Big Game - A Story for Girls

Meanwhile Ronald and Margot were holding a conclave on the third floor.

"I must get away from home at once!" cried the lad feverishly. "I can't

write in this atmosphere of antagonism. I breathe it in the air. It

poisons everything I do. If I am to have only three more months of

liberty, I must spend them in my own way, in the country with you,

Margot, away from all this fret and turmoil. It's my last chance. I

might as well throw up the sponge at once, if we are to stay here."

"Yes, we must go away; for father's sake as well as our own," replied

Margot slowly. She leant her head against the back of her chair, and

pushed the hair from her brow. Without the smile and the sparkle she

was astonishingly like her brother,--both had oval faces, well-marked

eyebrows, flexible scarlet lips, and hazel eyes, but the girl's chin was

made in a firmer mould, and the expression of dreamy abstraction which

characterised the boy's face was on hers replaced by animation and

alertness.

"Father will be miserable to-night because he flared out at supper; but

he'll flare again unless we put him out of temptation. He likes his own

way as much as we like ours, and it's so difficult for parents to

realise that their children are grown-up. We seem silly babies in his

eyes, and he longs to be able to shut us up in the nursery until we are

sorry, as he used to do in the old days. As for our own plans, Ron,

they are all settled. I was just waiting for a quiet opportunity to

tell you. I have been busy planning and scheming for some time back,

but it was only to-night that my clue arrived. Jack, my emissary,

slipped it into my hand after supper. Read that!"

She held out a half sheet of paper with an air of triumph, on which were

scribbled the following lines:-"Name, Elgood. Great walker, climber, etcetera. Goes every June with

brother to small lonely inn (Nag's Head)--Glenaire--six miles' drive

from S--, Perthshire. Scenery fine, but wild; accommodation limited;

landlady refuses lady visitors, which fact is supposed to be one of the

chief attractions; Elgood reported to be tough nut to crack; chief

object of holiday, quiet and seclusion; probably dates two or three

weeks from June 15."

Ronald read, and lifted a bewildered face.

"What does it all mean? How do this man's plans affect ours? I don't

understand what you are driving at, Margot, but I should love to go to

Scotland! The mountains in the dawning, and the shadows at night, and

the dark green of the firs against the blue of the heather--oh, wouldn't

it be life to see it all again, after this terrible brick city! How

clever of you to think of Scotland!"