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diff --git a/38152-h/38152-h.htm b/38152-h/38152-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..695b1a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/38152-h/38152-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6512 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> + <meta name="generator" content="ppgen"/> + <meta name="author" content="Katherine Keene Galt"/> + <meta name="date" content="1921"/> + <meta name="title" content="The Girl Scouts Rally"/> + <title>The Girl Scouts Rally, by Katherine Keene Galt</title> + <style type="text/css"> + body { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 10%; margin-bottom: 10%; + text-align: justify; } + p { margin-top:.7071em; margin-bottom:.7071em; text-align:justify; } + .pagenum { display:inline; font-size:x-small; text-align:right; text-indent:0; + position:absolute; right:2%; padding:1px 3px; font-style:normal; + font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:none; + background-color:inherit; border:1px solid #eee; } + .pncolor { color:silver; } + .sc { font-variant:small-caps; } + div.figure { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + p.caption { text-align:center; } + div.chapter { margin-top:3em; margin-bottom:1em; } + p.cln0 { text-align:center; display: block; font-size:1.3em; } + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Girl Scouts Rally, by Katherine Keene Galt + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Girl Scouts Rally + Rosanna Wins + +Author: Katherine Keene Galt + +Release Date: November 27, 2011 [EBook #38152] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from images made available by the HathiTrust +Digital Library.) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div class="figure"> +<img src="images/illus-fpc.jpg" alt="image"/> +<p class="caption">“So you want me to come to your show, do you?” said Mr. Harriman.</p> +</div> + +<p style="margin-top:4em;"> </p> + +<p style="text-align:center;"><i>Girl Scouts Series, Volume 2</i></p> + +<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 1.6em;">THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;">or</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 1.4em;">ROSANNA WINS</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;margin-top: 2.0em;">BY</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 1.2em;margin-bottom: 2.0em;">Katherine Keene Galt</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;margin-bottom: 0.0em;">THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 0.8em;margin-top: 0.0em;">CHICAGO—AKRON, OHIO—NEW YORK</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 0.8em;">MADE IN U. S. A.</p> + +<p style="margin-top:4em;"> </p> + +<p style="text-align:center;margin-bottom: 0.0em;">Copyright, 1921, by</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;margin-top: 0.0em;margin-bottom: 2.0em;">THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY</p> + +<table style='margin: 0 auto' summary="Girl Scouts series"> +<tr><td align="center">THE GIRL SCOUTS SERIES</td></tr> +<tr><td>1 THE GIRL SCOUTS AT HOME</td></tr> +<tr><td>2 THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY</td></tr> +<tr><td>3 THE GIRL SCOUT’S TRIUMPH</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p style="margin-top:4em;"> </p> + +<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 1.4em;">THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY</p> + +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chI'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER I</p> +</div> + + +<p>Three little girls sat in a row on the top step of +a beautiful home in Louisville. At the right was +a dark-haired, fairylike child on whose docked hair +a velvet berét, or French officer’s cap, sat jauntily. +Her dark eyes were round and thoughtful as she +gazed into space. There was a little wrinkle between +her curved black brows.</p> + +<p>Beside her, busily knitting on a long red scarf, +sat a sparkling little girl whose hazel eyes danced +under a fringe of blond curls. Her dainty motions +and her pretty way of tossing back her beautiful +hair caused people to stop and look at her as they +passed, but Elise was all unconscious of their admiration. +Indeed, she was almost too shy, and few +knew how full of fun and laughter she could be.</p> + +<p>The third girl wore a businesslike beaver hat over +her blond docked hair, and her great eyes, blue and +steady, were levelled across Elise, who knitted on +in silence, to the dark girl in the velvet cap.</p> + +<p>Helen Culver spoke at last. “Well, Rosanna, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_2'></a>2</span> +what are you thinking? Have you any plan at +all?”</p> + +<p>The dark child spoke. “No, Helen, I can’t think +of a thing. It makes me <i>so</i> provoked!”</p> + +<p>“Tell me, will you not?” asked Elise in her +pretty broken English. She was trying so hard to +speak like Rosanna and Helen that she could +scarcely be prevailed upon to say anything in +French.</p> + +<p>Many months had passed since Elise, in the care +of the kind ladies of the American Red Cross, had +come over from France to her adopted guardian, +young Mr. Horton. She had grown to be quite +American during that time, and was very proud +of her attainments. The dark and dreadful past +was indeed far behind, and while she sometimes +wept for her dear grandmother, who had died in +Mr. Horton’s tender arms in the old château at +home, she loved her foster mother, Mrs. Hargrave, +with all her heart. And with Elise laughing and +dancing through it, the great old Hargrave house +was changed indeed. While Elise was crossing the +ocean, Mrs. Hargrave had fitted up three rooms +for her. There was a sitting-room, that was like +the sunny outdoors, with its dainty flowered +chintzes, its ivory wicker furniture, its plants and +canaries singing in wicker cages. Then there was +a bedroom that simply put you to sleep just to look +at it: all blue and silver, like a summer evening. +Nothing sang here, but there was a big music box, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_3'></a>3</span> +old as Mrs. Hargrave herself, that tinkled Elise to +sleep if she so wished. And the bathroom was +papered so that you didn’t look at uninteresting +tiles set like blocks when you splashed around in +the tub. No; there seemed to be miles and miles +of sunny sea-beach with little shells lying on the +wet sand and sea gulls swinging overhead.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hargrave was so delighted with all this +when it was finished that it made her discontented +with her own sitting-room with its dim old hangings +and walnut furniture.</p> + +<p>“No wonder I was beginning to grow old,” she +said to her life-long friend, Mrs. Horton. “No +wonder at all! All this dismal old stuff is going +up in the attic. I shall bring down my great great-grandmother’s +mahogany and have all my wicker +furniture cushioned with parrots and roses.”</p> + +<p>“It sounds dreadful,” said Mrs. Horton.</p> + +<p>“It won’t be,” retorted her friend. “It will be +perfectly lovely. Did you know that I can play +the piano? I can, and well. I had forgotten it. +I am going to have birds too—not canaries, but +four cunning little green love-birds. They are going +to have all that bay window for themselves. +And I shall have a quarter grand piano put right +there.”</p> + +<p>“I do think you are foolish,” said Mrs. Horton, +who was a cautious person. “What if this child +turns out to be a failure? All you have is my son’s +word for it, and what does a boy twenty-four years +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_4'></a>4</span> +old know about little girls? You ought to wait +and see what sort of a child she is.”</p> + +<p>“I have faith, my dear,” said her friend. “I +have been so lonely for so many long years that I +feel sure that at last the good Lord is going to send +me a real little daughter.”</p> + +<p>“Cross-eyed perhaps and with a frightful disposition,” +said Mrs. Horton. “All children look +like angels to Robert.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hargrave was plucky. “Very well, then; +I can afford to have her eyes straightened, and I +will see what I can do about the temper.”</p> + +<p>“I won’t tease you any more,” said Mrs. Horton. +“Robert says the child is charming and good as +gold. I know you will be happy with her, and if +you find that she is too much of a care for you, you +can simply throw her right back on Robert’s hands. +I don’t like to have him feel that he has no responsibility +in the matter.”</p> + +<p>Elise proved to be all that Mrs. Hargrave had +dreamed, and more. She sang like a bird and Mrs. +Hargrave found her old skill returning as she +played accompaniments or taught Elise to play on +the pretty piano. And the little girl, who was +perfectly happy, repaid her over and over in love +and a thousand sweet and pretty attentions. Dear +Mrs. Hargrave, who had been so lonely that she +had not cared particularly whether she lived or +died, found herself wishing for many years of +life.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_5'></a>5</span> + +<p>The three little girls, Elise, Rosanna, of whom +you have perhaps read, and her friend Helen Culver +were great friends.</p> + +<p>They went to school and studied and played together, +and Rosanna and Helen were both Girl +Scouts. Elise was to join too, as soon as she could +qualify. At present, as Uncle Robert said slangily, +she was “stuck on pie.” She could not make a +crust that could be cut or even <i>sawed</i> apart although +she tried to do so with all the earnestness in +the world.</p> + +<p>Perhaps you girls who are reading this remember +Rosanna. If so, you will be glad to know that she +grew well and strong again after her accident and +continued to be a very happy little girl who was +devoted to her grandmother, who in turn was devoted +to Rosanna. The beautiful hair that Rosanna +had cut off was allowed to stay docked, and +that was a great relief to Rosanna, who was always +worried by the weight of the long curls that hung +over her shoulders like a dark glistening cape. It +seemed <i>such</i> fun to be able to shake her head like +a pony and send the short, thick mane flying now +that it was cut off.</p> + +<p>There were three people in Rosanna’s home: her +stately grandmother Mrs. Horton, Uncle Robert, +of whom you have heard, and Rosanna herself. +Rosanna had had a maid, of whom she was very +fond, but Minnie was at home preparing to marry +the young man to whom she had been engaged all +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_6'></a>6</span> +through the war. He was at home again, and together +they were fitting out a cunning little bungalow +in the Highlands. As soon as everything was +arranged quite to their satisfaction, they were going +to be married, and Minnie vowed that she could +never get married unless she could have a real +wedding with bridesmaids and all, and she had a +scheme! By the way she rolled her eyes and her +young man chuckled, it seemed as though it must +be a very wonderful scheme indeed, but although +all three girls hung around her neck and teased, +not another word would she say. Minnie had two +little sisters who were about the ages of Rosanna +and Elise and Helen, but they did not know what +the scheme was either. It was <i>very</i> trying.</p> + +<p>Helen Culver no longer lived over Mrs. Horton’s +garage and her father no longer drove the Horton +cars, but her home was very near in a dear little +apartment as sweet and clean and dainty as it +could be. Mr. Culver and Uncle Robert were often +together and did a good deal of figuring and drawing +but other than guessing that it was something +to do with Uncle Robert’s business, the children did +not trouble their heads.</p> + +<p>Helen was ahead of Rosanna in school. She had +had a better chance to start with, as Rosanna had +only had private teachers and so had had no reason +to strive to forge ahead. There had been no +one to get ahead <i>of</i>! Now, however, she was studying +to such good purpose that she hoped soon to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_7'></a>7</span> +overtake Helen. But it was a hard task, because +Helen was a very bright little girl who could and +would and <i>did</i> put her best effort in everything +she did.</p> + +<p>These, then, were the three little girls who sat +on Rosanna’s doorstep and smelled the burning +leaves and enjoyed the beautiful fall day.</p> + +<p>“Rosanna is so good at making plans,” said +Helen, smiling over at her friend.</p> + +<p>“What shall your good plan be for?” asked +Elise.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you remember, Elise, our telling you +about the picnic we had once, and the children who +took supper with us?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, <i>oui</i>—yess, yess!” said Elise, correcting +herself hastily.</p> + +<p>“And we told you how we took them home and +saw poor Gwenny, their sister, who is so lame that +she cannot walk at all, and is so good and patient +about it? We mean to take you over to see her, +now that you can speak English so nicely. She +wants to see you so much.”</p> + +<p>“I would be charm to go,” declared Elise, nodding +her curly head.</p> + +<p>“Well,” continued Rosanna, “Gwenny’s mother +says that Gwenny could be cured, but that it would +cost more than she could ever pay, and it is +nothing that she could get done at the free dispensaries. +Those are places where very, very +poor people can go and get good doctors and nurses +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_8'></a>8</span> +and advice without paying anything at all, but +Gwenny could not go there.</p> + +<p>“She would have to go to a big hospital in Cincinnati +and stay for a long while. I thought about +asking my grandmother if she would like to send +Gwenny there, but just as I was going to speak +of it last night, she commenced to talk to Uncle +Robert about money, and I heard her tell him that +she was never so hard up in her life, and what with +the Liberty Loan drives taking all her surplus out +of the banks, and the high rate of taxes, she didn’t +know what she was going to do. So I couldn’t say +a thing.”</p> + +<p>“The same with ma maman,” said Elise. “She +calls those same taxes robbers. So you make the +plan?”</p> + +<p>“That’s just it: I <i>don’t</i>,” said Rosanna ruefully. +“I wish I could think up some way to earn +money, a lot of it ourselves.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s do it!” said Helen in her brisk, decided +way.</p> + +<p>“But <i>how</i>?” questioned Rosanna. “It will take +such a lot of money, Helen. Hundreds and hundreds +of dollars, maybe <i>thousands</i>.”</p> + +<p>“I should think the thing to do would be to ask +a doctor exactly how much it would cost, first of +all,” said the practical Helen.</p> + +<p>“Another thing,” said Rosanna, “Gwenny’s +family is very proud. They don’t like to feel that +people are taking care of them. The Associated +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_9'></a>9</span> +Charities gave Gwenny a chair once, so she could +wheel herself around, but it made them feel badly, +although Gwenny’s mother said she knew that it +was the right thing to accept it.”</p> + +<p>“She will feel that it is the thing to do if we +can pay to have Gwenny cured too,” said Helen. +“You know how sensible she is, Rosanna. She +must realize that everybody knows that she does +all she can in this world for her family. I heard +mother say she never saw any woman work so hard +to keep a home for her children.</p> + +<p>“Mother says she never rests. And she is not +trained, you know, to do special work like typewriting, +or anything that is well paid, so she has +to be a practical nurse and things like that.”</p> + +<p>“Aren’t all nurses practical?” asked Rosanna, +a frown of perplexity on her brow.</p> + +<p>“Trained nurses are not,” replied Helen. +“Trained nurses get thirty and forty dollars a week +and a practical nurse gets seven or eight, and works +harder. But you see she never had a chance to +get trained. It takes a long time, like going to +school and graduating, only you go to the hospital +instead.”</p> + +<p>“I know,” said Rosanna. “There were what +they called undergraduate nurses at the Norton +Infirmary and they wore a different uniform. But +they were all pretty, and so good to me.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you can’t do much on what Gwenny’s +mother makes,” said Helen.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_10'></a>10</span> + +<p>Elise sighed. “It is so sad,” she declared. “Do +the robber taxes attack her also?”</p> + +<p>“No; she has nothing to attack,” laughed Helen.</p> + +<p>“Is Mees Gwenny a Girl Scout?” asked Elise.</p> + +<p>“No, but her sister Mary is. She went in about +the time Rosanna joined, but she does not belong +to our group. They live in another part of the +city.”</p> + +<p>“Will my allowance help?” asked Elise. “I +will give it so gladly. Ma maman is so good, so generous! +I never can spend the half. I save it to +help a little French child, but surely if Mees +Gwenny is your dear friend and she suffers——”</p> + +<p>“She suffers all right,” declared Helen. “Oh, +Rosanna, we have <i>got</i> to think up some way to help +her! I am going to ask mother.”</p> + +<p>“Helen, do you remember what our Captain said +at the very last meeting? No, you were not there; +I remember now. She said that we must learn to +act for ourselves and not forever be asking help +from our families. She said that we should always +consult them before we made any important move, +but she wanted us to learn to use our own brains. +Now it does look to me as though this was a time +to use all the brains we have. Think how wonderful +it would be if we could only do this ourselves!”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by <i>we</i>? Just us three, or +the Girl Scouts in our group?” asked Helen.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Rosanna dismally. “I +really haven’t the first idea! Let’s all think.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_11'></a>11</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chII'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER II</p> +</div> + + +<p>Three in a row, they sat and thought while the +leaf piles smouldered and the afternoon went by. +Plan after plan was offered and discussed and cast +aside. At last Elise glanced at her little silver +wrist watch, and wound up her scarf.</p> + +<p>“Time for maman to come home,” she said. +“She likes it when I meet her at the door with my +love, and myself likes it too.”</p> + +<p>“Of course you do, you dear!” said Helen. +“Good-bye! We will keep on thinking and perhaps +tomorrow we will be able to get hold of some +plan that will be worth acting on. I must go too, +Rosanna.”</p> + +<p>“I will walk around the block with you,” said +Rosanna, rising and calling a gay good-bye after +Elise. She went with Helen almost to the door +of her apartment and then returned very slowly. +How she did long to help Gwenny! There must +be some way. Poor patient, uncomplaining +Gwenny! Rosanna could not think of her at all +without an ache in her heart. She was so thin and +her young face had so many, <i>many</i> lines of pain.</p> + +<p>She was so thoughtful at dinner time that her +Uncle Robert teased her about it. He wanted to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_12'></a>12</span> +know if she had robbed a bank or had decided to +run off and get married and so many silly things +that his mother told him to leave Rosanna alone. +Rosanna smiled and simply went on thinking. +After dinner she slipped away and went up to her +own sitting-room. Then Uncle Robert commenced +to worry in earnest. He had his hat in his hand +ready to go over and see Mr. Culver, but he put it +down again and went up to Rosanna’s room, three +steps at a time.</p> + +<p>Rosanna called “Come,” in answer to his knock +in quite her usual tone of voice, and Uncle Robert +heaved a sigh of relief.</p> + +<p>He stuck his head in the door, and said in a meek +tone: “I thought I would come up to call on you, +Princess. Mother is expecting a bridge party, and +it is no place for me.”</p> + +<p>“That is what I thought,” said Rosanna. “Besides +I wanted to think.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I am known as a hard thinker myself,” +said Uncle Robert. “If you will invite the part +of me that is out here in the hall to follow my head, +I will be glad to help you if I can.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see why I shouldn’t tell you about things +anyway,” mused Rosanna. “You are not a parent, +are you?”</p> + +<p>“No, ma’am, I am <i>not</i>,” said Uncle Robert. +“Nary a parent! Why?”</p> + +<p>He came in without a further invitation and sat +down in Rosanna’s biggest chair. At that it +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_13'></a>13</span> +squeaked in an alarming manner, and Uncle Robert +made remarks about furniture that wouldn’t hold +up a growing boy like himself. When he appeared +to be all settled and comfortable, and Rosanna had +shoved an ash tray over in a manner that Uncle +Robert said made him feel like an old married man, +he said, “Now fire ahead!” and Rosanna did.</p> + +<p>She told him all about Gwenny and her family—her +mother and Mary and selfish Tommy, and good +little Myron, and Luella and the heavy baby, and +the story was so well told that Uncle Robert had +hard work holding himself down. He felt as +though the check book in his pocket was all full +of prickers which were sticking into him, and in +another pocket a bank book with a big, big deposit, +put in it that very day, kept shouting, “Take care +of Gwenny yourself!” so loudly that he was sure +Rosanna must hear.</p> + +<p>But Uncle Robert knew that that was not the +thing for him to do. He could not take all the +beauty and generosity out of their effort when +their dear little hearts were so eagerly trying to +find a way to help.</p> + +<p>He hushed the bank book up as best he could and +said to Rosanna, “I don’t worry a minute about +this thing, Rosanna. I know perfectly well that +you will think up some wonderful plan that will +bring you wads of money, and as long as I am <i>not</i> +a parent, I don’t see why I can’t be your councillor. +There might be things that I could attend to. I +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_14'></a>14</span> +could take the tickets at the door or something +like that.”</p> + +<p>“Tickets!” said Rosanna, quite horrified. +“Why, Uncle Bob, we can’t give a <i>show</i>!”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see why not, if you know what you want +to show,” answered Uncle Robert. “You see benefit +performances given all the time for singers and +pianists and actors who want to retire with a good +income. Some of them have one every year, but +you couldn’t do that for Gwenny. However I’ll +stand by whenever you want me, you may feel sure +of that, and if I can advance anything in the way of +a little money—” he tapped the bank book, which +jumped with joy.</p> + +<p>“Oh, thank you!” said Rosanna. “We will be +sure to tell you as soon as we can hit on a plan, and +we will have you to go to for advice, and that will +be such a help!”</p> + +<p>After Uncle Bob had taken himself off, Rosanna +went slowly to bed. She thought while she was +undressing and after she had put out the light +and was waiting for her grandmother to come in +and kiss her good-night. And the last thing before +she dropped off to sleep her mind was whirling +with all sorts of wild ideas, but not one seemed to +be just what was wanted. One thing seemed to +grow clearer and bigger and stronger, and that was +the feeling that Gwenny must be helped.</p> + +<p>The first thing that she and Helen asked each +other the next day when they met on the way to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_15'></a>15</span> +school was like a chorus. They both said, “Did +you think of anything?” and neither one had.</p> + +<p>Sad to relate, neither Rosanna nor Helen made +brilliant recitations that day, and coming home +from school Helen said gravely, “What marks did +you get today, Rosanna?”</p> + +<p>“Seventy,” answered Rosanna with a flush.</p> + +<p>“I got seventy-two, and it was a review. Oh +dear, this won’t do at all! I was thinking about +Gwenny, and trying to work up a plan so hard that +I just couldn’t study. Either we have positively +got to think up something right away, or else we +will have to make up our minds that we must do +our thinking on Saturdays only. Can’t you think +of a single thing?”</p> + +<p>“I seem to have glimmers of an idea,” said +Rosanna, “but not very bright ones.”</p> + +<p>“All I can think of is to get all the girls in our +group to make fancy things and have a fair.”</p> + +<p>“That is not bad,” said Rosanna, “but would +we make enough to count for much? Even if all +the girls in our group should go to work and work +every single night after school we would not be +able to make enough fancy articles to make a whole +sale.”</p> + +<p>“I suppose not,” sighed Helen. “This is Thursday. +If we can’t think of something between now +and Saturday afternoon, let’s tell the girls about +it at the meeting and see what they suggest, and +ask if they would like to help Gwenny. But oh, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_16'></a>16</span> +I wish we could be the ones to think up something! +You see Gwenny sort of belongs to us, and I feel +as though we ought to do the most of the work.”</p> + +<p>That night at dinner there was a guest at +Rosanna’s house, young Doctor MacLaren, who had +been in service with Uncle Robert. Rosanna quite +lost her heart to him, he was so quiet and so gentle +and smiled so sweetly at her grandmother. She +sat still as a mouse all through the meal, listening +and thinking.</p> + +<p>After dinner when they had all wandered into +the lovely old library that smelled of books, she +sat on the arm of her Uncle Robert’s chair, and +while her grandmother was showing some pictures +to the doctor, she whispered to her uncle, “Don’t +you suppose the doctor could tell us how much it +would cost to cure Gwenny?”</p> + +<p>“You tickle my ear!” he said, and bit Rosanna’s.</p> + +<p>“Behave!” said Rosanna sternly. “Don’t you +suppose he could?”</p> + +<p>“I am sure he could, sweetness, but I sort o’ +think he would have to see Gwenny first. Shall +we ask him about it?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, please let’s!” begged Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Th’ deed is did!” said Uncle Robert, and as +soon as he could break into the conversation, he +said: “Rick, Rosanna and I want to consult you.”</p> + +<p>Rosanna squeezed his hand for that; it was so +much nicer than to put it all off on her.</p> + +<p>Doctor MacLaren laughed his nice, friendly +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_17'></a>17</span> +laugh. “Well, if you are both in some scheme, I +should say it was time for honest fellows like me +to be careful. Let’s hear what it is.”</p> + +<p>“You tell, Rosanna,” said Uncle Robert. “I +can’t talk and smoke all at the same time.”</p> + +<p>So Rosanna, very brave because of Uncle Robert’s +strong arm around her, commenced at the beginning +and told all about Gwenny and her family, +and her bravery in bearing the burden of her lameness +and ill health. And she went on to tell him +about the Girl Scouts and all the good they do, +and that she was sure that they would help, but +they (she and Helen) hated to put it before the +meeting unless they had some idea of the amount +of money it would be necessary for them to earn. +And another thing; what if they should start to +get the money, and couldn’t? What a <i>dreadful</i> +disappointment it would be for Gwenny and indeed +all the family down to Baby Christopher!</p> + +<p>The two young men heard her out. Then Uncle +Robert said:</p> + +<p>“I don’t know the exact reason, but it seems +that you cannot work with these Girl Scouts if +you are a parent. Are you a parent, Rick?”</p> + +<p>“Please don’t tease, Uncle Bobby,” said Rosanna +pleadingly. “It is only that we Scout girls are +supposed to try to do things ourselves without expecting +all sorts of help from our mothers and +fathers—and grandmothers and uncles,” she +added rather pitifully.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_18'></a>18</span> + +<p>Robert patted her hand. Rosanna was an +orphan.</p> + +<p>“I see now how it is,” he said. “Tell us, Rick, +what you think about this.”</p> + +<p>“I think that Saturday morning, when there is +no school, Rosanna might take me to call on Miss +Gwenny and we will see about what the trouble is. +And I think as she does, that it would be very wise +to say nothing at all about this plan until we know +something about the case. It would be cruel to +get the child’s hopes up for nothing. If there is +anything that I dare do, I will promise you now +that I will gladly do it, but I cannot tell until I +see her.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you ever and ever so much!” said +Rosanna. “We won’t tell anyone a thing about +it!”</p> + +<p>“Can you drive over to Gwenny’s tomorrow and +tell her mother that a doctor friend of mine is coming +to see her?” asked Uncle Robert.</p> + +<p>“Indeed I can if grandmother is willing!” said +Rosanna. “Oh, I <i>do</i> feel as though we will think +up some way of earning the money!”</p> + +<p>Rosanna was so happy that she overslept next +morning and was nearly late getting to school, so +she did not see Helen until they were dismissed. +They walked slowly home and sat down on their favorite +place on the top step. They had been sitting +quietly, watching a group of children playing in the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_19'></a>19</span> +leaves, when Rosanna jumped to her feet and commenced +to dance up and down.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Helen, Helen,” she cried. “I believe I +have it! I believe I have it! Oh, I am <i>so</i> excited!”</p> + +<p>“Well, do tell me!” exclaimed Helen.</p> + +<p>“That is just what I am going to do,” said +Rosanna, still dancing. “Let’s go around in the +garden and sit in the rose arbor where no one will +disturb us.”</p> + +<p>“That is the thing to do,” agreed Helen, and +together they went skipping through the iron gateway +that led into the lovely old garden. Once upon +a time that gate had been kept locked and little +Rosanna had been almost a prisoner among the +flowers and trees that made the garden so lovely. +But now the gate swung on well-oiled hinges and +all the little Girl Scouts were welcome to come +and play with Rosanna in her playhouse or ride +her fat little pony around the gravelled paths.</p> + +<p>The children banged the gate shut behind them +and went to the most sheltered spot in the garden, +the rose arbor, where they were hidden from +view. They threw their school books on the rustic +table and settled themselves in two big chairs.</p> + +<p>“Now <i>do go on</i>,” said Helen with a little thrill +in her voice. “Oh, I <i>do</i> feel that you have thought +up something splendid!”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_20'></a>20</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chIII'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER III</p> +</div> + + +<p>“I have been thinking and thinking,” said Rosanna, +“and not an idea have I had until just now. +Here is what I just thought up.</p> + +<p>“You know Uncle Bob was telling me about +benefit performances that actors and musicians +have. I think they get them up themselves mostly, +when they want some money, but I was talking to +Minnie about it yesterday when she came in for a +minute and she says in her church they have benefits +all the time. People sing and play and recite +poetry, and it is lovely. And I thought up something +better still.</p> + +<p>“What if you and I, Helen, could make up a +sort of play all about the Girl Scouts and give it?”</p> + +<p>“Write it out of our heads?” said Helen, quite +aghast.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Rosanna. “It is easy. Before +grandmother used to let me have little girls to +play with, I used to make up plays, oh lots of +times!”</p> + +<p>“With conversations?” pressed Helen.</p> + +<p>“Yes, made up of conversations and coming on +the stage and going off again, and people dying, +and everything.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_21'></a>21</span> + +<p>“Dear me!” said Helen with the air of one who +never suspected such a thing of a friend. “<i>Dear +me!</i>” she said again. “I am sure I could <i>never</i> +do it. You will have to do it yourself. What +is it going to be about?”</p> + +<p>“Why, I have to have time to think,” said +Rosanna. “You have to think a long time when +you are going to be an author. It is very difficult.”</p> + +<p>“You don’t suppose you are all out of practice, +do you?” asked Helen anxiously. “Why, Rosanna, +that would be too perfectly splendid! A +real play! Where could we give it? We couldn’t +rent a real theatre.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, my, no!” said Rosanna, beginning to be +rather frightened at the picture Helen was conjuring +up. “We won’t have that sort of a play. +We will have a little one that we can give in grandmother’s +parlor, or over at Mrs. Hargrave’s.”</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t,” said Helen stoutly. “I just know +you can write a beautiful play, Rosanna, and I +think we ought to give it in some big place where +a lot of people can come, and we will have tickets, +and chairs all in rows and a curtain and everything.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t believe I could write a good enough +play for all that,” cried Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Well, just do the best you can and I know it +will be perfectly lovely.”</p> + +<p>“I tell you what,” said Rosanna, beginning to +be sorry that she had spoken. “Please don’t tell +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_22'></a>22</span> +Elise or anyone about it until I see what I can +write, and then after you and I have read it, if it +is good enough, we will show it to Uncle Robert +and see what he says.”</p> + +<p>“It <i>will</i> be good enough,” said Helen positively. +“Just think of the piece of poetry you wrote to +read at the Girl Scout meeting. It was so lovely +that I ’most cried. All that part about the new +moon, and how you felt when you died. It sounded +so true, and yet I don’t see how you know how you +are going to feel when you die. I can’t feel it at +all. I suppose that is because you are a poet. +Mother says it is a great and beautiful thing to +be a poet, but that you must look out for your +digestion.”</p> + +<p>“My digestion is all right so far,” said Rosanna. +“I am glad to know that, though, because if your +mother says so, it must be so.”</p> + +<p>“Of course!” said Helen proudly. “When +will you begin your play, Rosanna?”</p> + +<p>“Right away after dinner,” said Rosanna. +“That is, if Uncle Robert goes out. If he stays +at home I will have to play cribbage with him. +If I go off to my own room, he comes right up. +He says he is afraid that I will get to nursing a +secret sorrow.”</p> + +<p>“What is a secret sorrow?” asked Helen.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know exactly,” said Rosanna. “Uncle +Robert looked sort of funny when I asked him, and +perhaps he made it up because he just said, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_23'></a>23</span> +‘Why—er, why—er, a secret sorrow is—don’t you +know what it is, Rosanna?’”</p> + +<p>“Sometimes I wonder if your Uncle Robert +really means all he says,” said Helen suspiciously.</p> + +<p>“I wonder too,” agreed Rosanna, nodding, “but +he is a perfect dear, anyway, even if he is old. He +is twenty-four, and grandmother is always saying +that Robert is old enough to know better.”</p> + +<p>“I know he will be all sorts of help about our +play, anyway,” said Helen.</p> + +<p>“I know he will too,” said Rosanna. “We will +show him the play the minute I finish it.”</p> + +<p>Rosanna went right to work on her play whenever +she had any time to spare.</p> + +<p>When Saturday morning came she went with +Doctor MacLaren to see Gwenny, and after she +had introduced him to Gwenny’s mother she went +and sat in the automobile with Mary and Luella +and Myron and Baby Christopher to talk to. But +she scarcely knew what she was saying because she +was so busy wondering what the doctor would do +to poor Gwenny, whose back nearly killed her if +anyone so much as touched it.</p> + +<p>The doctor stayed a long, long time, and when +he came out he stood and talked and talked with +Gwenny’s mother. He smiled his kind, grave smile +at her very often, but when he turned away and +came down the little walk Rosanna fancied that he +looked graver than usual.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_24'></a>24</span> + +<p>“Is she <i>very</i> bad?” Rosanna asked when the +machine was started.</p> + +<p>“Pretty bad, Rosanna dear,” said the doctor. +“She will need a very serious operation that cannot +be done here. She will have to go to a hospital +in Cincinnati where there is a wonderful surgeon, +Doctor Branshaw, who specializes in troubles of the +spine. He will help her if anyone can. She is +in a poor condition anyway, and we will have to +look after her pretty sharply to get her in as good +a shape physically as we can. If she goes, I will +take her myself, and will have her given the best +care she can have. What a dear, patient, sweet +little girl she is.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, she is!” agreed Rosanna absently. +“Well, if she is as sick as you think, I don’t see +but what we will just <i>have</i> to earn the money +some way or other!” Rosanna was very silent +all the way home, and that afternoon she retired +to the rose arbor and worked as hard as ever she +could on the play. It was really taking shape. +Rosanna would not show the paper to Helen or to +Elise, who had been told the great secret. She +wanted to finish it and surprise them.</p> + +<p>By four o’clock she was so tired that she could +write no longer. She put her tablet away and +started to the telephone to call Helen. As she +went down the hall the door bell rang. She could +see a familiar figure dancing up and down outside +the glass door. It was Elise, apparently in a great +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_25'></a>25</span> +state of excitement. Rosanna ran and opened the +door.</p> + +<p>Elise danced in. She caught Rosanna around +the waist and whirled her round and round.</p> + +<p>“Behold I have arrive, I have arrive!” she sang.</p> + +<p>“Of course you have arrived!” said Rosanna. +“What makes you feel like this about it?”</p> + +<p>“Behold!” said Elise again with a sweeping +gesture toward the front door.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hargrave’s house-boy, grinning from ear to +ear, was coming slowly up the steps bearing a large +covered tray. Elise took it from him with the +greatest care and set it carefully on a table.</p> + +<p>“Approach!” she commanded, and Rosanna, +really curious, drew near the mysterious article. +Slowly Elise drew off the cover. Under it in all +the glory of a golden brown crust, little crinkles +all about the edge, sat a pie looking not only good +enough to eat, but almost <i>too</i> good.</p> + +<p>“Peench off a tiny, tiny bit of ze frill,” said Elise, +pointing to the scallopy edge. “A very tiny +peench, and you will see how good. Now I can +be the Girl Scout because all the other things I +can so well do.”</p> + +<p>Rosanna took a careful pinch and found the crust +light and very flaky and dry.</p> + +<p>“Perfectly delicious, Elise!” she pronounced it. +“Did you do it all yourself?”</p> + +<p>“Of a certainty!” said Elise proudly. “I would +not do the which otherwise than as it is so required +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_26'></a>26</span> +by the Girl Scouts. And now I am most proud. +If you will so kindly take me when you go to the +meeting this afternoon, I will offer this to the most +adorable little Captain as one more reason the why +I should be allowed to join.”</p> + +<p>“Of course I will take you,” said Rosanna. “I +was just going to telephone for Helen. If she is +ready we will start at once.”</p> + +<p>“I will go for my hat,” said Elise. Then anxiously, +“Will the beautiful pie rest here in safety?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, indeed; it will be perfectly safe,” laughed +Rosanna.</p> + +<p>Elise was the happiest little girl in all the room +at the meeting. Everyone fell in love with her at +once, her manners were so gentle and pretty and she +was so full of life. Her curls danced and her eyes, +and her red lips smiled, and it seemed as though +her feet wanted to dance instead of going in a humdrum +walk. The Scout Captain and the committee +on pie decided that Elise had made the most delicious +of its kind.</p> + +<p>At the close of the business part of the meeting, +the Captain asked as usual if anyone had any news +of interest to offer or any requests or questions +to ask. It was all Rosanna could do to keep from +telling them all about Gwenny and asking for advice +and help, but she decided to keep it all to herself +until she had finished the play. Then if it +turned out to be any good (and it would be easy +to tell that by showing it to Uncle Bob) she would +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_27'></a>27</span> +take it to the Captain, and if she approved, Rosanna +would bring the whole thing up before the next +meeting.</p> + +<p>On the way home, Helen said to Rosanna, “How +are you getting on with your play, Rosanna? Did +you work on it this afternoon as you expected to?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I did, and it seems to be coming along +beautifully,” said Rosanna. “I wanted to ask you +about it. Don’t you think it would be nice to put +in a couple of songs about the Girl Scouts, and +perhaps a dance?”</p> + +<p>“Simply splendid!” said Helen. “Oh, Rosanna, +<i>do</i> hurry! I can scarcely wait for you to finish +it. Girl Scout songs and a Girl Scout dance! Do +you know the Webster twins can dance beautifully? +Their mother used to be a dancer on the stage before +she married their father, and she has taught them +the prettiest dances. They do them together. +They are awfully poor, and I don’t know if they +could afford to get pretty dancing dresses to wear, +but I should think we could manage somehow.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we will,” said Rosanna. “I <i>do</i> wish we +could have our families help us!”</p> + +<p>“Think how surprised they will be if we do this +all by ourselves except what Uncle Bob does, and +our Scout Captain.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see that Uncle Bob can do very much,” +rejoined Rosanna. “But he is real interested and +wants to help.”</p> + +<p>“We ought to let him do whatever he can,” said +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_28'></a>28</span> +Helen. “Father often tells mother that he hopes +she notices how much she depends on his superior +intellect, but she just laughs and says ‘Nonsense! +Helen, don’t listen to that man at all!’ But we +must depend on our own superior intellects +now.”</p> + +<p>“It won’t take me long to finish the play,” said +Rosanna. “It is only going to be a one-act play, +and if it isn’t long enough to make a whole entertainment, +we will have to have some recitations +and songs before and after it.”</p> + +<p>“I do think you might let me see what you have +written,” coaxed Helen.</p> + +<p>“I would rather not,” pleaded Rosanna. +“Somehow I feel as though I couldn’t finish it if +I should show it to anyone before it is done. I +will show it to you the very first one, Helen. Here +is one thing you can hear.”</p> + +<p>She took a crumpled piece of paper from her +pocket, and while Helen walked very close beside +her commenced: “This is a song sung by two +sisters named Elsie and Allis. And you will see +what it is all about.”</p> + +<p>“Is there a tune for it too?” said Helen in great +wonder.</p> + +<p>“No, I can’t make up music,” said Rosanna regretfully, +“and, anyhow, I think it would come +easier to use a tune everybody knows. This goes +to the tune of <i>Reuben, Reuben, I’ve been Thinking</i>. +You know that?”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_29'></a>29</span> + +<p>“Of course,” said Helen. “Now let’s hear the +poetry.”</p> + +<p>Rosanna had written:</p> + +<p>“Two girls come on the stage, one from the right +and one from the left. One is dressed in beautiful +clothes, and the other very neat and clean, but in +awfully poor things. She has on a thin shawl. +She is Elsie. The rich child is Allis. Allis sees +Elsie, and sings:</p> + +<div> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>SONG</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Air, <i>Reuben, Reuben, I’ve Been Thinking</i>.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><i>Allis.</i></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Elsie, Elsie, I’ve been thinking</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>What a pleasure it would be,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>If we had some friends or sisters</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Just to play with you and me.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>All our time we spend in study</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>There is no place nice to go.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>After school an hour of practice</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Oh, I get to hate it so!</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><i>Chorus</i></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Just an hour or two of practice,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>One and two and three and four;</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Add, subtract, or find the tangent;</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Everything is just a bore!</p> +</div> + +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_30'></a>30</span> +<div> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><i>Elsie.</i></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Then, dear Allis, when we finish,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>We can go and take a walk;</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>That, unless the day is rainy,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Then we just sit down and talk.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>And there’s not a thing to talk of,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Not a scheme or plan to make,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Not a deed of gentle loving,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Nothing done for Someone’s sake.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><i>Chorus</i></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Not a thing for us to aim for—</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Not a height for us to climb!</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Just the stupid task of living;</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Just the bore of passing time!</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><i>Enter Girl Scout with many Merit Badges on her sleeve.</i></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><i>Girl Scout.</i></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Did I hear you wish for friendships?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Mates to join in work and play?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Someone true and good and loving</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>You would chum with every day?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>See this uniform? It tells you</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>You can wear it; be a Scout!</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>See the sleeve with all the “Merits”?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>You could win without a doubt.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><i>Chorus</i></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><i>All—</i></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Oh, what fun we’ll have together!</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>Oh, what work and jolly play!</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Walks and talks and happy study</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 6ex'>With the Girl Scouts every day.</p> +</div> + +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_31'></a>31</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chIV'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER IV</p> +</div> + + +<p>When Rosanna finished, Helen gave a sigh of +delight.</p> + +<p>“Rosanna,” she said, “it is perfectly beautiful; +perfectly <i>beautiful</i>! Shall you have the Webster +girls sing that?”</p> + +<p>“I had not thought of them,” confessed Rosanna. +“I thought it would be nice for Elise and you, +Helen. You both sing so sweetly and you can both +dance too.”</p> + +<p>“I shall be frightened to death,” said Helen, +trying to imagine herself on a real little stage; at +least on a make-believe stage with a curtain +stretched across Mrs. Horton’s or Mrs. Hargrave’s +parlor. But frightened or not, she was more than +pleased that Rosanna had thought of her, and she +had no intention of giving up the part.</p> + +<p>She and Elise commenced to practice on the song, +and between them made up the prettiest little +dance. Mrs. Culver and Mrs. Hargrave were delighted +to play their accompaniments and suggest +steps. Of course they had to be told something of +what was going on, but they were very nice and +asked no questions.</p> + +<p>A week later Rosanna’s little play was finished +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_32'></a>32</span> +and ready to show Uncle Robert. Rosanna was as +nervous as a real playwright when he has to read +his lines to a scowly, faultfinding manager. She +invited Helen over to spend the night with her so +she could attend the meeting.</p> + +<p>Her grandmother was out to a dinner-bridge +party, so Rosanna and Helen and Uncle Robert +went up to Rosanna’s sitting-room and prepared to +read her play. And if the truth must be told, +Uncle Robert prepared to be a little bored. But +as Rosanna read on and on in her pleasant voice, +stopping once in awhile to explain things, Uncle +Robert’s expression changed from a look of patient +listening to one of amusement and then to admiration. +By the time Rosanna had finished he was +sitting leaning forward in his chair and listening +with all his might. He clapped his hands.</p> + +<p>“Well done, Rosanna!” he said heartily. “I +am certainly proud of you! Why, if you can do +things of this sort at your age, Rosanna, we will +have to give you a little help and instruction once +in awhile. Well, well, that <i>is</i> a play as <i>is</i> a play! +Don’t you think so, Helen?”</p> + +<p>“It’s just too beautiful!” said Helen with a +sigh of rapture. “Just too beautiful! Which is +my part, Rosanna?”</p> + +<p>“I thought you could be the little girl who discovers +the lost paper so the other little Girl Scout’s +brother will not have to go to prison. That is, if +you like that part.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_33'></a>33</span> + +<p>“It is the nicest part of all,” sighed Helen. +“What part are you going to take?”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t think I would take any,” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Oh, you must be in it!” cried Helen.</p> + +<p>“No, Rosanna is right,” declared Uncle Robert. +“It is her play, you see, and she will have to be +sitting out front at all the rehearsals to see that it +is being done as she wants it.”</p> + +<p>“That is what I thought,” said Rosanna. “But +you are going to help with everything, are you not, +Uncle Robert?”</p> + +<p>“Surest thing in the world!” declared Uncle +Robert heartily. “But as long as this is all about +the Girl Scouts, won’t you have to show it to your +Girl Scout Captain, or leader, before you go on +with it?”</p> + +<p>“Of course,” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Who is she?” asked Uncle Robert carelessly.</p> + +<p>“Why, you saw her, Uncle Robert,” replied +Rosanna. “Have you forgotten the dear sweet +little lady who called when I was sick when we +were looking for someone very fierce and large?”</p> + +<p>“Sure enough!” said Uncle Robert after some +thought. If Rosanna had noticed she would have +seen a very queer look in his eyes. He had liked +the looks of that young lady himself. “Well, what +are you going to do about it?”</p> + +<p>“I suppose I will have to go around to her house, +and tell her all about it and read it to her.”</p> + +<p>“Is it written so I can read it?” said Uncle +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_34'></a>34</span> +Robert, glancing over the pages. “Very neat indeed. +Now I will do something for you, if you +want me to save you the bother. Just to be obliging, +I will take your play and will go around and +tell Miss Hooker that I am Rosanna’s uncle, and +read it to her myself.”</p> + +<p>“Why, you know her name!” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Um—yes,” said Uncle Robert. “I must have +heard it somewhere. For goodness’ sake, Rosanna, +this place is like an oven!”</p> + +<p>“You <i>are</i> red,” admitted Rosanna. “Well, I +wish you would do that, please, because it makes +me feel so queer to read it myself. It won’t take +you long so we will wait up for you to tell us what +she thinks.”</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t wait up,” advised Uncle Robert, +getting up. “If she likes me, it may take some +time.”</p> + +<p>“Likes <i>you</i>?” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“I mean likes the way I read it, and likes the +play, and likes the idea, and likes everything about +it,” said Uncle Robert. He said good-bye and hurried +off, bearing the precious paper.</p> + +<p>The girls sat and planned for awhile, when the +doorbell rang. Rosanna could hear the distant +tinkle, and saying “Perhaps he is back,” ran into +the hall to look over the banisters.</p> + +<p>She returned with a surprised look on her face.</p> + +<p>“What do you suppose?” she demanded of Helen +who sat drawing a plan of a stage. “It is Uncle +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_35'></a>35</span> +Robert, and Miss Hooker is with him. Oh, dear +me, I feel so fussed!”</p> + +<p>“Come down!” called Uncle Robert, dashing in +the door. “I have a surprise for you both.”</p> + +<p>“No, you haven’t! I looked over the banisters,” +said Rosanna, as the three went down the broad +stairs.</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker thought the play was so good and +she was so proud to think that one of her girls had +written it that she was anxious to talk it over at +once, and had asked Uncle Robert to bring her right +around to see Rosanna and Helen.</p> + +<p>They all drew up around the big library table, +and Uncle Robert sat next Miss Hooker where +he could make suggestions. And Miss Hooker and +the girls made a list of characters, and fitted them +to different girls in their group. Finally Miss +Hooker said there were several places that needed +a little changing and would Rosanna trust her to +do it with Mr. Horton’s help? At this Uncle Robert +looked most beseechingly at Rosanna, who, of +course, said yes.</p> + +<p>“Where will we give it?” asked Helen. “As +long as it is a benefit we want a place large enough +for lots of people to come. All our families will +want to come, and all the Girl Scouts’ families, +and perhaps some other people besides.”</p> + +<p>“We will give it here, won’t we, Uncle Robert? +Grandmother will let us, I’m sure. In the big +drawing-room, you know.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_36'></a>36</span> + +<p>“Not big enough,” declared Uncle Robert, while +both girls exclaimed. “Now this is the part I can +help about and I have just had a great idea. You +all know that big barn of Mrs. Hargrave’s? We +boys used to play there on rainy days when we were +little. The whole top floor is one immense room. +We can give our entertainment there. Mrs. Hargrave +will give the barn, I know. And for my +contribution or part of it, I will see that you have +a stage and a curtain and all that.”</p> + +<p>“How dear of you, Mr. Horton!” said Miss +Hooker.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Uncle Robert, a curtain that goes up and +down?”</p> + +<p>“Of course,” said Uncle Robert, “and footlights +and everything.”</p> + +<p>“O-o-o-o-h!” sighed both girls, and Miss Hooker +looked at Uncle Robert and smiled and he seemed +real pleased.</p> + +<p>“I think I must go if you will be kind enough +to take me home,” said Miss Hooker. “Rosanna, +you must tell the Girl Scouts about Gwenny at +the next meeting, and read your play. Then we +will get right to work, for the sooner this is staged, +the better. We don’t want to interfere with the +Christmas work.”</p> + +<p>After Mr. Horton had taken the tiny little lady +home, the girls raced upstairs and went to bed, but +it was a long, long time before they could get to +sleep. They finally went off, however, and did not +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_37'></a>37</span> +hear Uncle Robert when he came home whistling +gaily. They dreamed, however, both of them, of +acting before vast audiences that applauded all +their speeches. And at last Rosanna woke up with +a start to find that Helen was clapping her hands +furiously and stamping her feet against the footboard. +After Rosanna succeeded in awakening +her, they had a good laugh before they went to +sleep again.</p> + +<p>At breakfast Uncle Robert was full of plans for +the Benefit. “Miss Hooker and I went all over +your play last night, Rosanna,” he said, “and +smoothed out the rough places. You know every +manuscript has to be corrected. It is on the table +in my room. You had better read it over after +school, and if it suits your highness I will have it +typewritten for you, and you can go ahead. I am +going to see about the barn now, on my way down +town, and if Mrs. Hargrave is willing—and I am +sure she will be—I will get a carpenter to measure +for the staging. I suppose,” he added, “I ought to +ask Miss Hooker to look at the place and get some +suggestions from her?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I wouldn’t bother to wait for her,” said +Rosanna, who was wild to see the stage built. +“She won’t care what you do. If you like, I will +tell her how busy you are and that you won’t bother +to come around to her house any more because you +can attend to things just as well yourself.”</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert looked hard at Rosanna. It was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_38'></a>38</span> +a queer look; sort of the look you would expect +from a cannibal uncle who has a little niece that +he wants to eat. Rosanna, catching the look, was +surprised and quite disturbed. But when Uncle +Robert spoke, he merely said, “Thank you, Rosanna; +but you see I <i>do</i> need Miss Hooker’s advice +very much indeed. The fact is I will never be +able to put this thing through as well as I want +to put it through unless I can consult with her +every day or so. In fact, if I cannot consult as +often as I need to, I will certainly have to give it +up. And that would be awful, wouldn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“Of course it would, Uncle Robert,” answered +Rosanna. “I just hated to have you bothered.”</p> + +<p>“I will stagger along under the burden,” said +Uncle Robert, trying to look like a martyr. “The +thing for you to do is to forget how hard I am +working and how much help I have to have doing +this, and get your girls to studying on their parts.”</p> + +<p>“Miss Hooker says I am to read it at the Scout +meeting next week and then we will give out the +parts and let them be learning them.”</p> + +<p>“All right, sweetness; get after them,” said +Uncle Robert, kissing Rosanna, and Helen, too, +“for luck” he said, and going off whistling.</p> + +<p>“I think the play is making Uncle Robert very +happy,” said Rosanna as the front door slammed +and she heard a merry whistle outside. “He is +a changed person these last few days.”</p> + +<p>“That is what often happens,” said Helen. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_39'></a>39</span> +“Probably he did not have anything to occupy his +mind after business hours, so he was unhappy. +Mother says it is a serious condition to allow oneself +to be in. Now that he has our play to think +about, he feels altogether different. I do myself. +Do you know it is time to start for school? Let’s +be off so we won’t have to hurry, and we will have +time to stop for Elise.”</p> + +<p>Elise was ready and the three girls sauntered +down the street together.</p> + +<p>As they passed a great imposing stone house, +Elise said, “It is a château—what you call castle, +isn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Rosanna, “and a cross old ogre lives +in it. He and his sister live there all alone, with +lots of maids and men to serve them, and he is so +growly-wowly that Minnie says even the grocer +boys are afraid of him. That is his car in front +of the door. Did you ever see anything so large?”</p> + +<p>“Or so lovely?” added Elise. “If he was not +so ze what you just call growlee-wowlee, he might +carry us to school; not?”</p> + +<p>“There he comes,” said Rosanna. “Does he look +as though he would carry any little girls <i>any</i>where +unless he carried them off to eat?”</p> + +<p>The great carved door opened and an old gentleman +came down the steps. He walked with a cane +and to the children he seemed very old indeed with +his snow-white hair and fierce mustache. He +scowled as he came and stopped to switch with his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_40'></a>40</span> +cane at a vine that had straggled up the step. He +noticed the three girls approaching, and scowled +at them so fiercely that they involuntarily stopped +to let him pass. But he was in no hurry to do +so. When he had looked them over sufficiently, he +looked past them and snorted loudly at something +he saw up the street, but when the girls looked +around to see what was the matter, there was only +a little baby girl playing with a little woolly dog; +so they all looked back again at the old gentleman. +He seemed to fascinate them.</p> + +<p>Three pair of round eyes fixed on him caught +the old gentleman’s attention.</p> + +<p>“Well, well, well!” he said testily. “What do +you see? Come, come, speak out!”</p> + +<p>Elise drew back but the other two stood their +ground, and Rosanna, who had seen him all her life +and was at least accustomed to him, said gently:</p> + +<p>“We see <i>you</i>, sir.”</p> + +<p>“Ha hum!” sputtered the old gentleman, drawing +his fierce white eyebrows together. “What +about me, young woman, what about me to stare +at?”</p> + +<p>Rosanna was distressed. There seemed nothing +to do but tell him the truth and that was almost +too awful. She smoothed it down as well as she +could.</p> + +<p>“If you will excuse me for saying so, you looked +a little cross,” she said, “and—and something +must be making you very unhappy.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_41'></a>41</span> + +<p>“It is,” said the ogre. “It makes me unhappy +to see what a silly no-account world this is; full +of small children, and woolly dogs, and things. +Kittens! Babies! Chickens! Bah! All making +noises! All getting up at daybreak to play and +meow and crow. Bah! Of course I am unhappy!”</p> + +<p>He crossed the walk, waved the footman back +with his cane, stepped painfully into the car, and +with his own hand slammed the door shut. But +his anger blinded him. He did not take his hand +away soon enough, and the heavy door caught it. +With a cry of pain, he dropped back on the cushions. +The middle finger was crushed and bleeding +profusely.</p> + +<p>“Heaven protect us!” cried Elise.</p> + +<p>The old gentleman was almost fainting. Rosanna +did not hesitate. The Girl Scouts had to +understand First Aid. She ran up to the car and +entered it, tearing up her handkerchief as she did +so. Helen, close behind her, was doing the same +thing with hers.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_42'></a>42</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chV'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER V</p> +</div> + + +<p>Gently but firmly taking the bleeding finger in +her little hand, Rosanna bound it up in the strips +of linen, folding them back and forth in quite a +professional manner. Helen helped her to tie the +bandages. Not until they had finished did they +take time to glance up at the old gentleman. He +was deathly white and leaned heavily against the +cushions.</p> + +<p>“Now, sir,” said Rosanna, “if you will have +your man drive you to a doctor, he will treat it +with an antiseptic and it will soon be all right.”</p> + +<p>The old gentleman commenced to brace up as +he saw that the bleeding at least was checked. The +girls got out of the car, and the old gentleman with +a muttered, “Thank you, thank you,” gave an order +and the chauffeur drove rapidly away.</p> + +<p>“He said <i>thank you</i> once for each of us anyway,” +said Helen.</p> + +<p>Elise shuddered. “Your dress!” she said, pointing +to Rosanna. Sure enough, Rosanna was spattered +with blood.</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear, I will have to be late,” she said. +“Just look at me! I will have to go back and put +on a clean dress.” She turned reluctantly and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_43'></a>43</span> +ran back home, while the others went on to school +and the automobile carried the old gentleman rapidly +to the office of his doctor.</p> + +<p>While the physician was attending to the hand, +the old gentleman, whose name was Harriman, +sat and sputtered:</p> + +<p>“First time I ever saw any children with a grain +of common sense!” he declared. “Little girl acted +in a fairly intelligent manner. Suppose it wouldn’t +happen again. Children never know anything, +especially girls. Bah!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, they do, Mr. Harriman,” said Doctor +Greene soothingly. “Oh, yes, they do! Now I +have two little girls of my own, and I can tell +you—”</p> + +<p>“Don’t!” said Mr. Harriman. “I make it a +point never to listen to fond parents. I am sure +the two girls who fixed me up were unusual—very +unusual.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, they were,” said the doctor. “You will +have an easier time with this hand of yours, thanks +to their skill.”</p> + +<p>“Queer!” said Mr. Harriman. “Seemed to +know just what to do.”</p> + +<p>“Must have been Girl Scouts,” said the doctor +musingly.</p> + +<p>“Girl Scouts? What foolishness is that?” said +Mr. Harriman.</p> + +<p>The doctor smiled. He thought of his own two +daughters.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_44'></a>44</span> + +<p>“Ask them about it,” he said, rising, and would +say no more.</p> + +<p>Mr. Harriman limped out.</p> + +<p>“What are Girl Scouts?” Mr. Harriman asked +his chauffeur as they drove to his office.</p> + +<p>“I dunno, sah,” said the colored man, starting. +He always jumped when Mr. Harriman spoke. +Everyone wanted to.</p> + +<p>“Idiot!” said Mr. Harriman.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sah,” said the chauffeur cheerfully.</p> + +<p>There seemed nothing else to say.</p> + +<p>Mr. Harriman’s hand healed very quickly for so +old a man, and the doctor stubbornly gave all the +credit to Rosanna’s first-aid treatment. Mr. Harriman +could say “Stuff and nonsense!” as many +times as he liked, but it made no difference to the +doctor, who smiled and refused to discuss the matter. +Mr. Harriman commenced to have a troublesome +conscience. He felt as though he should call +and thank the little girl who had befriended him +to such good purpose, especially as he had known +Rosanna’s grandmother all her life, but he could +not bring himself to do it and contented himself +with sending two immense wax dolls and a huge +box of candy to Rosanna’s house addressed to “The +two girls who recently bound up my hand.” Rosanna +and Helen were quite embarrassed, but Mrs. +Horton, who was immensely amused, told them that +all that was necessary was a note of thanks, which +they wrote and sent off in a great hurry. They +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_45'></a>45</span> +didn’t want to keep Mr. Harriman waiting. No +one did. But he couldn’t find out anything about +the Girl Scouts because the only persons he asked +were the very persons who would never know anything +much about anything that had to do with +girls or good times or youth or happiness. He +asked his old friends at the club, when he felt like +talking at all, and so the time went on.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, at a Scout meeting Rosanna +found herself telling the girls all about Gwenny +and the play and the plans for sending the poor +little cripple to Cincinnati for the operation which +might make her well. It was only <i>might</i>. Doctor +MacLaren and the other doctors whom he had taken +to see Gwenny would only say that it could be <i>tried</i>. +And the great surgeon, Dr. Branshaw, had written +Dr. MacLaren that as soon as the child was in a fit +condition she could be brought to him and he would +do what he could. He said nothing about the cost, +Rosanna noticed, when she read his letter, so she +could not tell the girls what the operation would +cost. They were all as interested as they could +be and promised to work as hard as they could +selling tickets, and the ones who were chosen to +take parts in the play were very happy about it. +As a matter of fact, all of them were to come on +the stage, for those who had no speaking parts came +on and marched and so had a share in the glory.</p> + +<p>And the way they learned their parts! They almost +mastered them over night. Rehearsals went +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_46'></a>46</span> +on, and the day was set for the entertainment.</p> + +<p>There was a great deal of hammering up in Mrs. +Hargrave’s barn. Mrs. Hargrave and Miss Hooker +and Uncle Robert spent a good deal of time up +there, but they would not let anyone else in. Even +Elise was barred out, and although she wrung her +little hands and talked a funny mixture of French +and English in her pretty coaxing way, not one of +the three would relent and let her peek in. “Wait +until it comes time for the dress rehearsals,” was +all they would say.</p> + +<p>A week before the play, a big box came for Uncle +Robert. He opened it in Rosanna’s room. It was +full of tickets nicely printed on yellow pasteboard. +Rosanna read them with rapture: the name of the +play, <i>her</i> play, and at the top in large print,</p> + +<div> +<p style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center'>BENEFIT PERFORMANCE</p> +</div> + +<p>“You have not said anything about what the +performance is to be a benefit <i>for</i>.” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“That’s all right,” said her uncle.</p> + +<p>“And you have forgotten to say the price of the +tickets,” wailed Helen, who was again spending +the night.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Mr. Horton, “when I went to order +those tickets for you, I had an idea. And it was +this. I thought as long as this was a benefit performance, +why not let it benefit everybody present?”</p> + +<p>“How can it do that?” asked Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“In this way,” said Uncle Robert. “There will +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_47'></a>47</span> +be all sorts of people there, because some of the +Girl Scouts, Miss Hooker says, are very poor indeed, +and some of them belong to families who +have plenty of money. So Miss Hooker suggested +a very good scheme. Tell the girls when they sell +tickets to say that as it is a benefit and so forth +and so forth, that the tickets are simply to let the +people into the hall. As they go out they are to +pay whatever they think it is worth, from five cents +up.”</p> + +<p>“Perfectly splendid!” said Helen, catching the +idea at once.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” answered Rosanna. “They will +have seen the performance and suppose everybody +will feel as though it is worth only a nickel?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, they won’t feel like that at all, Rosanna,” +said Helen. “I think every single person will +think it is worth a quarter. Think if they would +all pay twenty-five cents!”</p> + +<p>“I know several who expect to pay a dollar,” +said Uncle Robert.</p> + +<p>“If they only will,” cried Rosanna, almost sobbing, +“Gwenny can go to Cincinnati this very +winter! I think it is a good idea, Uncle Robert. +After all, it is a good thing that you did consult +with Miss Hooker, even if it <i>has</i> taken a lot of your +time. I think you have been so kind.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I haven’t minded,” said Uncle Robert in a +generous way.</p> + +<p>“Why, you must have minded,” went on +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_48'></a>48</span> +Rosanna. “I have kept track all I could, because I +was so much obliged to you, and you have been +over there at Miss Hooker’s house consulting—well, +you had to go over five nights last week, and +Miss Hooker is always saying, ‘I had a telephone +today from your uncle.’ You must be tired to +death. I nearly told Miss Hooker so, but I thought +it might sound rude.”</p> + +<p>“You are right about that, Rosanna; it would +have been very rude indeed, excessively rude I may +say,” said Mr. Horton with some haste. “I can +scarcely think of anything worse for you to say. +My sainted Maria!”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t say it,” Rosanna assured him, “and the +thing is so nearly over now, only a week more, that +it really doesn’t matter.”</p> + +<p>“Not a particle!” said Mr. Horton. “But I +wish you would promise me that you won’t say anything +of the sort. Not that it matters, but I seem +to feel nervous.”</p> + +<p>“Of course I will promise,” agreed Rosanna. +“I love Miss Hooker but of course I love you more, +and I just do hate to have you bothered.”</p> + +<p>“It is mighty nice of you, sweetness, but you +must not worry about me at all. Now to change +the conversation, as the man said when he had +nearly been hanged by mistake, you give these +tickets out to your Girl Scouts and tell them to +offer them to the people who would be most likely +to give more than a nickel. It ought to be easy. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_49'></a>49</span> +They are to say that the benefit will cost them five +cents or up as they leave the hall. With your +permission, I will make a few remarks and tell +them about Gwenny. But we will not mention +her by name, because if there should be a newspaper +reporter lurking around he would put it in the +papers and that would be very embarrassing.”</p> + +<p>After Uncle Robert had gone out the girls made +the tickets up in little bundles, one for each girl +in the group. Their own they spread out on the +table, planning how they would dispose of them.</p> + +<p>“Whom shall you sell to first?” asked Helen.</p> + +<p>“Mr. Harriman,” said Rosanna quietly.</p> + +<p>Helen dropped her tickets. “Dear <i>me</i>, Rosanna!” +she cried. “I would be too afraid to offer +him a ticket.”</p> + +<p>“<i>I</i> am not,” said Rosanna. “I would do more +than that for Gwenny, and I am not afraid of him +at all. Not even if he roars. And he has lots and +lots of money. I shouldn’t wonder at all that he +will be one of the dollar ones if he comes. And he +has <i>got</i> to come if I go after him.”</p> + +<p>“Dear <i>me</i>!” said Helen again, quite awed. +“You are brave. Shall I come with you?”</p> + +<p>“If you like,” replied Rosanna. “We will go +right after school tomorrow.”</p> + +<p>The interview with Mr. Harriman took place as +planned the first thing after school. School let +out at two o’clock, and it was half-past when the +girls mounted the steps of the grim old fortress in +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_50'></a>50</span> +which Mr. Harriman lived. Now it happened that +half past two was a very dark hour for Mr. Harriman +because at about that time he was always in +the clutch of a bad attack of indigestion brought +on daily because he would <i>not</i> mind his doctor and +omit pickles and sweets from his bill of fare. At +this time he read the morning paper and reviled +the world at large. His sister always left him +with the excuse that she wanted to lie down, and he +was alone with his abused stomach and his pepsin +tablets and his thoughts.</p> + +<p>The two girls entered the room and waited for +him to speak.</p> + +<p>Mr. Harriman looked up from his reading with +a dark scowl. Most of the newspaper was on the +floor where he had thrown it to stamp on. He +always felt better when he stamped on the editorials +that displeased him most. It seemed to soothe his +feelings. He managed to grunt, “’Dafternoon! +’Dafternoon!” when he saw the two girls advance +across his library, and then he waited, looking over +the tops of a very grubby pair of glasses for them +to state their errands. It was Rosanna who spoke +first, although generally Helen was the spokesman. +But Helen was frankly afraid of the grouchy old +gentleman, while Rosanna was too anxious to help +Gwenny to be afraid of anyone. So she said, +“Please excuse us, Mr. Harriman, if we have interrupted +your reading.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you have!” said Mr. Harriman gruffly. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_51'></a>51</span> +“Whadder you want? Sell me chances on a doll’s +carriage or sofy pillow? Who’s getting up your +fair? Meth’dist, ’Piscopal? Here’s a dime.”</p> + +<p>He held out the money, which Rosanna took +gently and laid on the table beside him.</p> + +<p>“Thank you,” she said. “We don’t want any +money today. We have come to tell you about an +entertainment we are going to give. First if you +don’t mind I think I will just shine up your glasses. +You can’t see to think through them the way they +are,” and as Helen looked on, expecting to see Rosanna +snapped in two any second, she held out her +hand for the glasses, shaking out a clean pocket +handkerchief as she did so. No one was more surprised +than Mr. Harriman himself when he took +off the smeary spectacles and handed them to Rosanna, +who silently polished them and handed them +back. They <i>were</i> better; Mr. Harriman acknowledged +it with a grunt.</p> + +<p>“Girls are real handy,” said Rosanna with her +sweet smile.</p> + +<p>“Grrrrrr!” from Mr. Harriman. “Whadded +you want to tell me?” but his voice certainly +seemed a shade less gruff.</p> + +<p>Rosanna, speaking distinctly and as carefully as +though she was explaining to a small child, told the +old man about Gwenny and the benefit and after +that, as he sat perfectly still looking at her through +unnaturally shiny glasses, she went on to tell him +about the Girl Scouts. You couldn’t tell whether +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_52'></a>52</span> +he cared a snap about it, but at all events he listened, +and Helen and Rosanna both thought it was +a good sign. They did not dare to glance at each +other, but Rosanna went on talking until she felt +that she had told him all that he would want to +know if he had been a regular sort of a human +being instead of a grouchy, cross old man who +seemed to delight in scaring everyone away from +him.</p> + +<p>“That’s all,” said Rosanna finally, smiling up +into the scowling old face.</p> + +<p>There was a long silence,</p> + +<p>“Grrrrrr!” said Mr. Harriman again. “So you +want me to come to your show, do you? Haven’t +been to a show for forty years! No good! Silly!”</p> + +<p>“Ours isn’t,” declared Helen, suddenly finding +her voice. “Our entertainment is perfectly splendid!”</p> + +<p>“Perfectly splendid!” mimicked Mr. Harriman. +“Sounds just like a woman! All alike, regardless +of age. Grrrrrr!”</p> + +<p>“You will come, won’t you?” asked Rosanna. +“Please do! You see it is only a nickel if you do +not think it is worth more.”</p> + +<p>“A great many persons are going to pay a quarter,” +hinted Helen.</p> + +<p>“All right, all right!” said Mr. Harriman. +“You are less objectionable than most children. +I will come if I can remember it.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_53'></a>53</span> + +<p>“Suppose I come after you?” suggested Rosanna, +remembering what she had said to Helen about +getting Mr. Harriman if she had to come after him.</p> + +<p>“All right, all right! Let it go at that! I know +your sex! You will forget all about your agreement +by the time you reach the next corner. If +you come after me, I will go to your show. In +the Hargrave barn, eh? Anything to sit on, or +shall I bring a chair?”</p> + +<p>“No, sir; Uncle Robert has fixed seats and everything. +And I will come for you quite early because +I have to be there doing my part.”</p> + +<p>“That’s nuff!” grunted Mr. Harriman, nodding +curtly. “’Dafternoon!” He resumed his paper, +and as he caught the opening sentences of the article +before him, there came a sound like the grating +of teeth and the noise of a large boiler that +is about to explode.</p> + +<p>The girls said, “Good afternoon!” in two small +voices and went out as quickly as they could.</p> + +<p>Helen breathed a sigh of relief when she reached +the outer air.</p> + +<p>“Rosanna, you are certainly a very brave girl,” +she said. “I am glad to get out alive. Every +minute I expected to hear him say, ‘Fee-fi-fo-fum, +I smell the breath of an English-mun!’”</p> + +<p>Rosanna laughed.</p> + +<p>“He is pretty awful,” she granted. “But I +mean to make him come. I think it will do him +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_54'></a>54</span> +good to see that play, and I shall certainly go after +him. If he thinks I am going to forget about him, +he is greatly mistaken.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s try to get rid of all our tickets this afternoon. +You know we are to meet Uncle Robert at +the barn at five o’clock to see the theatre he has +fixed up. Oh, Helen, I am <i>so</i> excited!”</p> + +<p>For a couple of hours the girls repeated the story +of Gwenny and the benefit until they could say +it by heart. The tickets went so fast that they +were sorry that they did not have twice as many. +At a quarter of five they hurried back to Mrs. Hargrave’s, +where Elise was waiting for them and +Uncle Robert soon joined them. There was a short +wait then, because he refused to unlock the door +before Miss Hooker arrived although the girls +begged and begged, assuring him that she wouldn’t +mind.</p> + +<p>Finally they heard the tap, tap, tap of her tiny +shoes on the old brick walk, and round the corner +she came, looking more dimply and dainty and altogether +beautiful than ever. Uncle Robert looked +as though he could eat her, but somehow it was +not the sort of look he had given Rosanna that other +time. Not at all! Rosanna noticed it.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_55'></a>55</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chVI'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER VI</p> +</div> + + +<p>The stairs were broad and easy, and the girls +ran up after Uncle Robert who proceeded to fit +a large key in the lock of the big door at the head +of the stairs. It was a very fine stable, built many, +many years ago, and finished outside and inside +with great care. The walls were all sealed or finished +with narrow strips of varnished wood. As +the door swung open, the three girls stood dumb +with amazement. Then “Oh, <i>darling</i> Uncle Robert!” +cried Rosanna, and threw herself into his +arms.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert looked over her head at Miss +Hooker and smiled.</p> + +<p>“Glad if you like it, kiddie,” he said. “It is +my contribution to little Gwenny. And Doctor +Rick told me to tell you that he would send some +music for his share.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Helen, Helen, isn’t that <i>splendid</i>?” cried +Rosanna. “Now we won’t have to have a Victrola! +It will be like a real theatre.”</p> + +<p>“Just exactly,” said Helen absently. She could +not give very much thought to the orchestra when +the little theatre claimed her attention.</p> + +<p>There was a real stage, and before it a long green +tin that the girls knew concealed the footlights. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_56'></a>56</span> +A splendid curtain hung before them, painted in a +splashy way with a landscape. To the girls it +seemed a rare work of art. Well, the sign painter +who had done it was rather proud of himself, so +it <i>must</i> have been all right.</p> + +<p>They walked down the aisle between rows of +nice new benches, made with comfortable backs. +Mr. Horton left them and went around back of the +stage. Immediately there was a sound of ropes +squeaking, and the curtain rose as majestically as +though it was the curtain of a real theatre. And +there was the stage! The same accommodating +sign painter had painted a back drop and “flies” +as they are called. It was a woodland scene. +Trees were the thing that accommodating sign +painter could do best, and he had made lots of them, +as green as green! He had also painted two canvas +covered boxes so that you could scarcely tell +them from real rocks.</p> + +<p>“Isn’t that pretty nifty looking scenery?” asked +Uncle Robert proudly. “It only goes to show that +there is a lot of kindness floating around loose in +this work-a-day old world. The man who painted +all this knew Gwenny’s mother when she was a girl, +and when I asked for his bill he said he had done +it all Sundays and nights and it was his contribution. +He wouldn’t take a cent. Doing it nights is +why some of the trees look sort of bluish but I +don’t think it hurts, do you?”</p> + +<p>“What a nice, <i>nice</i> man!” exclaimed Miss +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_57'></a>57</span> +Hooker. “I should say it <i>doesn’t</i> hurt! To think +of his working nights after painting all day long. +I should admire those trees if they were a bright +<i>purple</i>!”</p> + +<p>“Of course you would,” said Uncle Robert softly. +“You are like that.”</p> + +<p>Rosanna was hurt. “Why, Uncle Robert! She +doesn’t mean that she would just as <i>soon</i> like a +purple tree as a green one. She means how nice +it was of the man.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, Rosanna; it is all perfectly clear to +me now,” smiled Uncle Robert. “Perfectly clear.” +He looked again at Miss Hooker and she smothered +a little smile behind her little handkerchief.</p> + +<p>They hated to go out of the theatre and see Uncle +Robert lock the door. Then they separated. Elise +danced off to the house. Miss Hooker and Helen +went down the street together, and Uncle Robert +and Rosanna cut across the garden. Rosanna’s +heart was full. She wanted <i>everybody</i> to be happy.</p> + +<p>“Uncle Robert,” she said, “sometimes I wish +that you were going to get married after awhile. +If you were only going to marry Miss Hooker or +some young lady just like her, so little and sweet!”</p> + +<p>“Well, it is worth considering,” said Uncle Robert. +“I wonder now, just for the sake of argument, +that is, if I <i>should</i> do it to accommodate you, +I wonder if Miss Hooker <i>would</i> marry me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no,” said Rosanna. “She wouldn’t <i>think</i> +of it.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_58'></a>58</span> + +<p>“Ugh!” said Uncle Robert. It sounded as +though someone had knocked all the air out of him.</p> + +<p>“No,” continued Rosanna. “We were talking +about Minnie getting married one day, and I said +it was the only wedding I was ever apt to have +anything to do with because I had heard you say +many times that you were not a marrying man.”</p> + +<p>“What did she say?” asked Uncle Robert in a +sort of strangled voice which Rosanna, skipping +along at his side, failed to notice.</p> + +<p>“Oh, she said, ‘How interesting!’ and I said, +‘Isn’t it? Because he is nicer than anyone I know, +but he says that girls never cut any figure in his +young life except to play with.’”</p> + +<p>“What did she say then?” demanded Mr. Horton.</p> + +<p>“Nothing at all,” answered Rosanna, “but she +is sensible too, because the next time I was there, +she asked more about Minnie, and then she said she +had decided never to marry. She said she liked to +be polite to men and help them pass the time, and +to assist them in worthy works, but further than +that she despised the whole lot of them, especially +blonds.” Rosanna looked up to see what color hair +Uncle Robert had, and noticed a very queer look +on his face.</p> + +<p>“You look so queer, Uncle Robert,” she said +tenderly. “Don’t you feel well?”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t,” said Uncle Robert. “I think if +you will excuse me I will take a walk.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_59'></a>59</span> + +<p>“How <i>do</i> you feel?” persisted Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“I feel—I feel <i>queer</i>,” said Uncle Robert. “I +feel sort of as though I had been gassed.”</p> + +<p>He turned abruptly and went down the walk, +leaving Rosanna staring after him. At dinner, +however, Uncle Robert declared that he was all +right, so Rosanna stopped worrying.</p> + +<p>Everything went rushing along. And everything +went beautifully, thanks to the energy everybody +put into their work. A couple of days before the +day of the entertainment Uncle Robert appeared +with a copy of the programs that he had had +printed. All the Girl Scouts, when Rosanna +brought it to the rehearsal, read it until the paper +was quite worn out. At the bottom of the page, +after the program part, was printed plainly, <i>Given +by the Girl Scouts of Group II</i>. Whoever saw the +program at all could not fail to see that they were +all in it, one as much as another.</p> + +<p>At last the great day came! It was Saturday, +of course. No other day would be possible for busy +school girls. Directly after supper, the Scouts +commenced to file into the theatre by ones and +twos and threes. They gathered in the dressing-rooms +back of the stage, where they sat or stood +in solemn groups. Helen and Elise had arrived, +and as Rosanna started across the garden she happened +to think of Mr. Harriman. She could not +suppress a groan of dismay as she remembered her +promise to go after him. There was no time to get +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_60'></a>60</span> +Helen or Elise to go. She looked wildly up and +down for some other Girl Scout, but there was not +one in sight. If she did not go, Mr. Harriman +would indeed think that all women were alike. So +she flitted down the street looking like a good fairy +in her shimmering blue dress, with the tiny wreath +of forget-me-nots banding her dark hair. She had +not taken time to put on her blue evening coat, with +its broad bands of white fox fur, but held it round +her shoulders with both hands as she ran.</p> + +<p>Mr. Harriman was at home, the footman said, but +he was engaged; had company for dinner, and they +had not quite finished. Would she wait?</p> + +<p>Rosanna said she was sorry but she would have +to go right in and speak to Mr. Harriman. So +she passed the pompous servant and at the dining-room +door a still more pompous butler, and stepped +into the presence of Mr. Harriman and his guests.</p> + +<p>Miss Harriman, a thin, scared little old lady, sat +at the head of the table. Opposite her, busy with +a large dish of plum pudding, sat Mr. Harriman. +His two guests sat on either side of him. They +were old too, so three white-haired old gentlemen +turned and looked at Rosanna as she entered and +dropped a curtsey.</p> + +<p>“’Devening! There you are again! Grrrrrr! +Didn’t forget, did you? Bah! Want I should go +to show?” said Mr. Harriman, partly to Rosanna +and partly to the others.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir; this is the night,” said Rosanna.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_61'></a>61</span> + +<p>“What’s this?” asked one of the gentlemen, who +looked as though he could not have said <i>grrrrrr</i> +or <i>bah</i> to save his life.</p> + +<p>“That’s a Girl Scout,” said Mr. Harriman. +“Told you at the club that I would find out about +’em. Here’s a live one. Caught her myself.” He +acted quite pleased.</p> + +<p>“Shall I wait and walk over with you, Mr. Harriman,” +asked Rosanna, “or will you come as soon +as you can? You see I must be over there very +early.”</p> + +<p>“I will come m’self,” said Mr. Harriman. +“Want piece puddin’? No? S’good! I will +come later. Won’t break my word. Didn’t break +yours. Bring these fellows along if they have any +money.”</p> + +<p>“How much will we need?” said the third old +gentleman, laughing.</p> + +<p>“Anything from a nickel up,” replied Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Cost you a quarter,” said Mr. Harriman. +“Cosgrove, here, will have to pay thirty-five cents. +Based on income tax!”</p> + +<p>Rosanna, watching him, thought she saw a real +twinkle in Mr. Harriman’s eye. She warned them +to be on time and promised to save three seats for +them in the front row. Then she went skipping +happily off. Three instead of one to come to the +play, two quarters, and thirty-five cents made +eighty-five cents right there! It was enough to +make <i>anyone</i> skip. When she reached the barn +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_62'></a>62</span> +people were filing up the broad stairs, and the room +was already half full. Uncle Robert stood near +the door nodding and smiling and telling the Girl +Scout ushers where to seat one and another. Rosanna +hurriedly wrote “Taken” on the backs of +three tickets, and laid them on three spaces on the +bench nearest the stage. As people kept coming, +she commenced to wonder if there would be seats +enough. She whispered her fear to Uncle Robert.</p> + +<p>“That’s all right,” he said. “I have one of the +box stalls downstairs full of camp chairs, and the +sign painter is here to help me bring them up if +they are needed.”</p> + +<p>“You think of everything,” said Rosanna fondly, +then set herself to watch the door for Mr. Harriman. +It was not long before she heard the clump, +clump, clump of his cane and the heavy footsteps +of his two friends. She escorted them proudly to +their seats, and left them nodding appreciatively +at the bright curtain and all the fittings of the little +theatre. Then she hurried around back of the +stage.</p> + +<p>“They came, eighty-five cents’ worth!” she whispered +to Helen.</p> + +<p>“What do you mean?”</p> + +<p>“Mr. Harriman is here and two of his friends,” +said Rosanna. “And Mr. Harriman and one +friend will give twenty-five cents, and the other +will give thirty-five.”</p> + +<p>“Good!” said Helen. “How do I look? Is the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_63'></a>63</span> +place filling up? Have you seen the music Doctor +Rick sent? Five pieces! They have just come. +They are down in the feed room getting their instruments +out. Oh, I am <i>so</i> excited! And it is +all to make Gwenny well.”</p> + +<p>“I am going out now,” said Rosanna. “I wish +you could all sit out in front. It does not seem +fair for me to do so.”</p> + +<p>“It <i>is</i> fair,” Helen assured her. “Didn’t you +write the whole play? Of course you must see +that it is played right.”</p> + +<p>When Rosanna appeared she glanced at Mr. +Harriman and was surprised to have him beckon +her to him.</p> + +<p>“Sit here,” he said, making a small but sufficient +space between himself and one of his friends—the +thirty-five cent one, Rosanna noticed. She sat +down, and as she did so the music started off with +a flourish. How splendidly it sounded! It quite +drowned the sound of people entering. Uncle Robert, +and the sign painter, and a couple of brothers +belonging to one of the girls were busy bringing +camp chairs and placing them in the wide aisle and +along the sides. Two bright red spots burned on +Rosanna’s cheeks.</p> + +<p>She looked at her wrist watch. In five minutes +it would begin. And it did.</p> + +<p>A row of Girl Scouts in crisp, natty looking +uniforms, marching according to size, so that the +large girls were in the center of the stage, came +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_64'></a>64</span> +out before the curtain and sang one of their best +Girl Scout songs. Their voices were so sweet and +they sang so well that they had to return and give +an encore. Mr. Harriman pounded with his cane.</p> + +<p>Then the Webster girls, dressed as fairies, came +out and danced what the program called the Moonbeam +Dance, and behold, Uncle Robert had fixed +a spot light so they looked pink and white and +purple and blue by turns and it was like a real +theatre.</p> + +<p>There was so much applause after this that Rosanna +could not help wondering if it was a good +strong barn!</p> + +<p>Then there was a short pause while the orchestra +played.</p> + +<p>As it ended, Uncle Robert appeared before the +curtain. He looked so beautiful to Rosanna in his +evening dress with his merry eyes and pleasant +smile, that her eyes filled with tears of pride. And +he made a beautiful simple little speech. He told +the audience a great deal about the Girl Scouts +and all the good the organization was doing for +the girls and others as well, and then he told of +the little lame girl, suffering so hopelessly and so +patiently, and how these Girl Scouts had determined +to help her. He told them there was no +price set on the tickets, because some might feel +like giving ten cents or even a quarter or so but +that no one was <i>asked</i> to leave more than a nickel. +And then he called their attention to the beautiful +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_65'></a>65</span> +curtain and told them that that and the scenery was +the gift of a friend who was a sign painter, who +had done it Sundays and nights after work as his +contribution to the benefit, and everybody clapped +furiously, and Mr. Harriman and the thirty-five +cent gentleman commenced to nudge each other +behind Rosanna. <i>She</i> was sitting on the very front +edge of the bench.</p> + +<p>Then Uncle Robert said:</p> + +<p>“After another short selection by the orchestra +there will be a play written by one of the Girl +Scouts. We hope that you will enjoy it.” He +bowed, and stepped behind the curtain, while everybody +clapped and Mr. Harriman thumped with his +cane.</p> + +<p>As the orchestra struck up, the thirty-five cent +gentleman leaned over to Mr. Harriman and said, +“What are you going to do about it, Dick?”</p> + +<p>“Do ’swell’s you do,” said Mr. Harriman.</p> + +<p>“Just as much?” questioned the thirty-five cent +gentleman.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Mr. Harriman, snorting. “And +fifty over!”</p> + +<p>“I will break even with you both,” said the third +gentleman, leaning across.</p> + +<p>Mr. Cosgrove took out a check book and a fountain +pen and commenced to write. Mr. Harriman +leaned behind Rosanna and watched.</p> + +<p>“Poh! Hum! Grrrrrr! Piker!” he said, and +Mr. Cosgrove, laughing, tore up his check and wrote +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_66'></a>66</span> +another which he handed to Mr. Harriman. Rosanna +did not think it would be polite to look, but +wondered what in the world they were doing when +they should have been listening to the music.</p> + +<p>“S’all right,” said Mr. Harriman. “Girl’s +pretty lame, isn’t she, Rosanna?”</p> + +<p>“Gwenny can’t walk at all,” replied Rosanna, +“and even at night her back hurts so she can’t +sleep.”</p> + +<p>“Poor little broken pot,” said the third gentleman +softly. “A pity that the hand of the Potter +slipped.”</p> + +<p>“Save your poetry, Bristol!” grunted Mr. Harriman. +“This talks better.” He struck the check +book with his pen, and Mr. Bristol, borrowing a +page, wrote busily as the curtain rose.</p> + +<p>Rosanna, hoping they would forget business for +a while, bent her eyes on the stage.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_67'></a>67</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chVII'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER VII</p> +</div> + + +<p>As the play progressed Rosanna commenced to +doubt her own senses. It did not seem possible +that she could have written anything so good and +so interesting.</p> + +<p>When the act ended, there was a louder burst +of applause than at any other time, and to Rosanna’s +horror some one in the back of the room +commenced to cry, “Author, author!” Rosanna +did not realize at first that they meant her and was +looking around the room with a great deal of interest +when she felt both Mr. Harriman and Mr. +Cosgrove pushing her to her feet. She stood up +because they shoved her up, and she did not know +what to do next.</p> + +<p>Then the most amazing thing of all happened.</p> + +<p>Mr. Harriman rose to his feet and taking Rosanna +firmly by the arm as though she might dash +off any instant, he started toward the three little +steps at one side of the stage. Up these steps he +sternly piloted Rosanna, while everyone in the room +clapped and clapped again. All of Louisville knew +Mr. Harriman, and when everybody saw that <i>he</i> +was escorting the little girl who had written the +play, they sat quite still to see what would happen +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_68'></a>68</span> +next. When they reached the stage and stood facing +the audience, someone called, “Speech, +speech!” but that was ’way, ’way beyond Rosanna, +who was perfectly overcome anyway. She looked +pleadingly at Mr. Harriman, who knew what she +meant, and took pity on her.</p> + +<p>“Hum, grrrrrr,” he commenced. “Ladies and +gentlemen, this little lady, who is the author and +producer of the play you have just seen, asks me +to speak for her. She thanks you for your appreciation, +and for the help you are giving to herself +and these other generous Girl Scouts in their efforts +to assist a girl less fortunate than themselves. +You have heard about the little cripple who is to +be benefited by the work of these girls, and I think +we, the audience fortunate enough to be present +at this memorable occasion, will esteem it a pleasure +to do what we can toward making it possible for +this little sufferer to obtain a possible cure through +a very serious and expensive operation. We thank +you. Grrrrrr!” He <i>glared</i> at Mr. Cosgrove and +Mr. Bristol, and bowed. Rosanna dipped a hasty +curtsey, and they went off the stage again as everybody +clapped and the music struck up the jolliest +piece they knew. The entertainment was over!</p> + +<p>Back with Mr. Cosgrove and Mr. Bristol, each +old gentleman shook hands with Rosanna and +started for the door, where Uncle Robert, intent +on the most important part of all, sat at the table +on which was a shoe box with a slot cut in the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_69'></a>69</span> +cover. He was smiling and beaming and saying, +“Thank you!” over and over as people congratulated +him on Rosanna’s play. Miss Hooker stood +beside him looking so sweet and true and pretty +that when Mr. Harriman came up and looked at +her, and started to say “Grrrrrr,” it actually +sounded like a purr! He hastily shoved something +white through the slot, and Mr. Cosgrove and Mr. +Bristol followed him, looking very guilty.</p> + +<p>Then Mr. Harriman turned back.</p> + +<p>“Absolutely confidential, Horton! No newspapers!” +he said.</p> + +<p>“Absolutely, sir, and thank you,” said Uncle Robert, +bowing to the three. He commenced to suspect +something!</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker stooped to whisper something to +Robert. As soon as the last person had left the +hall, he obeyed the whisper, and taking the precious +box, which was sealed with red sealing wax where +the cover went on, he went behind the scenes. All +the girls were there, as well as the sign painter +and the two brothers. These three looked immensely +relieved when a fourth member of their +sex appeared. Mrs. Hargrave was there too, and +she was inviting everyone to walk over to her house +and have something to eat. She said she believed +it was customary after the first presentation of a +play.</p> + +<p>When some of the girls said they would have to +go home with their folks on account of getting home +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_70'></a>70</span> +with escort, Mrs. Hargrave at once added that she +had arranged with Mrs. Horton to send the girls +home in their automobiles.</p> + +<p>So very soon they were all in Mrs. Hargrave’s immense +dining-room, sitting in chairs ranged round +the room and being served chicken bouillon and +sandwiches, and fruit salad, and olives, and cocoa, +and ice-cream with whipped cream on top. All +they could eat of each thing too!</p> + +<p>“I can’t wait to see the inside of that box,” said +Mrs. Hargrave after all the Girl Scouts and the +sign painter and the two brothers had said good +night and thank you, and had gone. “What if +these children of ours <i>do</i> have to sleep half the +day tomorrow? Telephone your mother, Miss +Hooker, that you are here with me, and that you +will be home presently, and we will go into the +library and watch Robert count the money. And +whatever is lacking, when it comes to settling for +that operation, Mrs. Horton and I intend to make +up.”</p> + +<p>Robert Horton laughed.</p> + +<p>“I have an idea that you are on the safe side +of the bargain, dear lady,” he said. “I think this +box will surprise us.”</p> + +<p>“How much do you suppose is in it?” asked +Miss Hooker as she started for the telephone. “A +hundred dollars?”</p> + +<p>“Five hundred at the least,” answered Uncle +Robert.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_71'></a>71</span> + +<p>Everybody started to hurry for the library at +that as though the money in the box would have +to be counted as rapidly as possible for fear it might +fly away.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert happened to sit beside Miss Hooker +again, but Rosanna sat on the other side. He cut +the sealing wax and opened the box. There was +all sorts of silver money there <i>except nickels</i>! +There was not one nickel. Dimes, quarters, fifty-cent +pieces, and silver dollars, but not a nickel.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert placed the coins in neat piles, then +he commenced to stack the paper money. After he +had done this, he sorted out five checks, which he +laid by themselves quite respectfully, face down.</p> + +<p>Then he drew out a pencil and paper and commenced +to count. No one spoke. At the last, still +keeping the faces of the five checks out of sight, he +added them in, covered the paper with his hand, +and looked up. He seemed dazed.</p> + +<p>“How much do you think?” he demanded.</p> + +<p>“Don’t make us guess, Robert,” said his mother.</p> + +<p>“Two thousand, two hundred and thirty-four dollars +and twenty-five cents,” he said slowly.</p> + +<p>“Impossible!” exclaimed Mrs. Hargrave sharply.</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker gave a gasp. The girls, perfectly +round-eyed, sat silent.</p> + +<p>“There it is!” said Mr. Horton. “Mr. Bristol +and Mr. Cosgrove each gave a check for five hundred +dollars, and Mr. Harriman wrote his for five +hundred and fifty.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_72'></a>72</span> + +<p>Mrs. Horton sniffed.</p> + +<p>“Dick Harriman never gave twenty-five dollars +to anything like this in his life,” she said.</p> + +<p>“Well, here is his check,” declared her son.</p> + +<p>“So <i>that</i> is where the fifty came in,” said Rosanna, +finding her voice. She repeated the conversation +she had heard. Everybody laughed.</p> + +<p>“Poor Dick!” said Mrs. Hargrave. “He doesn’t +feel well, and his bark is so bad that I doubt if +anyone ever before stopped to see what his bite was +like until Rosanna tried. I reckon he is happier +tonight than he has been for a long while. He +would think it was a great joke, too, to cajole Henry +Bristol and Clinton Cosgrove into giving that +money. Well, they can afford it many times over, +so it will do them all good.”</p> + +<p>“Too bad Rick MacLaren isn’t here,” said Uncle +Robert. “He has a sick patient on hand, and +couldn’t come. I will tell him the first thing in +the morning.”</p> + +<p>“And these girls <i>must</i> go to bed,” said Mrs. Horton. +“Are you going to stay with Rosanna, +Helen?”</p> + +<p>“I think I will just have to go home and tell +mother and father about it if there is any way for +me to get there,” replied Helen.</p> + +<p>“If Miss Hooker feels like the extra walk, we +will take you on our way to her house,” said Uncle +Robert eagerly.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_73'></a>73</span> + +<p>“I would love it,” said Miss Hooker obligingly.</p> + +<p>Rosanna marvelled.</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker lived blocks away from Helen, in +the opposite direction, but as the older people said +nothing, Rosanna kept silence. At all events the +benefit was over, and her Uncle Robert would no +longer feel obliged to spend all his time with a mere +girl, because no matter how lovely, Rosanna knew +that he didn’t care for girls.</p> + +<p>A number of girls ranging in age from twelve +to sixteen were busy repeating in a number of +homes that night just how they had felt at different +times during the evening, and explaining to less +fortunate brothers and sisters how good everything +had tasted afterwards. And Sunday morning, a +great many mothers had a difficult time getting +their Girl Scout daughters awake.</p> + +<p>Rosanna had a long talk with Uncle Bob. She +wanted to know what was going to be done about +the money.</p> + +<p>“I have been thinking about that,” said Uncle +Robert. “I will put it in the bank the first thing +tomorrow morning. I shall put it in the office bank +for safe keeping until then.”</p> + +<p>“Do you suppose it will take all of it for +Gwenny’s operation?” asked Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“No, I do not,” Robert replied, “but of course +Doctor Branshaw is a very high priced specialist, +and he sets his own fees.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_74'></a>74</span> + +<p>“If he knew that Gwenny was a poor little girl +and that the Girl Scouts were taking care of her, +I wonder if it would make any difference?”</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert shook his head. “I don’t believe +I would ask a favor of anyone, now that you have +earned such a lot of money. Just go ahead and +pay her way like good sports. At that, with the +hospital charges and nurses paid, I think you may +have a little left over. If we have, we will have +to find the best way to spend it for Gwenny. I +want to consult with Miss Hooker about it later +if she is not too tired.”</p> + +<p>“Consult again! Oh, <i>poor</i> Uncle Robert!” said +Rosanna compassionately. “I thought that was +all over with.”</p> + +<p>“It is not as painful as you seem to think,” said +Uncle Robert dryly. “At all events, my health is +not breaking under the strain. I never knew you +to fuss so, Rosanna. Just what have you up your +sleeve anyhow? Don’t you like your Captain after +all?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I perfectly <i>love</i> her,” cried Rosanna +warmly. “You don’t know how sweet she is, Uncle +Robert! And she is such a good Captain. Every +girl in the patrol loves her and will do anything +in the world for her.”</p> + +<p>Seeing that Uncle Robert appeared to be listening, +Rosanna went on warming to her subject.</p> + +<p>“At the Rally, I heard one of the ladies say that +our Captain was considered the best one in all the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_75'></a>75</span> +city. And she looks so young; just like one of the +girls when she gets into her Scout uniform. When +we are on hikes, she runs around and plays with +us and joins all our games. Oh, yes, Uncle Robert, +I do love her dearly!”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know but what I do myself,” admitted +Uncle Robert unexpectedly.</p> + +<p>“Why, Uncle <i>Robert</i>!” said Rosanna in a +shocked tone. “What a thing for you to say!”</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert wondered if he had made a mistake. +It was not the sort of a remark he would want +repeated. So he made another mistake.</p> + +<p>“Wasn’t it? A joke, Rosanna; just a merry +jest. Thought you would laugh over it. Ha ha! +Ha ha!”</p> + +<p>“Ha ha!” repeated Rosanna to be agreeable. +Sometimes Uncle Robert was rather disappointing. +“But she is lovely anyway, and has loads and +loads of friends, and, Uncle Robert, I think she +has a sweetheart because boxes and boxes of flowers +come to her, and she just keeps a little one to wear, +and sends all the rest to the hospital. And lovely +books come by mail and the fattest letters! One +had poetry in it, too. I could tell by the shape of +the writing down the page.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t snoop, Rosanna,” said Uncle Robert +sharply.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t, Uncle Robert,” said Rosanna in a hurt +tone. “She was sitting close to me on the sofa, +and I couldn’t help seeing. She liked it too, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_76'></a>76</span> +because she smiled so sweetly and showed all her +dimples, even the one that almost <i>never</i> comes out.”</p> + +<p>“What a little ray of sunshine you are, Rosanna!” +said her uncle strangely.</p> + +<p>“Thank you; a Girl Scout <i>ought</i> to be,” replied +Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Well, you are, all right, sweetness,” said Uncle +Robert. He sighed deeply almost as though the +ray of sunshine had not come his way at all. He +kissed Rosanna and then sat her down rather hard +in a deep chair. “I don’t know when I have felt +so cheered up. And now, if you would like to call +the garage and order the little car for me, I will +go around to see Doctor MacLaren and tell him +the good news of our fortune. And on second +thoughts, I don’t believe I will have to consult with +Miss Hooker at all. I think perhaps you are right. +I have bothered her enough.”</p> + +<p>“She has been <i>very</i> polite and kind about it all, +hasn’t she?” asked Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Most polite and kind,” Mr. Horton agreed. +“But we don’t want to wear her kindness out, do +we, Rosanna? I will go see Rick, and in a day +or two my part of this affair will be finished. And +I won’t have to bother anybody. I am thinking +of a little trip out West, Rosanna. I wish you +could go with me.”</p> + +<p>“I wish I could!” said Rosanna, “but grandmother +wouldn’t want me to leave school, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_77'></a>77</span> +besides I couldn’t leave the Scouts just now. Where +do you think of going, Uncle Robert?”</p> + +<p>“Nowhere in particular, unless—” he thought +a moment. “It might be fun to look up some place +where they had never heard of the Girl Scouts.”</p> + +<p>“Perfectly splendid!” said Rosanna. “<i>That</i> +would be doing a good deed. You could tell the +people about us, and start a patrol. I must tell +Miss Hooker about this; she will think it is so nice +of you. She appreciates kind acts, even if she +doesn’t like men.”</p> + +<p>“It is not worth mentioning, Rosanna,” answered +Uncle Robert. “Besides, I didn’t have just that +in mind. However, I hear the car and will leave +you before—before I do anything I regret.”</p> + +<p>He went off, and Rosanna watched him through +the window as he started his car. He was real +jerky with it, and it sputtered and missed, and went +off with a leap.</p> + +<p>“He is all tired out,” thought Rosanna.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_78'></a>78</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chVIII'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER VIII</p> +</div> + + +<p>Time passed, a great many things happening. +Gwenny, accompanied by her mother (there being +plenty of money for everything), was taken away +to the place of her great trial. When the question +arose as to what should be done with Mary and +Tommy and Myron and Luella and Baby Christopher, +Rosanna thought of Minnie, always so good +and kind. She went to see her, and the result was +that Minnie volunteered to stay at Gwenny’s and +run the little house and take care of the children +as long as Mrs. Harter was needed in Cincinnati. +Both Doctor MacLaren and Mr. Horton went with +Mrs. Harter and Gwenny, and made the journey +as comfortable as they possibly could. The great +Doctor Branshaw, after seeing his patient, said that +she must have at least a week of rest under his +own eye before he would be willing to try the operation. +So Gwenny was settled in a sunny room +at the hospital where she at once became the pet +of the ward and Doctor MacLaren and Mr. Horton +came home.</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon, the very next Sunday, +Mr. Horton came into the house looking the picture +of gloom. He scarcely spoke to his mother and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_79'></a>79</span> +Rosanna but rushed up to his room and immediately +there was a sound of things being dragged +around, and many footsteps. And the door opened +and shut a great many times. Mrs. Horton wondered +what that boy was up to now and went on +reading. But Rosanna listened with a black suspicion +growing in her mind.</p> + +<p>And, sure enough, Mr. Horton came down presently +to announce that he was going away for a +few weeks. He was getting stale, he said, and +needed a little change. When he saw Rosanna’s +round eyes fixed on him, he looked away but repeated +that he felt stale.</p> + +<p>“It is that War,” said his mother, as though +the war should be severely reprimanded. “Before +you went into that war, you were always contented. +Now nothing contents you for long.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you are right,” admitted Robert absently. +“At all events I can be spared from the +office just now better than at any other time, and +I am going to go away.”</p> + +<p>And go he did an hour later. Mrs. Hargrave +and Elise came in presently to take Sunday night +luncheon.</p> + +<p>“Where is Robert?” asked Mrs. Hargrave, seeing +that no place was set for him.</p> + +<p>“Gone off for a vacation,” said his mother.</p> + +<p>“Dear me, isn’t he well?” asked Mrs. Hargrave.</p> + +<p>“Perfectly, but he just took one of his notions +and went.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_80'></a>80</span> + +<p>“Anything—er—happened, do you suppose?” +questioned Mrs. Hargrave. “Anything—er, <i>you</i> +know. Misunderstanding?”</p> + +<p>“Possibly,” answered Mrs. Horton. “That is +what I suspect. But I don’t <i>know</i> anything.”</p> + +<p>“Oh dear, oh dear!” cried Mrs. Hargrave, folding +her fine old hands together. “It is too bad! +Can’t something be done? Why, Robert is the +finest boy in this world! He is just what I dream +my son would have been if I had had one. Do +you suppose one could say anything to the other +person?”</p> + +<p>“No, indeed,” said Mrs. Horton. “I don’t <i>know</i>, +you see. I only suspect.”</p> + +<p>So Uncle Robert went away, and Gwenny was +off at the hospital, and Rosanna and Helen spent +all their time drilling Elise in the requirements +of the Tenderfoot examination. Elise was quick +to learn, but she found more difficulty in learning +this because her knowledge of English was of course +limited. The girls were anxious to make a brilliant +showing with their recruit.</p> + +<p>Over and over they drilled her in the Tenderfoot +examination, at the last requiring her to write the +answers to the examination paper which read as +follows:</p> + +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_81'></a>81</span> + + +<table style='margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto' summary='exam'> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">TENDERFOOT EXAMINATION,</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">WRITTEN</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">1</td><td>a</td><td>Give the Scout promise.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>b</td><td>What does the Scout motto mean?</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">2</td><td> </td><td>Give the Scout laws in order.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">3</td><td>a</td><td>What is the purpose of the Scout movement?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>b</td><td>What does a Scout’s honor mean?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>c</td><td>Give the meaning of one law.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>d</td><td>How and when should the Scout salute be given?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>e</td><td>Explain the Scout badge.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">4</td><td>a</td><td>Who made the American flag?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>b</td><td>Why was a flag needed?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>c</td><td>In what city was it made? What year?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>d</td><td>Name the committee appointed to design it.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">5</td><td>a</td><td>Quote General Washington’s words about the flag.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>b</td><td>When was the flag officially adopted?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>c</td><td>Describe the first official flag of the stars and stripes.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">6</td><td>a</td><td>What do the stars represent? The stripes?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>b</td><td>For what do the colors, red, white and blue stand?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>c</td><td>How many stars has the flag now? What day is Flag day?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>d</td><td>When is a new star added and why?</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">7</td><td> </td><td>Give fully the respect due the flag.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">8</td><td>a</td><td>What should Scouts do when the National Anthem is played?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>b</td><td>What should Civilians do at Retreat? Scouts?</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">9</td><td>a</td><td>What is the United States Government?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>b</td><td>Who is at its head?</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>c</td><td>Name the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3" style='font-size:2px'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">10</td><td>a</td><td>Write America.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td>b</td><td>Write The Star Spangled Banner (omitting 3rd stanza).</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>Then followed the demonstration of knots and +knot tying. Over and over they drilled her, and +Elise was an apt pupil. Her delicate little fingers +seemed to know of themselves what to do.</p> + +<p>“I am glad she is to <i>write</i> that examination,” +sighed Helen the day before Elise was to go to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_82'></a>82</span> +Captain Hooker and take her examination formally. +She was to be examined on Friday afternoon, +and at the meeting Saturday night she was to +become a Tenderfoot Scout member of their +patrol.</p> + +<p>“What difference does it make whether she +writes the exam, or recites her answers?” returned +Rosanna. “She speaks brokenly, of course, but +that does not matter.”</p> + +<p>“All it matters is that no one could hear her +speak of General Washington the way she does in +her funny broken English, without wanting to +scream. It is so funny.”</p> + +<p>Funny or not, Elise went through her examination +most successfully and Saturday night accompanied +Helen and Rosanna to the meeting at Miss +Hooker’s house. Their little Captain had fitted up +a room specially for her girls, where they could +keep their various documents and where the seats, +the neat desk for the secretary, and the standard +for the big silk flag did not need to be disturbed +in the intervals between meetings.</p> + +<p>Elise was thrilled beyond words.</p> + +<p>As they entered the room she saw that the two +girls saluted their little Captain. Not knowing if +she was expected to salute before becoming a Scout, +Elise dropped a shy curtsey and followed Rosanna +to a seat where they awaited the full number of +Scouts and the shrill whistle from the Lieutenant +which brought the meeting to order.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_83'></a>83</span> + +<p>“The first whistle means <i>Attention</i>,” whispered +Helen.</p> + +<p>Once again it sounded.</p> + +<p>“That is for Assembly,” whispered Rosanna on +the other side, as all the girls rose.</p> + +<p>Leaving Elise in her seat, the Scouts formed in +double ranks at a distance of forty inches between +ranks and an interval of sixty inches between +patrols.</p> + +<p>The eight girls who formed a patrol took their +places in groups as signified by the crosses.</p> + +<table summary='patrol' style='margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;'> +<tr><td align='center'>Patrol</td><td align='center'>Patrol</td><td align='center'>Patrol</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center'>××××</td><td align='center'>××××</td><td align='center'>××××</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center'>××××</td><td align='center'>××××</td><td align='center'>××××</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center'>Captain</td><td align='center'>×  ×</td><td align='center'>Lieutenant</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>Elise found out afterward that number one in +the front rank of each patrol is the Patrol leader, +and number four the Corporal.</p> + +<p>At the command “Company, attention!” from +the little Captain, now standing so straight and so +stern that Elise scarcely recognized her, the Company +as a whole stiffened to attention.</p> + +<p>The Lieutenant, a tall, pretty girl of nineteen, +then commanded, “Corporals from Patrols!” and +the three Corporals stepped forward two paces, +made two right turns, and stood facing the center of +the patrol. The Corporals then snapped out together, +“Attention! Right Dress!” after which +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_84'></a>84</span> +they faced left, took two paces, made right turn, +right face, and looked critically down the line to see +that it was perfectly straight. After two short left +steps to straighten the rear line, they faced right, +took four paces forward, and with two right turns +got back in position facing patrol and called the +command “Front! Count off!”</p> + +<p>The Corporals then one after the other called +the roll of her Patrol, and finishing that, turned +and reported to the Lieutenant that the Patrol +was formed, after which they returned to their +places in the ranks, and the Lieutenant, saluting +the Captain, reported, “Captain, the Company is +formed.”</p> + +<p>Inspection then followed. Each girl, saluting, +stepped forward and her hair, teeth, hands, nails, +shoes and general appearance was scrutinized.</p> + +<p>Elise watched all this with great interest, interest +which deepened as the Captain commanded “Color +guard, march!” and three girls stepped from the +ranks and stood side by side for a moment, then at +a word of command marched to the flag. There +they saluted and marched back; when the Captain +and the Lieutenant faced about, and the Captain +in her silvery voice said:</p> + +<p>“The Flag of your Country; pledge allegiance!”</p> + +<p>With one voice the girls united in the beautiful +pledge to the flag, “I pledge allegiance to the flag, +and to the republic for which it stands; one nation +indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_85'></a>85</span> + +<p>Elise looked at the silken folds of the glorious +red, white and blue with tears in her eyes. How +glad she was to make that pledge! Had not that +flag, the flag that was now her own, floated over +the shell-racked fields of France? Oh, she <i>loved</i> +it!</p> + +<p>The color guard returned, and the fresh young +voices rose in the first verse of America.</p> + +<p>“Scouts, your promise!” said the Captain.</p> + +<div> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>“To do my duty to God and to my country.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>To help other people at all times.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>To obey the laws of the Scouts.”</p> +</div> + +<p>the voices rang out.</p> + +<p>“The laws!” said the Captain.</p> + +<p>Again the chorus of girls repeated:</p> + +<div> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout’s honor is to be trusted.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout is loyal.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout’s duty is to be useful, and help others.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout is a friend to all, and a sister to every other Girl Scout.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout is courteous.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout keeps herself pure.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout is a friend to animals.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout obeys orders.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout is cheerful.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>A Girl Scout is thrifty.</p> +</div> + +<p>“Dismissed!” said the little Captain and, breaking +ranks, the girls went to their seats where they +sat talking in low tones until the sharp sound of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_86'></a>86</span> +the Lieutenant’s whistle called them to attention +again.</p> + +<p>“Now I do come,” said Elise to herself, and her +heart commenced to hammer in quite an alarming +fashion. But it was not quite time for her to rise. +Looking at Rosanna, she saw her give a slight shake +of the head, and Elise leaned back in her seat while +all the business of the meeting was settled and +plans made for some aid for a poor family living +near.</p> + +<p>One thing Elise noticed particularly. The girls +present were widely different in looks, and Elise +with her delicate perceptions saw plainly that they +belonged in widely differing classes, so called. A +few of the girls, Rosanna among them, had the +carefully cared for and delicately nurtured look +of the very rich. More were like Helen, clean, +carefully groomed and almost precise in her dress +and accessories. Others were very evidently poor, +with rough little hands that already told the story +of hard work and few toilet creams. But whoever +they were, they saw no difference in each other. +They were Girl Scouts in the fullest and best sense +of the word: sisters pledged to each other, and living +up to that pledge in all earnestness and honor.</p> + +<p>Elise, waiting for her summons to go forward, +and understanding nothing of the business that was +going on, threw her thoughts backward. She saw +herself the idolized child of the gay, rich young +couple in the great château, where long painted +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_87'></a>87</span> +lines of powdered and frilled and armor-clad ancestors +looked down at her from the long galleries, +and where dozens of willing servants danced to +do her bidding. Then the picture changed, and +with the roll of drums and the thunder of cannon +she saw the hated foe march across her land, destroying +as they came. Father, mother, grandmother, +home, riches; all went down as under a +devouring tide. Then the promises of her Monsieur +Bob, and after long, long weary days spent with +the ladies of the Red Cross came the journey into +the Unknown, that trip across an ocean that was +to forever separate her from a past that was too +terrible for a little girl to have known.</p> + +<p>To have found refuge in Mrs. Hargrave’s tender +arms, to have won such love and such friends—to +be able to be a Girl Scout—</p> + +<p>Elise turned her eyes, brimming with sudden +tears, to the flag.</p> + +<p>“Never, <i>never</i> will I zem disappoint!” she whispered +tenderly, using as best she could the unfamiliar +words of her adopted tongue.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_88'></a>88</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chIX'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER IX</p> +</div> + + +<p>At last Elise saw the Captain glance in her +direction as the whistle blew once more for attention +and the Captain commanded, “Fall in!” A +look of serious interest appeared on the faces of +the girls as they formed in a horseshoe, the Captain +and the Lieutenant standing in the gap and the +American flag spread out before them.</p> + +<p>Elise, with Helen beside her, walked to a place +just inside the circle and stood facing the Captain. +In the Lieutenant’s hands were the staff and hat, +the shoulder knot, badge and neckerchief of the +Tenderfoot Elise.</p> + +<p>She could not refrain from a glance at them. +How she had longed to wear all those things; the +insignia of everything she had learned to admire +and look up to in the girls of America!</p> + +<p>“Salute!” said the Captain.</p> + +<p>All saluted Elise, who stood waiting for some +order, she did not know what.</p> + +<p>“Forward!” said the Captain to Helen, and the +two girls stepped to the center.</p> + +<p>Regarding Elise with a long, careful glance, and +speaking carefully, so the little French girl should +miss nothing of the full meaning of her words, the +Captain asked:</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_89'></a>89</span> + +<p>“Do you know what your <i>honor</i> means?”</p> + +<p>“Yess,” said Elise, finding her voice after what +seemed to her an endless time. “Yess, it does mean +that always I shall be trusted to be faithful and +true and honorable.”</p> + +<p>“Can I trust you,” asked the Captain, “on your +honor, to be loyal to God and your country, to help +other people at all times, and to obey the Scout +Law?”</p> + +<p>Elise, coached by Helen and Rosanna, made the +half salute in unison with the whole company, as +she answered, “I do promise on my honor to be +loyal to God and my country, to help other people +at all times and to obey the Scout Law.”</p> + +<p>“I trust you on your honor to keep this promise,” +answered the Captain.</p> + +<p>The circle of girls listened with respectful and +solemn interest. Well they realized that the vow +being given was not an empty or idle one. They +knew that it entailed hard work, self-denial, and +many hardships. Yet they gloried in it, and +silently renewed their own vows as they heard the +Tenderfoot make her promises.</p> + +<p>“Invest!” came the Captain’s next order.</p> + +<p>Stepping forward, the Lieutenant gave Elise her +staff, and put the hat, handkerchief and knot on +her, and smiled as Elise said, “I thank you!” in +her pretty way.</p> + +<p>Then, at a whispered word, she marched up the +line to the Captain who pinned on her trefoil badge +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_90'></a>90</span> +and explained that it was an emblem of her Scout +“life.” If for any misbehavior, the trefoil or +“life” must be taken away from her, she would +become a dead Scout for the time the Captain ordered +and for that time in disgrace.</p> + +<p>The new Scout was then initiated into all the +secret passwords, a proceeding which filled Elise +with despair; she felt that she would never be able +to remember the queer words and phrases.</p> + +<p>Then with the ceremony of marching back to +their proper patrols the ceremony was over, and in +a moment the formal meeting was dismissed.</p> + +<p>The girls crowded around, all anxious to meet +the new Tenderfoot and welcome her. They talked +to her so hard that Elise felt her head whirl. She +was glad to hear the voice of the little Captain +suggesting a song. She handed a leaflet to Elise, +but the girls knew the songs, and gathering in a +circle they wanted to know which one to sing.</p> + +<p>“Sing <i>The Long, Long Line</i>,” suggested the Captain, +and the girls sang:</p> + +<div> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>THE LONG, LONG LINE</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>(Tune: The Long, Long Trail)</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Recruiting song.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Do you feel a little lonely?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Are your friends too few?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Would you like to join some jolly girls</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>In the things you think and do?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Don’t you know your Country’s waiting?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_91'></a>91</span></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Have you heard her call?</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>See, the Scouts are crowding, crowding in,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Where there’s room for one and all!</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Chorus</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>There’s a long, long line a-growing,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>From north to south, east to west,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>There’s a place awaiting in it, too, that you’ll fill best.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>We are sure you’d like to join us</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>If you knew what we can do</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>And we’d like, O how we’d like to make a good Girl Scout of you.</p> +</div> + +<p>It certainly sounded sweet as the fresh young +voices blended, and Elise thrilled as she listened. +She was having such a good time! All the girls +seemed so friendly and so sweet, with the exception +of one girl who hung back and on whose face +there rested the shadow of discontent and dissatisfaction. +Elise found herself wondering about +her; she seemed so out of place in that happy, merry +throng. But none of the other girls appeared to +notice that one of their number sat apart and occupied +herself rather ostentatiously over a book.</p> + +<p>They were all so busy making the evening pass +pleasantly for the charming new Tenderfoot who +responded so prettily to their advances that no one +spoke or looked at the silent Scout, but presently +Elise noticed that the little Captain sat down beside +her and compelled her attention. Even then the +girl looked as though she preferred to be let alone.</p> + +<p>For a long while, the girls sat and told Elise +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_92'></a>92</span> +about their work and play and the camping in summer +and the delightful hikes all the year. Finally +it came time to go home and some one called for +another song.</p> + +<p>“Which shall it be, Elise?” asked Helen. “You +choose one of the songs.”</p> + +<p>“I see one follows the air of the <i>Old Colored +Joe</i>,” said Elise. “I do know that loving song. +Please to sing that; and if I may, I will try to sing +it also.”</p> + +<p>“Of course we will sing that, you dear,” laughed +the tall young Lieutenant, and together they sang:</p> + +<div> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>WE’RE COMING</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>(Tune: Old Black Joe)</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Camping Song.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>I</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Come where the lake lies gleaming in the sun;</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Come where the days are filled with work and fun.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Come where the moon hangs out her evening lamp;</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>The Scouts are trooping, trooping, trooping back to camp.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><span class='sc'>Chorus</span></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>We’re coming! We’re coming! To the lakes, the hills, the sea!</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Old Mother Nature calls her children—you and me.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>II</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Come where we learn the wisdom of the wood;</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Come where we prove that simple things are good,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_93'></a>93</span></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Come where we pledge allegiance to our land;</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>America, you’ve called your daughters—here we stand.</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'><span class='sc'>Chorus</span></p> +<p style='margin:0 auto'> </p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>We’re coming! We’re coming! ’Til we spread from sea to sea,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>Our country needs us—wants us—calls us—you and me!</p> +</div> + +<p>“That is so <i>most</i> lovely,” said Elise as the song +was finished, never for a moment realizing that her +own pure and bell-like voice had added richness and +beauty to the song.</p> + +<p>The other girls looked at each other and smiled. +Here was indeed a find. Never had there come a +Scout to the council with such a wonderful voice. +They felt that the pretty young Tenderfoot was a +great acquisition to their number. So they all +crowded around and said good night,—all but the +silent Scout who had not joined in the jollity. +Elise and Rosanna and Helen filled the two automobiles +that were waiting for them with the girls. +Never, never had those big cars been so crowded. +Certainly they had never held happier passengers. +But there was no noise or boisterousness, no singing +or whistling. The girls chatted in tones that +were agreeably low and as each one reached her +destination, she thanked Rosanna or Elise. When +the last passenger in the Hargrave car had been +set down, Elise leaned back in a corner and thought +deeply. She was happy beyond words.</p> + +<p>To do good to someone every day; that was part +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_94'></a>94</span> +of her pledge. Such an easy part! But it was +hard <i>not</i> to be good when everyone was so good +to her. Then suddenly she thought of the sulky +face of the girl at the meeting.</p> + +<p>All the time she was telling Mrs. Hargrave about +the installation and the songs, and trying them +over for her, she saw the dark, discontented face +before her. She could not feel perfectly happy +because somehow the face seemed to send her a +message. “Help me; help me!” Elise heard in +her soul. But what could she, a stranger, a girl +who could scarcely speak the new language, what +<i>could</i> she do for that girl? And besides, why did +she <i>need</i> help? Elise, whose bright eyes saw everything, +had noted the beautiful silk stockings, the +texture of the black hair ribbon, and at the last, +the expensive fur that edged her coat. Also a car +had come for her, in which she went off alone. It +was not poverty, at all events, decided Elise. She +could walk; she was not lame like the poor little +blond in the corner. As Elise thought it over, she +puzzled more and more. She decided to ask Rosanna +or Helen next day; then a better decision +came to her. She would find out for herself. No +one should tell her. Then if she made any mistake, +why, the mistake would be hers.</p> + +<p>But the next day but one the plot thickened. +She went over with Rosanna to see Miss Hooker +about some Scout work, and as they stood on the +steps waiting for the door to open, it did open with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_95'></a>95</span> +a jerk, and the girl Elise had been worrying about +dashed down the steps and into her limousine. +Her face was disfigured with tears.</p> + +<p>“Dear me!” said Rosanna. “What do you suppose +has happened to Lucy Breen? She has been +crying.”</p> + +<p>“Assuredly. The <i>petite pauvre</i> one!” answered +Elise sadly.</p> + +<p>Rosanna with her usual directness asked Miss +Hooker the moment they entered what was the matter +with Lucy.</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker hesitated. “You really ought not +ask a question like that, Rosanna,” she said finally, +“but perhaps I ought to tell you. You will all +have to know.”</p> + +<p>“Please <i>don’t</i> tell me, Miss Hooker,” Rosanna +begged with a deep flush. “I thought perhaps +someone had died or something like that.”</p> + +<p>“No, but for a week Lucy must be a dead Scout +herself.”</p> + +<p>“How <i>awful</i>!” cried both girls, and then were +silent.</p> + +<p>“I prefer not to tell you why just now, but of +course this will not make you shun her. You must +show all the kindness and consideration that you +can for her, and be with her all you can.” More +than that Miss Hooker did not seem to want to +say, and the girls, saddened and quiet, finished their +errand and left.</p> + +<p>A day or two later, going with Mrs. Hargrave +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_96'></a>96</span> +to the Red Cross rooms down town, Elise thought +she saw Lucy Breen shrink out of sight behind some +portières at the back of the store that the Red Cross +used as a sales room.</p> + +<p>Elise acted on a generous impulse. She went +back through the store looking at one thing and +another until she in turn came to the portières. +Behind them was a space used for a sort of store-room +for articles brought into the shop, and as +Elise looked curiously through the curtains as +though wondering what lay beyond, she saw Lucy +standing in a corner, crowded against the wall. +Elise nodded gaily.</p> + +<p>“Are you what they call making the sort of +things in here, Lucy?” she cried. “Is it not fun +to see what the good kind people give away?”</p> + +<p>She stepped into the store-room as she spoke, +smiling and nodding. “Yes, it is droll, some of the +things,” she chattered on, as though Lucy was doing +her share in the conversation. Finally, however, +like a little clock, Elise ran down. She could +not think of a single thing to say further, and +she trailed off, looking shyly into Lucy’s dark +face.</p> + +<p>Lucy was smiling a set and bitter smile.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you think you had better get out of this +and leave me?” she asked. “Perhaps you don’t +know that I have lost my badge. I shall be a dead +Scout for a week, and I don’t care in the least +whether I ever wear it again or not.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_97'></a>97</span> + +<p>Elise came close and laid a hand on Lucy’s shoulder, +but the girl shook it off.</p> + +<p>“<i>Don’t!</i>” she said pettishly.</p> + +<p>“I knew that you had resigned your badge for +the so small time of a week,” said Elise gently, +“but one week soon passes.”</p> + +<p>“Do you know <i>why</i> I lost it?” asked Lucy +harshly.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Elise, “and I do not so much care. +That is for you to know, and our dear Captain. I +am just so so sorry that you are unhappy. But +you will be happy again. Always unhappiness goes +away. We do not forget, but it ceases to wound. +And if the fault makes you so unhappy, why, certainly +you will never, never so do again; will you, +dear Lucy?”</p> + +<p>To her surprise and dismay, Lucy turned and, +hiding her face in her arms, leaned against the +cracked old wall and sobbed.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I <i>am</i> unhappy!” she cried. “I am unhappy, +and I don’t know what to do! Sometimes +I think I will run away!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, don’t do that; don’t do that!” cried Elise. +“Think of your dear mama and your father. Oh, +you could never have a fault that would make you +need to do anything that would make them so unhappy!”</p> + +<p>Lucy laughed her bitter little laugh.</p> + +<p>“I think I will tell you what has happened,” +she said, “and then you can see just how I feel.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_98'></a>98</span> + +<p>“Can you not tell to someone more wise than +I?” asked Elise, her dismay growing. “I will be +so glad to listen, but for advice, I am so ignorant, +so what you call it? I speak your English so +poorly, that maybe I say to you the wrong thing.”</p> + +<p>“You needn’t say anything,” said Lucy. “You +were so good to come and speak to me, and I want +to talk to someone. I had advice from Miss Hooker +but I shall not take it.”</p> + +<p>“Was it not good advice?” asked Elise, who +thought every word that Miss Hooker uttered was +a pearl of wisdom.</p> + +<p>“I suppose so,” said Lucy with a sneer, “but +she does not understand. Oh, Elise, I shall <i>die</i>, +I am so unhappy.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Elise softly, “you will not die so. +If it could be, I would be dead long since but I +am not, and I am happy—so very, very happy +just as my most dear ones who are dead would +wish me to be. So it will be with you.”</p> + +<p>“I want to talk to you,” said Lucy.</p> + +<p>“Let us sit here then,” said Elise, “where no +one comes. There is a what you call ‘meeting’ +which my maman is here to attend. It goes on +in the upstairs, and she told me it would meet +for an hour or two. Tell me all your woe.”</p> + +<p>She pulled Lucy down on a pile of velvet curtains +and patting her hot little hand, said softly, +“I wait.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_99'></a>99</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chX'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER X</p> +</div> + + +<p>“When I was only two years old, my real +mamma died,” Lucy commenced, “and papa’s sister, +who was a great deal older than papa, came to +take care of us. I had a brother five years older +than I. Aunt Mabel was so kind to us, and let us +do just as we pleased about everything. I don’t +see why things could not have gone on like that +always, because as soon as I grew up I intended +to take charge of the house and run it for papa. +I am thirteen now so it wouldn’t have been long +before I could have done it. But when I was ten +years old, my brother died, and after that, papa +stayed away from the house all he could, although +Auntie Mabel was always talking to him about his +duty to me.</p> + +<p>“Well, one day, when I was eleven years old, +papa came home, and the very minute I saw his +face I knew something had happened.</p> + +<p>“‘Goodness, papa,’ I said, ‘you look as though +you had had good news!’ ‘I have, my dear,’ he +said, and then somehow as I looked at him I had +such a funny feeling. All at once I didn’t want +to <i>know</i> what made him look so glad. So I just +sat there and said nothing.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_100'></a>100</span> + +<p>“‘Don’t you want to know what it is?’ he said, +and I said, ‘I don’t know whether I do or not.’</p> + +<p>“Papa came over and put his head down on my +shoulder the way he used to when he called me his +little comforter, and said, ‘Oh, yes, Lucy, you want +to know! Please say you want to know what your +daddy has to tell you.’</p> + +<p>“So I said, ‘All right,’ and Elise, he was going +to get married! Oh, I just hated it! He told me +lots about the lady. She was from Boston, and +that was why I had never seen her, and had never +heard about it. She had never been in Louisville. +He said she was beautiful, and she did look nice +in the picture he had in his pocket case, and he +said she was just as lovely as she could be. I just +sat there and let him talk, and finally he said, +‘Well, chicken, what do you think about it?’ I +don’t know what made me say what I did. Somehow +it popped out before I thought. I said, ‘Are +you sure she isn’t marrying you for your money?’</p> + +<p>“And papa sort of stiffened up and looked hard +at me, and finally he said in a queer voice, ‘Good +Lord, how old are you?’ I said, ‘I am eleven,’ and +he said, ‘Well, you sound like Mrs. Worldly Wiseman, +aged fifty. I suppose you will feel better +if I say that the lady has more money than I have, +and that I will be lucky if people do not claim that +<i>I</i> have been the fortune hunter.’</p> + +<p>“‘Well, what <i>is</i> she going to marry you for?’ +I asked. ‘She says she loves me,’ papa said. I +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_101'></a>101</span> +said, ‘We don’t want her here! We are getting +along all right.’ Oh, I didn’t mean to be so ugly, +but somehow I <i>hated</i> to have papa marry anyone, +and I didn’t know this lady. So papa went off +awfully cross at me and the next person was Auntie +Mabel. Papa had told me first; he thought he +ought to, and then he went up and told Aunt Mabel. +She came down pretty soon. I was right there in +the big chair, trying to imagine what it would be +like to have a stranger in the house.</p> + +<p>“Auntie said, ‘Well, Lucy, what do you think +of the news?’ I said, ‘It is nothing to us; we can +keep in our rooms most of the time.’</p> + +<p>“‘I can’t,’ said Aunt Mabel, ‘because I shall +leave when she comes. Not that I have the slightest +objection, but all the same off I go. I knew it +would happen sooner or later, but Henry waited so +long that I hoped he was going to let well enough +alone. But men are all alike!’ And she <i>did</i> go, +Elise, the very day before papa brought the lady +home. And I <i>couldn’t</i> go because there was no +place for me to go and Auntie wouldn’t take me +with her because she said it would make papa +angry. So I had to stay whether I wanted to or +not. It was perfectly awful!”</p> + +<p>“Poor, poor Lucee!” murmured Elise, patting +the hand she held.</p> + +<p>“I was expecting to see a lady ’most as old as +Auntie, and papa came up the steps with somebody +<i>young</i>. Why, she was <i>awfully</i> young, and had as +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_102'></a>102</span> +much powder on her nose as anybody. I was looking +through the curtains, and when I saw them +coming, I ran upstairs and hid. Papa hunted and +called, but I wouldn’t answer, and I heard him +getting angry, and then she said, ‘Don’t mind, +Henry; it is the most natural thing in the world. +Let me find her, I know just where to look,’ and +papa said in the silliest way, ‘Go ahead, darling, +the house is yours, and the child too if you will have +such a bad one.’</p> + +<p>“Well, Elise, she came up those stairs and +straight to the table I was under, as though someone +had told her! The cover went down to the +floor, and she lifted it up, and said ‘Coop!’ but +I came out crosser than ever, and we had a horrid +time.</p> + +<p>“So that is the way it went. Worse and worse +all the time. Papa was not cross with me because +she wouldn’t let him be, and I felt pretty mean +to think a stranger had to tell my own father how +to treat me. At first she tried to act so sweet to +me, and used to want to play with me. I told her +I thought it was silly, but she said she had lots +of brothers and sisters, and they always romped +around together and had a fine time, and she said +if I would only be friends we could have such larks. +I told her I hoped I was polite and all she said +was to wonder where I got my disposition.</p> + +<p>“At first they used to make me stay down with +them at night after dinner, but by and by I was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_103'></a>103</span> +allowed to go upstairs. I said I wanted to study. +I always kept a study book open on the table, and +would go to reading it as soon as they came up. +Papa used to come in once in awhile, and she +was always asking me if she could help me with +my lessons. She said she used to help her +brothers.</p> + +<p>“After a year, one of the brothers came to visit. +He was a real nice boy, and I would have liked +him only he was so silly about her; used to want +to be with her all the time, and put his arm around +her and all that! We had a real good time though, +and I thought that I had been real nice to her +before him until the day he went home. I was in +the library, and he came in. I was just going to +ask him to put his autograph in my album when +he said: ‘Gee, you are a disagreeable little mutt! +My sister would half kill me for saying it, but honest, +I don’t see how she stands you!’</p> + +<p>“Of course I just walked out of the room. I +knew then that she had been telling things about +me. And I knew that must be the reason why +papa was so different to me.”</p> + +<p>“But <i>was</i> he?” asked Elise wonderingly.</p> + +<p>“Yes, he was, and Miss Hooker says it is all my +fault. I had been coldly polite to her for a good +while before that. I read about a girl who was +abused by a stepmother and the girl was too noble +to abuse her in return. She was just ‘coldly +polite,’ the book said, and so was I. But after that +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_104'></a>104</span> +horrid boy went home I let myself be as mean as I +could.”</p> + +<p>Elise nodded. “I saw it in your face,” she said.</p> + +<p>“And the more I thought of it, the more I was +able to <i>act</i> ugly. It is so funny, Elise, the way she +makes everybody like her. Papa just gets worse all +the time, and the servants <i>adore</i> her, and she is so +popular with all the people who come to the house. +She makes them all like her—all but me.”</p> + +<p>“We will talk about that later,” said Elise.</p> + +<p>Lucy sighed. “Well, things have been getting +worse and worse, but I think we have both tried +to keep it from papa. We hate each other, but we +don’t want him to know how bad things are in the +house. Papa is not happy, though. Oh, he has +talked and talked to me and threatened to send me +to school, and I always tell him I wish he would. +But the other day the worst happened. Papa had +gone to the office, and I was reading in the library, +and she was walking around and around, fussing +and singing under her breath and sort of acting +happy. It made me so mad. Presently she saw me +looking at her, and she said, ‘Don’t you wonder +why I am singing?’ and I said, ‘No, I had not noticed.’ +She went right on: ‘I have had some good +news, wonderful news, and I wonder if you would +like to hear it, Lucy?’</p> + +<p>“I said, ‘I am not at all interested,’ and went +right on looking at my book. She came over and +leaned down on the table close to my face, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_105'></a>105</span> +stared and stared at me. She said, ‘Look at me, +you bad, difficult, cruel child, look at me and tell +me why you are bound to hate me so!’ I never +saw anyone look so angry. Then her face changed +and got pleasant again, and she said, ‘What have +I <i>done</i>? Your own mother, if she can see this +house and its unhappy inmates, knows that I have +tried to make friends with you.’</p> + +<p>“I remembered how furious the girl in the book +was when her stepmother spoke of her mother, and +I raised my hand and slapped her.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, oh, oh!” cried Elise, covering her eyes. +“The poor, poor lady!”</p> + +<p>Lucy went doggedly on.</p> + +<p>“Of course I had no business to do that. She +went to her room, and stayed there all day, and +when papa came home he went right up. I was +on my way to my room, and I heard him say, ‘I +don’t believe it is a headache at all. I think Lucy +must have been annoying you,’ and she said, ‘No,’ +and papa said, ‘I shall send that child away to +school.’ And she said, ‘No, give us one more +chance. I am going to see Miss Hooker, her Scout +Captain, and see if her influence is strong enough +to make Lucy see things in the right way.’ As +soon as I heard that I made up my mind to see the +Captain first, so I went over and that was the day +I saw you on the steps. We had had a long, long +talk and she said I was all wrong and took away +my trefoil. So here I am a dead Scout, and I am +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_106'></a>106</span> +so unhappy that I don’t know what to do and I +am going to run away. I want you to have my +pony. I am going to send it over to your house +tomorrow.”</p> + +<p>“No, no, no!” cried Elise. “Everything is +wrong; so wrong! Oh, let me think! That poor, +poor lady! I am so, so sorry for her.”</p> + +<p>“Sorry for <i>her</i>!” cried Lucy. “There is no +need to be sorry for <i>her</i>! I am the one to be sorry +for. <i>She</i> has everything.”</p> + +<p>“Why has she?” asked Elise. “She has nothing +that you have not. She has your most dear +papa; so have you. You both have a most lovely +home, everything beautiful, friends, comfort. You +are safe in a great land, where no enemy may come +and keel all you love. You have both the same +things. You share them.” She sat thinking. +“Yes, she is the one to be sorry for, because she is +so disappoint. When she go to marry your <i>père</i>, +she have something promised that she never gets +and so she is full of mournsomeness.”</p> + +<p>“She has everything papa can get for her,” said +Lucy bitterly. “I wish you could see the pearls +he gave her the other day.”</p> + +<p>“Pearls!” said Elise scornfully. “What are +pearls? He promised her something only <i>you</i> could +give her, and now she has it not, and she is sad, +and you are sad; everybody sad. What do you +call her?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t call her anything,” said Lucy +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_107'></a>107</span> +stubbornly. “I wait until she looks at me and then +I say what I want to say.”</p> + +<p>“Foolish, foolish one,” said Elise, “That is +what no one likes. Besides, it is what you call +rude not to speak the name. Most rude!” She +saw a frown deepen on Lucy’s brow and gently +pressed her hand.</p> + +<p>“You wanted to tell me, did you not?” she said +softly. “Now I want to tell you what I have not +so many times told because I cannot speak of it +unless my heart feels like it does bleed. I have +had <i>such</i> sorrows, and have seen such dreadfulness; +I have been so cold, and hongry, and frightened. +I have lived in the wet underground for so long +time that all this makes a differentness in me from +you. Something in me feels most old and weary. +I keep it shut up because my darling Maman Hargrave +wants me a happy child, and I want it for +myself, but I do feel the oldness when I see others +unhappy when they could so easily be full of joy. +No, let me talk!” she added, as Lucy tried to speak.</p> + +<p>“I must say this, I feel it on me, to save that +poor lady her happiness. I shall be sorry for you +some other day, but now I am most sad for her. +When she marry your papa, she think all the time +that she is going to have a most sweet daughter +because that is how your dear papa would tell her +of you, and then what happens? You know.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Lucee, dear, <i>dear</i> Lucee, there is one thing +you must give to her, right now today quick.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_108'></a>108</span> + +<p>“What is that?” said Lucy, startled by Elise’s +vehemence.</p> + +<p>“<i>LOVE!</i>” cried Elise, her sweet voice thrilling. +“Love! So easy, so sweet! Please, my Lucee, +do not turn away. I know I am right on account +of the oldness in my heart. That tells me. Think +how most glad your own mother is to have the +pretty one taking such good care of your papa and +of you. Does she select your clothes?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Lucy.</p> + +<p>“They are always the prettiest,” said Elise. +“No other girl is so chic—what you call stunning. +And so modest, so quiet. And you yourself say +everyone but you loves her. You too must love +her, and the best of all. You <i>must</i>! You are a +Scout, and so you do always the right thing. +Where is she now?”</p> + +<p>“Home, I suppose. I came down to bring some +of my last winter’s dresses. Oh, Elise, even if I +could, it is too late. I <i>can’t</i> go back to the beginning +again and start over.”</p> + +<p>“Of course not,” said Elise wisely. “It is a +most bad waste of time when we try going back to +beginnings. It is better to start right from here. +<i>Anywhere</i> is the best place to start. When you +go home you start then! You start here by making +some new sweet thoughts in your heart. Dear +Lucee, please try! Please, for the sake of your +Elise who also has to try to be always happy and +not remember those blackness behind her. Won’t +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_109'></a>109</span> +you, please? I know I am right. Will you try +to give her love?”</p> + +<p>Lucy, the tears pouring down her cheeks, leaned +her head against the shoulder near her.</p> + +<p>“I don’t see how I <i>can</i>,” she said huskily. “But +I will try. I am so sick of everything the way it +is.”</p> + +<p>“Of course you are!” said Elise. “One is always +seek of wrong. It makes a blackness over +everything.”</p> + +<p>“What will I do? How will I begin?”</p> + +<p>“I cannot tell you,” said Elise. “You will know +what to do. Something will tell you. Something +always tells. I think it is <i>le bon Dieu</i>. Just trust +and you will know what to do and to say. Come, +let us go. I hear the meeting talking itself down +the stairs. Is your car waiting?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Lucy dully as she allowed Elise to +lead her through the store. “Oh, Elise, I <i>don’t</i> +love her, and I don’t know what to do!”</p> + +<p>“It is because of the hatefulness you put in your +heart long ago that you do not love her,” said the +wise, sad little girl who had suffered beyond her +years. She stood at the door of the limousine and +smiled at the little girl who sank back so wearily.</p> + +<p>“Don’t forget it is <i>now</i> we make those beginnings. +And you owe her what your dear papa +promised her, your love.” She stepped back with +a wave of her hand as the machine started away.</p> + +<p>Lucy’s heart throbbed violently as she +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_110'></a>110</span> +approached her home. Her one hope was that Mrs. +Breen was out, so the moment might be delayed. +But as she passed the door of the library she saw +Mrs. Breen lying in a low lounging chair. How +pale she looked! Lucy was quite startled to see +the look of suffering and weakness on the beautiful +young face. She had been too blind to notice what +had been worrying her father of late. Was it <i>her</i> +fault? Had <i>her</i> actions brought her self-made +enemy so low? Lucy was shocked.</p> + +<p>She went up and put away her wraps. Still she +did not know what to do or what to say. Twice +she passed the library door. No thought came to +her. She went in, not speaking, and selected a book +at random from the nearest shelf. Mrs. Breen did +not speak but her great blue eyes seemed to follow +Lucy appealingly. Then Lucy found her courage. +What she said was rough and crude but it came +from the heart—an honest statement and appeal +for tolerance and understanding. She came, +clutching her book, and stood facing Mrs. Breen.</p> + +<p>Her voice sounded so husky and shaken that +she did not know it for hers.</p> + +<p>“Mamma,” she said, stumbling over the unfamiliar +word. “Mamma, you know I do not like +you, but I am going to try to love you!”</p> + +<p>And then, clasping her book with both hands, +she fled.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_111'></a>111</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chXI'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER XI</p> +</div> + + +<p>Years had passed before Mrs. Breen and Lucy +ever found the courage to speak of that day when +Lucy had hurried from the room, leaving Mrs. +Breen too surprised to follow her, or even speak. +She sat thinking, so glad and so happy and so proud +of the courage shown by Lucy. She heard the front +door close softly and was not surprised, a little +later, to have one of the maids come and tell her +that Miss Lucy had telephoned that she was at +Mrs. Hargrave’s, and would stay for supper with +Elise.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Breen sat thinking for an hour, then the +right thought came to her. She hastened to the +telephone and had a long talk with her husband, +and after a good deal of argument, she went to +her room, packed a small trunk, ordered the car, +had a talk with the housekeeper, and went out. +She drove to her husband’s office, and he ushered +her into his private room.</p> + +<p>“Now what is all this?” he demanded.</p> + +<p>“I told you over the telephone what happened +in the library,” Mrs. Breen said. “My dear, I +am <i>so</i> happy and so proud of Lucy! But there +will be the most distressing awkwardness for a +little, unless something out of the ordinary happens +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_112'></a>112</span> +to help her out. Now I have never been away without +you since we were married. So I have decided +to give the child a chance to regain her poise +and strengthen her new resolutions. Something +has changed her, and I am contented to accept +it without question until the time comes when +she will tell me of her own accord. I will go home +for a week, and you must spend all the time you +can with Lucy. And when you feel like it, speak +well of me.”</p> + +<p>“That will be a hard job,” said her husband, +smiling.</p> + +<p>“I suppose so,” said Mrs. Breen. “Another +thing, to keep her interest in me, if you should decide +to repaper my room and want to <i>surprise</i> me, +I would be perfectly satisfied with Lucy’s taste.”</p> + +<p>So when Lucy came in that night, dreading the +next step toward the right, she found only her +father reading under the library light.</p> + +<p>“Hello, Donna Lucia,” he said, looking up. +“Did you know that we are orphans?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Lucy. “What has happened?”</p> + +<p>“Mamma decided very suddenly that she had to +go home to Boston to attend to some matters, and +she did not have time to telephone you or call +around at Mrs. Hargrave’s. But she managed to +stop in at the office, and she has left me in your +charge.”</p> + +<p>Lucy heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, +she would have a little time to herself anyway.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_113'></a>113</span> + +<p>A couple of days later Mr. Breen approached +the subject of the new wall-paper. He merely <i>approached</i> +it, because at the first mention Lucy +fairly flung herself on it and appropriated it. The +very thing, she decided. She thought that room +was about as shabby as it could be. Could she +select the paper? Of course she could! She knew +exactly what mamma would like.</p> + +<p>At her use of the word mamma, Mr. Breen’s +heart leaped. He had been a patient, but very unhappy +man, and the thought that his little household +might become united was the greatest happiness +he could imagine. So he grumbled out that +he was glad of that, because he never could tell +the <i>least</i> thing about the silly strips of paper they +showed in the stores, and Lucy could go ahead and +get whatever she wanted.</p> + +<p>But the following morning, when a van backed +up to the door and a couple of men commenced to +take away all the prettiest wicker furniture in the +house he demanded some explanation.</p> + +<p>“Why, they have to be painted for mamma’s new +room,” said the practical Miss Breen. “You said +I could go ahead, and I have gone!”</p> + +<p>“All our furniture has gone too, I should say,” +said Mr. Breen.</p> + +<p>“Just the best of the wicker,” answered Lucy. +“I thought and thought all last night, and I have +decided just what would be the <i>loveliest</i> thing in +the world for her, with her violet blue eyes and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_114'></a>114</span> +golden hair. So when you were shaving I telephoned +for the men to come and take the chairs +and tables and that chaise-longue and they are all +going to be painted.</p> + +<p>“And today you had better write her that you +think it would be a good thing, as long as she is +there, to stay another week. Don’t let her suspect, +but <i>don’t</i> let her come home.”</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said Mr. Breen with a twinkle in +his eye, but outwardly very meek. “Just as you +say. Send the bills to me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I was going to,” said Lucy with the happiest +laugh he had heard from her for months.</p> + +<p>Mr. Breen did not come home for luncheon, and +every day Lucy managed to have Elise or Rosanna +or Helen take that meal with her.</p> + +<p>Lucy worked like mad and nearly wore the workmen +out, she hurried them so. Mrs. Breen decided +to make a longer stay, but even then there was but +little time, because Lucy had decided that all the +woodwork must be re-enameled. When that was +done and the paper on, she cast aside the old rug +with scorn, and took the three girls downtown to +buy others. As the days went on, Lucy found that +her point of view was wholly changed. She was +so intent on the beautiful surprise she was planning +that it seemed to sweep her mind clean of all the +dark and unworthy feelings that had filled it. She +even wrote to Mrs. Breen at a suggestion from +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_115'></a>115</span> +Elise, a pleasant friendly letter, ending, “With +love, Lucy.”</p> + +<p>And to her surprise Mrs. Breen answered the letter +at once, with a long one all about her visit, and +enclosing funny little cartoons of each one of the +family, including the boy who had spoken his mind +to Lucy. Strange to say, Lucy was able to acknowledge +the truth of the young man’s remark.</p> + +<p>“Some day,” said Lucy to herself, “if this turns +out all right, I will tell him that he was <i>perfectly +right</i>.”</p> + +<p>Lucy was coming to think, with a sense of deep +chagrin, that she herself had been the one in the +wrong. And being an honest girl and wanting very +humbly and deeply to live up to the pledge of the +Girl Scouts, she was growing most anxious to make +good her faults.</p> + +<p>So she drove the painters and paperhangers and +upholsterers almost wild, and had the happiness +of seeing the beautiful room all settled and in order +two days before Mrs. Breen was expected. It +had a hard time staying settled however, because +Lucy spent all her time after school trying things +in new places to see if they looked any better. Her +father vowed that he would go up and nail the +things down, but he was just as proud and pleased +as Lucy.</p> + +<p>With all the planning and plotting, and various +jaunts to the shops together, and to some movies +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_116'></a>116</span> +and once to the theatre, Lucy and her father had +entered a new epoch in their lives. They too +seemed to have forgotten the past.</p> + +<p>As Elise said, they found that they could make +a beginning anywhere. And once begun, they +found that it was like a door that had opened into +a beautiful place full of happiness and sunshine—a +door that closed softly behind them and shut +out all the despair and gloom on the other side.</p> + +<p>When the day came for Mrs. Breen’s return, Mr. +Breen insisted on Lucy coming to meet her, and +Lucy, in whom some of the old dread seemed struggling +to awake, went silently. But when she was +suddenly caught in a warm embrace, before even +her father was greeted, and when a sweet voice said, +“Oh, what a <i>long</i> two weeks it has been, Lucy! +<i>Do</i> say you have missed me!” Lucy felt that all +was indeed well with her world.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Breen had brought another brother with +her: a shy, awkward boy, evidently frightened to +death of Lucy, a fact which of course set her completely +at her ease. They drove home, and Lucy +and her father dogged Mrs. Breen’s footsteps up +the stairs when she said she would go and take off +her things. Not for worlds would they have missed +seeing her first look at the newly decorated room. +And it was worth all the trouble to witness her +delight and appreciation.</p> + +<p>So Happiness and Love and Understanding came +into the Breen home. Lucy wore her trefoil with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_117'></a>117</span> +a new gratitude and a new understanding. Elise +felt a happiness that she had thought she could +never feel, for she had helped a sister Scout through +a dark and dreadful place in her life. Mrs. Breen +was so happy that she sang and sang all the day +long, and when one day a baby boy set up a lusty +roar in the beautiful room that Lucy had made, +it was Lucy who named him, and Lucy who assumed +such airs of superiority in speaking of “my baby +brother” that the girls grew to avoid the subject +of children in general as it was sure to bring from +Lucy some anecdote to prove the vast superiority +and beauty of the Breen baby.</p> + +<p>Rosanna was happy too. Uncle Robert had been +away longer than Rosanna liked. She was surprised +to find how much she missed Uncle Robert. +And much as she loved him, and wanted him to +be happy, she decided that it was really a good +thing that he did <i>not</i> care for girls. The various +uncles who did like girls she noticed had a way of +marrying one of them and leaving home for good. +That was a poor plan, thought Rosanna, as she felt +the silence in the big old house. No number of +girls could make the whistly noises Uncle Robert +could when he ran upstairs three steps at a time +or dashed down again. No one but Uncle Robert +could tootle so entrancingly on the flute, or pick out +such funny records for the Victrola. No one in the +world would think to bring one a box of candy +and leave it hidden in his hat, or just outside the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_118'></a>118</span> +door for one to find after dinner. No other Uncle +would remember a little girl’s birthday once a +month with a new dollar bill.</p> + +<p>Rosanna, driven by a real loneliness to confide +in someone, spent much time with Miss Hooker and +while Rosanna honestly thought she was attending +strictly to Scout business, the conversation was +sure to slip around to Uncle Robert. Miss Hooker +never appeared to join Rosanna in her talk, but it +was surprising what a good listener she proved to +be. The only time she said anything was when +Rosanna would enlarge on the way Uncle Robert +felt about girls. Then Miss Hooker would always +assert that she thought he was perfectly right, because +she herself thought very little of men. Silly +creatures she said they were, at which loyal Rosanna +would always declare, “But Uncle Robert +isn’t.”</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker would answer, “<i>Possibly</i> not,” in a +manner that insinuated that perhaps he wasn’t, and +perhaps he <i>was</i>, but Rosanna let it go.</p> + +<p>However, Rosanna was happy because Uncle Robert +had written her that he was coming home in a +day or two, and that she might get ready to look +in the left hand pocket of his overcoat, and whatever +was there she could have. When she told Miss +Hooker she was grieved to hear her say that she +was not sure that she would be around to see the +surprise, because she was planning to go away herself, +and wasn’t it too bad?</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_119'></a>119</span> + +<p>“I should say it was!” said Rosanna. “Why, +then you won’t see Uncle Robert either!”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Miss Hooker, “but it really doesn’t +make any difference. I don’t suppose I am any +more anxious to see him than he is to see me.”</p> + +<p>When Uncle Robert appeared and came up the +front steps three at a time as usual, Rosanna was +at the door to meet him. She jumped into his +arms and hugged him until he begged for mercy.</p> + +<p>As she let him go, she happened to think of the +left hand pocket, and had to think which was the +left. While she was deciding, she heard a funny +noise, and there in the pocket was a fuzzy head. +The most adorable little head! It was a tiny baby +collie, looking like a small bear. Rosanna had +him out in a second, and Uncle Robert left her with +her new pet while he went to speak to his mother.</p> + +<p>That night he came up to show Rosanna how to +put her puppy to bed for the night, and when the +little fellow at last snuggled down in his basket, +and went to sleep, Uncle Robert settled down in +his favorite chair and lighted a cigarette and +wanted to hear all the news.</p> + +<p>“What shall I start with?” asked Rosanna, listening +to the soft breathing of the little collie.</p> + +<p>“Oh, it doesn’t matter,” said Uncle Robert. +“Begin with Miss—er Gwenny.”</p> + +<p>“Why, you needn’t call her <i>Miss</i>,” said Rosanna. +“You never used to! I thought first you were +going to say begin with Miss Hooker.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_120'></a>120</span> + +<p>“Ridiculous!” laughed Uncle Robert, cocking +his eye up at the ceiling. “Begin with Gwenny, +of course.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Rosanna, “we have only had two +letters from her mother. One was soon after you +went away, and said that Gwenny was very comfortable +indeed, and had a fine room, and was making +a great many friends. The doctor couldn’t tell +when he would operate, because he would have to +take Gwenny any time she happened to be at her +best. That was about all of that letter. The next +one was just the other day. And Uncle Robert, +they have operated! They telegraphed for Doctor +Rick, and he is there now. But Mrs. Harter wrote +that the operation was over and Doctor Branshaw +thinks it will be perfectly successful.”</p> + +<p>“Well, that is perfectly splendid!” said Uncle +Robert. “Did she tell you how Gwenny stood it?”</p> + +<p>“Yes. She said for a couple of hours they were +afraid her heart was going to stop, but that Doctor +Branshaw stood right over her, and had everything +ready to start it again if they could. He stayed +with her all night. You ought to hear the way +Mrs. Harter talks about him. She thinks he is a +saint, as well as the greatest doctor in the whole +world.”</p> + +<p>“He assays pretty well toward solid gold,” said +Uncle Robert.</p> + +<p>“Mrs. Harter says they don’t know when they +will be able to get home, but already Gwenny sleeps +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_121'></a>121</span> +better and is beginning to want to eat. She never +did, you know.”</p> + +<p>“That is certainly fine news,” said Uncle Robert. +“Anything else happened while I was away?”</p> + +<p>“You know that Lucy Breen?” asked Rosanna.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert shook his head.</p> + +<p>“She has turned out to be a real nice girl, and +Helen and Elise and I go over there a lot. And +her mother (it’s really her stepmother, only Lucy +is mad if you call her that) is perfectly lovely. +If you could only marry <i>her</i>, Uncle Robert!”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, Rosanna, but Mr. Breen looks husky +and he might object.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that was a joke,” said Rosanna. “Like +the time you said you pretty near loved Miss +Hooker. I wish you could have heard her laugh +when I told her that.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you told her, did you?” said Uncle Robert.</p> + +<p>“It was so funny I had to.”</p> + +<p>“What did she say?” asked Uncle Robert, sitting +up suddenly.</p> + +<p>“She said she thought you were the most amusing +person she had ever met and that no one could +possibly take you seriously. I agreed with her.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll bet you did!” said Uncle Robert.</p> + +<p>“She has gone away,” said Rosanna as an afterthought. +“She went today. I told her I was +sorry she wouldn’t be able to see what you brought +me, and wouldn’t see you either, but she said it +didn’t make any difference as she wasn’t any more +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_122'></a>122</span> +anxious to see you than she supposed you were to +see her.”</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert laughed a short, queer laugh.</p> + +<p>“Well, Rosanna, just you watch what happens +now! I will just pay her up for that.”</p> + +<p>“What do you care?” asked Rosanna. “I don’t +see what difference it makes. She likes you all +right; she thinks you are so funny.”</p> + +<p>“I will show her how funny I can be,” said Uncle +Robert. “Where has she gone?”</p> + +<p>“To Atlantic City,” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“I may see her there,” said Uncle Robert. “The +doctor says the sea air would be great for me.”</p> + +<p>“What ails you?” said Rosanna anxiously. +“You look perfectly well.”</p> + +<p>“A little trouble with my heart,” said Uncle +Robert soberly. “It acts like the very deuce, Rosanna. +Part of the time it feels sort of—sort of, +well, sort of <i>empty</i>, and then it has spells when +I get to thinking hard and beats as fast as it can. +It is awful, Rosanna.”</p> + +<p>“I should say it was!” said Rosanna, “Oh, +Uncle Robert, <i>do</i> try to get it well! If anything +should happen to you, I would think it was that +benefit. You had to work so hard.”</p> + +<p>“I think myself that had something to do with +it,” said Robert, “but of course I only did my duty, +and I don’t blame a soul.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_123'></a>123</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chXII'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER XII</p> +</div> + + +<p>There was a long silence during which Rosanna +studied her uncle closely. She even forgot the +puppy. What if anything should happen to Uncle +Robert? As she looked at him it flashed over her +that she cared for him with all her heart. She +would not know what to do without him. She felt +very sad, and when Uncle Robert looked up and +surprised the worried expression on her face he +laughed, and said:</p> + +<p>“Cheer up, sweetness! I am all right, and I +want you to promise me that you won’t tell mother +what I have just told you. I don’t want to worry +her.”</p> + +<p>“I promise, Uncle Robert; and I always keep +my promises,” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“That is a good thing,” said Uncle Robert. “I +wish I had known that before. I would have had +you make me some.” But he wouldn’t explain that +remark, and soon went out, not seeming to care +for the rest of the news which, being all about the +Scouts, Rosanna had left until the last as the most +important.</p> + +<p>The Girl Scouts were very busy now getting ready +for Christmas. There was a cast-iron rule in that +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_124'></a>124</span> +particular troop that all Christmas presents should +be finished and wrapped up three weeks before +Christmas.</p> + +<p>So with all their own work well out of the way, +they were busy as bees making tarleton stockings +and collecting toys and dolls for the particular +orphanage they had assumed the care of. Louisville +is full of orphanages, and every year the girls +were in the habit of choosing one of them for their +attention. They dressed a tree, and secured presents +for each of the children. These presents were +often dolls and toys that had been cast aside by +more fortunate children, but the girls took them +and mended and painted and dressed them until +you would have been surprised at the result. At +least they never offered anything that looked +shabby. The stockings were filled with popcorn +and candy, and a big golden orange gladdened each +little heart.</p> + +<p>Rosanna worked harder than anyone. School +went right on as it always does whether or not +Girl Scouts are busy at other things, and every +spare moment was spent with the dear little puppy +that her uncle had brought her. Mr. Horton still +complained to Rosanna about his heart, but was +unable to go east as he had planned. He often +asked Rosanna if Miss Hooker had returned, although +Rosanna had told him a good many times +that she did not expect to come back before spring.</p> + +<p>But news came from Gwenny. She was so much +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_125'></a>125</span> +better that she could come back. As Miss Hooker +was away, and Uncle Robert always seemed to +have time to do things, the Girl Scouts made him +a committee to go and pay the doctor and the hospital +bills, and see that Gwenny and her mother +reached home safely.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert dashed off to Cincinnati that very +night. The next day he returned without Gwenny, +and with a queer look on his face asked Rosanna +to ask their Lieutenant, who was in charge of the +troop, to call a meeting that very afternoon or evening. +Rosanna called Miss Jamieson up, and between +them they were able to get word to all the +girls. Rosanna was as excited as any of them, +because Uncle Robert would not tell her what the +matter was. When the girls all gathered in Rosanna’s +sitting-room, he came in, looking very mysterious +and important.</p> + +<p>“I have news for you girls—quite remarkable +news, I think. To begin, I went down to Cincinnati +and found Gwenny so improved that I actually +did not know her. Of course she is still in a wheel +chair, and will have to stay there most of the time +for the next year but every day she goes through +certain exercises, and soon will begin to take a few +steps. Doctor Branshaw assured me that she will +some day be as well as any of you. They have +taught Mrs. Harter just how to rub her, and help +her with her exercises.</p> + +<p>“After I had seen Gwenny I went down and paid +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_126'></a>126</span> +the hospital bill. It came to a little over two +hundred dollars. I have the items in my pocket. +Then I went to Doctor Branshaw’s office, and asked +him for his bill. He said, ‘Sit down. I want to +have a talk with you.’ Well, girls, he wanted to +know all about you, and the work you are doing, +and how many there are of you in the troop that is +taking care of Gwenny. I told him about the benefit, +and he said he had heard about that from +Gwenny, and her mother as well.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t want to bore him, so after we had +talked you pretty well out, and over, I asked him +again for his bill, and he said, ‘Horton, there is +no bill.’ I said, ‘Well, sir, whenever you will have +it made out, I will give a check for it. The money +the girls made is banked in my name for the sake +of convenience.’</p> + +<p>“‘How much is there?’ asked the doctor. I +thought he didn’t want to charge over the amount +we have so I told him. He fiddled with a pencil +for awhile, then he said:</p> + +<p>“‘Horton, I make the rich pay, and pay well, +but I do not intend to ask those girls of yours a +cent for this operation.’”</p> + +<p>A great “O-o-o-o-h!” went up from the girls.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert went on.</p> + +<p>“Then the doctor said, before I could thank him, +‘I wonder if the girls would mind if I make a suggestion,’ +and I assured him that you would like it +very much.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_127'></a>127</span> + +<p>“‘Well then,’ said the doctor, ‘here it is. +Gwenny will require a great deal of care for many +months to come, rubbing and so forth. Why don’t +those good girls take the money and buy a little +house somewhere on the edge of the city, or on a +quiet street, where the Harters could live and where +Mrs. Harter would not have to work so hard to earn +the rent? From what she says, the boys earn +nearly enough to feed the family. What do you +think of that?’</p> + +<p>“I told him that I thought it was a splendid idea, +and would see what could be done about it. Then +he made the finest suggestion of all. He said that +another week in the hospital would be of great +benefit to Gwenny, and why didn’t I come home +and see you and if you all approve, we can buy a +small house and settle it and Gwenny can be moved +right there.”</p> + +<p>A shriek of delight went up, and everyone commenced +to talk at once.</p> + +<p>“Order, order!” cried Mr. Horton. He could +scarcely make himself heard.</p> + +<p>At last after much talking, it was settled that Mr. +Horton should look at a number of houses, and +when he had seen them he was to select the three +that seemed most promising and take all the girls +to see them. But he stipulated that a couple of +older ladies should look them over with him, and +Mrs. Breen and Mrs. Hargrave were chosen by +unanimous vote.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_128'></a>128</span> + +<p>“Now, girls, how are you going to thank the +Doctor?” he asked.</p> + +<p>No one knew and finally Rosanna suggested that +it would be well to think it over. So they all +trooped home, Uncle Robert promising to make a +report at the end of three days.</p> + +<p>It was a long three days, but it passed finally, and +Uncle Robert appeared with an account of three +little bungalows that seemed all that he had hoped +for, and more. One of them he thought was the +one for them to take, as it was right on a good +part of Preston Street where the children could +easily get to school. It was brand new, and had +never been occupied. Indeed it was not finished +but would be within two or three days. After the +girls had seen the three houses, Mr. Horton said he +would tell them which one Mrs. Hargrave and Mrs. +Breen liked the best. Of course all the girls piled +into the automobiles of the girls who had them, and +made the rounds, and equally of course they all +decided on the Preston Street house which was +the very one that Mrs. Hargrave and Mrs. Breen +had liked. It was all done except the plumbing +in the kitchen, so Mr. Horton went right over to +see Minnie who was still keeping house for the +Harter children. Minnie heard all about the new +plan, and Mr. Horton asked:</p> + +<p>“Now, Minnie, do you feel like moving these +people all over there, before Mrs. Harter and +Gwenny come home, or is it too much to ask you?”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_129'></a>129</span> + +<p>“Just you fetch me a moving van the day you +want we should move,” said Minnie, “and I will +do the rest.” She cast an eye around the dilapidated, +shabby room. “My, my! What a piece of +good luck for the <i>deservingest</i> woman! I tell you, +Mr. Robert, the time I’ve been here has been a +lesson to me. The way she has scrimped, and +saved, and patched, and turned, and mended, and +went without! My young man and me on his wages +ought to put away fifty dollars every month of our +lives. And so I told him we was going to do. Of +course I will move ’em! And Mr. Robert, if it +was so I could go around and see the house, perhaps +I could tell better how to pack.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Minnie. Suppose we go over +now,” said Mr. Horton.</p> + +<p>Minnie was overjoyed when she saw the little +house, and at once picked out a room for Gwenny. +The other children could double up, but Gwenny +should have a room to herself. Minnie seemed +thoughtful all the way home, and finally said, “Mr. +Horton, up in your garret, there is a pile of window +curtains that don’t fit anywhere, and they will +never be used. I have handled ’em a million times +while I worked for your mother. And there’s a +square table with a marble top that your mother +can’t abide the sight of, and a couple of brass beds +put up there when they went out of date. If your +mother would spare any of those things I could fix +that house so tasty.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_130'></a>130</span> + +<p>“I don’t suppose she wants any of them,” said +Robert heartily. “I will speak to her about them +when I go home, and after supper Rosanna and I +will take a joy ride over here and tell you what +her answer is.”</p> + +<p>The answer was that Mrs. Horton was only too +glad to get rid of the things Minnie had mentioned, +and suggested that before settling the house Minnie +might go through the attic and see if there was +anything else that she thought would be of service. +Mrs. Horton, knowing that Minnie would know +better than she could, just what the Harters would +appreciate, refrained from making any suggestions; +and Minnie found many treasures in the attic. +There were portières, and a soft low couch, the very +thing for Gwenny to rest on in the pleasant sitting-room, +and the beds, and a table and two bureaus. +And she found two carpet rugs.</p> + +<p>She set Mary and Myron to work with a pot of +cream colored paint, and in two days the shabby +old dining-room table and shabbier chairs were all +wearing bright new coats.</p> + +<p>As soon as ever she could, she called on Mr. Robert +for the moving van, and moved everything over +to the new house. Settling was a joy, there were +so many to help. All the Girl Scouts wanted to +do something, and between them they outfitted +Gwenny’s dresser (a walnut one that was put +through the paint test and came out pretty as could +be). The two carpet rugs were laid down in the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_131'></a>131</span> +living-room and the dining-room, and looked +scarcely worn at all after Minnie had finished +scrubbing, and Tommy and Myron had whipped +them. The dining-room rug was dark blue, and +how that table and those chairs did show up on it. +The springs were broken down in the couch Minnie +had picked out, but she turned it over and her +young man nailed a new piece of webbing underneath, +and in five minutes it was as good as new. +Rosanna helped her as much as she could. When +they were busy putting up the curtains Minnie said, +“Rosanna dear, I think your Uncle Robert looks +thin.”</p> + +<p>“I think he does too,” said Rosanna, but remembering +her promise would say no more.</p> + +<p>“In love,” said Minnie, wisely nodding her head.</p> + +<p>“Of course <i>not</i>,” said Rosanna. “He doesn’t +like girls.”</p> + +<p>“No, he doesn’t. Oh no!” said Minnie. “Of +course he is in love! Do you mean to tell me, +Rosanna, that you don’t know that he is in love +with little Miss Hooker? Don’t tell me that!”</p> + +<p>“I <i>do</i> tell you,” said Rosanna. “He doesn’t +even like her, sweet as she is.”</p> + +<p>“My good land, hear the child!” said Minnie, +sitting down on the top step of the ladder, and +letting the stiffly starched curtain trail to the floor.</p> + +<p>“Do you remember the day she came to see you +when you were sick after your accident, and your +grandmother had said you could be a Girl Scout? +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_132'></a>132</span> +Do you remember that your Uncle Robert was +there when she came in? Well, believe me, Rosanna, +your Uncle Robert fell in love with her that +very day and hour and minute, and that’s the +truth.”</p> + +<p>“I wish it was,” sighed Rosanna. “I <i>do</i> wish +it was, but he truly does not like her. I don’t +know why.”</p> + +<p>“Well, that beats me!” said Minnie, picking up +the slack of the curtain again, and sadly hanging +it. “I certainly am disappointed, for she is the +<i>sweetest</i> little bit I ever hope to see, and it would +be a mercy to see that good, kind, nice actin’ young +man get the likes of her rather than some high +nosed madam, who would look down on all his +humble friends (as friends we <i>are</i>, Rosanna, as +you may well believe).”</p> + +<p>Rosanna did not answer. She was too low in +her mind. She knew that Uncle Robert did not +care for anyone, but what if someone <i>should</i> grab +him anyhow? Rosanna felt that life was full of +perils.</p> + +<p>Two days later the little house was in perfect +order, and Uncle Robert went again to Cincinnati +after Gwenny. It was decided that no one should +meet them on account of tiring Gwenny after her +journey, so Uncle Robert carried Gwenny to the +automobile and took her home to the little new +house, her mother looking back with her sweet, +anxious smile from the front seat of the automobile. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_133'></a>133</span> +When they reached the Preston Street house, and +Mary and Myron and boisterous Tommy and little +Luella all filed out quite quiet, but brimming with +happiness, Mrs. Harter could only stare.</p> + +<p>“This is Gwenny’s house, Mrs. Harter, deeded +to her. Come in!” said Mr. Horton, as Minnie +rushed out and led the dazed woman into all the +glories of the new home.</p> + +<p>Mr. Horton carried Gwenny straight to her own +room, and laid her down on the sparkling, gleaming +brass bed, where he left her listening to Mary’s +rapid explanations. When he went downstairs he +found Mrs. Harter in the kitchen, crying silently.</p> + +<p>“Now, now, Mrs. Harter, you must not do that!” +he said. “Brace up like a good woman! Gwenny +will need a lot of care for a few days, and you will +need all your strength.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but I am so thankful that my heart feels +as though it would break!” said Mrs. Harter.</p> + +<p>Mr. Horton laughed. “It won’t break,” he said. +“Minnie, shall I take you home?”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, sir, but my Tom is coming over a +little later. I have supper all fixed, so we will +have a small feast to celebrate, after Gwenny is +attended to and safe in bed, so I will get home +nicely, thank you.”</p> + +<p>“Good night then,” said Mr. Horton. “Don’t +let those Girl Scouts run over you, Mrs. Harter.” +He raised his hat and ran down the steps whistling.</p> + +<p>“There goes one good man,” said Minnie +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_134'></a>134</span> +solemnly. “Come, dear, and take off your hat in your +own house, and see the ducky closet under the stairs +to keep it in.”</p> + +<p>And so it was that Gwenny came home.</p> + +<p>Mr. Horton sped to his own home as fast as he +dared drive the car, the chauffeur sitting silently +beside him. Robert was too happy to let anyone +else handle the wheel. Once more he dashed up +the steps three at a time, whistling. Rosanna was +at the door.</p> + +<p>“Be careful of your heart, Uncle Robert,” she +whispered, looking around to see that her grandmother +was not within hearing. “Were they +pleased?”</p> + +<p>“<i>Were</i> they?” said Uncle Robert. “I should +say they <i>were</i>! Everybody perfectly happy! +Gwenny staring around her pretty room, and Mrs. +Harter crying in the sink. Yes, everybody is +happy. Teedle-ee, teedle-oo!” warbled Uncle Robert.</p> + +<p>“How good and kind you are, dear Uncle Robert!” +said Rosanna tenderly.</p> + +<p>“Yes, <i>ain’t I</i>?” said Uncle Robert, deliberately +ungrammatical. “Oh, yes, I <i>be</i>!” he went on +chanting, as he sat down and fished out a cigarette. +Then changing to a sober tone, “Rosanna, whom +do you think I found in Cincinnati? Up there +at that Hospital as large as life?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Well, if you will believe me, there was that bad +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_135'></a>135</span> +little bit of a Miss Hooker, who had come back +from Atlantic City to see that Gwenny was all +right. She helped me bring them home. And +Rosanna, perhaps I didn’t <i>get even</i> with her, for +what she said about my being funny! You know +I told you I would. I did! It was hard, hard +work but I done it, I done it! Tra-la-de-lu-de-lu-de-i-i-i-i-i!” +yodeled Uncle Robert, whisking the ash +off his cigarette.</p> + +<p>“What did you do to her?” asked Rosanna in +a small, fearful voice.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert looked very sternly at Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“What did I do?” he asked. “What did I <i>do</i>? +Well, I made her promise to marry me; <i>that’s</i> what +I did! Pretty smart uncle, hey, Rosanna?”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_136'></a>136</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chXIII'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER XIII</p> +</div> + + +<p>Rosanna sank feebly down on the hall bench, +and to her own surprise and Uncle Robert’s dismay +burst into tears.</p> + +<p>“Well, who next?” said Uncle Robert. “Mrs. +Harter crying in the sink, and you weeping all over +our nice hall. Oh dear, what a wet, wet world!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, don’t mind me,” said Rosanna, choking +back her sobs. “I am perfectly happy, only everything +turns out so differently from everything +else!”</p> + +<p>“I suppose you are right,” granted Uncle Robert. +“You must be if you know what you mean.”</p> + +<p>“I am not sure <i>what</i> I mean,” said Rosanna, +“but I am so glad, glad, <i>glad</i> that you are going +to marry that dear darling Miss Hooker instead +of that high nosed madam!”</p> + +<p>“What are you talking about?” demanded Robert. +“High nosed? Who is she?”</p> + +<p>“I think it is someone Minnie made up,” said +Rosanna. “She said what a shame if she married +you.”</p> + +<p>“Well, she didn’t and won’t,” declared Uncle +Robert with conviction. “And as far as <i>nose</i> goes, +my girl has only enough nose so that one knows +it <i>is</i> a nose. Get that, Rosanna?”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_137'></a>137</span> + +<p>Rosanna giggled. “Have you told grandmother?” +she asked.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert looked suddenly sobered.</p> + +<p>“No, I didn’t, and I should have done so first +and I meant to, and it is all your fault, Rosanna.”</p> + +<p>“How so?” asked Rosanna in surprise.</p> + +<p>“Well, if it hadn’t been for you I would never +have been traipsing over the country on errands +for the Girl Scouts and you wouldn’t have been +waiting for me in the hall, and I wouldn’t have +been so fussed at seeing you that I would forget +to tell my mamma first. And she won’t like it +unless she gets told right quick,” added Uncle Robert, +getting up. Rosanna wiped her eyes, whereupon +Uncle Robert sang:</p> + +<div> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>“There, little girlie, don’t you cry,</p> +<p style='margin:0 auto 0 4ex'>We’ll have a wedding by and by,”</p> +</div> + +<p>and ran up the stairs, three at a time, whistling +as he went in search of his mother.</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert was not one to take chances. After +seeing his mother, who was truly pleased and had +the good sense to show it, he started to Mrs. Hargrave’s, +and after a short visit left that dear old +lady busy at the telephone. The result was a wonderful +announcement luncheon a week later, given +by Mrs. Hargrave, at which the little Captain +looked dimplier and sweeter than ever. After the +luncheon she went over to Rosanna’s house, where +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_138'></a>138</span> +she found all her Girl Scouts ready to congratulate +her.</p> + +<p>“You won’t give us up, will you?” they all asked +anxiously, and she assured them that she would +not. Seeing that they were really anxious, she +made them all sit down close around her, and one +by one they sang the Scout songs. They were happier +after that, and only Rosanna was just a little +lonely when she thought of the days when Uncle +Robert was away, and reflected that all the days +would be like that by-and-by. Just her grandmother +and herself in the great stately old house, +not occupying half of the rooms, and making so +little noise that it made her lonely just to think +of it. However, she put it out of her mind as +bravely as she could.</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker stayed to dinner, and Mrs. Horton +was so charming that Rosanna could not help +thinking what a very lovely young lady she must +have been. After dinner, Mrs. Horton calmly carried +her little guest away to her own sitting-room +for what she called a consultation, and Rosanna +and Uncle Robert who had nothing whatever to +consult about now, sat and read. Upstairs, Mrs. +Horton sat down opposite her son’s sweetheart, and +said smilingly:</p> + +<p>“I want to say something to you that Robert +does not dream I am going to say, and if you do +not approve, I want you to be frank enough and +brave enough to tell me. Will you?”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_139'></a>139</span> + +<p>“Yes, indeed I will,” Miss Hooker promised.</p> + +<p>“I am an old woman, my dear, and silent. Sometimes +I fear I am not very agreeable. It is a hard +and unchildlike life that our little Rosanna leads +here with me. I want you to ask yourself if for +her sake you could bring yourself to live here for +a few years. I know how dear a new little house is +to a bride’s heart, and I tremble to ask you such +a favor. But Rosanna has a lonely life at best, +and with you here this house could be made gay +indeed.</p> + +<p>“I would never ask it for myself, but I do for +Rosanna. I would gladly do anything I could for +her, but I cannot fill the house with the sort of +joy and gayety that she should have. She loves +you deeply, and her Uncle Robert is her ideal.</p> + +<p>“Wait a moment, dear,” she added as she saw +her guest was about to speak. “I want to tell you +what we could do. There are nine large rooms on +this floor. You could select what you want for a +suite, and you and Robert could decorate and furnish +and arrange them to suit yourselves. I would +be so glad to do this just as you wish, and then of +course, my dear, the house is all yours besides. +Could you consider it?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t have to consider it,” said the little Captain. +“I have already thought about it, and was +worried about Rosanna, but I knew that she could +not come to us and leave you all alone here. I +am sure Bob will be glad to arrange it as you +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_140'></a>140</span> +suggest, for he is very devoted to his mother and to +Rosanna as well.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Horton gave a sigh of relief. “I can’t +thank you enough, my dearest girl,” she said. “No +one wants to make your life as happy as I do, and +if there is anything I can ever do for you, you have +only to tell me. Now we must have everything +new in the rooms you want, so we will go down +and tell Robert and Rosanna. How glad that child +will be!”</p> + +<p>Rosanna was tired and very nervous, and when +Mrs. Horton and Miss Hooker came down with +their great plan, Rosanna once more, to her own +horror, commenced to cry.</p> + +<p>“Well, for goodness’ sake,” her uncle cried, “I +never <i>did</i> see anything like this! What ails the +child? This certainly settles me! I shall never, +never plan to get married again. Rosanna is turning +into a regular <i>founting</i>; yes, ma’am, a regular +<i>founting</i>!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I am so sorry—no, I mean I am so <i>glad</i>,” +said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“You mean you are all tired out, and ought to +go to bed,” said her grandmother.</p> + +<p>“And if I am to come here to live,” said Robert’s +sweetheart, dimpling, “I may as well see how I +shall like putting a girl in her little bed.”</p> + +<p>Rosanna, nearly as tall as the little lady, laughed +through her tears. She went over and kissed her +uncle good-night.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_141'></a>141</span> + +<p>“I am sorry I was so silly,” she whispered. “I +was <i>so</i> lonely when I thought you were going away +that somehow when I found you were not, why, I +just couldn’t help myself.”</p> + +<p>“I know how you felt. It is all right, sweetness,” +Uncle Robert whispered back. Rosanna’s +clasp tightened round his neck.</p> + +<p>“Uncle Robert, shall I—do you suppose—will +I be your sweetness just the same even after you +are married?”</p> + +<p>Uncle Robert kissed her hard. “Before and +after, and forever and ever more!” he said. “Just +as soon as I get to be a sober married man, I shall +be your uncle and your daddy too, and you are +going to be the happiest little girl in the world.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Uncle Robert!” was all Rosanna could +say, but her look thanked him and tears were very +near his own eyes as he watched the little orphaned +girl skipping off with her arm around the shoulders +of his future wife. But they were tears of +happiness.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you love this room, Captain?” asked Rosanna, +as she switched on the soft flood of light.</p> + +<p>“Indeed I do!” said Miss Hooker. “I expect +to spend a great deal of my time here. Between +us, Rosanna, we ought to be able to plan the most +wonderful things for our Scout troop. And next +summer Bob says he will find a place for us to +camp, and fit us out with tents and all that, so +we will not have to go to a boarding-house or hotel, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_142'></a>142</span> +but stay right in the open. Won’t that be splendid?”</p> + +<p>“Think of it!” said Rosanna. “Won’t the girls +be wild when they hear about it? Oh, dear, I wish +I was eighteen so I could be a lieutenant!”</p> + +<p>“I don’t wish you were eighteen,” said Miss +Hooker. “I like you just as you are.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Miss Hooker, you are <i>so</i> sweet!” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker dimpled. “One thing we had better +settle right now,” she said. “What are you +going to call me?”</p> + +<p>Rosanna looked blank. “I hadn’t thought about +that at all. Of course I can’t go on calling you +Miss Hooker, and then Mrs. Horton. And you are +too little and too young to be anybody’s aunt.”</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker watched her with a smile.</p> + +<p>“What are you going to do about it then? I +want you to call me just what you like. You are +to choose.”</p> + +<p>“Then I will tell you what,” said Rosanna +brightly. “I was reading the sweetest little story +the other day about a Spanish family, and they +called each other <i>Cita</i>. It means <i>dear</i>.”</p> + +<p>“<i>Cita</i>,” repeated Miss Hooker. “Why, I think +that is just as sweet as it can be, and I should love +to have you call me that.”</p> + +<p>“Then that is what you are, little Cita,” said +Rosanna with a kiss. And to her devoted household, +Cita she remains to this very day.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_143'></a>143</span> + +<p>Cita and Uncle Robert did not seem able to agree +on a date for their wedding. Cita declared that it +would take at least six or eight months to get +what she mysteriously called her “things” together. +Uncle Robert declared with equal fervor +that she had everything she needed, and that they +were not going to go off and live on a desert isle +where there were no shops.</p> + +<p>Finally Uncle Robert had an inspiration. “I +tell you what let’s do,” he said after a long argument. +“Let’s leave this to an outsider: someone +with no special interest in the affair. And as a +business man, I will name the agent.”</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said Cita. “See that you play +fair.”</p> + +<p>“I name and nominate Miss Rosanna Horton, +and as her aids and assistants I name and nominate +Miss Helen Culver and Miss Elise Hargrave.”</p> + +<p>“That is not playing fair at all!” cried Cita. +“You know perfectly well that they want us to be +married soon.”</p> + +<p>Robert shook his head. “Not at all! Our marriage +is detrimental to those persons named, insomuch +as I shall take you off on a wedding trip, and +by so doing shall interfere with the routine of work +in your Scout troop. That is a good committee, +and I shall trust them. I shall now call them in.”</p> + +<p>The three girls were working in the Scout room +on the tarleton stockings, filling and tying them. +Robert stepped to the door and summoned them. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_144'></a>144</span> +Putting the question before them in the most serious +manner, he told them that they were to decide.</p> + +<p>“I should think I ought to decide my <i>own</i> wedding +day!” cried Cita.</p> + +<p>“You don’t seem able to do it,” said Robert. +“You have been trying to decide for the last ten +days. You see it is a business proposition with +me. Perhaps if these good, kind young ladies succeed +in fixing a wedding day, say before Christmas, +I won’t have to buy you any Christmas +present.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t <i>want</i> to be married before Christmas,” +wailed Cita, looking appealingly at the girls.</p> + +<p>Rosanna nodded her head understandingly, and +the three girls left the room.</p> + +<p>“When will we set it?” asked Helen. “Do they +really mean that we are to do so?”</p> + +<p>“Tell him we have decided on the fifteenth of +February,” said Rosanna. “That is the date she +has fixed, but he is such a tease that she has been +teasing him in return. That will give her all the +time she needs, and she won’t be all tired out. +Everyone loves her, and wants to do things for her +and, besides, it is going to take weeks to get those +rooms fixed. I never saw grandmother so fussy +over anything before. She is going clear to New +York and is going to take Cita to select hangings, +and she has an artist friend selecting pictures; that +is, a list for Cita to look over. Grandmother wants +every last thing to be Cita’s own selection. And, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_145'></a>145</span> +girls, it is going to be <i>too</i> lovely. What do you +think? You know those ceilings are about twenty +feet high, and grandmother has had them all lowered +with plaster board and beams, so it looks so +much cozier. Grandmother is really splendid. I +never loved her so much.”</p> + +<p>“Are you almost ready to report?” demanded +Uncle Robert at the door.</p> + +<p>“All ready!” said Helen as the committee went +skipping in.</p> + +<p>“Well, let’s hear the verdict,” said Uncle Robert. +“If this committee is as sensible as it looks, I expect +to hear them say that the date is set for next +week Tuesday.”</p> + +<p>“The fifteenth of February,” said Rosanna +firmly.</p> + +<p>A look of relief spread over Cita’s face.</p> + +<p>“Wha-a-a-t?” said Uncle Robert. “Impossible! +Why, <i>I</i> named this committee and by all the rules +of politics you should have brought in the report +I want.”</p> + +<p>“But it wouldn’t have been fair,” said Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“What has that to do with politics?” groaned +Uncle Robert. “All right! I have been done up; +sold out, and by my own constituents. The fifteenth +of February it is. But don’t you dare to +make it a day later, young ladies!” He rose.</p> + +<p>“Where are you going?” asked Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Where?” said Uncle Robert, with a twinkle +in his eye. “<i>You</i> ask me where? Well, I am +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_146'></a>146</span> +going to drag myself downtown to get that Christmas +present.”</p> + +<p>“And now,” said Cita after he had gone, “now +don’t let’s think of weddings or anything else but +our Scout work. Things have been dragging lately, +and I think it is my fault. If we do not do better +and snappier work right away, I will know it is +my fault, and I shall give the troop over to someone +else. Engaged girls have no business trying to run +a troop.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t say that, Cita,” said Rosanna. “We +have all been working so hard for Christmas that +I think we have no energy left.”</p> + +<p>“Possibly,” said Cita, “but we must put things +pretty well in order at the next meeting, and before +then I want all these Christmas things marked +and in their proper baskets. That meeting, the +last before the holidays, will be an important one.”</p> + +<p>“Then let us go to work merrilee,” said Elise, +picking up a stocking, and letting a gumdrop slide +down into the toe.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_147'></a>147</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chXIV'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER XIV</p> +</div> + + +<p>After the usual formalities of a meeting, Captain +Hooker desired the girls’ full attention. She held +a formidable sheaf of notes in her hand, and it +looked to the Scouts as though there was going +to be a good deal of work parcelled out to them.</p> + +<p>“In the first place,” said their Captain, “I have +asked the approval of the National Headquarters, +and you are at liberty to send a Thanks badge to +Doctor Branshaw. Now you have not yet sent him +any formal thanks for what he did for Gwenny and +I wonder if any of you have an idea of some attractive +way of expressing your gratitude.”</p> + +<p>“I thought of something, Captain,” said Lucy +Breen, “but perhaps it wouldn’t do.”</p> + +<p>“Let us hear it,” said the Captain.</p> + +<p>“How would it be to write him, each of us, a +short letter of thanks, just a few words, and at the +top of each letter paste a snapshot of the girl who +has written it? Then bind them all in a sort of +cover or folder with our motto and a print of our +flower on the outside.”</p> + +<p>“I think that is simply a splendid idea,” cried +the Captain. “Don’t you think so, girls?”</p> + +<p>Of course everyone did, and it was settled that +Rosanna should go and buy the paper for the letters +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_148'></a>148</span> +so they should all be alike. As for the cover, Miss +Hooker, who was an artist of more than ordinary +talent and skill, offered to illuminate the cover +with the cornflower as the motif; and she decided +to illuminate it on parchment, with the deep blue +of the flowers and dull gold lettering. The girls +who had no snapshot of themselves promised to +have one taken at once. Before they finished, the +“Thanks Book” as they called it, promised to become +a beautiful and very attractive affair. Miss +Hooker warned them all to write natural and +simple letters.</p> + +<p>“How many of you have been over to see Gwenny +in her new home?” asked the Captain. “After +the holidays, I think it would be a very kind thing +for you to each give up an afternoon once in so +often (you can decide how often you can spare the +time), and go spend the afternoon with Gwenny. +Her mother feels that she should do a little work +now and that faithful little Mary is taking care +of a couple of children over here on Third Street +every afternoon, to earn her share of the household +expenses. So Gwenny is left very much alone.”</p> + +<p>“My mother has been in the Norton Infirmary +for a month,” said one of the girls, “and she said +the nurse told her that it would mean a great deal +to some of these patients if we girls would only +come in once in awhile, and talk to some of the +patients who get so lonely. Mother said there was +a boy there with a broken hip, and he was always +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_149'></a>149</span> +going to be lame, and he grieved so about it all the +time that it kept him from getting well. And there +was another patient, a girl about my age, with +something wrong with her back. She is in a plaster +cast, and her only relative is a father who +travels, and he is in California.”</p> + +<p>“Now there is an idea for you all,” said Miss +Hooker. “I want to talk all these things over +today, because if I am away at any time I want to +feel that I know just about what you are doing. +I should think that it would do a lot of good to +visit those poor young people. There is just one +thing to remember if you want to be popular with +the nurses and helpful to the patients: always stay +just a little <i>shorter</i> time than you are expected +to. Then the nurses feel that you are wise enough +to be trusted without tiring the patients, and the +patients are left with the desire to see you soon +again.”</p> + +<p>“That is just what my mother said,” said the +girl who had spoken. “She says so many people +come who just stay and stay and if the nurse does +not get around in time to send them home, why, +they have the patient in a fever.”</p> + +<p>“Perfectly true,” said Miss Hooker. “Make +your visits short—and often. Next,” said the +Captain, “I want to tell you that Lucy Breen has +passed the examinations successfully in two subjects. +She is now entitled to wear the merit badge +for Horsemanship and Clerk.”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_150'></a>150</span> + +<p>All the girls clapped.</p> + +<p>“<i>Bon bon</i>, dear Lucee!” whispered Elise.</p> + +<p>Lucy smiled back at the dear girl who had befriended +her at a moment when she needed a friend +so badly.</p> + +<p>“I want to ask how many of you girls are taking +regular exercises every morning?” asked Captain +Hooker. “It does not seem as though you had as +good color as you should have. I want my girls to +be the finest looking troop at the great meeting +in the spring. It is to be in Washington; did I +tell you? And I want every one of you to go. Now, +there is an incentive to work. The rally is in June +just after school is over, and I want you to earn +the money for your railroad tickets. Of course we +will all get special rates, and it will not cost us +anything after we arrive there, as we will be the +guests of the Washington Scouts, or some of the +women’s organizations. But you should all of you +be able to earn ten dollars before that time. It +will take that much, but no more. If any of you +girls belong to families who could send you, you +are at liberty to help some other girl who is less +fortunate, but you must each one of you earn the +sum I have mentioned.”</p> + +<p>“What if we earn more?” asked Lucy Breen.</p> + +<p>“I am sure you will be glad to have a little spending +money when you get to Washington,” said Miss +Hooker.</p> + +<p>“Some of us will earn more and some less,” said +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_151'></a>151</span> +Helen. “After we earn the ten dollars, why +couldn’t we put everything else we earn in your +hands, and then it could be evenly divided at the +end, and we would each have the same amount to +spend, and when we come home we can each tell +what we spent it for.”</p> + +<p>“Splendid!” exclaimed Miss Hooker. “What +do you girls think of that? I think it would be +quite a test of your ability to get a good deal of +pleasure or profit out of a stated amount.”</p> + +<p>Again everybody clapped, and with a little more +discussion the subject was left settled.</p> + +<p>One of the Webster girls raised a hand.</p> + +<p>“What would you suggest that we could do to +earn money?” she said. “All we can do is dance, +and mamma won’t let us dance in public until we +are grown up. We don’t know how to do anything +else.”</p> + +<p>“Marian, I get awfully cross with you sometimes,” +laughed Miss Hooker. “What are those +two merit badges on your sleeve?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, <i>those</i>!” said Marian in a helpless voice. +“The gridiron for Cooking and the palm leaf for +Invalid Cooking. But I can’t go out and cook.”</p> + +<p>“What can you make best?” asked Miss Hooker.</p> + +<p>Another girl spoke up. “She makes the loveliest +jellies you ever tasted and they always stand +right up, never slump over at all.”</p> + +<p>“And you, Evelyn Webster, what is that on your +sleeve?”</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_152'></a>152</span> + +<p>“The palette,” said Evelyn.</p> + +<p>“There you are!” said Miss Hooker. “What +is the good of earning these badges if you are never +going to make use of the things they stand for?” +She picked up the Girl Scouts Hand Book that was +lying on her lap, and turning over the pages said, +“Listen to this:</p> + +<p>“Employment.</p> + +<p>“‘Stick to it,’ the thrush sings. One of the +worst weaknesses of many people is that they do +not have the perseverance to stick to what they have +to do. They are always wanting to change. Whatever +you do, take up with all your might and stick +to it. Besides the professions of nursing, teaching, +stenography and typewriting and clerking, there +are many less crowded employments, such as hairdressing, +making flowers, coloring photographs, +and assisting dentists, and gardening. There are +many occupations for women, but before any new +employment can be taken up, one must begin while +young to make plans and begin collecting information. +‘Luck is like a street car, the only way to +get it, is to look out for every chance and seize it—run +at it, and jump on; don’t sit down and wait +for it to pass. Opportunity is a street car which +has few stopping places.’</p> + +<p>“Now there you are, Marian and Evelyn, with +your jelly and your beautiful lettering. Make +some of that jelly, and put it in the prettiest glasses +you can find, and tie the tops on with a little ribbon +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_153'></a>153</span> +from the five-and-ten-cent store, and illuminate +some sample cards for window displays, and take +them down to the Women’s Exchange. You, +Evelyn, take your cards to the manager of one of +the big stores, and ask him if he could use such +work. He will probably want a thousand of them. +I am glad this came up. If you are all as helpless +as Evelyn and Marian when it comes to using your +knowledge, why, there is really not much use in +earning merit badges.</p> + +<p>“I think we will talk this over for ten minutes +informally, and then we will call the roll, and see +what each one thinks she can do.”</p> + +<p>The Captain turned to the Lieutenant and commenced +to talk to her in a low tone, and for ten +minutes the room buzzed. Then at the sharp command +of the Lieutenant’s whistle silence fell, and +the roll was called, and each girl’s chosen task was +jotted down beside her name. The outlook was +rather black for some of the girls who had chosen +to try for merits in unusual rather than in available +subjects. For instance, one girl wore badges +for proficiency in Swimming, Signaling, Pioneer, +Pathfinder, and Marksmanship.</p> + +<p>None of these seemed to offer an opening for +moneymaking, especially during the winter months. +But she was plucky, and merely said that she would +find a way to earn the money. And she did it by +going to the Y. W. C. A. and assisting the swimming +mistress for a couple of hours every +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_154'></a>154</span> +afternoon. So well did she do that when the money +was turned in, she had twenty-five dollars to put +in the general fund for spending money.</p> + +<p>Another girl had a merit badge for Aviation, +but she went to work in her workshop and built box +kites that no boy could resist, and sold them by the +dozen.</p> + +<p>As Miss Hooker told them, the trick was to make +use of what they had learned. Of course a good +deal of this worked itself out later, but when they +had finished their discussion, and Miss Hooker +had urged them to get to work as soon as they +possibly could, she changed the subject by saying, +with just a little hesitation:</p> + +<p>“I wonder how many of you know that I am to be +married?”</p> + +<p>Every hand rose and a voice said, “But we don’t +know when.”</p> + +<p>“That is what I want to talk to you about,” +smiled Miss Hooker. “We are going to be married +on the fifteenth of February, and I shall not +have bridesmaids and all that girls usually have; +I want my own Scout girls as attendants—all +of you. Will you all come?”</p> + +<p>There was a series of exclamations of “Oh, Miss +Hooker!” and “Indeed we will!”</p> + +<p>“Thank you!” said Miss Hooker, quite as though +she was asking a favor instead of conferring one. +“Then I will depend on all of you, and a little later +I will tell you the plan I have for the wedding. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_155'></a>155</span> +Of course you are to arrange to attend the reception +afterwards, and we will have automobiles to +take you all home.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, thank you, thank you!” chorused the girls.</p> + +<p>Miss Hooker found that after her invitation it +was impossible to interest the girls in anything in +the nature of routine work, so she soon dismissed +the meeting, and the girls as usual piling into the +automobiles belonging to Rosanna and Elise and +Lucy and one or two others, were driven home in +a great state of excitement.</p> + +<p>A Girl Scout wedding! That was what it +amounted to. Miss Hooker,—their dear Captain, +thought so much of them that she had chosen them +to attend her rather than her own friends. It was +thrilling in the extreme.</p> + +<p>It struck about twenty of them about the same +time later, that there had been nothing said about +clothes. This was an awful thought. Rosanna +seemed likely to know more than any of the others, +on account of the distinction of having Miss Hooker +marry her uncle, so the twenty anxious maidens +rushed to as many telephones and gave central a +very bad time for about an hour, saying “Line’s +busy,” while Rosanna talked to each one as she +secured a clear line, and assured her that she knew +nothing at all about it.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_156'></a>156</span> +<div class='chapter'> +<a id='chXV'></a> +<p class='cln0'>CHAPTER XV</p> +</div> + + +<p>The fifteenth of February sparkled all day long. +Not half of the Scouts were able to sleep, and they +saw the round bright sun bounce out of the east +and start blazing up in a cloudless sky. All day +it was the same. Not a cloud in the sky, not a +shadow on the earth. Automobile horns seemed +to take on a joyous toot. The heavy “ding, dong, +ding, dong,” of the locomotive bell as it crossed +Third Street lost its mournful tone and sounded +sweetly solemn like a wedding bell.</p> + +<p>All day relays of restless Scouts belonging to +Captain Hooker’s troop drifted in at the open door +of the beautiful old cathedral and watched the +silent workmen setting the palms and flowers under +the direction of a bevy of young ladies who were +Miss Hooker’s schoolmates and life-long friends. +They had claimed the right to decorate the church +since they were not included in the wedding other +than as spectators.</p> + +<p>On twenty-four beds twenty-four Girl Scout uniforms +in a terrifying condition of starch and cleanliness +lay stiffly out, with hats and staffs beside +them. And at about three in the afternoon twenty-four +Girl Scouts lay down on other beds, so they +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_157'></a>157</span> +would be “fresh” for the wedding. All the shades +were pulled down, but not one of the twenty-four +managed to get to sleep. It was awful! Actually +painful! Each one lay wondering what the others +were doing, and what Miss Hooker was doing. +Wondered what she would wear, wondered if she +was frightened. The two Websters had refused to +rest in separate rooms, so they talked in a cautious +undertone, while their mother in the next room +pressed imaginary creases out of their tunics. +The whole troop had beautiful new hair ribbons +from Miss Hooker and from Mr. Horton a beautiful +gold bangle bracelet. A messenger boy had delivered +them all around just at noon, and while +they rested twenty-four left arms were held up to +catch the light on the gleaming band. The idea +of anyone sleeping!</p> + +<p>At six o’clock sharp the Lieutenant, Miss Jamieson, +hurried up the steps of the Hargrave house +where the girls were to meet, and ten minutes later +three patrols marched nervously along and turned +in. Then for endless ages, too nervous to talk, they +sat waiting for the automobiles that were to carry +them to the old cathedral. They were torn with +fears. What if Mr. Horton and his best man, Doctor +MacLaren, had forgotten to order the cars at +all? What if they should be late, and the wedding +go on without them? The voice of Mrs. Hargrave’s +house boy announcing “De cahs is heah, ma’am,” +sounded like music.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_158'></a>158</span> + +<p>The cathedral, down in the oldest part of the city, +seemed a million miles away, and the cars crawled. +Not a traffic policeman but stopped them as they +approached—but at last they arrived and entered +the church. How beautiful it was, softly yet brilliantly +lighted through its high arches. White +satin with heavy gold embroideries draping altar +and desk, tall candles burning at either side of the +Cross. And somewhere softly, thrillingly out of +space, spoke the most entrancing music.</p> + +<p>People went down the aisles in gaily clad groups, +the delicate perfumes of the flowers worn by beautiful +women wafting to the girls as they passed. +Mrs. Breen’s two brothers and the brothers of the +two Girl Scouts who had helped at the benefit +were all acting as ushers and they were certainly +busy.</p> + +<p>Standing just inside the door, the girls were +aware of a little stir, and a group entered, walking +more slowly and carefully than the others. Even +the girls were surprised as they stared. For first +of all came Gwenny, Gwenny leaning heavily on +the arm of the kindly sign painter, but Gwenny was +<i>walking</i>!</p> + +<p>Behind, looking very shiny and quite agonized, +followed Mary and Tommy and little Myron firmly +clutching the still littler Luella, who looked on +the verge of tears. After them, to close all avenue +of escape, walked Mrs. Harter, and Minnie and +Tom. Very slowly, in Gwenny’s halting footsteps, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_159'></a>159</span> +they went down the aisle—down and down until +they came to the satin ribbon that fenced off a +portion of the seats for Miss Hooker’s most particular +friends. And even then they did not stop, for +Doctor MacLaren, who was with them, led them +to the fourth seat from the front. It had evidently +been saved for them, for in the corner next the +aisle was a big pillow for Gwenny’s back. Cita’s +girl friends kept drifting in, lovely, colorful creatures +in dancing frocks, and the girls reflected with +joy that they too were asked to the reception afterwards.</p> + +<p>Then came the group of the bride’s relatives, and +close behind, Mrs. Horton, walking with her hand +on the arm of the older Breen boy, and looking +like a queen in her pale gray satin robe, brocaded +with silver.</p> + +<p>And then the Lieutenant, who had been standing +outside all this time, returned, looking quite pale, +and gave an order in a tone so low that half of the +girls did not hear at all, but they were so keyed +up that they knew just what to do and formed a +double line facing the chancel.</p> + +<p>The music burst suddenly, joyously into the Wedding +March, and the girls started slowly down the +broad aisle, keeping step to the music. So smoothly +and so quickly had it been done that they had not +had a glimpse of the bride, who was following +them on her father’s arm, with Rosanna all in +white before her as maid of honor.</p> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_160'></a>160</span> + +<p>Down the aisle, straight and trim, marched the +Guard of Honor. When the first two girls reached +the foot of the chancel steps, they stopped and +turned to face each other, taking two steps backward. +As the line all formed, the staffs were raised +until the tips met, and under this arch, all misty +tulle and gleaming satin, her cheeks faintly flushed, +her lips softly smiling, passed their little Captain. +Mr. Robert who had been waiting just beyond came +forward and took her hand, and the Dean stepped +down to meet them, while the Bishop waited before +the altar.</p> + +<p>The music muted. And in the place of the march +came faint sighs of melody. Then in a pause of the +ceremony, from somewhere silvery chimes rang out. +The little bride stood motionless, her tulle train +seeming to melt into the whiteness of the marble +on which she stood.</p> + +<p>And then, almost at once it seemed, it was all +over. The little Captain had made her new vows, +the ring was on her hand, the blessing on her bowed +head. Quite solemnly Mr. Robert kissed her, then +the organ broke out with a burst that filled the +great church, and fairly beat down the rising +throngs, as the married couple, passing under the +crossed staves, passed down the aisle and out into +their new life.</p> + +<p>The Guard of Honor, in their automobiles once +more and whirling after the bridal car to the reception, +found their tongues and all talked at once. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_161'></a>161</span> +No one listened; no one cared. They went through +a canopied, carpeted tunnel across the sidewalk +to the house, and there were firmly handled by a +bevy of colored maids who took their staffs and +hats and sent them forth with nothing to do with +their hands. But Mr. Robert shook all the hands +they had, and the little Captain kissed them each +and every one. And then she asked them to form +just back of her until she had greeted all the guests. +This took a long time, but was such fun, because +they saw everyone and all the dresses, and everything.</p> + +<p>But finally the line thinned out, the congratulations +were over, and the little Captain, taking her +filmy train over her arm, drifted out among the +guests and the girls broke up into groups. A little +later Rosanna came hurrying around to tell the +girls to come to the library. They found the Captain +and her husband there, talking to a chubby, +smiling, altogether kindly and delightful little +gentleman, who stared beamingly at them through +immense horn-rimmed spectacles.</p> + +<p>“I want to present you to Doctor Branshaw, +girls,” said Mrs. Horton. “He came all the way +from Cincinnati to attend our wedding and to meet +you.”</p> + +<p>The girls stepped up one by one to be presented +to the great man.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t see any other way of meeting you all,” +he said. “My time is always so broken, and they +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_162'></a>162</span> +keep me so busy down there that I actually didn’t +have time to write and tell you how greatly I appreciated +that book you sent me. I think it was quite +the nicest thing in the world. I shall always keep +it.”</p> + +<p>“It was poor thanks for what you did for +Gwenny,” said Miss Jamieson, finding that someone +had to answer.</p> + +<p>“I was glad to do it,” said the Doctor, “after +you had led the way. It is an honor to work with +the Girl Scouts. When you are twice as old, yes, +three times as old as you are now, you will realize +what a wonderful work you are doing in the world. +I come across evidences of it every day. This +Gwenny, for instance. Did you see the way she +went down that long aisle tonight? Why, that girl +is going to be well, perfectly well! Think of the +years of pain and misery you have saved her, the +agonizing nights and the untimely death. Whose +plan was it, anyway?”</p> + +<p>“Rosanna Horton’s,” said half a dozen voices.</p> + +<p>Rosanna flushed. “No, don’t say that!” she objected. +“It is just as the doctor says. If I +thought of it it was because I am a Scout. Call +it the Girl Scouts’ Plan.”</p> + +<p>“Yours or theirs, Miss Rosanna; it was a divine +thought and should make you all happy. You have +given the three greatest boons to a fellow creature: life, +health, and happiness, and all because your +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_163'></a>163</span> +splendid order teaches you to watch for just such +opportunities. Now I will give you an opportunity +to do a good deed tonight,” and he laughed the +jolliest laugh. “There are a couple of very wise +gentlemen here tonight, who would like to talk to +me, and they would want to talk about operations +and anesthetics and all those things that I left +locked up in my office at home. But I can’t tell +them that, so I wish you could just look after me +for the next hour, and sort of beau me around, you +know, and if you see any bald heads or spectacles +bearing down on us, just close in and protect me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we will!” chorused the girls, greatly +pleased.</p> + +<p>So the great Dr. Branshaw, quite the greatest +and most eminent man present, passed happily +from room to room surrounded and tagged by a +chatting, smiling throng of uniformed girls.</p> + +<p>When a cheering looking line of waiters appeared +with plates and napkins, the great man and his +little court settled in a cozy nook and proceeded +to fly in the face of all the best health experts. +And to see the Doctor shamelessly send for more +bouillon, and consume sandwiches, and sliced turkey, +and candied sweet potato and salad, and oh, +dear, all <i>sorts</i> of things, was enough to make any +Scout hungry, and they just feasted and feasted.</p> + +<p>Although the doctor refused to talk to the wise +men, he did talk to the girls, getting on the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_164'></a>164</span> +subject dearest to him, as all professional men will, +and telling them many an amusing story and pathetic +incident.</p> + +<p>Finally he rose. “I must go, girls,” he said. +“I said good-bye to Mrs. Horton when I came in, so +I could just slip out a little side door there is here.”</p> + +<p>He shook hands all around and patted each +straight shoulder. “Don’t forget me,” he said, +“and remember if there is anything I can do to +help, we are all working together. See this?” He +smiled and pulled aside his coat. There on his +waistcoat was the Thanks Badge they had sent him. +“I always wear it,” he said, and with a merry good-bye +hurried through the little door, and was gone.</p> + +<p>Rosanna went to the hall and looked out.</p> + +<p>“Hurry, hurry!” she called. “Here she comes! +We nearly missed her!”</p> + +<p>The bride, in her travelling dress, was coming +down the stairs. She paused on the landing and +looked down at the sea of smiling faces below. +Then suddenly she tossed her bouquet out. A +dozen hands reached for it, and the girl who caught +it danced up and down. Everyone laughed.</p> + +<p>“What did she do that for?” asked one of the +Websters.</p> + +<p>“The one who catches the bride’s bouquet,” said +Miss Jamieson, “will be the next one married.”</p> + +<p>“Quick!” cried Elise. “Let us all form the +guard-line for her. Never mind those staves!”</p> + +<p>Slipping through the throng and out the door, the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_165'></a>165</span> +girls formed a double line to the automobile waiting +at the curb. A great white bow was tied on +the back, and Rosanna quickly took it off and hid it.</p> + +<p>“Cita wouldn’t like that,” she explained. Then +she stood with her hand on the door. The house +door opened and in a blaze of light, confetti and +rice showering about her, rose leaves floating above +her, the little bride and her tall young husband +ran down the steps and through the double line +of Scouts, who closed solidly before the door of +the limousine as she entered it. The other guests +were shut out. For that moment she was again +their little Captain and belonged to them alone. +Forming in a solid group, they suddenly shouted +the Girl Scout yell, threw her a shower of kisses, +and crying good-bye over and over, watched her +little hand wave a farewell as the car sprang forward.</p> + +<hr style="border:none;border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:50%; margin: 1em auto"/> + +<p>Helen and Elise were Rosanna’s guests for the +night. A couch had been prepared so the three +girls could sleep in the same room. They rolled +themselves up in bathrobes, and sat on the edge +of the couch just as they had sat on the top step +so many months ago, only this time Elise did not +knit. She too sat with her chin in her hands, staring +out of the window. Rosanna had snapped off +the light. A million stars in a deep frosty sky +looked down on them. The night sparkled. It was +very, very late, but Mrs. Horton with surpassing +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_166'></a>166</span> +wisdom had not asked them to go right to bed. +She too was awake, dreaming long dreams.</p> + +<p>Presently Elise spoke. “So much of happiness +makes me sad,” she said.</p> + +<p>“Well, it is all over,” sighed Rosanna.</p> + +<p>“Not at all!” cried Elise. “What could be +over? Not Meeses Horton, who is just beginning. +Not us, who have so many, many works to do. Not +Gwenny who steps into a new life. Just see all +those stars. They shine and sparkle always, no +matter what goes on down here.”</p> + +<p>“You sound like a little sermon, Elise dear,” +said Helen, smiling.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know just yet what it is you call sermon, +but I hope it is nice,” replied Elise.</p> + +<p>“Yours is, anyway,” said Rosanna, kissing the +fair face beside her.</p> + +<p>“All I meant was that this is over, the wedding +and all that. Oh, of course I didn’t mean that +<i>everything</i> was over. It is just as though a beautiful +day had ended, as it has,” Rosanna continued. +“Others will come, many, many other busy, beautiful +days, and on my honor, I will try to do my duty +to God and my country, to help other people at +all times and to obey the Scout laws,” said Rosanna +softly, lifting her eyes to the eternal stars.</p> + +<p style="text-align:center;">THE END</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Girl Scouts Rally, by Katherine Keene Galt + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY *** + +***** This file should be named 38152-h.htm or 38152-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/1/5/38152/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from images made available by the HathiTrust +Digital Library.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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