me more than ever. We then both stood still, and I hoped
if he or it heard my Heart thump he or it would think it was the hall
clock.

After a time the footsteps moved on around the table and out into the
hall. I was still standing in position A, being as it were frosen thus.

However, seeing that it was something human and not otherwise, as its
shoes creaked, I now became angry at the thought that Treason was under
the roof of my home. I therfore followed the Traitor out into the hall
and looked in through the door at him. He had a flash light, and was
opening the drawers of my father's desk. It was William.

I then concealed myself behind my father's overcoat in the hack hall,
and considered what to do. Should I scream and be probably killed, thus
dying a noble Death? Or should I remain still? I decided on the latter.

And now, dear Log or Journal, I must record what followed, which I shall
do as acurately as I can, in case of having later on to call in the
Secret Service and read this to them.

There is a safe built in my resadence under the stairs, in which the
silver service, plates, etcetera, are stored, as to big for the Safe
Deposit, besides being a nusance to send for every time there is a
dinner.

This safe only my father can unlock, or rather, this I fondly believed
until tonight. But how diferent are the facts! For William walked to it,
after listening at the foot of the stairs, and opened it as if he had
done so before quite often. He then took from it my father's Dispach
Case, locked the safe again, and went back through the dining room.