Plainly she had just been picking them in the vegetable-garden, a portion of which was visible at the side of the house. She sat down presently on her tiny front porch, removed her large sun-bonnet and began to sort them over. From their vantage-point behind some tall bushes at the roadside, the girls could watch her unobserved.
"I like her looks," whispered Doris after a moment. "Who is she and why does she live in this queer little place?"
"I told you her name was Roundtree, - Miss Camilla Roundtree," replied Sally. "Most folks call her 'old Miss Camilla' around here. She 's awfully poor, though they say her folks were quite rich at one time, and she 's quite deaf too. That big old place was her father's and I s'pose is hers now, but she can't afford to keep it up, she has so little money. So she just lives in that small part, and she knits for a living, - caps and sweaters and things like that. She does knit beautifully and gets quite a good many orders, especially in summer, but even so it hardly brings her in enough to live on. She 's kind of queer too, folks think. But I don't see why you 're so interested in her."
"I like her looks," answered Doris. "She has a fine face. Somehow she seems to me like a lady, - a real lady!"
"Well, she sort of puts on airs, folks think, and she does n't care to associate with everybody," admitted Sally. "But she 's awfully good and kind, too. Goes and nurses people when they 're sick or have any trouble, and never charges for it, and all that sort of thing. But, same time, she always seems to want to be by herself. She reads lots, too, and has no end of old books. They say they were her father's. Once she lent me one or two when I went to get her to make a sweater for Genevieve."
"Oh, do you know her?"cried Doris. "How interesting!"
"Why, yes, of course I know her. Everyone does around here. But I don't see anything very interesting about it." To tell the truth, Sally was quite puzzled by Doris's absorption in the subject. It was Genevieve who broke the spell.
"I 's sirsty!" she moaned. "I want a djink. I want Mis Camilla to gi' me a djink!"
"Come on!" cried Doris to Sally. "If you know her, we can easily go over and ask her for a drink. I 'm crazy to meet her."
Still wondering, Sally led the way over to the tiny garden and the three proceeded up the path toward Miss Roundtree.
"Why, good morning!" exclaimed that lady, looking up. Her voice was very soft, and a little toneless, as is often the case with the deaf.
"Good morning!" answered Sally in a rather loud tone, and a trifle awkwardly presented Doris. But there was no awkwardness in the manner with which Miss Camilla acknowledged the new acquaintance. Indeed it was suggestive of an old-time courtesy, now growing somewhat obsolete. And Doris had a chance to gaze, at closer range, on the fine, high-bred face framed in its neatly parted gray hair.
"Might Genevieve have a drink?" asked Doris at length. "She seems to be very thirsty."
"Why assuredly!" exclaimed Miss Camilla. "Come inside, all of you, and rest in the shade." So they trooped indoors, into Miss Camilla's tiny sitting-room, while she herself disappeared into the still tinier kitchen at the back. While she was gone, Doris gazed about with a new wonder and admiration in her eyes.
The room was speckless in its cleanliness, and full of many obviously home-made contrivances and makeshifts Yet there were two or three beautiful pieces of old mahogany furniture, of a satiny finish and ancient date. And on the mantel stood one marvelous little piece of pottery that, even to Doris's untrained eye, gave evidence of being a rare and costly bit. But Miss Camilla was now coming back, bearing a tray on which stood three glasses of water and a plate of cookies and three little dishes of delicious strawberries.
"You children must be hungry after your long morning's excursion," she said. "Try these strawberries of mine. They have just come from the garden."
Doris thought she had never tasted anything more delightful than that impromptu little repast. And when it was over, she asked Miss Camilla a question, for she had been chatting with her all along, in decided contrast to the rather embarrassed silence of Sally.
"What is that beautiful little vase you have there, Miss Roundtree, may I ask? I 've been admiring it a lot." A wonderful light shone suddenly in Miss Camilla's eyes. Here, it was plain, was her hobby.
"That 's a Louis XV Sevres," she explained, patting it lovingly. "It is marvelous, is n't it, and all I have left of a very pretty collection. It was my passion once, this pottery, and I had the means to indulge it. But they are all gone now, all but this one. I shall never part with this." The light died out of her eyes as she placed the precious piece back on the mantel.
"Good-bye. Come again!" she called after them, as they took their departure. "I always enjoy talking to you children."
When they had retraced their way to the boat and pushed off and were making all speed for the hotel, Sally suddenly turned to Doris and demanded:
"Why in the world are you so interested in Miss Camilla? I 've known her all my life, and I never talked so much to her in all that time as you did this morning."
"Well, to begin with," replied Doris, shipping her oars and facing her friend for a moment, "I think she 's a lovely and interesting person. But there 's something else besides." She stopped abruptly, and Sally, filled with curiosity, demanded impatiently,
"Well?"
Doris's reply almost caused her to lose her oars in her astonishment.
"I think she knows all about that cave!"
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