0001 Betty Lee, 0002 Junior 0003 0004 0005 by Harriet Pyne Grove 0006 0007 0008 World Syndicate Publishing Company 0009 Cleveland, Ohio -- New York City 0010 0011 0012 0013 0014 0015 0016 Table Of Contents 0017 0018 0019 Betty Lee, Junior ......... 1 0020 Table Of Contents ......... 2 0021 Copyright ......... 3 0022 Chapter I -- A Junior At "Pep Assembly" ......... 5 0023 Chapter II -- "Golden Betty" ......... 25 0024 Chapter III -- Little Flies In The Ointment ......... 39 0025 Chapter IV -- Baskets And Humble Friends ......... 53 0026 Chapter V -- Lucia Dresses A Doll ......... 69 0027 Chapter VI -- Lucia's Confidences ......... 92 0028 Chapter VII -- Lyon "Y" And A Countess ......... 100 0029 Chapter VIII -- Doris Needs A Sister ......... 114 0030 Chapter IX -- Mysteries, Preparations And A "Trade-Last" ......... 129 0031 Chapter X -- Carols ......... 141 0032 Chapter XI -- Giving Up A Pleasant Honor ......... 159 0033 Chapter XII -- Could Betty Be Stubborn? ......... 167 0034 Chapter XIII -- The Family Makes Remarks ......... 182 0035 Chapter XIV -- An Annoying Call ......... 190 0036 Chapter XV -- The Fateful Birthday Party ......... 203 0037 Chapter XVI -- An Unhappy Interview ......... 216 0038 Chapter XVII -- Conclusions ......... 227 0039 Chapter XVIII -- A Happy Discovery ......... 233 0040 Chapter XIX -- Betty Sees "X" Surprised ......... 245 0041 0042 0043 0044 0045 0046 0047 Copyright 0048 0049 0050 Copyright, 1931 0051 0052 The World Syndicate Publishing Co, 0053 0054 Printed in the United States of America 0055 0056 0057 0058 0059 0060 0061 Betty Lee, Junior 0062 0063 0064 0065 0066 0067 0068 Chapter I 0069 0070 A Junior At "Pep Assembly" 0071 0072 0073 "Clash, Bim-bang!" 0074 0075 "Toot-toot," high! "Toot-toot," low! 0076 0077 "Tooral-looral-loo-oo-oo-oo," up the scale, 0078 "tooral-looral-loo-oo-oo-oo," down the scale. 0079 0080 "E-r-r-boom!" 0081 0082 Cymbals clashed; horns tooted; scales 0083 mounted or fell; bits of popular tunes were 0084 tried, and drums occasionally rolled; for Lyon 0085 High band was on the platform, in almost full 0086 force. All were in uniform and gathered for the 0087 greatest Pep Assembly of the year, which would 0088 begin when the proper gongs were sounded. 0089 0090 Betty Lee, junior, opening the door of the 0091 auditorium, smiled broadly at the sight. Ordinarily 0092 Betty would have been in her home room 0093 with the rest, waiting for the signals; but she 0094 had been sent by her home room teacher on an 0095 errand to the office. And on her arrival there, 0096 the principal had appeared from his inner office 0097 as her message was being delivered to one of 0098 the office force. 0099 0100 Looking around for some one who was not 0101 busy, he recognized Betty's presence with a 0102 smile. "Betty," said he -- and Betty was proud 0103 that he knew her well enough to address her by 0104 her first name -- "will you please step to the 0105 auditorium and see if the band leader has arrived? 0106 If so, tell him that I should like to see 0107 him a moment before the assembly." 0108 0109 Armed with this authority, Betty Lee was 0110 now invading the present domain of boydom, 0111 while the band gathered and practiced after this 0112 noisy and irregular fashion. It was fun for 0113 everybody and Betty enjoyed her unusual privilege. 0114 She hesitated inside of the central door, 0115 which she had entered, then walked forward as 0116 far as the back row of seats, while she scanned 0117 the platform to see if the young man who trained 0118 the band had yet come in. She could not see 0119 him. There were the rows of chairs, arranged 0120 across the stage, the two central rows facing 0121 each other. The boys were getting their music 0122 in order, putting it upon the standards in front 0123 of them, or just sitting down to try out their instruments. 0124 Betty, the assured junior now, knew 0125 personally many of the band members, and the 0126 names of most of the others. 0127 0128 As she waited, not seeing the person she 0129 sought, the door behind her flew open to admit 0130 a hurrying boy, Chet Dorrance, a senior now 0131 and still a good friend of Betty's. He stopped 0132 in his mad haste to speak to her. "'Lo, Betty, 0133 how's this? Going to lead the band this 0134 morning?" 0135 0136 "Of course," laughingly replied Betty. "I'm 0137 glad you came along, Chet. The principal wants 0138 to see the band leader and sent me to tell him 0139 -- not the drum-major, you know, but Mr. -- 0140 What's-his-name." Betty lifted her pretty chin 0141 a moment. 0142 0143 "You see I'm all fussed, Chet, over such an 0144 errand." 0145 0146 "Yes -- you -- are!" 0147 0148 "Well, I do hate to go up there to find him, 0149 though I thought I might get him from the 0150 wings. But would you mind telling him for me, 0151 if he comes in pretty soon? It might be possible 0152 that he would stop in the office, and I'll go back 0153 there to see if it's necessary." 0154 0155 Chet nodded at the explanation. "Sure I'll 0156 tell him. There he comes now," and Chet indicated 0157 a young man who came from the side to 0158 the center of the platform. Then, on a trot, 0159 Chet traversed the length of the big auditorium 0160 to the steps at its side which led into the wings. 0161 Betty waited a few moments, to make sure that 0162 he really would deliver the message. There he 0163 was, motioning back to her as he spoke briefly. 0164 With a high salute Chet grinned back at her and 0165 sought his horn, while the band leader hurried 0166 from the platform, down the side aisle and out 0167 at the nearest door into the hall. 0168 0169 "Clash, bing, bang, tooral-looral" -- how funny 0170 it was! And with a terrific swing of another of 0171 the double doors that admitted pupils and 0172 teachers into the auditorium, a tall, long-legged 0173 senior tore into the room, ran on the double-~ 0174 quick up the aisle nearest, buttoning the coat of 0175 his uniform as he went, crossed the stage at 0176 the rear, and in an unbelievably short time 0177 lugged in the biggest horn of all, shining in its 0178 brazen glory. 0179 0180 Betty, still grinning at this latest arrival's 0181 performances, turned to leave just in time to 0182 come face to face with another boy, a junior this 0183 time, Mickey Carlin, who was carrying a cornet. 0184 0185 "You saved yourself by turning around, 0186 Betty," said the youth usually addressed by the 0187 boys as "Irish." "I was just going to set off a 0188 few gentle blasts behind you to see how much 0189 you love real music. Going to join the band?" 0190 0191 "Certainly," replied Betty as she threw up 0192 her hands in pretended horror at Mickey's cornet 0193 and statement. "I had to deliver a message 0194 for the principal -- honestly," she added, as 0195 Mickey made a face which indicated some doubt 0196 of her veracity. But Betty was smiling. "I've 0197 got to fly now before the gong rings." 0198 0199 Betty, too, joined the ranks of the hurried, as 0200 she went back to her home room to report the 0201 result of her errand and to explain the length 0202 of her absence from the room. The "adorable 0203 Miss Heath" was her home room teacher this 0204 year and she would believe her truthful. It 0205 was such a comfortable feeling to be under a 0206 teacher who trusted you and to whom you were 0207 "making good." Betty would have been "boiled 0208 in oil," she declared, before she would take advantage 0209 of Miss Heath's confidence. She did 0210 feel a little guilty, however, because she had not 0211 hurried to leave the auditorium. Those killing 0212 boys! And Betty was proud of the Lyon High 0213 band, nearly fifty pieces, and "playing like 0214 professional musicians" under their instructor and 0215 leader, as one optimistic article in the school 0216 paper had declared. She gave a little skip as 0217 she thought of it, but slowed her step to enter 0218 her home room sedately. 0219 0220 Dotty Bradshaw, the same old Dotty, made 0221 big eyes at her, pretending to look shocked. 0222 Carolyn Gwynne, darling, precious Carolyn, still 0223 Betty's dearest among the girls, scarcely excepting 0224 Kathryn Allen, gave Betty a demure 0225 look as she passed in front of her desk to report 0226 to Miss Heath. As Betty and Carolyn sat on 0227 front seats, across the aisle from each other, 0228 Carolyn could hear everything that Betty said, 0229 though her tone was low as she talked to Miss 0230 Heath. 0231 0232 "I'd been wondering what had become of 0233 you," said Carolyn, when in a few minutes the 0234 girls of the home room were in semi-order on 0235 their way to the auditorium. 0236 0237 "It was fine to 'traverse these sacred halls' 0238 just like a teacher. O, Carolyn, I've something 0239 to show you. Don't let me forget it. I brought 0240 it along so Doris or Dick wouldn't get hold of 0241 it. I'm always forgetting and leaving things 0242 about and I can't blame Dodie for looking at 0243 them and asking questions. But you do hate 0244 to have _everything_ talked over in the family! I 0245 really suppose you'll have grounds for thinking 0246 that I'm not in good taste to show it to you; 0247 but I have to talk it over with somebody!" 0248 0249 "How flattering that you choose me!" mischievously 0250 remarked Carolyn. 0251 0252 "Shush! You know I always tell you things 0253 that I can tell anybody." 0254 0255 "I'm consumed with curiosity. What can it 0256 be?" 0257 0258 "Do you remember the Don?" 0259 0260 "Oh, yes. You had him at your house one 0261 Thanksgiving -- our freshman year. Your father 0262 had invited him or something." 0263 0264 "Yes. You know that he just disappeared 0265 suddenly and nobody knew what had become of 0266 him after school was out. He was supposed to 0267 be going on with his education and he was such 0268 a wonder all year in athletics. Father missed 0269 him from the garage, where he worked and inquired, 0270 but never heard. He had intended to 0271 go on with his education. Well, I had a letter 0272 from him and that is what I want to show you. 0273 He doesn't explain at all, but he sends regards 0274 to his friends and asks if he can come -- call to 0275 see us." 0276 0277 "Ah, Betty, I shall have to look at that letter!" 0278 0279 "Oh, it's all right, a very proper letter. I 0280 showed it to Mother and Father, of course, for 0281 Father was speaking of Kamon Balinsky just 0282 the other day. I'll tell the girls and boys, some 0283 of them, and give Earn on's message, but I just 0284 can't show the letter, for there's one bit of it 0285 that's a little personal, written in his foreign 0286 way. Would it be all right, do you think, if I 0287 only said that 'we' heard from the Don and 0288 that he is all right and sends greetings to all 0289 his high school friends?" 0290 0291 "Why not? People usually do say 'we,' no 0292 matter who got the letter, when it is a sort of 0293 family friend. You have a terrible conscience, 0294 Betty Lee." 0295 0296 "No worse than yours, Carolyn Gwynne," returned 0297 Betty with a little laugh, suited to this 0298 private conversation, which was rather hard 0299 to carry on as they walked. "Anyhow, Mother 0300 says that if you can't trust people to be truthful, 0301 you can't trust them at all." 0302 0303 "True enough. But you don't have to tell all 0304 you know to folks that are just plain curious! 0305 Still, how would it do to tell Kathryn, and have 0306 her tell Chauncey; and by that time it would 0307 be that 'the Lees' had had word about Ramon 0308 and he was sending his best regards or something 0309 to everybody that remembered him?" 0310 0311 "Smart girl! I knew you'd think of something!" 0312 0313 Kathryn, coming up behind them, asked at 0314 this instant "Why this merriment?" but it was 0315 a very quiet bit of laughter that she interrupted 0316 and there they were at the door of the auditorium. 0317 0318 The girls made their way to the junior section, 0319 where Betty usually sat between Carolyn 0320 and Kathryn. The band was playing a lively 0321 air by way of escort. Some of the pupils were 0322 humming a little with the band and others were 0323 talking, though by general consent manners 0324 were such as control the usual crowd. They 0325 might not have been so good, it is true, had the 0326 pupils not known that the principal would tolerate 0327 no nonsense; and no one wanted to miss 0328 any assemblies, to pass the time in study, or to 0329 be sent home. 0330 0331 Lucia Coletti, still in America, still in Lyon 0332 High, sat directly in front of Betty and nest 0333 to Peggy Pollard, who, it may be remembered, 0334 had joined the sorority, the "Kappa Upsilons," 0335 to which Carolyn and Betty had been invited. 0336 Lucia (pronounced Lu-chee-a, in Italian 0337 fashion), looked back, as she pulled down the 0338 seat of her chair, and gave the girls a salute, 0339 very brief, but Dotty Bradshaw, near by, rather 0340 daringly asked, "is that a Fascisti salute, 0341 Lucia?" 0342 0343 "It's a mixture, like me," replied Lucia, not 0344 offended, her black eyes flashing an amused 0345 glance at Betty. "Listen, Betty," she said. "I 0346 want to see you some time today. I want you 0347 to help me out on something." 0348 0349 "All right," said Betty. 0350 0351 But the principal was now standing quietly 0352 on the platform, as was his custom, his very 0353 presence a check upon too vociferous converse. 0354 He clapped his hands together several times for 0355 quiet. Instantly the talking began to subside, 0356 then stopped as the attention of all was secured. 0357 All faces turned to the American flag, which 0358 stood in silken beauty of red, white and blue 0359 at the side of the platform. In the daily lesson 0360 of patriotism, pupils and teachers, led by the 0361 principal in clear, unhurried accents, repeated 0362 the pledge to the flag and country. 0363 0364 Lucia, half American, half Italian, probably 0365 born in some other foreign country, Betty 0366 thought, gave the salute with the rest, "out of 0367 courtesy," she had told the girls. It was her 0368 mother's flag, she said. Her father had another, 0369 and as for her she was going to _choose_ her 0370 country! 0371 0372 But Lucia, bright and interesting, very much 0373 alive to all the high school and city life, was 0374 possibly arriving at a better appreciation of 0375 some phases of America and its opportunities 0376 than some of the girls of American birth, and 0377 from the very difference of environment and 0378 customs. 0379 0380 Lucia Coletti was adding to some old-world 0381 advantages, and to her early education in 0382 Europe, what America had to offer. Betty was 0383 both surprised and pleased with the Lucia Coletti 0384 who was a junior. And Lucia, in spite of 0385 the sorority circle and many other young friends 0386 in the circle in which her countess mother and 0387 wealthy uncle moved, still had a high regard 0388 for Betty Lee, her first helpful acquaintance; 0389 for she considered Betty's leadership a safe 0390 one, whenever independent Lucia needed or 0391 wanted any counsel. 0392 0393 "Let us improve the manner of our entrance 0394 into the auditorium," the principal was saying. 0395 "I should like to find it unnecessary to do more 0396 than lift my hand for attention." A few 0397 announcements were made and then the meeting 0398 was put into the hands of a senior boy, Budd 0399 LeRoy, in fact. 0400 0401 At Budd's invitation, after a rousing number 0402 played by the band, the cheer leaders came running 0403 out, to all appearances in terrible excitement. 0404 But that was their pose. In these days 0405 the cheer leaders were obliged to "try out" for 0406 their position. Betty could remember when in 0407 her freshman year there was only one. Now 0408 there were six, arrayed in short sleeved yellow 0409 tunics or sweaters of a sort, with a big lion's 0410 head outlined in black upon each manly breast. 0411 Betty grinned broadly when she saw Brad Warren 0412 wearing the lion. So Brad had won in the 0413 try-out for some one to take the place of a 0414 cheer leader who had left school. Chet had 0415 wanted to be a cheer leader, but as he could not 0416 very well be a cheer leader and in the band at 0417 the same time, that young ambition could not 0418 be gratified. 0419 0420 Lyon High was nothing if not up-to-date! 0421 And now the yellow-capped cheer leaders wildly 0422 ran into a "huddle," conferring apparently, like 0423 a football team, and separating at once. One 0424 cried: 0425 0426 "Make it snappy! Just as you're going to 0427 root for the team tomorrow! Everybody in on 0428 it! One-two-three-go!" 0429 0430 ________ "Yea -- Lions! Fight, fight, fight! 0431 ________ Yea -- Lions! Fight, fight, fight! 0432 ________ Yea -- Lions! Fight, fight, fight!" 0433 0434 "Now the Big Four yell for the team! One, 0435 two, three, four!" 0436 0437 ________ "T -- T -- T -- T 0438 ________ E -- E -- E -- E 0439 ________ A -- A -- A -- A 0440 ________ M! 0441 0442 ________ Yea -- Team! 0443 ________ Fight, fight, fight!" 0444 0445 A different lad led the school next in one of 0446 their rally songs which they sang with a will: 0447 0448 _____ "What's the matter with Lyon High? 0449 __________ Right, all right! 0450 _____ What's the matter with our team? 0451 __________ Watch them fight!" 0452 0453 _____ "No luck for the Eagles; that came last year. 0454 _____ We'll show them a seat in the distant rear! 0455 _____ What's the matter with Lions? 0456 __________ They're all right!" 0457 0458 As may be gathered, this occasion was the 0459 last Pep Assembly before the game with the 0460 Lions' most competent enemy, the "Eagles," of 0461 the rival city high school. Again the championship 0462 was to be determined. They had lost it the 0463 year before. This year the team would "do or 0464 die" and the rooters expected to be out in force. 0465 Accustomed as they all were to this organized 0466 method, of arousing enthusiasm, feeling was not 0467 hard to stir this morning, from the very facts 0468 of the situation. It might do, as the boys said, 0469 to "get a licking once; but never twice!" 0470 0471 Artistically and athletically the cheer leaders 0472 tore about, doing their various prepared stunts, 0473 rehearsed especially for this occasion. Budd, 0474 who was announcing the program so easily, had 0475 once been timid about public appearance, but 0476 in the course of three years and more at Lyon 0477 High, with all its organizations and efforts in 0478 the public eye, he had gotten bravely over his 0479 timidity. Presently he was announcing a speech 0480 from the assistant principal, Mr. Franklin, who 0481 was particularly interested in the school athletics 0482 and often took part in the faculty-versus-student 0483 games. His speech was brief and good. 0484 0485 "You need not be afraid that the team will 0486 be over-confident," said he, among other things. 0487 "Last year's experience will be a reminder to 0488 those who were on the team and to the new 0489 material as well. On the other hand, neither 0490 will they suffer the handicap of being fearful. 0491 They have a record of success this fall. Be 0492 there to boost them with your confidence. The 0493 new men this year are not without experience. 0494 The quarterback that came to us from Kentucky 0495 ranks along with Freddy Fisher or the boy you 0496 all knew as the Don." Here the speaker was 0497 interrupted with loud applause, intended for 0498 "Kentucky" and the memories of Freddy and 0499 Ramon who had led Lyon High to victory more 0500 than once. 0501 0502 "I am looking for some spectacular plays, 0503 though we shall not ask for them. While I am 0504 not expecting or desiring the team to 'wring 0505 the necks of the Eagles,' as someone suggested, 0506 I am expecting it to put them to flight! I thank 0507 you." 0508 0509 Smiling at the vigorous applause which followed 0510 his last statement or prophecy, Mr. 0511 Franklin left the platform, soon to enter the 0512 body of the auditorium, where he stood, an 0513 efficient representative of discipline and good 0514 order. 0515 0516 As the applause died down, Budd announced 0517 speeches by members of the team. First came 0518 the Kentucky boy of whom Mr. Franklin had 0519 spoken. He was tall and lank, as Kentuckians 0520 are supposed to be but often are not. The 0521 audience did not know how he had protested 0522 against his effort to make a speech. He had 0523 finally said he would appear but they need not 0524 expect any speech. "Good mawnin," he said and 0525 flushed hotly at the ripple of amusement that 0526 ran over the audience of his fellow pupils. He 0527 stood soberly waiting a moment and put his 0528 hands in his pockets, to give him greater confidence, 0529 it might be presumed. 0530 0531 "I nevah made a speech in my life," he continued, 0532 "and I am quite suah that I can't make 0533 one now. But I said I'd get up here and tell 0534 you that the team is on the job. We're goin' 0535 to do the best playin' of the season tomorrow 0536 -- and that's all." 0537 0538 "Kentucky," in the midst of uproarious applause, 0539 sauntered off the stage without a backward 0540 look, thankful, no doubt, that such a public 0541 appearance was over. It was different on 0542 the field. You were further away from the 0543 crowd and thought about what you were doing. 0544 0545 The next member of the team began a 0546 sentence and forgot what he was going to say. 0547 But the sympathetic if laughing faces of his 0548 audience made him feel more at home. He was 0549 "terribly rattled," as one of the girls near Betty 0550 whispered, but managed to capture an idea, 0551 jerkily expressed it and succeeded in getting off 0552 the stage without falling over the band, as Dotty 0553 Bradshaw put it. But if there were anything 0554 clever or critical to be said Dotty never missed 0555 it. It was a pity, for Dotty was otherwise so 0556 attractive. 0557 0558 The captain of the football team was called 0559 upon next. He was somewhat more experienced 0560 in the line of speeches, or felt the responsibility 0561 more from his position, perhaps. At any rate 0562 his speech was a good one and all the more 0563 enthusiastically received from being short and to 0564 the point. At a signal (who could mistake the 0565 actions of the cheer leader) from the active six, 0566 the crowd rose in a body and to the tune of 0567 "On Wisconsin" sang "On Lions," the Lyon 0568 High version: 0569 0570 _____ "On, Lions; on, Lions! 0571 _____ Clean up on that team; 0572 _____ Show them that the black and tawny 0573 _____ Ever is supreme. 0574 _____ On Lions; on, Lions, 0575 _____ Fighting for your fame! 0576 _____ Fight fellows, fight, fight, fight, 0577 _____ And win this game." 0578 0579 A few fords and reminders from the principal 0580 himself followed this song, as his lifted hand 0581 quieted the natural slight disturbance of getting 0582 settled into seats again. 0583 0584 "Remember that you have in your hands the 0585 honor and reputation of the school and that this 0586 honor and reputation are even above winning 0587 the game. Remember that the other team, the 0588 other rooters, are boys and girls like yourselves, 0589 most of them fine, and both as worthy and as 0590 interested in their own team's winning. Do not 0591 do anything that is planned to stir resentment. 0592 Continue to show the good sportsmanship for 0593 which this school stands. Have your fun and 0594 songs and root for your team, but show your 0595 visitors at our stadium the courtesy that is due 0596 them. And should any of them overstep the 0597 bounds of propriety, in their loyalty to their 0598 team, or their inter-plays parades, keep your 0599 own self-control and do not retaliate. Remember 0600 that Lyon High counts upon you." 0601 0602 With this and a few announcements, the principal 0603 was through. The band struck up the 0604 regular Lyon High song, which the audience 0605 rose to sing. Then Budd dismissed the meeting 0606 and the boys and girls departed to classes to 0607 strains of the latest popular band tune. 0608 0609 "When can you show me the letter, Betty?" 0610 asked Carolyn. 0611 0612 "After the Lyon 'Y' meeting this afternoon, 0613 Carolyn. I have it with me. Here's hoping I 0614 haven't lost it. Oh, wouldn't that be awful?" 0615 0616 "It depends upon how personal it is," smiled 0617 Carolyn. 0618 0619 "Enough for me not to want anybody else to 0620 read it." 0621 0622 0623 0624 0625 0626 0627 Chapter II 0628 0629 "Golden Betty" 0630 0631 0632 It was a full day for Betty Lee. Most of 0633 her days were full, but Betty was well and 0634 happy and never worried over her various ac- 0635 tivities, which had increased since her freshman 0636 year, so mixed and full of decisions. One might 0637 as well be doing things, she said. If you didn't 0638 do one thing you were doing another. So she 0639 had concluded. And as long as she kept on the 0640 honor list no one at home made any objection 0641 to the list of her interests. 0642 0643 Attractive, friendly, yet independent, show- 0644 ing her clear mind and stability in everything 0645 she undertook, Betty was in demand and found 0646 herself very well-known, indeed, at the beginning 0647 of her junior year. She was considered one of 0648 the school's best swimmers, but had not taken 0649 the life-saving tests as yet. That was to come 0650 this year. She was working toward it. The 0651 hockey season had just closed with Betty re- 0652 joicing as captain of the champion team. There 0653 was every indication that Betty again would be 0654 captain of the junior basketball team, but there 0655 were some murmurs at home against this and an- 0656 other junior girl wanted the place. Betty loved 0657 the excitement and confessed to herself alone 0658 that she would like to be captain. In the spring 0659 she was going to take up riding if she could. 0660 0661 Life was a happy proposition for Betty Lee 0662 this year. At home she had less responsibility. 0663 Her father's business relations were apparently 0664 solid. Amy Lou had started to school. Doris 0665 and Dick were freshmen in Lyon High this year. 0666 Betty often met them in the halls, when they 0667 would exchange salutes; but Doris particularly 0668 wanted no interference from her older sister 0669 and Betty respected her desire for independ- 0670 ence. She had been of some help to them at the 0671 start, however, and Doris was secretly quite 0672 proud of her pretty junior sister that "every- 0673 body" knew for her athletic record and "every- 0674 thing." 0675 0676 Recitation periods were necessarily shortened 0677 on account of the Pep Assembly, which made the 0678 schedule a more hurried one. Betty ran down- 0679 stairs and hopped upstairs, as she went from 0680 one to another class, planning how to get in 0681 her study for the next day as well as mar- 0682 shalling her forces for the coming class. She 0683 read a hard sentence in Cicero to Kathryn as 0684 they walked through the hall to Miss Heath's 0685 room. "That's the way I got it!" cried Kath- 0686 ryn, "but it is so crazy that I wasn't sure." 0687 0688 "I may not have it right," said Betty, "but 0689 I think that is what it is." 0690 0691 "I'll trust your reading every time," Kathryn 0692 declared. 0693 0694 "Better not; but I found an old text of 0695 Mother's that has _grand_ notes in it and I use it 0696 along with my own. I could bring it to school 0697 and lend it to you in study hall some time." 0698 0699 "Oh, don't bother. I'll ask you about any- 0700 thing too muddly." 0701 0702 "I'm getting used to Cicero now." 0703 0704 "So am I, but it's harder than Caesar be- 0705 cause he has a sort of argument, you know, that 0706 you have to get." 0707 0708 Betty was glad that she had study hall the 0709 last period before lunch. It was all too short, 0710 but she concentrated and lost to all surround- 0711 ings, "crammed" on two lessons. Latin and 0712 Math could be acquired that evening -- no -- Chet 0713 was coming over! There was a young people's 0714 supper and party at the church! Oh, well. 0715 She'd get it in somehow. And Betty would. 0716 0717 The afternoon went as busily, though the per- 0718 iods were of the usual length. How was she going 0719 to get to that Lyon "Y" meeting when there was 0720 orchestra practice? She had not thought of that! 0721 But when school was out and she had put away 0722 her books in her locker, with the exception of 0723 what she must take home, she ran to the audi- 0724 torium with her violin only to find a notice: 0725 0726 "Orchestra practice postponed until tomor- 0727 row. Same hour!" 0728 0729 The violin went back into the locker, for there 0730 would be no home practice tonight! Arm in 0731 arm with Carolyn Gwynne, who had also seen 0732 the notice and waited for Betty, she ran in fine 0733 spirits to the room in which the "Lyon Y," or 0734 the older high school group of Girl Reserves, 0735 was to meet. "Got the letter, Betty?" asked 0736 Carolyn. 0737 0738 "Yes -- but I'd better look to see!" Betty 0739 opened her little bag, which contained her street 0740 car fare and several other things, felt around 0741 and found the letter from the "Don," folded to 0742 come within the compass of the bag. "You can 0743 read it after the meeting, Carolyn. But don't 0744 you know I'd forgotten all about the church sup- 0745 per tonight and I'll have to skip home to get 0746 a lesson or two before dinner." 0747 0748 "Stay here and get out Cicero with me. It 0749 won't take us any time because she had us do 0750 so much sight reading ahead today. There are 0751 two or three clubs meeting and the building will 0752 be open, you know." 0753 0754 "All right. Here's hoping that this meeting 0755 will not take too long. There's a program, you 0756 know, and election of officers. Bess Higgins re- 0757 signed and so they're going to have the whole 0758 new group elected and let the new president be- 0759 gin right away." 0760 0761 "That's funny. How do you like the idea of 0762 different officers for the two semesters?" 0763 0764 "I don't know how it will work, but it makes 0765 more girls do things and that is a good thing. 0766 Oh, Carolyn, I wouldn't have missed that Fall 0767 Retreat at camp for anything! Just one week- 0768 end was glorious and Father says perhaps I 0769 can go there for a week or two next summer 0770 after school. I wish I could go!" 0771 0772 "Perhaps I can. The family could go on with- 0773 out me and I could go with you and on to our 0774 own camp later." 0775 0776 "Oh, Carolyn! And stay with me at our house 0777 before the Girl Reserve camp opens!" 0778 0779 Betty gave a happy skip, but here they were 0780 at the door through which other girls were en- 0781 tering. A little group was standing at one 0782 side near a window. Kathryn was among them 0783 and beckoned to Carolyn and Betty. "This is 0784 a caucus," announced Kathryn. "You are not 0785 wanted Betty, only to say that you will be presi- 0786 dent if you get elected. We have to know." 0787 0788 "Oh, do you?" laughed Betty. "This is so 0789 sudden! Why, I don't care, Kathryn. If there's 0790 anybody else that wants it, I don't." Then she 0791 drew Kathryn aside to speak more quietly. "Is 0792 this the nominating committee?" 0793 0794 "Yes, and some more of us that heard they 0795 were going to nominate a girl that wouldn't do 0796 one thing. She is sweet enough about some things 0797 and she wants the honor of it. I'd like to have 0798 her have it for that, but nothing would get put 0799 through. Miss Street is new to us and all she 0800 knows about Clara Lovel is that she is a senior 0801 and is a good student." 0802 0803 Miss Street was the new leader of this high 0804 school group. Betty told Kathryn that there 0805 was little use in putting up a junior against a 0806 senior, and told her to select another senior to 0807 run against Clara. 0808 0809 "There isn't anything in your objection that 0810 it is customary to have a senior for president," 0811 Kathryn countered in this little debate. "One 0812 of the best presidents Lyon "Y" ever had was a 0813 junior. I found out before I went into this,' Miss 0814 Betty Lee!" 0815 0816 "All right, Kathryn. I'll not resign if I'm 0817 elected, for Lyon "Y" is one of the best clubs we 0818 have and does some good, too. I'm on the com- 0819 mittee for the Thanksgiving basket. Will you 0820 help me if I have to be president, too?" 0821 0822 "I'll do anything!" grinned Kathryn, running 0823 back to the group of girls. "There are more 0824 juniors than seniors working in this club," she 0825 whispered to a junior on the committee. "I bet 0826 we get Betty in if you put her up." 0827 0828 Surreptitiously Betty did look at one of her 0829 lessons, whose book she let lie open on her lap 0830 during a little of the program. But when the 0831 leader of the high school groups spoke, she 0832 listened attentively, both for the lovely ideals of 0833 service which were presented and for the prac- 0834 tical matters which she would have to handle if 0835 she were president of this group. It would be 0836 a "lot of work" and Betty sighed as she thought 0837 about it; but she had "the girls" to help her 0838 through. Carolyn, Kathryn, Peggy -- perhaps 0839 she could get Lucia to join now! Oh, that would 0840 be great, because if Lucia joined it meant that 0841 some of the "society" girls, or girls that did not 0842 care much for anything of this sort would come 0843 in. They'd have a membership campaign and 0844 she'd appoint Lucia chairman! 0845 0846 Then Betty smiled at herself for planning be- 0847 fore her name was even suggested! 0848 0849 "What are you grinning about, Betty?" whis- 0850 pered Peggy Pollard, who had plumped herself 0851 wearily down by Betty at the beginning of the 0852 program. 0853 0854 "Oh -- things," smiled Betty. There was more 0855 or less disorder just now, for the girls were 0856 distributing ballots. Then the announcement 0857 of names returned by the nominating committee 0858 was made and Betty had the experience, not en- 0859 tirely new, of hearing herself named a nom- 0860 inee for president. "I'm going to vote and then 0861 skip out," she told Peggy. "I've got lessons 0862 to get, Carolyn and I will be getting Cicero just 0863 inside the auditorium; so come and tell us how 0864 it turned out -- like a nice girl!" 0865 0866 "Oh, but we're going to have tea afterwards," 0867 objected Peggy. 0868 0869 "Well, call us in time for that, like a dear! 0870 I'm hard up for time." 0871 0872 "All right. It will take a while to call off 0873 the ballots and tally up everything on the board. 0874 I'll come when we've everybody else served. 0875 You don't want to miss those cakes. Our cook 0876 made some of them." 0877 0878 "My -- have I almost missed those?" 0879 0880 But Betty and Carolyn slipped out as soon as 0881 their ballots had been handed to the girl that 0882 collected them. In two seats near a window in 0883 the auditorium they sat and read Cicero as fast 0884 as possible, deciding to let the undecided points 0885 go and cover ground at first, getting the vocabu- 0886 lary looked up at least. "You aren't the least 0887 bit excited over running for office, are you, 0888 Betty?" asked Carolyn, stopping in the middle 0889 of a sentence. They had to read sitting close 0890 together and in a tone, not loud, but such as 0891 would not be drowned out by the practicing 0892 going on upon the platform. This was the mixed 0893 chorus, for whose practice that of the orchestra 0894 had been postponed. 0895 0896 "What's the use?" asked Betty in return. "If 0897 I get it, it's lots of work. If I don't get it, I 0898 think I can stand the disgrace!" 0899 0900 Carolyn joined Betty's laugh, but added that 0901 she was chiefly consumed with curiosity over 0902 that letter she was to read. "I don't believe 0903 you'll let me read it after all!" 0904 0905 "I have my doubts as to its being the thing 0906 to do," returned Betty, "but I've got to get this 0907 Latin!" 0908 0909 It was wonderful what determined minds 0910 could do in a short time, though it seemed no 0911 time at all until Peggy appeared as the mixed 0912 chorus was departing. Tea and sandwiches, 0913 and more tea and delicious little cakes, tasted 0914 very good and "reviving," as Betty declared. 0915 Peggy would not tell Betty who was elected 0916 until they reached the room and Betty declared 0917 that she had lost it of course, or Peggy would 0918 not have been afraid that Betty might refuse to 0919 come in at all, even for the little cakes. 0920 0921 But no sooner had Betty and Carolyn ap- 0922 peared than congratulations began and the 0923 general leader appointed a time to meet with 0924 Miss Street and Betty to talk over plans for 0925 the present and future. A few days remained 0926 before the plans for Thanksgiving baskets must 0927 be carried out, before the Thanksgiving recess 0928 or vacation. Betty's head was fairly be- 0929 wildered, she told Carolyn; but she supposed 0930 she would "get used to it." 0931 0932 Then the girls found a sequestered spot in 0933 an empty recitation room not yet locked by the 0934 janitor. "There," said Betty, handing Carolyn 0935 the letter. 0936 0937 Carolyn turned it to see the return address 0938 on the envelope. "He expects you to answer it, 0939 I see, though he gives only street and number." 0940 0941 "I suppose so. He just wants to know if we 0942 are alive, of course." 0943 0944 "H'm. Some town in Michigan. I can't make 0945 out the postmark." 0946 0947 "He gives the full address inside. It's 0948 Detroit." 0949 0950 Carolyn, unhurried, in spite of her calm of 0951 being so curious, drew the letter from its en- 0952 velope, remarking that the Don had gotten nice 0953 stationery for his letter to Betty. It "looked 0954 serious," she thought. 0955 0956 "Nonsense," returned Betty. "Hurry up and 0957 read it, Carolyn." 0958 0959 No criticism could have been made of the 0960 form of this letter, written in a firm and flowing 0961 hand. After the matter of address and date 0962 and the more formal beginning, in which Betty 0963 was addressed as Miss Lee, the letter ran as 0964 follows: 0965 0966 *** 0967 0968 "After so long a time, perhaps you have for- 0969 gotten me. I was very sorry to leave the city 0970 so suddenly, but it was necessary, in regard to 0971 my private affairs, which I am not able to con- 0972 fide to my friends. A letter called me away. 0973 I packed, arranged with my landlady and the 0974 man for whom I worked and left on the next 0975 train. I took my books and I am trying to edu- 0976 cate myself a little now that I am working here. 0977 I read the best that the libraries have to offer. 0978 Perhaps I shall be able to go to school some 0979 time again, but it is uncertain, like my residence" 0980 here. 0981 0982 "So many times I have thought of the kind 0983 gentleman, Mr. Lee, whose car I sometimes 0984 fixed, of the sweet mother and the golden Betty 0985 that made a lonely boy welcome on a holiday." 0986 0987 And so I write at last to tell them that I have 0988 not forgotten and to ask if I will be welcome to 0989 call some day when I can return." 0990 0991 "I shall be so glad if you can write to tell 0992 me how you have passed these long months and 0993 if your family is well. I have hesitated to write 0994 to your father, who is so busy with important 0995 things, but I thought that in your kindness you 0996 would be willing to answer this letter." 0997 0998 "Please give my greetings to any of the high 0999 school friends who remember me. It is a very 1000 vivid memory of one of the happiest times I 1001 ever had that makes me write this at the near 1002 approach of the same holiday." 1003 1004 "With regards to all and gratitude for past 1005 kindness, I am," 1006 1007 _____________ "Very respectfully yours," 1008 __________________ "Ramon Balinsky (Sevilla)." 1009 1010 "Why what does he mean by that name in 1011 parenthesis!" cried Carolyn. "That's funny!" 1012 1013 "I don't know. There's a town in Spain named 1014 Seville, isn't there! But whether that's a part 1015 of his own name or not I can't tell. Ramon gets 1016 mysteriouser and mysteriouser!" 1017 1018 "Betty Sevilla would sound better than Betty 1019 Balinsky, except for the alliteration." Carolyn 1020 was very sober as she said this. 1021 1022 "Now don't start anything like that, please." 1023 1024 "'The golden Betty,'" quoted Carolyn, still 1025 without a smile, but her eyes twinkled and she 1026 laughed as she repeated it. "'Golden Betty,' -- 1027 my word! Going to answer the letter?" 1028 1029 "Mother says I should, just a little one." 1030 1031 "He writes very 'grown-up,' and the spelling 1032 is all right. I don't know why I didn't expect 1033 it to be, when I saw the clear handwriting on 1034 the envelope." 1035 1036 "The Don had had training before he ever 1037 came here," said Betty. "I suppose he gets 1038 training from the good English he is reading 1039 right along. I wish I knew just what to write 1040 him." 1041 1042 "To be friendly enough and not too friendly, 1043 I suppose." 1044 1045 "Exactly. Still, Carolyn, from what I saw 1046 of Ramon, I don't think he'd ever presume on 1047 any pleasant treatment. I'll have to think it 1048 out." 1049 1050 1051 1052 1053 1054 1055 Chapter III 1056 1057 Little Flies In The Ointment 1058 1059 1060 On guard against the dangers of a city, or 1061 of doubtful companionship, Betty Lee's parents 1062 had little to worry over; for Betty had a healthy 1063 mind and body, wholesome activities to occupy 1064 her time and girls very like herself for her best 1065 friends. The matter of attention from the boys 1066 Betty seemed to be able to manage herself, 1067 though Mr. Lee took careful note of who and 1068 what the boys were. 1069 1070 Betty Lee, junior, was now almost sixteen and 1071 attractive. There would be problems of love 1072 affairs some time, but not yet, it was to be 1073 hoped, though Betty was mature for her age 1074 and had considered herself as "going on six- 1075 teen" ever since her last birthday. Betty's 1076 dreams of a Prince Charming were natural 1077 enough but not serious and never connected 1078 with anyone in the flesh, unless a thrilling mem- 1079 ory of one Hallowe'en and of attention from a 1080 college youth on a later occasion could be con- 1081 sidered as coming in the category of dreams. 1082 1083 Chet Dorrance had recovered from his first 1084 attack of being impressed with a girl and was 1085 less "obvious" in his attentions to Betty. But 1086 he still preferred her society when he could get 1087 it, for picnics, class parties and the like, seeing 1088 her home or arranging for her company. Betty 1089 in her turn, had confidence in Chet, who was 1090 always the gentleman, and felt safely escorted 1091 when she was with him. There was nothing 1092 "thrilling" about the friendship and the girls 1093 rarely teased Betty about Chet. Very little of 1094 what could properly be termed social life was 1095 permitted by any of the parents who were the 1096 safe background of Betty and her friends. Con- 1097 tacts were chiefly at school and in school acti- 1098 vities, all very natural and pleasant. Another 1099 boy for whom Betty felt a real friendliness was 1100 Chauncey Allen, Kathryn's brother. Chauncey 1101 had taken a sudden upward growth till Kath- 1102 ryn looked like a little girl beside him and her 1103 vivacious ways were in contrast with his quiet 1104 though often droll speech and action. He was 1105 active enough, to be sure, and was to play with 1106 the basketball team after Christmas. From him, 1107 since she and Kathryn were together so much, 1108 Betty heard all the boy news of the school, but 1109 Chauncey rarely engaged her society for any 1110 event. Indeed, Chauncey rarely bothered about 1111 girls, though he liked Betty, Kathryn said that 1112 since Chet fancied Betty, Chauncey would "let 1113 it go at that." 1114 1115 In regard to Ramon Balinsky, whom Peggy 1116 had once thought so intriguing as a football 1117 hero, Betty was grateful to her father when he 1118 said that he would write himself, since "the boy 1119 might need a friend." "Perhaps he has some 1120 new trouble," said Mr. Lee that night before 1121 dinner, when Betty caught him alone and asked 1122 what she should write. "Write a short friendly 1123 note, Betty, and I'll say the rest." 1124 1125 Before the church supper, then, much as Betty 1126 needed the time on lessons, she spoiled several 1127 sheets of good note paper in the process of get- 1128 ting the appropriate thing said. The note was 1129 written and pronounced a "friendly, modest 1130 little effort," by the censor-in-chief. Betty then 1131 dismissed the matter from her mind, though 1132 occasionally thinking of Ramon's expression, 1133 "Golden Betty," when as girls do, she spent 1134 some time in arranging her golden locks ac- 1135 cording to the most becoming of the approved 1136 high school styles. One had to look well in 1137 Lyon High! 1138 1139 But as Betty said sometimes to Kathryn or 1140 Carolyn, whenever she was in danger of being 1141 spoiled by thinking she could do well in ath- 1142 letics, or looked nice, or felt "set up" about 1143 what somebody had said, she always "got a 1144 good jolt of some sort, to bring her down a peg 1145 or two." And Kathryn or Carolyn would reply, 1146 "Life is like that, Betty!" 1147 1148 A little jolt was coming that evening, though 1149 Betty, satisfied that she could finish her lessons 1150 by rising a little earlier than usual the next 1151 morning, happily started off with Chet, a little 1152 late for the young people's supper. "Do you 1153 have to help any tonight?" asked Chet, who 1154 knew that Betty was often called on by the 1155 committees. Chet did not belong to Betty's 1156 church, but had a little habit of 'dropping in' 1157 when something attractive was going on. The 1158 turkey suppers were usually served by the 1159 ladies' committees, but this one was entirely in 1160 the hands of the younger organizations. 1161 1162 "No, Chet, unless with the games. I'm going 1163 to help with the Christmas music and the tree 1164 and the Sunday school doings and I told them 1165 I couldn't do anything more this time. Is Ted 1166 coming tonight?" 1167 1168 "Yes. He's bringing his latest girl. She's a 1169 freshman, too, at the University." 1170 1171 Betty made a little sound that might have 1172 been termed a giggle. Attractive Ted, Chefs 1173 brother, the first boy who had claimed Betty's 1174 admiring attention on her entrance to Lyon 1175 High, was probably not any more given to social 1176 relations with the girls than many of the other 1177 older boys they knew; but as he had a way of 1178 charming courtesy toward a young lady and a 1179 frank form of speech about her, always com- 1180 plimentary, he was considered as being in love 1181 with one and another in rather rapid succession, 1182 a very foolish proceeding, as some of the girls 1183 said. Betty reserved her opinion. Ted was a 1184 "nice boy" and was doing well at the university. 1185 1186 "Does Ted keep up his music?" asked Betty. 1187 1188 "No. He hasn't any time for it with his 1189 freshman work." 1190 1191 "Would you believe, Chet, that I could be as 1192 dumb as I was about thinking that I couldn't 1193 join the orchestra until I was a junior?" 1194 1195 "Why? Did you think that, Betty? I could 1196 have told you." 1197 1198 "Well, little country girl that I was, I believed 1199 everything that was told me, of course--" 1200 1201 "I haven't any such impression," laughed 1202 Chet, who thought Betty quite capable of look- 1203 ing after her rights and privileges. He often 1204 told her that she was "little Miss Inde- 1205 pendence." 1206 1207 "I almost did, anyhow, Chet; and the summer 1208 after my freshman year, when I was taking up 1209 violin, you know, someone told me that -- per- 1210 haps just to joke me -- and while I thought that 1211 some of the boys and girls I saw in it were 1212 freshmen and sophomores, I supposed it was 1213 just because they were specially gifted that they 1214 were allowed to play. I wasn't especially gifted 1215 and as I was paying attention to all sorts of 1216 other things, I never found out till the _middle_of_ 1217 _my_sophomore_year_ that junior orchestra only 1218 meant second to the senior orchestra, sort of a 1219 preparation for it! It was just as well, for I 1220 needed more lessons and practice." 1221 1222 "Mother says that you play very well, Betty, 1223 and that means something from her." 1224 1225 "Your mother is a dear. Mine is crazy about 1226 her." 1227 1228 Betty's mother would scarcely have used the 1229 same terms about her feeling toward Mrs. Dor- 1230 rance, with whom she had become very well ac- 1231 quainted, but Chet understood the common par- 1232 lance of the girls and was not likely to assume 1233 that Betty's mother was perishing with admi- 1234 ration. 1235 1236 They had been walking quite a little distance 1237 to catch a car which would drop them near the 1238 church. Now they swung on and finding a seat 1239 without trouble, watched the winter landscape 1240 as they rode and talked. Some other young 1241 people whom they knew were on the car and 1242 quite a crowd came from this and another car 1243 just ahead, to swell the numbers at the church. 1244 But as often happens, though they were a little 1245 late, the supper, too, was not being served at 1246 quite the appointed hour and Betty and Chet 1247 sat down at the first tables to find themselves 1248 with many others that they knew. And oh, that 1249 good turkey and the full plates! "If you want 1250 plenty to eat for your money, Chet," remarked 1251 the boy next to him, "just come to one of the 1252 suppers here!" 1253 1254 But whom did Betty find next to her but Clara 1255 Lovel, the rival candidate for president of Lyon 1256 yyyyy Both girls felt a little self-conscious. Betty 1257 and Chet had been seated first and Betty knew 1258 that Clara, who came with Brad Warren, did 1259 not notice at all who was near her, when she 1260 whipped into a seat as she was joking with two 1261 or three others. All were pretending to scramble 1262 for places. Clara was inclined to make herself 1263 a little conspicuous as a rule and was now rather 1264 over-dressed for the occasion, though going out 1265 with an escort might be considered as de- 1266 manding special preparation. 1267 1268 As they were served almost at once, it was 1269 several minutes before Clara noticed Betty. 1270 Betty, who was expecting it, observed from 1271 Clara's expression that her surprise was not 1272 an agreeable one, but Betty, who was picking up 1273 her fork, pleasantly said "good evening, Clara. 1274 This seems to be a good place to come for 1275 supper." 1276 1277 Clara's murmured reply was scarcely audible 1278 and she began to talk in an animated fashion 1279 with Brad, who leaned back in his chair, how- 1280 ever, to say "how-do-you-do" to Betty and Chet. 1281 Supper engaged their attention, with the pass- 1282 ing of rolls and butter, cream and sugar, the big 1283 dish of cranberry sauce and one or two other 1284 homey and appetizing accompaniments of the 1285 turkey supper. But Betty did wish that she had 1286 a chance to tell Clara that she had not worked 1287 for that office against her. Still, it was probably 1288 best not to mention it. Clara was quite stiff in 1289 her necessary remarks as something must be 1290 passed, or when Chet, saying something to 1291 Brad, drew Clara into the conversation. 1292 1293 Impulsively, at last, as they were finishing on 1294 pumpkin pie, Betty spoke in a low tone, not to 1295 be heard in the midst of other conversation 1296 about them. Chet was talking to the "waitress," 1297 who had brought him his pie and whom they 1298 all knew. She was a junior girl at Lyon High. 1299 Brad had turned to the boy next to him with 1300 some question about the coming game. 1301 1302 "Clara," said Betty, "I've been wanting to 1303 tell you all evening that I didn't do a tiling to 1304 work for that being president of Lyon 'Y'. The 1305 whole thing was a surprise to me and it wasn't 1306 even mentioned to me till just before the elec- 1307 tion. I imagine that it was the surprise of it 1308 to everybody that gave me the most votes -- or 1309 something like that." 1310 1311 "The girls who were there wanted you or you 1312 would not have been elected," stiffly said Clara 1313 in reply. "But I really have so many things on 1314 hand, with my sorority and all we do, and my 1315 part in the Christmas play, and my music and 1316 art, that I could not do justice to being president 1317 of anything. I really can't approve of a junior's 1318 being president. I was very much surprised 1319 that the leader permitted it at all; but I'm sure 1320 that you will do very well and I hope that you 1321 get through with it without any trouble." 1322 1323 Clara's tone was very patronizing indeed, and 1324 as she was one of the older seniors, Betty 1325 claimed afterward that she felt like a worm! 1326 "I'll do my best," Betty meekly replied, "and 1327 I hope that you will help out on the music at 1328 our programs. You play the piano so beauti- 1329 fully. We need some good programs, too." 1330 1331 "Oh, I couldn't possibly act on any program 1332 committee," airily and decisively said the 1333 senior, "but I might play for you some time." 1334 1335 "Thank you," said Betty, feeling that she 1336 should never want to ask Clara, yet knowing 1337 that she should not feel that way. The mention 1338 of the sorority, of course, was to impress a 1339 non-sorority girl. Clara was not a Kappa Upsi- 1340 lon, and Betty really did not know to what 1341 sorority she did belong. 1342 1343 Betty had not noticed that another girl had 1344 come up behind Clara, evidently in time to hear 1345 most of what was said, but now one of Clara's 1346 senior friends leaned over to say, "Take the 1347 last bite of that pie, Brad. I want you and 1348 Clara to help start one of the games." 1349 1350 "After this dinner?" queried Brad, springing 1351 up, for Clara had risen. And as Betty still sat 1352 by Chet, she heard Clara say something in a 1353 low tone to the senior girl, who said with the 1354 evident purpose of being heard, "The nerve of 1355 her mentioning it at all!" 1356 1357 It was not pleasant to Betty, who wished, 1358 indeed, that she had employed "more sense." 1359 Probably it was "nerve," but she had not meant 1360 it so. She did not speak of it to Chet and entered 1361 the games happily enough, having learned a 1362 little lesson, however. She had not known Clara 1363 well enough to bring up the subject; and prob- 1364 ably it was not best to be so frank except with 1365 your best friends. Betty wondered about that. 1366 Clara probably thought that Betty was gloating 1367 over being elected! Oh, another thing! Betty 1368 had forgotten about how the seniors felt about 1369 being beaten in basketball the year before. That 1370 class, so far as the girls were concerned, 1371 happened not to be so good in athletics. The 1372 present junior girls usually beat them and Betty 1373 was prominent among those who played basket- 1374 ball and hockey. Dear, dear, how complicated 1375 things were sometimes. And it was important 1376 for the "good works" of Lyon "Y" to have 1377 everybody co-operate! "I wonder if I have 1378 enough tact to be president of anything" 1379 thought honest Betty to herself, as she sub- 1380 mitted to having a fool's cap on her head, for 1381 some game and puzzled Chet by saying that it 1382 was the "most appropriate cap she could wear." 1383 1384 "What's the sense to that remark, Betty?" 1385 asked Chet. 1386 1387 "None," laughed Betty. "I'm just a little 1388 dippy tonight." 1389 1390 There was plenty of real fun and in a good 1391 safe place; but Betty took cold from getting too 1392 warm and then rushing out to look at the stars 1393 without enough around her. A young university 1394 professor pointed out some of the constellations 1395 to a group of young people. It was interesting 1396 and Betty did not realize how cold she was until 1397 Chet said, "You're shivering, Betty Lee. Come 1398 right inside. They've a one-cent grab-bag and 1399 we may draw whistles for tomorrow's game." 1400 1401 "Sure you can afford it, Chet?" laughed Betty 1402 as she followed obediently. 1403 1404 That Betty missed pneumonia was providen- 1405 tial, her mother told her; but feeling that she 1406 was taking cold, Betty herself took the usual 1407 preventives and went to bed. It was late, to 1408 be sure, and she had intended to get up early 1409 the next morning. But she forgot to set the 1410 alarm on the little clock and woke only when 1411 her mother called her. She set a book before 1412 her at the breakfast table and studied on the 1413 street car as best she could; but what a poor 1414 beginning to the day it was! There was nothing 1415 but the game to anticipate, so far as pleasure 1416 was concerned. Her throat tickled, but Carolyn, 1417 who also had a slight cold, had some cough 1418 drops. They positively could not miss that 1419 game! 1420 1421 Betty was not sure of herself in recitation 1422 that Friday. She stumbled through English, 1423 in which she was usually so good that her 1424 teacher looked surprised, but refrained from 1425 comment, as Betty was one of her best pupils. 1426 Her mind would not work in "Math," but she 1427 managed to get through with a recitation in 1428 that. One bright spot in the gloom was that 1429 there was no recitation in Latin. Miss Heath 1430 was ill, the substitute hadn't come, and they had 1431 study hall instead. 1432 1433 Betty, who liked Miss Heath, hoped that she 1434 was not too ill and asked Carolyn if it "wouldn't 1435 turn out like that!" 1436 1437 "The one lesson we got, Carolyn, we didn't 1438 have to recite and my study hall came too late 1439 to save me. I just about half recited this 1440 morning!" 1441 1442 "Well, remember we've our Monday's lesson 1443 ahead, Betty." 1444 1445 "Sure enough. Aren't you encouraging?" 1446 1447 Betty and Carolyn shared a steamer rug, 1448 brought by Carolyn on some previous occasion 1449 and kept in her locker. The weather had mode- 1450 rated from the little flurry of snow and a cold 1451 day or two which they had had. But at that 1452 the game did not help Betty's cold any. She 1453 forgot it in the general commotion, enthusiasm, 1454 singing and cheering that went on, but her 1455 handkerchief was needed to catch the sneezes. 1456 1457 A wintry sun shone down on field and sta- 1458 dium. Several hundred boys and girls and their 1459 elders tensely followed the plays, but oh, at 1460 last they won! It was by a narrow margin, for 1461 the Eagles were playing to keep the glory won 1462 the year before; but what shouts went up from 1463 the Lyon High rooters when the last score was 1464 made and the boys carried "Kentucky" from the 1465 field on their shoulders. "Kentucky" had made 1466 the last touchdown. 1467 1468 "And Kentucky will be on the team next year, 1469 too, Carolyn," said Betty. "He's a conditioned 1470 senior, but they say he isn't going to try to 1471 make it this year. He's going to take some 1472 extra work he wants and stay another year!" 1473 1474 "Go home and put that cold to bed, Betty," 1475 was Carolyn's last bit of advice. 1476 1477 "Oh dear, I suppose I must. I can't afford to 1478 get sick with all there is to do." 1479 1480 1481 1482 1483 1484 1485 Chapter IV 1486 1487 Baskets And Humble Friends 1488 1489 1490 Monday brought a Betty "chastened in 1491 spirit," she said, to school. She had spent Satur- 1492 day and Sunday in bed for the most part and 1493 walked to her classes without animation. At 1494 lunch the girls, though sorry, could not help 1495 laughing over her comical remarks. She had 1496 had nothing to do but "think of her sins of 1497 omission and commission," she told them, and 1498 worst of all, this morning, at the last minute, 1499 she and Carolyn remembered that the lesson 1500 they "had ahead" was Cicero and they always 1501 had prose on Monday! 1502 1503 "Was that why your hand didn't go up as 1504 usual?" cried Peggy Pollard. "I thought it was 1505 your cold and that you were half sick!" 1506 1507 "That is what I'm hoping all my teachers 1508 thought this morning; but I could look over my 1509 work in bed, so I didn't ask to be excused from 1510 reciting. I thought I could get through." Betty 1511 sighed. "I never had half sympathy enough for 1512 girls who aren't strong." 1513 1514 "I'm so glad you've had this lesson," said a 1515 plump and rosy Carolyn. "I'm so delicate!" 1516 1517 Dotty Bradshaw hooted at this and Mary 1518 Emma Howland reminded Betty that there was 1519 a meeting after school to see about the Thanks- 1520 giving basket that Lyon "Y" was to send or 1521 take. "You can come and preside, can't you, 1522 Betty?" 1523 1524 "I think so," said Betty, brightening a little, 1525 "but I'm only the president, not the committee, 1526 though I was on it." 1527 1528 "You'll have to appoint a new committee, 1529 Betty," said Kathryn, "for the chairman of the 1530 usual committee is a friend of Clara's and I 1531 heard her say that the election 'let her out.'" 1532 1533 Betty looked sober. She recalled the disagree- 1534 able experience of Thursday night, of which she 1535 had thought many times during those two days 1536 of being shut in. The ideals of a Girl Reserve 1537 group called for a pleasant spirit on the part 1538 of its president. "Well, girls, we'll just wait 1539 and see what happens. Can I count on all of 1540 you to help me out? I think we don't want a 1541 bit of trouble and whatever the girls want to 1542 do, we'll just accept it, though sorry, you know." 1543 1544 Carolyn nodded her approval and Kathryn 1545 said that they would stand shoulder to shoulder 1546 and "eye to eye!" "By the way, Betty, Chaun- 1547 cey said that he would drive us wherever we 1548 have to take that basket. He said we oughtn't 1549 to go to some places without a 'guard' and that 1550 he would be it." 1551 1552 "That takes a load off my shoulders," replied 1553 the new president. "Father can't do it and I 1554 thought I'd find out from Miss Street how they 1555 managed it. I wasn't on the committee last 1556 year. Miss Hogarth is the one who tells us 1557 about the families, you know, but Miss Street 1558 will consult her. Mary Emma, may I appoint 1559 you a committee of one to see every girl and 1560 tell her to be sure to bring what she promised -- 1561 sugar, flour -- I have the list somewhere -- on 1562 Wednesday I'll announce it at the meeting 1563 but not everybody will be there." 1564 1565 Mary Emma promised and then some one 1566 mentioned the other sad omission that made it 1567 a "blue Monday," the fact that there had been 1568 no celebration of their victory. "They might 1569 have had a nice assembly this morning to cel- 1570 ebrate," said Dotty. 1571 1572 "Miss Orme said that it was bad enough to 1573 have ordinary 'Monday' lessons," chuckled 1574 Peggy, "without an assembly to ball up the pro- 1575 gram and make things worse; and the principal 1576 must have agreed with her. Miss Heath said 1577 that it would have been pleasant, but she didn't 1578 seem enthusiastic either." 1579 1580 "We celebrated on the spot," said Kathryn, 1581 with a picture of the rejoicing stadium in her 1582 mind. 1583 1584 Betty said nothing. She was tired. She 1585 would have welcomed an assembly, but it did 1586 not matter. The morning was over. But Mary 1587 Emma brought up one incident as they left the 1588 lunch room side by side. "I _thought_ it was 1589 funny that you were rejoicing about having 1590 your Cicero out ahead; but I knew you kept 1591 ahead on your schedule whenever possible, so 1592 it never occurred to me to remind you of prose- 1593 comp on Monday!" 1594 1595 Betty gave Mary Emma a comical look, but 1596 they hurried on to the next duty. 1597 1598 At the Lyon "Y" meeting after school, Betty 1599 was relieved to find that only the chairman of 1600 the committee had resigned. She promptly ap- 1601 pointed the proper one of the committee to 1602 take her place and filled the vacancy by ap- 1603 pointing Kathryn, for the very good reason that 1604 Chauncey would then be properly available as 1605 chauffeur and guard. Mary Emma was duly 1606 appointed as a special committee of one to take 1607 charge of reminding and notifying and to help 1608 with gathering in. 1609 1610 On Wednesday afternoon there was great 1611 activity about the room in which the committee 1612 met. Chauncey, looking like a larger edition of 1613 Kathryn, stuck his head inside of the door to 1614 call to Betty. "Be back in a minute, Betty. I've 1615 got to get the car, you know. If it isn't out 1616 there, I'll have to go home for it. Tried to 1617 arrange to have it brought, but 'Ah dunno!'" 1618 1619 Betty ran from a confusion of girls and 1620 bundles to speak to him and Kathryn, bending 1621 over a basket, looked up to nod brightly at her 1622 brother. "There isn't the least hurry, Chaun- 1623 cey," said Betty. "You'll have plenty of time 1624 to go home by street car if you have to. So 1625 much has been brought in, more than we asked 1626 for, that I think we'll fix two baskets. We can 1627 stop to buy two or three things that weren't 1628 duplicated." 1629 1630 "Need another basket?" asked Chauncey, 1631 looking at the array. 1632 1633 "Oh, yes, Chauncey," called Kathryn. "Get 1634 one of ours. You know where." 1635 1636 That settled one matter. Betty had thought 1637 they would stop at a grocery and buy one as 1638 they finished their shopping. There were many 1639 little details to carry out in making up Thanks- 1640 giving baskets, Betty found. Mary Emma was 1641 the one responsible for the extra donations. She 1642 was now defending herself to a senior member 1643 of the committee. 1644 1645 "Well, I know we planned one basket and I 1646 saw everybody who was to bring the things for 1647 that, but when other girls were interested and 1648 wanted to bring something I couldn't refuse, 1649 could I? It was just started by some of them 1650 when they overheard what I said to somebody." 1651 1652 "Why, Mary Emma," said Betty, "somebody 1653 will bless you for getting more. We've got 1654 enough money from what you collected to get 1655 the rest we need to fill out. The only question 1656 is where's it going. Mary Emma, please go to 1657 find Miss Hogarth. She can't have gone home 1658 yet. I wonder where Miss Street is." 1659 1660 "She was called home. I forgot to tell you, 1661 Betty," said one of the girls. "She was all 1662 worried about our going all alone and told us 1663 to see Miss Hogarth. She telephoned from home. 1664 Somebody's sick. I told her that one of the 1665 girls' brother, a senior, was going to drive us 1666 to the address and she was awfully relieved." 1667 1668 "Then that's that," said Betty, consulting her 1669 list to see if everything in the one large basket 1670 was checked off properly. The rest of the 1671 bundles they gathered together, after exam- 1672 ination, and made a list of the articles needed 1673 for the second basket. Mary Emma returned 1674 from seeing Miss Hogarth to say that every- 1675 body on Miss Hogarth's list had been provided 1676 for and that if the girls had so much, she'd ad- 1677 vise their taking it to the Associated Charities. 1678 1679 Some of the girls liked that idea and others 1680 did not. There was a brief argument about the 1681 matter till Betty suggested that they deliver the 1682 first basket and then decide about the other. 1683 "We might see some place where a basket is 1684 needed, you know," she said. 1685 1686 They waited a little for Chauncey, who ar- 1687 rived, however, sooner than they thought it pos- 1688 sible, since it had turned out to be necessary for 1689 him to go home. Budd LeRoy accompanied him 1690 to the door of the room where the girls waited, 1691 such of them as were ably to accompany the 1692 expedition. The boys carried the baskets, two 1693 of them now, since Chauncey had found one at 1694 home, and the girls helped with packages that 1695 were in danger of being dropped off. "Please 1696 remember which baskets those things came 1697 from," Betty reminded them and they started, 1698 through the halls and down the stairs, to the 1699 basement and outer door at the rear, in great 1700 mirth and spirits. 1701 1702 "Is this the relief corps!" asked Mr. Franklin, 1703 whom they met on the way, and several gay 1704 voices answered him. 1705 1706 When the car finally rolled out of the drive 1707 upon the wide thoroughfare with its procession 1708 of swift machines, there were Budd and Chaun- 1709 cey in front, Betty, Kathryn and one senior 1710 girl, whom Betty knew, though not very well, 1711 occupying the back. Mary Emma could hot go 1712 with them and the others, who were either on 1713 the committee or were helping after bringing in 1714 their contributions, had scattered. 1715 1716 Betty and the senior, Lilian Norris, a sister 1717 of Ted's friend, Harry Norris, went into the 1718 grocery, at which they stopped, to purchase the 1719 extra articles. "Let's stick in a little candy," 1720 suggested Lilian, looking at some tempting 1721 supplies in a glass case. 1722 1723 "Yes, let's," assented Betty. "I've some 1724 money of my own along." 1725 1726 "So have I," said Lilian. "There are some 1727 kiddies in this family." 1728 1729 The car went on, Chauncey quiet and skilful 1730 in his driving. He avoided the main avenues of 1731 traffic in getting through the center of the town 1732 to a district quite unknown to Betty. There 1733 stood old houses, once occupied by one family, 1734 with first, second and third floors and basement. 1735 Now every floor housed more than one family, 1736 who lived in these close quarters because they 1737 could not pay a higher rent, though many of 1738 them paid far too much for having a roof over 1739 their heads, whatever hardships of living in this 1740 way was theirs. 1741 1742 The young people hushed their conversation 1743 and the car went slowly where children played 1744 in the street or wagons and trucks blocked the 1745 way. "It has to be in this square, Chauncey," 1746 said Kathryn, looking at the address which 1747 Betty had handed her. Chauncey and Kathryn 1748 knew the names of the streets, though from time 1749 to time Chauncey glanced at the street signs. 1750 1751 Now a shrill siren called and Chauncey drew 1752 the Allen car as close to the sidewalk as pos- 1753 sible, while a car whizzed by and was followed 1754 by the dashing fire-trucks. "Oh, poor things," 1755 cried Kathryn, "think of having a fire in one 1756 of those houses!" 1757 1758 They could see smoke at a distance, but no 1759 flames. Budd left the car to look at the num- 1760 bers on the doors nearby. "It's on this side of 1761 the street, by good luck," he reported. "Drive a 1762 little farther down, Chauncey. It must be near 1763 the corner." 1764 1765 Chauncey backed his car from between a 1766 truck and an old grocery wagon, though Kath- 1767 ryn suggested that he just park the car where 1768 he was. "Nup," said Chauncey. "I want the 1769 car right by where you climb to the top of one 1770 of these places, maybe. What in the world did 1771 Miss Hogarth choose a place like this for?" 1772 1773 "Maybe she didn't choose. Perhaps somebody 1774 that needs things to eat lives here," replied 1775 Kathryn. 1776 1777 "I'd say you're right," returned Chauncey. 1778 "But I smell cabbage. Somebody has that much 1779 anyway." 1780 1781 Chauncey remained in the car, after helping 1782 Budd lift out the larger of the baskets. Lilian 1783 jumped out, though saying in a low tone to 1784 Betty that she "certainly hated to go up that 1785 stairway." 1786 1787 "Well," replied Betty, "it would probably be 1788 better if there weren't too many. You stay with 1789 Chauncey and Kathryn, Lilian. I'll go with 1790 Budd." 1791 1792 "Me, too," said Kathryn, hopping out of the 1793 car. "I see a policeman, Chauncey. We're all 1794 right. He's coming this way." 1795 1796 While the policeman really approached and 1797 stopped a moment to chat with Chauncey, prob- 1798 ably with an idea of protecting the good-look- 1799 ing car and its occupants as well as with pos- 1800 sible curiosity, Budd led the way upstairs to 1801 the door on the third floor to which their in- 1802 structions directed them. He set down the 1803 basket and knocked. 1804 1805 A dingy little girl answered the knock. "How-~ 1806 do-you-do," said Budd. "Is this the place where 1807 Mrs. Harry Woods lives'?" 1808 1809 "Yes, sir," politely said the little girl, eying 1810 the basket. 1811 1812 "Ina," said a voice, "ask them in." A tired-~ 1813 looking but pleasant-faced woman came from 1814 some room beyond, laid a baby upon a large 1815 double bed that stood in one corner, and came 1816 toward the door. She made a gesture toward 1817 a pail of suds that stood near the stove. A tub 1818 balanced upon an upturned chair; and a mop 1819 was in the pail. "I'm sorry that we aren't cleaned 1820 up, and so late in the afternoon; but the baby 1821 was cross. His teeth bother him." 1822 1823 Budd looked at Betty and stepped back be- 1824 hind her, uncertain whether the plan included 1825 entering the place or not. Betty, smiling, said, 1826 "Oh, that's quite all right. There is always 1827 so much cleaning to do with a family. Miss 1828 Hogarth told us where you lived, but we'll not 1829 come in; we just brought you a little present, 1830 a reminder of Thanksgiving, you know." 1831 1832 Tears came into the eyes of the woman. "Miss 1833 Hogarth -- may God bless her! She was here 1834 once." 1835 1836 Budd was lifting the basket, preparatory to 1837 setting it within the room, when a clatter of 1838 heels on the stairway behind him indicated some 1839 new arrivals. Three children of various ages 1840 ran up behind the visitors and as they moved 1841 to give them the opportunity, ran into the room. 1842 "These are my other children," said Mrs. 1843 Woods, rather proudly. "As soon as he gets 1844 work we'll be all right again, but I surely thank 1845 you for helping out our Thanksgiving." 1846 1847 She started to take the basket from Budd, 1848 who remarked that it was pretty heavy for her 1849 and he would set it inside. Mrs. Woods in- 1850 dicated the floor under a table which was full 1851 of various articles. 1852 1853 The four children, in different attitudes, 1854 watched proceedings, though their mother had 1855 suggested that they go "into the bedroom and 1856 wash up." 1857 1858 Ina, the oldest one, a serious little thing, as 1859 well the oldest might be in this family, started 1860 to say something, hesitated and then remarked, 1861 "Savilla's haven't had anything to eat for two 1862 days, Ma. Could we give them a bit out of that?" 1863 Ina pointed to the basket, and Mrs. Woods 1864 turned toward her with surprise. 1865 1866 "How do you know that, Ina?" she asked. 1867 1868 "Oh, Rosie sat down on the stairs this morn- 1869 ing and when I asked her what was the matter 1870 she said she guessed she felt weak. I said was 1871 she sick and she said yes, sick about having to 1872 pay out all she had in the rent and there wasn't 1873 any left for food. She was hurryin' to finish 1874 some sewin' she was doin' for somebody, she 1875 said. I just plain asked her when she'd had her 1876 last meal and she said night before last." 1877 1878 "Oh -- how dreadful!" cried Betty. "Who are 1879 the Savillas and where do they live? We have 1880 an extra basket downstairs and I was going 1881 to ask you, Mrs. Woods, if you knew anybody 1882 that needed it." Where had Betty heard that 1883 name? "Savilla" sounded familiar. 1884 1885 Mrs. Woods shook her head. "I know dozens 1886 that need it. Why, the Savillas live just below 1887 us on the second floor. There's only two of 1888 them, Rosie and the old lady. They're foreigners 1889 and the old lady can't speak English. I think 1890 they were used to having money in the old 1891 country. Rosie's got the wreck of a fur coat 1892 and the old lady fixes up sometimes. If you've 1893 another basket -- but you'll have to be careful 1894 how you give it. They're awful proud. I would 1895 be myself if it wasn't for the children. But I 1896 can't see them go hungry, or even miss their 1897 Thanksgiving and Christmas good times if they 1898 are offered to them." 1899 1900 "How would it do if you went with us, Mrs. 1901 Woods, and fixed it up about its being a present 1902 -- and it is! We had a good time fixing up the 1903 baskets and we like to share our Thanksgiving, 1904 you know." 1905 1906 Betty's voice was very earnest and sweet as 1907 she said this. Mrs. Woods answered her smile. 1908 "Bless you," she said, "I'll do it. Watch the 1909 baby, Ina, and keep the other children in here 1910 while I go down to Rosie's." 1911 1912 Throwing her apron over her head, Mrs. 1913 Woods led Budd, Betty and Kathryn down the 1914 rickety, dingy stairway to the second floor, 1915 where she knocked on a door once shining in 1916 its dark wood. But it had been painted and 1917 the paint had come off in peeling blotches. Budd 1918 ran down the one flight to get the other basket 1919 from the car. They waited and Mrs. Woods 1920 knocked again. Then there was a stir inside 1921 and slow steps approached the door. "Rosie's 1922 out," whispered Mrs. Woods, "and it's a good 1923 thing. You just stand back a little and I'll take 1924 in the basket." 1925 1926 The door opened. A tall old woman with lined 1927 face stood there, looking soberly at the party. 1928 "How-de-do, Mrs. Savilla," said Mrs. Woods. 1929 "Here's a basket that I'll tell Rosie about when 1930 she comes in. It's a present for you for Thanks- 1931 giving. I'll just carry it in for you." 1932 1933 The dark eyes looked puzzled and Mrs. Sav- 1934 illa was probably going to make some protest, 1935 but Mrs. Woods calmly set the basket inside of 1936 the door, whose handle she took to close it. 1937 "How are you today, Mrs. Savilla?" she asked. 1938 1939 The reply was made in a foreign tongue, but 1940 the question was evidently understood. With 1941 a puzzled look the apparently aged woman re- 1942 garded the basket; and Mrs. Woods, backing 1943 out, gently closed the door. "Rosie will come 1944 home and find it and then she'll come to see me, 1945 and it will be too late to give it back; see?" 1946 1947 Betty tried to thank Mrs. Woods, and wishing 1948 her a pleasant Thanksgiving, the trio hurried 1949 away. Betty knew now where she had seen the 1950 name Savilla. But it might not mean anything. 1951 There were probably others of that name among 1952 the foreigners of the city. But the dark tragic 1953 eyes of the old lady haunted her. 1954 1955 Lilian wanted to know what had happened 1956 and listened to Kathryn's full report, with vivid 1957 descriptions. "That certainly was the most mys- 1958 terious old lady I've ever seen," said Kathryn. 1959 1960 "I'll say the most tragic," said Betty. 1961 1962 In her turn Lilian had much to say about 1963 what the policeman had told Chauncey. "The 1964 street where we were," said Lilian as they 1965 swiftly left the district, "is pretty good, the po- 1966 liceman said, with people mostly quiet except 1967 all the children; but only one street over and it 1968 is awful -- I don't know how many terrible things 1969 have happened there this year. He told us not 1970 to come that way after night and that the day- 1971 time was none too safe." 1972 1973 "Oh, he was seeing how much he could scare 1974 you," laughed Chauncey, but he and Budd ex- 1975 changed looks. 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 Chapter V 1983 1984 Lucia Dresses A Doll 1985 1986 1987 In all this time Betty had not seen, except 1988 casually, Lucia, who had said that she had some- 1989 thing to tell her. Both had been in a rush the 1990 next time they met and Lucia said that she 1991 would postpone what she wanted to talk about. 1992 Betty wondered if it were anything important, 1993 particularly if it had anything to do with 1994 Lucia's personal problems. From Lucia's man- 1995 lier, she imagined that it had. Lucia's life al- 1996 ways commanded Betty's interest. It was so 1997 "different." 1998 1999 The paper had a long account of festivities 2000 at the Murchison mansion during the Thanks- 2001 giving vacation. Lucia would be busy with all 2002 the entertaining, though their guests at the 2003 house and at the various little parties seemed 2004 to be adults. 2005 2006 The girls were busy that first Monday morn- 2007 ing, but on arriving at the home room and run- 2008 ning to and from the lockers Lucia and Betty 2009 exchanged greetings and Lucia said, "Please be 2010 my guest at lunch today, Betty. We go to first 2011 lunch, I believe, and it ought to be good, though 2012 I suppose you are as fed up on turkey and stuff 2013 as I am." 2014 2015 "Yes," brightly returned Betty -- "turkey and 2016 stuff _ing._ But I'd never get tired of it and I 2017 doubt if we have it this noon." 2018 2019 "No, of course not. I mean that appetite 2020 might not be all that it sometimes is." 2021 2022 "Watch me," laughed Betty. "I may not want 2023 much, but by noon I'm always ready to feed 2024 the 'inner man.' And thank you, but I think 2025 I'd better be my own guest." 2026 2027 "Please, Betty," Lucia persuaded. "I've a 2028 plan." 2029 2030 "Good. I'll love to hear it. And I want to 2031 talk to you about joining the Lyon yyyyy Did you 2032 know that they made me president of it? We 2033 want to have a membership campaign and make 2034 it a big group. Please think about joining it," 2035 won't you? 2036 2037 "Why yes, I might, if it isn't too much work. 2038 What do they do? I've never paid much atten- 2039 tion to it." 2040 2041 Betty explained, as they sat down in the home 2042 room to wait for the bell that called them to 2043 order. She told about their meetings, referring 2044 to the time she had been at the camp, and de- 2045 scribed their preparing and delivering the 2046 Thanksgiving baskets. 2047 2048 Lucia looked interested and asked Betty why 2049 she had not asked her to help with the gifts. 2050 "I could have done something as well as not," 2051 she said. 2052 2053 "There's plenty of time to do something," 2054 Betty told her. "We're going to dress dolls for 2055 Christmas and, I imagine, fill a basket again. 2056 How would you like to dress a doll?" 2057 2058 Lucia smiled at that. "I've never dressed a 2059 doll in my life," said she, "but I'll buy one and 2060 have it dressed. That would be fun. I'll tell 2061 you what we'll do. I asked Mother if I might 2062 have you for a week-end some time, and we'll 2063 see to it then -- if you'll come. Will you?" 2064 2065 "Of course I will!" 2066 2067 "That was what I wanted to plan at Thanks- 2068 giving, but I found that I could not, on account 2069 of all Mother had on hand. I have a few wor- 2070 ries to talk over with you, if you don't mind, 2071 and I'll get one of the maids to do most of the 2072 sewing. Do you know about doll patterns and 2073 things like that?" 2074 2075 "I think so; enough, anyhow." 2076 2077 "Perhaps we could have a meeting of the girls 2078 at our house and everybody dress dolls to- 2079 gether." 2080 2081 "That will be wonderful, Lucia! You will 2082 join us, then?" 2083 2084 "Yes, Betty. I'm a Lyon "Y" forever, always 2085 provided I don't have to do too much." 2086 2087 "I'm not worried about that, Lucia. You see, 2088 it doesn't take much time for meetings. We 2089 just try to live up to a few ideals, and hear 2090 good talks, and have fun, and do a little some- 2091 times for poor people." 2092 2093 "Living up to the ideals will be the worst for 2094 me, I'm sure," laughed Lucia. But the last gong 2095 rang and the girls were obliged to take their 2096 own seats, Betty thinking as she often did, how 2097 soon Lucia had slipped into the ways and spirit 2098 of the other girls. She was different, too; yet 2099 considering how very unlike the life of Amer- 2100 ican girls Lucia's had been, it showed "great 2101 adaptability," as Mrs. Lee had called it, for her 2102 to enter into the school life as she had. 2103 2104 The time between Thanksgiving and Christ- 2105 mas flew as it always does. Betty found that 2106 it was not such a task to be a president as she 2107 had thought. The other officers and committees 2108 took an interest and programs were easy to 2109 plan with all the people they knew who could 2110 talk to them or "do things." The leader from 2111 the "Y.W." and Miss Street, the leader of the 2112 group, were behind them and had ideas. The 2113 membership drive was inaugurated and went 2114 over well. The girls were interested in the 2115 doll dressing and when Lucia invited the en- 2116 tire group to meet at "her house" one Satur- 2117 day afternoon, there were several more mem- 2118 bers at once. Mathilde Finn and "her crowd," 2119 as Carolyn put it, joined at once. 2120 2121 "Finny," said Dotty Bradshaw, "will not be 2122 much good to us, I'm afraid." 2123 2124 "Oh, yes she will," answered Selma Rardon. 2125 "She'll copy Lucia, and it will do _her_ good to 2126 be in it, Finny, I mean," 2127 2128 "It does all of us good, Selma," said the 2129 young president, "and I think it is wonderful 2130 of Lucia to think of the very thing she can 2131 do to help us most right now." 2132 2133 In consequence of this plan, two weeks be- 2134 fore Christmas or about that time, Betty found 2135 herself going home with Lucia on Friday after- 2136 noon. Her father had delivered her at school 2137 that morning with her overnight bag, which 2138 reposed in her locker all day. The Murchison 2139 car was waiting at the curb when the girls left 2140 the school grounds and Betty tried hard not to 2141 feel any importance as she entered it. It was 2142 rather pleasant to have Lucia choose her from 2143 all of her friends for the week-end. But she had 2144 been the first friend, after all. 2145 2146 Among the crowds of departing pupils, one 2147 of the senior girls said to Clara Lovel, "If Betty 2148 Lee hadn't stuck herself in to be elected presi- 2149 dent of Lyon yyyyy you would be going home 2150 with Lucia, Clara!" 2151 2152 But Marcella Waite, who happened to be with 2153 the girls, knew the folly of such a statement. 2154 "It isn't just a Lyon "Y" affair, Bess," she said. 2155 "Betty's going to stay the week-end. Her 2156 father is in the Murchison business and he and 2157 Betty met the boat the countess came in on at 2158 New York. Besides, Lucia doesn't need any 2159 one to help her get ready to entertain. They 2160 have all the help they want, butler, maids and 2161 all the rest of it." 2162 2163 "Well, you may be glad you aren't in the 2164 group this year, Marcella," said Clara, "with a 2165 junior for president!" 2166 2167 Of this interchange Betty was blissfully un- 2168 conscious as she was whirled away in the same 2169 dark crimson or wine-colored car that Betty had 2170 first entered on the morning when she accom- 2171 panied the countess and her daughter to school, 2172 at Lucia's entrance there. Leaning back lux- 2173 uriously in the soft seat, by Lucia, Betty dis- 2174 missed all cares of school and lessons for the 2175 time being. It was all planned. She and Lucia 2176 would finish getting Monday's lesson that 2177 night. On Saturday morning they would be 2178 driven down town for shopping and have lunch. 2179 They would get anything necessary for the 2180 afternoon's meeting and return in time for the 2181 arrival of the girls. 2182 2183 After the meeting with the girls, who were 2184 to be served a lovely luncheon, Betty guessed 2185 from Lucia's remarks, there would follow the 2186 visit with Lucia, till Monday morning took 2187 them to school again. What delights might de- 2188 velop Betty could only guess, but in that house 2189 a guest would not be neglected she knew. 2190 2191 Lucia was in fine spirits. No hint of any wor- 2192 ries which she might have could have been 2193 gleaned from anything in her expression or con- 2194 versation. They discussed the last school news 2195 and looked hastily through the copy, just out, 2196 of the school paper. The pictures of the foot- 2197 ball team were prominent with a snapshot of 2198 "Kentucky" on the shoulders of admiring 2199 rooters. Prominent seniors were being written 2200 up and this time Marcella Waite was the choice 2201 of the editors. Her picture was at the top of 2202 the page and below war; a brief resume of Mar- 2203 cella's character and activities. 2204 2205 "This is good," said Lucia, close to Betty as 2206 they read the paper together, as well as they 2207 could for the motion of the car. "Marcella is 2208 the finest girl in the Kappa Upsilon sorority." 2209 2210 "Don't you like Peggy?" queried Betty. 2211 2212 "Oh, yes. Peggy's all right, but Marcella is 2213 older and very fine." 2214 2215 "I think so, too. I suspect that you see a 2216 good deal of Marcella, since you have been to- 2217 gether in the sorority, you know." 2218 2219 "Not so much. Sometimes Marcella scarcely 2220 has time for sorority meetings." 2221 2222 So they chatted till they entered the grounds 2223 of the Murchison place, covered with snow now, 2224 the evergreens, heavy-laden, most beautiful to 2225 behold, and other great trees, tall and bare, out- 2226 lined in black and white with the snow that 2227 clung to their branches. Betty became rather 2228 silent, while Lucia outlined plans and spoke hap- 2229 pily of the fun that she hoped the girls would 2230 have with their sewing and visiting. 2231 2232 Betty was not accustomed to being admitted 2233 by a butler, but demurely followed Lucia up 2234 softly carpeted stairs to Lucia's own room, 2235 where Lucia rang for her maid. Their wraps 2236 were first disposed of and Lucia followed 2237 Betty into the room which was to be hers for 2238 the short visit. "I thought at first," said Lucia, 2239 "that I would rather have another bed put in 2240 my room, Betty, so that we could talk as long as 2241 we wanted to. My bed is one of twin beds and 2242 this is the other one. But then I'm used to 2243 sleeping alone, Mother reminded me; and she 2244 said that probably you were, too, and that we'd 2245 better do this way. I hope that you will like the 2246 room." 2247 2248 "It is a lovely room!" enthusiastically cried 2249 Betty, though with her voice properly subdued. 2250 One could not imagine, Betty thought, that any 2251 one could come in talking as noisily as the Lee 2252 children occasionally found themselves doing in 2253 the sweet liberty of home. Still, their mother 2254 would hush too great a tumult, or their father 2255 would say quietly, "I'm not in Buxton, Dick. I 2256 can easily hear an ordinary tone!" 2257 2258 The maid unpacked Betty's bag and asked if 2259 she should press the dress, confined in the bag 2260 all day. Knowing that the Murchison house was 2261 very warm, Betty had packed, a thin chiffon 2262 dress, while wearing a dress to school, as well, 2263 that was a little better than common. 2264 2265 "That hangs out easily," said Betty, "but it 2266 is just as Lucia says." 2267 2268 "Press it then, Giovanna," said Lucia, and 2269 the maid vanished with the frock. 2270 2271 The girls did a little temporary grooming, 2272 but Lucia said that they would just visit until 2273 time to dress for dinner. The dinner hour, she 2274 said, was any time from seven to eight o'clock, 2275 according to when Mr. Murchison came, or 2276 whether or not they had guests, or what ideas 2277 about it her mother had. The servants had 2278 learned to adjust themselves to some irregu- 2279 larity. "We have a good class of servants," said 2280 Lucia, "and Uncle pays them well, which in- 2281 sures good service as a rule. Giovanna has been 2282 with me a long time and she is like a bit of 2283 home." 2284 2285 "Does your maid like it here?" 2286 2287 "I don't think so, though this year she seems 2288 more resigned and likes to go to the movies. I 2289 let her go evenings sometimes and get myself 2290 to bed." 2291 2292 Betty wondered how it would seem to be 2293 waited on like that, but she was too busy with 2294 her new impressions to do much thinking. "If 2295 you are not too tired, Lucia, we might get out 2296 our Latin or mathematics together, since we are 2297 likely to have so much time before dinner." 2298 2299 That seemed to be a good plan, but while they 2300 made some progress in the lessons, they did 2301 more talking, especially after Lucia hopped up 2302 to bring out a very beautiful doll, which was 2303 to be her contribution. Betty admired quite to 2304 Lucia's satisfaction and Betty did not tell her 2305 that the dolls had been bought, alike, simple but 2306 pretty, and were to be variously dressed ac- 2307 cording to the taste of the girl who dressed 2308 them. At first she thought that she ought to 2309 give Lucia a hint, but she could not bear to spoil 2310 Lucia's interest and she was afraid it would. 2311 Probably Lucia would not bring out the doll 2312 anyway until the rest were started and then she 2313 could use her own judgment. It would turn out 2314 all right. Betty was not one to worry unnec- 2315 essarily. 2316 2317 The girls were still translating when Giovan- 2318 na appeared to lay out their clothing for dinner. 2319 Each was soon occupied with bath and dressing. 2320 It was the second one for Betty that day, for 2321 she had not anticipated this one before dinner. 2322 She chuckled to herself in the tub and wondered 2323 how many Lucia took. 2324 2325 Rosy and fresh, she arrayed herself in clean 2326 garments and her best frock, hoping that she 2327 was "all right" for dinner. Giovanna was busy 2328 with Lucia and looked surprised when she 2329 entered Betty's room to find her all dressed. 2330 She looked critically at Betty's hair, but replied 2331 that it was "very good," when Betty asked her 2332 if there were anything wrong. 2333 2334 "We'll go in to see Mother first," said Lucia, 2335 leading the way to the sitting room where Betty 2336 had been once before, after the famous hike. 2337 The door was closed and Lucia rapped. Countess 2338 Coletti's maid opened the door, to tell them that 2339 the countess was still in the bath and to say 2340 that she had suggested, if the girls were ready 2341 first, a trip upstairs to see "Grandmother." 2342 2343 Lucia nodded without comment and turned 2344 away with Betty. She hesitated. "Mother thinks 2345 I ought to go," she said, "and I suppose she 2346 must mean that I take you. Our special friends 2347 know, Betty, that Grandmother Ferris is -- 2348 queer. She is not my grandmother at all, but 2349 we call her that. She is the mother of Uncle's 2350 wife and she went to pieces in an accident a few 2351 years ago. The doctor says her mind may come 2352 back and she's quite harmless. You might not 2353 notice anything, but I thought I'd better tell 2354 you for fear she says some of the queer things 2355 she does say. She can't bear to go out of these 2356 rooms of hers on the third floor, though we coax 2357 her down to sleep in the hot summer days -- that 2358 is, whoever is here does. Uncle won't insist on 2359 her going to a sanitarium; and so she has a 2360 nurse and a maid too and they take turns stay- 2361 ing with her. I don't know what is going to 2362 happen when Uncle marries again, and my 2363 mother says that he is sure to. That's one 2364 worry in this house, Betty." 2365 2366 Betty nodded soberly. She rather dreaded 2367 going, but if it was Lucia's duty, she surely 2368 could go, too. She had never talked to any one 2369 who was "queer." Perhaps she would not be 2370 obliged to say anything. Lucia had a second 2371 thought, she said, and went to bring the new 2372 doll. This looked not a little like Lucia herself, 2373 with its waving black hair and black eyes, 2374 though its round cheeks and complacent smile 2375 were not a reproduction of Lucia, who was a 2376 little thinner than when she had arrived from 2377 Italy. 2378 2379 "It may amuse Grandmother to see it," said 2380 Lucia, carrying the box which contained the doll. 2381 2382 Up a winding stair they went to a third floor, 2383 as imposing as either the first or second and 2384 with ceilings as high as those of the second. 2385 "There is a little attic over this floor," Lucia 2386 explained, "which makes the floor quite com- 2387 fortable even in the summer. They go up to 2388 keep a current of air passing in the attic and 2389 have to watch that floor in storms, of course, for 2390 Grandmother's rooms would be flooded, per- 2391 haps. It's been rather hard for Uncle to get 2392 good help to look after her properly; but now 2393 he has a nurse that used to be her maid and 2394 likes her." 2395 2396 A door stood open where Lucia stopped. 2397 Betty glanced into a beautifully furnished 2398 sitting room where some one was sitting, ap- 2399 parently dozing in her chair, and a keen-looking 2400 young woman sat sewing nearby. The older 2401 woman started up, though the girls had been 2402 very quiet. "Is that Laura?" she asked. 2403 2404 Betty saw an anxious, lined face, not very 2405 old but having large, troubled eyes with which 2406 she scanned the girls, holding to the arms of 2407 her chair and ready to rise. 2408 2409 "Not this time, Grandmother," replied Lucia 2410 in cheerful tones. I came to show you the doll 2411 that I'm going to dress for Christmas. Some 2412 little girl that doesn't have a doll is going to 2413 get it. The girls of one of my little clubs are 2414 coming here to dress dolls this afternoon and 2415 this is Betty Lee, one of my friends at school." 2416 2417 The wild expression had passed from the 2418 elderly lady's face and she held out her hand 2419 to Betty with a slight smile. Betty quickly 2420 crossed the space between them to take the hand 2421 offered. Oh, the poor, poor lady! Betty knew 2422 that Mrs. Murchison's name was Laura. So she 2423 was expecting her daughter to come. Hadn't 2424 they dared to tell her that she never would 2425 come? 2426 2427 "Let me see the doll, then Lucia," said Mrs. 2428 Ferris, as naturally as any one, but she added, 2429 "I can't see why Laura doesn't come. She hasn't 2430 been in to see me today. But she told me yester- 2431 day that she had to go to some club. Do you 2432 know what it was, Lucia? But you weren't here 2433 then, were you?" 2434 2435 Mrs. Ferris looked troubled again, as if she 2436 were trying to recall events and could not. 2437 "Don't you think you'd better call up and see 2438 if you can find Laura, Bessie? Tell her I want 2439 to see her. Oh, I do want to see Laura so much." 2440 2441 "Of course," soothingly said the nurse, ad- 2442 dressed as Bessie. Mrs. Ferris thought her her 2443 maid as formerly. "Shall I open the box, Miss 2444 Lucia?" 2445 2446 But Lucia was already taking the cover from 2447 the box and disclosing the doll in its tissue 2448 wrappings. "See, Grandmother, it hasn't a 2449 thing to wear. I could have gotten dressed dolls, 2450 but I had to dress this myself -- only I mean 2451 Giovanna to do the sewing!" Lucia made 2452 a comical face at her "grandmother," who 2453 laughed. "That is just like you, Laura. You 2454 were always a hand to get out of work." 2455 2456 Turning to Betty, Mrs. Ferris continued. 2457 "You know, Mary, that I used to do all the 2458 work for Laura and her father and the other 2459 children. That was before Mr. Ferris made so 2460 much money and the children died, all but 2461 Laura. Why, Laura, let me get some of your 2462 little brother's things for this baby. Bessie, 2463 go to the lower drawer in my mahogany high- 2464 boy and get me something to dress this child 2465 with! There is a long white dress there that 2466 Willie was baptized in, and a flannel shirt and 2467 bands and embroidered skirts. Bring every- 2468 thing there is!" 2469 2470 Lucia looked troubled, but Mrs. Ferris had 2471 only a happy expression as she cradled the doll 2472 in her arms. Bessie, who knew that there were 2473 no baby clothes in the highboy, also knew 2474 where they were to be found. "Wait a moment, 2475 Mrs. Ferris," said she, as she slipped out from 2476 the door and flew up to the attic with the key 2477 to a trunk. What a blessing it would be if this 2478 doll would prove a distraction! But one never 2479 could tell. 2480 2481 Lucia glanced around uneasily, but saw, 2482 through a door that stood ajar, that the maid 2483 was moving about there and was within call. 2484 "Do you think the doll pretty, Grandmother!" 2485 she asked. But Mrs. Ferris was now turning 2486 the doll over with a puzzled expression. "Its 2487 hair is so long," she said. 2488 2489 Then Lucia had a bright idea. "Wait till I 2490 get the other doll they sent out," she said, "I 2491 decided to take this one because I think it is 2492 prettier. But perhaps you will like the other 2493 better. It looks like a real baby." 2494 2495 "Oh, yes," said Mrs. Ferris, still puzzled. 2496 2497 "Lina," called Lucia, "come here a minute, 2498 will you?" 2499 2500 The maid who was in the bedroom beyond, 2501 entered at once and needed no direction as she 2502 saw the situation. "I'm going down after 2503 another doll, Lina," said Lucia. "Just wait, 2504 Betty." 2505 2506 "Won't you sit down, Mary?" asked Mrs. 2507 Ferris in a moment, politely indicating a chair. 2508 Lina drew it nearer for Betty, who sat down. 2509 How is your mother, Mary?" continued Mrs. 2510 Ferris. "I intended to get over to see her 2511 yesterday, but the weather was so bad. I don't 2512 like the winter weather." 2513 2514 Betty saw that Mrs. Ferris expected no 2515 answer, but she leaned toward her with a re- 2516 spectful and sympathetic expression on her face. 2517 Lina stood quietly by. Then Bessie entered, her 2518 arms filled with a large pasteboard box, and 2519 Lucia was only a moment or two behind Bessie. 2520 2521 "Here are the things, Mrs. Ferris," said 2522 Bessie, depositing the box on a straight chair 2523 that she drew up for the purpose. "Wait, 2524 Bessie," said the maid, "I'll put up the folding 2525 table." 2526 2527 This was done as Lucia exchanged the one 2528 doll for the other, Mrs. Ferris evidently 2529 approving the change. The second doll was a 2530 baby doll, almost as large as a real baby and 2531 with soft golden hair like Betty's. 2532 2533 "This is the prettier doll," said Mrs. Ferris 2534 quite sensibly. "What made you bring those 2535 clothes here, Bessie? Oh, yes. I told you to." 2536 Again Mrs. Ferris looked puzzled. She con- 2537 sidered the doll. "This looks like Willie. I 2538 believe it is Willie. Poor little thing, with 2539 those cheap clothes on! How did that happen, 2540 Bessie?" 2541 2542 In a low tone Lucia spoke to Lina. "I'll leave 2543 this doll with Grandmother. Perhaps it will 2544 amuse her; shall we go?" 2545 2546 "Slip away without saying anything," Bessie 2547 whispered, edging around by Lucia. "She will 2548 not remember. She is bad today, you see." 2549 2550 It was a great relief to Betty when Lucia 2551 drew her toward the door and out. "Oh, Lucia!" 2552 she said as they passed down the stairway, "I 2553 am so sorry for her! It was so pitiful!" 2554 2555 "Wasn't it! I never saw her like that. 2556 Usually she is just a little queer, but her mind 2557 was all mixed up today. It just about breaks 2558 Uncle's heart to see her, even. She was awfully 2559 good to him and made her will leaving every- 2560 thing to Laura and to him, even in case of 2561 her daughter's death. So that is one reason 2562 that he wants her to be in her own apartment as 2563 long as possible. He can engage people to take 2564 care of her, even if she should be difficult to 2565 manage and then he knows how she is being 2566 treated, you see. Mother has an oversight now, 2567 too; but that and some other things are nearly 2568 wearing Mother's nerves to pieces. That is why 2569 she has so much company and goes so much, 2570 though of course, all her old friends want to 2571 see her, too." 2572 2573 From the sad scene of the third floor Betty 2574 was soon transported to the large dining room 2575 of the Murchison home, where the Countess Co- 2576 letti and a few friends, with Mr. Murchison, the 2577 head of the house, sat about a beautifully ap- 2578 pointed table with its silver, cut glass and china, 2579 its flowers and fragrance. There was cheerful, 2580 even clever conversation into which Betty was 2581 drawn a little at first, as the older guests 2582 politely took an interest in the two girls. But 2583 Lucia and Betty, side by side, carried on a low 2584 conversation, as they found it proper, or 2585 listened with interest to that of their elders. 2586 Betty was impressed with the grace and social 2587 poise of the countess, but did not care very 2588 much for a handsome blonde who sat at Mr. 2589 Murchison's right and whom Lucia said was 2590 "trying to marry Uncle," though that remark 2591 had been made before the party went into the 2592 dining-room. Believed from much necessity of 2593 talking to any one, Betty had plenty of 2594 opportunity to study the people about the table, from 2595 whose voices and conversation she could gather 2596 not a little about their personalities. She could 2597 also thoroughly enjoy the excellent dinner, 2598 served in attractive courses. 2599 2600 The countess sat at the proper hostess end 2601 of the table and at her right was a gentleman 2602 who could not, or possibly did not try to 2603 conceal his rather sentimental interest in the 2604 countess. Of him Lucia, naturally, had not 2605 spoken, but Betty wondered. She knew what 2606 her father would do if anybody would say such 2607 silly things to her mother! Did the countess 2608 like it? Nobody appeared to pay the least bit 2609 of attention to it. So Betty decided that she 2610 would not be shocked. Probably that was the 2611 silly way of some people. 2612 2613 She wished she had the recipe of a wonderful 2614 pudding that melted in your mouth and 2615 preceded an ice-cream confection. A smile of 2616 amusement curled around her mouth at the idea 2617 of asking for a recipe at this distinguished 2618 place; but just then one of the ladies said 2619 something really funny, a clever reply to the 2620 countess, and Betty's smile extended into laughter 2621 with the rest. 2622 2623 At the close of the meal, Lucia led Betty 2624 upstairs again; but they were passed by Mr. 2625 Murchison, who patted Lucia's shoulder as he 2626 went up and said to Betty that he hoped she 2627 would have a pleasant visit. "Make her have 2628 a good time, Lucia," said he, starting up the 2629 second flight. 2630 2631 "I'll try to do so," replied Lucia. 2632 2633 The girls turned into Lucia's room and 2634 changed their frocks for comfortable kimonos. 2635 Had Betty been at home, she would have put on 2636 her thick bath robe; but she had brought her 2637 silk kimono as appropriate to this visit. Lucia's 2638 negligee was a pretty affair, and Lucia 2639 apologized for the absence of the maid by saying 2640 that she would be having her dinner now, she 2641 supposed. Lucia tossed her clothes on a chair 2642 and her bed, for the maid to put away, Betty 2643 supposed; but Betty carried hers into her own 2644 room and hung them carefully in a closet, not 2645 only because she had been taught to do so, for 2646 Betty was no angel or averse to letting things 2647 go at times, but because she wanted her 2648 garments to keep on looking well while she was 2649 here and she did not want to seem to impose 2650 upon the service offered. Betty did not mind 2651 if Lucia thought her a little careful. It was 2652 natural enough, however, though Lucia had told 2653 her to "stay and talk," for Betty to take her 2654 clothes to her own room. Little details are 2655 sometimes disturbing things to settle, but Betty 2656 tried to keep in mind what was most important, 2657 when she had them to settle. 2658 2659 "Uncle always goes up to see Grandmother 2660 Ferris after dinner," said Lucia. "He just excuses 2661 himself from the company when we have 2662 guests. He goes up some other times too, but 2663 always then, before she goes to bed, to see how 2664 she is." 2665 2666 Betty quite approved this, and beamed on 2667 him with such a warm smile when he stopped 2668 afterwards at Lucia's door to look in upon them, 2669 that he thought, "What a nice little girl Lee 2670 has." Lucia had opened her door because it 2671 was too hot in her bedroom; yet to open a 2672 window would bring cold breezes in, she 2673 thought. 2674 2675 "That was a bright idea of yours, Lucia, to 2676 show Grandmother that doll, or both of them. 2677 Bessie was telling me all about it. It seems 2678 that Grandmother is not like herself at all today 2679 and is a little feeble, too. Perhaps the 'flu' she 2680 had last month is having some effect now." 2681 2682 Mr. Murchison stopped to consider a moment, 2683 soberly. 2684 2685 "Bessie says that she has had a wonderful 2686 time dressing that baby doll in the old baby 2687 clothes, and Grandmother herself told me to 2688 speak softly for fear I'd waken 'Willie.' The 2689 doll was in her bed! She was very happy and 2690 sent her love to Laura--" 2691 2692 Here Mr. Murchison broke off and turned 2693 away quickly. 2694 2695 Tears came into Lucia's eyes, but she whisked 2696 them away with the little lace handkerchief 2697 which lay by her on the desk to which they had 2698 drawn their chairs. "Poor Uncle! He couldn't 2699 have said another word without his voice 2700 shaking, I know. But he wanted to tell me. Oh, 2701 Betty, isn't life hard sometimes! I can't study I 2702 Come over here on the _chaise_longue_ and let me 2703 tell you things. I've wanted to for a long time." 2704 2705 2706 2707 2708 2709 2710 Chapter VI 2711 2712 Lucia's Confidences 2713 2714 2715 There was room for the two girls on the 2716 cushions of the silken couch that was rather 2717 broader than the ordinary chaise longue. Golden 2718 hair and dark hair mingled, after Lucia arranged 2719 the cushions and settled down herself 2720 with her head in the curve of Betty's shoulder 2721 and neck. She possessed herself of Betty's hand 2722 and said, "I hope you don't mind these close 2723 quarters." 2724 2725 "I'm as comfy as can be," returned Betty, 2726 giving a squeeze to the slender hand. 2727 2728 "You are such a comfortable person, Betty 2729 Lee, and I don't feel that you are ready to take 2730 up everything a girl says or does to criticize 2731 it. I've been envying Carolyn and Kathryn for 2732 seeing so much of you." 2733 2734 "Why, Lucia!" cried Betty, very much surprised. 2735 "I have time for more than one or two 2736 friends!" 2737 2738 "I know it and that is why I want to talk 2739 to you about things. By the way, Grandmother 2740 called you Mary, I noticed. There was a young 2741 friend of Aunt Laura's, when she was a girl, 2742 by that name -- Uncle said. If Grandmother 2743 could go to sleep by 'Willie' and never wake 2744 up, except in heaven, it would be a blessing. I'm 2745 glad I thought of taking the dolls to her, though 2746 it might have started a good deal of trouble, 2747 too. But she usually takes everything sweetly. 2748 That's the advantage of having a good disposition, 2749 I suppose, if you lose your mind." 2750 2751 "I'm afraid it might not make any difference; 2752 but its worth cultivating anyhow," suggested 2753 sensible Betty. 2754 2755 "'Like sweet bells jangled and out of tune' 2756 Uncle says her mind is, but not 'harsh,' as 2757 Ophelia says of Hamlet. I thought of it when 2758 we were reading Hamlet in English the other 2759 day. But that isn't what I want to talk to you 2760 about. It is what I am going to do about 2761 staying in America -- and that brings in other 2762 things. I hardly know how to begin." 2763 2764 Betty said nothing, but laid her cheek over 2765 against Lucia's soft hair. 2766 2767 "If you only understood Italian, Betty! _Che_ 2768 _peccato!_ That means 'What a pity' -- for I'll 2769 forget myself and want to drop into my natural 2770 tongue when I'm telling about home and my 2771 father and mother. If I forget and say any- 2772 thing that you do not understand, just remind 2773 me, please." 2774 2775 "I wish I did know Italian. Maybe I could 2776 learn to speak it some time." 2777 2778 "It's easy, especially when you know Latin 2779 and French." 2780 2781 This was the introduction to Lucia's story. 2782 She did drop into Italian at times, but caught 2783 herself. Betty missed nothing important. 2784 2785 "You can imagine, Betty, how I dreaded 2786 coming to America to stay when I tell you that 2787 it was at the end of a terrible quarrel between 2788 my father and mother. I do not mean a loud, 2789 awful time, but one of those still, quiet stilletto 2790 exchanges of opinions and decisions. My father 2791 accused my mother of not caring for him. 2792 Mother set her teeth and said that the matter 2793 was of no consequence one way or another be- 2794 cause it was quite clear that he had never cared 2795 for her. And, Betty, both of them love each other 2796 dearly, though I suppose it has gone too far for 2797 anything but one of those dreadful divorces. 2798 This last talk was before me, and I tried to say 2799 something; but both of them told me to keep 2800 quiet. It had to be talked through." 2801 2802 "The point was this. My uncle had begged 2803 her to come for a while, writing her about Aunt 2804 Laura's death and Grandmother's condition 2805 and business worries, and some of her money 2806 is in the business, you know. Then she wanted 2807 to have me in American schools for a while. 2808 Also she was homesick. School was an excuse." 2809 2810 "That would have been an interesting thing 2811 for me if it had not been for the trouble between 2812 my father and my mother. He was tired of 2813 trips to America, he said. Oh, one thing led to 2814 another and they were so far apart it makes 2815 me sick to think about it all. Finally I think 2816 my father told her that if she went to America 2817 to stay any length of time, that is, to stay with 2818 me while I was having what she wanted in 2819 school for me, she need not come back, so far 2820 as he was concerned. And she said she never 2821 would. Betty, my mother packed up and so 2822 did my father; and after the next day -- I've 2823 never seen my father since." 2824 2825 Lucia choked a little, stopped and used the 2826 little handkerchief again. 2827 2828 "Before he married my mother he was interested 2829 in travel and hunting and all that. So 2830 he started right away, for an eastern trip first, 2831 over into India and other countries, and now 2832 he is on an African safari; he wrote me just 2833 before he left Cairo for some other point. I've 2834 heard from him as often as it was possible for 2835 him to write. He does not intend to let me go, 2836 you know. He said she might have her way 2837 for a while with the schools, but that he would 2838 come for me. He never asks how my mother 2839 is, or mentions her at all. But when I write, 2840 I tell him; for I know he wants to know. I tell 2841 him about how well she is and a little bit about 2842 what she is doing. In the last letter I said," 2843 "to keep from being too unhappy and missing 2844 you." 2845 2846 "I casually mention hearing from my father 2847 to my mother and I leave the letter where she 2848 can read it, pretending to take it for granted 2849 that she will read it, of course. But Mother 2850 wouldn't ask for the letters and for a long 2851 time I think she didn't read them, till one day 2852 I wanted to look up something my father said 2853 about what he was doing and I found several 2854 old letters to me lying on Mother's desk. Of 2855 course she had been called somewhere and had 2856 forgotten to take them back to my room. It 2857 did not matter, to be sure, except to keep from 2858 me that she wanted to read them. Do you 2859 think I am very dreadful to tell anybody all 2860 this, Betty? You see I want you to tell me what 2861 else you think I could do." 2862 2863 But Lucia did not wait for Betty's comment. 2864 She went on with the account. 2865 2866 "I'm not going to put up with it, Betty! 2867 I'm going back to my father this summer if 2868 he wants me! I'm putting by enough money 2869 for my fare and passage across, though I think 2870 I could cash a draft from him without their 2871 finding it out. Perhaps that would bring 2872 Mother! I don't know! I've thought and 2873 thought about it until I'm most sick over it 2874 now." Lucia checked a sob. 2875 2876 "You saw that horrid man at the table tonight 2877 and heard the silly compliments he makes to my 2878 mother. She doesn't care a centime for him; 2879 but she's getting so reckless with all this social 2880 stuff that I'm most scared for fear she will start 2881 divorce proceedings." 2882 2883 "Couldn't you talk to your uncle about it?" 2884 asked Betty, who thought it a terrible situation 2885 indeed. "It doesn't seem to me that it would 2886 do for you to just go off, even if your father 2887 does want you." 2888 2889 "I will if my mother is going to leave him. I 2890 almost ran away to keep from coming." Lucia's 2891 voice was defiant. 2892 2893 "Well, then, why don't you write to your 2894 father, tell him that you know your mother loves 2895 him and tell him just to come over and get her!" 2896 2897 Lucia laughed then. "The girls would say 2898 that you are old-fashioned, Betty. Men don't 2899 carry their wives off nowadays." 2900 2901 Betty laughed but asserted that they "ought 2902 to sometimes." "It's their business to take care 2903 of their wives and if their wives are -- mistaken -- to 2904 prove it to them. My father would say, 2905 'Now, dear, this is all a mistake. You come 2906 right along home with me and I'll explain it 2907 to you!'" 2908 2909 "What if she wouldn't go?" 2910 2911 "Then he'd tell her that they must think of 2912 the children first and that two people who 2913 wanted to do the right thing ought to get along 2914 somehow, even if they didn't love each other. 2915 I've heard them both say that, about other 2916 people." 2917 2918 "You asked me if I couldn't talk to my uncle. 2919 I would only that Mother did when we first came 2920 and told him all the cutting things my father 2921 had said. Uncle just raved and was for a 2922 legal separation right away, but my mother saw 2923 she had gone too far and told him that they 2924 would wait. My uncle called him a fortune 2925 hunter; and he thought that about him anyway, 2926 before they were married. They talked about 2927 it that time in Milan." 2928 2929 Betty could imagine what sharp things must 2930 have been said. She was quiet, thinking over 2931 what Lucia had told her and Lucia stopped to 2932 wipe her eyes again. 2933 2934 "Well," she said with a sigh, "it's helped 2935 clear things up, some way, to talk with you, 2936 Betty. I believe I will write and tell my father 2937 to come and 'get her!' I could ask him if neither 2938 of them cared enough about me to try to make 2939 up, and if he wanted to see some other man fall 2940 in love with my mother and try to win her, all 2941 for the want of his making love the way he 2942 can. Oh, you ought to see my father, Betty. 2943 Giovanna says that they fell in love at first 2944 sight because of their looks. And my father 2945 is not a fortune hunter! He hasn't as much 2946 money as my mother has and I suppose that 2947 is one reason why he was so proud about the 2948 whole thing; but he has a good home in Milan. 2949 You'd love it, Betty, and I hope you'll be in 2950 it some day. Oh!" 2951 2952 Now, indeed, Lucia cried in earnest and Betty, 2953 holding her affectionately, let her cry it out. 2954 2955 2956 2957 2958 2959 2960 Chapter VII 2961 2962 Lyon "Y" And A Countess 2963 2964 2965 The door stood a little ajar and Lucia, having 2966 difficulty in stifling her sobs, suddenly rose and 2967 ran toward it, to close it, as Betty guessed. 2968 Lucia had merely pushed it to before they had 2969 cuddled down in the cushions. But as she 2970 grasped the ornate bronze handle, the first notes 2971 of something beautiful sounded upon the piano 2972 below. Lucia stopped, caught her breath as one 2973 does after crying, mopped her eyes again and 2974 stood still to listen. After a sparkling prelude, 2975 a voice began to sing. 2976 2977 Betty sat up at once. "Oh, that lovely voice, 2978 Lucia. Who is it?" Betty had in mind the 2979 ladies who were around that dinner table. This 2980 was a clear soprano voice, haunting and full of 2981 feeling as the song went on. 2982 2983 Lucia turned and softly said, "My Mother." 2984 She waited a few moments and then ran into 2985 her bathroom to bathe her tear-stained face. 2986 But Betty went over to the door to listen till 2987 the song was over. It was nothing that she 2988 knew -- some Italian song, but Betty felt an ache 2989 at her heart. Who was this that could sing 2990 like that? Betty had seen the countess in several 2991 different moods or phases -- that of the 2992 capable traveler, the efficient mother when Lucia 2993 came home after her slight injury upon the 2994 hike, the pleasant, well-poised, gracious hostess 2995 -- now here was something else. 2996 2997 The song was finished. When Betty heard 2998 the voices in conversation again, she closed the 2999 door and went back to where her books were, 3000 looking over her lesson till Lucia came back. 3001 Lucia was smiling and said that it was "all 3002 over." 3003 3004 "I'm not going to be silly and cry again, 3005 Betty, but I shall probably want to talk to you 3006 about this some more. Here are some of my 3007 father's letters. I keep them in my desk, you 3008 see. See how fat they are? He tells me about 3009 the hunts and the going through that queer 3010 country and everything that he thinks would 3011 interest me and help me to learn about it. 3012 Sometimes he puts in little things that I know he 3013 thinks my mother may read." 3014 3015 Betty took in her hands a letter that Lucia 3016 handed her. It was, of course, written in Italian 3017 and very "fat," as Lucia said. "I don't think 3018 that you were silly to cry, Lucia. I don't see 3019 how you can help feeling as you do. Your father 3020 must be a very interesting man and your mother 3021 is certainly a gifted woman." 3022 3023 "Mother was studying music in Milan when 3024 she met my father, you know." 3025 3026 Some slight progress had been made in lessons, 3027 but the girls retired earlier than Betty had 3028 supposed they would, for when the maid came 3029 in after rapping, upon some little errand of 3030 Lucia's clothing, Lucia told her that she was 3031 tired and would go to bed very soon. Betty 3032 was only too glad to do the same thing and the 3033 girls soon said goodnight. In a comfortable 3034 bed, under white blankets and a silken comforter, 3035 as Betty noticed, she soon fell to sleep. 3036 It was nice to have a maid fussing around to 3037 do things for you, to open your window just 3038 the right amount, arranging a little screen of 3039 some sort, to see that your clothing was placed 3040 properly. But maids weren't mothers! 3041 3042 Breakfast the girls had alone, as they rose 3043 earlier than either the countess or Mr. Murchison. 3044 Lucia told Betty that it was unusually 3045 early for her on a Saturday morning, but if 3046 they did "Christmas shopping," they were wise 3047 to have a good start, as the stores would be 3048 full of people. Moreover, the countess herself 3049 would want the chauffeur to drive her down 3050 later in the day. 3051 3052 "Mother will sleep till noon, I suppose," said 3053 Lucia, "because I think everybody stayed late 3054 last night. Uncle will drive his coupe down 3055 town, and we can have Horace and the big car" 3056 all morning. 3057 3058 The plans for shopping were made. Betty 3059 informed Lucia that for a president of Lyon 3060 "Y" she knew little about the usual plans for 3061 Christmas, but that the committee had asked 3062 her to buy certain things. Both girls had also 3063 personal shopping to do and it was like 3064 shopping with a fairy godmother to go with Lucia. 3065 She insisted on paying from her own purse for 3066 the materials Betty had been asked to buy. 3067 She bought half a dozen more dolls because she 3068 thought them "cute." These were dressed. 3069 Betty still felt dubious about what the 3070 committee would think, but after all wouldn't some 3071 "kiddie" love them! 3072 3073 It was a rather delirious morning for Betty. 3074 If she had not had a list, she would have been 3075 too excited to think properly, she said. When 3076 she told Lucia that the Lyon "Y" had adopted 3077 a family and related the story of the 3078 Thanksgiving baskets, Lucia began to buy toys 3079 "regardless," Betty told her. 3080 3081 "Oh, let's make them think old Santa just had 3082 a spill of toys from his old sleigh!" said Lucia, 3083 as happy as Betty, looking into the gayly decked 3084 windows, or descending into the store 3085 basements where the toys were displayed. 3086 3087 Betty had "always" intended to go back to 3088 see what was the result with the "Sevillas," 3089 but there was so much to do at school with 3090 lessons and tests and other duties and at home 3091 in preparation for the holidays that she had 3092 not "had a minute" to spare, it seemed. Her 3093 father was unusually busy, too; and when she 3094 spoke to him about the coincidence of the names 3095 and referred to the odd parenthesis in Ramon 3096 Balinsky's letter, he had only said that it 3097 "might be well to look into it." 3098 3099 The crimson car was pretty well filled with 3100 packages when Lucia had finished her shopping, 3101 for why should they wait to have things 3102 delivered when they wanted to see them right 3103 away? And Lucia sent the car home, telling 3104 Betty that her mother might want it and that 3105 there was no use in keeping Horace waiting 3106 around while they had lunch down town. 3107 3108 Betty assured Lucia that any arrangement 3109 was satisfactory to her, as they entered a pretty 3110 tea room and lingered over their lunch, ordered 3111 by Lucia after consultation with Betty. Chicken 3112 salad and toothsome desserts figured largely in 3113 the order and Betty was sure that she would 3114 want nothing that afternoon; yet Lucia was 3115 serving such a "complete" afternoon tea! But 3116 a few hours make a great difference in young 3117 appetites. 3118 3119 Clothes bothered Betty a little. She hoped 3120 that her frock was proper for an "afternoon 3121 dress;" but she felt sure that many of the girls 3122 would not dress elaborately, in spite of their 3123 coming to a house presided over by a countess. 3124 Some of the girls could not, she knew. 3125 3126 When Miss Street and Miss Hogarth arrived 3127 in pretty but quiet frocks, Betty felt that every- 3128 body would be "all right" for clothes. Lucia 3129 herself must have had ideas on the subject; for 3130 she wore a dress that she had worn to school. 3131 Mathilde and a few of the late joiners, who 3132 had been largely influenced by Lucia's member- 3133 ship, were more or less elaborately dressed; but 3134 clothes ceased to have much part in Betty's 3135 thoughts, as she consulted with Miss Street and 3136 Miss Hogarth and the committee about the 3137 meeting. The countess came in to welcome the 3138 girls and their leaders most cordially. She well 3139 knew that the girls would have felt defrauded 3140 if they had not had a glimpse of her, as Betty 3141 gleaned from some little remark she made to 3142 Lucia. Two sewing machines were in the rear 3143 drawing room and Giovanna and Lina, in pretty 3144 caps and aprons were ready for work. 3145 3146 This arrangement was a surprise to Miss 3147 Street and Miss Hogarth, who thanked the 3148 countess warmly and remarked that they might 3149 have planned to have something beside clothes 3150 for dolls sewed that afternoon if they had 3151 realized what an opportunity it was. To this 3152 Countess Coletti replied that she would be glad 3153 to furnish machines and maids and house room 3154 some other time if the girls were sewing for 3155 the poor. She left the room with pleasant re- 3156 grets and presently Betty heard the car starting 3157 to take her to some engagement or a shopping 3158 tour. 3159 3160 It was a petty scene, with the girls, their 3161 bright expressions and young figures, their 3162 thimbles and sewing bags or boxes, the little 3163 heaps of bright materials or filmy white or laces, 3164 wide or narrow, and dolls of all sorts, either in 3165 the girls' laps or upon the tables. On the walls 3166 above them were several fine reproductions of 3167 famous paintings and an etching or two. Ob- 3168 jects of art had largely been removed from this 3169 room to make place for chairs and folding tables 3170 and the machines. It seemed a pity to drop any 3171 threads or scraps upon that "gorgeous" oriental 3172 rug. 3173 3174 Betty clapped her hands for order. "While 3175 you get ready to begin sewing girls, Miss Street 3176 and Miss Hogarth will tell you what the plans 3177 are. The committee, too, may have some infor- 3178 mation to give you, and I'll call on the chairman 3179 now to speak of them. I am too new as pres- 3180 ident to know much about what the "Y.W." does 3181 at Christmas time, except a few of the results. 3182 I will ask Lilian Norris to explain." 3183 3184 Some of the girls were threading needles and 3185 beginning to sew on edges, or to fit little gar- 3186 ments to their dolls, according to the state of 3187 progress to which the process had arrived. 3188 3189 "I've been talking to Miss Street and Miss 3190 Hogarth, girls, and this is what we are to do. 3191 You know we decided to adopt a family; and 3192 as the Woods family is such a nice one and 3193 needs everything so badly, our leader thinks we 3194 might as well take them. Please put it to vote, 3195 Betty, and then I'll tell the rest." 3196 3197 Betty, widely smiling at Lilian's business-like 3198 methods, put the question, with a unanimous 3199 "Aye" as the result. 3200 3201 "That is good," said Lilian. "We filled two 3202 baskets as it happened, at Thanksgiving, and 3203 we were told that both of them 'went to the 3204 spot.' Miss Hogarth called afterwards, but the 3205 Sevillas, who were the other people, very proud 3206 and not asking for any help, had moved; and 3207 the Woods lady did not know where they had 3208 gone." 3209 3210 At this Betty had a pang. Suppose they 3211 were connected with Ramon -- and she had 3212 neither gone to ask them nor written to him! 3213 That was the way a body perhaps missed a 3214 big opportunity. 3215 3216 But Lilian was still speaking. "I think, girls, 3217 that we should be very careful, too, about what 3218 we say about our family. They are like us in 3219 wanting to be independent and because they 3220 haven't the good luck we have, there is no need 3221 of rubbing it in by telling everybody about them 3222 or what we do. Let's have a little sympathy" 3223 and delicacy! 3224 3225 "And now I'll tell about the dolls. As you 3226 know, we bought some just alike and passed 3227 them around to be dressed, each girl paying, 3228 however, for her own doll. But then we had the 3229 membership drive and a lot of new members 3230 and we decided, that is, the committee did, that 3231 everybody could select her own doll. And these 3232 are not to be sent out with baskets, girls. They 3233 are to be for the Toy Shop that we are going 3234 to have at the yyyyy and sold. There is to be a 3235 prize given for the best-dressed and the prettiest 3236 doll in the show -- I forgot to say that we're 3237 going to have big Christmas doings at the 3238 gets the prize for the prettiest doll and the 3239 foxiest booth! The prize is just some decor- 3240 ation or something in the way of an honor, you 3241 know. I think that is all, Madam President." 3242 3243 Betty, who was very glad of this explanation, 3244 which corrected her own ideas about the dolls, 3245 called on the two leaders to ask if they had 3246 anything to tell the girls. Both of them con- 3247 firmed Lilian's statements and urged the girls 3248 to make this the most beautiful Christmas they 3249 had ever had, for themselves and for others, 3250 with their thoughts on higher motives than 3251 merely what material things they could get for 3252 themselves. Miss Hogarth asked for the names 3253 of those who were willing to take part in the 3254 carols and those who could furnish machines. 3255 Lucia's hand went up to both questions and 3256 Betty felt a little warmth about her heart to 3257 see how sweet Lucia's face had grown as she 3258 listened to Miss Hogarth's brief references to 3259 the higher ideals. Perhaps trouble was not so 3260 bad for Lucia after all. And it all must turn 3261 out right for her! 3262 3263 The rest of the afternoon was a jumble of 3264 visiting and sewing. The presence of the maids 3265 and the machines called for more efficiency than 3266 probably would have been shown in an ordinary 3267 meeting. Fingers flew. The committee and 3268 Miss Street measured and cut out little gar- 3269 ments from the "dearest" little doll patterns, 3270 bought that morning by Lucia and Betty, who 3271 risked sizes and thought that Giovanna, at least, 3272 could reduce or enlarge when necessary. The 3273 machines hummed away and the two maids 3274 seemed to have as much fun as anybody, par- 3275 ticularly as Lucia treated them "just like 3276 family," according to Mathilde, who was 3277 properly shocked. Mathilde, while "sweet as 3278 sugar" to Lucia, according to Dotty Bradshaw, 3279 could say some very funny things about her. 3280 "I wouldn't care for such a friend," said Dotty. 3281 3282 Betty had dropped down by Dotty, who 3283 wanted to know whether she thought a certain 3284 scrap of pretty lace would make a good finish 3285 for the neck of the doll dress she was making, 3286 or whether a little embroidered collar would be 3287 more suitable to the pattern. Betty gave her 3288 opinion on this weighty question and then Dotty 3289 informed her that Mathilde was "going to ask 3290 her if Lucia's father and mother were going to 3291 get a divorce." 3292 3293 "I thought I'd better warn you, Betty," said 3294 Dotty, "I thought Mathilde chose a funny place 3295 to talk about it -- Lucia's own house." 3296 3297 Betty smiled. Could Dotty be curious, too? 3298 "Thanks, Dotty. Yes, it isn't usually done, 3299 talking about your hostess -- or talking about 3300 people who have just been entertaining you. If 3301 I knew, I should scarcely give any information 3302 to Mathilde or anybody else. I'm having such 3303 a lovely visit and I'm sure the more we know 3304 Lucia the better we'll like her. And isn't it 3305 great of Countess Coletti to take such an in- 3306 terest in 'good works?' Oh, yes, Selma, I'll 3307 bring you that pattern in just a minute. I think 3308 Peggy Pollard is using it now." 3309 3310 Betty did not try to do any sewing herself. 3311 She would finish her doll at home. But Lucia, 3312 whose doll had not been brought downstairs, 3313 came to ask her if she should display it. 3314 3315 "I'm afraid the girls will think I'm trying to 3316 show off if I do, but several of them have asked 3317 me where my doll is and I had to tell them I 3318 had one. I shouldn't have gotten such an -- 3319 elaborate one, I suppose; but I did not think 3320 and I always choose what I think is the 3321 prettiest. What do you think, Betty?" 3322 3323 "I think that you must decide for yourself, 3324 Lucia. It does seem a perfect shame that they 3325 should not see that pretty thing!" 3326 3327 Lucia looked thoughtful and disappeared 3328 from the room for a short time. But Betty noted 3329 on her return that she was not carrying the 3330 doll; and at her first opportunity Lucia ex- 3331 plained. "I did think that perhaps I would 3332 bring it down. Giovanna is going to dress it 3333 for me -- or was. But just as I had it out of its 3334 box Bessie came running down from upstairs 3335 and said that Grandmother Ferris had asked 3336 about it. She had 'Willie' but where did 3337 'Josie' go? Josie was another of her children 3338 that died. Isn't it pitiful? So I just sent Bessie 3339 back with the other doll and I hope that they 3340 are having a quiet time putting baby clothes 3341 on it. I'll send Lina up as soon as we serve. 3342 I think it would be nice to have some of the 3343 girls serve and do it myself, don't you?" 3344 3345 "Yes, I do, Lucia," emphatically answered 3346 Betty. "How is the grandmother today?" 3347 3348 "Just as quiet and happy as can be most of 3349 the time, Bessie says, only awfully bewildered. 3350 Help me choose the girls, Betty." 3351 3352 Betty shook her head in the negative, and 3353 with a smile advised Lucia to choose the girls 3354 that would care most about it. 3355 3356 Lucia gave Betty a bright glance and laughed. 3357 Mathilde and two of her friends were among 3358 the first asked, Betty saw. She was not needed 3359 herself and helped to gather up the precious 3360 materials and scraps, distributing them to one 3361 and another of the girls. Thimbles were put 3362 away and sewing bags laid upon the tables while 3363 the conversation did not wane. The girls 3364 selected by Lucia to help her were chiefly for 3365 ornament; for Mathilde sat at the decorated 3366 table in the dining room, to pour chocolate from 3367 a silver urn, and the other girls passed the first 3368 plates and then sat down, with the rest about 3369 the room, to enjoy their own. The careful butler 3370 and several maids appeared to do the rest of 3371 it, though Lucia and the other girls passed cakes 3372 from pretty containers on the table, for a second 3373 time. It was all most delightful and from 3374 Lucia's standpoint very informal. 3375 3376 The countess came home early and was again 3377 gracious enough to appear and speed the 3378 parting guests, standing by Lucia as the girls 3379 thanked her for their good time as well as for 3380 her help to the group. "We are certainly de- 3381 lighted, Lucia," said Lilian Norris, "that you 3382 have come into Lyon 'Y' and hope you'll not 3383 regret it. We'll not ask too much of you. This 3384 has been wonderful." 3385 3386 "It does not hurt any of us, my dear," said 3387 Countess Coletti, "to try to help a little." 3388 3389 3390 3391 3392 3393 3394 Chapter VIII 3395 3396 Doris Needs A Sister 3397 3398 3399 It seemed a very natural thing that Betty 3400 should accompany Countess Coletti and Lucia 3401 to church. Mr. Murchison came in later, Horace 3402 having returned for him, Betty supposed. Like 3403 a little mouse Betty sat quietly between the 3404 countess and Lucia to listen to the service. 3405 Mathilde Finn, whose church membership was 3406 unknown to Betty, sat a few seats in the rear 3407 and Betty hoped that Mathilde was not too 3408 jealous or that she herself would not appear too 3409 complacent over her entertainment. With some 3410 of the girls as they were, about notice from the 3411 "nobility," it was impossible not to feel self-~ 3412 conscious at times. But Betty had none of that 3413 toadying quality in her and was rather inclined 3414 to the other extreme, of letting the "society" 3415 people go more than their half way if they 3416 wanted her company. She knew the sort of 3417 people her father and mother admired and num- 3418 bered among their friends, people who were in 3419 character and ideals, and it must be confessed 3420 that Betty liked "folks that were smart!" By 3421 that Betty meant those who had certain 3422 qualities of mind, irrespective of clothes, or 3423 money, or, indeed, opportunity; for leaders do 3424 not always come out of the schools and colleges. 3425 3426 At first Betty could not sing the hymns for 3427 listening to the countess. But she soon piped 3428 away, sweetly, too, in a sort of duet with Lucia, 3429 whose voice was contralto. "I'll sing with you 3430 when we go carolling," whispered Lucia, with 3431 a bright glance, as she took the hymn-book 3432 which they had been sharing. 3433 3434 Betty was ashamed to think afterwards how 3435 little of the sermon she heard, after the first of 3436 it. The preacher was a little prosy compared 3437 to her own pastor; and Betty's thoughts would 3438 wander to what Lucia had told her, to Count 3439 and Countess Coletti, and with a remorseful 3440 feeling to the "Sevillas," who had moved with- 3441 out her knowledge. One moment she felt that 3442 it made no difference and that they probably 3443 were not in the least connected with Ramon; 3444 the next minute she was sure that they were 3445 related and had something to do with the mys- 3446 tery that surrounded the "Don." 3447 3448 She thought of various things that Lucia 3449 could do, to bring her father -- and knew that 3450 she could do none of them. But finally the 3451 response and the words of the Scripture, quoted 3452 or read by the minister, or held in the messages 3453 of the Christmas hymns that had been chosen, 3454 had their effect on Betty. It would all come 3455 right. Why not take it all to the heavenly 3456 Father in prayer, as the preacher suggested, 3457 and leave it there, so far as worry was con- 3458 cerned? 3459 3460 That afternoon Betty went up with Lucia to 3461 see Grandmother Ferris again, at Countess 3462 Coletti's suggestion. "She asked for 'Mary' 3463 this morning," said the countess. The girls 3464 found Mrs. Ferris in bed, the two dolls in a 3465 light single bed not far away. 3466 3467 She looked very white and weak, but held 3468 out a welcoming hand. Then she put her finger 3469 to her lips to caution them. "Speak gently," 3470 said she. "'Willie' and 'Josie' have just gone 3471 to sleep. She called Betty Mary again and 3472 spoke of her hair. Mary, you always had such 3473 pretty hair!" 3474 3475 The girls remained only a short time and 3476 Lucia had tears in her eyes as they went out 3477 into the hall. "It's a good thing that I happened 3478 to join the Lyon 'Y'," said Lucia, "and bought 3479 those dolls." 3480 3481 "I wonder if things just 'happen,'" suggested 3482 Betty. 3483 3484 The crimson car deposited Betty, with her 3485 baggage, at the Lee home, late in the afternoon. 3486 Doris, in a fine humor, was just helping her 3487 mother set out their light Sunday evening 3488 supper. Betty had wondered how Doris would 3489 be and had determined not to do any "raving" 3490 about her good time, for fear Doris might think 3491 she was "crowing" or "gloating" over it; for 3492 Doris was a little difficult at times; and it was 3493 not unnatural that she should wish to share her 3494 elder sister's happy times. But Doris herself 3495 asked to hear "all about the life of the nobility." 3496 3497 "I suppose you had a gorgeous time, Betty," 3498 said she. 3499 3500 "Oh, yes, and so many girls came Saturday 3501 afternoon and we're having the prettiest dolls 3502 fixed for the Toy Show. I can scarcely tell you 3503 fast enough. When we sit down at the table, 3504 I can tell all the details you'd like to know." 3505 3506 But Doris was full of her own plans and told 3507 Betty how her mother was letting her "stay all 3508 night" with Stacia Barnett, a recent friend, 3509 whom Doris was admiring at present with all 3510 her freshman heart. There was to be a fresh- 3511 man party that afternoon, a Christmas party, 3512 near the Barnett home; so Doris was to go 3513 home with Stacia and stay that Friday night 3514 and perhaps over Sunday, the Sunday before 3515 Christmas. "I am going carolling, too," said 3516 Doris. 3517 3518 "That is fine," said Betty, though she did not 3519 admire Stacia particularly and wondered at the 3520 choice of Doris in being as intimate as the two 3521 girls were at present. Doris rattled on, to 3522 Betty's relief, and Betty's experience was put 3523 into the background, which was just as well. 3524 3525 Later Mrs. Lee came to Betty to ask her what 3526 she thought about her permitting Doris to go 3527 with Stacia for such a visit. "Doris tells me 3528 that Stacia is such a fine girl; and you were not 3529 here to tell me anything about her." Mrs. Lee 3530 looked thoughtful. "You know I do not approve 3531 of week-end visits as a rule, except with older 3532 girls. But Doris was so insistent and reminded 3533 me that you were having 'everything you 3534 wanted' -- so for the sake of peace I yielded. I 3535 always want you children to do what you want 3536 to do, if it is good for you." 3537 3538 "I know you do, and you're the dearest 3539 mother in the world!" warmly said Betty, giving 3540 her mother a hug. They were sitting on the 3541 edge of Betty's bed for a mother and daughter 3542 chat. 3543 3544 "I don't believe there is any harm in letting 3545 Doris go, Mother. So far as I know, Stacia is 3546 all right. She puts a good deal of color on her 3547 face sometimes; but some nice girls do, and the 3548 freshmen have to try everything, you know. We 3549 can trust Doris to have a little sense, I suppose." 3550 3551 "I'm not so sure," smiled Mrs. Lee. "Doris 3552 is getting a little heady of late. Keep an eye 3553 on her at school, Betty. Doris is a lovely child 3554 and I want her to have helpful companions, not 3555 the kind that she has to help." 3556 3557 Betty laughed at that and went on to tell her 3558 mother about Grandmother Ferris and the dolls 3559 and how good Mr. Murchison was to her. "That 3560 is something that I thought Father would like 3561 to know about the head of the firm," finished 3562 Betty. 3563 3564 Perhaps it was because Betty had in mind 3565 her mother's injunction that she happened to 3566 see Doris and Stacia in one of the halls at 3567 school as she passed from one class to another. 3568 3569 Doris, seeing Betty, hastened to turn her face 3570 in another direction and stepped behind Stacia. 3571 But Betty had already seen that the bright and 3572 attractive face of her younger sister Was just 3573 a little too bright, with a stain of color high 3574 on her cheeks and a red on her lips that could 3575 only be from lipstick. 3576 3577 "Silly little piece!" thought Betty. "She's 3578 trying to ape Stacia!" And at home that after- 3579 noon, she remarked to Doris, "Someone couldn't 3580 see me in the hall this morning." She gave 3581 Doris a meaning look as she said this, but her 3582 lips were pursed in an amused smile. 3583 3584 Doris flushed. The applied color had been 3585 washed from her face before her appearance at 3586 home. "I saw you taking me in," she pertly 3587 said. "Don't you tell mother, Betty. There isn't 3588 anything wicked about 'make-up.'" 3589 3590 "Is that what Stacia calls it?" asked Betty. 3591 "No, I don't suppose there is anything wrong; 3592 Mother never said no. It's Father and Dick 3593 that say they'll 'wash our faces' if they ever 3594 see us with any on. All the same, Mother 3595 doesn't like it." 3596 3597 "If you didn't have any more natural color 3598 than Stacia has, you'd use it too, Betty Lee!" 3599 cried Doris, still on the defensive, though Betty 3600 had made no threat whatever. 3601 3602 "I wonder," said Betty. "Honestly, Doris, I 3603 always feel that I want people to like the real 3604 me, not any painted up face. But I'll not speak 3605 of it to' Mother. I know you want to have your 3606 week-end and so far as I know Stacia is a good 3607 enough girl." 3608 3609 This speech seemed to annoy Doris still 3610 further. 3611 3612 "Oh, you think you're so smart because 3613 you're a junior! Mother has promised and I'd 3614 have my week-end anyhow. I'd just a little 3615 rather you wouldn't tell Mother. I don't know 3616 that I like lipstick myself. But it's my own 3617 affair!" 3618 3619 "Yes," said Betty, "and those things are be- 3620 tween you and Mother, Doris. Still, you 3621 shouldn't let Mother be in the dark about your 3622 friends. Have a good time and tell her all about 3623 it -- is my advice." 3624 3625 "I'm not asking for advice, thank you." 3626 3627 This rebellion and withdrawing from confi- 3628 dence on the part of Doris was a surprise to 3629 Betty, who realized now that she might have 3630 seen it coming. Perhaps she had been too much 3631 absorbed in her own affairs, and with her own 3632 friends. She must see more of her at school, 3633 possibly. Since helping her start her freshman 3634 year, she had gone on "her own way rejoicing," 3635 Betty acknowledged to herself. She had Caro- 3636 lyn and Kathryn and she wondered if she 3637 had shut Doris out too much. That must be 3638 changed, provided she could change it now. She 3639 wasn't going to play the part of mentor. It 3640 was for her mother to rebuke, or manage, and 3641 it would be a delicate proposition to carry out 3642 her mother's injunction to "keep an eye" on 3643 Doris. 3644 3645 Betty was a little puzzled, but the push and 3646 stir of her own life with the hard lessons and 3647 all the "extras," as she told the family, she 3648 hardly had time to breathe! She came through 3649 some examinations on Friday, prepared Mon- 3650 day's lessons on Saturday, went to Sunday 3651 school and church on Sunday and helped get the 3652 family dinner. Then she declared that she was 3653 a wreck and curled up on her bed, under a warm 3654 extra blanket, for a nap. 3655 3656 She had scarcely more than dozed off, she 3657 thought, though she found afterwards that she 3658 had been sleeping for two hours, when she heard 3659 a gay voice and some one coming down the hall; 3660 and here was Doris, coming in to put Betty's 3661 over-night bag, borrowed for the occasion, down 3662 on the floor with a bump, and a voice none too 3663 gracious exclaim, "You here, Betty? I thought 3664 I was going to get a rest by myself!" 3665 3666 "You shall," answered Betty, springing up, 3667 thoroughly awake now and looking at her watch. 3668 "I thought you weren't coming home till to- 3669 night." 3670 3671 "I wasn't," said Doris, banging the door shut. 3672 Betty winced and wondered if Mrs. Lee would 3673 not reprove Doris for that. But wise Mrs. Lee 3674 had seen the storm behind the gay manner and 3675 jolly greeting with which Doris had favored her 3676 and her father on her entrance. There was a 3677 sudden change now. 3678 3679 "I couldn't stand it any longer, Betty," said 3680 Doris. "I told Mother just now that I had a 3681 little headache from too much candy and that 3682 is the truth, but not all of it. I haven't slept a 3683 wink, I do believe, and I'm about dead!" 3684 3685 Betty was off the bed by this time, helping 3686 Doris take off her coat and taking her hat from 3687 her hand. "You poor little thing! Let me get 3688 you into bed! How about some peppermint and 3689 soda or some milk of magnesia for the indi- 3690 gestion?" Betty half laughed as she asked this, 3691 and Doris laughed too, but quaveringly, and all 3692 at once she put her head on Betty's shoulder 3693 and sobbed. "Mrs. Barnett gave me an aspirin 3694 for my head. I hated to take it for I never 3695 took one before and it made me feel awfully 3696 funny for a while. But I had to make some 3697 excuse for coming home and my head did ache, 3698 though not so terribly. They were just as kind 3699 as could be, or meant to be and I'll never tell 3700 anybody but you all about it." 3701 3702 Doris said all this in jerks as she sat on the 3703 bed, half crying into her handkerchief and let- 3704 ting Betty draw off her shoes and stockings. 3705 Only a week before Betty had had another ex- 3706 perience with tears, at Lucia's. It made her 3707 feel happier than she had been then, to know 3708 that her prickly little sister was returning to the 3709 state of confidences. 3710 3711 "I can't imagine, Doris, but the thing for you 3712 to do is to get to sleep. I'm going to fix some- 3713 thing warm for you to drink first." 3714 3715 "No, don't. Get me the peppermint and that 3716 will fix me, and don't let Mother know that I'm 3717 so dead!" 3718 3719 Usually Mother would have been the first to 3720 console, but Doris was sensitive. When Betty 3721 appeared in the living room, Mrs. Lee asked how 3722 Doris was feeling. "There is something the 3723 matter, but I thought that you might handle it." 3724 3725 "Doris thinks that she hasn't slept a wink, 3726 Mother. She probably has, for I thought I 3727 hadn't slept and found that I had been asleep 3728 two hours. Doris says that they were very kind 3729 but she seems all tired out and I just helped 3730 her off with her clothes so that she could really 3731 go to bed. Don't you worry. If she wakes up 3732 and wants something to eat in the night, I'll get 3733 it for her!" 3734 3735 Mrs. Lee gave Betty an amused look and said, 3736 "Good child. I think you may have to give Doris 3737 a little more of your time, Betty." 3738 3739 "I've just been wondering about that myself, 3740 Mother. I'm sorry." 3741 3742 Little by little Doris told Betty about her 3743 visit. There had been a very pleasant party on 3744 Friday to which Doris had gone directly from 3745 home. Then came the evening with Stacia's 3746 family, all kind and pleasant, Doris said, but 3747 "different." Stacia's mother and big sisters 3748 smoked cigarettes and Stacia "smoked some" 3749 before they went to bed and "didn't put up 3750 the window; said it was too cold." 3751 3752 "If you think Stacia paints, you ought to see 3753 her sisters, and her mother, too. They are all 3754 what Stacia calls modern, you know. I liked it 3755 at first and they are good folks, Betty -- at least 3756 Stacia's mother and father are. I don't know 3757 about her sisters, or her brother" 3758 3759 "Well, the radio went all evening and we had 3760 to yell to talk above it. I was too polite at 3761 first to talk at all, but I had to. It kept on go- 3762 ing for the late programs and with that and 3763 the smoke in the whole house and no window up, 3764 I couldn't sleep a mite" 3765 3766 "I felt better in the morning and we went 3767 down town to do Christmas shopping. Stacia 3768 showed me a lovely shop and I got something 3769 nice for Mother. You mustn't look in your bag, 3770 yet, though, for there's something there for you, 3771 too. We had a grand lunch, and then, in the 3772 afternoon, Stacia had a little party for me. That 3773 is why I can never say a word about all this. 3774 They were so good to me! I'm going to give 3775 Stacia something nice for Christmas -- wouldn't 3776 you?" 3777 3778 "Yes, I would," gently said Betty. 3779 3780 "That night at supper, dinner, I mean, they" 3781 had wine, I'm sure. They did not say what it 3782 was, but it was in a wine glass and I tasted it 3783 and it was terribly bitter. I don't see how any- 3784 body likes the stuff. Jim -- that's Stacia's 3785 brother and such a handsome, dear sort of boy, 3786 about eighteen, I imagine -- Jim drank a lot of 3787 it, till his father said real low, 'That's enough, 3788 Jim.' 3789 3790 "Then they took me to a moving picture, not 3791 down town, but in the suburb, you know. And 3792 we stayed up awfully late with the radio again 3793 and this time some more wine, only I didn't 3794 take any, only cake. Stacia urged me to try one 3795 of her sister's cigarettes. I believe they don't 3796 want Stacia to smoke yet, so she didn't do it 3797 until we went upstairs. It made me cough just 3798 to smell all the smoke, so I said 'no, thank you, 3799 Stacia,' and got undressed. And then--" Doris 3800 lowered her voice -- "about two o'clock, I think, 3801 somebody came stumbling up the stairs, and 3802 somebody was talking to him, and helping him, 3803 I think. Stacia woke up and sat up in bed. We 3804 could see a little, for there was a light in the 3805 hall. She saw I was awake and I sat up, too." 3806 3807 "Then she said, 'Oh, that's just Jim, coming 3808 home drunk as usual.' And she lay down again 3809 and went right to sleep! My -- I'd never go 3810 right to sleep if it were Dick! And I've al- 3811 ready asked Stacia to come here some time for 3812 a week-end! What shall I do about it?" 3813 3814 "Have her. Mother will like to do it for you. 3815 You needn't tell her a thing, but Mother will 3816 see some things for herself, you know. We'll 3817 give Stacia our kind of a good time and your 3818 debt will be paid. And you can keep on being 3819 nice to her at school, I should think, Doris. It's 3820 easy enough to have other friends and stop be- 3821 ing intimate without dropping anybody with a 3822 jolt. That wouldn't be kind." 3823 3824 "My, Betty, I'm glad you are my sister! I 3825 was afraid you'd want me not to have anything 3826 more to do with Stacia, and Stacia likes me." 3827 3828 "Perhaps you can be a good influence, Doris; 3829 but it isn't very good for you to make such a 3830 close friend of Stacia. I'm sure you will 'use 3831 good judgment about it,' as Mother always 3832 says." 3833 3834 "My, I'm glad I belong to this family. But 3835 Stacia will think us 'slow.' That's her word." 3836 3837 "We'll have a party for her and do so many 3838 nice things that she will think being 'slow' is 3839 the finest thing in the world! Now let's talk 3840 about Christmas presents." 3841 3842 3843 3844 3845 3846 3847 Chapter IX 3848 3849 Mysteries, Preparations And A "Trade-Last" 3850 3851 3852 It was characteristic of Betty's rushing life, 3853 a life she loved, by the way, that she should be 3854 whisked from Lucia's woes and the glimpse of 3855 life at the Murchison home to the problems of 3856 Doris, in her own well ordered home, and then 3857 to the pushing program of school, with the last 3858 Christmas preparations. Plenty of sleep at 3859 night, on which Betty's parents insisted as a 3860 rule, gave Betty energy for every day's full pro- 3861 gram. 3862 3863 There is no time so full of joyous anticipa- 3864 tions, merriment and human kindness as that 3865 just before Christmas. Temporarily Betty was 3866 in charge of a Sunday school class of children, 3867 little girls whose teacher was ill. These she 3868 was teaching Luke's beautiful Christmas story 3869 and to sing out sweetly "It came upon the mid- 3870 night clear, That glorious song of old," for they 3871 were to sing that in their Christmas celebration. 3872 Betty herself was to be an angel in the Christ- 3873 mas pageant at the church and had finally a 3874 minor part in the Christmas play at the high 3875 school. 3876 3877 "Oh, yes, Carolyn," said she one morning at 3878 school, "having nothing to do, I thought I'd take 3879 on a few more things to practice for! But how 3880 can you refuse when it's all so lovely?" 3881 3882 There were pleasing mysteries at home, pack- 3883 ages whisked out of the way and a pretense of 3884 not knowing what was perfectly obvious. Of 3885 course, teachers had to give a few last tests to 3886 make life more complicated, but when Dick and 3887 Doris crossly complained of one Mrs. Lee called 3888 their attention to the fact that after all the main 3889 thing required of teachers was to have their 3890 pupils accomplish the required work within cer- 3891 tain time limits. 3892 3893 "Oh, I suppose they have to," Doris acknowl- 3894 edged, "but who feels like studying now?" 3895 3896 And Betty, who always felt that she was ex- 3897 pected to be an example, fully sympathized with 3898 both Dick and Doris, though her only response 3899 was a laugh and a few giddy gym steps per- 3900 formed in the dining room just before she left it 3901 to rush to school. 3902 3903 There was generous giving toward the Christ- 3904 mas baskets in Christmas week. The teachers' 3905 room, to which contributions this time were 3906 brought, had a corner full to overflowing with 3907 packages and cans. The Lyon "Y" basket for the 3908 adopted family would have to be a bushel basket 3909 this time and more than a Christmas dinner 3910 would be provided. The display itself was a 3911 good reminder and advertisement of kind things 3912 afoot. "Oh, yes; I almost forgot that I was to 3913 bring a little sack of flour," one girl said; and 3914 a boy, who, naturally, did not belong to the 3915 Lyon "Y" put his hand in his pocket to draw 3916 out a quarter and say, "Here, Betty Lee; 3917 aren't you president of that crowd?" as he 3918 waved his hand toward the heap of supplies. 3919 "Get some candy for the kids. Got a quarter, 3920 Tom?" And thus Betty added two quarters to 3921 the little fund of money. But she did not know 3922 that the boy who gave the first quarter had only 3923 ten cents left for his lunch. But ten cents would 3924 buy something and the feeling of having done 3925 something for some one else is a warming one. 3926 3927 This time Chet Dorrance, Chauncey Allen, 3928 Kathryn Allen and Betty Lee were the only 3929 ones who were on hand to deliver the Christmas 3930 basket. "How'll we ever get everything up- 3931 stairs?" laughingly asked Betty, viewing the car 3932 after everything was stowed away. "There 3933 won't be anybody to watch the car, for we'll all 3934 have to carry something." 3935 3936 "Don't worry till we get there, Betty," Chet 3937 advised. "You just leave all the carrying to 3938 Chauncey and me." 3939 3940 "Not a bit of it!" cried Kathryn. "We want 3941 to see those little Woods kiddies. Moreover, 3942 cars do lock, Betty." 3943 3944 "We know where to find them this time any- 3945 how," said Betty. 3946 3947 Again the Allen car wound round the Lyon 3948 High drives out upon the wide thoroughfare, 3949 making its way down town and out to the dis- 3950 trict whose buildings and surroundings made it 3951 very clear that poverty marked its inhabitants. 3952 3953 The hall which the young people reached after 3954 climbing the two flights of rickety stairs gave 3955 some evidence of having been cleaned and there 3956 was a rush to the door by young feet, they could 3957 hear, after the knock which Kathryn gave. 3958 3959 The door was flung open and grins of pleasure 3960 welcomed the high school representatives. "We 3961 saw you come and Mother said we could open 3962 the door," said the eldest, her eyes big at the 3963 array of what had been brought. "Oh, Mother, 3964 come! There's a bushel basket and lots of 3965 things!" 3966 3967 "Merry Christmas," said Betty, smiling at 3968 everybody, as she looked past the children at 3969 Mrs. Woods, who again appeared with a sleepy 3970 baby that she placed upon the bed. The room, 3971 in expectation of the guests, had been cleaned 3972 as carefully as possible and Mrs. Woods looked 3973 as if there was some hope in living now. She 3974 was being helped over the hard place. 3975 3976 "No, thanks, we can't stay," continued Betty, 3977 at the invitation to come in. "We have to get 3978 back." With this she handed Mrs. Woods the 3979 small basket she carried and Kathryn put into 3980 the hands of the older girl a package she was 3981 holding. Chet and Chauncey lugged in the 3982 bushel basket. "Don't let the children see what's 3983 in the little basket till Christmas morning, Mrs. 3984 Woods," said Betty with an air of mystery; 3985 and one of the children jumped up and down 3986 at that happy suggestion. 3987 3988 Tears came into Mrs. Woods' eyes. "May 3989 God bless you all," said she. "And there is a 3990 chance that lie may get work the first of the 3991 year, steady work, I mean. He's out in one of 3992 the suburbs now, putting coal in for a man." 3993 3994 "Oh, tell me, Mrs. Woods, about the Sevillas," 3995 suddenly said Kathryn, more or less embar- 3996 rassed by Mrs. Woods' fervent thanks, to which 3997 Betty was responding with the wish that every- 3998 thing would "come right" for them. 3999 4000 "Yes, -- sure enough. Why the old lady was 4001 well pleased to be remembered with a Thanks- 4002 giving gift and Rosie did not mind as much as 4003 I thought she would. You see it was too late to 4004 do anything about it and Rosie was worried 4005 about her old mother, too. I guess all they 4006 needed was something to eat." 4007 4008 "But all at once one morning Rosie came up 4009 to say goodbye and they were moving. Some 4010 way or other they had got a new trunk and 4011 that and some old grips were all that went out. 4012 She brought up a few things she was leaving be- 4013 hind. I couldn't make out just where they were 4014 going from what Rosie said. She didn't seem 4015 to want to tell me anything. I ran down to tell 4016 the old lady goodbye; and when Rosie was 4017 having the trunk taken out, she said that Rosie 4018 was frightened and she didn't know where they 4019 were going, and Rosie didn't want anybody to 4020 know. They were going to the station from 4021 here, but she thought they would stay in the 4022 city. Anyhow that was what I made out from 4023 the bit of English she has finally picked up and 4024 her signs with her poor old hands." 4025 4026 "I've inquired, though, and Rosie isn't work- 4027 ing or sewing for the folks she did work for 4028 and nobody knows anything. So I suppose 4029 they did leave town. Only the good Lord knows 4030 what will become of them. The only thing I 4031 can think of is that Rosie got a job in some other 4032 place, and I hope that's it." 4033 4034 "Did Rosie ever speak of a brother, or cousin, 4035 or any relative at all?" asked Betty. 4036 4037 "Never a word about any one. I never knew 4038 anybody as close-mouthed as Rosie. She was 4039 asked all sorts of questions by the folks around 4040 here, of course, but she never let them get well 4041 enough acquainted to keep it up. I didn't need 4042 but a hint myself. I let folks tell what they 4043 want to. I like to keep my own business to 4044 myself if I can with all these!" Mrs. Woods 4045 nodded at the children as she spoke. 4046 4047 "I wish I'd seen Rosie," thoughtfully said 4048 Betty, But it was time to say good-bye and go 4049 on to the next duty or pleasure; for this had 4050 been a very "Christmasy" day, the girls de- 4051 clared. There had been the last rehearsal for 4052 the Christmas play, when the performers were 4053 "actually" excused from classes if they had any 4054 the "last two bells" or periods. Tomorrow 4055 morning the play would be given in two 4056 assembly gatherings, in order that the whole 4057 school might see it. And that night would listen 4058 to the carols. 4059 4060 "Why did you ask about Rosie Sevilla's rela- 4061 tives?" asked Kathryn of Betty, and Betty for 4062 the first time told about the name on the letter 4063 from Ramon. 4064 4065 "It may not mean anything and again it 4066 might," said Betty. "Once in a while I feel 4067 worried about it. It just seems that I might 4068 have missed an opportunity. There is some 4069 mystery about Ramon and there seems to be 4070 about these people. That's about the only con- 4071 nection. And they're Spanish, of course." 4072 4073 "I wouldn't worry any, Betty," said Chet. 4074 You can't fix up things for everybody." 4075 4076 "No," said Betty, "but you can help some- 4077 times, Chet. Oh, isn't it getting dark? I'm 4078 glad we're out of those streets! Do you think 4079 we'll have snow? I do want snow for Christ- 4080 mas!" 4081 4082 "We still have a little left, Betty," laughed 4083 Kathryn, pointing to a narrow stretch of dark 4084 snow and ice that edged the streets and walks, 4085 or spread in patches over lawns. 4086 4087 "Oh, that!" exclaimed Betty. "I mean some- 4088 thing soft and white and clean." 4089 4090 "You're likely to get your wish," said Chaun- 4091 cey. "There's one of those gray snow clouds 4092 now from where the wind is blowing." 4093 4094 "Will we go carolling if it snows?" asked 4095 Kathryn. 4096 4097 "Of course we shall," replied the president 4098 of the Lyon yyyyy "We have cars and people to 4099 drive them and chaperons and everything!" 4100 4101 Another duty was performed. Betty was the 4102 first one to be dropped from the Allen car, 4103 courteously assisted out by Chet, who would 4104 probably have come in a few moments or 4105 lingered at the door to talk, if it had not been 4106 so near dinner time, and if Chauncey had not 4107 privately informed him that no "visiting with 4108 best girls" was allowed this time. 4109 4110 And the next day was the "last day of school!" 4111 4112 That welcome day dawned with a few scat- 4113 tered flakes of snow flying in a frosty air. In 4114 happy anticipation the Lee children hurried 4115 their preparations for school, Betty carefully 4116 packing her costume for the play in a light suit- 4117 case, which Dick generously offered to carry, 4118 provided they "had to take" the street car. It 4119 was not always convenient for Mr. Lee to drive 4120 his children to school. 4121 4122 "If this goes off as well as the Christmas 4123 pageant did at the church, I'll be satisfied," said 4124 Betty, her cheeks pink with the exercise and 4125 excitement about coming events, as they 4126 boarded the street car together. The car was 4127 packed with boys and girls on their way to 4128 school. Doris and Betty secured a strap each 4129 and hung on while they nodded to this one or 4130 that one whom they knew. "Remind me to tell 4131 you a 'trade-last,' Betty, when we get off the 4132 car," said Mary Emma, who happened to be 4133 sitting by Betty's strap. 4134 4135 "I'll not forget to do that," said Betty, 4136 breezily. "Who said it?" 4137 4138 "Guess." 4139 4140 But Betty would not guess, and there was 4141 too much noise for conversation; for when large 4142 numbers of pupils are together, if manners are 4143 remembered at all, older passengers are usually 4144 thankful. But these high school pupils, if a bit 4145 noisy at times, were an interesting and attrac- 4146 tive group that needed only occasional re- 4147 minders from motorman or conductor when too 4148 full of spirits. 4149 4150 Arm in arm with Mary Emma, and carrying 4151 her suitcase in her free hand, Betty traversed 4152 the walk to the high school building. "It was 4153 Budd, Betty," said Mary Emma. "He said that 4154 you would have made the best angel in the play 4155 -- your hair and eyes and everything -- and that 4156 it was too bad you hadn't been in the dramatic 4157 club longer and that they had to let a senior 4158 girl have the part anyway." 4159 4160 "Why, wasn't that nice of old Budd!" cried 4161 Betty, pleased. "And the angel has to say 4162 tilings, so it couldn't be just looks, Budd 4163 meant." 4164 4165 "Suppose it was -- wouldn't that be nice 4166 enough?" 4167 4168 "No, Mary Emma. Looks are something 4169 you're born with and can't help and they're no 4170 credit. See?" 4171 4172 "H'm. You're a funny girl! So are people 4173 born either with brains or without 'em. I don't 4174 agree with you. And I'd rather have looks than 4175 brains." 4176 4177 "Much you would. But as you're pretty well 4178 supplied with both you needn't worry." 4179 4180 "I thank you," said Mary Emma with mock 4181 formality, as they separated inside of the door, 4182 Mary Emma to seek her locker and home room, 4183 Betty to report first with her costume, before 4184 she also would join the other junior girls of 4185 her home room. 4186 4187 So old Budd thought she would have made 4188 a good angel. That was nice. Budd had been 4189 at the pageant at the church. He had a part 4190 in the play to be given this morning. And as 4191 Betty happened to meet him in the hall on her 4192 way to her home room, she gave him such a 4193 welcoming smile, without realizing it in' the 4194 least, that Budd was pleasantly surprised. He 4195 believed he'd get ahead of old Chet and ask 4196 Betty way ahead for something or other in 4197 the party line. Say, why couldn't he take her 4198 to that big moving picture that was coming in 4199 vacation? It was a proper one that the Lees 4200 would let Betty see. They were almost silly 4201 about Betty; but perhaps that was what made 4202 her sort of different -- and independent! Gee- 4203 whilikers -- but Betty was independent! 4204 4205 4206 4207 4208 4209 4210 Chapter X 4211 4212 Carols 4213 4214 4215 A crystal star over the central entrance of 4216 the high school building, and within, gave 4217 evidence that the school, teachers and pupils, 4218 were making much of the season. It contained 4219 small electric bulbs of different colors, har- 4220 moniously selected, and gave beauty to the large 4221 square hall as well as a thrill to some of the 4222 pupils. The bulbs were glowing this last 4223 morning, and beneath their radiance, the boys 4224 and girls, visitors, parents and friends entered 4225 to see the play and the last assembly of the 4226 year; for before school met in session again a 4227 new year would be ushered in. 4228 4229 Betty had merely reported at her home room, 4230 for the dramatic director had urged every one 4231 to "hurry into costume," as the play would 4232 begin at once. There was not a long wait. The 4233 older classes were admitted to the auditorium 4234 first. The rest and the junior high would see 4235 the second performance. No change of scenery 4236 hampered the stage directors, for the play was 4237 the effective "Why the Chimes Bang," with the 4238 old but always beautiful motive of the stranger 4239 entertained who proved to be the Christ-child 4240 in disguise. 4241 4242 Carolyn had promised to tell Betty exactly 4243 "how everything went off" and sat with Kath- 4244 ryn and Mary Emma well toward the front and 4245 on the junior aisle nearest the middle of the 4246 auditorium. But Betty herself was peeping 4247 from the rear of the auditorium, or just outside 4248 one of the doors. The senior boy who took the 4249 part of the unselfish lad that gives up going to 4250 the cathedral, in order to welcome and care for 4251 the unexpected guest, Betty did not know very 4252 well; but she admired his playing of the part 4253 and was horrified when a laugh went over the 4254 audience at one moment. 4255 4256 "There! I knew they'd do that," said a senior 4257 girl beside her. "It's only because it's so funny 4258 to have Jean almost faint in his arms. You see 4259 we know everybody! And those bowls they have 4260 the porridge in look too new!" 4261 4262 But the audience, who had, it must be said, 4263 been warned that they must be a part of the 4264 play, behaved most circumspectly when later 4265 the walls of the woodchopper's hut parted to 4266 reveal a cathedral shrine or altar. From the 4267 rear of the auditorium, now supposed to be the 4268 cathedral, came the choir, chanting as the organ 4269 notes filled the room. Betty was one of the 4270 choir. 4271 4272 Up the aisle, up the steps made for the pur- 4273 pose, they went and stood in their places sing- 4274 ing. One by one, unhurriedly, up the different 4275 aisles, past the quiet students and visitors, came 4276 rich man, rich woman, courtier, girl, sage and 4277 king, with gifts for the priest to offer. The 4278 medieval costumes were impressive. Then, from 4279 his place in the background, the lad, urged by 4280 the old woman, went forward with his small 4281 gift, all he had; and the fabled chimes that had 4282 rung for no other, rang for him, as the guest 4283 disappeared. 4284 4285 As the organ played the chimes and the lovely 4286 girl who was the angel spoke, Betty saw her 4287 mother's handkerchief come out to clear misty 4288 eyes. There was the hush that meant the suc- 4289 cess of a message. In a few moments the cur- 4290 tains were drawn to again, and the audience 4291 was dismissed. 4292 4293 But as Betty went back to the rear again, 4294 to be in readiness for the choir's entrance in 4295 the second and last performance, she noticed 4296 that her mother remained for that performance, 4297 too, though she had not expressed any such in- 4298 tention, and "lo and behold," as her senior friend 4299 Lilian said to her, there entered her father, with 4300 Mr. Murchison and the countess. "Oh, Lucia, 4301 look!" cried Betty, leaning around a group of 4302 costumed players to speak to Lucia, who was 4303 in the group, as she added her youthful con- 4304 tralto to the choir. 4305 4306 Lucia smiled and nodded. "I knew they were 4307 coming," she said. 4308 4309 Perhaps it was due to the inspiration or 4310 presence of Countess Coletti, but the second 4311 performance, according to Mrs. Lee, surpassed 4312 the first. Restless little junior high pupils 4313 appreciated the privilege of this assembly and 4314 were still at all the proper places. No wrongly 4315 timed giggles of laughter disturbed the play, 4316 which went through, without seeming hurried, 4317 in a shorter time. It was one of the things that 4318 one hated to have over, according to Betty, 4319 though she was glad that she did not have to 4320 pose as long as did the "angel." 4321 4322 "What are you going to do tonight after the 4323 carols, Betty?" asked the countess, who had 4324 come back to see Lucia a moment after the play. 4325 4326 "Just go home," replied Betty, simply. "It's 4327 Christmas Eve, you know." 4328 4329 "Indeed I do know, Betty," returned the 4330 countess gravely. "It is going to be a little hard 4331 for Lucia tonight. It was last year. I thought 4332 I would ask your father and mother and the 4333 children over, if they did not think it would be 4334 too late. Will you have to trim your Christmas 4335 tree at the last minute, or something like that?" 4336 4337 "I don't think so. We still hang up stockings, 4338 though chiefly for Amy Lou now! and this year 4339 we have just a little tree that she is to help trim 4340 after dinner tonight." 4341 4342 The countess smiled. "I will ask your mother 4343 at least. Perhaps I ought not. What do you 4344 think, Betty?" The Countess Coletti, spoiled 4345 daughter and wife, but gifted and attractive 4346 woman, looked wistfully at Betty, whose heart 4347 was always warm enough to respond to some 4348 one's need. In a moment she realized that for 4349 some reason the countess wanted them there. 4350 4351 "Why, of course, Countess Coletti -- if Mother 4352 can manage it and you want us, she will come." 4353 4354 "If the child should grow sleepy, she could 4355 rest as well with us and the car is warm -- to 4356 take her home." 4357 4358 The countess spoke reflectively, but now 4359 hurried away with a warm smile for Betty, not 4360 missed by several of the girls who were 4361 changing costumes for school dresses. 4362 4363 But there was no time for Betty to think of 4364 anything except the present. Joy of joys, the 4365 teachers did not have regular recitations. They 4366 played funny games and sang carols. Betty 4367 had missed some, but in Miss Heath's class they 4368 sang Latin hymns and songs, the _Adeste_Fidelis,_ 4369 familiar to the Catholic girls in the Latin 4370 words, and even "Silent Night," put into "not 4371 very good Latin" according to Miss Heath, but 4372 offered for their interest. The board was 4373 "covered with Latin poetry," said Carolyn. 4374 4375 School was dismissed at twelve-thirty, Caro- 4376 lyn and Betty saying an affectionate good-bye, 4377 for Carolyn was going away for the vacation. 4378 "It's a shame you aren't going to your grand- 4379 mother's," said Carolyn. "I may get out to the 4380 carols tonight, Betty, but it's more than likely 4381 that I can't. I think we'll start tonight. Mother 4382 wasn't sure. Have a good time and don't for- 4383 get your old Carolyn. Merry Christmas!" 4384 4385 The girls exchanged their greetings thus and 4386 Betty slipped a small package into Carolyn's 4387 hand. "Now don't open it till Christmas, Caro- 4388 lyn -- tomorrow morning! Oh, is it really here?" 4389 4390 "It doesn't seem possible does it? But if we 4391 go tonight, mayn't I open it? It's Christmas 4392 Eve." 4393 4394 "Sure enough. And lots of people have their 4395 gifts on Christmas Eve. Of course you may. 4396 But I have your pretty Christmasy package all 4397 tucked away, ready to open Christmas morning. 4398 I'm sorry to be so late with mine; but you see 4399 I just finished it." 4400 4401 Carolyn laughed. "How you ever had time 4402 to _make_anything,_ I don't see, but I'll appre- 4403 ciate it all the more." 4404 4405 "It isn't much, but I hope you'll like it. Yes, 4406 we almost ought to be with Grandma tomorrow, 4407 but you see she is going away herself. She's 4408 already gone. They're packing her off to Flo- 4409 rida for her own good, though some one is with 4410 her. Well, Merry Christmas, Carolyn, and I'll 4411 never forget you. Couldn't if I tried!" 4412 4413 Excited and hungry, the Lee children reached 4414 home for a late lunch together. Dick and Doris 4415 "gabbled" so fast Amy Lou couldn't tell a thing, 4416 she said, and they had had such a beautiful 4417 Christmas morning at their school. Amy Lou 4418 almost felt hurt that her mother had gone to 4419 the high school instead, or that she could not 4420 have gone with her; but Mrs. Lee reminded her 4421 that she had visited her school when they had 4422 their "great Christmas program" and Amy Lou 4423 had "spoken a piece," for that was what they 4424 called it in the old days when she was a little 4425 girl. 4426 4427 _"We_ read things," importantly said Amy 4428 Lou, "or have a 'number.'" After that she took 4429 her dolls into the front room to play school and 4430 stood up for half an hour singing all about 4431 "good Saint Nick" with an "Oh, oh, oh, who 4432 wouldn't go?" and the rest of it, varied with 4433 "Jingle Bells," "Holy Night," and songs new 4434 and old, learned at school and Sunday school, 4435 where music made an especial appeal to little 4436 Amy Lou. 4437 4438 "She is entertained for the next hour," said 4439 Mrs. Lee, as she and Betty cleared the table 4440 after lunch. The little maid, who had been 4441 baking and cooking all morning, was excused 4442 for the afternoon and evening, but would come 4443 to help with the Christmas dinner. 4444 4445 "And we have an invitation for the evening, 4446 Betty. The countess said she had spoken to 4447 you." 4448 4449 "Yes'm. Are we going?" 4450 4451 "Yes. I scarcely thought at first that I could 4452 manage about Amy Lou, since Lena ought to 4453 have her evening this time; but the countess 4454 wanted us to bring her and thinks that she 'will 4455 enjoy it.' I was quite surprised, but the 4456 countess said that she would appreciate our 4457 coming, that it was not like a regular invitation 4458 to a party, just a sudden wanting to have good 4459 friends there. Grandma Ferris is not so well, 4460 Betty." 4461 4462 "Oh! Will you mind, Mother?" 4463 4464 "No. If I am needed anywhere, that is where 4465 I want to be. But be sure not to worry, Betty. 4466 Christmas Eve must be a beautiful time and if 4467 Grandmother Ferris should slip away, it will 4468 only be a homecoming." 4469 4470 "Funny she wants you Mumsy, when she has 4471 so many older friends." But Betty said this 4472 with an affectionate smile. It was not new that 4473 her mother should be wanted when people were 4474 in trouble. Well, Lucia wanted her; perhaps 4475 she could be like her mother some day! But 4476 oh, what a lovely time Christmas was. And 4477 wouldn't Amy Lou love the doll they had for 4478 her! She was glad Amy Lou liked dolls. She 4479 still did herself, though she had stopped playing 4480 with them -- oh, very long ago, it seemed. 4481 4482 The dinner was an oven dinner, already pre- 4483 pared for cooking and easy to watch while they 4484 did something else. The last packages were 4485 tied up in tissue paper of the newer gay sort, 4486 Mrs. Lee helping different ones as this one or 4487 that one must not see. Amy Lou was allowed 4488 to help Doris and Betty with packages for their 4489 father and mother. Dick as usual had dis- 4490 appeared, not to turn up till mealtime. But 4491 Mrs. Lee knew where he was, safely working 4492 on an aeroplane in the heated third floor attic 4493 of a boy friend. It would probably revolutionize 4494 aeronautics, Mr. Lee declared; but Dick good-~ 4495 humoredly took the teasing. 4496 4497 Then the little tree was brought in and it was 4498 decided to trim it then and there, instead or 4499 waiting till after dinner. Amy Lou was much 4500 excited when all the trimmings were brought 4501 out. But she sighed as she recognized some 4502 favorite decorations saved from the old days 4503 in the village. "And I used to think that Santa 4504 Claus brought them!" she said with some regret. 4505 4506 "Don't you believe in Santa Claus now?" 4507 asked Doris. 4508 4509 "No. Do you?" 4510 4511 "Mother says Santa Claus is the 'Spirit of 4512 Christmas,'" returned Doris. 4513 4514 "Yes. But it would have been so nice if he 4515 could have been just himself and really, you 4516 know, come down the chimneys." 4517 4518 "Oh, well, we'll keep on pretending, and hang- 4519 up our stockings just the same." 4520 4521 "Yes," brightly Amy Lou answered. "It's 4522 just as true as it ever was, I suppose." 4523 4524 Mrs. Lee and Betty, who were listening, 4525 turned aside to hide their smiles at Amy Lou's 4526 philosophy. "Poor little soul!" whispered 4527 Betty. "But she will be happy when she sees 4528 all we have for her!" 4529 4530 They need not have pitied Amy Lou at all, 4531 for her sturdy little soul had met her first dis- 4532 illusionment at school, at the hands of some 4533 other little girls, before whom she would not 4534 have shown any deep disappointment over 4535 finding Santa a myth. She thought it all over 4536 and accepted it; for she could recall a number 4537 of facts that seemed to bear out the truth! 4538 4539 And happy they all were that night. No 4540 tragedy met them at the Murchison home, 4541 whither all except Betty drove after dinner and 4542 a reasonable interval. Betty met Lucia and the 4543 other girls, who were taking part in the carols, 4544 at the big "Y" building. 4545 4546 Lovely, lovely Christmas Eve! So thought 4547 Betty as they started in the machines for the 4548 different points at which they were to sing 4549 "especially," though the voices rang out all 4550 along the way in the beautiful Christmas music. 4551 It was still snowing by fits and starts, though 4552 not enough to cover the ground as yet. The 4553 lights of the city, the soft flakes of snow, and 4554 a bright sky above, helped make the Christmas 4555 atmosphere; for there were only drifting clouds 4556 as yet and behind them, beyond them, or through 4557 them shone the starlight. 4558 4559 They stopped at one place where there was 4560 a sanitarium in the poorer part of the city. 4561 Windows came up a little to make the words and 4562 music more clear to the listeners, not only where 4563 invalids were lying in their cots, but in the 4564 houses nearby. Betty saw a light flash out 4565 from a first floor window and glancing in she 4566 could see a delicate hand manipulating a lamp, 4567 adjusting its wick to the proper height. No gas 4568 or electricity there! 4569 4570 The light outlined clearly the head and face 4571 of the young woman who was bending over a 4572 table, then turning to speak to someone, for 4573 whom, perhaps, the light was made. Black hair 4574 was gathered into a low knot. Large black eyes 4575 looked toward the window. A gay scarf or small 4576 shawl of some sort lay on the table. Catching 4577 up this, the girl came to the window, threw it 4578 up, tossed the scarf around her head and 4579 shoulders, drawing it tightly around her face, 4580 and looked out. 4581 4582 The glare from a street light fell upon her 4583 face for a moment. Sober, almost tragic, the 4584 big eyes looked out upon the singers. 4585 4586 They had been singing several short carols 4587 but were giving the Christmas hymn beginning, 4588 4589 _____ "Thou didst leave thy throne 4590 _______________ and thy kingly crown 4591 __________ When thou camest to earth for me." 4592 4593 And now, as the girl from the rickety lower 4594 window of a tall tenement looked out, Betty 4595 thought how appropriate, some way, was the 4596 stanza they were singing then, here where the 4597 people had so little. Lucia's rich contralto 4598 joined Betty's sweet voice, as they were close 4599 to each other, and made the words as distinct 4600 as possible for a group to make them: 4601 4602 __ "The foxes found rest, and the bird their nest 4603 _____ In the shade of the forest tree; 4604 __ But thy couch was the sod, O thou Son of God, 4605 _____ In the deserts of Galilee. 4606 __ come to my heart, Lord Jesus! 4607 _____ There is room in my heart for thee." 4608 4609 Betty felt that she was singing to that girl in 4610 the window and Lucia, too, was seeing her. But 4611 she listened only to the close of that stanza 4612 then put down the window; and before the 4613 young singers had finished, the light in the room 4614 had been extinguished. 4615 4616 "Did you see that tr-ragic face, Betty?" asked 4617 Lucia, rolling her "r" in the Italian way, as they 4618 were speeding along toward the Y.W.C.A. 4619 again. It was late and the carols were over. 4620 4621 "Yes. The girl that looked out of the first 4622 floor window, you mean?" 4623 4624 "Yes. She was beautiful, too, wasn't she?" 4625 And as Betty assented, Lucia added, "Oh, Betty, 4626 I'm learning things!" 4627 4628 Lucia did not explain, but Betty knew that 4629 the sorrows of others meant more to Lucia than 4630 they ever had meant before. There was "room" 4631 in her heart, too! And to Betty the sordid 4632 poverty of a city was new. They had always 4633 "helped the poor" at home, but there were not 4634 so many. The distress could be met. Here it 4635 seemed endless Yet on this lovely night it 4636 seemed that there was hope for every one in 4637 the greatest of Gifts, of whom they had been 4638 singing. 4639 4640 The girls grew gay with the Christmas joy as 4641 they chatted with their friends. At the "Y" 4642 Lucia telephoned. Then they took a car to a 4643 certain corner where the Murchison car would 4644 meet them. Everything went as arranged and 4645 Betty soon found herself in the midst of the 4646 prettiest Christmas decoration she had known. 4647 A lighted Christmas tree with the gayest of 4648 colors stood outside under the stars, where a 4649 little more snow was adding itself to the more 4650 artificial burdens of the tree. Within were gay 4651 holly and mistletoe and bright poinsettia plants 4652 in bloom. 4653 4654 Mr. Murchison led both girls under the mistle- 4655 toe which hung from a sparkling, old-fashioned 4656 chandelier, and laughingly saluted their cheeks. 4657 "There!" he cried. "For lack of younger 4658 cavaliers, I shall do my duty!" 4659 4660 Amy Lou had succumbed to sleep, though not 4661 without a strong effort to keep awake. The 4662 countess took Betty by the arm and led her to 4663 look at her small sister, peacefully sleeping on 4664 a divan in what Betty called the back parlor. 4665 She was covered with a gay steamer rug and 4666 clasped tightly in her arms a large doll. 4667 4668 "Oh, you gave that to her, Countess Coletti!" 4669 exclaimed Betty, though in a subdued tone. 4670 4671 "Yes. I never can resist a pretty doll, so I 4672 bought one for Amy Lou. She seemed to like 4673 it." 4674 4675 Smilingly Countess Coletti looked down upon 4676 the pretty, sleeping child. The countess herself 4677 was lovely tonight in a plainly cut black velvet 4678 evening dress. A diamond clasp was her only 4679 ornament in the way of jewels, but she wore a 4680 few crimson roses that became her well. Mrs. 4681 Lee did not wear an evening dress, but Betty 4682 thought that "Mamma" was very pretty in her 4683 "stylish" silk frock. Some other friends had 4684 called up, the countess said, and were coming 4685 over. In a short time the main drawing room 4686 was full of guests and presently a delicious 4687 light supper was served. It seemed the easiest 4688 thing in the world in this house for little tables 4689 to be arranged and everything lovely to appear 4690 as if by magic. But when Betty said as much 4691 to her mother afterward, her mother smiled. 4692 "It is good planning, Betty, but also competent 4693 help, trained to service," she said. 4694 4695 Amy Lou woke up and behaved like an angel, 4696 according to Doris, who did not realize that 4697 Amy Lou was now a properly trained little 4698 school girl, not a baby any longer. Doris, very 4699 much impressed with her surroundings, had 4700 been quietly engaged with some books during 4701 the first part of the evening. Then the arrival 4702 of a friend of the countess, with a girl of about 4703 the same age and a boy a little older than Dick, 4704 had put the finishing touch to the visit. There 4705 had been music and games, while Lucia and 4706 Betty had been carolling. 4707 4708 Countess Coletti explained to Mrs. Lee, as 4709 Betty learned on the way home. "She told me, 4710 Betty, that she had felt the need of us as well 4711 as liking to entertain us on Christmas Eve, but 4712 that when she found her fears about Mrs. Ferris 4713 were unnecessary -- she was so much better -- she 4714 decided to make it a gayer occasion than it might 4715 have been. Friends called up and she took the 4716 opportunity to invite them in, adding a few 4717 others also. It was a very delightful evening 4718 for everybody, I think." 4719 4720 "Don't you believe, Mother," said Doris, "that 4721 Mr. Murchison is interested in that pretty 4722 widow -- I've forgotten her name?" 4723 4724 "I shouldn't be surprised, Doris; but we must 4725 not say anything, you know." 4726 4727 "Oh, not for worlds!" cried Doris. "With 4728 Father's being in the business and our knowing 4729 them so well--" Doris trailed off her sen- 4730 tence unfinished, but was probably taking 4731 satisfaction in thought induced by that last ex- 4732 pression of hers. Betty wanted to laugh, but 4733 bless her "dear old Doris," she would not. 4734 4735 "I have no doubt that the countess and Lucia 4736 are missing the count at this season," said Mr. 4737 Lee. "I hope that that family will be together 4738 another Christmas." 4739 4740 It had been a very unusual Christmas Eve for 4741 the Lee family, and it was followed by an 4742 unusual Christmas morning, for Amy Lou 4743 announced that she "might not get up" as early 4744 as usual on Christmas. She wanted "to see 4745 everything just as much," but she was afraid 4746 she might sleep too late. 4747 4748 That suggestion was welcomed most heartily 4749 by the rest of the family. "I'll put your stock- 4750 ing by your bed, dear," said her mother, "and 4751 everything else; so if you do wake up, you can 4752 have them." 4753 4754 Thus it happened that everything was dif- 4755 ferent, but just as happy. The turkey had been 4756 prepared and went into the oven promptly as 4757 soon as Mrs. Lee wakened. Breakfast was very, 4758 very light, not to spoil the dinner which would 4759 be on time. Presents were "just what they 4760 wanted" and the little tree shone with its elec- 4761 tric lights, gay decorations and little Christmas 4762 angel, which Amy Lou and the other children 4763 remembered from earliest years. Christmas 4764 cards and gifts from absent friends, including 4765 "Grandma," made their hearts warm. And that 4766 they were all together, well, sheltered, blessed 4767 and happy, Mr. Lee gave thanks before he 4768 carved the turkey. 4769 4770 4771 4772 4773 4774 4775 Chapter XI 4776 4777 Giving Up A Pleasant Honor 4778 4779 4780 The delightful but irregular and rather up- 4781 setting vacation of the Christmas holidays soon 4782 became a memory. It must be said that Mrs. 4783 Lee drew a sigh of relief when the children were 4784 all back in school and hours became regular 4785 again without the parties and entertainments, 4786 glad as she was to have her children enjoy them. 4787 They went through these carefree and youthful 4788 days but once. If she could guide and guard 4789 them it was enough. 4790 4791 Betty declared to Lucia that the face at the 4792 window haunted her. She had "half a notion" 4793 to call there and see who was so unhappy. But 4794 Mrs. Lee was doubtful of the wisdom of such 4795 a call and advised Betty to find out something 4796 about the handsome girl from some social 4797 worker of the neighborhood. And Betty thought 4798 she would take her mother's suggestion. Yet 4799 when was there "time for anything?" 4800 4801 "Mid-years," the semester examinations, were 4802 approaching. Betty was glad that she had 4803 studied her lessons at the proper time. She 4804 followed the reviews and "crammed" a little on 4805 the side, on lines where she was not as sure; 4806 but she did not worry as some more nervous 4807 girls seemed to do. Peggy Pollard said that 4808 she was sitting up nights on Math, and Mathilde 4809 Finn looked worried, which was something for 4810 Mathilde to do over lessons. Several of the 4811 "very nicest" junior girls were being tutored 4812 and Miss Heath sacrificed her time and strength 4813 to hold a review class after school for some of 4814 her pupils who were "shaky," as Miss Heath 4815 told Betty. 4816 4817 "Oh, I'd love to come in, Miss Heath, to re- 4818 view. Could I?" asked Betty. 4819 4820 "You do not need it, Betty, and you would be 4821 wasting time. Besides, it is not in Cicero." 4822 4823 That settled the class question. Betty did 4824 need time, though there was little to do now in 4825 the girl reserve work, for the committees 4826 handled the programs and Betty had little to 4827 do except to preside at the meetings. Orchestra 4828 practice was interesting, if exacting, and Betty 4829 was "crazy about" the Dramatic Club. Basket- 4830 ball practice was going on, but Mr. Lee had 4831 asked Betty not to be on the team which played 4832 the competitive class games. 4833 4834 It was a disappointment to Betty and she 4835 argued at some length, though respectfully, with 4836 her father. Her father was "such a dear" and 4837 "always let you say anything you wanted to on 4838 your side," she told Carolyn Gwynne. 4839 4840 "Here I like athletics almost better than any- 4841 thing," said Betty, "and want to get honors, 4842 and Father won't let me play! It was getting 4843 hurt that time, Carolyn, that did it. I told him 4844 that it was only a practice game and that I 4845 might get hurt just playing -- anything. He 4846 acknowledged that what I said was so, but I 4847 know he thinks I won't play so often if I can't 4848 be on the regular teams. He tells me to continue 4849 being his little fish in swimming and when I 4850 said that I didn't like the expression, he said 4851 'Be a mermaid, then -- a siren, and lure your 4852 cruel father to the rocks.'" 4853 4854 "And what do you think Mother put in? She 4855 was listening to our argument and hadn't said 4856 a word, but now she said, 'financial rocks, 4857 Father!' And that was because we had been 4858 talking about the clothes Doris and I need for 4859 spring." 4860 4861 Carolyn laughed and asked when Betty was 4862 hurt. "I don't seem to remember it, Betty." 4863 4864 "It wasn't anything! I got knocked down and 4865 twisted something or other, sort of a sprain, 4866 and hobbled around for a week or so. The worst 4867 was over a week-end and Father had a doctor 4868 to look at my ankle." 4869 4870 "Oh, yes. I do seem to remember your limp- 4871 ing a little one time. Well, the girls will be 4872 disappointed and I know they're worrying for 4873 fear Mathilde will be captain." 4874 4875 "How can she, if they don't want her?" 4876 4877 "Mathilde is an awfully good player now and 4878 stands in with the teacher that has charge this 4879 year and she'll work it some way -- she has in- 4880 fluence with some of the girls." 4881 4882 "Yes," thoughtfully Betty returned. "That 4883 makes me feel better about it, though. I've 4884 been too rushed to pay much attention to 4885 'politics.' And I thought a different girl wanted 4886 it." 4887 4888 "How in the world does that make you feel 4889 better, Betty I" 4890 4891 "Because I wouldn't want to fight to be cap- 4892 tain or anything. Some of the girls took it 4893 for granted that I would be captain, and I was 4894 silly enough to believe that perhaps I could be. 4895 You noticed what the school paper said, didn't 4896 you?" 4897 4898 "Yes. You got quite a puff on your athletics, 4899 Betty. 'With Betty Lee at the head of the 4900 junior team, that unusual class is likely to carry 4901 off the honors in basketball this year.' Aha! 4902 No wonder you felt like arguing the matter with 4903 your father! Can't you persuade him? It 4904 isn't too late yet." 4905 4906 "Perhaps I could get his consent, Carolyn; 4907 but I know that it will worry him and after all, 4908 it is a strain, though so awfully exciting and 4909 jolly. If Mathilde wants it, let her have it. 4910 The only thing about Mathilde is that she isn't 4911 fair and will take any advantage that she can. 4912 We could easily lose games that way, Carolyn, 4913 even if she is a good player." 4914 4915 "We certainly could, and _crede_mihi,_ Betty, 4916 I'm going to see if we can't get somebody else 4917 for captain." 4918 4919 "Fine! I'll support you, Carolyn, in any- 4920 thing you start, only I can't play on the team 4921 myself." 4922 4923 "Worse luck!" But Carolyn laughed. "I 'spect 4924 you're safer to do what your father wants you 4925 to do, and you can't do everything, _crede_mihi!"_ 4926 4927 _"'Crede_mihi'_ -- I can't," laughed Betty. "Do 4928 you suppose _'mihi'_ ought to come before 4929 _'crede?'_ Oh, yes, imperative first!" 4930 4931 _"'O_tempora,_o_mores!'"_ replied Carolyn, 4932 grinning. "Yes, don't you remember we looked 4933 it up in the vocabulary, after we found it some- 4934 where and then couldn't find it again? If 'take 4935 my word for it' isn't enough like 'believe me' 4936 then I can't read Cicero!" 4937 4938 This conversation took place long before 4939 "mid-years," as may be gathered from the fact 4940 that basketball was in the early stages. Betty's 4941 special friends had been looking up a few latin 4942 phrases to take the place of slang expressions 4943 which their English teacher was urging her 4944 pupils to drop, telling them that they would 4945 soon think in no other terms. Home influences, 4946 however, kept Betty and most of these girl from 4947 taking on the coarser expressions which they 4948 heard from some of their acquaintances. 4949 4950 Started in this way, it became fun to take out 4951 of Cicero, orations or elsewhere, little phrases 4952 like _ubi_est?_ or _Quid_loquor?_ 4953 4954 _Quid_agis?_--_O_miserabile_me!_--_horribile_ 4955 _dictu_--_age_vero_--_da_operam,_ and other expres- 4956 sions all had possibilities, though sometimes, it 4957 must be said that the old Romans would not 4958 have recognized some of the uses to which their 4959 language was applied. But it was all a part of 4960 the very active and happy life led by Betty Lee 4961 junior at Lyon High. 4962 4963 Mr. Lee had not asked Betty to curtail any 4964 of her pleasures without good reason. Betty's 4965 parents had noted certain effects in the previous 4966 year which did not seem good, chief of which 4967 was a temporary suffering of Betty's work 4968 during the basketball season and her being more 4969 or less nervous and under a strain. Then, as 4970 Mrs. Lee watched several games, she saw the 4971 possibility of accident in the fast playing, and 4972 as Betty thought, the small injury was the final 4973 argument. 4974 4975 But this curtailment left Betty more free for 4976 other lines of work and her time was too full 4977 for many regrets. It was rather pleasant, to 4978 be sure, to have certain girls exclaim, over her 4979 defection and prophesy dire results to the team. 4980 And Betty was big enough at heart to be 4981 honestly glad when the juniors under Mathilde 4982 played well, winning over all the classes except 4983 the seniors. There at last came their Water- 4984 loo. For the seniors had previous defeat to 4985 wipe out. They had the best team that they 4986 had ever had in basketball. The girls of that 4987 class had never been particularly noted in athle- 4988 tic lines, but as Kathryn declared, they had con- 4989 centrated on basketball "to beat us." And beat 4990 the juniors they did. 4991 4992 The school paper came out with big headlines 4993 over the result. The seniors chortled. Chet at 4994 first avoided any comment when with Betty, 4995 but his eyes twinkled when she congratulated 4996 him as a member of the class. "The girls have 4997 been very sure they would win over your class 4998 ever since you refused to be captain, Betty." 4999 5000 "Nice suggestion, Chet, but I didn't refuse to 5001 be captain and perhaps I couldn't have been 5002 even if I hadn't dropped out of the games. 5003 Besides, Mathilde is as good as I am." 5004 5005 "You go too far to be honest, Betty. Sure I 5006 know all about that; but it's more than likely 5007 that you would have led your girls to victory. 5008 Our girls had a lot of confidence, besides having 5009 practiced like mad. Your girls played well, but 5010 they lacked that punch to put it over when they 5011 had a little bad luck. And they didn't trust 5012 Mathilde as they would have trusted you. It's 5013 funny, but there is a lot in the psychology of a 5014 game. It isn't just good playing." 5015 5016 "My, Chet! Where do you get 'psychology?' 5017 Is Ted taking it at the University?" Betty was 5018 laughing. 5019 5020 "I reckon! But I get it out of the athletics 5021 in the paper. I read the reports of the big 5022 games, you see." 5023 5024 "I suppose so. I only look to see which teams 5025 beat. Dick's the one at our house who reads the! 5026 sport page." 5027 5028 5029 5030 5031 5032 5033 Chapter XII 5034 5035 Could Betty Be Stubborn? 5036 5037 5038 The independent girl who likes to follow her 5039 own opinions and draw her own conclusions is 5040 likely to make a few errors of judgment. These 5041 come largely from lack of experience; and that 5042 lack of experience is the chief reason for the 5043 safety to young people in following the direc- 5044 tion of their elders in important matters. 5045 5046 On the other hand, as girls and boys grow 5047 older, they must be thrown upon their own re- 5048 sponsibility in many matters and learn wisdom 5049 thereby. The holding of high ideals and the 5050 testing of action, conduct and people by them 5051 is the greatest safeguard a girl or boy can have. 5052 And when it comes to people, most important 5053 relation of all, while friendliness and confidence 5054 are fine, indeed, and a suspicious attitude to be 5055 deeply deplored, when it comes to being led by 5056 others, or to being drawn from those high ideals 5057 or even minor convictions, a fine reserve is very 5058 necessary. Sometimes it is best to withdraw 5059 altogether from a friendship rather than be 5060 drawn into what is either doubtful or wrong. 5061 5062 Betty Lee's independence was not of the ag- 5063 gressive variety, but she did like to come to her 5064 own conclusions, for which she always thought 5065 she had grounds in the facts. Betty was a keen 5066 little observer and thought about many things, 5067 a very good habit. It was usually quite safe to 5068 be "easy-going" and friendly, and as Betty had 5069 the background of a safe home life and a circle 5070 of friends of her own sort, there was very little 5071 in social relations to trouble her, and oh, what 5072 good times there were! These were connected 5073 with the school affairs or with her friends and 5074 were sandwiched in between much hard study 5075 and her fondness for athletics, with its varied 5076 interests. 5077 5078 The friendship which had so distressed Doris 5079 had been adjusted without much difficulty, Doris 5080 finally taking her mother into her confidence. 5081 As Betty had suggested, Stacia was invited for 5082 a visit and made much of, with the friendliness, 5083 if dignified, which was characteristic of that 5084 home. If Stacia found the entertainment dull, 5085 she showed no evidence of it and told Doris pri- 5086 vately that she thought her mother and father 5087 "wonderful." 5088 5089 But as there was no real community of in- 5090 terests between the girls, by spring Stacia's 5091 devotion to Doris had waned. Another girl re- 5092 ceived Stacia's confidences, to the great' relief 5093 of Doris, who meanwhile had been adding other 5094 friends to her list. And it had all come about 5095 naturally without any necessity for any cool- 5096 ness or unkindness on the part of Doris. 5097 5098 Doris herself was taking on little grown-up 5099 airs and was very fussy at this stage about what 5100 she wore and how she looked. Dick's still care- 5101 less boyishness annoyed her and her remarks 5102 about his table manners or general state of ob- 5103 livion about the state of his collar or tie were 5104 having more effect than any reminders on the 5105 part of his mother. Dick cared what his twin 5106 thought; and if Doris, too, thought he must 5107 spruce up, he supposed he'd have to. All this 5108 was not lost on Betty and her mother, but aside 5109 from some natural amusement over remarks 5110 exchanged by the twins; they gave no sign of 5111 their interest. 5112 5113 Betty, it was true, was almost too full of 5114 her own affairs to think much about her family 5115 except at mealtime. Every evening there were 5116 lessons, whatever could not be managed in the 5117 school study hours. Time after school was 5118 taken with meetings or practice or some athletic 5119 line. Betty usually put in one half-hour of 5120 violin practice before the evening dinner, for 5121 the orchestra was working on the big things for 5122 their great concert, given by all the musical 5123 organizations. 5124 5125 Life was very interesting just now. The birds 5126 were singing again. Hikes had begun. And 5127 a new member of the junior class was very 5128 much interested in Betty. Just at this time 5129 senior affairs were absorbing Chet and some 5130 of the other boys that Betty knew best and 5131 meanwhile this new lad was introduced to Betty 5132 by Lucia Coletti one day after class. 5133 5134 "Betty," said Lucia, "I want you to know our 5135 new classmate, Jack Huxley. You heard him 5136 recite in Latin and Math, didn't you?" 5137 5138 "I'm glad to meet you," murmured Betty, as 5139 Jack courteously said "Miss Lee" and bowed. 5140 "Yes, Lucia; I noticed that. Are you finishing 5141 the junior year with us?" 5142 5143 "Yes. My parents have recently moved here. 5144 I have been to school in the East, but that is 5145 too far away, my mother thinks, since we came 5146 here." 5147 5148 Betty moved along between Lucia and Jack 5149 for a few moments of conversation; then they 5150 separated. This was the beginning of the ac- 5151 quaintance. Jack was a fine-looking boy with 5152 dark eyes, a pleasant mouth, a quantity of very 5153 dark brown hair which he wore in the prevailing 5154 style back from his forehead. Betty was rather 5155 impressed by his courteous manners, though 5156 Carolyn did not fancy him and said that he 5157 was too sure of himself. But he was a good 5158 student and Betty found herself defending him 5159 to several of the girls who were a little critical 5160 after a time. But perhaps that was because he 5161 made no effort to be friendly. Betty did not 5162 know. The boy with whom he seemed to chum 5163 was "wild," Mary Emma Howland said. 5164 5165 Lucia, in telling how she came to know him, 5166 said that his mother used to be a friend of her 5167 mother's at school. "They are being invited 5168 everywhere," said Lucia," and Jack is, too. 5169 They live in a hotel now, but are moving soon 5170 into one of those fine houses that are being 5171 finished." 5172 5173 From this Betty concluded that the Huxleys 5174 moved in what was known as "society" and her 5175 first social meeting with Jack was at a little 5176 party at Lucia's, one quite "informal" and 5177 hastily planned, Lucia said. There Jack paid 5178 rather particular attention to Betty and after 5179 that she met him so often at school, when he 5180 would fall in beside her after class, or be at 5181 the entrance of the grounds to accompany her 5182 to the door; or join her after school, that she 5183 knew it was no accident. 5184 5185 Once Chet dashed out of the auditorium door 5186 after practice of the junior and senior orches- 5187 tras together, to find Jack and Betty in conver- 5188 sation just outside in the hall. "Say, Betty, I 5189 have to see you," began Chet. "Oh, excuse me. 5190 I don't want to interrupt, but I have a mes- 5191 sage." Chet looked at Jack and Jack looked at 5192 him. What in the world was that new junior 5193 doing? Was he hanging around Betty? "Hello, 5194 Jack," Chet finished. 5195 5196 "There is nothing important, Chet," sweetly 5197 replied Betty, turning in friendly fashion to 5198 Chet. She was quite aware of the instant 5199 antagonism between the boys. But Chet needn't 5200 think that he owned her! She liked Jack. 5201 5202 "I'll be waiting outside, Betty," said Jack 5203 with cool politeness in his attitude. "The mes- 5204 sage may be private." 5205 5206 "What's that chap around for?" queried Chet. 5207 looking after Jack, who was sauntering toward 5208 the entrance door. "He doesn't belong to either 5209 orchestra, band or glee club." 5210 5211 As no reply could be expected, Betty said 5212 nothing but continued to look pleasantly at Chet 5213 and wait. He lost no time but went on at once 5214 to explain. 5215 5216 "Say, Betty, it's Mother that wants you to 5217 help her out. There's going to be doings at our 5218 church, some sort of a spring festival or some- 5219 thing, and Mother says she hadn't any more 5220 sense than to say she'd be responsible for a 5221 booth. So she's hunting up a few pretty girls 5222 she knows -- that's Mother's expression, not 5223 mine -- and wanted me to ask you if you would 5224 help her out. It won't be hard, just to dress 5225 up in some sort of a costume, I guess." 5226 5227 "That's terribly clear, Chet," laughingly said 5228 Betty, "but tell your mother that I'll do any- 5229 thing she wants me too." 5230 5231 "Good for you. I knew you would, and she 5232 wants you to come out for dinner tomorrow. 5233 Of course I'll hate that a lot! We'll drive 5234 around after you, Ted and I, most likely. Is 5235 that O.K.?" 5236 5237 "Yes. I'll get my lessons ahead, so I can 5238 spare the time." 5239 5240 "Count on the whole evening, Betty. We'll 5241 do something or other. Now have you a regular 5242 date with that chap? I rather expected to put 5243 you on the car myself." 5244 5245 "I haven't any date at all, Chet, but it would 5246 be awkward, wouldn't it, since Jack said he was 5247 waiting?" 5248 5249 "I suppose it would. So long, then Betty. 5250 Say, Betty--" Chet turned back hesitatingly. 5251 "I'd go a little slow with Jack Huxley. What 5252 little I know about him isn't so good." 5253 5254 "What is it, Chet? He's smart and a per- 5255 fect, gentleman whenever I see him." 5256 5257 "Oh, I don't suppose there's much out of the 5258 way. He runs with a pretty wild crowd, though, 5259 and he hasn't been here long." 5260 5261 "Well, I scarcely think that he would be in- 5262 vited by the countess to a party for Lucia if he 5263 weren't all right." Betty spoke with some de- 5264 cision and Chet looked at her soberly. 5265 5266 "Don't you think so? Maybe not. Did you 5267 meet him there?" 5268 5269 "Yes. Good-bye, Chet. I'll be ready tomorrow 5270 night and tell your mother that I'd love to dress 5271 up and be in a booth." 5272 5273 Betty, who rather regretted a bit of steel that 5274 she had put into her tone before, made this fare- 5275 well as friendly as possible. But Chefs answer- 5276 ing smile could scarcely be called one and he 5277 hurried down the hall to another exit, in order 5278 to avoid Jack, Betty supposed. Oh, well, she 5279 couldn't help it. Jack must be all right! Why, 5280 he was a perfect dear, as Mathilde called him. 5281 Not that Mathilde's opinion of any one would 5282 be a recommendation, however. He did have 5283 some different ideas of things and they had had 5284 a few discussions, not about anything very im- 5285 portant, but about social life and kinds of girls 5286 and boys and the "puritanic ideas" of some 5287 parents. That was Jack's expression, and 5288 Betty had wondered if her own parents could 5289 be a little too strict sometimes. 5290 5291 Anyhow, Jack was a nice friend. He had in- 5292 vited her to his birthday party at the Huxley 5293 new home and she certainly was going with him 5294 when he invited her. Chet need not think that 5295 he could tell her what society to choose. She 5296 had been to things with Budd and Brad and 5297 Chauncey through the year and she simply was 5298 not going to let Chet take her to every party 5299 the way it had been for a while. This would be 5300 an interesting party, for Jack had just told her 5301 that he was not inviting many from the high 5302 school. "It will be mostly from the old families 5303 that Mother knows," he had said, "and you will 5304 receive a note from her. But I wanted you to 5305 be sure to save the date." 5306 5307 Jack was waiting for her on the steps and 5308 joined her with a touch of his cap and that 5309 attentive way of bending over her that was so 5310 nice. Jack seemed to be considerably older 5311 than some of the junior boys. He must be all 5312 right! That story about his having been dis- 5313 missed from the eastern school was all nonsense. 5314 Of course his mother wanted him near her! 5315 5316 Betty was so put out that when Jack asked 5317 her, as he had before, if she couldn't ride down 5318 town with him and have something good, she 5319 recklessly told him "she'd love to," though she 5320 knew that her mother was expecting her home 5321 at a certain time, or at least expecting to know 5322 where she was. It was nonsense. She would go 5323 home when she got ready. But she would 5324 telephone her mother from wherever they went. 5325 5326 "All right, Jack, I feel in the humor to do 5327 something. I can't telephone Mother from here 5328 now, but I can down town, can't I?" 5329 5330 "Of course, if you want to. But it's foolish 5331 in my opinion. My mother doesn't expect to 5332 keep track of me." 5333 5334 "Oh, well, my father says it's safer nowadays. 5335 If I don't turn up, they want to know where to 5336 start looking for me, you know." 5337 5338 Betty laughed and so did Jack, taking with 5339 light hearts the conditions that we are now pro- 5340 viding for the younger generations. Jack said 5341 something about turning out the police or 5342 calling up the hospitals and conducted Betty to 5343 where, on a side street, he had parked a small 5344 but shining little roadster. "Isn't this a dandy 5345 now?" asked Jack as he helped Betty into the 5346 car. It's a new one. I'm not supposed to take 5347 it to school much, but I was going to get you 5348 into it if I could!" 5349 5350 "Are you a safe driver?" laughed Betty, 5351 settling back. She was glad that she did not 5352 have her books along this time. 5353 5354 "I'm a wonder," said Jack, in the same light 5355 tone. "I'm also old enough to drive. What 5356 would you do, Betty? I'd like to get into busi- 5357 ness pretty soon, as my education has been 5358 more or less -- um -- interrupted. Yet college 5359 would be fun. I didn't like that preparatory 5360 school and the old fellow at the head of it didn't 5361 like me much, either. I'll put in another year 5362 in high school, then decide." 5363 5364 "If you can go to the university or to some 5365 college, Jack, I think you'd be almost foolish 5366 not to do it. It isn't as if you were a poor stu- 5367 dent. You've brains." 5368 5369 "Thanks, Betty." Jack went a little faster 5370 than Betty really enjoyed, but he seemed to 5371 have perfect control of his machine and was 5372 skilful in traffic. "Are you going to the univer- 5373 sity?" 5374 5375 "I don't know. Mother talks about sending 5376 me away for a year or two, to give me the ex- 5377 perience, but that is only talk so far. Perhaps 5378 they can't do it." 5379 5380 "Go to the university and then I will. I'll 5381 show you some good times." Then Jack gave 5382 an impatient exclamation and shot around a 5383 car that was impeding progress. "See me get 5384 through that, Betty?" 5385 5386 "I think you took a chance, Jack." 5387 5388 "A good driver can afford to take chances, 5389 and what's life without a few chances'?" 5390 5391 Betty felt exhilarated in the present but she 5392 knew that Jack's philosophy was not a good 5393 one, and none of the boys she knew would have 5394 used in her presence the exclamation which Jack 5395 had employed. Pie did not apologize for it, 5396 either. 5397 5398 But Betty and Jack had much in common 5399 after all, for both were gifted mentally and 5400 there was much in school life to discuss. Jack 5401 took her to one of the most attractive tea rooms 5402 in the city and there Betty met another boy and 5403 girl whom Jack knew. They sat at the same 5404 table and had all sorts of delectable things of a 5405 variety that only school boys and girls, hungry 5406 from their last mental efforts, would choose. 5407 There was no good opportunity to telephone. 5408 Betty decided to let it go. Probably her mother 5409 would not worry, since she knew of the 5410 orchestra practice and other things that some- 5411 times detained Betty. 5412 5413 She felt hesitant about ordering at Jack's 5414 expense, but Jack insisted on a certain choice 5415 of the different possibilities. An immense club 5416 sandwich and a cup of hot chocolate "went to the 5417 spot," the other girl said and Betty agreed with 5418 her, though she was more reserved in her 5419 speech. Only with Carolyn and her girl friends 5420 did Betty speak impulsively. But this girl was 5421 as free with both the boys and kept them all 5422 laughing with bright if not altogether refined 5423 speeches. Yet she was quite evidently from a 5424 home of wealth and intelligence, from the cor- 5425 rect language she used, as well as from her 5426 gay dress. 5427 5428 "No, I'm out of school right now," said Mabel 5429 Randall in answer to a polite question from 5430 Betty. "Yes, Tommy, angel that you are, I could 5431 eat another sandwich with you, very small, you 5432 know. I'll have a Swiss chocolate sundae for 5433 dessert. That is pos-i-tive-ly all!" 5434 5435 Both boys bought a box of candy each as they 5436 escorted the girls to their respective machines. 5437 Tommy gave his immediately to Mabel, who 5438 carelessly murmured thanks, but Jack kept his 5439 under his arm till Betty was in the roadster, 5440 when he tossed it into her lap with a "There 5441 now, how's that for a nibble or two? I'm going 5442 to give yon a whirl through the parks before I 5443 take you home." 5444 5445 "Oh, that would be lovely, Jack," said Betty. 5446 "Everything is so pretty now; but really I can't 5447 this time. Look at your watch and see how 5448 near dinner time it is, and Mother will be 5449 worried if I am late for that. I tell you what 5450 you do, Jack. I think Father will be ready to 5451 start home about now. Suppose you take me 5452 around to his office and drop me there." Betty 5453 was thinking that she really preferred not to 5454 go through the late afternoon traffic with Jack, 5455 at the rate he drove. This was a great idea. 5456 5457 Jack demurred, but said that if she really 5458 wanted to go to the office he would take her 5459 there. "But I'll not leave you unless your dad 5460 is actually there." 5461 5462 That was a nice bit of thoughtfulness, Betty 5463 told him; and when they reached the office 5464 building after finding a convenient place to 5465 park, Jack took the elevator with her and in a 5466 few minutes was introduced to Betty's father. 5467 That Jack made a good impression upon him 5468 was quite evident, though it was Mr. Lee's cus- 5469 tom to be cordial to Betty's friends. 5470 5471 "If it isn't according to rules for Betty not 5472 to report at home right after school, Mr. Lee, 5473 blame me. I persuaded her that she was tired 5474 enough of school and practice to take a ride 5475 down town in my new roadster. She couldn't 5476 resist it when she saw it -- could you, Betty?" 5477 5478 "It is certainly a little beauty, and I did want 5479 to get away from books and everything. I left 5480 my violin at school, Father. We have another 5481 practice, right in the middle of schooltime!" 5482 5483 "I am glad to meet you," said Mr. Lee to Jack, 5484 "and I thank you for taking care of my girl and 5485 delivering her safely. I hope to see you again." 5486 5487 Jack, who was standing with his cap in his 5488 hand, gave Mr. Lee a comical smile. "I sus- 5489 pect you'll be seeing a good deal of me sooner 5490 or later, sir." 5491 5492 Then the lad left the office after shaking 5493 hands again with the older man who had offered 5494 his hand. "Now what, I wonder, did your friend 5495 mean by that!" queried Mr. Lee of Betty in a 5496 teasing pretense of not understanding. 5497 5498 5499 5500 5501 5502 5503 Chapter XIII 5504 5505 The Family Makes Remarks 5506 5507 5508 Mr. Lee telephoned his wife that Betty would 5509 arrive when he did. Tired after a day of much 5510 thought upon business affairs and some con- 5511 ferences in the office, he listened to Betty's ac- 5512 count, after having asked her how she happened 5513 to be with "this young man." Betty gave him 5514 a full account, with a happy appreciation of the 5515 fun they had had. 5516 5517 "I'm not sure that you would approve of 5518 Mabel, Papa," she said, "but she's the funny 5519 sort and it was all very nice. Jack seems to 5520 like me -- lately, and he did his best to make me 5521 have a good time. I hope Mother won't mind. 5522 I just couldn't resist going and I was late any- 5523 how, with all that going over and over of the 5524 parts we don't get just right. You ought to 5525 hear the leader scold us. He makes us work," 5526 I tell you. 5527 5528 "Oh, I meant to telephone to Mother, but 5529 there wasn't any good chance." 5530 5531 "I think that she will not mind, daughter," 5532 kindly said Mr. Lee. "Of course, we prefer 5533 to know where you are, as you know. Tell me 5534 about this lad. He is new to the school, you 5535 say?" 5536 5537 Betty explained. "And oh, I hope I may ac- 5538 cept his invitation to his birthday party his 5539 mother's giving for him. I'm to get an invita- 5540 tion, but Jack said that he wanted me to save 5541 the date." 5542 5543 "He must think that you are popular," 5544 smiled Mr. Lee. "I presume that you may go. 5545 He seemed rather an engaging youth. I liked 5546 him. As a rule, though, I don't want you to 5547 go driving with the boys yet." 5548 5549 "Yes, sir." 5550 5551 Dinner was being put on the table as the car 5552 was driven into the garage and Betty and her 5553 father hastened to make themselves ready for 5554 the meal. As her father picked up the carving 5555 fork and attacked the steaming veal roast, he 5556 quietly remarked, "Betty seems to have a new 5557 boy friend." 5558 5559 Nothing could have been more startling than 5560 that remark, it seemed to Betty. She flushed 5561 in her surprise; Mrs. Lee turned a wondering 5562 look upon her husband, and Dick chortled. 5563 Doris sat up straight with a wide grin. Then, 5564 drawing her lips together and frowning slightly 5565 she remarked, "I'm surprised, Mr. Lee, to hear 5566 such an expression from the head of the family. 5567 'Boy friend' indeed! Papa, you're getting quite 5568 too modern!" 5569 5570 An amused smile played about Mr. Lee's lips 5571 as he put a generous helping of mashed potato 5572 by the slice of meat he was offering first. 5573 "Modern, is it? Yes, I believe it is and I like 5574 it better than the old expressions. It does not 5575 seem to mean as much. But by the way, the 5576 true head of the family is opposite me. My dear, 5577 is the spinach to be put on the plates or served 5578 in dishes? I am never quite sure how some of 5579 these additions go." 5580 5581 "Served separately, I think," replied Mrs. 5582 Lee, with a twinkle of her eyes to match those 5583 of her husband. "I am quite interested in your 5584 news, though. Will Betty mind if you explain?" 5585 5586 "I could explain," said Doris decidedly. 5587 5588 Betty looked surprised again. Had Jack been 5589 with her so much that Doris could notice? She 5590 felt quite annoyed, but it would call attention 5591 to the fact if she said anything. She smiled as 5592 her father offered her the second plate, after 5593 serving her mother. "Fix that for Amy Lou, 5594 Daddy," she said. "And when you serve my 5595 plate, remember that I had a big lunch." 5596 5597 "Oh, you _did!"_ exclaimed" Doris. "Tell us 5598 about it, Betty; did Jack Huxley treat you this 5599 afternoon?" Doris was very courteous in her 5600 manner at this question. 5601 5602 "Yes, Dory. That was all there was of it. 5603 And Papa met him, you know -- so he feels 5604 facetious about it. Isn" 't that so, _mon_cher_ 5605 _papa?"_ 5606 5607 "She's talking French now," groaned Dick. 5608 "There must be something in it!" 5609 5610 "Don't be silly, Dick," said Betty. "If you'll 5611 all have some sense -- I don't mean my respected 5612 parents, but you -- you monkeys, Dick and Doris" 5613 5614 "And me," put in Amy Lou. Is that the 5615 name of Betty's boy friend, Doris?" 5616 5617 "Now, Father, see what you've done!" 5618 5619 "Betty, I apologize," said Mr. Lee with a 5620 wave of his carving knife. "I was just in fun, 5621 Amy Lou. Is that the way you like your potato, 5622 with a valley in it full of gravy?" 5623 5624 Amy Louise gravely nodded, while Mr. Lee 5625 heaped Dick's plate next. Whether Dick had 5626 had any lunch or cookies from the jar or not, 5627 it would make no difference in his appetite for 5628 dinner. Betty was the last served and while 5629 she waited she gave a rather brief but satisfac- 5630 tory account of her little "lark," as she called 5631 it. 5632 5633 "Father said he thought it might be all right 5634 for once, Mother; and as Jack had just asked 5635 me to his birthday party, I wanted to do what 5636 he wanted me to do. And oh, the suggestion of 5637 a sundae made my mouth water! But we had 5638 much more than that." 5639 5640 After dinner Doris came into the bedroom 5641 where Betty was laying off her school dress. 5642 "I wouldn't say a word before the family, 5643 Betty," said she, "but I've heard about Jack 5644 and of course I've seen you with him. Some of 5645 the girls think he's wonderful even if he doesn't 5646 pay any attention to anybody but you. And then 5647 I heard one of the boys say that he runs with a 5648 _wild_set_ of the _society_bunch!_ What do you 5649 think about it, Betty?" 5650 5651 "I don't know a thing against him, Doris, and 5652 I don't think a person ought to believe anything 5653 bad without giving a friend a chance, do you?" 5654 5655 "You could see that Father liked him," re- 5656 turned Doris. "I should imagine you could be 5657 friends with Jack Huxley and not hurt any- 5658 thing at all. He has such nice manners; and 5659 when he is with you he is as polite as can be." 5660 5661 "Yes, always, Doris." 5662 5663 "There's something about you, Betty, that 5664 makes the boys do that. They never get fresh 5665 or act silly as they do with some of the girls." 5666 5667 "I don't like that expression, Doris -- but I 5668 think boys know the kind of girls they're with; 5669 and besides, the kind of boys I like aren't that 5670 sort. I like fun, Dorry -- you know that, but I 5671 like to talk sense, too. That is one thing about 5672 Jack. You would laugh at some of his clever 5673 remarks; and then he can tell me about some- 5674 thing just as if he were grown up and explain- 5675 ing, like Father." 5676 5677 "Do you like him better than Chet?" 5678 5679 "Don't ask me, Doris. I don't like any of 5680 them as well as I do Carolyn!" 5681 5682 "Then you're safe for a while," laughed 5683 Doris. 5684 5685 "I'm always going to be safe," laughed Betty. 5686 "Imagine getting engaged in high school and 5687 then finding somebody you liked much better 5688 when you went to college! But Doris, I'm not 5689 going to pay any attention to gossip about Jack. 5690 I'm sure he's a nice boy. He's different and 5691 I know he thinks some ideas that our people 5692 have are 'old fogy,' but people can't be all 5693 alike and I believe in letting other folks -- well, 5694 they have the same right to their opinions that 5695 we have." 5696 5697 There was no one to remind Betty that 5698 opinions and action based upon them are very 5699 likely to agree. Doris saw Betty's firmly set 5700 lips and nodded her head in assent to her sis- 5701 ter's opinion. "Anyhow," said Doris, "having 5702 Jack Huxley for a friend is going to give you 5703 some good times and maybe Chet won't think 5704 he owns you." 5705 5706 Betty nodded. "Still, Doris," she said, hon- 5707 estly, "Chet has been a very good friend to me 5708 and I can't say that he's tried not to have me 5709 accept any invitations from Budd or Brad or 5710 anybody -- unless it was Ted." Betty laughed 5711 and Doris, who remembered Ted's limited 5712 period of invitation, was pleased that Betty 5713 should confide in her. "He doesn't like Jack, 5714 though -- but please don't say a word to the girls 5715 about any of my doings, Doris." 5716 5717 "I won't and I think it's good of you to tell 5718 me about things. Didn't you say that you are 5719 going out to take dinner with Mrs. Dorrance 5720 and the boys tomorrow?" 5721 5722 "Yes -- but there will be some other girls 5723 there, too, I think. How would you like it, if 5724 Mrs. Dorrance needs any more, to dress up and 5725 help in the booths, too!" 5726 5727 "Oh, Betty! I'd adore it!" Doris clasped 5728 her hands together as she spoke enthusiasti- 5729 cally. "Would she let me, do you suppose?" 5730 5731 "Don't be too disappointed if nothing hap- 5732 pens, but if there is a chance I'll not forget. 5733 Oh, Doris! Jack gave me a big, two pound box 5734 of candy and I left it in our car. Ask Dick if 5735 he won't go out and get it and we'll all have a 5736 treat!" 5737 5738 Doris lifted two expressive hands at that 5739 speech. "Will I ask Dick? I will. And I'm 5740 Jack's friend for life!" 5741 5742 "Silly," laughed Betty, "run along!" 5743 5744 Doris stopped, holding to the door frame as 5745 she peeped back. "Only grown up boys do that 5746 for their best girls. You certainly are lucky!" 5747 5748 5749 5750 5751 5752 5753 Chapter XIV 5754 5755 An Annoying Call 5756 5757 5758 The occasional entertainment at the home of 5759 Mrs. Dorrance was always welcome to Betty. 5760 The next day at school went rapidly and be- 5761 yond a short business meeting of Lyon "Y" there 5762 was nothing to detain her after school. Jack 5763 saw her in the halls and walked a few steps 5764 with her once or twice, but he evidently had 5765 important business with the boys. Chet was as 5766 usual, but merely saluted her once in the pas- 5767 sage from classes and said: "You won't forget 5768 to come out tonight," while Betty replied, "No, 5769 indeed." 5770 5771 She dressed carefully and watched the time 5772 at home, for she wanted to arrive early enough 5773 and no too early. For some reason she had for- 5774 gotten that Chet had said they would call for 5775 her. Perhaps it was Chefs remark about _not_ 5776 _forgetting_ that misled her! She was dressed, 5777 however, when a jolly load drove up and Chet 5778 ran up the Lee steps to ring the bell. Ted, Chet 5779 and several girls were in the car, Ted driving, 5780 and they added Betty to their number, when she 5781 came running along by Chet. There was quiet 5782 merriment afoot and Ted called back, "Can you 5783 add another blossom to our bouquet of beauty," 5784 Chet. 5785 5786 "Listen," said Betty, climbing in. "I can sit 5787 on somebody's lap back here." 5788 5789 "Spoil the ruffles, Betty -- wait till I turn 5790 down that seat. There you are! You are the 5791 last." 5792 5793 The dinner was good and Mrs. Dorrance 5794 seemed to enjoy her young guests. Betty sup- 5795 posed that one of the older girls must be some 5796 special friend of Ted's, his latest inamorata, 5797 but there was nothing to indicate it. Ted was 5798 his happy self and host to all of them alike. In 5799 all, there were four girls, Mrs. Dorrance, Ted 5800 and Chet. The time after dinner, indeed, dur- 5801 ing the meal, was partly taken in explanation 5802 of what Mrs. Dorrance wanted the girls to do 5803 and a discussion of what costume should be 5804 worn. A display of nations was one of the 5805 features of the festival and the girls all de- 5806 cided that since they might have their choice 5807 among several nations they would represent 5808 Holland. 5809 5810 "Do you have to sell just Dutch things?" 5811 asked one. 5812 5813 "No, indeed," said Mrs. Dorrance, "but we'll 5814 have some Dutch specialties in the line of things 5815 to eat, you know, if there are any--" 5816 5817 Mrs. Dorrance stopped to think and one of 5818 the girls spoke quickly -- "Oh, and some china 5819 with windmills on it, and wooden shoes and 5820 little things like that, to give a Dutch atmos- 5821 phere." 5822 5823 "I speak to buy some 'Old Dutch Cleanser,'" 5824 gravely said Ted and raised a laugh, though 5825 Mrs. Dorrance said that a few boxes of that 5826 "well-advertised commodity" would probably be 5827 a funny feature and sell, at that. 5828 5829 "I'll paint a china cup and saucer with a 5830 Dutch design," said a girl that Betty hoped was 5831 Ted's friend, for she was so sweet. "I'm doing 5832 that sort of thing in art now, and I'll just make 5833 that little contribution." 5834 5835 "We ought to have a little girl or two, to clat- 5836 ter around in wooden shoes," remarked Mrs. 5837 Dorrance. "Betty, you have two sisters. Would 5838 they like to do it, or would it be too much trouble 5839 for your mother? Our old down town church 5840 is short of children that I can ask, or that could 5841 assist without a good deal of help on my part." 5842 5843 "Mrs. Dorrance, my sisters would think it a 5844 great privilege to dress up and be in the pic- 5845 ture, so to speak. I can help them get ready. 5846 And Dick does some carving at school. Could 5847 lie make a few little tiny shoes? Oh, how would 5848 a few fixed up with little pin-cushions inside 5849 do?" 5850 5851 "Fine, Betty!" said Chet. "Mother, with all 5852 these girls, I think you can fold your hands. 5853 They'll have so many ideas that all yon will 5854 need to do will be to engage a policeman to man- 5855 age the crowds around the booth. Put your 5856 prices low enough and the ten cent store can go 5857 out of business!" 5858 5859 Betty and Chet exchanged glances, merry 5860 ones. Chet was a dear, and getting to be as 5861 funny as Ted! It was all fixed up about Doris, 5862 and Amy Lou, too! How she would love it! 5863 5864 It was another extra, to take time, of course, 5865 but Mrs. Lee was interested and promised to 5866 help with the costumes. There was plenty of 5867 time, for it was to be an outdoor affair, if pos- 5868 sible, though that plan might change if there 5869 were a rainy week or so, as sometimes hap- 5870 pened. 5871 5872 The birthday party, too, was three weeks 5873 away from the day Jack asked Betty to attend. 5874 That was something to anticipate. Meantime 5875 there was a "junior picnic" on a bright spring 5876 day. The athletes of the group employed that 5877 as a hike, to count on their points, but it was 5878 a limited party this time, gotten up by about 5879 twenty junior boys, with as many girls as their 5880 guests. Jack invited Betty; and one of the 5881 teachers of athletics among the girls went along 5882 as chaperon. 5883 5884 As none of the senior boys Betty knew could 5885 attend this picnic, there was no embarrassment 5886 for her in Jack's friendly attentions. That 5887 young man, too, seemed to realize that he must 5888 change his attitude and be friendly to the other 5889 girls as well. He "could not have been nicer," 5890 Betty reported to Doris at home when she told 5891 about their fun and the camp fire and the boat- 5892 ing on the river. "'No canoes,' Doris, our 5893 chaperon said, but we went to that picnic place, 5894 you know where they have a little launch. So 5895 if there was a pretty good current in the river, 5896 we were safe enough. I'm glad it's Friday, for 5897 I'm simply dead after all the walking we did. 5898 It wasn't so far from the street car, but we 5899 tramped around in the woods, hunting flowers 5900 and listening to the birds. It was a wonderful 5901 day for birds. Jack doesn't care for hiking, he 5902 told me, especially since he has his new road- 5903 ster; and he says that on the 'next picnic' he's 5904 going to take me in it, though I'm sure that I'd 5905 rather go with a whole machine full, to be 5906 jollier and not to let Jack think it's very -- 5907 special, you know, Doris. But he was great to- 5908 day, just as nice as can be to all the girls. I 5909 think they will have a different opinion of him 5910 now. Lucia's being so pleasant to him makes a 5911 difference, too. She said when a lot of us were 5912 sitting around eating lunch, that her mother 5913 used to know Jack's mother when they were 5914 girls, just what she told me. And she did the 5915 introducing to several girls instead of me, as it 5916 happened." 5917 5918 So the busy days whirled by. There was a 5919 girls' swimming meet for which Betty had been 5920 preparing, though that was only fun. And it 5921 happened that Mr. Lee's "little fish" or "mer- 5922 maid" won more honors for her school, attempt- 5923 ing more difficult feats than in her sophomore 5924 year. Betty was working now, also, on the life- 5925 saving tests, of practical importance, her father 5926 told her, though she must be "fit" and ready for 5927 them. 5928 5929 One more occurrence that deeply interested 5930 Betty Lee happened before the birthday party. 5931 It was on Saturday afternoon, when Mr. Lee 5932 had come home from the closed office and sat at 5933 his desk, for which there was no good place ex- 5934 cept the living room. He was figuring away at 5935 something and looked annoyed when the bell 5936 rang. "Mother, I simply must have another 5937 spot for his desk," he said whimsically, as with 5938 a resigned expression he jumped up and an- 5939 swered the bell himself. 5940 5941 "You shall, my dear," replied his wife, as he 5942 disappeared into the hallway. Betty and Mrs. 5943 Lee were in the dining room, a little back from 5944 the double doors, or rather draped opening 5945 which separated the living room from the din- 5946 ing room. The dining table was spread with 5947 papers and covered with scraps from the "rag-~ 5948 bag" except where half a dozen tiny wooden 5949 shoes stood ready to be filled with the small 5950 pin-cushions which Mrs. Lee and Betty were 5951 making. Betty was enjoying it. It was so nice 5952 to have an afternoon at home just to "fiddle 5953 around" and do what you felt like doing. This 5954 wasn't work! 5955 5956 But from where Betty sat, she had a good 5957 look at a gentleman whom her father was ush- 5958 ering into the front room. Or was he a gentle- 5959 man? Betty had a momentary impression of a 5960 very ordinary looking man, dark, fairly well-~ 5961 dressed but not well set up, as Betty thought. 5962 His shoulders were a little stooped and he gave 5963 a furtive look through the curtains that fell at 5964 the side of the open doorway. 5965 5966 But he began to speak in a suave way, "oily," 5967 Betty called it afterwards: 5968 5969 "I'm not here to take much of your time, Mr. 5970 Lee, but I was directed to you by some one who 5971 thought you could tell me about where I could 5972 find a boy that was going here by the name of 5973 Ramon Balinsky." 5974 5975 "Yes?" returned Mr. Lee, waiting for more 5976 explanation. Betty dropped the little cushion 5977 she was making and leaned forward, exchanging 5978 a glance with her mother. 5979 5980 The man hesitated, expecting a more enthusi- 5981 astic reply, it might be presumed. But Betty 5982 could imagine the calm but cool expression with 5983 which her father was regarding the stranger, 5984 having courteously and kindly brought him in. 5985 5986 "Do you know him, Mr. Lee?" 5987 5988 "Yes, I know to whom you refer. He was a 5989 nice lad, looked after my car for me at times." 5990 5991 "Yes. I found the garage where he worked 5992 and found that he went to school here for 5993 awhile. Well, do you know where he is now?" 5994 5995 "That might be hard to say. Perhaps you 5996 will explain your interest in him." 5997 5998 Betty, tense, hoped that her father would not 5999 tell about the letter. Perhaps this was some- 6000 body that wanted to hurt Ramon! There was 6001 that story that Ramon was running away from 6002 some one, or that he was after somebody him- 6003 self. Mrs. Lee made a little gesture and smiled 6004 at Betty. It meant, "Calm yourself, little 6005 daughter," and Betty leaned back in her chair 6006 with a soft sigh. Good for her father. He wasn't 6007 going to tell everything he knew unless he was 6008 sure that it was all right. 6009 6010 "I have good news for him. Some of his 6011 mother's Spanish property has been recovered, 6012 that is, certain papers found. I was a lawyer, 6013 you call it, for the Sevillas." 6014 6015 Betty made a comical face and looked at her 6016 mother. This man did not look like much of 6017 a lawyer. But perhaps he had fallen upon diffi- 6018 cult times. 6019 6020 "Sevillas?" asked Mr. Lee. 6021 6022 "Yes," the man replied, rather fiercely, Betty 6023 thought. "That boy is not all that you might 6024 think. He has run away because he stole a parcel 6025 of jewelry that belonged to a very noble family 6026 in Spain. Consequently he has taken a name 6027 that belongs to his father's family. But I traced 6028 him in spite of it!" 6029 6030 "Well, do you intend to let the 'noble family' 6031 prosecute him if you find him?" 6032 6033 "By no means," and the man's voice changed, 6034 as he realized that he had let a bit of vindictive 6035 feeling creep into his tone. "No, I have arranged 6036 that. If he will return what he has left of the 6037 jewels and let me know if he has found his 6038 mother and sister, all will be forgiven. It is a 6039 long case and can't be hastily explained. I 6040 must find Ramon first. He did not tell you then 6041 that his true name was Sevilla?" 6042 6043 "He said nothing to me about it," returned 6044 Mr. Lee. "Instead, he told some one of the 6045 family that he was guarding against injury at 6046 the hands of some one who was an enemy. Do 6047 you know of any one who would injure Ramon?" 6048 6049 There was a moment's hesitation. "There is, 6050 of course, the matter of the jewels, Mr. Lee. 6051 Probably he had that in mind and thought that 6052 he was to be brought to justice. But I can pre- 6053 vent that. Now I went out to the school and 6054 made some inquiries, Mr. Lee. At the office no 6055 one knew what had become of Ramon. I at- 6056 tended a baseball game Friday afternoon and 6057 asked some of the boys to direct me to any who 6058 knew Ramon best. The coach did not know his 6059 whereabouts, but there was one boy who was 6060 listening that said you had heard from him re- 6061 cently." 6062 6063 It was just as well that the visitor could not 6064 see Betty's changes of countenance as she list- 6065 ened to the conversation, perfectly sure that in 6066 her role of listener she was quite justified. At 6067 the name "Sevillas" Betty's eyes opened more 6068 widely and her mouth formed an "Oh," as she 6069 looked sharply at her mother. Two deep frowns 6070 came between her blue eyes now at the men- 6071 tion of the letter. What would her father say 6072 to that? 6073 6074 "Yes," he was replying, "we heard from 6075 Ramon just once, some time ago. It was chiefly 6076 a letter of courtesy, as we had entertained him 6077 and he remembered us pleasantly." 6078 6079 "Could I see the letter?" eagerly asked the 6080 man. 6081 6082 "It has probably been destroyed," said Mr. 6083 Lee, and Betty rolled dark blue eyes at her 6084 mother, who knew she had kept it. 6085 6086 "I could probably recall enough of it to sat- 6087 isfy you, though it contained no information 6088 that was valuable, I judge. It said nothing of 6089 any mother or sister and this is the first that I 6090 have heard of them." 6091 6092 "Very good," said the man in a satisfied tone. 6093 "Where was he?" he then asked sharply. Betty 6094 frowned again. Could her father tell him? Then 6095 the man would find Ramon and maybe kill him, 6096 for all Betty knew. Horrors! Her father was 6097 telling! 6098 6099 "When he wrote us he was in Detroit, but he 6100 gave no house address whatever." 6101 6102 "Are you sure that no member of your family 6103 has heard again?" 6104 6105 "Quite sure, sir." Mr. Lee spoke in that quiet, 6106 final way that usually closed matters in his of- 6107 fice. Betty heard his chair pushed back and 6108 knew that he had risen. "Here's your hat, 6109 what's your hurry?" she quoted in a school-girl 6110 fashion to her mother in a low whisper. They 6111 sat quietly till the final good afternoon was said 6112 and her father closed the front screen door. 6113 Then Betty jumped up and ran into the front 6114 room to meet him. 6115 6116 "Oh, Father, you _told_ him! And I know he's 6117 the 'villain!'" 6118 6119 Mr. Lee grinned, much as Dick was accus- 6120 tomed to do, and approached his daughter with 6121 his fists closed and the favorite gestures of 6122 small boys about to engage in a fisticuff. That 6123 made Betty laugh, too, and she caught at his 6124 threatening arms to hold him. 6125 6126 The arms went around her and then he drew 6127 her toward where his wife was now standing, 6128 questioning with her eyes. "As my son would 6129 put it, you think I've spilled the beans, don't 6130 you? Well, I haven't, kiddie." Mr. Lee dropped 6131 his voice to a stage whisper. 6132 6133 "Ramon Balinsky Sevilla is not _in_ Detroit!" 6134 6135 "Oh, goody! But how do you know. Didn't 6136 you tell the man that you hadn't heard from 6137 him again!" 6138 6139 "Do you not think I would be justified in a 6140 false statement under the circumstances?" 6141 6142 "Oh, Papa, you just want to get up an argu- 6143 ment! I know you! No, I think you could have 6144 handled it some way and I don't believe you told 6145 a story." 6146 6147 "Right. Go to the head of the class in di- 6148 plomacy or whatever it is. No, I have not heard 6149 from Ramon, but I heard from some one who 6150 has seen him and Ramon sent us a message, 6151 from Detroit, my dear, and he was leaving 6152 there. In fact, he was at the station when my 6153 friend met him. Now are you satisfied?" 6154 6155 "No," said Betty, grinning and drawing her 6156 father's arm still farther over her shoulder. "I 6157 want to know what the message was and why 6158 you haven't given it before." 6159 6160 "The message was his regards, and I merely 6161 forgot all about it." 6162 6163 "One thing, Father, I wondered about. You 6164 said Ramon did not give a house address." 6165 6166 "It was not a house address, Betty. If you 6167 will look up the letter I will show you. I'm 6168 pretty sure that was his business address. Does 6169 anybody love me?" 6170 6171 "I'll say," slangily answered Betty Lee, jun- 6172 ior, offering a warm embrace. 6173 6174 6175 6176 6177 6178 6179 Chapter XV 6180 6181 The Fateful Birthday Party 6182 6183 6184 In the due course of events, the night of the 6185 birthday party at the Huxley home had ar- 6186 rived. Betty was in high spirits as she dressed. 6187 Doris took great interest in her donning of a 6188 new dress, "so becoming," she said. "Betty, I 6189 never saw you look so pretty. And you don't 6190 need rouge, either." 6191 6192 "I should hope not," laughed Betty, looking 6193 at her own image in the mirror. "My cheeks 6194 are so hot and I'm so excited over this -- I 6195 wonder why. I've been with Jack enough be- 6196 fore." 6197 6198 Doris was going to a party herself, and 6199 wished that her new dress, something promised, 6200 were ready. But it was not a big party like 6201 Betty's. "Papa's calling you, Betty," said she, 6202 taking her place at the mirror which they 6203 shared. 6204 6205 Mr. Lee, who had been bringing out his car 6206 in order to take Doris around to the house of 6207 one of the freshman girls, was waiting for Betty 6208 in the living room. "Just a word, Betty, before 6209 any one corner for you. This is a large party, 6210 I believe?" 6211 6212 "Jack said so." 6213 6214 "Will there be dancing?" 6215 6216 "I hadn't thought about it. Very likely." 6217 6218 "Well, as you know, Betty, we do not forbid 6219 dancing and I have no doubt that this place 6220 where you are going is all right. I intended to 6221 inquire more about the people, but it slipped 6222 my mind. I have several things to think about, 6223 you know," 6224 6225 "Yes sir. Let's sit down, Father. I'm all 6226 ready but my wraps." 6227 6228 Mr. Lee sat down and Betty perched on the 6229 arm of his chair. 6230 6231 "As I said," Mr. Lee resumed, "we do not 6232 forbid the proper sort of dancing. I suppose it 6233 is natural for youngsters to like to" move to 6234 music. And yet it is true that so many evils 6235 are connected with the dance -- well, our church 6236 does not forbid it, but it frowns on all sorts of 6237 looseness in manners and company. The chief 6238 thing is to keep oneself with the best type of 6239 people, I suppose." Mr. Lee looked off reflec- 6240 tively. 6241 6242 "I scarcely know how to warn you, Betty. But 6243 I suppose your mother has told you that there 6244 is a certain reserve, a certain distance to be 6245 maintained by a nice girl when girls and boys 6246 mingle?" 6247 6248 "Yes, sir." 6249 6250 "It is a part of charm and attraction and the 6251 delicacy that we want our sweet girls to have. 6252 Loudness and boldness and familiarity are just 6253 the opposites; and I have no fear that my Betty 6254 girl will ever have those qualities. But look out 6255 for it in others, and have a care, Betty. That 6256 is all, my child. How pretty you look. Have a 6257 good time." 6258 6259 "Oh, I'm going to, I know. Thanks for the 6260 warning, my daddy. I'll try to be good!" 6261 6262 In a few minutes Betty was off. Mr. Lee was 6263 just drawing his own car from the curb when 6264 a handsome car drew up behind his. He was 6265 glad to see that it was full of young people. 6266 The lad had not come for Betty in his roadster. 6267 Oh, to put off the special pairing and above all, 6268 love-making, as long as possible! But after all, 6269 his girl would have to handle it herself. 6270 6271 In the car Betty found herself with several 6272 persons whom she did not know. Mathilde was 6273 there, and Jack informed Betty that this was 6274 the "inner circle" of guests. Jack was as easily 6275 polite as ever, but his eyes were bright and he 6276 talked a great deal, excited, too, over his birth- 6277 day and wanting to play the host. 6278 6279 A chauffeur drove, which was just as well, 6280 and after this group was deposited, drove off 6281 again. With the rest, Betty was conducted into 6282 the handsome new house, of brick and stone, 6283 and introduced to Jack's mother, who was re- 6284 ceiving with him. A very pretty girl, black-~ 6285 eyed and looking not a little like Jack, was his 6286 first cousin, as introduced, vivacious and pleas- 6287 ant. 6288 6289 A maid in newly furnished upstairs rooms 6290 had helped the girls off with their light wraps 6291 and scarfs, but Betty was more interested in 6292 seeing Jack's relatives than the house. "Oh, 6293 Dad!" called Jack as he showed his guests to 6294 seats, "come in for a minute." 6295 6296 A tall, heavily built man with a very red face 6297 came in from a room which Betty supposed was 6298 their library from a glimpse she had of some 6299 bookcases. He shook hands with the arrivals, 6300 made a few jovial remarks and gave Betty a 6301 special look over his glasses. "So this is Miss 6302 Betty. I have heard of you. You may imagine 6303 where. Jack is a good picker of -- friends." 6304 6305 Betty blushed a little, to her disgust, but 6306 smiled warmly at Jack's father. Perhaps he 6307 was nicer than he looked. Anyhow, it was pleas- 6308 ant to be liked. The rooms were furnished 6309 with taste. A baby grand piano and the very 6310 latest in radios were part of the equipment. 6311 Oriental rugs were on the floor. Betty appre- 6312 ciated all that since she had learned about 6313 values and beauty in such things. A few of 6314 them, in her own simple home, however, satis- 6315 fied Betty Lee. 6316 6317 One after another the young guests arrived. 6318 This was to be a real dinner party, many as 6319 there were to be served. Dinner at the Lees 6320 had long since been over, but dinner here was 6321 served at eight o'clock -- and such a dinner! 6322 Betty enjoyed it thoroughly, especially as she 6323 was Jack's companion, though Jack's cousin 6324 from away was the guest of honor. Dainty 6325 courses and more substantial food, prepared in 6326 the most appetizing way, were offered. But 6327 Betty noticed wine glasses by their plates and 6328 wondered. Would wine be used at Jack's? 6329 6330 But in the midst of conversation and con- 6331 sumption of food Betty did not disturb herself 6332 over what the future might bring. Neverthe- 6333 less, she was disturbed when the butler filled 6334 the glasses. She would be polite, and said noth- 6335 ing. Immediately, however, some of the boys 6336 grew a little hilarious, talking about their "pro- 6337 hibition beer." Jack nodded to the butler, who 6338 went around putting something else in some of 6339 the glasses. 6340 6341 Betty gave a questioning look toward Jack, 6342 who turned to her at that moment. "That won't 6343 hurt you, Betty," said he. But he pulled some- 6344 thing from his pocket and laughingly, teasingly, 6345 poured some sort of liquid into the glass of his 6346 cousin. 6347 6348 "Any good, Jack?" asked she. 6349 6350 "The best my bootlegger can get," laughed lie 6351 in return. 6352 6353 Betty felt sick at the thought. Perhaps he 6354 was only joking. He must be. But other boys 6355 were doing the same thing, adding something 6356 from odd bottles around the table. There were 6357 scarcely any boys and girls that she had known 6358 in school, though she had met some of them at 6359 Lucia's. Perhaps it was a good thing that Lucia 6360 had not been able to come. Mathilde, Betty 6361 saw, was enjoying herself thoroughly and did 6362 not refuse any of the liquor. Jack turning away 6363 from his cousin again, told Betty that she was 6364 just a "little prude, but a very sweet one," 6365 "You'll get over it, Betty. Try a little, just to 6366 please me." 6367 6368 "I'm sorry, Jack, but I can't," said Betty. 6369 "I'm wishing you just as many happy returns, 6370 you know." 6371 6372 "All right this time," returned Jack, for he 6373 was in a happy mood and the stimulating drink 6374 made him only more affable so far. It was not 6375 the first that day. 6376 6377 This was the beginning. No one seemed to 6378 be the worse for anything at dinner. There 6379 were some games and then the dancing began 6380 _a_la_ victrola, though Jack apologized for not 6381 having an orchestra. "Nobody could come," said 6382 he -- "previous engagements. It was my fault 6383 for letting it go until too late." 6384 6385 Betty never did relate the details of what 6386 occurred later in the evening, other than to 6387 say that matters grew worse, that both boys 6388 and girls drank from flasks and that Mr. and 6389 Mrs. Huxley had left with some guests soon 6390 after dinner, which they had had privately. She 6391 had enjoyed the fun at first and forgot about the 6392 wine till forced to notice it when the flasks came 6393 out, not very surreptitiously. But at last she 6394 came to the conclusion that it was no place for 6395 her. She looked for Jack and saw that he was 6396 more than half intoxicated. One boy asked her 6397 to dance and began to embrace her as he asked, 6398 hot, liquor-laden breath indicating his state at 6399 this time. It was Jack's chum. 6400 6401 Betty slipped from his arms with an apology. 6402 6403 "I've a headache, Will, and I'm going to the 6404 dressing room to the maid a moment." 6405 6406 That was satisfactory to the befuddled lad, 6407 and Betty, troubled and disgusted, and wonder- 6408 ing how she was going to get home, flew up- 6409 stairs. The maid was not in the dressing room 6410 where Betty had left her wrap and the scarf 6411 she wore around her head at her mother's sug- 6412 gestion. She was glad of that. If she had to 6413 get home by street car it would not be so bad. 6414 But she had worn her light satin slippers and 6415 oh -- it was raining! They would be ruined. 6416 Where was the telephone? She could call her 6417 father, though he might be in bed. It was mid- 6418 night by this time, Betty supposed. 6419 6420 She wondered where the maid was and tim- 6421 idly wandered down the hall, peeping into rooms 6422 evidently used, or intended to be used, by any 6423 guest. Then the maid came hurrying from some- 6424 where, too intent on whatever her errand was to 6425 notice Betty. But Betty asked, "Where is Mrs. 6426 Huxley, please?" 6427 6428 "Oh, dem folks is gwine off somewhere. Dey 6429 tells me to look afteh the young folks, an' it's 6430 too big a job foh one pusson. I done tol' her 6431 so, but she'd had too much o' dat bootleggeh 6432 stuff hehse'f at dinneh. Ah's goin' down afteh 6433 de cook. Dat young lady in dere's done _passed_ 6434 _out!_ An' de butleh -- he gone, too." 6435 6436 The colored woman waved her dark hand in- 6437 definitely. 6438 6439 "Mercy! You don't mean anybody's dead!" 6440 6441 "No, honey, not daid. No, you jus' _keep_out._ 6442 Ain' nuffin yo' kin do only git yo'se'f into trub- 6443 ble." This addition was because Betty was evi- 6444 dently about to offer help, as she turned un- 6445 certainly in the direction from which the colored 6446 maid had come. With this, the maid disappeared 6447 down the stairs from which the sounds of rev- 6448 elry still rose. Betty went back to get her wraps. 6449 Did she have any car-fare? Well if she didn't, 6450 she'd get on anyhow, one of those cars where 6451 you didn't have to pay till you got off. She'd 6452 give the conductor her name and address or give 6453 him the ring from her finger or -- anything! 6454 Betty was getting panicky by this time. She 6455 could not go down stairs with her wrap, and 6456 run the risk of being discovered. Probably there 6457 was a back stairway. There was, as Betty dis- 6458 covered by looking along the upper halls. Dear 6459 me, she would know the way around _this_ house 6460 again. She wondered why the maid had not 6461 gone down to the kitchen that way, but supposed 6462 that the cook was to be found somewhere else. 6463 It had stopped raining, after only a shower. 6464 6465 It was a lovely night, indeed, with a moon, 6466 which helped her around the house, through 6467 beautiful old trees and some newly planted 6468 shrubbery. There were cars parked along the 6469 drive, but the big car in which Betty had been 6470 brought was not to be seen. Of course, the 6471 chauffeur was driving the older Huxleys, or 6472 waiting somewhere for them. Betty knew that 6473 there were plays at the theatres and other en- 6474 tertainments going on. 6475 6476 With her scarf held tightly under her chin 6477 and her wrap gathered about her, Betty lightly 6478 flew to the drive and followed it around, not 6479 feeling so lonely where she could see a few of 6480 the rear lights. The walk looked spooky! She 6481 was almost lost in this neighborhood, but as she 6482 emerged upon a sidewalk, she could see at some 6483 distance the lights of a street car passing. Then 6484 it was not so late that the cars were off! Of 6485 course not -- was she crazy? A few automobiles 6486 passed, but this was off from the main arteries 6487 of traffic. Like a slim ghost Betty hurried 6488 along, stopping once for breath and to see if 6489 her pretty bag contained any street car tickets. 6490 Had she had any idea of walking, she could have 6491 worn shoes and carried her satin slippers. But 6492 they were ruined. That rain had been a light 6493 shower, indeed, leaving the night as bright as 6494 before. It must have stopped almost as soon 6495 as she looked out to see it; but one little puddle, 6496 'stepped in by the back exit, had been sufficient. 6497 6498 And now she had reached the street car line. 6499 She was safe, or hoped so. She hailed a car, 6500 and took comfort in the fact that there was an 6501 elderly woman also waiting for it. The woman 6502 scanned her slippers and said "You got caught 6503 in the rain, didn't you!" 6504 6505 Betty had half a notion to ask her for the fare, 6506 but concluded that it would be easier to arrange 6507 with the conductor. To be real honest, she made 6508 her way straight to the conductor and sat down 6509 close to where he stood by the box into which 6510 one dropped tickets. Fortunately, there were 6511 only a few people on this car. 6512 6513 As soon as the woman had paid her fare 6514 and gone back to a seat in the after part of the 6515 car, Betty spoke to the conductor. 6516 6517 "Can you tell me how to get to this street?" 6518 she asked, naming the street and suburb. 6519 6520 The conductor began to punch a transfer, 6521 stopping a moment when Betty added that she 6522 hadn't a ticket, but she was scared and wanted 6523 to get home and she could give him her father's 6524 address and he would pay her fare. "What's 6525 your father's business?" asked the conductor. 6526 6527 Betty told him, as the conductor took in 6528 Betty's appearance and the flying, pretty hair 6529 from which the scarf had become disarranged. 6530 "I'll take a chance on you, young lady," said 6531 the man with a half smile, "and pay your fare 6532 myself. So you got scared, did you? Better 6533 not be out alone so late." 6534 6535 "Oh, never again! Never again," gasped 6536 Betty. "Thank you, so much! Please what is 6537 your name, so we can pay you?" 6538 6539 The conductor hesitated, but evidently con- 6540 cluded that it was best to let the affair be settled 6541 that way. He told her, slowly. 6542 6543 Again Betty flew along the way home from 6544 the street car half an hour later. And oh, how 6545 good it was to see a light at home! Yes, Mother, 6546 _Mother,_ was still up! 6547 6548 Several short rings did Betty give and when 6549 her mother opened the door, she began to cry 6550 and laugh a little so hysterically that her mother 6551 was alarmed. "What is it, my child? And who 6552 brought you home like this?" 6553 6554 Betty hastened to tell her mother that she was 6555 not hurt, "only all upset, Mamma," but she had 6556 to have a little cry before she could tell all 6557 about it. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed 6558 more than once. "Poor Jack! And Mathilde 6559 didn't know what she was doing the last time I 6560 spoke to her!" 6561 6562 "Come; you can tell me more tomorrow. I'm 6563 going to give you a little quieting medicine, 6564 Betty, and put you into bed. I am thankful that 6565 you are safe at home. Think about being snug 6566 in your own bed and forget the rest till 6567 morning." 6568 6569 "But how'll I ever explain, Mother -- about 6570 leaving and everything?" 6571 6572 "That can be the least of your worries, Betty. 6573 Your father and I are the ones to ask for an 6574 explanation." 6575 6576 "Oh." Betty was thoughtful. "But you 6577 wouldn't make a big trouble over it, would you?" 6578 6579 "Do you think that would be like us?" 6580 6581 "No. All right. It's your affair, Mamma. 6582 It's too much for me!" and Betty took the hot 6583 drink her mother offered her, instead of the 6584 medicine she had first suggested, and went to 6585 bed. 6586 6587 6588 6589 6590 6591 6592 Chapter XVI 6593 6594 An Unhappy Interview 6595 6596 6597 Then there was something in the remarks 6598 that had been made about Jack Huxley. Betty 6599 woke early after a few hours' sleep, recalling the 6600 sound of low voices, those of her father and 6601 mother, talking over the matter, of course. Care- 6602 ful not to waken."Doris, Betty presently gath- 6603 ered up her school clothes and went to the bath- 6604 room to dress; but she was not the first one 6605 up. She could hear some one, presumably her 6606 mother, moving about in the other part of the 6607 apartment. 6608 6609 Before Betty combed her tousled golden head, 6610 she hurried into the kitchen and found her 6611 mother fixing grape fruit for breakfast. It was 6612 during a sad but short interval without the little 6613 maid. Mrs. Lee looked at Betty with a whim- 6614 sical smile and asked, "How's the 'wreck of 6615 the Hesperus?'" -- for that was Betty's favorite 6616 expression when she was tired. 6617 6618 Betty, rather white this morning, laughed a 6619 little. "How well you understand, Mother," she 6620 said. "It doesn't seem quite so tragic this 6621 morning, that is, for me. I've been thinking. 6622 Wouldn't it be better for me not to tell about 6623 this and just to say what a good dinner it was 6624 and how much trouble they went to to give Jack 6625 a big party, if the girls ask about it?" 6626 6627 "Decidedly so, Betty, for the sake of every- 6628 body concerned. You were caught in a group 6629 about whose doings we've heard. We'll find out 6630 more again before you accept an invitation. But 6631 there was no intention on the part of any one 6632 to annoy or injure you, though there was not 6633 the proper chaperonage; and of course the 6634 whole setting was as different as possible from 6635 what we approve. But you don't mean that you 6636 would continue a special friendship with Jack, 6637 do you?" 6638 6639 "Oh, no!" Betty looked rather distressed at 6640 the thought of Jack. "If I hadn't been so stub- 6641 born, I might have known. There were little 6642 things -- and then his ideas -- and a few things 6643 said. But Jack is really a dear boy, Mother." 6644 6645 "Yes. So your father said. We talked a good 6646 part of the night." 6647 6648 "I suppose so. I'm sorry, Mother. Well, I'll 6649 handle it the best I can, and I decided that I'd 6650 not act offended about it to Jack, but just tell 6651 him frankly all about how I felt. I wish I could 6652 say something to make him see how it is, but 6653 I suppose there isn't much use trying." 6654 6655 Mrs. Lee smiled. "It is to Jack's credit that 6656 he has been attracted to the sort of a girl you 6657 are, Betty. There is certainly no advantage in 6658 being unkind; but you must be firm about such 6659 associations. No, I suppose with his parents' 6660 ideas, his environment and possible heritage, it 6661 would be a difficult thing to pull Jack away 6662 from that sort of thing; and I should not like 6663 to have my daughter run the risk that much as- 6664 sociation there would bring." 6665 6666 "Your father and I felt very indignant at 6667 first. We do yet in a way. But you escaped 6668 harm, providentially. No good will be achieved 6669 by your adding to the gossip that there will 6670 probably be about it. The effect of 'public opin- 6671 ion' is sometimes a deterrent, but in the case 6672 of young people, your father and I always think 6673 private correction is the best. Just keep as still 6674 as you can Betty, and see what happens. Surely 6675 Jack will make some inquiry in regard to how 6676 you got home." 6677 6678 Betty shook her head doubtfully. "Perhaps 6679 he got to be like the girl the colored maid said 6680 had 'passed out.' I was so scared for a minute, 6681 thinking that she meant really dead! If he did, 6682 he wouldn't know a thing about it. It's very 6683 queer. I suppose his father and mother really 6684 didn't expect it to go so far. When they came 6685 back in the car, it was to be used to take us 6686 home, I suppose." 6687 6688 "Not much use in supposing. Think out what 6689 you want to say at school about it Betty, and 6690 we shall see what happens. I have in mind what 6691 I want to say to Jack's mother some time. Run 6692 along and finish dressing, and awaken Doris, 6693 please. You will feel better when you have 6694 breakfast. Think about your lessons now, if 6695 you can." 6696 6697 "I can all right," replied Betty with a toss of 6698 her head and the ghost of a smile at her mother, 6699 as she followed directions. 6700 6701 The full program at school was a blessing that 6702 day. "Have a good time at your party?" asked 6703 several of the girls who knew about it, putting 6704 the question in various ways and at different 6705 times. And Betty brightly replied that there 6706 was a "wonderful dinner" and "quite a crowd." 6707 Neither Jack nor Mathilde was at school, which 6708 lessened Betty's embarrassment. She really 6709 dreaded to meet Jack Huxley. Lunch she hur- 6710 ried through and fortunately there was no prac- 6711 tice in anything after school. She hung from 6712 a strap in the crowded street car and escaped 6713 any prolonged conversation with any one. 6714 6715 "There has been no telephone message from 6716 Jack," her mother said, upon Betty's inquiry. 6717 "I thought he might call up to see if I had gotten 6718 home all right, but of course he'd hate to say 6719 why he didn't come himself. I have half a 6720 notion to call up Mathilde." 6721 6722 But Betty thought better of this. She would 6723 not make the first move. And she certainly 6724 would never apologize for leaving that party! 6725 "Was every one intoxicated, Betty,?" asked her 6726 father as he had an opportunity to talk with 6727 her privately. 6728 6729 "Oh, no. But almost all the boys and girls 6730 had taken a little of whatever it was and were 6731 more -- lively, you know, or silly, and there were 6732 a few, like me, that didn't know what to do with 6733 the silly ones, at least they looked as if they 6734 were not enjoying it, and it was sort of loud 6735 and noisy -- oh, I can't tell you all the little 6736 things that made me feel I didn't have to stay 6737 and stand it. If Mrs. Huxley had been there, 6738 I would have gone to speak to her. I thought 6739 of leaving a note for her, but I didn't have any 6740 paper or pencil. But I'm not sure that she 6741 would have thought it as horrid as I did." 6742 6743 "We shall see that you do not have such an 6744 experience again, Betty," said her father. "You 6745 will have to have a talk with Jack, of course. 6746 That is inevitable. But I am sure that you are 6747 able to meet the situation." 6748 6749 Betty was not quite sure just how she could 6750 meet it, but the very distance from the party 6751 was helpful now, in point of time and reflection 6752 upon it. Two days went by. No Jack at school. 6753 Mathilde was there, but carefully keeping away 6754 from Betty as Betty was keeping away from 6755 her. Then came the week-end and Monday 6756 again. Jack was in his classes. Lucia Coletti 6757 was back having had a touch of tonsilitis. Betty 6758 saw her and overheard her saying to Jack that 6759 she was "so sorry" she missed his party. 6760 6761 But some little echo of affairs had reached 6762 the school. The junior reporter of the school 6763 paper came to Betty with a puzzled look upon 6764 her face. "Betty, tell me about Jack Huxley's 6765 birthday party. We were going to make a note 6766 of it, mostly something nice about Jack, if we 6767 could, though it wasn't a junior party, of course, 6768 and I heard that they were mostly outsiders. 6769 How about it?" 6770 6771 "There was a notice of it in the newspaper. 6772 Did you see that? In the junior society do- 6773 ings?" 6774 6775 "No." 6776 6777 "There was a list of names given, the more 6778 prominent ones, at least, though I was omitted 6779 by some terrible mistake." Betty was laughing 6780 as she said this. She had been thankful enough 6781 when she saw that the list was not complete. 6782 6783 "Well, I missed that. But Betty--one of the 6784 boys handed me something intended for a joke 6785 on Jack, perhaps, but I've heard something else, 6786 too--that it was a wild party and that they had 6787 flasks and drank--but you wouldn't have been 6788 to one, would you?" 6789 6790 "Not if I could help it," laughed Betty, speaking 6791 quite honestly at that. "What was the joke 6792 on Jack?" 6793 6794 The girl looked through some notes she had. 6795 "I haven't brought it, I guess. Why, it wanted 6796 to know why Jack wasn't able to come to school 6797 the nest day after his party, and some more like 6798 that." 6799 6800 "I don't believe I'd put that in," said Betty. 6801 "Jack hasn't been here very long; and besides, 6802 if there is any gossip, it would only make it 6803 worse. I'll hunt up the account in the paper, 6804 if you like, and bring it to school tomorrow. You 6805 might just copy it and add something like congratulations 6806 to Jack on his birthday. Mrs. Huxley 6807 certainly made a great dinner for Jack, 6808 served by their butler and other servants, and 6809 the house is beautiful, new, you know. Yes, the 6810 crowd was mostly older than we juniors are. 6811 Mathilde was the only one I really knew, though 6812 I believe there were two or three senior girls 6813 there." 6814 6815 "Thanks, Betty. I thought you would know, 6816 I believe I'll do what you suggest and if you'll 6817 bring that account tomorrow it will be in plenty 6818 of time. All the copy has to go in tomorrow 6819 afternoon." 6820 6821 The young "reporter" ran away satisfied and 6822 Betty turned, to come face to face with Jack. 6823 She flushed and her heart beat a little faster 6824 than usual. How she dreaded the interview 6825 which must occur sooner or later! 6826 6827 Jack was as sober as she ever saw him look, 6828 and she did not realize how thoughtful and 6829 serious a face she raised to him. Brown and blue 6830 eyes regarded each other for a moment. "Betty," 6831 said he, "I've got to talk to you. When can I 6832 see you?" 6833 6834 "Would you like to come out to the house?" 6835 inquired Betty. 6836 6837 "I should say not!" Jack seemed more 6838 startled at the idea than rude. "Can't I see 6839 you after school? I've got my roadster." 6840 6841 Betty shook her head negatively at that suggestion. 6842 6843 "If you don't want to ride with me, Betty, 6844 I'll take you to the nearest park or tea room, 6845 where we can talk. I wouldn't mind having 6846 you seen with me today, after what I under- 6847 stand they're telling, about the party, in school. 6848 Would you do it? What was that girl asking 6849 you -- if you don't mind telling? I heard you 6850 say 'Jack,' as I came up and stopped to wait." 6851 6852 "That was the reporter for the paper, Jack. 6853 I think I fixed that for you." 6854 6855 "Thanks. I just found out, Betty, that you 6856 went home by yourself. I was mad about it at 6857 first, but I got over that and I think I owe you 6858 an apology." 6859 6860 "Yes. I think you do, Jack. But it might be 6861 just as well if you'd stay mad. Still, we must 6862 talk it over. We'll be late to our classes now, 6863 Jack. See me after school. I'll meet you in 6864 front and we'll decide then where to go." 6865 6866 Betty hurried off, but it was a gym class this 6867 time and with the changing of shoes, or the 6868 donning of bathing suits for the pool, there 6869 was often some irregularity in appearance at 6870 the exact time. As Betty cut the water like the 6871 goldfish her father sometimes called her, she 6872 wondered what in the world she would say to 6873 Jack. Yes, she would let him drive her to the 6874 small park not far away. There was the chap- 6875 eronage of people coming and going, and yet 6876 they could talk uninterrupted. If it would do 6877 him any good in the eyes of the school to have 6878 her seem to be as friendly as ever, she would 6879 be glad. Under the circumstances, it could not 6880 hurt her and their future dropping of contact 6881 was no more than often happened anyway. But 6882 Betty did not take lightly what had happened. 6883 She would tell Jack just how she felt about it. 6884 Yet, dear me, the more you thought about it 6885 the worse it was; and who could tell beforehand 6886 what she was going to say? Usually it was 6887 something entirely different from what you had 6888 thought up! 6889 6890 Chet Dorrance and Chauncey Allen, racing to 6891 the street car together, saw Betty walking 6892 toward the side street with Jack. "I wonder if 6893 Betty's folks would like to have her go around 6894 with Jack Huxley if they knew all about him," 6895 Chauncey was looking after Betty, as they 6896 stopped to let a few machines pass before cross- 6897 ing to take their car or wait for it. 6898 6899 "I suppose that party must have been all 6900 right," said Chet, "in spite of what they say, or 6901 Betty wouldn't be with him now." 6902 6903 "You never can tell about a girl," replied 6904 Chauncey. "I'm sorry to say it, Chet, but maybe 6905 she likes him." 6906 6907 "Don't mind me, Chauncey," facetiously said 6908 Chet, with a grin. "Maybe she does, but I'd 6909 rather see Betty pick out some other sort of a 6910 boy." 6911 6912 Meanwhile Betty was settling herself in the 6913 gay roadster and Jack was starting. 6914 6915 6916 6917 6918 6919 6920 Chapter XVII 6921 6922 Conclusions 6923 6924 6925 The next scene in this little drama of con- 6926 flicting ideas and their results takes us to a 6927 small park where Jack led Betty to a bench and 6928 sat down beside her. Neither wore any hats 6929 and the late afternoon sunshine fell upon 6930 Betty's gold locks and Jack's dark ones through 6931 the Maytime green of boughs above them. They 6932 had talked of incidental school matters on the 6933 short ride, when Betty had preferred the park 6934 to being entertained at a tea room. 6935 6936 At once Jack had began to tell Betty how 6937 he had just heard about her going home, through 6938 the colored maid who had looked from a down- 6939 stairs window and had seen Betty outside, "fly- 6940 in' along as if de ol' Nick hise'f was afteh her!" 6941 Jack's mouth showed some mirth as he quoted 6942 the dialect. 6943 6944 "That was the way I felt, Jack. Honestly this 6945 is no joke. I was frightened about going home, 6946 but I was more scared to stay, Jack. I've no 6947 doubt but you intended to have me taken home 6948 safely. I went to speak to you about matters 6949 but I saw that you were in no condition, or 6950 mood, for that matter. Why, Jack, I never was 6951 where anybody was intoxicated before, and I" 6952 think it was _terrible!"_ 6953 6954 "Oh, Betty, it wasn't as bad as that. You're 6955 just a little goose about it. You'll get used to 6956 it." 6957 6958 "Never. Do you think I'd risk having my 6959 senses half gone, or all gone, and not know, 6960 scarcely, what was happening? -- besides getting 6961 so you have to have it! And how did it happen 6962 that you didn't know I was gone? Just be- 6963 cause _you_ didn't know what _was_ happening." 6964 6965 "Ye-ah. That's the reason I wouldn't come 6966 out to your house. I thought your father might 6967 meet me with a gun." 6968 6969 "Please don't joke about it." 6970 6971 Betty went on to explain that if there had 6972 been any older people there at the time, she 6973 would have asked to be sent home and made 6974 "proper leave-takings." She described briefly 6975 her trip home, her satin slippers muddy from 6976 the "April shower in May," her talk with her 6977 mother, and what her parents thought about the 6978 matter. 6979 6980 "You see, Jack, in the little town we came 6981 from there was a nice boy next door that we 6982 just _saw_ going to pieces little by little and hav- 6983 ing his life ruined and breaking his mother's 6984 heart -- losing his jobs -- I imagine you see more 6985 what drinking does to people in a country town 6986 where you know everybody. Why, I'd be the 6987 most thankful friend you've got, Jack, if I 6988 thought you'd let it alone!" 6989 6990 "Honestly, Betty, I don't know whether I 6991 could or not." Jack was serious enough as Betty 6992 summed up the situation from her viewpoint. 6993 He folded his arms and looked down at the 6994 grass where a little chipping sparrow was hop- 6995 ping about. Then suddenly his mood changed. 6996 "Aw, Betty, come now. It isn't as bad as you 6997 think. Why, we've always had liquor of some 6998 sort around. Father's had it all his life and it 6999 never hurt him." (Oh, hasn't it? Betty thought.) 7000 7001 "I was just celebrating my birthday a little 7002 too much -- that was all. Let's forget it. I'll 7003 make it up to you. Mother's provoked about it 7004 and I think she was going to call up your mother 7005 today; but whatever our folks think we can be 7006 friends, can't we?" 7007 7008 "Jack, as I told you when we began to talk 7009 about this, I looked forward to that party, and 7010 I did and do appreciate all that your mother and 7011 father did to make everything lovely for all 7012 of us. It was a wonderful entertainment, din- 7013 ner, the pretty house, everything, and I don't 7014 for a minute think you are responsible for what 7015 the other boys brought in in their flasks, or for 7016 the way some of them behaved. And you can 7017 count upon me, Jack, not to tell about those 7018 things at school, or anywhere else, for that" 7019 matter. 7020 7021 "But to be special friends or see much of 7022 each other -- we just can't, that's all. We are 7023 too different. You think things are all right 7024 that I -- well, you see how hard it is for us even 7025 to talk about them." Betty stopped, for Jack 7026 was frowning. 7027 7028 "Plow about that picnic that we fixed up that 7029 night at dinner? You said you'd go. I promise 7030 you that I'll not have a drop of anything with 7031 me." 7032 7033 Betty had all she could do to keep steady. 7034 Jack did like her, and his eyes were so dis- 7035 tressed. "Oh, I'd love to say it was all right, 7036 Jack, because you've been such a good friend; 7037 but even if I could tell you that I would go, 7038 Mother and Father would never let me go any- 7039 where with that crowd again." 7040 7041 "How about me alone, with a different 7042 crowd?" 7043 7044 "The same, Jack -- I'm sorry." Betty, too, 7045 looked distressed. 7046 7047 "I don't think you care very much, Betty.'"' 7048 Jack jumped" up. "I'll drive you home unless 7049 you think that your parents will think you quite 7050 contaminated by the ride!" 7051 7052 "Would you rather drive me home, or not, 7053 Jack? We could easily say goodbye here. The 7054 street car line, only a block away, takes me right 7055 out home." Betty would really have preferred 7056 to take the street car, but Jack vetoed that. 7057 7058 "I'm sore enough over all this," said he, "but 7059 I'd rather take you home. I'm not a perfect 7060 bounder, and if you like I'll go into the house 7061 and talk to your mother." 7062 7063 "I wish you would," said Betty, dreading it, 7064 however. 7065 7066 But when the roadster drew up before the 7067 Lee home, Jack courteously accompanied Betty 7068 to the front door, but said that he had changed 7069 his mind about coming in. "I may do it some 7070 other time," said he. 7071 7072 Betty, just inside the hall door, turned to see 7073 Jack hurrying out to his car, starting it and 7074 rolling off with never a look backwards. She 7075 sighed, shut the door and went to ask her 7076 mother if Mrs. Huxley had telephoned. She 7077 had not. "It's all over, Mother, my talk with 7078 Jack. Did you see him bring me home in his 7079 roadster? It's the last time, of course, but I 7080 can't tell you about what we said just now." To 7081 Betty's own surprise her voice shook and at 7082 her mother's sympathetic look the tears came, 7083 7084 "I think I've got to go off and cry," she said 7085 in a squeaky tone and as she fled toward her 7086 room she heard her mother say that she would 7087 keep Doris away if she came home too soon. 7088 One lovely thing about Mother was that she 7089 wasn't curious! She could wait until her chil- 7090 dren felt like telling her things. 7091 7092 Betty, however, had some repentant thoughts. 7093 It would have been better, perhaps, to have 7094 braved the opposition, or criticism, or disagree- 7095 able circumstances at the party, as her father 7096 had suggested, to telephone to him at home, 7097 rather than to have risked coming home so late 7098 and alone. A city was no place for that. But 7099 if she wrote an apology to her hostess it might 7100 "mess things up worse than ever," she con- 7101 cluded. Hereafter she would try to "keep her 7102 head," but also never to get caught in such a 7103 situation. 7104 7105 7106 7107 7108 7109 7110 Chapter XVIII 7111 7112 A Happy Discovery 7113 7114 7115 Early in May the concert given by the com- 7116 bined musical organizations was given. That 7117 was the next great interest for Betty and her 7118 musical friends. A close study of good music 7119 had been made under the direction of the leader, 7120 and the result was an entertainment of which 7121 Lyon High was not ashamed. 7122 7123 Betty, pretty and excited, in her light dress, 7124 gracefully manipulated a bow in the orchestra. 7125 Chet was also prominent, tooting away at the 7126 proper time. Lucia sang with the combined glee 7127 clubs. Ted Dorrance and his mother sat near 7128 enough for Ted to salute Betty with hand and 7129 head. The entire Lee family attended; and the 7130 countess, with Mr. Murchison and some other 7131 friends, sat in the middle of the balcony. The 7132 orchestra was one organization where favor- 7133 itism was seldom shown. You played well or 7134 you didn't and were ranked accordingly. You 7135 came to practice or were dropped. You behaved 7136 or you were sent to "D.T.", the common expres- 7137 sion for "detention" or staying after school in 7138 a sort of study hall." 7139 7140 But it was good fun and you met other boys 7141 and girls who liked music, some of them with 7142 fine gifts in the line. And dear me, how wide 7143 Betty's acquaintance had grown to be in these 7144 three years at Lyon High! Hikes and picnics 7145 with the G.A.A. or the class or a few friends; 7146 a party here, a meeting there; the Dramatic 7147 Club, the Latin Club, the Girl Reserves and 7148 Y.W. affairs. Betty needed a private directory, 7149 she declared, not to forget "'who was who and 7150 where she had met them." Some were more in- 7151 teresting than others, and among those who 7152 were interesting she counted the "Pirate of Pen- 7153 zance," Marcia Waite's brother, from whom she 7154 occasionally heard through Marcia, or Lucia, 7155 who was in Marcia's sorority. Once she had 7156 a very friendly letter from him and at Christ- 7157 mas time he had sent her a card. He always 7158 addressed her as "Titania" in remembrance of 7159 their first meeting on Hallowe'en. It was his 7160 face that she had seen in the mirror. "Wouldn't 7161 it be funny if, after all -- but what nonsense!" 7162 7163 Carolyn and Kathryn were taking a great in- 7164 terest in swimming in this junior year and now 7165 all three were working hard at the life-saving 7166 tests. Betty longed to have some riding lessons 7167 to ride "properly," with Lucia, for from little 7168 things that Lucia said from time to time, she 7169 fancied this to be Lucia's last year at Lyon 7170 High. But Betty could not do everything. Rid- 7171 ing would be just as good another year, her 7172 mother said. 7173 7174 And now, one lovely week-end, Mrs. Murch- 7175 ison sent for Mrs. Lee. The poor bewildered 7176 old lady in the suite upstairs was slipping 7177 quietly over the border from life here to life 7178 eternal. Betty went over to stay with Lucia, who 7179 had told Betty before how they had put the dolls 7180 away when Grandmother Ferris had seemed to 7181 come to herself for a while, though weak, sleep- 7182 ing a great deal and finally falling asleep "not 7183 to waken." 7184 7185 "This takes away one reason for Mother's 7186 staying here," said Lucia to Betty after the fu- 7187 neral, when Betty came after school to stay all 7188 night again. "This is what I wanted to talk 7189 over with you, Betty. I wrote everything to my 7190 father, Betty, and I wrote again to Italy where 7191 he is now., I haven't had a word from him in 7192 reply to all I said, or about coming, just cards 7193 about where he was and how soon he would 7194 reach Italy and how he was having the _palazzo_ 7195 opened in Milan. Now _that_ may mean some- 7196 thing. I left the letter where mother would 7197 find it. And Betty, when your mother was here, 7198 my mother broke down a little over grand- 7199 mother's going, and I heard her say, "Oh, I'm 7200 so lonely, Mrs. Lee!" And your mother asked 7201 her right away if her 'husband' would not soon 7202 return from his African trip. Evidently you 7203 hadn't told your mother a word." 7204 7205 "Oh, no, Lucia! Of course not!" 7206 7207 "Mother said she hoped that he'd get back 7208 safely, and your mother said that the hardest 7209 thing in the world was for families to be sepa- 7210 rated. Probably she has heard some talk about 7211 Mother's staying here so long, but anyhow she 7212 saw this sort of thing is all wrong, whether I 7213 get educated in America or not. I'd stay here 7214 another year alone if I could get mother to go 7215 back to my father!" 7216 7217 _"Would_ you, Lucia? I wish you would stay. 7218 I hate to lose you for a friend." 7219 7220 "You're never going to lose me, Betty Lee! 7221 I need you. Don't you think it would be nice 7222 to have a real old Italian _palazzo_ to come to 7223 when you 'go abroad,' as they say here." 7224 7225 "It isn't possible," grinned Betty. "That, 7226 Lucia, is a fairy story!" 7227 7228 This conversation took place at the scene of 7229 previous confidences, Lucia's own room. And 7230 when the girls started to the drawing room a 7231 little later, they passed a room in which Betty 7232 heard the sound of a machine. "Peep in a mo- 7233 ment, Betty," Lucia suggested, stopping Betty 7234 as she would have gone more rapidly. 7235 7236 Betty looked in at the open door. There sat 7237 Giovanna at the machine, and there in a chair 7238 beside her sat a dark-haired girl, simply but 7239 neatly dressed, and weaving a needle in and out 7240 in the meshes of some beautiful lace. As the 7241 girls paused, the needle stopped and the girl 7242 turned her head in their direction, to smile at 7243 Lucia. 7244 7245 "You saw us in the mirror, didn't you?" Lucia 7246 asked, stepping within the room. "Betty, see 7247 how wonderfully this lace is being mended. She 7248 is practically making lace where it is torn. This 7249 is my friend Betty Lee, Rose. Betty--" but the 7250 Countess Coletti was at the door and spoke. 7251 7252 "Girls, run right down, please. Uncle wants 7253 to see you, Lucia." 7254 7255 With a smile at the "Rose," who was about to 7256 be more fully introduced to her, she supposed, 7257 Betty followed Lucia downstairs, while the 7258 countess went into the sewing room. "I thought 7259 I'd surprise you, Betty, though I almost forgot 7260 it," said Lucia. 7261 7262 "You certainly did! That is the face that we 7263 saw at the window when we went carolling?" 7264 7265 "Yes. It was just accidental we found the 7266 girl, though. Mother has some lace to be 7267 mended, as you saw; and when she inquired a 7268 little, one of her friends told her about discover- 7269 ing this girl that does such fine work." 7270 7271 "What is her name?" 7272 7273 "Rose Seville, I believe." 7274 7275 "Seville! That is a place in Spain, isn't it? 7276 First class in geography stand up, as Mother 7277 says! And it's awfully like Savilla, too!" 7278 7279 Lucia looked puzzled, then saw her uncle, who 7280 came from the drawing room into the hall as the 7281 girls reached the foot of the stairs. He was 7282 ready to leave the house, they saw. Nodding 7283 to Betty, whom he had seen before since her 7284 arrival, he detained Lucia for some message; 7285 Betty did not hear what it was and would not 7286 have listened. She went on into the drawing 7287 room and walked to one of the windows that 7288 looked out upon the lawns, now lovely with 7289 flowers. 7290 7291 Betty was thinking about the girl upstairs. 7292 Rose, like the "Rosie" of Mrs. Woods account. 7293 Seville, like Sevilla, and that man had called 7294 them the Sevillas. At least _he_ had not found 7295 them; and if this were Ramon's sister, she must 7296 have found enough work to get along. She 7297 would ask Lucia if she might talk to this Rose 7298 Seville. 7299 7300 Betty had not long to wait and when Lucia 7301 came into the room to find her she told her that 7302 she had a "mystery to solve," a statement that 7303 interested Lucia exceedingly. They sat down to- 7304 gether on the soft cushions of a handsome dav- 7305 enport while Betty told Lucia "all about it." 7306 With a bit of her mother's energy and direct 7307 efficiency, Lucia jumped up and declared that 7308 they would find out at once. Two eager girls 7309 ran up the stairs to the sewing room, which the 7310 countess was just leaving. 7311 7312 "Wait a minute, Mother, please," asked Lucia. 7313 "Betty wants to speak to Rose and I think you 7314 will be interested." 7315 7316 Smilingly, and with her usual poise, the 7317 countess waited, Lucia slipping her hand into 7318 that of her mother and standing back a little, 7319 near the door, while Betty stepped closer to 7320 the girl that raised such surprised but beautiful 7321 eyes to her. 7322 7323 "Excuse me, Miss Seville," said Betty, "but 7324 your name reminds me of some one that I do 7325 not know, but -- that I may have some good news 7326 for." Betty spoke rather stumblingly, in her 7327 effort not to startle the girl if she were the lost 7328 "Rosie." 7329 7330 "I have been wanting to find a lady and her 7331 daughter named Sevilla ever since a Mrs. 7332 Woods told me about them." Betty stopped, for 7333 the girl before her turned pale and started to 7334 rise hastily. 7335 7336 "But you know I said I have good news for 7337 them I" exclaimed Betty, certain now. 7338 7339 "Oh!" exclaimed the girl, dropping back. The 7340 countess drew a little nearer and spoke reas- 7341 suringly. "Rose, this young girl is perfectly 7342 safe with any secret you may have, and so are 7343 we. Nothing can harm you here." 7344 7345 "Oh!" exclaimed the girl, softly, again. "I -- 7346 yes. I am the one they called Rosie Sevilla 7347 there." 7348 7349 "And have you a brother called Ramon? Be- 7350 cause we know a very nice boy that was known 7351 as Ramon Balinsky here; but he went away and 7352 we had a letter from him, and it's very likely 7353 that he will come back to see us some time." 7354 7355 Now the girl was all eager interest. The 7356 countess drew the lace from her hands and lap 7357 and sat down herself, in Giovanna's vacant 7358 chair, to listen while Betty told all she knew 7359 and Rose acknowledged that they had been look- 7360 ing for Ramon. "Some time I can tell you all," 7361 she said in her soft English with the foreign 7362 accent. "Ramon is a good boy. The jewels are 7363 our own. That man has been deceiving us first 7364 and then doing us all the harm he could. When 7365 we at last found out more about him, we tried 7366 to escape him and find Ramon. Then he must 7367 be looking for us, too. We went away from the 7368 rooms we had because I had seen that evil man 7369 upon the street here and I knew he would find 7370 us. Then a friend we have told us that he had 7371 gone and we came back because I could have 7372 work here and knew some good people like the 7373 countess here. The pretty Italian signorina here 7374 told me that she had seen me when the pretty 7375 carols were sung. I listened, but my mother, 7376 who is old and sick, wanted me to put down the 7377 window." 7378 7379 Rose stopped, but looked troubled. "When 7380 did the man come to see your father? He has 7381 come back again!" 7382 7383 "It was some time ago," answered Betty, "and 7384 Father thought that he would probably go to 7385 Detroit to look for Ramon." 7386 7387 "He has money -- our money, and he will kill 7388 Ramon, I think." 7389 7390 "Perhaps he's been just scaring you," sug- 7391 gested Betty. "He did not look so terrible as 7392 that." 7393 7394 "He is a serpent," said Rose. "Some time I 7395 may tell you more, if you care about it." 7396 7397 The countess, listening, had not much relished 7398 having Lucia called the "Italian signorina," 7399 however flatteringly, as Lucia herself had noted 7400 by her mother's expression. Oh, yes, Countess 7401 Coletti was making an American out of her 7402 daughter -- _perhaps,_ Lucia thought. But the 7403 countess had an idea. 7404 7405 "Rose," she said, "how would you like to 7406 bring your mother here and help me for a 7407 while? You would be safe, I think, and espe- 7408 cially if we arrange for another of your names 7409 to be used. I suppose you have a string of them, 7410 like most of the noble families in the old world." 7411 7412 "Yes. That has been our mistake -- but we 7413 wanted Ramon to be able to find us if he were 7414 still alive." 7415 7416 "Poor child!" cried the countess. "There are 7417 those rooms on the third floor since Grand- 7418 mother Ferris has gone. They are in a wing, 7419 by themselves. I will speak to my brother about 7420 it. The nurse and maid who took care of Madam 7421 Ferris both wanted to leave. There is much to 7422 be done, with her private possessions all to be 7423 looked over; and some way I can not bear to do 7424 it, or let careless people do it. I could use you 7425 in many ways, Rose and we would pay you well. 7426 Will you come?" 7427 7428 "Can you mean that?" Rose Sevilla was eag- 7429 erly leaning forward, almost afraid to believe 7430 the countess. Rich people sometimes had kind 7431 impulses and then forgot! 7432 7433 "I mean it," smiled Countess Coletti. "Finish 7434 the lace now. Come tomorrow and by that time 7435 I will have consulted our new housekeeper and 7436 considered the matter of furniture and just 7437 what rooms shall be cleared for you and your 7438 mother. There is every arrangement for cook- 7439 ing light meals there, since it was often neces- 7440 sary." 7441 7442 "Mother is more sick with worry than any- 7443 thing," said Rosie. "This news will make her 7444 happy -- and to be safe! She is old and has been 7445 through so much that it will be like heaven here! 7446 I will do everything. No work is too hard for 7447 me." 7448 7449 The countess smiled. "You shall do enough 7450 to earn the way of both of you, never fear, 7451 though I shall want to know some time what 7452 daughter of Spanish nobles is living on our 7453 third floor." 7454 7455 Rose smiled at that. "You shall know all, 7456 perhaps, some day. I thank you for _trusting_ 7457 me!" 7458 7459 At last the trail was laid to bring Ramon and 7460 his mother and sister together. Betty felt satis- 7461 fied. Her neglect or carelessness earlier in the 7462 steps of identification had not been fatal to the 7463 final outcome. And it was Lucia and the carol- 7464 ling that were finally responsible, as she told 7465 Lucia. 7466 7467 "Yes, and who got me to join the Girl Re- 7468 serves?" asked Lucia. "Now bring my father 7469 over here, Betty, and you mil fix us all up!" 7470 7471 "That is beyond little me," laughed Betty. 7472 "That is quite your job, Signorina Coletti!" 7473 7474 7475 7476 7477 7478 7479 Chapter XIX 7480 7481 Betty Sees "X" Surprised 7482 7483 7484 The weeks went by. Father's little goldfish 7485 had passed the life-saving tests! She could also 7486 do some more diving "stunts" and in "endur- 7487 ance tests" was growing proficient. She was a 7488 candidate for more G.A.A. honors at the final 7489 award of honors. Hikes you would do anyway, 7490 of course. She tramped ten miles one day with 7491 a Lyon "Y" group whose leader became rather 7492 mixed as to route and the five-mile hike became 7493 ten. Oh, well, Betty said, it would count just 7494 that much more toward your points. But she 7495 had gotten some gravel in her shoes and limped 7496 for the rest of the week-end. Life was not 7497 always free from drawbacks! 7498 7499 School was nearly out. Betty Lee, junior, 7500 would soon be Betty Lee, senior. As usual, the 7501 girls "couldn't realize it." Some of them were 7502 going to attend summer school. Betty, still 7503 keeping on the honor roll, knew that there would 7504 be no necessity for her doing it; still if you 7505 were in the city, there might be something in- 7506 teresting to take. Yet there was always her 7507 violin to practice. She wanted to be a member 7508 of the "senior orchestra" next year as well as 7509 in the senior class, and that you won by ability, 7510 not by rank. 7511 7512 Of Jack Huxley she saw little. He was 7513 courteous enough to speak when they met and 7514 if they were unavoidably in a junior group to- 7515 gether he was as friendly to Betty as to any 7516 one. But there was no waiting after school to 7517 see her. There were no invitations. And other 7518 matters occupied Betty's thoughts. 7519 7520 "I don't want to be inquisitive, or curious, 7521 Carolyn," said Peggy Pollard one day to Caro- 7522 lyn Gwynne, "but don't you imagine there must 7523 have been something in all that gossip about 7524 Jack Huxley's party? I notice Betty and he 7525 haven't been together any since. Did Betty ever 7526 tell you anything? Or isn't it any of my affair?" 7527 7528 "Betty's never said anything much about the 7529 party to me, Peggy, only that it was a big one 7530 and they had it all very 'spuzzy' there, dinner 7531 with lots of courses and everything. I really 7532 can't remember what she did say. And was it 7533 after that Jack stopped being with Betty? He's 7534 been around with Mathilde some, I know; but I 7535 thought it was because old diet has been rush- 7536 ing Betty a lot. She was in that pretty Holland 7537 booth Mrs. Dorrance was running and you know 7538 we girls were all invited out there for a fete 7539 they had on her big lawn. But Peggy, I think 7540 it's just as well for Betty to stick with the old 7541 crowd. Chet, too, will be in the university next 7542 year. He has to make hay while the sun shines. 7543 I feel sorry for Chet if Betty doesn't like him 7544 as much as he likes her." 7545 7546 "Don't worry about Chet, Carolyn. Likely 7547 enough he'll meet some girl at the university 7548 and Betty will be the one to miss our senior 7549 boys. I think I know one or two juniors, though, 7550 that won't' be so sorry when that bunch of 7551 boys has gone." 7552 7553 "Of course. If they didn't go, then we 7554 wouldn't be seniors. I hope the teams won't 7555 suffer." 7556 7557 Baseball, the "senior exams," the excitement 7558 of the approaching commencement, little social 7559 affairs of clubs and groups, more elaborate en- 7560 tertainments, assemblies in the auditorium that 7561 no one wanted to miss -- all these and more filled 7562 the days. 7563 7564 There was a general rejoicing and excitement 7565 one day when great loads of handsome books 7566 were delivered at the school and a rush occurred 7567 at all possible moments to get a copy of the 7568 annual Lyon High _Star._ It was the custom to 7569 order the books in advance, as they were too 7570 expensive to have any copies left over. Not all 7571 felt that they could buy one, but those who did 7572 were generous with them and it was not unusual 7573 to see a group gathered around, peering over 7574 shoulders to look at the pictures of groups or 7575 individuals, taken some time back, when the 7576 camera men came out to the school. 7577 7578 Betty and Carolyn secured their copies among 7579 the first and plumped down in seats in the 7580 auditorium at the close of school to look at 7581 them. Mary Emma and Selma were standing 7582 behind them, bending over with interest; and 7583 not far away Chet and Budd were chuckling 7584 over a copy. Naturally, their own individual 7585 pictures with their class were of first interest. 7586 "Oh, Betty!" cried Mary Emma, "that isn't 7587 half as pretty as you are, but it's pretty good 7588 after all! And look at mine -- there -- on the 7589 same page. Isn't that awful! I'm just smirk- 7590 ing! Somebody had made me laugh and I was 7591 trying to get over it and just smile a little." 7592 7593 "Wait till you see mine," said Carolyn, "be- 7594 fore you shed tears. I'm the Grossest girl you 7595 ever saw, so far as mere looks are concerned." 7596 7597 "Why, Caroline, you just look serious. Of 7598 course, you usually don't, but what is a little 7599 thing like that?" This was Betty. 7600 7601 Exclamations and some laughter were the 7602 order of the nest few minutes. Some of the 7603 teachers looked "wonderful" and others "you 7604 wouldn't know at all." But the book as a whole 7605 was eminently satisfactory, with its individual 7606 recognitions and personal history as well as the 7607 account of the year's progress and activities. 7608 Betty would add hers to the other two reposing 7609 at home. One more would complete her high 7610 school record. 7611 7612 While they still looked at the book, Lucia Co- 7613 letti opened the central auditorium door and 7614 looked in searchingly. "Oh, here you are, 7615 Betty. Peggy said that she thought you hadn't 7616 left the building yet. I've something important 7617 to tell you, Betty. Can you come out to dinner 7618 with me? I can telephone home for you if you 7619 will. I can get the telephone in the office now. 7620 They said I could." 7621 7622 Lucia's voice was trembling with suppressed 7623 excitement, but the girls, still engaged in the 7624 pages Betty was turning, did not notice. Selma 7625 was talking to Mary Emma and some of the 7626 art work by the students themselves was being 7627 commented upon. 7628 7629 Betty handed the book to Selma. "You can 7630 finish looking at it, girls, and I'll be in the hall 7631 as soon as I go to my locker a minute. All right, 7632 Lucia. Telephone, or get Mother on the line 7633 for me, if you like. I'd love to come." 7634 7635 Betty fancied that there might be some de- 7636 velopment relative to the Sevillas, now com- 7637 fortably settled. But she was mistaken. As the 7638 two girls left the high school building, Betty 7639 with her _Star_ under her arm, Lucia in the 7640 lowest tones told her that she had received a 7641 telegram. 7642 7643 "It was telephoned out to school, addressed to 7644 me at Lyon High, and the office telephoned to 7645 the home room, you know, to have me stop after 7646 school. It isn't signed by anything but an 7647 initial, but it is from my father. It was sent 7648 from New York. Here it is. You can read it 7649 in the car, but don't say a word before the 7650 chauffeur." 7651 7652 "Then your father is coming!" said Betty in 7653 a surprised whisper. 7654 7655 "Yes. I want you, because Mother has been 7656 sick all day, just worn out with all sorts of 7657 things, chiefly late hours and all the things that 7658 are going on. She is really better than she was 7659 yesterday, though. Now she might want me with 7660 her, and I must have somebody there that 7661 knows, so that one of us can be ready to -- oh, 7662 well, with just the butler there he might send 7663 in a card and Mother wouldn't see him or some- 7664 thing. And she's got to!" 7665 7666 Betty laughed a little at Lucia's determi- 7667 nation. But it was a matter of the most 7668 importance to her friend. "Good for you, 7669 Lucia. And I imagine if they once see each 7670 other--" 7671 7672 Betty broke off, for they had reached the 7673 waiting car which so often called for Lucia. She 7674 unfolded the piece of paper on which the 7675 telegram had been copied down as dictated over 7676 the telephone. "Coming. Beach house about 7677 six. Surprise. X." The periods were repre- 7678 sented by the customary "stop." 7679 7680 "I can't imagine a certain person's arriving 7681 anywhere that early in the morning," said 7682 Lucia, "so it's tonight." 7683 7684 "In that case, Lucia, I may not stay to dinner. 7685 I'd be a fifth wheel, but oh, I'm so glad." 7686 7687 It was no time before the girls were at the 7688 Murchison door. Betty made herself at home 7689 in Lucia's room while Lucia went to see her 7690 mother, the "X" of the telegram, who was to 7691 be surprised. Doubtless that was only intended 7692 as a public caution, designed to prevent the tele- 7693 gram's being relayed home. 7694 7695 Lucia came back in high spirits. "You ought 7696 to see my mother," said she. "She's up and in 7697 the most adorable negligee you can imagine. She 7698 may dress for dinner. Uncle is to be late. It 7699 couldn't happen better. Now if the 'long-absent' 7700 Count Coletti is only on time! Mother was so 7701 mad at that in the paper once." 7702 7703 Lucia's dark eyes sparkled and her cheeks 7704 were hot. Betty said a little prayer in her heart 7705 that her friend might not be disappointed with 7706 the result. "Mother's been desperately lonely 7707 and restless lately and has been on the go nearly 7708 all the time," continued Lucia. "Come on; we'll 7709 go downstairs and wait. You must be right 7710 there and don't stop keeping an ear open for 7711 the door, if I'm called to Mother or for anything 7712 else. Sometimes the housekeeper wants to see 7713 me if she can't disturb Mother." 7714 7715 This was all very thrilling. Lucia could not 7716 keep still or very far away from the front 7717 window. At the sound of an automobile on the 7718 drive, both girls went to the window. It might 7719 be Mr. Murchison, of course, or almost anybody. 7720 But no. "It's a taxi," Lucia tensely whispered. 7721 7722 On it came, stopping before the entrance. The 7723 driver descended from his seat and opened the 7724 door. There was a little delay as the passenger 7725 was paying before leaving the taxi. The driver 7726 was receiving a bill, which must have included 7727 a good tip, from the impressive manner and 7728 extreme courtesy which followed on the part of 7729 the driver. He took out two grips and stood 7730 aside to let a slight, distinguished-looking man 7731 pass him and go up the steps. He followed, but 7732 Betty saw that the butler had opened the door 7733 to go out. 7734 7735 Lucia had waited only to see who stepped 7736 from the taxi. She was out into the hall, down 7737 the steps and in the arms of a surprised father 7738 before one would have thought she could reach 7739 him. The butler, too, was smiling and welcoming 7740 the count. "Why, he was probably here when 7741 they were married," thought Betty. "Of course, 7742 but Lucia had never thought of it!" 7743 7744 Invited to have a share in this arrival, Betty 7745 felt quite justified as she happily watched from 7746 the window seat, having a good view from the 7747 windows that projected in a sort of rectangular 7748 recess at the part of the room nearest the hall. 7749 7750 The door into the hall stood open, but Betty 7751 did not come into sight as they entered from 7752 without. She wondered if there would be any 7753 delay. Would the count go straight to his wife's 7754 room? What would happen? She could hear 7755 the rapid Italian in which Lucia and her father 7756 were speaking. The butler spoke in his ac- 7757 customed low tones, but with some excitement, 7758 too. It was being explained to him. Then up 7759 the stairs Lucia and her father went, the butler 7760 following with the grips. It was probably the 7761 intention to take the count to the proper guest 7762 room first, but a door opened and the Countess 7763 Coletti asked, "Lucia, who came?" as Lucia was 7764 in the lead of the silently coming party. 7765 7766 Then the countess caught sight of her hus- 7767 band. "Oh, my dear, my dear!" And the rest 7768 was in Italian. In the tenderest of tones the 7769 count was addressing his wife. 7770 7771 Lucia came rushing down the stairs to throw 7772 herself upon Betty and cry. "Oh, I can't help 7773 it, Betty!" she cried between little sobs. "It 7774 is all right at last! She was glad to see him 7775 and he just gathered her up in his arms! I 7776 think she is crying, too!" 7777 7778 It took Lucia only a few minutes to gain her 7779 self-possession and explain further. "My father 7780 says he has come to 'get us,' as you said, Betty, 7781 but he will stay a while if it is all right with 7782 Uncle to let me finish my school. He told me 7783 that right away. But the main thing was to 7784 find out whether Mother would receive him or 7785 not. Of course, we could not mention that before 7786 the butler. He knew my father." Wasn't that 7787 nice? 7788 7789 Betty was merely a happy spectator, but 7790 Lucia would not let her go, and when at last, 7791 after she had been called to her mother's room 7792 for a small family reunion and had come back 7793 to Betty a thoroughly happy girl again, she ran 7794 to meet her uncle, who came in just then. "Oh 7795 Uncle!" she cried, "my father, the Count Coletti, 7796 is here!" How proudly Lucia spoke, and there 7797 was a little of question in her voice. 7798 7799 "Thank heaven!" replied her uncle, of whose 7800 reception of her father she had been so doubtful. 7801 "It is high time! I hope he can manage her. 7802 It's beyond me." But Betty knew that Mr. 7803 Murchison was laughing as he spoke. "Tell him 7804 that we'll kill the fatted calf. Have you told 7805 the housekeeper?" 7806 7807 "I never thought of it, but the butler knows 7808 and he does everything or sees to it, you know." 7809 7810 And at dinner, when Betty had met the count 7811 and he had told her that he already knew her 7812 as his daughter's best friend, one little speech 7813 of the countess amused her very much. 7814 7815 "Think, Buddy," she said using the old term 7816 of her childhood for her brother, "think, Buddy, 7817 what a social asset he'll be while we stay!" And 7818 with perfect understanding now, Count Coletti 7819 looked at his wife and smiled with the rest. 7820 7821 In the course of the conversation, which con- 7822 sisted chiefly in drawing out details of Count 7823 Coletti's African experiences, it was hinted that 7824 Lucia might return after a summer in Switzer- 7825 land to finish her course in the American high 7826 school. Betty modestly expressed herself as 7827 hoping that she would, and the countess said, 7828 "We shall see." 7829 7830 Truly life was full of thrills to Betty Lee. 7831 There was still school to be completed. Chet 7832 would get his diploma; and should she have 7833 some little remembrance for Chet in honor of 7834 his graduation, or not? She would ask her 7835 mother. One more year and she would have 7836 a diploma, too! But first she had to be Betty 7837 Lee, senior. 7838 7839 7840 -- the end --
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