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diff --git a/38152.txt b/38152.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a63f415 --- /dev/null +++ b/38152.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4974 @@ +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: ASCII + +*** 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.) + + + + + + +[Illustration: "So you want me to come to your show, do you?" said Mr. +Harriman.] + + + + +_Girl Scouts Series, Volume 2_ + +THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY + +or + +ROSANNA WINS + +BY + +Katherine Keene Galt + +THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY + +CHICAGO--AKRON, OHIO--NEW YORK + +MADE IN U. S. A. + + + + +Copyright, 1921, by + +THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY + +THE GIRL SCOUTS SERIES + 1 THE GIRL SCOUTS AT HOME + 2 THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY + 3 THE GIRL SCOUT'S TRIUMPH + + + + +THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +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 beret, 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. + +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. + +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. + +Helen Culver spoke at last. "Well, Rosanna, what are you thinking? Have +you any plan at all?" + +The dark child spoke. "No, Helen, I can't think of a thing. It makes me +_so_ provoked!" + +"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. + +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 chateau +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, 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. + +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. + +"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." + +"It sounds dreadful," said Mrs. Horton. + +"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." + +"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 old know +about little girls? You ought to wait and see what sort of a child she +is." + +"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." + +"Cross-eyed perhaps and with a frightful disposition," said Mrs. Horton. +"All children look like angels to Robert." + +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." + +"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." + +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. + +The three little girls, Elise, Rosanna, of whom you have perhaps read, +and her friend Helen Culver were great friends. + +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 _sawed_ apart +although she tried to do so with all the earnestness in the world. + +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 _such_ fun to be able to shake her head like a pony and send the +short, thick mane flying now that it was cut off. + +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 +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 _very_ +trying. + +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. + +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 +_of_! Now, however, she was studying to such good purpose that she hoped +soon to overtake Helen. But it was a hard task, because Helen was a very +bright little girl who could and would and _did_ put her best effort in +everything she did. + +These, then, were the three little girls who sat on Rosanna's doorstep +and smelled the burning leaves and enjoyed the beautiful fall day. + +"Rosanna is so good at making plans," said Helen, smiling over at her +friend. + +"What shall your good plan be for?" asked Elise. + +"Don't you remember, Elise, our telling you about the picnic we had +once, and the children who took supper with us?" + +"Oh, _oui_--yess, yess!" said Elise, correcting herself hastily. + +"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." + +"I would be charm to go," declared Elise, nodding her curly head. + +"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 and advice without paying anything at all, but Gwenny could not +go there. + +"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." + +"The same with ma maman," said Elise. "She calls those same taxes +robbers. So you make the plan?" + +"That's just it: I _don't_," said Rosanna ruefully. "I wish I could +think up some way to earn money, a lot of it ourselves." + +"Let's do it!" said Helen in her brisk, decided way. + +"But _how_?" questioned Rosanna. "It will take such a lot of money, +Helen. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars, maybe _thousands_." + +"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. + +"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 +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." + +"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. + +"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." + +"Aren't all nurses practical?" asked Rosanna, a frown of perplexity on +her brow. + +"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." + +"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." + +"Well, you can't do much on what Gwenny's mother makes," said Helen. + +Elise sighed. "It is so sad," she declared. "Do the robber Taxes attack +her also?" + +"No; she has nothing to attack," laughed Helen. + +"Is Mees Gwenny a Girl Scout?" asked Elise. + +"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." + +"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----" + +"She suffers all right," declared Helen. "Oh, Rosanna, we have _got_ to +think up some way to help her! I am going to ask mother." + +"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!" + +"What do you mean by _we_? Just us three, or the Girl Scouts in our +group?" asked Helen. + +"I don't know," said Rosanna dismally. "I really haven't the first idea! +Let's all think." + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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, _many_ lines of pain. + +She was so thoughtful at dinner time that her Uncle Robert teased her +about it. He wanted to 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. + +Rosanna called "Come," in answer to his knock in quite her usual tone of +voice, and Uncle Robert heaved a sigh of relief. + +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." + +"That is what I thought," said Rosanna. "Besides I wanted to think." + +"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." + +"I don't see why I shouldn't tell you about things anyway," mused +Rosanna. "You are not a parent, are you?" + +"No, ma'am, I am _not_," said Uncle Robert. "Nary a parent! Why?" + +He came in without a further invitation and sat down in Rosanna's +biggest chair. At that it 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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _not_ a parent, I don't see why I can't be +your councillor. There might be things that I could attend to. I could +take the tickets at the door or something like that." + +"Tickets!" said Rosanna, quite horrified. "Why, Uncle Bob, we can't give +a _show_!" + +"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. + +"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!" + +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. + +The first thing that she and Helen asked each other the next day when +they met on the way to school was like a chorus. They both said, "Did +you think of anything?" and neither one had. + +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?" + +"Seventy," answered Rosanna with a flush. + +"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?" + +"I seem to have glimmers of an idea," said Rosanna, "but not very bright +ones." + +"All I can think of is to get all the girls in our group to make fancy +things and have a fair." + +"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." + +"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, 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." + +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. + +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?" + +"You tickle my ear!" he said, and bit Rosanna's. + +"Behave!" said Rosanna sternly. "Don't you suppose he could?" + +"I am sure he could, sweetness, but I sort o' think he would have to see +Gwenny first. Shall we ask him about it?" + +"Oh, please let's!" begged Rosanna. + +"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." + +Rosanna squeezed his hand for that; it was so much nicer than to put it +all off on her. + +Doctor MacLaren laughed his nice, friendly 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." + +"You tell, Rosanna," said Uncle Robert. "I can't talk and smoke all at +the same time." + +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 +_dreadful_ disappointment it would be for Gwenny and indeed all the +family down to Baby Christopher! + +The two young men heard her out. Then Uncle Robert said: + +"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?" + +"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. + +Robert patted her hand. Rosanna was an orphan. + +"I see now how it is," he said. "Tell us, Rick, what you think about +this." + +"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." + +"Thank you ever and ever so much!" said Rosanna. "We won't tell anyone a +thing about it!" + +"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. + +"Indeed I can if grandmother is willing!" said Rosanna. "Oh, I _do_ feel +as though we will think up some way of earning the money!" + +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 leaves, when Rosanna jumped to her feet and commenced to +dance up and down. + +"Oh, Helen, Helen," she cried. "I believe I have it! I believe I have +it! Oh, I am _so_ excited!" + +"Well, do tell me!" exclaimed Helen. + +"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." + +"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. + +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. + +"Now _do go on_," said Helen with a little thrill in her voice. "Oh, I +_do_ feel that you have thought up something splendid!" + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +"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. + +"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. + +"What if you and I, Helen, could make up a sort of play all about the +Girl Scouts and give it?" + +"Write it out of our heads?" said Helen, quite aghast. + +"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!" + +"With conversations?" pressed Helen. + +"Yes, made up of conversations and coming on the stage and going off +again, and people dying, and everything." + +"Dear me!" said Helen with the air of one who never suspected such a +thing of a friend. "_Dear me!_" she said again. "I am sure I could +_never_ do it. You will have to do it yourself. What is it going to be +about?" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"Oh, I don't believe I could write a good enough play for all that," +cried Rosanna. + +"Well, just do the best you can and I know it will be perfectly lovely." + +"I tell you what," said Rosanna, beginning to be sorry that she had +spoken. "Please don't tell 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." + +"It _will_ 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." + +"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." + +"Of course!" said Helen proudly. "When will you begin your play, +Rosanna?" + +"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." + +"What is a secret sorrow?" asked Helen. + +"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, +'Why--er, why--er, a secret sorrow is--don't you know what it is, +Rosanna?'" + +"Sometimes I wonder if your Uncle Robert really means all he says," said +Helen suspiciously. + +"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." + +"I know he will be all sorts of help about our play, anyway," said +Helen. + +"I know he will too," said Rosanna. "We will show him the play the +minute I finish it." + +Rosanna went right to work on her play whenever she had any time to +spare. + +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. + +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. + +"Is she _very_ bad?" Rosanna asked when the machine was started. + +"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." + +"Yes, she is!" agreed Rosanna absently. "Well, if she is as sick as you +think, I don't see but what we will just _have_ 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. + +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 state of excitement. Rosanna ran and opened the door. + +Elise danced in. She caught Rosanna around the waist and whirled her +round and round. + +"Behold I have arrive, I have arrive!" she sang. + +"Of course you have arrived!" said Rosanna. "What makes you feel like +this about it?" + +"Behold!" said Elise again with a sweeping gesture toward the front +door. + +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. + +"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 _too_ good. + +"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." + +Rosanna took a careful pinch and found the crust light and very flaky +and dry. + +"Perfectly delicious, Elise!" she pronounced it. "Did you do it all +yourself?" + +"Of a certainty!" said Elise proudly. "I would not do the which +otherwise than as it is so required 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." + +"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." + +"I will go for my hat," said Elise. Then anxiously, "Will the beautiful +pie rest here in safety?" + +"Yes, indeed; it will be perfectly safe," laughed Rosanna. + +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. + +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 take it to the Captain, and if she approved, Rosanna +would bring the whole thing up before the next meeting. + +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?" + +"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?" + +"Simply splendid!" said Helen. "Oh, Rosanna, _do_ 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." + +"Oh, we will," said Rosanna. "I _do_ wish we could have our families +help us!" + +"Think how surprised they will be if we do this all by ourselves except +what Uncle Bob does, and our Scout Captain." + +"I don't see that Uncle Bob can do very much," rejoined Rosanna. "But he +is real interested and wants to help." + +"We ought to let him do whatever he can," said 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." + +"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." + +"I do think you might let me see what you have written," coaxed Helen. + +"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." + +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." + +"Is there a tune for it too?" said Helen in great wonder. + +"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 _Reuben, Reuben, I've been Thinking_. You know that?" + +"Of course," said Helen. "Now let's hear the poetry." + +Rosanna had written: + +"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: + + SONG + + Air, _Reuben, Reuben, I've Been Thinking_. + + _Allis._ + + Elsie, Elsie, I've been thinking + What a pleasure it would be, + If we had some friends or sisters + Just to play with you and me. + + All our time we spend in study + There is no place nice to go. + After school an hour of practice + Oh, I get to hate it so! + + _Chorus_ + + Just an hour or two of practice, + One and two and three and four; + Add, subtract, or find the tangent; + Everything is just a bore! + + _Elsie._ + + Then, dear Allis, when we finish, + We can go and take a walk; + That, unless the day is rainy, + Then we just sit down and talk. + + And there's not a thing to talk of, + Not a scheme or plan to make, + Not a deed of gentle loving, + Nothing done for Someone's sake. + + _Chorus_ + + Not a thing for us to aim for-- + Not a height for us to climb! + Just the stupid task of living; + Just the bore of passing time! + + _Enter Girl Scout with many Merit Badges on her sleeve._ + + _Girl Scout._ + + Did I hear you wish for friendships? + Mates to join in work and play? + Someone true and good and loving + You would chum with every day? + + See this uniform? It tells you + You can wear it; be a Scout! + See the sleeve with all the "Merits"? + You could win without a doubt. + + _Chorus_ + + _All--_ + + Oh, what fun we'll have together! + Oh, what work and jolly play! + Walks and talks and happy study + With the Girl Scouts every day. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +When Rosanna finished, Helen gave a sigh of delight. + +"Rosanna," she said, "it is perfectly beautiful; perfectly _beautiful_! +Shall you have the Webster girls sing that?" + +"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." + +"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. + +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. + +A week later Rosanna's little play was finished 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. + +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. + +"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 _is_ a play as _is_ a play! Don't you think so, Helen?" + +"It's just too beautiful!" said Helen with a sigh of rapture. "Just too +beautiful! Which is my part, Rosanna?" + +"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." + +"It is the nicest part of all," sighed Helen. "What part are you going +to take?" + +"I didn't think I would take any," said Rosanna. + +"Oh, you must be in it!" cried Helen. + +"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." + +"That is what I thought," said Rosanna. "But you are going to help with +everything, are you not, Uncle Robert?" + +"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?" + +"Of course," said Rosanna. + +"Who is she?" asked Uncle Robert carelessly. + +"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?" + +"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?" + +"I suppose I will have to go around to her house, and tell her all about +it and read it to her." + +"Is it written so I can read it?" said Uncle 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." + +"Why, you know her name!" said Rosanna. + +"Um--yes," said Uncle Robert. "I must have heard it somewhere. For +goodness' sake, Rosanna, this place is like an oven!" + +"You _are_ 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." + +"I wouldn't wait up," advised Uncle Robert, getting up. "If she likes +me, it may take some time." + +"Likes _you_?" said Rosanna. + +"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. + +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. + +She returned with a surprised look on her face. + +"What do you suppose?" she demanded of Helen who sat drawing a plan of a +stage. "It is Uncle Robert, and Miss Hooker is with him. Oh, dear me, I +feel so fussed!" + +"Come down!" called Uncle Robert, dashing in the door. "I have a +surprise for you both." + +"No, you haven't! I looked over the banisters," said Rosanna, as the +three went down the broad stairs. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"We will give it here, won't we, Uncle Robert? Grandmother will let us, +I'm sure. In the big drawing-room, you know." + +"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." + +"How dear of you, Mr. Horton!" said Miss Hooker. + +"Oh, Uncle Robert, a curtain that goes up and down?" + +"Of course," said Uncle Robert, "and footlights and everything." + +"O-o-o-o-h!" sighed both girls, and Miss Hooker looked at Uncle Robert +and smiled and he seemed real pleased. + +"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." + +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 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. + +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?" + +"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." + +Uncle Robert looked hard at Rosanna. It was 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 _do_ 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?" + +"Of course it would, Uncle Robert," answered Rosanna. "I just hated to +have you bothered." + +"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." + +"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." + +"All right, sweetness; get after them," said Uncle Robert, kissing +Rosanna, and Helen, too, "for luck" he said, and going off whistling. + +"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." + +"That is what often happens," said Helen. "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." + +Elise was ready and the three girls sauntered down the street together. + +As they passed a great imposing stone house, Elise said, "It is a +chateau--what you call castle, isn't it?" + +"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?" + +"Or so lovely?" added Elise. "If he was not so ze what you just call +growlee-wowlee, he might carry us to school; not?" + +"There he comes," said Rosanna. "Does he look as though he would carry +any little girls _any_where unless he carried them off to eat?" + +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 moustaches. He scowled as he came and +stopped to switch with his 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. + +Three pair of round eyes fixed on him caught the old gentleman's +attention. + +"Well, well, well!" he said testily. "What do you see? Come, come, speak +out!" + +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: + +"We see _you_, sir." + +"Ha hum!" sputtered the old gentleman, drawing his fierce white eyebrows +together. "What about me, young woman, what about me to stare at?" + +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. + +"If you will excuse me for saying so, you looked a little cross," she +said, "and--and something must be making you very unhappy." + +"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!" + +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. + +"Heaven protect us!" cried Elise. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +"He said _thank you_ once for each of us anyway," said Helen. + +Elise shuddered. "Your dress!" she said, pointing to Rosanna. Sure +enough, Rosanna was spattered with blood. + +"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 +ran back home, while the others went on to school and the automobile +carried the old gentleman rapidly to the office of his doctor. + +While the physician was attending to the hand, the old gentleman, whose +name was Harriman, sat and sputtered: + +"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!" + +"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--" + +"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." + +"Yes, they were," said the doctor. "You will have an easier time with +this hand of yours, thanks to their skill." + +"Queer!" said Mr. Harriman. "Seemed to know just what to do." + +"Must have been Girl Scouts," said the doctor musingly. + +"Girl Scouts? What foolishness is that?" said Mr. Harriman. + +The doctor smiled. He thought of his own two daughters. + +"Ask them about it," he said, rising, and would say no more. + +Mr. Harriman limped out. + +"What are Girl Scouts?" Mr. Harriman asked his chauffeur as they drove +to his office. + +"I dunno, sah," said the colored man, starting. He always jumped when +Mr. Harriman spoke. Everyone wanted to. + +"Idiot!" said Mr. Harriman. + +"Yes, sah," said the chauffeur cheerfully. + +There seemed nothing else to say. + +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 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. + +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 _might_. Doctor MacLaren and the other doctors whom he +had taken to see Gwenny would only say that it could be _tried_. 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. + +And the way they learned their parts! They almost mastered them over +night. Rehearsals went on, and the day was set for the entertainment. + +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. + +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, _her_ +play, and at the top in large print, + + BENEFIT PERFORMANCE + +"You have not said anything about what the performance is to be a +benefit _for_." said Rosanna. + +"That's all right," said her uncle. + +"And you have forgotten to say the price of the tickets," wailed Helen, +who was again spending the night. + +"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?" + +"How can it do that?" asked Rosanna. + +"In this way," said Uncle Robert. "There will 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." + +"Perfectly splendid!" said Helen, catching the idea at once. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"I know several who expect to pay a dollar," said Uncle Robert. + +"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 _has_ taken a lot of your time. I think you have been so +kind." + +"Oh, I haven't minded," said Uncle Robert in a generous way. + +"Why, you must have minded," went on 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." + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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. 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." + +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. + +"Whom shall you sell to first?" asked Helen. + +"Mr. Harriman," said Rosanna quietly. + +Helen dropped her tickets. "Dear _me_, Rosanna!" she cried. "I would be +too afraid to offer him a ticket." + +"_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 _got_ to come if I go after him." + +"Dear _me_!" said Helen again, quite awed. "You are brave. Shall I come +with you?" + +"If you like," replied Rosanna. "We will go right after school +tomorrow." + +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 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 _not_ +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. + +The two girls entered the room and waited for him to speak. + +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." + +"Well, you have!" said Mr. Harriman gruffly. "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." + +He held out the money, which Rosanna took gently and laid on the table +beside him. + +"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 _were_ better; Mr. Harriman acknowledged it with +a grunt. + +"Girls are real handy," said Rosanna with her sweet smile. + +"Grrrrrr!" from Mr. Harriman. "Whadded you want to tell me?" but his +voice certainly seemed a shade less gruff. + +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 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. + +"That's all," said Rosanna finally, smiling up into the scowling old +face. + +There was a long silence, + +"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!" + +"Ours isn't," declared Helen, suddenly finding her voice. "Our +entertainment is perfectly splendid!" + +"Perfectly splendid!" mimicked Mr. Harriman. "Sounds just like a woman! +All alike, regardless of age. Grrrrrr!" + +"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." + +"A great many persons are going to pay a quarter," hinted Helen. + +"All right, all right!" said Mr. Harriman. "You are less objectionable +than most children. I will come if I can remember it." + +"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. + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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. + +The girls said, "Good afternoon!" in two small voices and went out as +quickly as they could. + +Helen breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the outer air. + +"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!'" + +Rosanna laughed. + +"He is pretty awful," she granted. "But I mean to make him come. I think +it will do him 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." + +"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 _so_ excited!" + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +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, +_darling_ Uncle Robert!" cried Rosanna, and threw herself into his arms. + +Uncle Robert looked over her head at Miss Hooker and smiled. + +"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." + +"Oh, Helen, Helen, isn't that _splendid_?" cried Rosanna. "Now we won't +have to have a Victrola! It will be like a real theatre." + +"Just exactly," said Helen absently. She could not give very much +thought to the orchestra when the little theatre claimed her attention. + +There was a real stage, and before it a long green tin that the girls +knew concealed the footlights. 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 _must_ have been all right. + +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. + +"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?" + +"What a nice, _nice_ man!" exclaimed Miss Hooker. "I should say it +_doesn't_ hurt! To think of his working nights after painting all day +long. I should admire those trees if they were a bright _purple_!" + +"Of course you would," said Uncle Robert softly. "You are like that." + +Rosanna was hurt. "Why, Uncle Robert! She doesn't mean that she would +just as _soon_ like a purple tree as a green one. She means how nice it +was of the man." + +"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. + +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 _everybody_ to +be happy. + +"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!" + +"Well, it is worth considering," said Uncle Robert. "I wonder now, just +for the sake of argument, that is, if I _should_ do it to accommodate +you, I wonder if Miss Hooker _would_ marry me." + +"Oh, no," said Rosanna. "She wouldn't _think_ of it." + +"Ugh!" said Uncle Robert. It sounded as though someone had knocked all +the air out of him. + +"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." + +"What did she say?" asked Uncle Robert in a sort of strangled voice +which Rosanna, skipping along at his side, failed to notice. + +"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.'" + +"What did she say then?" demanded Mr. Horton. + +"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. + +"You look so queer, Uncle Robert," she said tenderly. "Don't you feel +well?" + +"No, I don't," said Uncle Robert. "I think if you will excuse me I will +take a walk." + +"How _do_ you feel?" persisted Rosanna. + +"I feel--I feel _queer_," said Uncle Robert. "I feel sort of as though I +had been gassed." + +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. + +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, +_Given by the Girl Scouts of Group II_. Whoever saw the program at all +could not fail to see that they were all in it, one as much as another. + +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 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. + +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? + +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. + +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. + +"'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. + +"Yes, sir; this is the night," said Rosanna. + +"What's this?" asked one of the gentlemen, who looked as though he could +not have said _grrrrrr_ or _bah_ to save his life. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"How much will we need?" said the third old gentleman, laughing. + +"Anything from a nickel up," replied Rosanna. + +"Cost you a quarter," said Mr. Harriman. "Cosgrove, here, will have to +pay thirty-five cents. Based on income tax!" + +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 _anyone_ skip. When +she reached the barn 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. + +"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." + +"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. + +"They came, eighty-five cents' worth!" she whispered to Helen. + +"What do you mean?" + +"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." + +"Good!" said Helen. "How do I look? Is the 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 _so_ +excited! And it is all to make Gwenny well." + +"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." + +"It _is_ fair," Helen assured her. "Didn't you write the whole play? Of +course you must see that it is played right." + +When Rosanna appeared she glanced at Mr. Harriman and was surprised to +have him beckon her to him. + +"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. + +She looked at her wrist watch. In five minutes it would begin. And it +did. + +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 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. + +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. + +There was so much applause after this that Rosanna could not help +wondering if it was a good strong barn! + +Then there was a short pause while the orchestra played. + +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 _asked_ to leave more than a nickel. And then +he called their attention to the beautiful 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. +_She_ was sitting on the very front edge of the bench. + +Then Uncle Robert said: + +"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. + +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?" + +"Do 'swell's you do," said Mr. Harriman. + +"Just as much?" questioned the thirty-five cent gentleman. + +"Yes," said Mr. Harriman, snorting. "And fifty over!" + +"I will break even with you both," said the third gentleman, leaning +across. + +Mr. Cosgrove took out a check book and a fountain pen and commenced to +write. Mr. Harriman leaned behind Rosanna and watched. + +"Poh! Hum! Grrrrrr! Piker!" he said, and Mr. Cosgrove, laughing, tore up +his check and wrote 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. + +"S'all right," said Mr. Harriman. "Girl's pretty lame, isn't she, +Rosanna?" + +"Gwenny can't walk at all," replied Rosanna, "and even at night her back +hurts so she can't sleep." + +"Poor little broken pot," said the third gentleman softly. "A pity that +the hand of the Potter slipped." + +"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. + +Rosanna, hoping they would forget business for a while, bent her eyes on +the stage. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +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. + +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. + +Then the most amazing thing of all happened. + +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 _he_ was +escorting the little girl who had written the play, they sat quite still +to see what would happen 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. + +"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 _glared_ 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! + +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 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. + +Then Mr. Harriman turned back. + +"Absolutely confidential, Horton! No newspapers!" he said. + +"Absolutely, sir, and thank you," said Uncle Robert, bowing to the +three. He commenced to suspect something! + +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. + +When some of the girls said they would have to go home with their folks +on account of getting home with escort, Mrs. Hargrave at once added that +she had arranged with Mrs. Horton to send the girls home in their +automobiles. + +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! + +"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 +_do_ 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." + +Robert Horton laughed. + +"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." + +"How much do you suppose is in it?" asked Miss Hooker as she started for +the telephone. "A hundred dollars?" + +"Five hundred at the least," answered Uncle Robert. + +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. + +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 _except nickels_! There was not one +nickel. Dimes, quarters, fifty-cent pieces, and silver dollars, but not +a nickel. + +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. + +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. + +"How much do you think?" he demanded. + +"Don't make us guess, Robert," said his mother. + +"Two thousand, two hundred and thirty-four dollars and twenty-five +cents," he said slowly. + +"Impossible!" exclaimed Mrs. Hargrave sharply. + +Miss Hooker gave a gasp. The girls, perfectly round-eyed, sat silent. + +"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." + +Mrs. Horton sniffed. + +"Dick Harriman never gave twenty-five dollars to anything like this in +his life," she said. + +"Well, here is his check," declared her son. + +"So _that_ is where the fifty came in," said Rosanna, finding her voice. +She repeated the conversation she had heard. Everybody laughed. + +"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." + +"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." + +"And these girls _must_ go to bed," said Mrs. Horton. "Are you going to +stay with Rosanna, Helen?" + +"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. + +"If Miss Hooker feels like the extra walk, we will take you on our way +to her house," said Uncle Robert eagerly. + +"I would love it," said Miss Hooker obligingly. + +Rosanna marvelled. + +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. + +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. + +Rosanna had a long talk with Uncle Bob. She wanted to know what was +going to be done about the money. + +"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." + +"Do you suppose it will take all of it for Gwenny's operation?" asked +Rosanna. + +"No, I do not," Robert replied, "but of course Doctor Branshaw is a very +high priced specialist, and he sets his own fees." + +"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?" + +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." + +"Consult again! Oh, _poor_ Uncle Robert!" said Rosanna compassionately. +"I thought that was all over with." + +"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?" + +"Oh, I perfectly _love_ 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." + +Seeing that Uncle Robert appeared to be listening, Rosanna went on +warming to her subject. + +"At the Rally, I heard one of the ladies say that our Captain was +considered the best one in all the 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!" + +"I don't know but what I do myself," admitted Uncle Robert unexpectedly. + +"Why, Uncle _Robert_!" said Rosanna in a shocked tone. "What a thing for +you to say!" + +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. + +"Wasn't it? A joke, Rosanna; just a merry jest. Thought you would laugh +over it. Ha ha! Ha ha!" + +"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." + +"Don't snoop, Rosanna," said Uncle Robert sharply. + +"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, +because she smiled so sweetly and showed all her dimples, even the one +that almost _never_ comes out." + +"What a little ray of sunshine you are, Rosanna!" said her uncle +strangely. + +"Thank you; a Girl Scout _ought_ to be," replied Rosanna. + +"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." + +"She has been _very_ polite and kind about it all, hasn't she?" asked +Rosanna. + +"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." + +"I wish I could!" said Rosanna, "but grandmother wouldn't want me to +leave school, and besides I couldn't leave the Scouts just now. Where do +you think of going, Uncle Robert?" + +"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." + +"Perfectly splendid!" said Rosanna. "_That_ 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." + +"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." + +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. + +"He is all tired out," thought Rosanna. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +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. + +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 +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +And go he did an hour later. Mrs. Hargrave and Elise came in presently +to take Sunday night luncheon. + +"Where is Robert?" asked Mrs. Hargrave, seeing that no place was set for +him. + +"Gone off for a vacation," said his mother. + +"Dear me, isn't he well?" asked Mrs. Hargrave. + +"Perfectly, but he just took one of his notions and went." + +"Anything--er--happened, do you suppose?" questioned Mrs. Hargrave. +"Anything--er, _you_ know. Misunderstanding?" + +"Possibly," answered Mrs. Horton. "That is what I suspect. But I don't +_know_ anything." + +"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?" + +"No, indeed," said Mrs. Horton. "I don't _know_, you see. I only +suspect." + +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. + +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: + + TENDERFOOT EXAMINATION, + + WRITTEN. + + 1 a Give the Scout promise. + b What does the Scout motto mean? + + 2 Give the Scout laws in order. + + 3 a What is the purpose of the Scout movement? + b What does a Scout's honor mean? + c Give the meaning of one law. + d How and when should the Scout salute be given? + e Explain the Scout badge. + + 4 a Who made the American flag? + b Why was a flag needed? + c In what city was it made? What year? + d Name the committee appointed to design it. + + 5 a Quote General Washington's words about the flag. + b When was the flag officially adopted? + c Describe the first official flag of the stars and stripes. + + 6 a What do the stars represent? The stripes? + b For what do the colors, red, white and blue stand? + c How many stars has the flag now? What day is Flag day? + d When is a new star added and why? + + 7 Give fully the respect due the flag. + + 8 a What should Scouts do when the National Anthem is played? + b What should Civilians do at Retreat? Scouts? + + 9 a What is the United States Government? + b Who is at its head? + c Name the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. + +10 a Write America. + b Write The Star Spangled Banner (omitting 3rd stanza). + +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. + +"I am glad she is to _write_ that examination," sighed Helen the day +before Elise was to go to 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. + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +Elise was thrilled beyond words. + +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. + +"The first whistle means _Attention_," whispered Helen. + +Once again it sounded. + +"That is for Assembly," whispered Rosanna on the other side, as all the +girls rose. + +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. + +The eight girls who formed a patrol took their places in groups as +signified by the crosses. + + Patrol Patrol Patrol + XXXX XXXX XXXX + XXXX XXXX XXXX + Captain X X Lieutenant + +Elise found out afterward that number one in the front rank of each +patrol is the Patrol leader, and number four the Corporal. + +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. + +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 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!" + +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." + +Inspection then followed. Each girl, saluting, stepped forward and her +hair, teeth, hands, nails, shoes and general appearance was scrutinized. + +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: + +"The Flag of your Country; pledge allegiance!" + +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." + +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 _loved_ it! + +The color guard returned, and the fresh young voices rose in the first +verse of America. + +"Scouts, your promise!" said the Captain. + + "To do my duty to God and to my country. + To help other people at all times. + To obey the laws of the Scouts." + +the voices rang out. + +"The laws!" said the Captain. + +Again the chorus of girls repeated: + + A Girl Scout's honor is to be trusted. + A Girl Scout is loyal. + A Girl Scout's duty is to be useful, and help others. + A Girl Scout is a friend to all, and a sister to every other Girl Scout. + A Girl Scout is courteous. + A Girl Scout keeps herself pure. + A Girl Scout is a friend to animals. + A Girl Scout obeys orders. + A Girl Scout is cheerful. + A Girl Scout is thrifty. + +"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 the Lieutenant's whistle called them to attention again. + +"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. + +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. + +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 +chateau, where long painted 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. + +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-- + +Elise turned her eyes, brimming with sudden tears, to the flag. + +"Never, _never_ will I zem disappoint!" she whispered tenderly, using as +best she could the unfamiliar words of her adopted tongue. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +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. + +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. + +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! + +"Salute!" said the Captain. + +All saluted Elise, who stood waiting for some order, she did not know +what. + +"Forward!" said the Captain to Helen, and the two girls stepped to the +center. + +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: + +"Do you know what your _honor_ means?" + +"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." + +"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?" + +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." + +"I trust you on your honor to keep this promise," answered the Captain. + +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. + +"Invest!" came the Captain's next order. + +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. + +Then, at a whispered word, she marched up the line to the Captain who +pinned on her trefoil badge 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. + +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. + +Then with the ceremony of marching back to their proper patrols the +ceremony was over, and in a moment the formal meeting was dismissed. + +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. + +"Sing _The Long, Long Line_," suggested the Captain, and the girls sang: + + THE LONG, LONG LINE + + (Tune: The Long, Long Trail) + + Recruiting song. + + Do you feel a little lonely? + Are your friends too few? + Would you like to join some jolly girls + In the things you think and do? + Don't you know your Country's waiting? + Have you heard her call? + See, the Scouts are crowding, crowding in, + Where there's room for one and all! + + Chorus + + There's a long, long line a-growing, + From north to south, east to west, + There's a place awaiting in it, too, that you'll fill best. + We are sure you'd like to join us + If you knew what we can do + And we'd like, O how we'd like to make a good Girl Scout of you. + +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. + +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. + +For a long while, the girls sat and told Elise 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. + +"Which shall it be, Elise?" asked Helen. "You choose one of the songs." + +"I see one follows the air of the _Old Colored Joe_," said Elise. "I do +know that loving song. Please to sing that; and if I may, I will try to +sing it also." + +"Of course we will sing that, you dear," laughed the tall young +Lieutenant, and together they sang: + + WE'RE COMING + + (Tune: Old Black Joe) + + Camping Song. + + I + + Come where the lake lies gleaming in the sun; + Come where the days are filled with work and fun. + Come where the moon hangs out her evening lamp; + The Scouts are trooping, trooping, trooping back to camp. + + Chorus + + We're coming! We're coming! To the lakes, the hills, the sea! + Old Mother Nature calls her children--you and me. + + II + + Come where we learn the wisdom of the wood; + Come where we prove that simple things are good, + Come where we pledge allegiance to our land; + America, you've called your daughters--here we stand. + + Chorus + + We're coming! We're coming! 'Til we spread from sea to sea, + Our country needs us--wants us--calls us--you and me! + +"That is so _most_ 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. + +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. + +To do good to someone every day; that was part of her pledge. Such an +easy part! But it was hard _not_ to be good when everyone was so good to +her. Then suddenly she thought of the sulky face of the girl at the +meeting. + +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 _could_ she do for that girl? And besides, +why did she _need_ 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. + +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 a jerk, and the girl +Elise had been worrying about dashed down the steps and into her +limousine. Her face was disfigured with tears. + +"Dear me!" said Rosanna. "What do you suppose has happened to Lucy +Breen? She has been crying." + +"Assuredly. The _petite pauvre_ one!" answered Elise sadly. + +Rosanna with her usual directness asked Miss Hooker the moment they +entered what was the matter with Lucy. + +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." + +"Please _don't_ tell me, Miss Hooker," Rosanna begged with a deep flush. +"I thought perhaps someone had died or something like that." + +"No, but for a week Lucy must be a dead Scout herself." + +"How _awful_!" cried both girls, and then were silent. + +"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. + +A day or two later, going with Mrs. Hargrave to the Red Cross rooms down +town, Elise thought she saw Lucy Breen shrink out of sight behind some +portieres at the back of the store that the Red Cross used as a sales +room. + +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 +portieres. 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. + +"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?" + +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. + +Lucy was smiling a set and bitter smile. + +"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." + +Elise came close and laid a hand on Lucy's shoulder, but the girl shook +it off. + +"_Don't!_" she said pettishly. + +"I knew that you had resigned your badge for the so small time of a +week," said Elise gently, "but one week soon passes." + +"Do you know _why_ I lost it?" asked Lucy harshly. + +"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?" + +To her surprise and dismay, Lucy turned and, hiding her face in her +arms, leaned against the cracked old wall and sobbed. + +"Oh, I _am_ unhappy!" she cried. "I am unhappy, and I don't know what to +do! Sometimes I think I will run away!" + +"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!" + +Lucy laughed her bitter little laugh. + +"I think I will tell you what has happened," she said, "and then you can +see just how I feel." + +"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." + +"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." + +"Was it not good advice?" asked Elise, who thought every word that Miss +Hooker uttered was a pearl of wisdom. + +"I suppose so," said Lucy with a sneer, "but she does not understand. +Oh, Elise, I shall _die_, I am so unhappy." + +"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." + +"I want to talk to you," said Lucy. + +"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." + +She pulled Lucy down on a pile of velvet curtains and patting her hot +little hand, said softly, "I wait." + + + + +CHAPTER X + + +"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. + +"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. + +"'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 _know_ what made him +look so glad. So I just sat there and said nothing. + +"'Don't you want to know what it is?' he said, and I said, 'I don't know +whether I do or not.' + +"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.' + +"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?' + +"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_ have been the fortune hunter.' + +"'Well, what _is_ she going to marry you for?' I asked. 'She says she +loves me,' papa said. I 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 _hated_ +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. + +"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.' + +"'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 +_did_ go, Elise, the very day before papa brought the lady home. And I +_couldn't_ 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!" + +"Poor, poor Lucee!" murmured Elise, patting the hand she held. + +"I was expecting to see a lady 'most as old as Auntie, and papa came up +the steps with somebody _young_. Why, she was _awfully_ young, and had +as 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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"At first they used to make me stay down with them at night after +dinner, but by and by I was 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. + +"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!' + +"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." + +"But _was_ he?" asked Elise wonderingly. + +"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 horrid boy went home I let myself be as mean as I could." + +Elise nodded. "I saw it in your face," she said. + +"And the more I thought of it, the more I was able to _act_ ugly. It is +so funny, Elise, the way she makes everybody like her. Papa just gets +worse all the time, and the servants _adore_ her, and she is so popular +with all the people who come to the house. She makes them all like +her--all but me." + +"We will talk about that later," said Elise. + +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?' + +"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 +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 _done_? Your own mother, if she can +see this house and its unhappy inmates, knows that I have tried to make +friends with you.' + +"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." + +"Oh, oh, oh!" cried Elise, covering her eyes. "The poor, poor lady!" + +Lucy went doggedly on. + +"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 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." + +"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." + +"Sorry for _her_!" cried Lucy. "There is no need to be sorry for _her_! +I am the one to be sorry for. _She_ has everything." + +"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 +_pere_, she have something promised that she never gets and so she is +full of mournsomeness." + +"She has everything papa can get for her," said Lucy bitterly. "I wish +you could see the pearls he gave her the other day." + +"Pearls!" said Elise scornfully. "What are pearls? He promised her +something only _you_ could give her, and now she has it not, and she is +sad, and you are sad; everybody sad. What do you call her?" + +"I don't call her anything," said Lucy stubbornly. "I wait until she +looks at me and then I say what I want to say." + +"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. + +"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 _such_ 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. + +"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. + +"Oh, Lucee, dear, _dear_ Lucee, there is one thing you must give to her, +right now today quick." + +"What is that?" said Lucy, startled by Elise's vehemence. + +"_LOVE!_" 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?" + +"Yes," said Lucy. + +"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 _must_! You are a Scout, and so you do always the right thing. +Where is she now?" + +"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 _can't_ go back to the +beginning again and start over." + +"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. +_Anywhere_ 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 you, please? I know I am right. Will you try to give her love?" + +Lucy, the tears pouring down her cheeks, leaned her head against the +shoulder near her. + +"I don't see how I _can_," she said huskily. "But I will try. I am so +sick of everything the way it is." + +"Of course you are!" said Elise. "One is always seek of wrong. It makes +a blackness over everything." + +"What will I do? How will I begin?" + +"I cannot tell you," said Elise. "You will know what to do. Something +will tell you. Something always tells. I think it is _le bon Dieu_. 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?" + +"Yes," said Lucy dully as she allowed Elise to lead her through the +store. "Oh, Elise, I _don't_ love her, and I don't know what to do!" + +"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. + +"Don't forget it is _now_ 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. + +Lucy's heart throbbed violently as she 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 +_her_ fault? Had _her_ actions brought her self-made enemy so low? Lucy +was shocked. + +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. + +Her voice sounded so husky and shaken that she did not know it for hers. + +"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!" + +And then, clasping her book with both hands, she fled. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +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. + +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. + +"Now what is all this?" he demanded. + +"I told you over the telephone what happened in the library," Mrs. Breen +said. "My dear, I am _so_ happy and so proud of Lucy! But there will be +the most distressing awkwardness for a little, unless something out of +the ordinary happens 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." + +"That will be a hard job," said her husband, smiling. + +"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 _surprise_ me, I +would be perfectly satisfied with Lucy's taste." + +So when Lucy came in that night, dreading the next step toward the +right, she found only her father reading under the library light. + +"Hello, Donna Lucia," he said, looking up. "Did you know that we are +orphans?" + +"No," said Lucy. "What has happened?" + +"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." + +Lucy heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, she would have a little +time to herself anyway. + +A couple of days later Mr. Breen approached the subject of the new +wall-paper. He merely _approached_ 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. + +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 +_least_ thing about the silly strips of paper they showed in the stores, +and Lucy could go ahead and get whatever she wanted. + +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. + +"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!" + +"All our furniture has gone too, I should say," said Mr. Breen. + +"Just the best of the wicker," answered Lucy. "I thought and thought all +last night, and I have decided just what would be the _loveliest_ thing +in the world for her, with her violet blue eyes and 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. + +"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 _don't_ let her come home." + +"Very well," said Mr. Breen with a twinkle in his eye, but outwardly +very meek. "Just as you say. Send the bills to me." + +"Oh, I was going to," said Lucy with the happiest laugh he had heard +from her for months. + +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. + +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 Elise, a +pleasant friendly letter, ending, "With love, Lucy." + +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. + +"Some day," said Lucy to herself, "if this turns out all right, I will +tell him that he was _perfectly right_." + +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. + +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. + +With all the planning and plotting, and various jaunts to the shops +together, and to some movies 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. + +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. + +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 _long_ two weeks it has been, Lucy! _Do_ say you +have missed me!" Lucy felt that all was indeed well with her world. + +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. + +So Happiness and Love and Understanding came into the Breen home. Lucy +wore her trefoil with 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. + +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 _not_ 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 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. + +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." + +Miss Hooker would answer, "_Possibly_ not," in a manner that insinuated +that perhaps he wasn't, and perhaps he _was_, but Rosanna let it go. + +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? + +"I should say it was!" said Rosanna. "Why, then you won't see Uncle +Robert either!" + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"What shall I start with?" asked Rosanna, listening to the soft +breathing of the little collie. + +"Oh, it doesn't matter," said Uncle Robert. "Begin with Miss--er +Gwenny." + +"Why, you needn't call her _Miss_," said Rosanna. "You never used to! I +thought first you were going to say begin with Miss Hooker." + +"Ridiculous!" laughed Uncle Robert, cocking his eye up at the ceiling. +"Begin with Gwenny, of course." + +"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." + +"Well, that is perfectly splendid!" said Uncle Robert. "Did she tell you +how Gwenny stood it?" + +"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." + +"He assays pretty well toward solid gold," said Uncle Robert. + +"Mrs. Harter says they don't know when they will be able to get home, +but already Gwenny sleeps better and is beginning to want to eat. She +never did, you know." + +"That is certainly fine news," said Uncle Robert. "Anything else +happened while I was away?" + +"You know that Lucy Breen?" asked Rosanna. + +Uncle Robert shook his head. + +"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 _her_, Uncle Robert!" + +"Thank you, Rosanna, but Mr. Breen looks husky and he might object." + +"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." + +"Oh, you told her, did you?" said Uncle Robert. + +"It was so funny I had to." + +"What did she say?" asked Uncle Robert, sitting up suddenly. + +"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." + +"I'll bet you did!" said Uncle Robert. + +"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 anxious to see you than she supposed you were to +see her." + +Uncle Robert laughed a short, queer laugh. + +"Well, Rosanna, just you watch what happens now! I will just pay her up +for that." + +"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." + +"I will show her how funny I can be," said Uncle Robert. "Where has she +gone?" + +"To Atlantic City," said Rosanna. + +"I may see her there," said Uncle Robert. "The doctor says the sea air +would be great for me." + +"What ails you?" said Rosanna anxiously. "You look perfectly well." + +"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 _empty_, and then it has spells when I get to thinking +hard and beats as fast as it can. It is awful, Rosanna." + +"I should say it was!" said Rosanna, "Oh, Uncle Robert, _do_ try to get +it well! If anything should happen to you, I would think it was that +benefit. You had to work so hard." + +"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." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + + +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: + +"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." + +"I promise, Uncle Robert; and I always keep my promises," said Rosanna. + +"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. + +The Girl Scouts were very busy now getting ready for Christmas. There +was a cast-iron rule in that particular troop that all Christmas +presents should be finished and wrapped up three weeks before Christmas. + +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. + +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. + +But news came from Gwenny. She was so much 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. + +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. + +"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. + +"After I had seen Gwenny I went down and paid 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. + +"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.' + +"'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: + +"'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.'" + +A great "O-o-o-o-h!" went up from the girls. + +Uncle Robert went on. + +"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. + +"'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?' + +"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." + +A shriek of delight went up, and everyone commenced to talk at once. + +"Order, order!" cried Mr. Horton. He could scarcely make himself heard. + +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. + +"Now, girls, how are you going to thank the Doctor?" he asked. + +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. + +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: + +"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?" + +"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 +_deservingest_ 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." + +"That's right, Minnie. Suppose we go over now," said Mr. Horton. + +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." + +"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." + +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 portieres, 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. + +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. + +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 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." + +"I think he does too," said Rosanna, but remembering her promise would +say no more. + +"In love," said Minnie, wisely nodding her head. + +"Of course _not_," said Rosanna. "He doesn't like girls." + +"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!" + +"I _do_ tell you," said Rosanna. "He doesn't even like her, sweet as she +is." + +"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. + +"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? +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." + +"I wish it was," sighed Rosanna. "I _do_ wish it was, but he truly does +not like her. I don't know why." + +"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 _sweetest_ 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 _are_, Rosanna, as you may well believe)." + +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 _should_ grab him +anyhow? Rosanna felt that life was full of perils. + +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. 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. + +"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. + +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. + +"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." + +"Oh, but I am so thankful that my heart feels as though it would break!" +said Mrs. Harter. + +Mr. Horton laughed. "It won't break," he said. "Minnie, shall I take you +home?" + +"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." + +"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. + +"There goes one good man," said Minnie solemnly. "Come, dear, and take +off your hat in your own house, and see the ducky closet under the +stairs to keep it in." + +And so it was that Gwenny came home. + +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. + +"Be careful of your heart, Uncle Robert," she whispered, looking around +to see that her grandmother was not within hearing. "Were they pleased?" + +"_Were_ they?" said Uncle Robert. "I should say they _were_! 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. + +"How good and kind you are, dear Uncle Robert!" said Rosanna tenderly. + +"Yes, _ain't I_?" said Uncle Robert, deliberately ungrammatical. "Oh, +yes, I _be_!" 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?" + +"I don't know," said Rosanna. + +"Well, if you will believe me, there was that bad 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 _get +even_ 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. + +"What did you do to her?" asked Rosanna in a small, fearful voice. + +Uncle Robert looked very sternly at Rosanna. + +"What did I do?" he asked. "What did I _do_? Well, I made her promise to +marry me; _that's_ what I did! Pretty smart uncle, hey, Rosanna?" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +Rosanna sank feebly down on the hall bench, and to her own surprise and +Uncle Robert's dismay burst into tears. + +"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!" + +"Oh, don't mind me," said Rosanna, choking back her sobs. "I am +perfectly happy, only everything turns out so differently from +everything else!" + +"I suppose you are right," granted Uncle Robert. "You must be if you +know what you mean." + +"I am not sure _what_ I mean," said Rosanna, "but I am so glad, glad, +_glad_ that you are going to marry that dear darling Miss Hooker instead +of that high nosed madam!" + +"What are you talking about?" demanded Robert. "High nosed? Who is she?" + +"I think it is someone Minnie made up," said Rosanna. "She said what a +shame if she married you." + +"Well, she didn't and won't," declared Uncle Robert with conviction. +"And as far as _nose_ goes, my girl has only enough nose so that one +knows it _is_ a nose. Get that, Rosanna?" + +Rosanna giggled. "Have you told grandmother?" she asked. + +Uncle Robert looked suddenly sobered. + +"No, I didn't, and I should have done so first and I meant to, and it is +all your fault, Rosanna." + +"How so?" asked Rosanna in surprise. + +"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: + + "There, little girlie, don't you cry, + We'll have a wedding by and by," + +and ran up the stairs, three at a time, whistling as he went in search +of his mother. + +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 she found all her Girl Scouts ready to +congratulate her. + +"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. + +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: + +"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?" + +"Yes, indeed I will," Miss Hooker promised. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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?" + +"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 suggest, for he is very devoted to his mother +and to Rosanna as well." + +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!" + +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. + +"Well, for goodness' sake," her uncle cried, "I never _did_ 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 _founting_; yes, ma'am, a regular _founting_!" + +"Oh, I am so sorry--no, I mean I am so _glad_," said Rosanna. + +"You mean you are all tired out, and ought to go to bed," said her +grandmother. + +"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." + +Rosanna, nearly as tall as the little lady, laughed through her tears. +She went over and kissed her uncle good-night. + +"I am sorry I was so silly," she whispered. "I was _so_ lonely when I +thought you were going away that somehow when I found you were not, why, +I just couldn't help myself." + +"I know how you felt. It is all right, sweetness," Uncle Robert +whispered back. Rosanna's clasp tightened round his neck. + +"Uncle Robert, shall I--do you suppose--will I be your sweetness just +the same even after you are married?" + +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." + +"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. + +"Don't you love this room, Captain?" asked Rosanna, as she switched on +the soft flood of light. + +"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, but stay right in +the open. Won't that be splendid?" + +"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!" + +"I don't wish you were eighteen," said Miss Hooker. "I like you just as +you are." + +"Oh, Miss Hooker, you are _so_ sweet!" said Rosanna. + +Miss Hooker dimpled. "One thing we had better settle right now," she +said. "What are you going to call me?" + +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." + +Miss Hooker watched her with a smile. + +"What are you going to do about it then? I want you to call me just what +you like. You are to choose." + +"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 _Cita_. It means _dear_." + +"_Cita_," 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." + +"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. + +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. + +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." + +"Very well," said Cita. "See that you play fair." + +"I name and nominate Miss Rosanna Horton, and as her aids and assistants +I name and nominate Miss Helen Culver and Miss Elise Hargrave." + +"That is not playing fair at all!" cried Cita. "You know perfectly well +that they want us to be married soon." + +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." + +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. Putting the question before them in the most serious +manner, he told them that they were to decide. + +"I should think I ought to decide my _own_ wedding day!" cried Cita. + +"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." + +"I don't _want_ to be married before Christmas," wailed Cita, looking +appealingly at the girls. + +Rosanna nodded her head understandingly, and the three girls left the +room. + +"When will we set it?" asked Helen. "Do they really mean that we are to +do so?" + +"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, girls, it is going to be _too_ 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." + +"Are you almost ready to report?" demanded Uncle Robert at the door. + +"All ready!" said Helen as the committee went skipping in. + +"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." + +"The fifteenth of February," said Rosanna firmly. + +A look of relief spread over Cita's face. + +"Wha-a-a-t?" said Uncle Robert. "Impossible! Why, _I_ named this +committee and by all the rules of politics you should have brought in +the report I want." + +"But it wouldn't have been fair," said Rosanna. + +"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. + +"Where are you going?" asked Rosanna. + +"Where?" said Uncle Robert, with a twinkle in his eye. "_You_ ask me +where? Well, I am going to drag myself downtown to get that Christmas +present." + +"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." + +"Don't say that, Cita," said Rosanna. "We have all been working so hard +for Christmas that I think we have no energy left." + +"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." + +"Then let us go to work merrilee," said Elise, picking up a stocking, +and letting a gumdrop slide down into the toe. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + +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. + +"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." + +"I thought of something, Captain," said Lucy Breen, "but perhaps it +wouldn't do." + +"Let us hear it," said the Captain. + +"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." + +"I think that is simply a splendid idea," cried the Captain. "Don't you +think so, girls?" + +Of course everyone did, and it was settled that Rosanna should go and +buy the paper for the letters 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. + +"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." + +"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 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." + +"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 _shorter_ 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." + +"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." + +"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." + +All the girls clapped. + +"_Bon bon_, dear Lucee!" whispered Elise. + +Lucy smiled back at the dear girl who had befriended her at a moment +when she needed a friend so badly. + +"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." + +"What if we earn more?" asked Lucy Breen. + +"I am sure you will be glad to have a little spending money when you get +to Washington," said Miss Hooker. + +"Some of us will earn more and some less," said 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." + +"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." + +Again everybody clapped, and with a little more discussion the subject +was left settled. + +One of the Webster girls raised a hand. + +"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." + +"Marian, I get awfully cross with you sometimes," laughed Miss Hooker. +"What are those two merit badges on your sleeve?" + +"Oh, _those_!" 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." + +"What can you make best?" asked Miss Hooker. + +Another girl spoke up. "She makes the loveliest jellies you ever tasted +and they always stand right up, never slump over at all." + +"And you, Evelyn Webster, what is that on your sleeve?" + +"The palette," said Evelyn. + +"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: + +"Employment. + +"'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.' + +"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 +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. + +"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." + +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. + +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 +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. + +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. + +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: + +"I wonder how many of you know that I am to be married?" + +Every hand rose and a voice said, "But we don't know when." + +"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?" + +There was a series of exclamations of "Oh, Miss Hooker!" and "Indeed we +will!" + +"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. Of course +you are to arrange to attend the reception afterwards, and we will have +automobiles to take you all home." + +"Oh, thank you, thank you!" chorused the girls. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + + +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. + +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. + +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 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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _walking_! + +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, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. 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. + +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. + +"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." + +The girls stepped up one by one to be presented to the great man. + +"I didn't see any other way of meeting you all," he said. "My time is +always so broken, and they 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." + +"It was poor thanks for what you did for Gwenny," said Miss Jamieson, +finding that someone had to answer. + +"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?" + +"Rosanna Horton's," said half a dozen voices. + +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." + +"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 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." + +"Oh, we will!" chorused the girls, greatly pleased. + +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. + +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 +_sorts_ of things, was enough to make any Scout hungry, and they just +feasted and feasted. + +Although the doctor refused to talk to the wise men, he did talk to the +girls, getting on the subject dearest to him, as all professional men +will, and telling them many an amusing story and pathetic incident. + +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." + +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. + +Rosanna went to the hall and looked out. + +"Hurry, hurry!" she called. "Here she comes! We nearly missed her!" + +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. + +"What did she do that for?" asked one of the Websters. + +"The one who catches the bride's bouquet," said Miss Jamieson, "will be +the next one married." + +"Quick!" cried Elise. "Let us all form the guard-line for her. Never +mind those staves!" + +Slipping through the throng and out the door, the 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. + +"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. + + * * * * * + +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 wisdom had not asked them to go +right to bed. She too was awake, dreaming long dreams. + +Presently Elise spoke. "So much of happiness makes me sad," she said. + +"Well, it is all over," sighed Rosanna. + +"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." + +"You sound like a little sermon, Elise dear," said Helen, smiling. + +"I don't know just yet what it is you call sermon, but I hope it is +nice," replied Elise. + +"Yours is, anyway," said Rosanna, kissing the fair face beside her. + +"All I meant was that this is over, the wedding and all that. Oh, of +course I didn't mean that _everything_ 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. + +THE END + + + + + +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.txt or 38152.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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