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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:10:36 -0700 |
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margin-top:3em; margin-bottom:1em; } +.toc dt { text-align:right; clear:left; +margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width:20em; } +.toc dt.smaller { max-width:25em; } +.toc dd { text-align:right; clear:both; margin-left:2em; } +.toc dd.t { text-align:right; clear:both; margin-left:4em; text-indent:0em; } +.toc dt a, .toc dd a { text-align:left; clear:right; float:left; } +.toc dt.sc { text-align:right; clear:both; } +.toc dt.scl { text-align:left; clear:both; font-variant:small-caps; } +.toc dt.sct { text-align:right; clear:both; font-variant:small-caps; margin-left:1em; } +.toc dt.jl { text-align:left; clear:both; font-variant:normal; } +.toc dt.scc { text-align:center; clear:both; font-variant:small-caps; } +.toc dt span.lj { text-align:left; display:block; float:left; } +.toc dt a { font-variant:small-caps; } +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dorothy Dale in the City, by Margaret Penrose + +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: Dorothy Dale in the City + +Author: Margaret Penrose + +Release Date: January 12, 2012 [EBook #38555] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOROTHY DALE IN THE CITY *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div id="cover" class="img"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Dorothy Dale in the City" width="500" height="740" /> +</div> +<div class="box"> +<div class="subbox"> +<h1>DOROTHY DALE IN +<br />THE CITY</h1> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">BY</span> +<br />MARGARET PENROSE</p> +<p class="center"><span class="small">AUTHOR OF “DOROTHY DALE: A GIRL OF TO-DAY,” “DOROTHY DALE AND +HER CHUMS,” “DOROTHY DALE’S CAMPING DAYS,” “THE MOTOR GIRLS,” +“THE MOTOR GIRLS THROUGH NEW ENGLAND,” ETC.</span></p> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">ILLUSTRATED</span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="small">NEW YORK</span> +<br />CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY</p> +</div></div> +<div class="box"> +<div class="subbox"> +<h3>BOOKS BY MARGARET PENROSE</h3> +<p class="center"><b>THE DOROTHY DALE SERIES</b></p> +<p class="center"><span class="small">12mo. Illustrated. Price, per volume, 60 Cents, postpaid</span></p> +<p class="center">DOROTHY DALE: A GIRL OF TO-DAY +<br />DOROTHY DALE AT GLENWOOD SCHOOL +<br />DOROTHY DALE’S GREAT SECRET +<br />DOROTHY DALE AND HER CHUMS +<br />DOROTHY DALE’S QUEER HOLIDAYS +<br />DOROTHY DALE’S CAMPING DAYS +<br />DOROTHY DALE’S SCHOOL RIVALS +<br />DOROTHY DALE IN THE CITY</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>THE MOTOR GIRLS SERIES</b></p> +<p class="center"><span class="small">12mo. Illustrated. Price, per volume, 60 Cents, postpaid</span></p> +<p class="center">THE MOTOR GIRLS +<br />THE MOTOR GIRLS ON A TOUR +<br />THE MOTOR GIRLS AT LOOKOUT BEACH +<br />THE MOTOR GIRLS THROUGH NEW ENGLAND +<br />THE MOTOR GIRLS ON CEDAR LAKE +<br />THE MOTOR GIRLS ON THE COAST</p> +<p class="center"><i>Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York</i></p> +</div></div> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">Copyright, 1913, by +<br />CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY</span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="smaller">DOROTHY DALE IN THE CITY</span></p> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<dl class="toc"> +<dt><span class="lj"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER</span></span> <span class="smaller">PAGE</span></dt> +<dt><a href="#c1">I. <span class="sc">Almost Christmas</span></a> 1</dt> +<dt><a href="#c2">II. <span class="sc">Going Home</span></a> 10</dt> +<dt><a href="#c3">III. <span class="sc">“Get a Horse!”</span></a> 24</dt> +<dt><a href="#c4">IV. <span class="sc">A Real Beauty Bath</span></a> 35</dt> +<dt><a href="#c5">V. <span class="sc">Dorothy’s Protege</span></a> 41</dt> +<dt><a href="#c6">VI. <span class="sc">The Night Before Christmas</span></a> 52</dt> +<dt><a href="#c7">VII. <span class="sc">Real Ghosts</span></a> 61</dt> +<dt><a href="#c8">VIII. <span class="sc">The Aftermath</span></a> 68</dt> +<dt><a href="#c9">IX. <span class="sc">Just Dales</span></a> 76</dt> +<dt><a href="#c10">X. <span class="sc">Sixty Miles an Hour</span></a> 85</dt> +<dt><a href="#c11">XI. <span class="sc">A Hold-On in New York</span></a> 100</dt> +<dt><a href="#c12">XII. <span class="sc">Human Freight on the Dummy</span></a> 108</dt> +<dt><a href="#c13">XIII. <span class="sc">The Shopping Tour</span></a> 118</dt> +<dt><a href="#c14">XIV. <span class="sc">The Dress Parade</span></a> 132</dt> +<dt><a href="#c15">XV. <span class="sc">Tea in a Stable</span></a> 138</dt> +<dt><a href="#c16">XVI. <span class="sc">A Startling Discovery</span></a> 149</dt> +<dt><a href="#c17">XVII. <span class="sc">Tavia’s Resolve</span></a> 162</dt> +<dt><a href="#c18">XVIII. <span class="sc">Dangerous Ground</span></a> 170</dt> +<dt><a href="#c19">XIX. <span class="sc">Thick Ice and Thin</span></a> 179</dt> +<dt><a href="#c20">XX. <span class="sc">A Thickened Plot</span></a> 187</dt> +<dt><a href="#c21">XXI. <span class="sc">Fright and Courage</span></a> 192</dt> +<dt><a href="#c22">XXII. <span class="sc">Captured By Two Girls</span></a> 204</dt> +<dt><a href="#c23">XXIII. <span class="sc">Pathos and Poverty</span></a> 213</dt> +<dt><a href="#c24">XXIV. <span class="sc">A Young Reformer</span></a> 222</dt> +<dt><a href="#c25">XXV. <span class="sc">The Loving Cup</span></a> 233</dt> +<dt><a href="#c26">XXVI. <span class="sc">A New Collector</span></a> 242</dt> +</dl> +<div class="pb" id="Page_1">[1]</div> +<h2>DOROTHY DALE IN THE CITY</h2> +<h2 id="c1">CHAPTER I +<br /><span class="small">ALMOST CHRISTMAS</span></h2> +<p>Neither books, papers nor pencils were to be +seen in the confused mass of articles, piled high, +if not dry, in the rooms of the pupils of Glenwood +Hall, who were now packing up to leave the boarding +school for the Christmas holidays.</p> +<p>“Going home is so very different from leaving +home,” remarked Dorothy Dale, as she plunged a +knot of unfolded ribbons into the tray of her +trunk. “I’m always ashamed to face my things +when I unpack.”</p> +<p>“Don’t,” advised Tavia. “I never look at +mine until they have been scattered on the floor +for a few days. Then they all look like a fire +sale,” and she wound her tennis shoes inside a perfectly +helpless lingerie waist.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_2">[2]</div> +<p>“I don’t see why we bring parasols in September +to take them back in Christmas snows,” went +on Dorothy. “I have a mind to give this to +Betty,” and she raised the flowery canopy over her +head.</p> +<p>“Oh, don’t!” begged Tavia. “Listen! That’s +bad luck!”</p> +<p>“Which?” asked Dorothy, “the parasol or +Betty?”</p> +<p>“Neither,” replied Tavia. “But the fact that +I hear Ned’s voice. Also the clatter of Cologne’s +heavy feet. That means the plunge—our very +last racket.”</p> +<p>“I hope you take the racket out of this room,” +said Dorothy, “for I have some Christmas cards +to get off.”</p> +<p>“Let us in!” called a voice on the outer side +of the door. “We’ve got good news.”</p> +<p>“Only news?” asked Tavia. “We have lots +of that ourselves. Make it something more substantial.”</p> +<p>“Hurry!” begged the voice of Edna Black, +otherwise known as Ned Ebony. “We’ll be +caught!”</p> +<p>Tavia brought herself to her feet from the Turkish +mat as if she were on springs. Then she +opened the door cautiously.</p> +<p>“What is it?” she demanded. “Is it alive?”</p> +<p>“It was once,” replied Edna, “but it isn’t now.”</p> +<p>The giggling at the door was punctuated with a +struggle.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_3">[3]</div> +<p>“Oh, let us in!” insisted Cologne, and pushed +past Tavia.</p> +<p>“Mercy!” exclaimed Dorothy. “Whatever is +this?”</p> +<p>The two newcomers were now in a heap on the +floor, or rather were in a heap on a feather bed +they had dragged into the room with them. Quick +to scent fun, Tavia turned the key in the door.</p> +<p>“The old darling!” she murmured. “Where +did the naughty girls get you?” and she attempted +to caress the feather tick in which Edna and Cologne +nestled.</p> +<p>“That’s Miss Mingle’s feather bed!” declared +Dorothy. “Wherever did you get it?”</p> +<p>“Mingling with other things getting packed!” +replied Edna, “and I haven’t seen a little bundle +of the really fluffy-duffy kind since they sent me to +grandma’s when I had the measles. Isn’t it +lovely?”</p> +<p>“No wonder she sleeps well,” remarked Tavia, +trying to push Cologne off the heap. “I could +take an eternal rest on this.”</p> +<p>“But why was it out in the hall?” questioned +Dorothy. “I know Miss Mingle has a weak hip +and has to sleep on a soft bed, always.”</p> +<p>“Her room was being made over, and she wanted +to see it all alone before she left. She is going +to-morrow,” said Edna.</p> +<p>“And to-night?” asked Dorothy.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_4">[4]</div> +<p>“She must have a change,” declared Edna, innocently, +“and we thought an ordinary mattress +would be—more sanitary.”</p> +<p>“You cannot hide her bed in here,” objected +Dorothy. “You must take it back.”</p> +<p>“Take back the bed that thou gavest!” sang +Tavia, gaily. “How could I part with thee so +soon!”</p> +<p>“We did not intend to hide it here, Doro,” said +Cologne. “We had no idea of incriminating you. +There is a closet in the hall. But just now there +are also tittle-tattles in the hall. We are only +biding a-wee.”</p> +<p>“Oh, it’s leaking!” exclaimed Edna, as she +blew a bunch of feathery down at Dorothy. +“What shall we do?”</p> +<p>“Get it back as soon as you can,” advised Dorothy. +“Let me peek out!”</p> +<p>Silence fell as Dorothy cautiously put her head +out of the door. “No one in sight,” she whispered. +“Now is your time.”</p> +<p>Quietly the girls gathered themselves up. Tavia +took the end of the bed where the “leak” was. +Out in the hall they paused.</p> +<div class="verse"> +<p class="t0">“The old feather be—ed!</p> +<p class="t0">The de—ar feather be—ed!</p> +<p class="t0">The rust-covered be—ed that hung in the hall!”</p> +</div> +<div class="pb" id="Page_5">[5]</div> +<p>It was Tavia who sang. Then with one jerk +she pushed the bed over the banister!</p> +<p>“Oh!” gasped Edna and Cologne, simultaneously.</p> +<p>“Mercy!” came a cry from below. “Whatever +is——”</p> +<p>They heard no more. Inside the room again +the girls scampered.</p> +<p>“Right on the very head of Miss Mingle!” +whispered Edna, horror-stricken. “Now we are +in for it!”</p> +<p>“But she needed it,” said Tavia, in her absurd +way of turning a joke into kindness. “I was afraid +she wouldn’t find it.”</p> +<p>“Better be afraid she does not find you,” said +Dorothy. “Miss Mingle is a dear, but she won’t +like leaky feather beds dropped on her.”</p> +<p>“Well, I suppose we will all have to stand for +it,” sighed Edna, “though land knows we never +intended to decapitate the little music teacher. +And she has a weak spine! Tavia Travers, how +could you?”</p> +<p>“You saw how simple it was,” replied Tavia, +purposely misunderstanding the other. “But do +you suppose we have killed her? I don’t hear a +sound!”</p> +<p>“Sounds are always smothered in feathers,” +said Cologne. “Dorothy, can’t you get the story +ready? How did the accident happen?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_6">[6]</div> +<p>“Too busy,” answered Dorothy. “Besides, I +warned you.”</p> +<p>“Now, Doro! And this the last day!”</p> +<p>“Oh, please!” chimed in the others.</p> +<p>“I absolutely refuse to fix it up,” declared Dorothy. +“I begged you to relent, and now——”</p> +<p>“Hush! It came to! I hear it coming further +to!” exclaimed Cologne. “Doro, hide me!”</p> +<p>A rush in the outer hall described the approach +of more than one girl. In fact there must have +been at least five in the dash that banged the door +of Number Nineteen.</p> +<p>“Come on!”</p> +<p>“Hide!”</p> +<p>“Face it!”</p> +<p>“Feathers!”</p> +<p>“Mingle!”</p> +<p>Some of the words were evidently intended to +mean more. Snow was scattered about from out of +door things, rubbers were thrust off hastily, and +the girls, delighted with the prospect of a real +row, were radiant with a mental steam that threatened +every human safety valve.</p> +<p>“Girls, do be quiet!” begged Dorothy, “and +tell us what happened to that feather bed.”</p> +<p>“Nothing,” replied Nita, “it happened to Mingle. +She is just now busy trying to get the quills +out of her throat with a bottle brush. Betty suggested +the brush.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_7">[7]</div> +<p>“And the hall looks like a feather foundry,” +imparted Genevieve. “Mrs. Pangborn is looking +for someone’s scalp.”</p> +<p>“There! I hear the court martial summons!” +exclaimed Edna. “Tavia! You did it.”</p> +<p>The footfall in the hall this time was decided +and not clattery. It betokened the coming of a +teacher.</p> +<p>A tap at the door came next. Dorothy scrambled +over the excited girls, and finally reached the +portal.</p> +<p>“The principal would like to have the young +ladies from this room report in the office at once,” +said the strident voice of Miss Higley, the English +teacher. “She is very much annoyed at the +misconduct that appeared to come from Room +Nineteen.”</p> +<p>“Yes,” faltered Dorothy, for no one else +seemed to know how to find her tongue. “There +was—an accident. The girls will go to the office.”</p> +<p>After the teacher left the girls gave full vent to +their choking sensations. Tavia rolled off the +couch, Edna covered her own head in Dorothy’s +best sofa cushion, Cologne drank a glass of water +that Tavia intended to drink, and altogether things +were brisk in Number Nineteen.</p> +<p>“We might as well have it over with,” Edna +said, patting the sofa cushion into shape. “I’ll +confess to the finding of the plaguey thing.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_8">[8]</div> +<p>“Come on then,” ordered Dorothy, and the +others meekly followed her into the hall.</p> +<p>They were but one flight up, and as they looked +over the banister they saw below Miss Mingle, +Mrs. Pangborn and several others.</p> +<p>“Oh!” gasped Tavia, “they are sprouting pin +feathers!”</p> +<p>“Young ladies!” cried Mrs. Pangborn. “What +does this mean?”</p> +<p>They trooped down. But before they reached +the actual scene of the befeathered hall, a messenger +was standing beside Miss Mingle, and the +music teacher was reading a telegram.</p> +<p>“I must leave at once!” she said. “Please, +Mrs. Pangborn, excuse the young ladies! Come +with me to the office! I must arrange everything +at once! I have to get the evening train!”</p> +<p>“You must go at once?” queried the head of +the school, in some surprise.</p> +<p>“Yes! yes! instantly! Oh, this is awful!” +groaned the music teacher. “Come, please do!” +And she hurried off, and Mrs. Pangborn went +after her.</p> +<p>“Just luck!” whispered Tavia, as she scampered +after the others, who quickly hurried to +more comfortable quarters. “But what do you +suppose ails Mingle?”</p> +<p>“Maybe someone proposed to her,” suggested +Edna, “and she was afraid he might relent.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_9">[9]</div> +<p>But little did Dorothy and her chums think how +important the message to the teacher would prove +to be to themselves, before the close of the Christmas +holidays.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_10">[10]</div> +<h2 id="c2">CHAPTER II +<br /><span class="small">GOING HOME</span></h2> +<p>“Did you ever see anything so dandy?” asked +Tavia. “I think we girls should subscribe to the +telegraph company. There is nothing like a +quick call to get us out of a scrape.”</p> +<p>“Don’t boast, we are not away yet,” returned +Dorothy.</p> +<p>“But I would like to see anything stop me now,” +argued Tavia. “There’s the trunk and there’s the +grip. Now a railroad ticket to Dalton—dear old +Dalton! Doro, I wish you were coming to see the +snow on Lenty Lane. It makes the place look +grand.”</p> +<p>“Lenty Lane was always pretty,” corrected +Dorothy. “I have very pleasant remembrances of +the place.”</p> +<p>The girls were at the railroad station, waiting +for the train that was to take them away from +school for the holidays. There were laughter and +merry shouts, promises to write, to send cards, +and to do no end of “remembering.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_11">[11]</div> +<p>And, while this is going on, and while the girls +are so occupied in this that they are not likely +to do anything else, I will take just a few moments +to tell my new readers something about the characters +in this story.</p> +<p>The first book of this series was called “Dorothy +Dale; A Girl of To-Day,” and in that, Dorothy, of +course, made her bow. She was the daughter of +Major Dale, of Dalton, and, though without a +mother, she had two loving brothers, Joe and +Roger. Besides these she had a very dear friend +in Tavia Travers, and Tavia, when she was not +doing or saying one thing, was doing or saying +another—in brief, Tavia was a character.</p> +<p>In the tale is told how Dorothy learned of the +unlawful detention of a poor little girl, and how +she and Tavia took Nellie away from a life of +misery.</p> +<p>“Dorothy Dale at Glenwood School,” my +second volume, told how our heroine made her +appearance at boarding school, where she spent so +many happy days, and where she still is when the +present story opens. And as for Tavia, she went, +too, thanks to the good offices of some of her +chum’s friends.</p> +<p>Glenwood School was a peculiar place in many +ways, and for a time Dorothy was not happy there, +owing to the many cliques and mutual jealousies. +But the good sense of Dorothy, and some of the +madcap pranks of Tavia, worked out to a good +end.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_12">[12]</div> +<p>There is really a mystery in my third volume—that +entitled “Dorothy Dale’s Great Secret.” It +was almost more than Dorothy could bear, at first, +especially as it concerned her friend Tavia. For +Tavia acted very rashly, to say the least. But +Dorothy did not desert her, and how she saved +Tavia from herself is fully related.</p> +<p>When Dorothy got on the trail of the gypsies, +in the fourth book of the series, called “Dorothy +Dale and Her Chums,” she little dreamed where +the matter would end. Startling, and almost weird, +were her experiences when she met the strange +“Queen,” who seemed so sad, and yet who held +such power over her wandering people. Here +again Dorothy’s good sense came to her aid, and +she was able to find a way out of her trouble.</p> +<p>One naturally imagined holidays are times of +gladness and joy, but in “Dorothy Dale’s Queer +Holidays,” which is the fifth book of this line, her +vacation was “queer” indeed. How she and her +friends, the boys as well as the girls, solved the +mystery of the old “castle”, and how they saved +an unfortunate man from danger and despair, is +fully set forth. And, as a matter of fact, before +the adventure in the “castle” came to an end, +Dorothy and her friends themselves were very +glad to be rescued.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_13">[13]</div> +<p>Mistaken identity is the main theme of the +sixth volume, called “Dorothy Dale’s Camping +Days.” To be taken for a demented girl, forced +to go to a sanitarium, to escape, and to find the +same girl for whom she was mistaken, was part of +what Dorothy endured.</p> +<p>And yet, with all her troubles, which were not +small, Dorothy did not regret them at the end, +for they were the means of bringing good to many +people. The joyous conclusion, when the girl recovered +her reason, more than made up for all +Dorothy suffered.</p> +<p>Certainly, after all she had gone through, +our heroine might be expected to be entitled to +some rest. But events crowded thick and fast on +Dorothy. On her return to Glenwood, after a +vacation, she found two factions in the school.</p> +<p>Just who was on each side, and the part Dorothy +played, may be learned by reading the seventh +book of this series, called “Dorothy Dale’s School +Rivals.” There was rivalry, none the less bitter +because “sweet girl graduates” were the personages +involved. But, in the end, all came out well, +though at one time it looked as though there would +be serious difficulties.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_14">[14]</div> +<p>Of course many more characters than Dorothy +and Tavia played their parts in the stories. There +were Ned and Nat, the sons of Mrs. White, Dorothy’s +aunt, with whom, after some years spent +in Dalton, Dorothy and her father and brothers +went to live, in North Birchlands. Tavia was a +frequent visitor there, and Tavia and the good-looking +boy cousins—well, perhaps you had better +find out that part for yourself.</p> +<p>Dorothy was always making friends, and, once +she had made them she never lost them. Not that +Tavia did not do the same, but she was a girl so +fond of doing the unexpected, so ready to cause a +laugh, even if at herself, that many persons did not +quite know how to take her.</p> +<p>With Dorothy it was different. Her sweet winsomeness +was a charm never absent. Yet she could +strike fire, too, when the occasion called for it.</p> +<p>And so now, in beginning this new book, we find +our friends ready to leave the “Glen”, as they +called it; leave the school and the teachers under +whose charge they had been for some time.</p> +<p>Leaving Glenwood was, as Dorothy said, very +different from going there. One week before +Christmas the place was placed in the hands of the +house-cleaners, and the pupils were scattered about +over the earth.</p> +<p>Dorothy and Tavia were together in the chair +car of the train; and Dorothy, having gathered up +her mail without opening it as she left the hall, +now used her nail file to cut the envelopes, and then +proceeded to see what was the news.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_15">[15]</div> +<p>“Oh, Tavia!” she exclaimed, as she looked at +the lavender paper that indicated a note from her +Aunt Winnie, otherwise Mrs. White. “Listen to +this. Aunt Winnie has taken a city house. Of +course it will be an apartment——” she looked +keenly at the missive, “and it will be on Riverside +Drive.”</p> +<p>“Oh, the double-deckers!” exclaimed Tavia. +“I can feel the air smart my cheeks,” and she +shifted about expectantly. “Let’s take the auto +bus—I always did love that word bus. It seems +to mean a London night in a fog.”</p> +<p>“Well, I am sure it will mean good times, and +I assure you, Tavia, Aunt Winnie has not forgotten +you. You are to come.”</p> +<p>“There is only one Aunt Winnie in the world,” +declared Tavia, “and she is the Aunty Winnie of +Dorothy Dale.” Tavia was never demonstrative, +but just now she squeezed Dorothy’s hand almost +white. “How can I manage to get through with +Dalton? I have to give home at least three snowstorms.”</p> +<p>“We are getting them right now,” said Dorothy. +“I am afraid we will be snowbound when we +reach the next stop.”</p> +<p>Wheeling about in her chair, Tavia flattened her +face against the window as the train smoke tried +to hide the snowflakes from her gaze. Dorothy +was still occupied with her mail.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_16">[16]</div> +<p>“It does come down,” admitted Tavia, “but +that will mean a ride for me in old Daddy Brennen’s +sleigh. He calls it a sleigh, but you remember, +Doro, it is nothing more than the fence rails +he took from Brady’s, buckled on the runners he +got from Tim, the ragman. And you cannot have +forgotten the rubber boot he once used for a +spring.”</p> +<p>“It was a funny rig, sure enough,” answered +Dorothy, “but Daddy Brennen has a famous +reputation for economy.”</p> +<p>“I hope he does not take it into his head to +economize on my spinal cord by going over Evergreen +Hill,” replied Tavia. “I tried that once in +his rattletrap, and we had to walk over to Jordan, +and from there I rode home on a pair of milk +cans. But Doro,” she continued, “I cannot get +over the sudden taking away of Mingle Dingle. +Surely the gods sent that telegram to save me.”</p> +<p>“I hope nothing serious has happened at her +home,” Dorothy mused. “I never heard anything +about her family.”</p> +<p>“You don’t suppose a little mouse of a thing, +like that born music teacher, has any family,” replied +Tavia irreverently. “I shall ever after this +have a respect for the proverbial feather bed.”</p> +<p>“Here is Stony Junction,” Dorothy remarked, +as the trainman let in a gust of wind from the +vestibuled door to shout out the name of that +station. “Madeline Maher gets off here. There, +she is waving to us! We should have spoken to +her.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_17">[17]</div> +<p>“Never too late,” declared Tavia, and she actually +shouted a good-bye and a merry Christmas +almost the full length of the car. Dorothy waved +her hand and “blew” a kiss, to which the pretty +girl who, with the porter close at her heels, was +leaving the train for her home, responded. Chairs +swung around simultaneously to allow their occupants +a glimpse of the girl who had startled them +with her shout. Some of the passengers smiled—especially +did one young man, whose bag showed +the wear usually given in college sports. He +dropped his paper, and, not too rudely, smiled +straight at Tavia.</p> +<p>“There!” exclaimed she. “See what a good +turn does. Just for wishing Maddie a hilarious +time I got that smile.”</p> +<p>“Don’t,” cautioned Dorothy, to whom Tavia’s +recklessness was ever a source of anxiety. “We +have many miles to go yet.”</p> +<p>“‘So much the better,’ as the old Wolfie, in +Little Red Riding Hood, said,” Tavia retorted. +“I think I shall require a drink of water directly,” +and she straightened up as if to make her way to +the end of the car, in order to pass the chair of +the young man with the scratched-up suitcase.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_18">[18]</div> +<p>Dorothy sighed, but at the same time she smiled. +Tavia could not be repressed, and Dorothy had +given up hope of keeping her subdued.</p> +<p>“Come to think of it,” reflected Tavia, “I never +had any permanent luck with the drinking water +trick. He looks so nice—I might try being sweet +and refined,” and she turned away, making the +most absurd effort to look the part.</p> +<p>“Getting sense,” commented Dorothy. “We +may now expect a snowslide.”</p> +<p>“And have my hero dig me out,” added the irrepressible +one. “Wouldn’t that be delicious! +There! Look at that! It is coming down in snowballs!”</p> +<p>“My!” exclaimed Dorothy, “it is awful! I +hope the boys do not fail to meet me.”</p> +<p>“Oh, if they didn’t, you would be all right,” +said Tavia. “They serve coffee and rolls at North +Birchland Station on stormy nights.”</p> +<p>“I declare!” exclaimed Dorothy, “that young +man is a friend of Ned’s! I met him last Summer, +now I remember.”</p> +<p>“I knew I would have good luck when I played +the sweet-girl part,” said Tavia, with unhidden +delight. “Go right over and claim him.”</p> +<p>“Nonsense,” replied Dorothy, while a slight +blush crept up her forehead into her hair. “We +must be more careful than ever. Boys may pretend +to like girls who want a good time, but my +cousins would never tolerate anything like forwardness.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_19">[19]</div> +<p>“Only where they are the forwarders,” persisted +Tavia. “Did not the selfsame Nat, brother +to the aforesaid Ned——”</p> +<p>As if the young man in front had at the same +time remembered Dorothy, he left his seat and +crossed the aisle to where the girls sat. His head +was uncovered, of course, but his very polite manner +and bow amply made up for the usual hat +raising.</p> +<p>“Is not this Miss Dale?” he began, simply.</p> +<p>“Yes,” answered Dorothy, “and this Mr. +Niles?”</p> +<p>“Same chap,” he admitted, while Tavia was +wondering why he had not looked at her. “Perhaps,” +she thought, “he will prove too nice.”</p> +<p>“I was just saying to my friend,” faltered Dorothy, +“that I hope nothing will prevent Ned and +Nat from meeting me. This is quite a storm.”</p> +<p>“But it makes Christmas pretty,” he replied, +and now he did deign to look at Tavia. Dorothy, +quick to realize his friendliness, immediately introduced +the two.</p> +<p>It was Tavia’s turn to blush—a failing she very +rarely gave in to. Perhaps some generous impulse +prompted the gentleman who occupied the chair +ahead to leave it and make his way toward the +smoking room. This gave Mr. Niles a chance to +sit near the girls.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_20">[20]</div> +<p>“We expect a big time at Birchland this holiday,” +he said. “Your cousins mentioned you +would be with us.”</p> +<p>“Yes, they cannot get rid of me,” Dorothy replied, +in that peculiar way girls have of saying +meaningless things. “I am always anxious to get +to the Cedars—to see father and our boys, and +Aunt Winnie, of course. I only wish Tavia were +coming along,” and she made a desperate attempt +to get Tavia into the conversation.</p> +<p>“Home is one of the Christmas tyrannies,” the +young man said. “If it were not Christmas some +of us might forget all about home.”</p> +<p>Still Tavia said not a single word. She now +felt hurt. He need not have imagined she cared +for his preaching, she thought. And besides, his +tie needed pressing, and his vest lacked the top +button. Perhaps he had good reasons for wanting +to get home to his “Ma,” she was secretly +arguing.</p> +<p>“You live in Wildwind—not far from the +Cedars; do you not?” Dorothy asked.</p> +<p>“I did live there until last Fall,” he replied. +“But mother lost her health, and has gone out in +the country, away from the lake. We are stopping +near Dalton.”</p> +<p>Tavia fairly gasped at the word “Dalton.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_21">[21]</div> +<p>“Then why don’t you go home for Christmas?” +she blurted out.</p> +<p>“I am going to mother’s place to get her first,” +he said. “Then, if she feels well enough, we will +come back to the Birchlands.”</p> +<p>“My friend lives at Dalton,” Dorothy exclaimed, +casting a look of admiration at the flushing +Tavia.</p> +<p>“Indeed?” he replied. “That’s my station. I +ride back from there. I am glad to have met +someone who knows the place. I was fearful of +being snowbound or station-bound, as I scarcely +know the locality.”</p> +<p>“I expect to ride in Daddy Brennen’s sleigh,” +said Tavia, with an effort. “He is the only one +to know on a snowy night at Dalton.”</p> +<p>“Then perhaps you will take pity on a stranger, +and introduce him to Daddy and his sleigh,” the +youth replied. “Even a bad snowstorm may have +its compensations.”</p> +<p>Tavia hated herself for thinking he really was +nice. She was not accustomed to being ignored, +and did not intend to forget that he had slighted +her.</p> +<p>“I almost envy you both,” said Dorothy, good +humoredly. “Just see it snow! I can see you +under Daddy’s horse blanket.”</p> +<p>“It’s surely a horse blanket,” replied Tavia. +“We cannot count on his having a steamer rug.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_22">[22]</div> +<p>“I suppose,” said Mr. Niles, “the sleigh answers +all stage-coach purposes out that way?”</p> +<p>“As well as freight and express,” returned +Dorothy. “Dear old Dalton! I have had some +good times out there!”</p> +<p>“Why don’t you come out now, Doro?” asked +Tavia, mischievously. “There may be some good +times left.”</p> +<p>The gentleman who had vacated the seat taken +by Mr. Niles was now coming back. This, of +course, was the signal for the latter to leave.</p> +<p>“We are almost at the Birchlands!” he said, +“I hope, Miss Dale, that those boy cousins of +yours do not get buried in the snow, and leave you +in distress. I remember that auto of theirs had +a faculty for doing wild things.”</p> +<p>“Oh, yes. We had more than one adventure +with the <i>Fire Bird</i>. But I do not anticipate any +trouble to-night,” said Dorothy. “I heard from +Aunt Winnie this morning.”</p> +<p>With a word about seeing them before the end +of their journey, he took his chair, while Tavia +sat perfectly still and silent, for, it seemed to +Dorothy, the first time in her life.</p> +<p>“What is it?” she asked. “Don’t you feel +well, Tavia?”</p> +<p>“I feel like bolting. I have a mind to get off +at Bridgeton. Fancy me riding with that angel!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_23">[23]</div> +<p>“I’m sure he is very nice,” Dorothy said, in a +tone of reproof. “I should think you would be +glad to have such pleasant company.”</p> +<p>“Tickled to death!” replied Tavia, mockingly.</p> +<p>“I’m sure you will have some adventure,” declared +Dorothy. “They always begin that way.”</p> +<p>“Do they? Well, if I fall in love with him, +Doro, I’ll telegraph to you,” and Tavia helped her +friend on with hat and coat, for the Birchlands +had already been announced.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_24">[24]</div> +<h2 id="c3">CHAPTER III +<br /><span class="small">“GET A HORSE!”</span></h2> +<p>“Hello there, Coz!” shouted Nat White, as +Dorothy stepped from the train. “And there’s +Tavia—and well! If it isn’t Bob Niles!”</p> +<p>“Yes,” said Dorothy, postponing further greetings +until the train should pull out, and Tavia’s +last hand-wave be returned. “We met him coming +up, and he goes to Dalton.”</p> +<p>“Well I’ll be jiggered! And he has Tavia for +company!” exclaimed the young man, who for +years had regarded Tavia as his particular property, +as far as solid friendship was concerned.</p> +<p>“And Tavia has already vowed to be mean to +him,” said Dorothy, as she now pressed her warm +cheek against that of her cousin, the latter’s +being briskly red from the snowy air. “She +would scarcely speak to him on the train.”</p> +<p>“A bad sign,” said Nat, as he helped Dorothy +with her bag. “There are the Blakes. May as +well ask them up; their machine does not seem to +be around.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_25">[25]</div> +<p>The pretty little country station was gay with +holiday arrivals, and among them were many +known to Dorothy and her popular cousin. The +Blakes gladly accepted the invitation to ride over +in the <i>Fire Bird</i>, their auto having somehow missed +them.</p> +<p>“You look—lovely,” Mabel Blake complimented +Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Doesn’t she?” chimed in Mabel’s brother, at +which Dorothy buried her face deeper in her furs. +Nat cranked up; and soon the <i>Fire Bird</i> was on its +way toward the Cedars, the country home of Mrs. +Nathaniel White, and her two sons, Nat and Ned. +Mrs. White was the only sister of Major Dale, +Dorothy’s father, and the Dale family, Dorothy +and her brothers, Joe and little Roger, had lately +made their home with her.</p> +<p>It lacked but a few days of Christmas, and the +snowstorm added much to the beauty of the scene, +while the cold was not so severe as to make the +weather unpleasant. All sorts of happy remembrances +were recalled between the occupants of the +automobile, as it bravely made its way through +drifts and small banks.</p> +<p>“Oh, there’s old Peter!” exclaimed Dorothy, +as a man, his stooped shoulders hidden under a +load of evergreens, trudged along.</p> +<p>“And such a heavy burden,” added Mabel. +“Couldn’t we give him a lift?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_26">[26]</div> +<p>Nat slowed up a little to give the old man more +room in the roadway. “Those Christmas trees +are poor company in a machine,” he said. “I +have tried them before.”</p> +<p>“But it is so hard for him to travel all the way +to the village?” pleaded Dorothy. “We could +put his trees on back, and he could——”</p> +<p>“Sit with you and Mabel?” and Ted Blake +laughed at the idea.</p> +<p>“No, you could do that?” retorted Dorothy, +“and Peter could ride with Nat. Please, Nat——”</p> +<p>“Oh, all right, Coz, if it will make you happy. +I wish, sometimes, I were lame, halt and old +enough—to know.” Whereat he stopped the +machine and insisted on old Peter doing as the +girls had suggested.</p> +<p>It was no easy matter to get the trees, and the +bunches of greens, securely fastened to the back +of the auto, but it was finally accomplished. Peter +was profuse in his thanks, for the greens had been +specially ordered, he said, and he was already late +in delivering them.</p> +<p>“Which way do you go?” asked Nat.</p> +<p>“Out to the Squire’s,” replied Peter. “But +that road is soft, I wouldn’t ask you take it.”</p> +<p>“Oh, I guess we can make it,” proposed Nat. +“The <i>Fire Bird</i> is not quite a locomotive.”</p> +<p>“She goes like a bird, sure enough,” affirmed +Peter. “But that road is full of ditches.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_27">[27]</div> +<p>“We will try them, at any rate,” insisted Nat, +as he turned from the main road to a narrow +stretch of white track that cut through woods and +farm lands.</p> +<p>“If we are fortunate enough not to meet anything,” +said Dorothy. “But I have always been +afraid of a single road, bound with ditches.”</p> +<p>“Of course,” growled Nat, “there comes Terry +with his confounded cows.”</p> +<p>Plowing along, his head down and his whip in +hand came Terry, the half-witted boy who, Winter +and Summer, drove the cows from their field or +barn to the slaughter house. He never raised his +head as Nat tooted the horn, and by the time the +machine was abreast of the drove of cattle, Nat +was obliged to make a quick swerve to avoid striking +the animals.</p> +<p>“Oh!” gasped both Dorothy and Mabel. The +car lunged, then came to a sudden stop, while the +engine still pounded to get ahead.</p> +<p>“Hang the luck!” groaned Nat, vainly trying +to start the car, which was plainly stalled.</p> +<p>“I told you,” commented Peter, inappropriately. +“This here road——”</p> +<p>“Oh, hang the road!” interrupted Nat. “It +was that loon—Terry.”</p> +<p>As the young man spoke Terry passed along as +mutely as if nothing had happened.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_28">[28]</div> +<p>“I’d like to try that whip on him, to see if I +could wake him up,” said Ted, as he leaped out +after Nat to see what could be done to get the car +back on the road.</p> +<p>But it was an impossible task. Pushing, pulling, +prying with fence rails—all efforts left the +big, red car stuck just where it had floundered.</p> +<p>“I know,” spoke Peter, suddenly. “I’ll get +Sanders’s horse.”</p> +<p>“Sanders wouldn’t lend his horse to pull a man +out of a ditch,” said Nat. “I’ve asked him before.”</p> +<p>“That’s where you made a mistake,” replied +Peter. “I won’t ask him,” and he awkwardly +managed to get out of the car, and was soon out +on the road and making his way across the snow-covered +fields.</p> +<p>“We may be tried for horse-stealing next,” remarked +Ted, grimly. “Girls, are you perishing?”</p> +<p>“Not a bit of it,” declared Dorothy. “This +snow is warm rather than cold.”</p> +<p>“My face is burning,” insisted Mabel. “But +I do hope old Sanders does not set his dogs on us.”</p> +<p>“He’s as deaf as a post,” Ted said. “That’s +a blessing—this time, at least.”</p> +<p>“There goes Peter in the barn,” Dorothy remarked. +“He has got that far safely, at any +rate.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_29">[29]</div> +<p>A strained silence followed this announcement. +Yes, Peter had gone into the barn. It seemed +night would come before he could possibly secure +the old horse, and get to the roadway to give the +necessary pull to the stalled <i>Fire Bird</i>. They +waited, eagerly watching the barn door. Finally +it opened. Yes, Peter was coming, leading the +horse.</p> +<p>“Now!” said Peter, standing with an emergency +rope ready, “if only he gets past the +house——”</p> +<p>He stopped. The door of the snow-covered +cottage opened, and there stood the unapproachable +Sanders.</p> +<p>“Oh!” gasped Mabel. “Now we are in for +it!”</p> +<p>“Then,” said Dorothy, “let us be ready for it. +I’ll prepare the defence,” and before they realized +what she was about to do she had selected one of +the very choicest Christmas trees, and with it on +her fur-covered shoulder, actually started up the +box-wood lined walk to where the much-dreaded +Sanders was standing, ready to mete out vengeance +on the man who had dared to enter his barn, and +take from it his horse.</p> +<p>“Oh Mr. Sanders!” called Dorothy. “Have +you that dear little grand-daughter with you? +The pretty one we had at the church affair last +year?”</p> +<p>“You mean Emily?” he drawled. “Yep, she’s +here, but——”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_30">[30]</div> +<p>“Then, you wonder why we have taken your +horse? And why we were stalled here?” The +others could hear her from the roadway. They +could see, also, that Sanders had stopped to listen. +“Now we want Emily to have a Christmas tree, +all her own,” went on Dorothy, “and Peter is +good enough to donate it. But our machine—those +cars are not like horses,” she almost shouted, +as Sanders being deaf, and watching the inexorable +Peter leading his horse away, had cause to +be aroused from his natural surprise. “After all,” +persisted Dorothy, “a horse is the best.”</p> +<p>By this time Peter was outside the big gate. +Sanders made a move as if to follow, when Dorothy +almost dropped the clumsy tree.</p> +<p>“Oh, please take it!” she begged. “I want to +see Emily while they are towing the machine out. +It’s a lucky thing it happened just here, and that +you are kind enough to let us have your horse.”</p> +<p>“Well what do you think of that!” exclaimed +Ted, in a voice loud enough for those near him to +hear. “Of all the clever tricks!”</p> +<p>“Oh, depend on Doro for cleverness,” replied +Nat, proudly. “You just do your part, Ted, and +make this rope fast.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_31">[31]</div> +<p>Mabel stood looking on in speechless surprise. +She saw now that Dorothy and old Sanders were +entering the cottage. Dorothy was first, and the +man, with the Christmas tree, followed close behind +her. The boys with Peter were busy with +rope, horse and auto. Soon they had the necessary +connection made, with Nat at the wheel, and +all were tugging with might and main to get the +<i>Fire Bird</i> free from the ditch.</p> +<p>If there is anything more nerve-racking than +such an attempt, it must be some other attempt at +a balking auto. Would it move, or would it sink +deeper into the mud that lay hidden beneath the +newly-fallen snow?</p> +<p>Nat turned the wheel first this way and then +that. Ted had his weight pressed against the rear +wheel of the machine, while Peter coaxed and led +the horse. Suddenly the old horse, as if desperate, +gave a jerk and pulled the <i>Fire Bird</i> clear out into +the roadway!</p> +<div class="img"> +<img src="images/fig1.jpg" alt="SUDDENLY THE OLD HORSE, AS IF DESPERATE, GAVE A JERK AND PULLED THE FIRE BIRD CLEAR." width="500" height="781" /> +<p class="center"><span class="small">SUDDENLY THE OLD HORSE, AS IF DESPERATE, GAVE A JERK AND PULLED THE FIRE BIRD CLEAR.</span></p> +</div> +<p>“Hurrah!” yelled Ted, bounding through the +snow.</p> +<p>“Great stunt!” corroborated Nat. “Peter, +you are all right!”</p> +<p>“Peter did some,” replied the old man, freeing +the horse from the rope that held him to the machine; +“but that young lady—if she hadn’t kept +Sanders busy—we might all have been arrested +for horse-stealing.”</p> +<p>“She knew his weak spot,” agreed Nat. “That +little Emily seems to be the one weak and soft spot +in old Sanders’s life.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_32">[32]</div> +<p>“I had better go up and see what’s going on,” +suggested Mabel, as everything seemed about in +readiness to start off again.</p> +<p>“Good idea,” assented her brother, “he might +be eating her up.”</p> +<p>Mabel rather timidly found her way up to the +cottage. It was already dusk, but the light of a +dim lamp showed her the way, as it gleamed +through a gloomy window, onto the glistening +snow.</p> +<p>“Won’t it be perfectly lovely, Emily?” she +heard Doro saying, as she saw her with her arms +about a little red-haired girl, both sitting on a sofa, +while Sanders attempted to prop the Christmas +tree up in a corner, bracing it with a wooden chair. +Mabel raised the latch without going through the +formality of knocking. As she entered the room, +all but Dorothy started in surprise.</p> +<p>“This is my friend,” Dorothy hurried to explain, +“it is she who is going to help me trim the +tree up for Emily. We will come to-morrow,” +and she rose to leave. “Mabel will fetch the doll, +Emily. That is, of course, if we can persuade +Santa Claus to give us just the kind we want,” +she tried to correct.</p> +<p>“A baby dolly—with long hair and a white +dress,” Emily ordered. “And I want eyelashes.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_33">[33]</div> +<p>“Perticular,” said Sanders, with a proud look +at the child, who, as the boys had said, made up +the one tender spot in his life. “If her ma’s cold +is better, she is coming up herself.”</p> +<p>“Is she sick?” Emily ventured, glad to be able +to say something intelligent.</p> +<p>“Yep,” replied the old man, sadly. “She’s +been sick a long time. I fetched Emily over this +afternoon in the sleigh.”</p> +<p>“Well, we are so much obliged,” remarked +Dorothy. “And good-bye, Emily. You’ll have +everything ready for Santa Claus; won’t you?”</p> +<p>“I’ve got my parlor set from last year,” said +the child, “and mamma says Santa Claus always +likes to see the other things, to know we took care +of them.”</p> +<p>“Thanks, Sanders,” called Peter, at the window. +“The horse is as good as ever. Don’t sell +him without giving me a chance. I could do something +if I owned a mare like that.”</p> +<p>“All right,” called back Sanders, whose pride +was being played upon. “He might be worse. +Did you put her in the far stall?”</p> +<p>“Just where I got her. And I tell you, Sanders, +even a horse can play at Christmas. Only +for him I never could get those trees to town.”</p> +<p>“And only for Peter,” put in Dorothy, “we +could not have gotten Emily her tree. Now that’s +how a horse can turn Santa Claus. Good-bye, Mr. +Sanders, you may expect us before Christmas.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_34">[34]</div> +<p>And then the two girls followed the chuckling +Peter back to the <i>Fire Bird</i>, where the boys impatiently +awaited them, to complete the delayed +party bound for home, and for the Christmas holidays.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_35">[35]</div> +<h2 id="c4">CHAPTER IV +<br /><span class="small">A REAL BEAUTY BATH</span></h2> +<p>“This is some,” remarked Bob Niles, before +he knew what he was talking about. They had +just been ensconsed in Daddy Brennen’s sleigh. +Tavia was beside him—that is, she was as close +beside him as she was beside Daddy Brennen, but +the real fact was, that in this sleigh, no one could +be beside anyone else—it was ever a game of toss +and catch. But that was not Daddy’s fault. He +never stopped calling to his horse, or pulling at +the reins. It must have been the roads, yet everyone +paid taxes in Dalton Township.</p> +<p>“Don’t boast,” Tavia answered, adjusting herself +anew to the last jolt, “this never was a sleigh +to boast of, and it seems to be worse than ever +now. There!” she gasped, as she almost fell +over the low board that outlined the edge, “one +more like that, and I will be mixed up with the +gutter.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps this is a safer place,” Bob ventured. +“I seem to stay put pretty well. Won’t you change +with me?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_36">[36]</div> +<p>“No, thanks,” Tavia answered, good-humoredly. +“When Daddy assigns one to a seat one +must keep it.”</p> +<p>“Nice clean storm,” Daddy called back from +the front. “I always like a white Christmas.”</p> +<p>“Yes,” Tavia said, “looks as if this is going +to be white enough. But what are you turning +into the lane for, Daddy?”</p> +<p>“Promised Neil Blair I’d take his milk in for +him. He can’t get out much in storms—rheumatism.”</p> +<p>“Oh,” Tavia ejaculated. Then to Bob: “How +we are going to ride with milk cans is more than I +can see.”</p> +<p>“The more the merrier,” Bob replied, laughing. +“I never had a better time in my life. This +beats a straw ride.”</p> +<p>“Oh, we have had them too, with Daddy,” she +told him. “Doro and our crowd used to have +good times when she lived in Dalton.”</p> +<p>“No doubt. This is the farmhouse, I guess,” +Bob added, as the sleigh pulled up to a hill.</p> +<p>“Yes, this is Neil’s place,” Tavia said. “And +there comes Mrs. Blair with a heavy milk can.”</p> +<p>“Oh, I must help her with that,” offered the +young man. “I suppose our driver has to take +care of his speedy horse.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_37">[37]</div> +<p>Disentangling himself from the heavy blankets, +Bob managed to alight in time to take the milk +can from the woman, who stood with it at the top +of the hill.</p> +<p>“Oh, thank you, sir!” she panted. “The cans +seem to get heavier, else I am getting lazy. But +Neil had such a twinge, from this storm, that I +wouldn’t let him out.”</p> +<p>“And did you do all the milking?” Tavia +asked, as Bob managed to place the can in the +spot seemingly made for it, beside Daddy.</p> +<p>“Certainly. Oh, how do you do, Tavia? How +fine you look; I’m glad to see you home for Christmas,” +Mrs. Blair assured the girl.</p> +<p>“Thank you. I’m glad to get home.”</p> +<p>“Fetchin’ company?” with a glance at young +Niles.</p> +<p>“No, he’s going farther on,” and Tavia wondered +why it was so difficult for her to make such +a trifling remark.</p> +<p>“Well, I’m glad he came this way, at any rate,” +the woman continued. “But Daddy will be goin’ +without the other can,” and she turned off again +in the direction of the barn.</p> +<p>“Are there more?” Bob asked Tavia, cautiously.</p> +<p>“I’m afraid so,” she replied. “But I guess she +can manage them.”</p> +<p>“My mother would disown me if she knew I +let her,” Bob asserted, bravely. “This is an experience +not in the itinerary,” and he scampered +up the hill, and made for the barn after Mrs. +Blair.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_38">[38]</div> +<p>Tavia could not help but admire him. After +all, she thought, a good-looking lad could be useful, +if only for carrying milk cans.</p> +<p>“And has that young gent gone after the can?” +asked Daddy, as if just awaking from some dream.</p> +<p>“Yes,” Tavia replied, rather sharply. “He +wouldn’t let Mrs. Blair carry such a heavy thing.”</p> +<p>“Well, she’s used to it,” Daddy declared. At +the same time he did disturb himself sufficiently to +get out and prepare to put the second can in its +place.</p> +<p>A college boy, in a travelling suit, carrying a huge +milk can through the snow, Tavia thought rather +a novel sight, but Bob showed his training, and +managed it admirably.</p> +<p>“I’ll put her in,” offered Daddy, “I didn’t know +you went after it.”</p> +<p>“So kind of him,” remarked Mrs. Blair, “but +he would have it. Thank you, Daddy, for stopping. +Neil’ll make it all right with you.”</p> +<p>Daddy was standing up in the sleigh, the can in +his hands, “I think,” he faltered, “I’ll have to set +this down by you, Miss Travers,” he decided.</p> +<p>“All right,” Tavia agreed, making room at her +feet.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_39">[39]</div> +<p>He lifted the can high enough to get it over +the back of the seat. It was heavy, and awkward, +and he leaned on the rickety seat trying to support +himself. The weight was too much for the +board, and before Bob could get in to help him, +and before Tavia could get herself out of the +way, the can tilted and the milk poured from it in +a torrent over the head, neck and shoulders of +Tavia!</p> +<p>“Oh, mercy!” she yelled. “My new furs!”</p> +<p>“Save the milk,” growled Daddy.</p> +<p>“Jump up!” Bob commanded Tavia. “Let it +run off if it will.”</p> +<p>But Tavia was either too disgusted, or too surprised, +to “jump up.” Instead she sat there, fixing +a frozen look at the unfortunate Daddy.</p> +<p>“My milk!” screamed Mrs. Blair. “A whole +can full!”</p> +<p>“Was it ordered?” Bob asked, who by this +time had gotten Tavia from under the shower.</p> +<p>“No,” she said hesitatingly, “but someone +would have took it for Christmas bakin’.”</p> +<p>“Then let us have it,” offered Bob, generously. +“If I had kept my seat perhaps it would not have +happened.”</p> +<p>“Nonsense,” objected Tavia, “it was entirely +Daddy’s fault.”</p> +<p>But Daddy did not hear—he was busy trying +to save the dregs in the milk can.</p> +<p>“What’s it worth?” persisted Bob.</p> +<p>“Two dollars,” replied Mrs. Blair, promptly.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_40">[40]</div> +<p>Bob put his hand in his pocket and took out two +bills. He handed them to the woman.</p> +<p>“There,” he said, “it will be partly a Christmas +present. I only hope my—friend’s furs will +not be ruined.”</p> +<p>“Milk don’t hurt,” Mrs. Blair said, without reason. +“Thank you, sir,” she added to Bob. “This +is better than ten that’s comin’. And land knows +we needed it to-night.”</p> +<p>“I’ve lost time enough,” growled Daddy. “And +that robe is spoiled. Next time I carry milk cans +I’ll get a freight car.”</p> +<p>“And the next time I take a milk beauty bath,” +said Tavia, “I’ll wear old clothes.” But as Bob +climbed in again, and Tavia assured him her furs +were not injured, she thought of Dorothy’s prediction +that she, Tavia, was about to have an adventure +when she met Bob Niles.</p> +<p>“I’ll have something to tell Dorothy,” she remarked +aloud.</p> +<p>“And I’ll have news for Nat,” slily said Bob.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_41">[41]</div> +<h2 id="c5">CHAPTER V +<br /><span class="small">DOROTHY’S PROTEGE</span></h2> +<p>“Well, what do you think of that!”</p> +<p>“Well, what do you think of this!”</p> +<p>It was Nat who spoke first, and Dorothy who +echoed. They were both looking at letters—from +Tavia and from Bob.</p> +<p>“I knew Bob would find her interesting,” said +Nat, with some irony in his tone.</p> +<p>“And I knew she would finally like him,” said +Dorothy, significantly.</p> +<p>“Bob has a way with girls,” went on Nat, “he +always takes them slowly—it’s the surest way.”</p> +<p>“But don’t you think Tavia is very pretty? +Everyone at school raves about her,” Dorothy +declared with unstinted pride, for Tavia’s golden +brown hair, and matchless complexion, were ever +a source of pride to her chum.</p> +<p>“Of course she’s pretty,” Nat agreed. “Wasn’t +it I who discovered her?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_42">[42]</div> +<p>Dorothy laughed, and gave a lock of her +cousin’s own brown hair a twist. She, as well as +all their mutual friends, knew that Nat and Tavia +were the sort of chums who grow up together and +cement their friendship with the test of time.</p> +<p>“Come to think of it,” she replied, “you always +did like red-headed girls.”</p> +<p>“Now there’s Mabel,” he digressed, “Mabel +has hair that seems a misfit—she has blue eyes +and black hair. Isn’t that an error?”</p> +<p>“Indeed,” replied Dorothy, “that is considered +one of the very best combinations. Rare beauty, +in fact.”</p> +<p>“Well, I hope she is on time for the Christmas-tree +affair out at Sanders’s, whatever shade her +hair. I don’t see, Doro, why you insist on going +away out there to put things on that tree. Why +not ask the Sunday School people to trim it? We +gave the tree.”</p> +<p>“Because I promised, Nat,” replied Dorothy, +firmly, “and because I just like to do it for little +Emily. I got the very doll she ordered, and Aunt +Winnie got me a lot of pretty things this morning.”</p> +<p>“Wish momsey would devote her charity to her +poor little son,” said the young man, drily. “He +is the one who needs it most!”</p> +<p>“Never mind, dear,” and Dorothy put her arms +around him, “you shall have a dolly, too.”</p> +<p>“Here’s Ned,” he interrupted, “I wonder if he +got my skates sharpened? I asked him, but I’ll +wager he forgot.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_43">[43]</div> +<p>The other brother, a few years Nat’s senior, +pulled off his furlined coat, and entered the library, +where the cousins were chatting.</p> +<p>“Getting colder every minute,” he declared. +“We had better take the cutter out to Sanders’s—that +is, if Doro insists upon going.”</p> +<p>“Of course I do,” Dorothy cried. “I wouldn’t +disappoint little Emily for anything. Funny how +you boys have suddenly taken a dislike to going +out there.”</p> +<p>“Now don’t get peevish,” teased Ned. “We +will take you, Coz, if we freeze by the wayside.”</p> +<p>“Did you get my skates?” Nat asked.</p> +<p>“Not done,” the brother replied. “Old Tom +is busy enough for ten grinders. Expect we will +have a fine race.”</p> +<p>“And I can’t get in shape. Well, I wish I had +taken them out to Wakefield’s. He would have +had them done days ago. But if we are going to +Sanders’s, better get started. I’ll call William to +put the cutter up.”</p> +<p>“Here come Ted and Mabel now. They’re +sleighing, too,” exclaimed Dorothy. “Won’t we +have a jolly party!”</p> +<p>“That’s a neat little cutter,” remarked Ned, +glancing out of the window. “And Mabel does +look pretty in a red—what do you call that Scotch +cap?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_44">[44]</div> +<p>“Tam o’Shanter,” Dorothy helped out. “Yes, +it is very becoming. But Neddie, dear?” and her +voice questioned.</p> +<p>“Oh, I don’t know,” he replied indifferently. +“Mabel was always kind of—witchy. I like that +type.”</p> +<p>“And Ted is—so considerate,” Dorothy added +with a mock sigh. “I do wonder how Bob and +Tavia are getting along?”</p> +<p>“Probably planning suicide by this time—I say +planning, you know, not executing. It would be +so nice for a boy as good as Bob to be coerced into +some wild prank by the wily Tavia.”</p> +<p>“She did not happen, however, to lead you into +any,” retorted Dorothy, “and I take it you are a +‘good boy’.”</p> +<p>“Oh, but how hard she tried,” and he feigned +regret. “Tavia would have taught me to feed out +of her hand, had I not been—so well brought up.”</p> +<p>This bantering occupied the moments between +the time Ted’s sleigh glided into view, and its +arrival at the door of the Cedars.</p> +<p>“’Lo, ’lo!” exclaimed Mabel, her cheeks matching +the scarlet of her Tam o’Shanter.</p> +<p>“Low, low! Sweet and Low!” responded Nat. +“Also so low!”</p> +<p>“No—but Milo!” said Ned, with a complimentary +look at Mabel. “The Venus mended.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_45">[45]</div> +<p>“‘High low,’” went on Ted. “That’s what it +is. A high—low and the game! To go out there +to-night in this freeze!”</p> +<p>“Strange thing,” Dorothy murmured, “how +young men freeze up—sort of antagonistic convulsion.”</p> +<p>“Oh, come on,” drawled Ned, “when a girl +wills, she will—and there’s an end on it.”</p> +<p>It did not take the girls long to comply—Dorothy +was out with Ted, Mabel, Nat and Ned before +the boys had a chance to relent.</p> +<p>“Those bundles?” questioned Ted, as Dorothy +surrounded herself with the things for Emily.</p> +<p>“Now did you ever!” exclaimed Dorothy. +“It seems to me everything is displeasing to-day.”</p> +<p>“No offence, I’m sure,” Ted hastened to correct, +“but the fact is—we boys had a sort of good +time framed up for this afternoon. Not but what +we are delighted to be of service——”</p> +<p>“Why didn’t you say so?” Dorothy asked.</p> +<p>It seemed for the moment that the girls and +boys were not to get along in their usual pleasant +manner. But the wonderful sleighing, and the delightful +afternoon, soon obliterated the threatening +difficulties, and a happy, laughing party in each +cutter glided over the road, now evenly packed +with mid-winter snow.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_46">[46]</div> +<p>The small boys along the way occasionally stole +a ride on the back runners of the sleighs, or “got +a hitch” with sled or bob, thus saving the walk up +hill or the jaunt to the ice pond.</p> +<p>“Oh, there’s Dr. Gray!” Dorothy exclaimed +suddenly as a gentleman in fur coat and cap was +seen hurrying along. “I wonder why he is walking?”</p> +<p>“For his health, likely,” Ted answered. “Doctors +know the sort of medicine to take for their +own constitutions.”</p> +<p>By this time they were abreast of the physician. +Dorothy called out to him:</p> +<p>“Where’s your horse, Doctor?”</p> +<p>“Laid up,” replied the medical man, with a +polite greeting. “He slipped yesterday——”</p> +<p>“Going far?” Ted interrupted, drawing his +horse up.</p> +<p>“Out to Sanders’s,” replied the doctor.</p> +<p>“Sanders’s!” repeated Dorothy. “That’s +where we’re going. Who’s sick?”</p> +<p>“The baby,” replied the doctor, “and they +asked me to hurry.”</p> +<p>“Get in with us,” Ted invited, while Dorothy +almost gasped. Little Emily sick! She could +scarcely believe it.</p> +<p>Dr. Gray gladly accepted the invitation to ride, +and the next cutter with Ned, Nat and Mabel, +pulled up along side of Ted’s.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_47">[47]</div> +<p>“You may as well turn back,” Dorothy told +them. Then she explained that little Emily was +sick, and likely would not want her Christmas tree +trimmed.</p> +<p>“But I’ll go along,” she said, “I may be able to +help, for her mother is sick, even if she is with +her.”</p> +<p>After all her preparations, it was a great disappointment +to think the child could not enjoy the +gifts. Dr. Gray told her, however, that Emily was +subject to croup, and that perhaps the spell would +not last.</p> +<p>At the house they found everything in confusion. +Emily’s sick mother coughed harder at +every attempt she made to help the little one, while +Mr. Sanders, the child’s grandfather, tried vainly +to get water hot on a lukewarm stove.</p> +<p>“Pretty bad, Doc,” he said with a groan, +“thought she’d choke to death last night.”</p> +<p>Without waiting to be directed, Dorothy threw +aside her heavy coat, drew off her gloves, and was +breaking bits of wood in her hands, to hurry the +kettle that, being watched, had absolutely refused +to boil.</p> +<p>“You can just put that oil on to heat, Miss +Dale,” Dr. Gray said, he having bidden the sick +woman to keep away from Emily. “We’ll rub +her up well with warm oil, and see if we can loosen +up that congestion.”</p> +<p>Emily lay on the uneven sofa, her cheeks burning, +and her breath jerking in struggles and coughs.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_48">[48]</div> +<p>Dorothy found a pan and had the oil hot before +the doctor was ready to use it.</p> +<p>“Quite a nurse,” he said, in that pleasant way +the country doctor is accustomed to use. “Glad +I happened to meet you.”</p> +<p>“I’m glad, too,” Dorothy replied sincerely. +“Never mind, Emily, you will have your Christmas +tree, as soon as we get the naughty cold +cured,” she told the child.</p> +<p>Emily’s eyes brightened a little. The tree still +stood in a corner of the room. Outside, Ted was +driving up and down the road in evident impatience, +but Dorothy was too busy to notice him.</p> +<p>Soon the hot applications took effect, and Emily +breathed more freely and regularly. Then the +doctor attended to the other patient—the mother. +It was a sad Christmas time, and had a depressing +effect even on the young spirits of Dorothy. She +tried to speak to Emily, but her eyes wandered +around at the almost bare room, and noted its +untidy appearance. Dishes were piled up on the +table, pans stood upon the floor, papers were littered +about. How could people live that way? +she wondered.</p> +<p>Mrs. Tripp, Emily’s mother, must be a widow, +Dorothy thought, and she knew old Mrs. Sanders +had died the Winter before.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_49">[49]</div> +<p>The doctor had finished with Mrs. Tripp. He +glanced anxiously about him. To whom would he +give instructions? Mr. Sanders seemed scarcely +capable of giving the sick ones the proper care.</p> +<p>Dorothy saw the look of concern on the doctor’s +face and she rightly interpreted it.</p> +<p>“If we only could take them to some other +place,” she whispered to him. Then she stopped, +as a sudden thought seized her.</p> +<p>“Doesn’t Mr. Wolters always make a Christmas +gift to the sanitarium?” she asked Dr. Gray.</p> +<p>“Always,” replied the doctor.</p> +<p>“Then why can’t we ask him to have little +Emily and her mother taken to the sanitarium? +They surely need just such care,” she said quickly.</p> +<p>The doctor slapped one hand on the other, showing +that the suggestion had solved the problem. +Then he motioned Dorothy out into the room +across the small hall. She shivered as she entered +it, for it was without stove, or other means of +heating.</p> +<p>“If I only had my horse,” he said, “I would go +right over to Wolters’s. He would do a great +deal for me, and I want that child cared for to-night.”</p> +<p>“I’ll ask Ted to let us take his sleigh,” Dorothy +offered, promptly. “He could go with us to +the Corners, and then you could drive.”</p> +<p>“And take you?” asked Dr. Gray. “I am sure +you young folks have a lot to do this afternoon.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_50">[50]</div> +<p>“No matter about that,” persisted Dorothy. +“If I can help, I am only too glad to do it. And +Mr. Wolters is on Aunt Winnie’s executive board. +He might listen to my appeal.”</p> +<p>There was neither time nor opportunity for further +conversation, so Dorothy hastily got into her +things, and soon she was in Ted’s sleigh again, +huddled close to Dr. Gray in his big, fur coat.</p> +<p>The plan was unfolded to Ted, and he, anxious +to get back to his friends, willingly agreed to walk +from the Corners, and there turn the cutter over +to the charity workers.</p> +<p>“But Dorothy,” he objected, “I know they will +all claim I should have insisted on your coming +back with me. They will say you will kill yourself +with charity, and all that sort of thing.”</p> +<p>“Then say I will be home within an hour,” +Dorothy directed, as Ted jumped on the bob that +a number of boys were dragging up the hill. +“Good-bye, and thank you for the rig.”</p> +<p>“One hour, mind,” Ted called back. “You can +drive Bess, I know.”</p> +<p>“Of course,” Dorothy shouted. Then Bess was +headed for The Briars, the country home of the +millionaire Wolters.</p> +<p>“Suppose he has already made his gift,” Dorothy +demurred, as she wrapped the fur robe closely +about her feet, “and says he can’t guarantee any +more.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_51">[51]</div> +<p>“Then I guess he will have to make another,” +said the doctor. “I would not be responsible for +the life of that child out there in that shack.”</p> +<p>“If he agrees, how will you get Mrs. Tripp +and Emily out to the sanitarium?” Dorothy asked.</p> +<p>“Have to ’phone to Lakeside, and see if we can +get the ambulance,” he replied. “That’s the only +way to move them safely.”</p> +<p>It seemed to Dorothy that her plan was more +complicated than she had imagined it would be, +but it was Christmas time, and doing good for +others was in the very atmosphere.</p> +<p>“It will be a new kind of Christmas tree,” observed +the doctor. “But she’s a cunning little one—she +deserves to be kept alive.”</p> +<p>“Indeed she does,” Dorothy said, “and I’m +glad if I can help any.”</p> +<p>“Why I never would have thought of the plan,” +said the doctor. “I had been thinking all the +time we ought to do something, but Wolters’s +Christmas gift never crossed my mind. Here we +are. My, but this is a great place!” he finished. +And the next moment Dorothy had jumped out of +the cutter and was at the door of Mr. Ferdinand +Wolters.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_52">[52]</div> +<h2 id="c6">CHAPTER VI +<br /><span class="small">THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS</span></h2> +<p>Dorothy was scolded. There her own family—father, +Joe and Roger, to say nothing of dear +Aunt Winnie, and the cousins Ned and Nat—were +waiting for her important advice about a lot of +Christmas things, and she had ridden off with Dr. +Gray, attending to the gloomy task of having a +sick child and her mother placed in a sanitarium.</p> +<p>But she succeeded, and when on the following +day she visited Emily and her mother, she found +the nurses busy in an outer hall, fixing up the +Christmas tree that Mr. Sanders had insisted upon +bringing all the way from the farmhouse where +Dorothy had left it for little Emily.</p> +<p>The very gifts that Dorothy left unopened out +there, when she found the child sick, the nurses +were placing on the tree, waiting to surprise Emily +when she would open her eyes on the real Christmas +day.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_53">[53]</div> +<p>And there had been added to these a big surprise +indeed, for Mr. Wolters was so pleased with +the result of his charity, that he added to the hospital +donation a personal check for Mrs. Tripp +and her daughter. The check was placed in a tiny +feed bag, from which a miniature horse (Emily’s +pet variety of toy) was to eat his breakfast on +Christmas morning.</p> +<p>Major Dale did not often interfere with his +daughter’s affairs, but this time his sister, Mrs. +White, had importuned him, declaring that Dorothy +would take up charity work altogether if they +did not insist upon her taking her proper position +in the social world. It must be admitted that the +kind old major believed that more pleasure could +be gotten out of Dorothy’s choice than that of his +well-meaning, and fashionable, sister. But Winnie, +he reflected, had been a mother to Dorothy +for a number of years, and women, after all, knew +best about such things.</p> +<p>It was only when Dorothy found the major +alone in his little den off his sleeping rooms that +the loving daughter stole up to the footstool, and, +in her own childish way, told him all about it. He +listened with pardonable pride, and then told Dorothy +that too much charity is bad for the health +of growing girls. The reprimand was so absurd +that Dorothy hugged his neck until he reminded +her that even the breath of a war veteran has its +limitations.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_54">[54]</div> +<p>So Emily was left to her surprises, and now, +on the afternoon of the night before Christmas, +we find Dorothy and Mabel, with Ned, Nat and +Ted, busy with the decorations of the Cedars. +Step ladders knocked each other down, as the enthusiastic +boys tried to shift more than one to +exactly the same spot in the long library. Kitchen +chairs toppled over just as Dorothy or Mabel +jumped to save their slippered feet, and the long +strings of evergreens, with which all hands were +struggling, made the room a thing of terror for +Mrs. White and Major Dale.</p> +<p>The scheme was to run the greens in a perfect +network across the beamed ceiling, not in the usual +“chandelier-corner” fashion, but latticed after the +style of the Spanish serenade legend.</p> +<p>At intervals little red paper bells dangled, and +a prettier idea for decoration could scarcely be +conceived. To say that Dorothy had invented it +would not do justice to Mabel, but however that +may be, all credit, except stepladder episodes, was +accorded the girls.</p> +<p>“Let me hang the big bell,” begged Ted, “if +there is one thing I have longed for all my life it +was that—to hang a big ‘belle’.”</p> +<p>He aimed his stepladder for the middle of the +room, but Nat held the bell.</p> +<p>“She’s my belle,” insisted Nat, “and she’s not +going to be hanged—she’ll be hung first,” and he +caressed the paper ornament.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_55">[55]</div> +<p>“If you boys do not hurry we will never get +done,” Dorothy reminded them. “It’s almost +dark now.”</p> +<p>“Almost, but not quite,” teased Ted. “Dorothy, +between this and dark, there are more things +to happen than would fill a hundred stockings. By +the way, where do we hang the hose?”</p> +<p>“We don’t,” she replied. “Stockings are picturesque +in a kitchen, but absurd in such a bower +as this.”</p> +<p>“Right, Coz,” agreed Ned, deliberately sitting +down with a wreath of greens about his neck. +“Cut out the laundry, ma would not pay my little +red chop-suey menu last week, and I may have to +wear a kerchief on Yule day.”</p> +<p>“Oh, don’t you think that—sweet!” exulted +Mabel, making a true lover’s knot of the end of +her long rope of green that Nat had succeeded in +intertwining with Dorothy’s ‘cross town line’.</p> +<p>“Delicious,” declared Ned, jumping up and +placing his arms about her neck.</p> +<p>“Stop,” she cried. “I meant the bow.”</p> +<p>“Who’s running this show, any way?” asked +Ted. “Do you see the time, Frats?”</p> +<p>The mantle clock chimed six. Ned and Nat +jumped up, and shook themselves loose from the +stickery holly leaves as if they had been so many +feathers.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_56">[56]</div> +<p>“We must eat,” declared Ned, dramatically, +“for to-morrow we die!”</p> +<p>“We cannot have tea until everything is finished,” +Dorothy objected. “Do you think we +girls can clean up this room?”</p> +<p>“Call the maids in,” Ned advised, foolishly, +for the housemaids at the Cedars were not expected +to clean up after the “festooners.”</p> +<p>Dorothy frowned her reply, and continued to +gather up the ends of everything. Mabel did not +desert either, but before the girls realized it, the +boys had run off—to the dining room where a hasty +meal, none the less enjoyable, was ready to be +eaten.</p> +<p>“What do you suppose they are up to?” Mabel +asked.</p> +<p>“There is something going on when they are +in such a hurry. What do you say if we follow +them? It is not dark, and they can’t be going +far,” answered Dorothy.</p> +<p>Mabel gladly agreed, and, a half hour later, the +two girls cautiously made their way along the +white road, almost in the shadow of three jolly +youths. Occasionally they could hear the remarks +that the boys made.</p> +<p>“They are going to the wedding!” Dorothy exclaimed. +“The seven o’clock wedding at +Winter’s!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_57">[57]</div> +<p>Mabel did not reply. The boys had turned +around, and she clutched Dorothy’s arm nervously. +Instinctively both girls slowed their pace.</p> +<p>“They did not see us,” Dorothy whispered, +presently. “But they are turning into Sodden’s!”</p> +<p>Sodden’s was the home of one of the boys’ +chums—Gus Sodden by name. He was younger +than the others, and had the reputation of being +the most reckless chap in North Birchland.</p> +<p>“But,” mused Mabel, “the wedding is to be at +the haunted house! I should be afraid——”</p> +<p>“Mabel!” Dorothy exclaimed, “you do not +mean to say that you believe in ghosts!”</p> +<p>“Oh—no,” breathed Mabel, “but you know +the idea is so creepy.”</p> +<p>“That is why,” Dorothy said with a light +laugh, “we have to creep along now. Look at +Ned. He must feel our presence near.”</p> +<p>The boys now were well along the path to the +Sodden home. It was situated far down in a +grove, to which led a path through the hemlock +trees. These trees were heavy with the snow that +they seemed to love, for other sorts of foliage +had days before shed the fall that had so gently +stolen upon them—like a caress from a white +world of love.</p> +<p>“My, it is dark!” demurred Mabel, again.</p> +<p>“Mabel Blake!” accused Dorothy. “I do +believe you are a coward!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_58">[58]</div> +<p>It was lonely along the way. Everyone being +busy with Christmas at home, left the roads deserted.</p> +<p>“What do you suppose they are going in there +for?” Mabel finally whispered.</p> +<p>“We will have to wait and find out,” replied +Dorothy. “When one starts out spying on boys +she must be prepared for all sorts of surprises.”</p> +<p>“Oh, there comes Gus! Look!” Mabel pointed +to a figure making tracks through the snow along +the path.</p> +<p>“And—there are the others. It did not take +them long to make up. They are—Christmas—Imps. +Such make-ups!” Dorothy finished, as she +beheld the boys, in something that might have +been taken, or mistaken, for stray circus baggage.</p> +<p>Even in their disguise it was easy to recognize +the boys. Ned wore a kimono—bright red. On +his head was the tall sort of cap that clowns and +the old-fashioned school dunce wore. Nat was +“cute” in somebody’s short skirt and a shorter +jacket. He wore also a worsted cap that was +really, in the dim light, almost becoming. Ted +matched up Nat, the inference being that they were +to be Christmas attendants on Santa Claus.</p> +<p>The girls stepped safely behind the hedge as +the procession passed. The boys seemed too involved +in their purpose to talk.</p> +<p>“Now,” said Dorothy, “we may follow. I +knew they were up to something big.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_59">[59]</div> +<p>“Aren’t they too funny!” said Mabel, who had +almost giggled disastrously as the boys passed. +“I thought I would die!”</p> +<p>There was no time to spare now, for the boys +were walking very quickly, and it was not so easy +for the girls to keep up with them and at the same +time to keep away from them.</p> +<p>Straight they went for what was locally called +the “haunted” house. This was a fine old mansion, +with big rooms and broad chimneys, which had +once been the home of a family of wealth. But +there had been a sad tragedy there, and after that +it had been said that ghosts held sway at the place. +It had been deserted for two years, but now, with +the former owner dead, a niece of the family, +fresh from college, had insisted upon being married +there, and the house had been accordingly put +into shape for the ceremony.</p> +<p>It was to be a fashionable wedding, at the hour +of six, and people had kept the station agent busy +all day inquiring how to reach the scene of the +wedding.</p> +<p>Lights already burned brightly in the rooms, +that could be seen to be decorated in holiday +style. People fluttered around and through the +long French windows; the young folks, boys and +girls, being hidden in different quarters, could +alike see something of what was going on in the +haunted house.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_60">[60]</div> +<p>“They’re coming!” Dorothy heard Nat exclaim, +just as he ducked in by the big outside +chimney. The broad flue was at the extreme end +of the house, forming the southern part of the +library, just off the wide hall that ran through +the middle of the place. Dorothy and Mabel +had taken refuge in one of the many odd corners +of the big, old fashioned porch, which partly encircled +this wing, and commanding a wonderful +view of the interior of the house, the halls and +library, and long, narrow drawing room.</p> +<p>There was a smothered laugh at the corner of +the porch where the boys had ducked, and the +girls watched in wonder. The latter saw Nat +boost Ned up the side of the porch column, and +Ted followed nimbly. In tense silence the girls +listened to their footsteps cross the porch roof, +then as scraping and slipping and much suppressed +mirth floated down.</p> +<p>“They’re going down the chimney!” declared +Dorothy, in astonishment.</p> +<p>“They surely are!” affirmed Mabel, leaning +far over the porch rail.</p> +<p>“But, Doro, what of the fire?”</p> +<p>“They don’t use that chimney. They use the +one on the other side of the house, and the one +in the kitchen.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_61">[61]</div> +<h2 id="c7">CHAPTER VII +<br /><span class="small">REAL GHOSTS</span></h2> +<p>“That explains the basket!” exclaimed Dorothy, +suddenly.</p> +<p>“How can they do it!” Mabel giggled excitedly.</p> +<p>“They can’t,” Dorothy replied, calmly, “they’ll +simply get in a mess—soot and things, you know.”</p> +<p>“Let’s run. I’m too excited to breathe! I +know something dreadful is bound to happen!” +And Mabel clutched Dorothy’s arm.</p> +<p>“And leave the boys to their fate? No, indeed, +we’ll see the prank through, since we walked into +it,” Dorothy said, determinedly.</p> +<p>Mabel laughed nervously, and looked at Dorothy +in puzzled impatience. “I always believe in +running while there’s time,” she explained.</p> +<p>Music, sweet and low, floated out on the still, +cold air of the night, and the wedding guests, in +trailing gowns of silver and lace and soft satins, +stood in laughing groups, all eyes turned toward +the broad staircase.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_62">[62]</div> +<p>“How quiet it’s become; everyone has stopped +talking,” whispered Mabel, in Dorothy’s ear.</p> +<p>“How peculiarly they are all staring! But of +course it must be exciting just before the bride +appears,” murmured Dorothy, in answer.</p> +<p>“Oh, there comes the bride!” cried Mabel. +“Isn’t she sweet!”</p> +<p>“It’s a stunt to trail downstairs that way—like +a summer breeze. How beautifully gauzy she +looks!” sighed Dorothy.</p> +<p>The eyes of the guests were turned half in wonder +toward the old chimney place, and half smilingly +toward the bride. On came the bride, tall +and slender and leaning gracefully on her father’s +arm, straight toward the tall mantel in the chimney +place, which was lavishly banked with palms and +flowers, and the minister began reading the ceremony.</p> +<p>“Hey! Let go there!” Ned’s muffled voice +floated above the heads of the wedding guests, +who stood aghast.</p> +<p>“You’re stuck all right, old chap,” came the consoling +voice of Nat in a ghostly whisper.</p> +<p>Sounds of half-smothered, weird laughter—or +so the laughter seemed to the guests—filled the air. +The bridegroom flushed and looked quickly at his +bride, who clung to her father’s arm, pale with +fright. The minister alone was calm.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_63">[63]</div> +<p>As the bridegroom’s clear answer: “I will” +came to the ears of Dorothy and Mabel out on +the porch, a creepy sound issued from the great +fireplace. The newly-made husband kissed his +bride, and the guests moved back.</p> +<p>Dorothy leaned eagerly forward to catch a +glimpse of the radiantly smiling bride. Just then +a tall palm wavered, fell to the floor with a crash, +and in falling, carried vases and jars of flowers +with it, and the ghostly laughter could be plainly +heard by all.</p> +<p>All the tales that had been told of the haunted +house came vividly before each guest. There were +feminine screams, a confused rush for the hallway, +and in two seconds the wedding festivities +were in an uproar. The bride sank to the floor, +and with white, upturned face, lay unconscious.</p> +<p>The men of the party with one thought jumped +to the fireplace, and Ned was dragged, by way of +the chimney, into the room. Completely dazed, +utterly chagrined, and looking altogether foolish, +he sat in a round, high basket, his knees crushed +under his chin, the clown’s cap rakishly hanging +over one ear, his face unrecognizable in its thick +coating of cobwebs and soot.</p> +<p>“Oh, we’re so sorry,” Dorothy’s eager young +voice broke upon the hushed crowd, as she ran into +the room, with Mabel behind her.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_64">[64]</div> +<p>Ned stared open-mouthed at the gaily-dressed +people. It had happened so suddenly, and was so +far from what he had planned, that he could not +get himself in hand.</p> +<p>“Good gracious!” exclaimed the bride’s father, +pacing up and down, “can’t someone get order +out of this chaos?”</p> +<p>The bridegroom was chafing the small white +hands of his bride, and the guests stepped away to +give her air. The wedding finery lay limp and +draggled. Dorothy stifled a moan as she looked. +Quickly jumping out of the crowd she left the +room. Mabel stood still, uncertain as to what to +do. At the long French windows appeared Nat, +Ted and Gus, grotesque in their make-ups and +trying in vain to appear as serious as the situation +demanded.</p> +<p>“Step in here!” commanded the father, and +the boys meekly stepped in. A brother of the bride +held Ned firmly by the arm. “Now, young scallywags, +explain yourselves!”</p> +<p>It was an easy thing for the irate father to demand, +but it completely upset the boys. They +couldn’t explain themselves.</p> +<p>In an awed whisper, Ned ventured an explanation: +“We only wanted to keep up the reputation +of the house.”</p> +<p>“And the basket stuck,” eagerly helped out Ted. +“We just thought we would whisper mysteriously +and—and cough—or something,” and Ned tried +to free himself from the grip on his arm.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_65">[65]</div> +<p>“It was wider than we thought and the basket +kept going down——” Nat’s voice was hoarse, but +he couldn’t control his mirth.</p> +<p>“The rope slipped some—and the basket stuck——” +Ted’s voice was brimming over with apologies.</p> +<p>“Naturally, we would have entered by the front +door,” politely explained Gus, “had we foreseen +this.”</p> +<p>“You see it stuck,” persisted Ted, apparently +unable to remember anything but that awful fact.</p> +<p>“Then it really wasn’t spooks,” asked a tall, +dark-haired girl, as she joined the group.</p> +<p>One by one the guests gingerly returned to the +room and stood about, staring in amusement at +the boys. The cool, though severe stares of the +ladies were harder to bear than any rough treatment +that might be accorded them by the men. +Against the latter they could defend themselves, +but, as Ned suddenly realized, there is no defence +for mere man against the amused stare of a lady.</p> +<p>“It certainly could be slated at police headquarters +as ‘entering’,” calmly said a stout man, +taking in every detail of the boys’ costumes. “Disturbing +the peace and several other things.”</p> +<p>“With intent to do malicious mischief,” the +man who spoke balanced himself on his heels and +swung a chrysanthemum to and fro by the stem.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_66">[66]</div> +<p>The minister was walking uneasily about. The +bride was on a sofa where she had been lifted to +come out of her faint.</p> +<p>In a burst of impatience Ted whispered to Mabel, +whom, for some reason, he did not appear at +all surprised to see there: “Where’s Dorothy?”</p> +<p>Mabel, scared and perplexed, shook her head +solemnly. But, as if in answer to the question, +Dorothy rushed into the room, her cheeks aglow, +her hair flying wildly about, and behind her walked +Dr. Gray.</p> +<p>Dr. Gray’s kindly smile beamed on the little +bride, and he soon brought her around. Sitting up, +she burst into a peal of merry laughter.</p> +<p>“What, pray tell me, are they?” she demanded, +pointing at the boys. She was still white, but her +eyes danced, and her small white teeth gleamed +between red lips.</p> +<p>“My cousins,” bravely answered Dorothy. +Everyone laughed, and the boys, in evident relief, +shouted.</p> +<p>“You’ve come to my wedding!” exclaimed the +bride.</p> +<p>“Kind of ’em; wasn’t it?” said the bridegroom, +sneeringly.</p> +<p>“But we’re going now,” quickly replied Dorothy, +with great dignity.</p> +<p>“Why?” asked the bride with wide open eyes. +“Since you are not really spooky creatures, stay +for the dancing.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_67">[67]</div> +<p>“We’re terribly thankful you are not ghosts,” +chirped a fluffy bridesmaid.</p> +<p>“You see if you had really been spooks,” +laughed the bride, “everyone would have shrieked +at me that horrible phrase, ‘I told you so,’ because +you know I insisted upon being married in this +house, just to defy superstition.”</p> +<p>“Just think what you’ve saved us!” said the +tall, dark-haired girl.</p> +<p>“Of course if it will be any accommodation,” +awkwardly put in Ned, “we’ll dance.” He +thought he had said the perfectly polite thing.</p> +<p>“He’s going to dance for us!” cried the tall +girl, to the others in the hall, and everyone crowded +in.</p> +<p>An hour later, trudging home in the bright +moonlight, Dorothy sighed: “Weren’t they wonderful!”</p> +<p>“It was decent of them to let us stay and have +such fun,” commented Ned.</p> +<p>“And such eats!” mused Nat. And Nat and +Ned, with a strangle hold on each other, waltzed +down the road.</p> +<p>Happy, but completely tired, the boys and girls +plowed through the snow, homeward bound.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_68">[68]</div> +<h2 id="c8">CHAPTER VIII +<br /><span class="small">THE AFTERMATH</span></h2> +<p>Christmas day, at dusk, the boys were stretched +lazily before the huge fire in the grate, when Dorothy +jumped up excitedly:</p> +<p>“Boys, here’s Tavia! And I declare, Bob Niles +is with her!”</p> +<p>“Good for Bob!” sang out Ned.</p> +<p>“’Rah! ’Rah!” whooped Ted, and all rushed +for the door.</p> +<p>Gaily Tavia hugged them all. Bob stood discreetly +aside.</p> +<p>“Father was called away, and it was so dreary—I +just ran over to see everyone,” gushed Tavia.</p> +<p>“Well, we’re glad to see you,” welcomed Aunt +Winnie.</p> +<p>“Oh, Tavia,” whispered Dorothy, “how did +you manage to get Bob?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_69">[69]</div> +<p>“Get whom?” Tavia tried to look blank. Dorothy +spoiled the blankness by stuffing a large chocolate +cream right into Tavia’s mouth before her +chum could close it.</p> +<p>“Thought you’d find Tavia interesting,” grinned +Ned, helping Bob take off his great ulster, at which +words the lad addressed flushed to his temples.</p> +<p>“Say, fellows, that yarn about the hose——” +began Nat.</p> +<p>“Nat no longer believes in Santa and the stockings,” +chimed in Ned, “he hung up all his socks +last night and——”</p> +<p>Nat glared at Ned, then calmly proceeded: +“About the hose, as I was saying, is nonsense! I +own some pretty decent-looking socks, as you’ve +noticed—I hung ’em all up and nary a sock remained +on the line this morning. Santa stole +them!”</p> +<p>“It’s the funniest thing about Nat’s socks,” explained +Dorothy, hastily, “he thought one pair +would not hold enough, and so strung them all +over the fireplace, and this morning they were +gone!”</p> +<p>Ted hummed a dreamy tune, and stared at the +beamed ceiling, with a faraway look in his eyes. +Nat, with sudden suspicion, grabbed Ted’s leg, and +there, sure enough, was one pair of his highly-prized, +and highly-colored, socks, snugly covering +Ted’s ankles.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_70">[70]</div> +<p>A rough and tumble fight followed, and Tavia, +with high glee, jumped into it. Finally, breathless +and panting, they stopped, and demurely Tavia, +for all the world like a prim little girl in Sunday +School, sank to a low stool, with Bob at her feet. +Nothing could be quieter than Tavia, when Tavia +decided on quietness.</p> +<p>“We came over in the biggest sleigh we could +find,” said Bob, “so that all could take a drive—Mrs. +White and Major Dale too, you know.”</p> +<p>“Oh, no, the young folks don’t want an old +fellow like me,” protested Major Dale.</p> +<p>“We just do!” Dorothy replied, resting her +head against her father’s arm affectionately. “We +simply won’t go unless you and Aunt Winnie +come.”</p> +<p>“Why, of course, dear, we’ll go,” answered +Aunt Winnie, who was never known to stay at +home when she could go on a trip. As she spoke +she sniffed the air. “What is that smell, boys?”</p> +<p>“Something’s burning,” yawned Ted, indifferently, +just as if things burning in one’s home was +a commonplace diversion from the daily routine.</p> +<p>Noses tilted, the boys and girls sniffed the air.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_71">[71]</div> +<p>Suddenly Bob and Nat sprang to Tavia’s side +and quickly beat out, with their fists, a tiny flame +that was slowly licking its way along the hem of +her woollen dress. With her reckless disregard +of consequences, Tavia had joined in the rough +and tumble fight with the boys, and, exhausted, had +rested too near the grate. A flying spark had ignited +the dress, which smouldered, and only the +quick work of the boys saved Tavia from possible +burns. For once she was subdued. Mrs. White +soothed her with motherly compassion. She was +always in dread lest Tavia’s reckless spirit would +cause the girl needless suffering.</p> +<p>“You see,” said Bob, smiling at Tavia, as they +piled into the sleigh and he carefully tucked blankets +about the girls, “you can’t entirely take care +of yourself—some time you’ll rush into the fire, +as you did just now.”</p> +<p>For an instant Tavia’s cheeks flamed. He was +so masterful! She yearned to slap him, but considering +the fire escapade, she couldn’t, quite.</p> +<p>The major was driving, with Dorothy snuggled +closely to his side, and Ted curled up on the floor. +Nat took care of Aunt Winnie on the next seat and +Bob and Tavia were in the rear.</p> +<p>On they sped over snow and ice, the bitter wind +sharply cutting their faces, until all glowed and +sparkled at the touch of it.</p> +<p>“Did you hear from the girls?” asked Dorothy, +turning to Tavia.</p> +<p>“Just got Christmas cards,” answered Tavia.</p> +<p>“I fared better than that. Cologne wrote a +fourteen page letter——”</p> +<p>“All the news that’s worth printing, as it were,” +laughed Tavia.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_72">[72]</div> +<p>“Underlined, Cologne asked whether I had +heard the news about Mingle, and provokingly +ended the letter there. I’m still wondering. Her +departure at such an opportune moment was a +blessing, but we never stopped to think what might +have caused it,” said Dorothy, thoughtfully.</p> +<p>“Well, whatever it was, it saved us,” contentedly +responded Tavia. “By the way, Maddie sent +me the cutest card—painted it herself!”</p> +<p>“Who wants to ride across the lake?” demanded +Major Dale, slowing up the horses, “that will +save us climbing the hill, you know, and the ice is +plenty thick enough; don’t you think so, Winnie?”</p> +<p>“Yes, indeed,” Aunt Winnie answered, ready +for anything that meant adventure, and as they all +chorused their assent joyfully, away they drove +over the snow-covered ice.</p> +<p>The horses galloped straight across the lake, up +the bank, and then came a smash! The steeds +ran into a drift, dumped over the sleigh; and a +shivering, laughing mass of humanity lay on the +new, white snow.</p> +<p>“Such luck!” cried Tavia, “out of the fire into +the snow!”</p> +<p>While Major Dale and the boys righted the +overturned sleigh, Bob took care of the ladies.</p> +<p>“You and the girls leave for New York to-morrow, +Tavia tells me,” said Bob.</p> +<p>“Yes,” replied Aunt Winnie, with a sigh, “a +little pleasure trip, and some business.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_73">[73]</div> +<p>“Business?” cried Dorothy, closely scrutinizing +her aunt’s worried face.</p> +<p>Quick to scent something that sounded very +much like “family matters,” Tavia turned with +Bob, and deliberately started pelting with snow the +hard-working youths at the sleigh.</p> +<p>“Aw! Quit!” scolded Ted.</p> +<p>“There, you’ve done it! That one landed in +my ear! Now, quit it!” Nat stopped working +long enough to wipe the wet snow from his face.</p> +<p>But Tavia’s young spirits were not to be +squelched by mere words; Bob made the snow balls +for Tavia to throw, which she continued to do +with unceasing ardor.</p> +<p>“Why, yes, Dorothy,” Aunt Winnie replied, +watching Tavia. “I’m afraid there will be quite +a bit of business mixed with our New York trip. +I’m having some trouble. It’s the agent who has +charge of the apartment house I am interested in—you +remember, the man whom I did not like.”</p> +<p>“The apartment you’ve taken for the Winter?” +questioned Dorothy, shivering.</p> +<p>“You’re cold, dear.” Aunt Winnie, too, shivered. +“Run over with Tavia and jump around, it’s +too chilly to stand still like this. How unfortunate +we are! The sun will soon dip behind those hilltops, +and the air be almost too frosty for comfort.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_74">[74]</div> +<p>“Tell me,” persisted Dorothy, “what is it that’s +worrying you, Aunt Winnie? I’ve noticed it since +I came home. I want to be all the assistance I can, +you know.”</p> +<p>“You couldn’t help me, Dorothy, in fact, I do +not even know that I am right about the matter. +I do not trust the agent, but he had the rent collecting +before I took the place, so I allowed him to +continue under me. I can only say, Dorothy, that +something evidently is wrong. My income is not +what it should be.”</p> +<p>“Oh, I’m so sorry! But, I’m glad you told me. +Wait until we reach New York—we’ll solve it,” +and Dorothy pressed her lips together firmly.</p> +<p>Aunt Winnie laughed. “Don’t talk foolishly, +dear. It takes a man of wide experience and cunning +to deal with any real estate person, I guess; +and most of all a New York agent. My dear, let +us forget the matter. There, the sleigh seems to +be right side up once more.”</p> +<p>“Tavia,” whispered Dorothy, as she held her +friend back, “we’re in for it! Aunt Winnie has a +mystery on her hands! In New York City! Let +us see if you and I and the boys can solve it!”</p> +<p>“Good! We’ll certainly do it, if you think it +can be done,” said Tavia. “Oh, good old New +York town! It makes me dizzy just to think of +the whirling mass of rushing people and the autos +and ’buses, and shops and tea-rooms! Doro, you +must promise that you won’t drag me into more +than ten tea-rooms in one afternoon!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_75">[75]</div> +<p>“I solemnly promise,” returned Dorothy, “if +you’ll promise me to keep out of shops one whole +half-hour in each day!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_76">[76]</div> +<h2 id="c9">CHAPTER IX +<br /><span class="small">JUST DALES</span></h2> +<p>It was three days after Christmas, and what +was left of the white crystals was fast becoming +brown mud, and the puddles and rivulets of melted +snow, very tempting to the small boy, made +walking almost impossible for the small boy’s +elders. The air was soft, and as balmy as the first +days of Spring. One almost expected to hear the +twittering of a bluebird and the chirp of the robins, +but nevertheless a grate fire burned brightly in +Dorothy’s room, with the windows thrown open +admitting the crisp air and sunlight.</p> +<p>“Shall I take my messaline dress, Tavia?” +Dorothy asked, holding the garment in mid-air.</p> +<p>“If we go to the opera you’ll want it; I packed +my only evening gown, that ancient affair in pink,” +said Tavia, laughing a bit wistfully.</p> +<p>“You’re simply stunning in that dress, Tavia,” +said Dorothy. “Isn’t she, Nat?” she appealed to +her cousin.</p> +<p>“That flowery, pinkish one, with the sash?” +asked the boy.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_77">[77]</div> +<p>“Yes,” said Tavia, “the one that I’ve been +wearing so long that if I put it out on the front +steps some evening, it would walk off alone to any +party or dance in Dalton.”</p> +<p>“You know,” said Nat, looking at Tavia with +pride, “when you have that dress on you look like +a—er—a well, like pictures I’ve seen of—red-haired +girls,” the color mounted Nat’s brow and +he looked confused. Dorothy smiled as she turned +her back and folded the messaline dress, placing it +carefully in her trunk. Nat was so clumsy at compliments! +But Tavia did not seem to notice the +clumsiness, a lovely light leaped to her clear brown +eyes, and the wistfulness of a moment before vanished +as she laughed.</p> +<p>“I was warned by everyone in school not to buy +pink!” declared Tavia.</p> +<p>“So, of course,” said Dorothy laughing, “you +straightway decided on a pink dress. But, seriously, +Tavia, pink is your color, the old idea of auburn +locks and greens and browns is completely +smashed to nothingness, when you wear pink! Oh +dear,” continued Dorothy, perplexed, “where shall +I pack this wrap? Not another thing will go into +my trunk.”</p> +<p>“Are you taking two evening wraps?” asked +Tavia.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_78">[78]</div> +<p>“Surely, one for you and the other for me. You +see this is pink too,” Dorothy held up a soft, silk-lined +cape, with a collar of fur. Quick tears +sprang to Tavia’s eyes, and impulsively she threw +her arms about Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Don’t strangle Dorothy,” objected Nat.</p> +<p>“You always make me so happy, Doro,” said +Tavia, releasing her chum, who looked happier +even than Tavia, her fair face flushed. The hugging +Tavia had given had loosened Dorothy’s +stray wisps of golden hair, that fell about her +eyes and ears in a most bewitching way.</p> +<p>“Girls,” called Aunt Winnie, from below stairs, +“aren’t you nearly finished?”</p> +<p>“All finished but Nat’s part,” answered Dorothy. +Then to Nat she said: “Now, cousin, sit +hard on this trunk, and perhaps we’ll be able to +close it.”</p> +<p>Nat solemnly perched on the lid of the trunk, +but it would not close.</p> +<p>“Something will have to come out,” he declared.</p> +<p>“There is nothing, absolutely nothing, in my +trunk that I can leave behind,” said Dorothy.</p> +<p>“My trunk closed very easily,” said Tavia, +“I’ll get it up from the station and we’ll pack the +surplus gowns in it,” she turned triumphantly to +Dorothy. “Too bad I sent it on so early. But +we can get it.”</p> +<p>“The very thing!” Dorothy laughed. “Run, +Nat, and fetch Tavia’s trunk from the station.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_79">[79]</div> +<p>“Dorothy,” called Aunt Winnie again, “we +only have a few hours before train time. Your +trunk should be ready for the expressman now, +dear.”</p> +<p>“Hurry, Nat,” begged Dorothy, “you must get +Tavia’s trunk here in two minutes. Coming,” she +called down to Aunt Winnie, as she and Tavia +rushed down the stairs.</p> +<p>“The trunk won’t close because the gowns won’t +fit,” dramatically cried Tavia.</p> +<p>“So the boys have gone for Tavia’s, and we’ll +pack things in it,” hurriedly explained Dorothy.</p> +<p>“What is all this about gowns?” asked Major +Dale, drawing Dorothy to the arm of the great +chair in which he was sitting.</p> +<p>“I’m packing, father, we’re going to leave you +for a while,” said Dorothy, nestling close to his +broad shoulders.</p> +<p>“But not for very long,” Aunt Winnie said. +“You and the boys must arrange so that you can +follow in at least one week.”</p> +<p>“Well, it all depends on my rheumatism,” answered +the major. “You won’t want an old +limpy soldier trying to keep pace with you in New +York City. Mrs. Martin, the tried and true, will +take fine care of us while you are gone.”</p> +<p>“No, that won’t do,” declared Dorothy, “we +know how well cared for you will be under Mrs. +Martin’s wing, but we want you with us. In fact,” +she glanced hastily at Aunt Winnie, “we may even +need you.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_80">[80]</div> +<p>“Perhaps the best way,” said Aunt Winnie, +thoughtfully, “would be to send you a telegram +when to come, and by that time, you will no doubt +be all over this attack of rheumatism.”</p> +<p>“Ned and Nat are as anxious as are you girlies +to get there,” replied Major Dale, “so I’ll make +a good fight to arrive in New York City.”</p> +<p>“Who is going to tell me stories at bed-time, +when Dorothy’s gone?” asked little Roger. “I +don’t want Doro to go away, ’cause she’s the best +sister that any feller ever had.”</p> +<p>Roger was leaning against the Major’s knee, +and Dorothy drew him close to her.</p> +<p>“Sister will have to send you a story in a letter +every day. How will that do?” she asked, as +she pressed her cheek against his soft hair.</p> +<p>“Aw, no,” pouted Roger, “tell them all to me +now, before you go away.”</p> +<p>“I’ll tell you one and then father will tell one; +father will tell one about the soldier boys,” murmured +Dorothy in Roger’s ear.</p> +<p>“Oh, goody,” Roger clapped his hands; “and +Aunt Winnie and Tavia and Ned and Nat and +everybody can tell me one story to-night and that +will fill up for all the nights while you are away!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_81">[81]</div> +<p>“Dorothy!” screamed Tavia, bursting into the +room in wild excitement, “the boys have gone +without my trunk check! They can’t get it!”</p> +<p>“And the gowns will have to be left behind!”</p> +<p>“Never!” laughed Tavia, “I’ll run all the way +to the station and catch them!”</p> +<p>“They’ve taken the <i>Fire Bird</i>, maybe you’ll +meet them coming back.”</p> +<p>Tavia dashed, hatless, from the house. They +watched her as she fairly flew along the road, in a +short walking skirt, heavy sweater pulled high +around her throat, and her red hair gleaming in +the sun.</p> +<p>Major Dale had always greatly admired Tavia; +he liked her fearless honesty and the sincerity of +her affections. Aunt Winnie, too, loved her almost +as much as she loved Dorothy.</p> +<p>“I’ve wondered so much,” said Dorothy, “what +trouble Miss Mingle is in. She left school so suddenly +that last day, and Cologne was so provoking +in her letter.”</p> +<p>“An illness, probably,” said Aunt Winnie, +kindly.</p> +<p>“It can’t be anything so commonplace as illness,” +said Dorothy. “Cologne would have gone +into details about illness. The telegram, and her +departure, were almost tragic in their suddenness. +I feel so selfish when I think of our treatment of +that meek little woman. No one ever was interested +in her, that I remember. Her great fault +was a too-meek spirit. She literally erased herself +and her name from the minds of everyone.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_82">[82]</div> +<p>Major Dale and Aunt Winnie listened without +much enthusiasm. Aunt Winnie was worried +about Dorothy, who showed so little inclination +to enter the whirl of society in North Birchland. +She had looked forward with much pleasure to +presenting her niece to her social world.</p> +<p>But Dorothy had little love for the society life +of North Birchland. She loved her cousins and +her small brothers, and seemed perfectly happy +and contented in her home life, and attending to +the small charities connected with the town. She +seemed to prefer a hospital to a house party, a +romp with the boys to a fashionable dance, and she +bubbled with glee in the company of Tavia, ignoring +the girls of the first families in her neighborhood.</p> +<p>“Your trip to New York, daughter,” began +Major Dale, slily smiling at Aunt Winnie, “will +be your <i>debut</i>, so to speak, in the world.”</p> +<p>Dorothy answered nothing, but continued to +smooth away the hair from Roger’s brow.</p> +<p>“What are you thinking of?” her father asked +musingly, not having received an answer to his +first remark.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_83">[83]</div> +<p>“Oh, nothing in particular,” sighed Dorothy, +“except that I don’t see why I should make a <i>debut</i> +anywhere. I don’t want to meet the world,—that +is, socially. I want to know people for themselves, +not for what they’re worth financially or +because of the entertaining they do. I just like +to know people—and poorer people best of all. +They are interesting and real.”</p> +<p>“As are persons of wealth and social position,” +answered Aunt Winnie, gently.</p> +<p>“I’m going to be a soldier, like father,” said +Joe, “and Dorothy can nurse me when I fall in +battle.”</p> +<p>“Me, too,” chirped little Roger, “I want to be +a soldier and limp like father!”</p> +<p>“Oh, boys!” cried Dorothy, in horror, “you’ll +never, never be trained for war.”</p> +<p>“What’s that?” asked Major Dale. “Don’t +you want the boys to receive honor and glory in +the army?”</p> +<p>“No,” said Dorothy decidedly, “I’ll never permit +it. Of course,” she hastened to add, “if Joe +must wear a uniform, he might go to a military +school, if that will please him.”</p> +<p>The major scoffed at the idea. Joe straightened +his shoulders, and marched about the room, +little Roger following in his wake, while the major +whistled “Yankee Doodle.”</p> +<p>The sound of the <i>Fire Bird</i> was heard coming +up the driveway, and in another second Nat, Ned +and Ted rushed into the room.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_84">[84]</div> +<p>“We can’t have the trunk without the check,” +explained Nat, breathlessly, “where is it?”</p> +<p>“Tavia discovered the check after you left, and +she followed you down to the station,” explained +Aunt Winnie.</p> +<p>“We took a short cut back and missed her, of +course,” said Nat, dejectedly.</p> +<p>“We won’t have any time to spare,” declared +Aunt Winnie, walking to the window, “the train +leaves at seven-thirty, and it is after six now,” +Dorothy followed her to the window. They both +stood still in astonishment.</p> +<p>“Boys!” cried Dorothy, “come quick!”</p> +<p>The boys scrambled to the window. There was +Tavia, coming up the drive, serenely seated on +top of her trunk, in the back part of a small buggy, +enjoying immensely the wind that brushed her hair +wildly about her face, while the driver, the stoutest +man in North Birchland, occupied the entire +front seat.</p> +<p>“I found it,” she cried lightly jumping to the +ground, “and this was the only available rig!”</p> +<p>“Never mind,” said Dorothy, “nothing counts +but a place to pack the gowns!”</p> +<p>“And catch the train for New York City,” cried +Tavia, from the top landing of the first flight of +stairs. “Everybody hurry! We have just time +enough to catch the train!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_85">[85]</div> +<h2 id="c10">CHAPTER X +<br /><span class="small">SIXTY MILES AN HOUR</span></h2> +<p>The station at North Birchland was just a +brown stone building, and a small platform, surrounded +by a garden, like all country town stations. +But a more animated crowd of young people had +rarely gathered anywhere. Dorothy, Tavia and +Aunt Winnie were noticeable among the crowd, +their smart travelling suits and happy smiling faces +being good to look upon. Ned, who was to accompany +his mother, stood guard over the bags, while +they were being checked by the station master. +Nat, Ted and Bob, who had come to see them off, +pranced about, impatient for the train, and altogether +they were making such a racket that an +elderly lady picked up her bag and shawls, and +quickly searched for a quieter part of the station. +It was such a long time since the elderly lady had +been young and going on a journey, that she completely +forgot all about the way it feels, and how +necessary it is to laugh and chatter noisily on such +occasions.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_86">[86]</div> +<p>Nat looked in Tavia’s direction constantly, and +at last succeeded in attracting her attention. He +appeared so utterly miserable that instinctively +Tavia slipped away from the others, and walked +with him toward the end of the station. But this +did not make Bob any happier. He devoted himself +to Dorothy and Aunt Winnie, casting longing +glances at Nat and Tavia. Dorothy was +charming in a travelling coat of blue, and a small +blue hat and veil gracefully tilted on her bright +blond hair, a coquettish quill encircling her hat and +peeping over her ear. Tavia was dressed in a +brown tailored suit, and a lacy dotted brown veil +accentuated the pink in her cheeks and the brightness +of her eyes.</p> +<p>A light far down the track told of the approaching +train. Joe and Roger were having an +argument as to who saw the gleam first and Major +Dale had to come to the rescue and be umpire. +As the rumble and roar grew nearer, and the light +became bigger, the excitement of the little group +became intense. With a great, loud roar and hissing, +the train stopped and the coach on which they +had engaged berths was just in front of them.</p> +<p>“The <i>Yellow Flyer</i>,” read Joe, carefully, “is +that where you will sleep?” he asked, looking in +wonder at the car.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_87">[87]</div> +<p>“Yes, indeed, Joey,” said Dorothy, kissing him +good-bye, “in cunning little beds, hanging from +the sides of the coach.”</p> +<p>Dorothy held out her hand to Bob. “Good-bye,” +she said. Tavia, just behind Dorothy, glancing +quickly up at Bob, blushed as she placed her +slim hand in his large brown one.</p> +<p>“You’re coming to New York, too, with the +boys?” she asked, demurely.</p> +<p>Bob held her hand in his strong grip and it hurt +her, as he said very stiffly: “I don’t know that I +shall.” With a toss of her head, Tavia started up +the steps of the coach, but Bob following, still held +her hand tightly, and she stopped. All the others +were on the train. She looked straight into his +eyes and said: “We’re going to have no end of +fun, you know.” Bob released her hand. Standing +in the vestibule, Tavia turned once more: +“Please come,” she called to him, then rushed +into the train and joined the others.</p> +<p>When the cars pulled out, the last thing Tavia +saw was Bob’s uncovered head and Nat’s waving +handkerchief, and she smiled at both very sweetly. +Then they waved their handkerchiefs until darkness +swallowed up the little station.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_88">[88]</div> +<p>The girls looked about them. A sleeping car! +Tavia thrilled with pleasant anticipation. It was +all so very luxurious! Aunt Winnie almost immediately +discovered an old acquaintance sitting +directly opposite. The lady, very foreign in manner +and attire, held a tiny white basket under her +huge sable muff. She gushed prettily at the unexpected +pleasure of having Aunt Winnie for a travelling +companion. Tavia thought she must be the +most beautiful lady in all the world, and both she +and Dorothy found it most disconcerting to be +ushered into a sleeping car filled with staring people, +and be introduced to so lovely a creature as +Aunt Winnie’s friend. The beautiful lady whispered +mysteriously to Aunt Winnie, and pointed +to the hidden basket and instantly a saucy growl +came from it.</p> +<p>“A dog,” gasped Dorothy, “why, they don’t +permit dogs on a Pullman!”</p> +<p>“Let’s get a peep at him,” said Tavia, “the little +darling, to go travelling just like real people!”</p> +<p>Immediately following the growl, the lady and +Aunt Winnie sat in dignified silence, and stared +blankly at the entire car.</p> +<p>“They’re making believe,” whispered Tavia, +“pretending there isn’t any dog, and that no one +heard a growl!”</p> +<p>“I’m simply dying to see the little fellow!” +said Dorothy, unaware that the future held an opportunity +to see the dog that now reposed in the +basket.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_89">[89]</div> +<p>“Well, Dorothy,” said Tavia, “according to +the looks across the aisle ‘there ain’t no dog,’” +Tavia loved an expressive phrase, regardless of +grammatical rules.</p> +<p>“Did Ned get on?” suddenly asked Dorothy. +“I don’t see him.”</p> +<p>“He’s on,” answered Tavia, disdainfully, “in +the smoker. Didn’t you hear him beg our permission?”</p> +<p>After an hour had passed Aunt Winnie came +toward them and said:</p> +<p>“Don’t you think it best to retire now, girls? +You have a strenuous week before you.”</p> +<p>Dorothy and Tavia readily agreed, as neither +had found much to keep them awake. Many of +the passengers had already retired, some of them +immediately after the last stop was made. Tavia +could not remain quiet, and happy too, where +there was no excitement. She preferred to sleep +peacefully—and strangely, the Pullman sleeper +offered no fun even to an inventive mind like +Tavia’s.</p> +<p>“Ned might have stayed with us,” sighed +Dorothy. “Boys are so selfish.”</p> +<p>“Wouldn’t you like to go into the smoker +too?” suggested Tavia.</p> +<p>“What! Tavia Travers, you’re simply too +awful!” cried Dorothy.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_90">[90]</div> +<p>“Oh, just to keep awake. After all, I find I +have a yearning to stay up. All in favor of the +smoker say ‘Aye.’” And a lone “Aye” came from +Tavia.</p> +<p>“Besides,” said Dorothy, “the porter wouldn’t +permit it.”</p> +<p>“Unless we carried something in our hands +that looked like a pipe,” mused Tavia.</p> +<p>“We might take Ned some matches,” rejoined +Dorothy, seeing that the subject offered a little +variety.</p> +<p>“When the porter takes down our berths, we’ll +quietly suggest it, and see how it takes,” said Tavia. +“Along with feeling like storming the smoker, +I’m simply dying for a weeny bit of ice-cream.”</p> +<p>“Tavia,” said Dorothy, trying to speak severely, +“I think you must be having a nightmare, such +unreasonable desires!”</p> +<p>“So,” yawned Tavia, “I’ll have to go to bed +hungry, I suppose.”</p> +<p>“Do you really want ice-cream as badly as +that?”</p> +<p>“I never yearned so much for anything.”</p> +<p>Dorothy was rather yearning for ice-cream herself, +since it had been suggested, but she knew it +was an utter impossibility. The dining car was +closed, and how to secure it, Dorothy could not +think. However, she called the porter, and, while +he was taking down their berths, she and Tavia +went over to say good-night to Aunt Winnie and +her friend.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_91">[91]</div> +<p>“I’ll try not to awaken you, girls, when I retire,” +said Aunt Winnie. “Ned’s berth, by a strange +coincidence, is the upper one in Mrs. Sanderson’s +section. Years ago, Mrs. Sanderson and myself +occupied the same section in a Pullman for an entire +week, and it was the beginning of a delightful +friendship.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Sanderson told the girls about her present +trip, but Tavia was so hungry for the ice-cream, +and Dorothy so busy trying to devise some means +to procure it, that they missed a very interesting +story from the beautiful lady.</p> +<p>Then, returning to their berths, Tavia climbed +the ladder, and everything was quiet.</p> +<p>“Dorothy,” she whispered, her head dangling +over the side of the berth, “peep out and find the +porter. I must have ice-cream.”</p> +<p>“Why, Tavia?” asked Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Just because,” answered Tavia in the most +positive way.</p> +<p>Dorothy and Tavia both looked out from behind +their curtains. Every other one was drawn +tightly, save two, for Aunt Winnie and her friend +and Ned, who had come back, were the only passengers +still out of their berths. Ned winked at the +girls when their heads appeared.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_92">[92]</div> +<p>Holding up a warning finger at Ned, who faced +them, the girls stole out of their section and crept +silently toward the porter. In hurried whispers +they consulted him, but the porter stood firm and +unyielding. They could not be served with anything +after the dining car closed.</p> +<p>So they then descended to coaxing. Just one +girl pleading for ice-cream might have been resisted, +but when two sleep-eyed young creatures, +begged so pitifully to be served with it at once, the +porter threw up his hands and said:</p> +<p>“Ah’ll see if it can be got, but Ah ain’t got no +right fo’ to git it tho!”</p> +<p>Soon he reappeared with two plates of ice-cream. +Tavia took one plate in both hands hungrily, +and Dorothy took the other. When they +looked at Aunt Winnie’s back, Ned stared, but +Aunt Winnie was too deeply interested in her old +friend to care what Ned was staring at.</p> +<p>“Duck!” cautioned Tavia, who was ahead of +Dorothy, as she saw Aunt Winnie suddenly turn +her head. They slipped into the folds of a nearby +curtain, but sprang instantly back into the centre +of the aisle. Snoring, deep and musical, sounded +directly into their ears from behind the curtain, +and even Tavia’s love of adventure quailed at the +awful nearness of the sound. One little lurch and +they would have landed in the arms of the snoring +one!</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_93">[93]</div> +<p>Just to make the ice-cream taste better, Aunt +Winnie again turned partly. Dorothy and Tavia +stood still, unable to decide whether it was wise to +retreat or advance, Ned solved it for them by +rising and waiting for the girls. Aunt Winnie, of +course, turned all the way around and discovered +the two girls hugging each other, in silent mirth.</p> +<p>“Tavia would have cream,” explained Dorothy.</p> +<p>“But it would have tasted so much better had +we eaten it without being found out,” said Tavia, +woefully.</p> +<p>“Just look at this,” said Ned, “and maybe the +flavor of the cream will be good enough,” and he +handed the girls a check marked in neat, small +print, which the porter had handed him: “Two +plates of ice-cream, at 75 cents each, $1.50.”</p> +<p>“How outrageous!” cried Dorothy.</p> +<p>“We’ll return it immediately,” said Tavia, indignantly.</p> +<p>“I paid it,” explained Ned, drily. “You wanted +something outside of meal hours, and you +might have expected to have the price raised.”</p> +<p>“At that cost each spoonful will taste abominable,” +moaned Tavia.</p> +<p>Said Dorothy sagely: “It won’t taste at all if +we don’t eat it instantly. It’s all but melted now.”</p> +<p>“Yes, pray eat it,” said the gruff voice of a man +behind closed curtains, “so the rest of us can get +to sleep.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_94">[94]</div> +<p>Another voice, with a faint suggestion of stifling +laughter, said: “I’m in no hurry to sleep, understand; +still I engaged the berth for that purpose——”</p> +<p>But Dorothy and Tavia had fled, and heard no +more comments. Aunt Winnie followed.</p> +<p>“How ridiculous to want ice-cream at such an +hour, and in such a place!” she said.</p> +<p>“Old melted stuff,” complained Tavia, “it +tastes like the nearest thing to nothing I’ve ever +attempted to eat!”</p> +<p>“And, Auntie,” giggled Dorothy, “we paid +seventy-five cents per plate! I’m drinking mine; +it’s nothing but milk!”</p> +<p>Soon the soft breathing of Aunt Winnie denoted +the fact that she had slipped silently into the +land of dreams. Dorothy, too, was asleep, and +Tavia alone remained wide-awake, listening to +the noise of the cars as the train sped over the +country. Tavia sighed. She had so much to be +thankful for, she was so much happier than she +deserved to be, she thought. One fact stood out +clearly in her mind. Sometime, somehow, she +would show Dorothy how deeply she loved and +admired her, above everyone else in the world. +After all, a sincere, unselfish love is the best one +can give in return for unselfish kindness.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_95">[95]</div> +<p>The next thing Tavia knew, although it seemed +as if she had only just finished thinking how much +she loved Dorothy, a tiny streak of sunlight shone +across her face. She sat bolt upright, confused +and mystified, in her narrow bed so near the roof. +The sleepy mist left her eyes, and with a bound she +landed on the edge of her berth, her feet dangling +down over the side of it. The train was not moving, +and peeping out of the ventilator, she saw that +they were in a station, and an endless row of other +trains met her gaze.</p> +<p>“Good morning!” she sang out to Dorothy, +but the only answer was the echo of her own voice. +Some few seconds passed, and Tavia was musing +on what hour of the morning it might be, when a +perfectly modulated voice said: “Anything yo’-all +wants, Miss?”</p> +<p>“Gracious, no! Oh, yes I do. What time is +it?” she asked.</p> +<p>“Near on to seven o’clock,” said the porter.</p> +<p>“Thank you,” demurely answered Tavia, and +started to dress. All went well until she climbed +down the ladder for her shoes and picked up a +beautifully-polished, but enormous number eleven! +She looked again, Aunt Winnie’s very French +heeled kid shoes and Dorothy’s stout walking +boots and one of her own shoes were there, but +her right shoe was gone!</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_96">[96]</div> +<p>She held up the number eleven boot and contemplated +it severely. To be sure both her feet +would have fitted snugly into the one big shoe, but +that wasn’t the way Tavia had intended making +her <i>debut</i> in New York City. She looked down +the aisle and saw shoes peeping from under every +curtain, and some stood boldly in the aisle. The +porter at the end of the car dozed again, and Tavia, +the number eleven in hand, started on a still +hunt for her own shoe.</p> +<p>She passed several pairs of shoes, but none were +hers. At the end of the car, she jumped joyfully +on a pair, only to lay them down in disappointment. +They were exactly like hers, but her feet had +developed somewhat since her baby days, whereas +the owner of these shoes still retained her baby +feet, little tiny number one shoes! On she went, +bending low over each pair. At last! Tavia +dropped the shoe she was carrying beside its mate! +At least that was some relief, she would not now +have to face the owner in her shoeless condition +and return to his outstretched hand his number +eleven.</p> +<p>Tavia thought anyone with such a foot would +naturally feel embarrassed to be found out. Now +for her own. She stooped cautiously, deeply interested +in her mission, under the curtain and a heavy +hand was laid on her shoulder. She looked up in +dazed astonishment into the dark face of the porter. +Mercy! did he think she was trying to enter +the berth? She realized, instantly, how suspicious +her actions must have appeared.</p> +<p>“Please find my shoe!” she commanded, +haughtily, “it is not in my berth.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_97">[97]</div> +<p>The porter released her. “Yo’ done leave ’em +fo’ me to be polished?” he inquired, respectfully.</p> +<p>“No, indeed,” replied Tavia, trying to maintain +her haughty air, “it has simply disappeared, +and I must have two shoes, you know.”</p> +<p>“O’ course,” solemnly answered the porter.</p> +<p>“Tavia,” called Dorothy’s voice, “what is the +trouble?”</p> +<p>“Nothing at all,” calmly answered Tavia, +“I’ve lost a shoe; a mere nothing, dear.”</p> +<p>One by one the curtains moved, indicating persons +of bulk on the other side, trying to dress within +the narrow limits, and the murmur of voices +rose higher. Shoes were drawn within the curtains +and soon there were none left, and Tavia +stood in dismay. Aunt Winnie, Dorothy and Ned +and lovely Mrs. Sanderson joined Tavia, others +stood attentively and sympathetically looking on +while they searched all over the car, dodging under +seats, pulling out suit-cases and poking into the +most impossible places, in an endeavor to locate +Tavia’s lost shoe.</p> +<p>A sharp, sudden bark and Mrs. Sanderson returned +in confusion to her section and smothered +the protests of her dog. She called Ned to help +her put him into his little white basket, at which +doggie loudly rebelled. He had had his freedom +for an entire night, running up and down the aisle, +playing with the good-natured porter.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_98">[98]</div> +<p>Doggie played hide-and-seek under the berths +and dragged various peculiar-looking black things +back and forth in his playful scampering and he +did not intend to return to any silk-lined basket +after such a wild night of fun! So he barked +again, saucy, snappy barks, then he growled fiercely +at everyone who came near him. In fact, one of +the peculiar-looking black things at that very moment +was lying in wait for him, expecting him +back to play with it, and just as soon as he could +dodge his mistress, doggie expected to rejoin it, +reposing in a dark corner of the car. At last he +saw his opportunity, and with a mad dash, the terrier +ran down the aisle, determination marking +every feature, as pretty Mrs. Sanderson started +after him, and Ned followed. Tavia sat disconsolately +in her seat, wondering what anyone, even +the most resourceful, could do with but one shoe!</p> +<p>A sudden howl of mirth from Ned, and an +amused, light laugh from Mrs. Sanderson, and, +back they came, Ned gingerly holding the little +terrier and Mrs. Sanderson triumphantly holding +forth Tavia’s shoe. By this time every passenger +had left the car, and the cleaning corps stood waiting +for Aunt Winnie’s party to vacate the vehicle.</p> +<p>Tavia put on the shoe, but first she shook the +terrier and scolded him. He barked and danced +up and down, as though he were the hero of the +hour.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_99">[99]</div> +<p>“We must get out of here, double-quick,” said +Ned.</p> +<p>“Oh, dear me!” exclaimed Dorothy, “where +is everything! I never can grab my belongings together +in time to get off a train.”</p> +<p>“I’m not half dressed,” chirped Tavia, cheerfully, +“and they will simply have to stand there +with the mops and brooms, until I’m ready.”</p> +<p>Aunt Winnie sat patiently waiting. “Do you +want to go uptown in the subway or the ’bus,” she +asked.</p> +<p>“Both!” promptly answered the young people.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_100">[100]</div> +<h2 id="c11">CHAPTER XI +<br /><span class="small">A HOLD-ON IN NEW YORK</span></h2> +<p>“My! Isn’t it hard to hang on!” breathed +Tavia, clinging to Dorothy, as the subway train +swung rapidly around the curves. As usual the +morning express was crowded to overflowing, and +the “overflowers” were squeezed tightly together +on the platforms. Ned held Aunt Winnie by the +arm and looked daggers at the complacent New +Yorkers who sat behind the morning papers, unable +to see any persons who might want their seats.</p> +<p>“Such unbearable air! It always makes me +faint,” said Aunt Winnie, weakly.</p> +<p>“Let’s get out as quickly as possible,” said Dorothy, +“the top of a ’bus for mine!”</p> +<p>“So this is a subway train,” exclaimed Tavia, as +she was lurched with much force against an athletic +youth, who simply braced himself on his feet, +and saved Tavia from falling.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_101">[101]</div> +<p>“The agony will be over in a second,” exclaimed +Ned, as the guard yelled in a most bewildering +way, “next stop umphgetoughly!” and another in +the middle of the train, screamed in a perfectly +unintelligent manner, “next stop fothburgedinskt!”</p> +<p>“What did he say?” said Tavia, wonderingly.</p> +<p>“He must have said Forty-second Street,” said +Aunt Winnie, “that I know is the next stop.”</p> +<p>“I would have to ride on indefinitely,” said +Tavia, “I could never understand such eloquence.”</p> +<p>“There,” said Dorothy, readjusting herself, “I +expected to be hurled into someone’s lap sooner +or later, but I didn’t expect it so soon.”</p> +<p>“You surely landed in his lap,” laughed Tavia, +“see how he’s blushing. Why don’t you hang +onto Ned, as we are doing.”</p> +<p>“Poor Ned,” said Dorothy, but she, too, +grasped a portion of his arm, and like grim death +the three women clung to Ned for protection +against the merciless swaying of the subway train.</p> +<p>Reaching Forty-second Street, up the steps they +dashed with the rest of the madly rushing crowd +of people and out into the open street. Tavia +tried to keep her mouth closed, because all the cartoons +she had ever seen of a country person’s first +glimpse of New York pictured them open-mouthed, +and staring. She clung to Dorothy and +Dorothy hung on Aunt Winnie, who had Ned’s +arm in a firm grip.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_102">[102]</div> +<p>Such crowds of human beings! Neither Dorothy +nor Tavia had ever before seen so many people +at one glance! So many people were not in Dalton +in an entire year.</p> +<p>“This isn’t anything,” said Ned, out of his +superior knowledge of a previous trip to New +York. “This is only a handful—the business +crowd.”</p> +<p>“Oh, let’s stay in front of the Grand Central +Terminal,” said Dorothy, “I want to finish +counting the taxicabs, I was only up to thirty.”</p> +<p>“I only had time to count five stories in that big +hotel building,” cried Tavia, “and I want to count +’em right up into the clouds.”</p> +<p>“They’re not tall buildings,” said Ned, just +bursting with information. “Wait until you see +the downtown skyscrapers!”</p> +<p>“Ned throws cold water on all our little enthusiasms,” +pouted Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Never mind,” said Aunt Winnie, “you and +Tavia can come down town to-morrow and spend +the day counting people and things.”</p> +<p>Arriving at the corner of Fifth Avenue, and successfully +dodging many vehicles, they got safely +on the opposite corner just in time to catch a +speeding auto ’bus. Up to the roof they climbed.</p> +<p>“Isn’t it too delightful!” sighed Tavia, blissfully.</p> +<p>“We’ll come down town on a ’bus every day,” +declared Dorothy.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_103">[103]</div> +<p>They passed all the millionaires’ palatial residences +in blissful ignorance of whom the palaces +sheltered. They didn’t care which rich man occupied +one mansion or another, they were happy +enough riding on top of a ’bus.</p> +<p>Tavia simply gushed when they reached the +Drive and a cutting sharp breeze blew across the +Hudson river.</p> +<p>“I never imagined New York City had anything +so lovely as this; I thought it was all tall +buildings and smoky atmosphere and—lights!” +declared Tavia.</p> +<p>Along the river all was quiet and luxurious and +wonderful. The auto ’bus stopped before a small +apartment house—that is, it was small comparatively. +The front was entirely latticed glass and +white marble. A bell boy rushed forward to relieve +them of their bags, another took their wraps +and a third respectfully held open the reception +hall door. Down this hall, lined on two sides +with growing plants, Aunt Winnie’s party marched +in haughty silence. They were afraid to utter +an unseemly word. Tavia’s little chin went up +into the air—the bell boys were very appalling—but +they shouldn’t know of the visitors’ suburban +origin if Tavia could help it. They were assisted +on the elevator by a dignified liveried man, and +up into the air they shot, landing, breathless, in +a perfectly equipped tiny hall. At home, of course, +one would call it a tiny hall, but in a New York +apartment house it was spacious and roomy.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_104">[104]</div> +<p>Still another person, this time a woman, in spotless +white, opened the door and into the door +Aunt Winnie disappeared, and the others followed, +although they were not at all sure it was +the proper thing to do.</p> +<p>Then Tavia gasped. In her loveliest dreams of +a home, she had never dreamed of anything as +perfectly beautiful as this. Little bowers of pink +and white, melted into other little rooms of gold +and green and blue, and then a velvety stretch of +something, which Tavia afterward discovered was +a hall, led them into a kitchenette.</p> +<p>“Do people eat here?” said the dazed Tavia.</p> +<p>“One must eat, be the furnishings ever so +luxurious,” sang Ned.</p> +<p>Dorothy rushed immediately to the tiny cupboard, +and examined the Mother Goose pattern +breakfast dishes, while Tavia gazed critically at +the numerous mysterious doors leading hither and +thither through the apartment.</p> +<p>They gathered together, finally, in the living +room, which faced the river. The heavy draperies +subdued the strong sunlight.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_105">[105]</div> +<p>Mrs. White sighed the happy sigh that betokens +rest, as she sank into a Turkish chair. Dorothy +and Tavia were not ready to sit down yet—there +was too much to explore. From their high place, +there above the crowds, and seemingly in the +clouds, they could see something akin to human +beings moving about everywhere, even, it seemed, +out along the river drive. For a brief time no +one spoke; then Ned “proverbially” broke the +silence.</p> +<p>“Well, Mom,” he emitted, “what is it all +about? Did you just come into upholstered storage +to have new looking glasses? Or is there a +system in this insanity?”</p> +<p>Mrs. White smiled indulgently. Ned was beginning +to take an interest in things. He must +surmise that her trip to New York was not one of +mere pleasure.</p> +<p>The girls, unconsciously discreet, had left the +room.</p> +<p>“My dear son,” said the lady, now in a soft +robe, just rescued from her suit-case, “I am glad +to see that you are trying to help me. You know +the Court Apartments, the one I hold purposely for +you and Nat?” He nodded. “Well, the agent +has been acting queerly. In fact, I have reason +to question his honesty. He is constantly refusing +to make reports. Says that rents have come down, +when everyone else says they have gone up. He +also declares some of the tenants are in arrears. +Now, if we are to have so much trouble with the +investment, we shall have to get rid of it.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_106">[106]</div> +<p>The remark was in the note of query. Nat +brushed his fingers through his heavy hair.</p> +<p>“Well, Mom,” he said impressively, “we must +look it over carefully, but I have always heard that +New York real estate men—of a certain type—observe +the certain and remember the type—are +not always to be trusted. I wouldn’t ask better +sport than going in for detective work on the half-shell. +But say, this is some apartment! I suppose +I may have it some evening for a little round-up +of my New York friends? You know so many +of the fellows seem to blow this way.”</p> +<p>“Of course you may, Ned. I shall be glad to +help you.”</p> +<p>“Oh, you couldn’t possibly do that, mother,” +he objected. “There is only one way to let boys +have a good time and that is to let them have it. +If one interferes it’s ‘good-night’,” and he paused +to let the pardonable slang take effect.</p> +<p>“Just as you like, of course,” said the mother, +without the least hint of offence. “I know I can +depend upon you not to—eat the rugs or chairs. +They are only hired, you know.”</p> +<p>“Never cared for that sort of food. In fact I +don’t even like the feel of some of these,” and he +rubbed his hand over the side of a plush chair. +“Nothing like the home stuffs, Mom.”</p> +<p>“You are not disappointed?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_107">[107]</div> +<p>“Oh, no, not that. Only trying to remember +what home is like. It kind of upsets one’s memory +to take a trip and get here. I wonder what the +girls are up to? You stay here while I inspect.”</p> +<p>Mrs. White was not sorry of the respite. She +looked out over the broad drive. It was some +years since her husband had taken her to a pretty +little apartment in this city. The thought was +absorbing. But it was splendid that she had two +such fine boys. Yes, she must not complain, for +both boys were in many ways like their father, +upright to the point of peril, daring to the point +of personal risk.</p> +<p>The maid, she who had come in advance from +North Birchland, stepped in with the soft tread of +the professional nurse to close the doors. Something +must be going on in the kitchenette. Well, +let the children play, thought Mrs. White.</p> +<p>Suddenly she heard something like a shriek! +Even then she did not move. If there were danger +to any one in the apartment she would soon know +it—the old reliable adage—no news is good news, +when someone shrieks.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_108">[108]</div> +<h2 id="c12">CHAPTER XII +<br /><span class="small">HUMAN FREIGHT ON THE DUMMY</span></h2> +<p>Tavia almost fell over Ned. Dorothy grasped +the door. The maid ruffled up her nice white +apron!</p> +<p>They all scrambled into the living room and +there was more, for with them, in fact, in Ned’s +strong arms, was a child, a boy with blazing cheeks +and defiant eyes.</p> +<p>“Look, mother! He came up on the dumb +waiter!” said Ned, as soon as he could speak.</p> +<p>“Yes, and I nearly killed him,” blurted Tavia. +“I thought the place was haunted!”</p> +<p>“On the dumb waiter?” repeated Dorothy.</p> +<p>The maid nodded her head decidedly.</p> +<p>“Why!” ejaculated Mrs. White, sitting up very +straight.</p> +<p>“I didn’t mean anything,” said the boy, reflecting +good breeding in choice of language, if +not in manner of transportation. “I was just coming +up to fly kites.”</p> +<p>“But on the dummy!” queried Ned.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_109">[109]</div> +<p>“Well, we wouldn’t dare come up any other way. +This apartment was not rented before and we had +to sneak in on the janitor. This is the best lobby +for kites,” and his eyes danced at the thought.</p> +<p>“But where’s the kite?” questioned Ned.</p> +<p>“Talent’s got it.”</p> +<p>“Talent?” repeated Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Yes, he’s the other fellow—the smartest fellow +around. His real name—” he paused to +laugh.</p> +<p>“Is what?” begged Tavia, coming over to the +little fellow, with no hidden show of admiration.</p> +<p>“It’s too silly, but he didn’t choose it,” apologized +the boy. “It’s C-l-a-u-d!”</p> +<p>“That’s a pretty name,” interposed Mrs. +White, feeling obliged to say something agreeable.</p> +<p>“But he can’t bear it,” declared the boy. “My +name is worse. Mother brought it from Rome.”</p> +<p>“Catacombs?” suggested Tavia, foolishly.</p> +<p>“No,” the lad lowered his voice in disgust. +“But it’s Raphael.”</p> +<p>“That was the name of a great painter,” said +Mrs. White, again feeling how difficult it was to +talk to a small and enterprising New York boy.</p> +<p>“Maybe,” admitted the little one, “but I have +Raffle from the boys, and that’s all right. Means +going off all the time.”</p> +<p>Everyone laughed. Raffle looked uneasily at +the door.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_110">[110]</div> +<p>“But where’s that kite?” questioned Ned.</p> +<p>“Talent was waiting until I got up. Then I was +to pull him up. He has the kites.”</p> +<p>“As long as I didn’t kill you, Raffle,” said +Tavia, “I guess we won’t have to have you arrested +for false entering.”</p> +<p>“Dorothy caught the rope just in time,” Ned +explained, in answer to his mother’s look of inquiry. +“Tavia was so scared she was going to let +it drop.”</p> +<p>“We had ordered things,” Tavia explained +further, “and thought they were coming up. I +was just crazy to have something to do with all +the machines in the place, so went to get the +things. Imagine me seeing something squirm in +the dark!”</p> +<p>“But you weren’t afraid,” said Raffle to Dorothy. +“You just hauled me out.”</p> +<p>“Your coat got torn,” Dorothy remarked to +divert attention. “What will your mother say?”</p> +<p>“She will never see it,” declared the little fellow. +“She goes to rehearsal all day and sings all +night. Tillie—she’s the girl—she likes me. She +won’t mind mending it,” and he bunched together +in his small hand the hole in the short coat.</p> +<p>“I’ll tell you,” interposed Ned, “they say dark +haired people fetch good luck, and you are our +first caller. Suppose we get Talent, and bring +him up properly, kites and all. Then perhaps, +when I get something to eat, you may show me +how to fly a kite over the Hudson.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_111">[111]</div> +<p>“Bully!” exclaimed Raffle. “I’ll get him right +away. If John—the janitor—catches him waiting +with the kites—”</p> +<p>But he was gone with the rest of the sentence.</p> +<p>Ned slapped his knees in glee. Tavia stretched +out full length, shoes and all, on the rose-colored +divan, Dorothy shook with merry laughter, but +Martha, the maid with the ruffled-up apron, +turned to the kitchenette to hide her emotion.</p> +<p>“New York is certainly a busy place,” said +Ned, finally. “We may get a wireless from home +on the clothes line. Tavia, I warn you not to +hang handkerchiefs on the roof. It’s tabooed, +for—country girls.”</p> +<p>Tavia groaned in disagreement. The fact was +she had made her way to the roof before she had +explored her own and Dorothy’s rooms, and even +Ned did not relish the idea of her sight-seeing +from that dangerous height. But New York was +actually fascinating Tavia. She would likely be +looking for “bulls and bears” on Wall Street +next, thought Ned.</p> +<p>“Aunty, we are going to have the nicest lunch,” +interrupted Dorothy. “We all helped Martha; it +was hard to find things, and get the right dishes, +you know. I guess the last folks who had this +apartment must have had a Chinese cook, for +everything is put away backwards.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_112">[112]</div> +<p>“Yes, the pans were on the top shelves and the +cups on the bottom,” Tavia agreed. “I took to +the pans—I love to climb on those queer ladders +that roll along!”</p> +<p>“Like silvery moonlight,” Ned helped out, +“only the clouds won’t develop.”</p> +<p>“Wouldn’t I give a lot to have had all the +boys share this fun,” said Dorothy. Then, realizing +the looks that followed the word “boys,” she +blushed peach-blow.</p> +<p>A Japanese gong sounded gently in the place +called hall.</p> +<p>“There’s the lunch bell,” declared Dorothy. +“And isn’t that little Aeolian harp on the sitting +room door too sweet!”</p> +<p>“The sitting room is a private room in an +apartment,” explained Ned, mischievously, “and +it’s a great idea to have an alarm clock on the +door.”</p> +<p>“There comes the boy with the kite,” Tavia +exclaimed. “I don’t believe I care for lunch.”</p> +<p>“Oh, yes you do, my dear,” objected Mrs. +White. “There are two boys and we will have +to trust them on the balcony with their kites. The +rail is quite high, and they look rather well able +to take care of themselves.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_113">[113]</div> +<p>Tavia looked longingly at the boys, who now +were making their way to what Dorothy had +termed the Dove Cote. Ned insisted upon postponing +his lunch until they got their strings both untied +and tied again—first from the stick then to the +rail. Martha said things would be cold, but Ned +was obdurate.</p> +<p>At last Mrs. White and her guests were seated +at the polished table in the green and white +room. She glanced about approvingly, while +Martha brought in the dishes.</p> +<p>“I made the pudding,” Dorothy confessed. “I +remember our old housekeeper used to make that +Brown Betty out of stale cake, and as Martha +could get no other kind of cake handy I thought +it would do.”</p> +<p>“A cross between pudding, cake and pie,” remarked +Tavia, “but mostly sweet gravy. It smells +good, however. And I—cleaned the lettuce. If +you get any little black bugs—lizards or snails—”</p> +<p>“Oh, Tavia, don’t!” protested Dorothy, who at +that moment was in the act of putting a lettuce +leaf between her lips.</p> +<p>“But I was only going to say that these reptiles +had been properly bathed and are perfectly wholesome. +In fact they have been sterilized,” Tavia +said, calmly.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_114">[114]</div> +<p>“At any rate,” put in Mrs. White, “you all +have succeeded in getting a very nice luncheon together. +I had no idea you and Dorothy could be +so useful. We might have gotten along with one +more maid to help Martha. Then we would have +had more house room.”</p> +<p>“I should think you could get the janitor to do +odd jobs,” suggested Tavia, over a mouthful of +broiled steak.</p> +<p>“Janitor!” exclaimed Mrs. White. “My dear, +you do not know New York janitors! They are +a set of aristocrats all by themselves. We will +have to look out that we please the janitor, or we +may go without service a day or two just for +punishment.”</p> +<p>“Then I will have to be awfully nice to ours,” +went on Tavia, in the way she had of always +inviting trouble of one kind if not exactly the kind +under discussion. “I saw him. He has the +loveliest red cheeks. Looks like a Baldwin apple +left over from last year.”</p> +<p>A rush through the apartment revealed Ned +and the two kite boys.</p> +<p>“Anything left?” asked Ned. “These two +youngsters have to wait until two o’clock for a +bite to eat, and I thought—”</p> +<p>“Of course,” interrupted his mother, pleasantly, +as she touched the bell for Martha. “We +will set plates for them at once. Glad to have +our neighbors so friendly.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_115">[115]</div> +<p>The little fellows did not look one bit abashed—another +sign of New York, Dorothy noted +mentally. Talent, or Tal, as they called him, managed +to get on the same chair with Raffle, as they +waited for the extra places to be made at the +table.</p> +<p>Tavia gazed at them with eyes that showed no +wonder. She expected so many things of New +York that each surprise seemed to have its own +niche in her delighted sentiments.</p> +<p>“You see,” said Raffle, “Tillie goes out for +a walk about noon time, then mother gets in sometimes +at two, and sometimes later. A feller always +has to wait for someone.”</p> +<p>“Does Tillie take—a baby out?” ventured +Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Baby!” repeated the boy. “I’m the baby. +She never takes me out,” at which assertion the +two boys laughed merrily.</p> +<p>“She just takes a complexion walk,” Ned +helped out.</p> +<p>Martha did not smile very sweetly when told +to make two more places at the table, but she did +not frown either. In a short time Ned, Raffle and +Talent, with Tavia for company, and Dorothy +assisting Martha, were left by Mrs. White to their +own pleasure, while she excused herself and went +off to write some notes. She remembered even +then what Ned had said about boys liking to have +things to themselves, and was not sorry of the +excuse.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_116">[116]</div> +<p>But Tavia held to her chair. She knew the +strangers would say something interesting, and her +“bump” of curiosity was not yet reduced.</p> +<p>“My big brother goes to the university,” Raffle +said. “But he eats at the Grill. He never has +to wait.”</p> +<p>“Your brother?” repeated Tavia, as if that was +the very remark she had been waiting for.</p> +<p>“Now Tavia,” cautioned Ned.</p> +<p>“Now Ned,” said Tavia, in a tone of defiance.</p> +<p>“I only wanted to say,” continued Ned, “that +this big brother is probably studying law, and he +may know a lot about—well, the number of persons +in whom one person may be legitimately interested.”</p> +<p>The small boys were too much absorbed in their +meal to pay attention to such a technical discussion. +Tavia only turned her eyes up, then rolled them +down quickly, in a sort of scorn, for answer to +Ned.</p> +<p>“Now for your pudding,” announced Dorothy, +who came from the kitchenette with three large +dishes of the Brown Betty on a small tray.</p> +<p>“Um-m-m!” breathed the boys, drawing deep +breaths so as to fully inhale the delicious aroma.</p> +<p>“What’s that?” asked Ned, as the outside door +bell rang vigorously.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_117">[117]</div> +<p>In reply Martha announced that the janitor +wanted to know if anyone had tied a kite to the +lobby rail.</p> +<p>“The janitor!” exclaimed both small boys in +one breath. Then, without further warning, they +simultaneously ducked under the table.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_118">[118]</div> +<h2 id="c13">CHAPTER XIII +<br /><span class="small">THE SHOPPING TOUR</span></h2> +<p>“I guess I’ll wear my skating cap, the wind +blows so on top of those ’buses,” remarked Tavia, +as she and Dorothy prepared to go downtown to +see the shops. It was their second day in New +York.</p> +<p>“And I’ll wear my fur cap,” Dorothy announced, +“as that sticks on so well. It is windy to-day.”</p> +<p>“Wasn’t it too funny about the little boys? I +do believe if that janitor had caught them he would +have punished them somehow. The idea of their +kite dropping around the neck of the old gentleman +on the next floor! I should have given anything +to see the fun,” and Tavia laughed at the +thought.</p> +<p>“The poor old gentleman,” Dorothy reflected. +“To think he was not safe taking the air on his +own balcony. I was afraid that Ned would be +blamed. Then our apartment would be marked as +something dangerous. But Aunt Winnie fixed it +all right. Janitors love small change.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_119">[119]</div> +<p>“Most people do,” Tavia agreed. “I hope we +find things cheap in New York. I do want so +many odds and ends.”</p> +<p>“It will be quite an experience for us to go all +alone,” Dorothy said. “We will have to be careful +not to—break any laws.”</p> +<p>“Or any bric-a-brac,” added Tavia. “Some of +those men we saw coming up looked to me like +statues. I wonder anyone could enjoy life and be +so stiff and statuesque.”</p> +<p>“We will see some strange things, I am sure,” +Dorothy said. “I’m ready. Wait. I guess I’ll +take my handbag. We may want to carry some +little things home.”</p> +<p>“And I’ll take your silk bag if you don’t mind,” +Tavia spoke. “I did not bring any along.”</p> +<p>So, after accepting all sorts of warnings from +Ned and Mrs. White, each declaring that young +girls had to be very well behaved, and very careful +in such a large city, the two companions started +off for their first day’s shopping.</p> +<p>Climbing up the little winding steps to the top +of the Fifth Avenue ’bus Tavia dropped her muff. +Of course a young fellow, with a fuzzy-wuzzy +sort of a hat, caught it—on the hat. Tavia was +plainly embarrassed, and Dorothy blushed. But +it must be said that the young man with the velvet +hat only looked at Tavia once and that was when +he handed her muff up to her.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_120">[120]</div> +<p>On top of the ’bus, away from the crowd (for +they were alone up there), Dorothy and Tavia +gave in to the laughter that was stifling them. +They knew something would happen and it had, +promptly.</p> +<p>“Perhaps that is why they wear such broad-brimmed +hats,” Dorothy remarked, “to catch +things.”</p> +<p>Soon an elderly woman puffed up the steps. +She was so done up in furs she could not get her +breath outside of them. Tavia and Dorothy took +a double seat nearer the front, to allow the lady +room near the steps.</p> +<p>“Oh, my! Thank you,” gasped the lady who +had a little dog in her muff. “It does do one up so +to climb steps!”</p> +<p>The country girls conversed in glances. They +had read about dogs on strings, but had never +heard of dogs in muffs.</p> +<p>“Lucky that muff did not drop,” Dorothy said, +in a whisper. “I fancy the little dog would not +like it.”</p> +<p>“I wish it had,” Tavia confessed. “The idea +of a woman, who fairly has to crawl, carrying a +dog with her.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_121">[121]</div> +<p>Once settled, the woman and the dog no longer +interested our young friends. There were the boys +on the street corners with their trays of violets; +there were the wonderful mansions with so many +sets of curtains that one might wonder how daylight +ever penetrated; there were the taxicabs +floating along like a new species of big bird; then +the private auto conveyances—with orchids in +hanging glasses! No wonder that Dorothy and +Tavia scarcely spoke a word as they rode along.</p> +<p>There is only one New York. And perhaps +the most interesting part of it is that which shows +how real people live there.</p> +<p>“I wonder who’s cooking there now,” misquoted +Tavia, as she got a peek into an open door +that seemed to lead to nowhere in particular.</p> +<p>“Can you imagine people living in such closed-in +quarters?” Dorothy remarked, “I should think +they would become—canned.”</p> +<p>“They don’t live there,—they only sleep there,” +Tavia disclosed, with a show of pride. “I do not +believe a single person along here ever eats a meal +in his or her house. They all go out to hotels.”</p> +<p>“But they can’t take the babies,” said Dorothy. +“I often wonder what becomes of the babies after +dark, when the parks are not so attractive.”</p> +<p>“Do you really suppose that people do live in +those vaults?” musingly asked Tavia. “I should +think they would smother.”</p> +<p>“We can’t see the back yards,” Dorothy suggested.</p> +<p>“Perhaps New York is like ancient Rome—all +walls and back yards.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_122">[122]</div> +<p>“But the fountains,” exclaimed Tavia, “where +are they?”</p> +<p>“There are sunken gardens behind those walls, +I imagine,” explained Dorothy, “and they must be +there.”</p> +<p>For some moments neither spoke further. The +’bus rattled along and as they neared Thirty-fourth +Street stops were made more frequently.</p> +<div class="img"> +<img src="images/fig0.jpg" alt="THE ’BUS RATTLED ALONG AS THEY NEARED THIRTY-FOURTH STREET." width="502" height="783" /> +<p class="center"><span class="small">THE ’BUS RATTLED ALONG AS THEY NEARED THIRTY-FOURTH STREET.</span></p> +</div> +<p>“We will get off at the next corner,” Dorothy +told Tavia, “I know of one big store up here.”</p> +<p>They climbed down the narrow, winding stairs +and with a bound were in the midst of the Fifth +Avenue shopping crowd.</p> +<p>Dorothy shivered under her furs. “Where,” +she asked, “do all the flowers come from? No one +in the country ever sees flowers in the winter, and +here they are blooming like spring time.”</p> +<p>“Do you feel peculiar?” demanded Tavia, stopping +suddenly.</p> +<p>“Why, no,” answered Dorothy innocently; “do +you?”</p> +<p>“I feel just as if I needed a—nosegay,” said +Tavia, laughing slily. “We’re not at all as dashing +as we might be!”</p> +<p>They purchased from a thinly-clad little boy +two bunches of violets, sweetly scented, daintily +tasseled—but made of silk!</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_123">[123]</div> +<p>“The silkiness accounts for the always fresh +and blooming violets,” Dorothy said ruefully. +“Now, we look just like real New Yorkers.”</p> +<p>“Now where is that store?” said Dorothy, +looking about with a puzzled air. “I’m sure it was +right over there.”</p> +<p>“Isn’t that a store,” said Tavia, “where all +those autos and carriages are?”</p> +<p>“Where?” asked Dorothy, still bewildered.</p> +<p>“Where the brown-liveried man is helping ladies +out of carriages and things,” Tavia answered.</p> +<p>“Oh,” said Dorothy meekly, “I thought that +was a hotel!”</p> +<p>If there was anything in the world more subduedly +rich, or more quietly lavish, than the shop +that Dorothy and Tavia entered, the girls from the +country could not imagine it. The richest and +most costly of all things for which the feminine +heart yearns, were displayed here. For the first +few moments the girls did not talk. They were +silent with the wonder of the costliness on every +side. Then Tavia said timidly: “Nothing has +a price mark on!”</p> +<p>“Hush!” whispered Dorothy, “they don’t have +vulgar prices here. They only sell to persons who +never ask prices.”</p> +<p>“Oh!” said Tavia, with quick understanding, +“however, dare me to ask that wonderful creature +with the coiffure, the price of those finger bowls,” +murmured Tavia, a yearning entering her soul to +possess a priceless article.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_124">[124]</div> +<p>“What do you want with finger bowls?” asked +Dorothy, mystified.</p> +<p>“How do I know? I may yet need a finger +bowl,” enigmatically responded Tavia, “maybe to +plant a little fern in.” She handled the finger bowl +tenderly. Dorothy, too, picked up a tiny brass +horse, hammered in exquisite lines. “Isn’t this +lovely!” she exclaimed.</p> +<p>“It’s a wonderful piece of work,” admired +Tavia, while she clung with intense yearning to the +finger bowl.</p> +<p>“How much are these, please?” Dorothy asked +the saleswoman.</p> +<p>The saleswoman carefully brushed back two +stray locks that had escaped from their net, and +gazing into space said: “Five dollars and Six +dollars and ninety-seven cents.” Her attitude was +slightly scornful at being asked the very common +“how much.”</p> +<p>The scorn was too much for Tavia’s spirit. She +lifted her chin: “I’ll take two of each kind, if +you please, send them C.O.D.,” and, giving her +Riverside Drive address, Tavia, followed by Dorothy, +turned and gracefully swayed from the counter, +in grand imitation of an elegantly gowned young +girl who had just purchased some brass, and had +it charged.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_125">[125]</div> +<p>“Tavia, how awful!” gasped Dorothy. “Whatever +will you do with those things!”</p> +<p>“Send them back,” answered Tavia, with great +recklessness, her chin still held high.</p> +<p>Dorothy admitted that of course it wasn’t at all +possible to back away from such a saleswoman, but +she felt quite guilty about something. “We +shouldn’t have yielded to our feelings,” she said +gently, “it would, at best, have been only momentary +humiliation.”</p> +<p>“We’re in the wrong store,” said Tavia, decidedly, +“I must see price signs that can be read a +block away. This place is too exquisite!”</p> +<p>“Isn’t this the dearest!” Dorothy darted to +the handkerchief counter, and picked up a dainty +bit of lace.</p> +<p>Tavia gazed at the small lacy thing with rapt attention, +cautiously trying to see some hidden mark +to indicate the cost, but there was none.</p> +<p>“Something finer than this, please,” queried +Tavia, of the saleswoman, “it’s exquisite, Dorothy, +but not just what I like, you see.”</p> +<p>Dorothy kept a frightened pair of eyes downcast, +as the saleswoman handed Tavia another lace +handkerchief saying, with a genial smile: “Eighteen +dollars.” Tavia held up the handkerchief +critically: “And this one?” she asked, pointing to +another.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_126">[126]</div> +<p>“Twelve dollars,” replied the saleswoman, all +attention.</p> +<p>“We must hurry on,” interposed Dorothy, +grasping Tavia’s arm in sheer desperation, “there +are so many other things, suppose we leave the +handkerchiefs until last?”</p> +<p>Critically Tavia fingered the costly bits of lace, +as if unable to decide. Then she smiled artlessly +at the saleswoman. “It’s hard to say, of course, +we’re so rushed for time, but we’ll look at them +again.” Together the girls hurried for the street +door.</p> +<p>“That was really New York style; wasn’t it?” +triumphantly declared Tavia. “Never again will +I submit to superior airs when I want to know the +price.”</p> +<p>“Hadn’t we better ask someone where stores +are that sell goods with price marks on them?” +laughingly asked Dorothy.</p> +<p>They followed the crowd toward Broadway +and Sixth Avenue. Gaily Tavia tripped along. She +never had been happier in all her life. She loved +the whirl and the people, and the never-ending air +of gaiety. Dorothy liked it all, but it made her a +bit weary; the festal air of the crowd did seem so +meaningless.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_127">[127]</div> +<p>When they reached Sixth Avenue it took but an +instant for both girls to pick out the most enticing +shop and thither they hurried. It was brilliantly +lighted, the gorgeous splendor was Oriental in its +beauty, there was no quiet hidden loveliness about +this store, it dazzled and charmed and it had price +signs! Just nice little white signs, with dull red +figures, not at all “screeching” at customers, but +most useful to persons of limited means. One could +tell with the merest glance just what counter to +keep away from.</p> +<p>A struggling mass of humanity, mostly women, +were packed in tightly about one counter. The +girls could not get closer than five feet, but patiently +they stood waiting their turn to see what +wonderful thing was on sale. It was Tavia’s first +bargain rush, and for every elbow that was +jammed into her ribs, she stepped on someone’s +foot. Dorothy held her head high above the +crowd to breathe. At last they reached the counter, +and the bargains that all were frantically aiming +to reach were saucepans at ten cents each.</p> +<p>“After that struggle, we must get one, just for a +memento of the bargain rush,” exclaimed Dorothy, +crowding her muff under her arm. Something fell +to the floor with a crash at the movement of Dorothy’s +arm. Immediately there was great confusion, +because, a little woman, flushed and greatly +excited had cried out, “My purse! I beg your pardon +madam, that is my purse you have!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_128">[128]</div> +<p>The small, excited woman was clinging desperately +to the arm of another woman, who towered +above the crowd.</p> +<p>“Why, that’s Miss Mingle!” cried Tavia to +Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Oh, Miss Mingle!” called out Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Girls,” cried the little Glenwood teacher, excitedly, +“this woman snatched my purse!”</p> +<p>They were all too excited at the moment to find +anything strange in thus meeting with one another.</p> +<p>The big woman calmly surveyed the girls: +“She, the blond one, knocked your purse down +with her muff, I was goin’ to pick it up, that’s all. +It’s under your feet now.”</p> +<p>The woman slowly backed into the crowd.</p> +<p>Dorothy’s eyes opened wide with wonder! The +thing that had fallen had certainly made a crash! +and the leather end sticking from the cuff of the +woman’s fur coat sleeve surely looked like a +purse! Dorothy gasped at the horror of it! +What could she do? The woman was moving +slowly farther and farther away.</p> +<p>Miss Mingle stooped to the floor in search of +the purse. As quick as a flash the woman slipped +out of the crowd, as Miss Mingle loosened her +hold. Amazed and horrified at the boldness of +the theft, Dorothy for one instant stood undecided, +then she sprang after the woman and faced +her unflinchingly:</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_129">[129]</div> +<p>“Give me that purse! It’s in the cuff of your +coat sleeve!”</p> +<p>The woman drew herself up indignantly, glared +at Dorothy, and would have made an effort to get +away, scornfully ignoring the girl who barred her +path, when a store detective arrived on the spot.</p> +<p>She, too, was a girl, modestly garbed in black. +In a perfectly quiet voice she spoke to the woman.</p> +<p>“These matters can always be settled at our +office, madam. Come with me.”</p> +<p>“The idea!” screamed the woman. “I never +was insulted like this before! How dare you!”</p> +<p>“There is nothing to scream about,” said the +young detective, in her soft voice, “I’ve merely +asked you to come to the office and talk it over. +Isn’t that fair?”</p> +<p>“Indeed, I’ll submit to nothing of the sort! A +hard-working, honest woman like I am!” She +made another effort to elude her accusers by a +quick movement, but Dorothy kept close to one +side and the store detective followed at the other. +The woman stared stubbornly at the detective. +Disgusted with the performance, Dorothy quietly +reached for the protruding purse and held it up.</p> +<p>“Is this yours?” she asked, of Miss Mingle.</p> +<p>“Yes, yes, my dear!” cried Miss Mingle, +gratefully accepting the purse, “I’m so thankful! +I caught her hand as she slipped the purse away +from my arm. How can I thank you, Miss +Dale?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_130">[130]</div> +<p>Tavia led the way out of the crowd, and the +store detective took charge of the woman, who +was an old offender and well known.</p> +<p>“Dorothy Dale and Tavia Travers!” joyfully +exclaimed Miss Mingle, when the excitement was +over. “Where did you come from, and at such +an opportune moment?”</p> +<p>“We are as surprised as you,” exclaimed Dorothy, +“and so glad to have been able to be of assistance!”</p> +<p>“We’ll hang the saucepan in the main hall at +Glenwood in honor of the bargain rush,” said +Tavia, waving the parcel above her head.</p> +<p>“Girls, I’m still picking feathers out of my +hair!” said Miss Mingle, laughing gaily.</p> +<p>“Don’t you love New York?” burst from Tavia’s +lips. “I’m dreading the very thought of returning +to Glenwood and school again!”</p> +<p>But Miss Mingle sighed. “I’m counting the +days until my return to Glenwood, my dears. +But, you don’t want to hear anything about that, +you’re young and happy, and without care. Come +and see us—I’m with my sister, and I would just +love to have you.” At mention of her sister, Miss +Mingle’s lips involuntarily quivered and she partly +turned away. “Do come, girls, this is my address. +I’m glad you’re enjoying New York; I wish I could +say as much.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_131">[131]</div> +<p>As she said good-bye, Dorothy noticed how +much more than ever the thin, haggard face was +drawn and lined with anxiety, and the timid dread +in her eyes enhanced by the bright red spots that +burned in the hollows of her cheeks.</p> +<p>“We must call,” said Dorothy, when Miss +Mingle had disappeared. “There is some secret +burden wearing that little woman to a shred.”</p> +<p>“Her eyes have the look of a haunted creature,” +said Tavia, seriously. “We can’t call to-morrow; +we have the matinee, you know.”</p> +<p>“Yes, that’s always the way, one must do the +pleasant things, and let misery and sorrow take +care of themselves,” sighed Dorothy. “Well, +we can the following day.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_132">[132]</div> +<h2 id="c14">CHAPTER XIV +<br /><span class="small">THE DRESS PARADE</span></h2> +<p>“Oh dear,” sighed Dorothy, falling limply into +a handsomely upholstered rocker in the comfortable +resting-room of the shop, half an hour after +they had left Miss Mingle, “I’m completely exhausted!” +She carried several parcels, which she +dropped listlessly on a nearby couch, on which +Tavia was resting.</p> +<p>“How mildly you express it!” cried Tavia, +“I’m just simply dead! Don’t the crowds and +the lights and confusion tire one, though! I’ll +own up, that for just one wee moment to-day, I +thought of Dalton, and its peaceful quiet and the +blue sky and—those things, you know,” she hastily +ended, always afraid of being sentimental.</p> +<p>“I shouldn’t want to think that all my days +were destined to be spent in New York. It makes +a lovely holiday place, but I like the country,” said +Dorothy, as she watched a young girl, shabbily +dressed, eating some fruit from a bag.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_133">[133]</div> +<p>Tavia watched her too. “At least, the monotony +of the country can always be overcome by +simple pleasures, but here there is no escape to +the peaceful—the temptations are too many. For +instance,” Tavia jumped from her restful position, +and sat before a writing table, and the shabby +young girl who was eating an orange, stopped eating +to stare at the schoolgirl. “Who wouldn’t +just write to one’s worst enemy, if there was no +one else, just to use these darling little desks!”</p> +<p>“And the paper is monogramed,” exclaimed +Dorothy, regaining an interest in things. “What +stunning paper!” She, too, drew up a chair to +the dainty mahogany table and grasping a pen +said: “We simply must write to someone. This +is too alluring to pass by.”</p> +<p>“Here goes one to Ned Ebony,” and Tavia +dipped the pen into the ink and wrote rapidly in +a large scrawling hand.</p> +<p>“Mine will be to—Aunt Winnie,” said Dorothy, +laughing.</p> +<p>The shabby girl finished her orange, and picking +up a small bundle, took one lingering look at +the happy young girls at the writing desks and left +the resting room.</p> +<p>“Aren’t we the frivolous things,” said Tavia, +“writing the most perfect nonsense to our friends +merely because we found a dainty writing table!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_134">[134]</div> +<p>“With the most generous supply of writing +paper!” said Dorothy. “But the couches and +chairs in this room are too tempting to keep me at +the writing desk.” Dorothy sealed her letter and +again curled up in the spacious rocking chair.</p> +<p>“And while we are resting, we can study art,” +exclaimed Tavia, gazing at the oil paintings and +tapestry that adorned the walls.</p> +<p>A woman, with a grand assortment of large +bundles and small children, tried to get them all +into her arms at once, preparatory to leaving the +resting room, but found it so difficult that she sat +down once more and laughed good-naturedly, +while the children scrambled about the place, +loath to leave such comfortable quarters. Dorothy +watched with interest, and wondered how any +woman could ever venture out with so many small +children clinging to her for protection, to do a +day’s shopping. Tavia was more interested in +art at that moment.</p> +<p>“Why go to the art museums?” she asked, +“we can do that part on our trip right here and +now; we only lack catalogues.”</p> +<p>“And we can do nicely without them,” said +Dorothy, dragging her wandering attention back +to Tavia. “I can enjoy all these pictures without +knowing who painted them. We can have just +five minutes more in this palatial room, and then +we simply must go on.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_135">[135]</div> +<p>And five minutes after the hour, Dorothy persuaded +Tavia to leave the ideal spot, and, entering +the elevator, they were whirled upward to +the dress parade.</p> +<p>Roped off from the velvet, carpeted sales floors, +numerous statuesque girls paraded about, dressed +in garments to charm the eye of all beholders—to +lure the very short and stout person into purchasing +a garment that looked divine on a willowy +six-foot model; or, a wee bit of a lady into thinking +that she can no longer exist, unless robed in +a cloak of sable. But neither Dorothy nor Tavia +cared much for the lure of the gorgeous garments, +they were too awed at the moment to yearn for +anything. A frail, ethereal creature, with a face +of such delicacy and wistfulness, so dainty and +graceful, with a little dimpled smile about her +lips, passed the country girls and after that the +girls could see nothing else in the room. They +sat down and just watched her. A trailing robe +of black velvet seemed almost too heavy for her +slender white shoulders, and a large hat with +snow white plume curling over the rim of the hat +and encircling her bare throat, like a serpent, +framed her flushed face.</p> +<p>“There,” breathed Tavia, “is the prettiest face +I’ve ever dreamed of seeing.”</p> +<p>“She’s more than pretty, she has a soul,” said +Dorothy, reverently. “There is something so +wistful about her smile and the tired droop of her +shoulders. I feel that I could love her!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_136">[136]</div> +<p>“She has put on an ermine wrap over the velvet +gown,” said Tavia. Shrinking behind Dorothy +she said impulsively: “Dare we speak to her? +It must be the most wonderful thing in the world +to have a face like that! And to spend all her +days just wearing beautiful gowns!”</p> +<p>“She wears them so differently from the others +here,” declared Dorothy. “She’s strikingly cool, +so far beyond her immediate surroundings.”</p> +<p>“I think she must be a princess,” said Tavia, +in a solemn voice, “no one else could look like +that and stroll about with such an air!”</p> +<p>“I think she is someone who has been wealthy +and is now very poor,” said Dorothy, tenderly. +“How she must detest being stared at all day +long! This work, no doubt, is all she is fitted for, +having been reared to do nothing but wear clothes +charmingly.”</p> +<p>“She’s changing her hat now,” said Tavia, +watching the model as she was arrayed in a different +hat. “We might just walk past and smile. +I shall always feel unsatisfied if we cannot hear +her voice.”</p> +<p>Together they timidly stepped near the wistful-eyed +girl with the flushed face.</p> +<p>“You must grow so very tired,” said Dorothy, +sympathetically.</p> +<p>A cool stare was the only reply.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_137">[137]</div> +<p>“Hurry with the boa, you poky thing,” came +from the red, pouting lips of the wistful-eyed girl, +ignoring Dorothy and Tavia as though they were +part of the building’s masonry. “I ain’t got all +day to wait! Gotta show ten more hats before +closing. Hurry up there, you girls, you make me +mad! Now you hurry, or I’ll report you!” and +turning gracefully, she tilted her chin to just the +right angle, the shrinking, wistful smile appeared +on her lips, the tired droop slipped to her shoulders, +all the air of charm covered her like a mantle, +and again she started down the strip of carpet, +leaving behind her two sadly disillusioned young +girls.</p> +<p>“Let us go right straight home,” said Dorothy. +“One never knows what to believe is real in this +hub-bub place.”</p> +<p>“We might have forgiven her anything,” said +Tavia, “if she had been wistfully angry, or +charmingly bossy; but to think that ethereal +creature could turn into just a plain, everyday +mortal!”</p> +<p>“The flowers were mostly artificial, the bargain +counters mere stopping places for pickpockets, +and the most beautiful girl was rude!” cried +Dorothy.</p> +<p>“We must be tired; all things can’t be wrong,” +said Tavia, philosophically.</p> +<p>“We’ll take a taxi home,” said Dorothy, +“Come on.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_138">[138]</div> +<h2 id="c15">CHAPTER XV +<br /><span class="small">TEA IN A STABLE</span></h2> +<p>“Tavia!” exclaimed Dorothy, the next afternoon, +as they prepared to go to a matinee, “this +address is Aunt Winnie’s apartment house—the +one she invested so much money in.” She +handed Tavia Miss Mingle’s card.</p> +<p>“How strange that the teacher should be Aunt +Winnie’s tenant, and you never knew it,” cried +Tavia, as she arranged a bunch of orchids, real +hot-house orchids, that Ned had sent.</p> +<p>“Won’t Aunt Winnie be surprised when she +learns that our little Miss Mingle is one of her +tenants?” Dorothy said. She was pinning on a +huge bunch of roses. Ned had laughed at the +girls’ tale of finding everything on the shopping +tour to be false, and to prove that there were +real things in New York City, had sent them these +beautiful flowers to wear to the matinee.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_139">[139]</div> +<p>“Indeed,” continued Dorothy, “I’m mighty +glad we met Miss Mingle. Aunt Winnie has had +just about enough worry over that old apartment +house! Miss Mingle, no doubt, will relieve that +anxiety to some extent. I do so hope that everything +will come out right. But come, dear, don’t +look so grave, we must be gay for the show!”</p> +<p>Ned ran into the room. “Hurry, girls,” he +said, bowing low, “the motor is at the door.”</p> +<p>“The car!” screamed the girls in delight, +“where did the car come from?”</p> +<p>“Oh, just the magic of New York,” said Ned, +with a smile.</p> +<p>“Not the <i>Fire Bird</i>?” asked Dorothy, hat pin +suspended in mid-air.</p> +<p>“Oh, no, just a car. Maybe you girls like being +bumped along on top of the ’bus, but little +Neddie likes to have his hand on the wheel himself,” +said Ned.</p> +<p>“Running a car in New York,” said Tavia, “is +not North Birchland, you know. Maybe we’ll +get a worse bump in it than we ever dreamed of +on top of the ’bus.”</p> +<p>“Oh, I know something about it,” said Ned +confidently, “been downtown twice to-day in the +thickest part of the traffic, and I’m back, as you’ll +see, if you’ll stop fooling with those flowers long +enough to look at me.”</p> +<p>Tavia turned and looked lingeringly at Ned. +“To-be-sure,” she drawled, “there’s Ned, Dorothy.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_140">[140]</div> +<p>“I’m really afraid, Ned,” said Dorothy, “the +traffic is so awful, you know you aren’t accustomed +to driving through such crowds.”</p> +<p>“If you stand there arguing all afternoon, there +won’t be any trouble about getting through the +crowd, of course,” gently reminded Ned. “It’s a +limousine and a dandy! Bigger than the <i>Fire Bird</i> +and a beautiful yellow!”</p> +<p>“Yellow!” cried Tavia in horror. “With my +complexion! Couldn’t you engage a car to match +my hair?”</p> +<p>“And my feathers are green!” exclaimed Dorothy. +“Just like a man, engage a car and never +ask what shade we prefer!”</p> +<p>Tavia sat down in mock dismay. “Our afternoon +is spoiled! No self-respecting person in this +town ever rides in a car that doesn’t match!”</p> +<p>“Oh, tommyrot,” said Ned in deep disgust, +listening in all seriousness to the girls’ banter. +“Who is going to look at us? Never heard of +such foolishness!” And he dug his hands into his +pockets, and walked gloomily about the room.</p> +<p>“Ned, dear, you’re a darling,” enthused Dorothy, +“you don’t really believe we are so imbued +with the spirit of New York as to demand that?”</p> +<p>“Ned really has paid us the greatest compliment,” +said Tavia, complacently, “he believed it +was all true, and only geniuses can produce that +effect.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_141">[141]</div> +<p>Fifteen minutes later, after several near-collisions, +Ned drove the yellow car up to the entrance +of the theatre, and while he was getting his check +from the lobby usher, the girls tripped into the +playhouse.</p> +<p>They had box seats. With intense interest the +girls watched the continuous throng pouring into +their places. Few of the passing crowd, however, +returned the lavish interest that was centered +on them from the first floor box; no one in the +vast audience knew or cared that two country girls +were having their first glimpse of a New York +theatre audience. They saw nothing unusual in +the eager, smiling young faces, and as Dorothy +said to Tavia, only the striking, unique and frightfully +unusual would get more than a passing glance +from those that journey through New York town.</p> +<p>But Dorothy and Tavia did not look at the +crowd long. It was something to be in a metropolitan +theatre, witnessing one of the great successes +of the season.</p> +<p>Soon the curtain rolled up on the first act, a +beautiful parlor scene, and Tavia gave a gasp.</p> +<p>“Say, it beats when I went on the stage,” she +whispered to Dorothy, referring to a time already +related in detail in “Dorothy Dale’s Great +Secret.”</p> +<p>“Do you wish to go back?” asked Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Never!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_142">[142]</div> +<p>The play went on, and as it was something +really worth while, the girls enjoyed it greatly.</p> +<p>“Isn’t he handsome?” whispered Tavia, referring +to the leading man.</p> +<p>“Look out, or you’ll fall in love with him,” +returned Ned, with a grin. “He’s one of the +girls’ matinee idols, you know.”</p> +<p>Between the acts Ned slipped out for a few +minutes. He returned with a box of bonbons and +chocolates.</p> +<p>“Oh, how nice!” murmured Dorothy and +Tavia.</p> +<p>Then came the great scene of the play, and the +young folks were all but spellbound. When Vice +was exposed and Virtue triumphed Dorothy felt +like clapping her hands, and so did the others, and +all applauded eagerly.</p> +<p>There was a short, final act. Just before the +curtain arose a step sounded in the box and to +the girls’ astonishment there stood Cologne.</p> +<p>“I’ve been trying to attract your attention for +ever so long,” she cried, after embracing and kissing +her friends enthusiastically. “I’m spending +the day with a chum. It’s such a joy to meet you +like this!”</p> +<p>“And yesterday we met Miss Mingle,” laughed +Dorothy. They drew their chairs up close, and +told Cologne about the attempted theft.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_143">[143]</div> +<p>“I’m so sorry for Miss Mingle,” Cologne said, +rather guardedly, “it seems a pity that we never +tried to know her better. She must have needed +our sympathy and friendship so much.”</p> +<p>“All the time, she has been one of Aunt Winnie’s +tenants,” explained Dorothy. “But of course +I did not know that.”</p> +<p>“Then she must have told you about it,” said +Cologne.</p> +<p>“We’ve heard nothing,” said Dorothy, “but +we expect to call there to-morrow.”</p> +<p>“Then,” said Cologne discreetly, “I can say +no more.”</p> +<p>Soon the last act was over, the orchestra struck +up a popular tune, the applause was deafening, +and the audience rose to leave the theatre.</p> +<p>“It’s all over,” said Ned, and then he greeted +Cologne and her friend, Helen Roycroft.</p> +<p>“Didn’t you like it?” exclaimed Cologne’s +friend, who was a New York girl. “The critics +just rave over it! Everyone must see it before +anything else! But I’m hungry; aren’t you?” she +asked, including all three.</p> +<p>Ned slipped back, but Tavia grasped his arm.</p> +<p>“There’s the most wonderful little tea-room +just off Fifth Avenue,” said Helen Roycroft, with +perfect self-possession and calm, “and I should so +love to have you enjoy a cup of tea with me.”</p> +<p>Tavia murmured in Ned’s ear: “Of course +you’re crazy for a cup of tea.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_144">[144]</div> +<p>Ned looked helplessly at Dorothy, and calculated +the money in his pockets. Four girls and all +hungry! Helen Roycroft, meeting a new man, +lost little time in impressing him with the wonderful +importance of herself, and together she and +Ned led the little party over Thirty-eighth Street +to Fifth Avenue, while good-natured Cologne, +with Dorothy and Tavia, followed behind.</p> +<p>The tea-room they entered, as Helen explained, +was the most popular place in town for people of +fashion, for artistic souls, and the moneyed, leisure +class.</p> +<p>“Everyone likes to come here,” continued +Helen, in a manner that plainly suggested that she +loved to show off her city, “mostly because the +place was once the stable of a member of the +particular four hundred, and as this is as near as +most of its patrons will ever come to the four +hundred, they make it a rendezvous at this particular +hour every afternoon.”</p> +<p>The “stable” still retained its original architecture, +beamed ceiling and quaint stalls, painted a +modest gray and white, in which were placed little +tables to accommodate six persons, lighted with +shaded candles. Cushioned benches were built to +the sides of the stalls for seats; dainty waitresses, +dressed also in demure gray and white, dispensed +tea, and crackers and salads.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_145">[145]</div> +<p>Hidden somewhere in the dim distance, musicians +played soft, low music and the whole effect +was so charming that even Ned held his breath +and looked around him in wonder. This tea-room +was something akin to a woman’s club, where they +could entertain their men friends with afternoon +tea, in seclusion within the stalls.</p> +<p>Helen Roycroft mentioned the name of a well-known +actress and, trying hard to keep her enthusiasm +within bounds, pointed her out to the +party. The actress was seated alone in a stall, +dreaming apparently, over a cup of tea. The waitress +stood expectantly waiting for the young people +to select their stall. When Tavia saw the actress, +with whose picture they were all very familiar, +she pinched Dorothy hard.</p> +<p>“Surely we never can have such luck as to sit +at the same tea table with her,” indicating the matronly +actress.</p> +<p>“Should you like to?” asked the New York +girl.</p> +<p>And forthwith they were led to the stall. The +matronly-looking woman languidly raised blue, +heavy-lashed eyes to the gushing young girls who +invaded her domain, then put one more lump of +sugar in her tea and drank it, and Tavia breathlessly +watched!</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_146">[146]</div> +<p>She was an actress of note, one of the finest in +the world, and her pictures had always shown her +as tall and slender and beautifully young! The +woman Tavia gazed at had the face of the magazine +pictures, but she was decidedly matronly; +there was neither romance nor tragedy written on +the smooth lines of her brow. She was so like, +and yet so unlike her pictures, that Tavia fell to +studying wherein lay the difference. It was rude, +perhaps, but the lady in question, understood the +eager brown eyes turned on her, and she smiled.</p> +<p>And that smile made everyone begin to talk.</p> +<p>It was quite like a family party. Ned, as the +only man present, came in for the lion’s share of +attention and it pleased him much. Just a whim +of the noted actress perhaps, made her join gaily +in the tea-party, or mayhap, it was a privilege she +rarely enjoyed, this love of genuine laughter, and +bright, merry talk of the fresh young school girls. +And it was a moment in the lives of the girls that +was never forgotten.</p> +<p>The voices in the tea-room scarcely rose above +a murmur; the music played not a note above a +dreamy, floating ripple; and the essence of the +freshly-made tea pervaded the air.</p> +<p>At times Tavia could see the actress of the magazines, +and again she was just somebody’s mother, +tired out and drinking tea, like every mother Tavia +had ever met. But the most thrilling moment +of all was when she said good-bye and asked the +girls to call. And best of all, she meant it—Dorothy +knew that! There was no mistaking the sincerity +of the voice, the kindly light of her eyes, +nor the simple words of the invitation to call.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_147">[147]</div> +<p>“I must hurry now,” she had said, “I’m due +at the theatre in another hour; but I want to see +you again. I want you to tell me more of your +impressions of this great city. I’ve really enjoyed +this cup of tea more than you know, my dears,” +and she smiled at Tavia and Dorothy.</p> +<p>Tavia and Dorothy had really talked so much +that Helen Roycroft had little chance to display +her fine knowledge of city life. Cologne was well +content to sit and listen.</p> +<p>When the actress was gone, Tavia said to +Dorothy: “Must we really go? I could stay here +drinking tea for a week.”</p> +<p>“I never want to see a cup of tea again,” declared +Ned. “And say,” he continued, “next time +I’m dragged into a ladies’ tea-room, I want an +end seat! These stalls were never meant for fellows +with knees where mine come!” And he painfully +unwound himself from a cramped position.</p> +<p>“Ned does have so much trouble with those +knees,” explained Dorothy. “He never can have +any but an end seat or box-seat at the theatre, because +there is no room for his knees elsewhere. +Poor boy! How uncomfortable will be your memory +of this tea-room!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_148">[148]</div> +<p>“It will be the loveliest memory of my trip,” +Tavia declared. “We found something real and +true!”</p> +<p>“I’d give the whole world to be able to stay +over,” said Cologne, plaintively.</p> +<p>“Just one more cup of tea!” cried Dorothy, +“then we’ll start for home in the yellow car.”</p> +<p>“I’m glad it’s dark,” said Tavia, mischievously +glancing at Ned, “the color combination is such +wretched taste!”</p> +<p>“I’m sorry, Cologne,” said Dorothy, “that you +can’t stay and come with us to-morrow to call on Miss +Mingle.”</p> +<p>Ned was cranking up the car, and the girls for +a moment were just a confused mass of muffs and +feathers and kisses, then they jumped in, and +drove home to the Riverside apartment.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_149">[149]</div> +<h2 id="c16">CHAPTER XVI +<br /><span class="small">A STARTLING DISCOVERY</span></h2> +<p>“How funny!” exclaimed Tavia, as she and +Dorothy began to ascend the stairs in the deep, +dark hallway of the apartment house that Aunt +Winnie owned, and in which Miss Mingle and her +sister lived. It was six stories high and had two +apartments on each floor. A porter, with the unconcern +of long habit, carelessly carried a rosy, +cooing baby on his shoulder up the long flights of +stairs, his destination being an apartment on the +sixth floor. The mother of the child climbed up +after him deep in thought, probably as to what +to have for dinner that day.</p> +<p>“No, there are no elevators,” explained Dorothy. +“This house is one of the early apartments, +built before the people knew the necessity for such +luxuries as elevators.”</p> +<p>“Luxuries!” said Tavia, stopping to catch her +breath, “if elevators are luxuries in a six-story +house, I’ll vote for luxuries!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_150">[150]</div> +<p>“Just one more flight,” said Dorothy, “it’s the +fifth floor, the left apartment, I believe,” she consulted +a card as they paused on a landing.</p> +<p>“I don’t wonder now at Miss Mingle looking +haggard,” said Tavia, “if she must face this climb +every time she comes back. Imagine doing this +several times a day!”</p> +<p>“At least, one would get all the necessary exercising, +and in wet, cold weather, could have both +amusement and exercise, sliding down the banisters +and climbing back,” Dorothy said, determined +to see the bright side of it.</p> +<p>Tavia slipped in a heap on a step and gasped: +“Yes, indeed, I’ll admit there may be advantages +in the way of exercise.”</p> +<p>“Courage,” said Dorothy laughing, “we have +only ten steps more!”</p> +<p>While Dorothy resolutely dragged Tavia up +the last ten steps, Miss Mingle appeared in the +hall.</p> +<p>“I heard your cheerful laughter,” she said with +a smile, “and I said to sister, prepare the pillows +for the girls to fall on, after their awful climb. +But I didn’t say,” she added, playfully, “feather +pillows to fall on the girls!”</p> +<p>“We really enjoyed the climb,” said Dorothy.</p> +<p>“It was lots of fun,” agreed Tavia.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_151">[151]</div> +<p>They entered a room which at first glance +seemed a confused jumble of beautiful furniture, +magazines, newspapers and books, grocer and +butcher and gas bills, and a gentle-faced woman +reclining languidly in an easy chair. Her smooth +black hair fell gracefully over her ears; she had +large gray eyes, whose sweet patience was the +most marked characteristic of her face.</p> +<p>“My sister, Mrs. Bergham, has been quite ill,” +explained Miss Mingle, as she rushed about trying +to clear off two chairs for the girls to sit on. +Every chair in the room seemed to be littered with +what Dorothy thought was a unique collection of +various sorts of jars, tea pots, and cups; and last +week’s laundry seemed to cover the radiators and +tables. The room, however, for all the confusion, +was quaint and artistic, and had odd little corners +fixed up here and there.</p> +<div class="img"> +<img src="images/fig2.jpg" alt="“MY SISTER, MRS. BERGHAM, HAS BEEN QUITE ILL,” EXPLAINED MISS MINGLE." width="500" height="775" /> +<p class="center"><span class="small">“MY SISTER, MRS. BERGHAM, HAS BEEN QUITE ILL,” EXPLAINED MISS MINGLE.</span></p> +</div> +<p>“I’m so ill and I’m afraid I’ve been quite selfish, +demanding so much of sister’s time!” Mrs. Bergham +said, extending a long white hand to the girls, +and with her other removing a scarf from her +shoulders, allowing it to drop to the floor. Miss +Mingle immediately picked it up, folded it neatly, +and laid it on the window seat.</p> +<p>“I’ve had rather a sad Christmas,” she went +on. “Sister, it’s getting too warm in this room,” +and, removing a pillow from under her head, she +permitted that also to drop to the floor. Miss +Mingle stooped and picked it up.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_152">[152]</div> +<p>“There, there, dear,” said the latter, “I can’t +let you talk about it. The girls will tell you all +about their trip and you’ll forget the miserable +aches and pains.” She puffed and patted the pillows +on which her sister was resting.</p> +<p>Mrs. Bergham smiled languidly. “It’s so fine +to be young and strong,” she said. “I have two +small sons, and it made my Christmas so hard not +to have them with me. But I couldn’t take care of +them. They are such robust little fellows! Sister +decided, and I suppose she’s right—she always is—that +it would be best for me not to have the care +of them while I am so ill.” She sighed and smiled +patiently at Miss Mingle. “So we sent them away +to school. I did so count on having them with me +this holiday, but sister thought it would only be +a worry; didn’t you, dear?”</p> +<p>Miss Mingle hesitated just the fraction of a +second, then she answered cheerfully: “Mrs. +Bergham is so nervous, and the boys are such lively +little crickets, we didn’t have them home for +Christmas.”</p> +<p>“Children are sometimes such perfect cares,” +declared Tavia, feeling that something should be +said.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_153">[153]</div> +<p>“Then, too,” continued Mrs. Bergham, evidently +greatly enjoying the opportunity to talk about +herself to the helpless callers, “I’ve tried hard to +add a little to our income. I paint,” she arched +her straight, black eyebrows slightly. “Everything +was going along so beautifully, although it +is an expensive apartment to keep up, and I cared +nothing for myself, I like to keep a home for my +sister, and I worked and worked, and was so worried. +Don’t you like this apartment? I’ve grown +very fond of it.” She talked in a rambling way, +but her voice was pleasing and her manner quite +tranquil, so that Dorothy wondered how she said +so much with apparently little exertion.</p> +<p>“The night the telegram came,” said Miss Mingle, +“I thought she was dying, and I must say,” +she laughed, “that that alone saved you naughty +girls from receiving some horrible punishment.” +They all laughed at the remembrance of that last +night at Glenwood. “But when I got here,” continued +Miss Mingle, “my sister was much better, and +I was so relieved to find her just like her own dear +self, when I had expected to find her—very ill—that +I forgot everything, even having the boys +home, so that sister’s fatherless sons had no Santa +Claus this year.”</p> +<p>Tavia was curious. The furnishings of the +room were good, almost elaborate, but the carelessness +of it all at first hid the good points. Surely +Mrs. Bergham did not keep it up on her painting. +Tavia judged that, by the long, slender, almost +helpless hand and the whole poise of the woman. +And the two little boys at school! Could it be +possible, she thought, that Miss Mingle supported +the family?</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_154">[154]</div> +<p>“I’m sorry I am not well enough to arrange to +have you meet some of my young friends,” said +Mrs. Bergham. “We entertain a little, sister and +I. I know so many interesting young people. Bohemians, +sister calls them!”</p> +<p>Miss Mingle was arranging the books on top +of a bookcase and they fell with a clatter. If she +made any answer, it was lost in the noise.</p> +<p>At the name of “Bohemians” Dorothy brightened. +“I’ve never seen a real, live Bohemian!” +she exclaimed, clasping her hands together with +ecstasy.</p> +<p>“But we met an actress yesterday,” Tavia said, +hesitatingly.</p> +<p>Mrs. Bergham waved her hand in space. “I +mean real artists, people who have genius, who are +doing wonderful things for the world! We count +those among our friends,” she said.</p> +<p>“My!” thought Dorothy, “did Miss Mingle +belong to that society? Did she know the geniuses +of the world, and yet had never mentioned it to +the girls at school?” But Miss Mingle had little +to say. She finished arranging the books, and moving +swiftly, nervously about, she tried to bring +some kind of order out of the confusion in the +room.</p> +<p>“Do sit down, sister, this can all wait. I’m sure +the girls don’t mind if we are not in perfect +order,” said Mrs. Bergham.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_155">[155]</div> +<p>Dorothy and Tavia, in one breath, assured the +ladies that they didn’t mind a bit, and Tavia even +added, with the intention of making Miss Mingle +feel at ease, that it was “more home-like.”</p> +<p>“I never could sit up perfectly straight nor stay +comfortably near anything that was just where it +should be,” explained Mrs. Bergham. “My husband +loved that streak of disorder that was part +of my nature, but sister was always the most precise +and careful little creature.” She looked at +Miss Mingle with limpid, loving eyes. “Sister +was always the greatest girl for taking all the responsibility, +she was so hopelessly in love with +work in her girlhood! What a lovely time our +girlhood was! Isn’t it time for my broth?” she +asked, as she glanced at a small watch on her +wrist.</p> +<p>“Forgive me, dear,” said Miss Mingle, “I forgot. +I’ll prepare it immediately,” and she dropped +what she was doing and hurried to the kitchen.</p> +<p>Mrs. Bergham arose and walked to the window +seat, resting her elbows on some pillows. She +wore a light blue dressing gown, made on simple +lines, but so perfectly pretty that Dorothy and +Tavia decided at once to make one like it immediately, +on reaching home. The light blue shade +brought out the clear blue-grey of her eyes, and +her heavy dark lashes shaded the soft, white skin. +She sighed, and asked the girls to sit with her in +the window seat. In her presence Tavia felt very +awkward, young and inexperienced, and she sat +rather rigidly. Dorothy was more at ease and, +too, more critical of their hostess. She listened +to the quick, nervous steps of Miss Mingle as she +hurried about the kitchen, preparing nourishment +for her languid sister.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_156">[156]</div> +<p>“There isn’t much view from this window,” +said Tavia bluntly, more because she felt ill at +ease than because she had expected to see something +besides the tall, brown buildings across the +street. The buildings were high, no sky could +be seen from the window, and the sun did not +seem to penetrate the long line of stone buildings +across the way.</p> +<p>“Oh, there are disadvantages here, I know, but +I’m so fond of just this one room. The house is +in that part of the city most convenient to everything—that +is, everything worth while, of course. +So, sister decided it was best to stay here. However, +the rent is enormous. It was that mostly +which caused my breakdown. In six months time +our rent has been doubled by the landlord. I got +ill thinking about it, and I just had to send for +sister. Sister’s salary isn’t so large, and the constant +increase in our rent is a burden too great to +bear.”</p> +<p>“I’d move,” said Tavia, promptly.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_157">[157]</div> +<p>“But where would we find another place that +meets all the requirements as this place does? If +sister were always with me, we might come across +something suitable some time, but alone, I am of +little use in a business manner. Sister is so clever! +She can do everything so much better than I. My +illness is keeping me at home at present, and as my +sister will return to school directly, there is really +no time to look about for other quarters.” The +sufferer said this quite decidedly.</p> +<p>“Who raises the rents?” Dorothy tried to ask +the question naturally, but a lump seized her +throat, and she felt the blood rushing to her +cheeks.</p> +<p>“Oh, some agent. Several dozens of persons +have bought and sold this house, according to Mr. +Akerson, since we moved in.” The subject was evidently +beginning to bore Mrs. Bergham, for she +yawned. “What pretty hair you have, Miss +Dale,” she exclaimed, “so much like the gold the +poets sing about.”</p> +<p>Dorothy brushed back the tiny locks that persisted +in hanging about her ears, and she smiled +shyly.</p> +<p>“Can’t you refuse to pay the increases in the +rent?” asked Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Oh, these is always some good reason for the +increases,” answered Mrs. Bergham. “Some new +improvements, or some big expense attached to +maintaining a studio apartment, in fact, according +to Mr. Akerson, the reasons for raising our rent +are endless.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_158">[158]</div> +<p>Dorothy’s eyes met Tavia’s in a quick flash, as +she noted the name of the agent.</p> +<p>Then Miss Mingle came into the room with a +neatly-arranged tray for her sister. Mrs. Bergham +thanked her and waited patiently while little +Miss Mingle drew up a table to the window seat +and placed the things on it.</p> +<p>Mrs. Bergham held up a napkin. “I don’t want +to trouble, dear, but really I’ve used this napkin +several times. Just hand me any kind; I know +things haven’t been ironed or cared for as they +should be, but I don’t mind. There, that one is +all right. I’m an awful care; am I not?”</p> +<p>Miss Mingle squeezed her hand. “Just get +well and be your old, happy self again, that’s all +I ask.” She turned to the girls. “My sister and +her boys are all I have in the world to work and +live for,” she finished.</p> +<p>“I’m really so sorry, sister, that you did not +speak about the girls spending their holiday in +town. We could have a nice little dinner before +you all return to Glenwood,” suggested Mrs. Bergham.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_159">[159]</div> +<p>“Don’t think of it,” said Dorothy, shocked at +the idea of little Miss Mingle being burdened with +the additional care of trying to give a dinner for +Tavia and herself. Indeed, it would have been +more to Dorothy’s mind to have taken Miss +Mingle with her, and have her sit in Aunt +Winnie’s luxurious apartment, and be waited on +for just one day, as the little teacher was waiting +on her languid sister.</p> +<p>Tavia, too, thought, since the idea of increasing +any of Miss Mingle’s responsibilities was apt to +be brought up, it was the right moment to depart.</p> +<p>Dorothy held Miss Mingle’s hand as they were +leaving and said: “Mrs. Bergham told us of your +difficulty about the rent. I’m so sorry.”</p> +<p>“We are absolutely helpless,” said Miss +Mingle. “We are paying three times what the +apartment was originally rented for and there is +no logical reason why it should be so. The agent +says it’s the landlord’s commands, and if we don’t +like it we can move. It seems that this particular +landlord is money mad!”</p> +<p>“Oh,” cried Dorothy, “something must be +done!”</p> +<p>“The only thing that I can think of,” said Mrs. +Bergham, wiping two tears from her eyes, “is to +forget the whole tiresome business. It was horrid +of me to say anything at all, but it’s so much on +our minds that I cannot help talking about it.”</p> +<p>“I’m very glad indeed,” said Dorothy, “that +you did.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_160">[160]</div> +<p>“We were not bored by that story,” Tavia said, +“and we surely are very pleased to have had this +pleasure of becoming acquainted with Miss +Mingle’s sister.”</p> +<p>In another moment the girls began the weary +climb down the four flights of stairs.</p> +<p>Reaching the street Dorothy started off at a +mad pace.</p> +<p>“I’m so thoroughly provoked,” she said to +Tavia, who was a yard behind, “that I must walk +quickly or I’ll explode.”</p> +<p>“Well, I’m disgusted too, Dorothy, but I’ll take +a chance on exploding, I’m not used to six-day +walking races, however much you may be. And +incidentally, I must say I should have liked very +much to have shaken a certain person until all the +languidness was shaken out of her bones!”</p> +<p>“Shaken her!” cried Dorothy, “I should have +liked to spank her!”</p> +<p>“If that is an artistic temperament,” said Tavia, +“I never wish to meet another. Of all the lackadaisical +clinging vines; of all the sentimental, selfish +people that ever existed!”</p> +<p>“To think of that poor little woman teaching +school, and going without ordinary comforts, to +help support her sister in ease and relieve her of +the responsibility of bringing up her two children!” +Dorothy had slackened her pace and the +girls walked together, although still swinging +along rapidly.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_161">[161]</div> +<p>“A person without a temperament would have +moved instantly, but that creature stayed on and +on, paying every increase, getting the extra money +of course from Miss Mingle, just because she was +so fond of that one room!” Tavia mimicked +Mrs. Bergham’s voice and manner.</p> +<p>“Too languid to look for another,” said Dorothy, +her eyes aglow with indignation. “But, +Tavia, there is one thing certain. Dear Aunt +Winnie shall now know where the leak in her income +is,” said Dorothy.</p> +<p>Tavia did not reply, because a sudden idea had +leaped to her brain. She listened quietly while +Dorothy talked about Aunt Winnie’s business affairs, +her brain awhirl with the excitement of this +thing that had suddenly come to her; come as a +means of repaying Dorothy and Aunt Winnie for +all their loving kindness to her. To keep the idea +tucked away in the innermost regions of her mind, +she bit her tongue, so afraid was she that once +her lips opened the idea would burst forth. So +Dorothy talked on and on and Tavia only listened.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_162">[162]</div> +<h2 id="c17">CHAPTER XVII +<br /><span class="small">TAVIA’S RESOLVE</span></h2> +<p>Tavia was preoccupied at breakfast. Ned +slily guessed that she was yearning for a certain +someone left behind in Dalton, but Tavia just +smiled, and insisted that she was paying strict attention +to other matters.</p> +<p>“Then why,” demanded Ned, “have you +poured maple syrup into your coffee?”</p> +<p>“I didn’t!” declared Tavia, but there was little +use denying it when she carefully stirred her cup.</p> +<p>Dorothy shook her forefinger at Tavia. “This +morning you had your ribbons in your hair, and +yet you asked me to find them for you; and then +you said you were a ‘stupid’ when I located them +for you—on top of your head.”</p> +<p>“But I still deny that I am preoccupied, or +dreaming,” declared Tavia. “In fact, I’m too +wideawake. It hurts to be as fully awake as I +am!”</p> +<p>“Look out!” warned Ned, “there, you almost +put sugar in your egg cup!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_163">[163]</div> +<p>“Please stop noticing me,” said poor Tavia, +chagrined at last into pleading with her teasers. +“Suppose I admit that I am deeply absorbed?”</p> +<p>“Don’t do anything of the sort,” said Aunt +Winnie, “just put all the maple syrup in your +coffee that you wish; you may like coffee that +way, if Ned does not.”</p> +<p>It was noticeable to all that Tavia’s attention +was not given to her immediate surroundings, and +while the others were still at breakfast, the girl +stole noiselessly to her room, dressed for the +street, and quietly opened the door leading into +their private hall. She listened, and caught the +sound of merry voices from the breakfast room. +She tiptoed down the hall, opened the outer door, +and reached the elevator in safety. She rang, +and it seemed almost an hour before the car came +up. Elevators are such slow things when one is on +an errand that must be done in haste!</p> +<p>Tavia watched Mrs. White’s door, afraid every +moment that Dorothy or Aunt Winnie would pop +out. But the elevator did finally arrive, and bidding +the boy “good morning” Tavia at last felt safe. +To what they would say when they discovered that +she had gone out alone through the streets of New +York city, Tavia gave only a momentary thought. +It could all be explained so nicely when she returned.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_164">[164]</div> +<p>She hastened to a corner drug-store, asked permission +to use the pay telephone, and entered the +booth. Not until then did Tavia know fear! +How to telephone, what to say—she couldn’t +think connectedly. After finding the number, she +took off the receiver with more confidence than +she really felt. Her heart beat so fast that she +thought the girl at the central office would ask +what that thumping noise was on the wire!</p> +<p>“Hello!” she called, timidly.</p> +<p>A boy’s voice at the other end of the line +answered.</p> +<p>“I would like to speak with Mr. Akerson, if +you please,” said Tavia, and felt braver now that +she had really started on her adventure.</p> +<p>“Is this Mr. Akerson? No?” Someone had +answered, but evidently it was not the right man.</p> +<p>After a long wait another voice floated into +Tavia’s ear—a woman’s voice. Tavia said, becoming +impatient: “I simply want to talk with +Mr. Akerson. Is that impossible?”</p> +<p>She was assured by the voice at the other end +that it was not, but Mr. Akerson was always busy, +and must have the name of the party. This was +not what Tavia had expected, and for a moment +she was confused and felt like hanging up the +receiver and running away.</p> +<p>“Well?” asked the young lady.</p> +<p>“Tell him—oh, just tell him, a young lady; he +doesn’t know me.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_165">[165]</div> +<p>“I must have your name, or I cannot call him +to the ’phone.”</p> +<p>“How aggravating!” exclaimed Tavia to the +empty air, “I didn’t expect I would have to publish +my name broadcast.” Then she spoke into +the receiver:</p> +<p>“I want to see Mr. Akerson on very special, +important business that only concerns myself; +kindly tell him that, please,” she said, with great +dignity.</p> +<p>Not a sound came from the other end and Tavia +began to wonder whether this would end her mission, +when a loud, hearty voice yelled right in +her ear:</p> +<p>“Hello-o-o!”</p> +<p>It only startled Tavia. At that moment she +couldn’t have remembered her own name.</p> +<p>“Hello-o!” called the impatient voice again.</p> +<p>“Might I have an interview with you this morning?” +Tavia at last managed to gasp.</p> +<p>“Who is this?” asked the voice in a more +gentle tone.</p> +<p>“I’m a young lady who wants a private interview +with you,” she answered, trying to be very +impressive.</p> +<p>“Why certainly,” said the man’s voice. “When +do you wish to see me?” Tavia caught a hint of +amusement in the tone, so she answered quickly, +trying to throw into her accent the commanding +tones of grown-up women: “I must see you immediately, +and just as soon as I can get down to +your office.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_166">[166]</div> +<p>“Very well,” said the voice, “but won’t you +tell me your name?”</p> +<p>“Not now,” answered Tavia, still maintaining +great dignity of voice, “and please, will you tell +me just how to reach your office—and—and, oh, +all about getting there. You see, I really don’t +know where Nassau Street is.”</p> +<p>The man laughed, and Tavia quickly jotted +down the directions and left the telephone a bit +perplexed. How amused the man had been! Perhaps +it wasn’t customary for young girls to make +appointments thus. Tavia quailed, she did so +detest doing anything that a born and bred New +York girl would not do.</p> +<p>The mere matter of taking a surface car and +reaching lower Broadway was a bit nerve-racking, +but simple in the extreme. Tavia felt that, for a +country girl, she could travel through the city like +a veteran. Mr. Akerson had specifically told her +not to take the subway, as it might be puzzling, +but, finding the office building was not as simple as +finding the proper car to get there had been. +There were numerous large buildings on the block, +and such crowds of heedless men rushing passed +her! There were as many people in the middle of +the street as there were on the walks. Everyone +was in a tremendous hurry, and could not wait for +his neighbor.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_167">[167]</div> +<p>Lower New York presented to Tavia the most +bewildering, impossible place she had ever imagined! +In the shopping districts, New York is enchanting, +but this section, with its forbidding-looking, +sunless, narrow streets, and the wind blowing +constantly, piercing and sharp, made Tavia shiver +under her furs. Each building seemed equipped +with whirling doors that were perpetually in motion, +and to enter one of these doors caused Tavia +to shrink back and wish heartily that Dorothy or +Ned was with her.</p> +<p>She stood waiting an opportune moment to slip +into the rapidly-swinging doors, and should have +turned away in despair of ever entering, when a +young man stopped, and holding the circular portal +still, with one strong arm, he bowed to Tavia +to pass through. She plunged into the compartment +and was whirled into a white marble hall +directly in front of a row of elevators. Again she +read the address of Mr. Akerson. “Room 1409.” +Entering an elevator she wondered in a misty, +dizzy way how one knew where to get off to find +room Number 1409.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_168">[168]</div> +<p>“Eighteenth floor!” yelled the elevator operator, +looking askance at Tavia. Then before Tavia +could think, he called, “Going down!” and the +elevator filled up for the downward trip. Tavia +gasped. How stupid she had been! How she +wished Dorothy was with her! Then she left the +elevator on the ground floor and pulling together +all her courage, she asked an important looking +man in uniform, how she could reach Room 1409.</p> +<p>“Fourteenth floor, to your right,” explained +the man, taking the bewildered Tavia by the arm +and putting her on an elevator.</p> +<p>“So that’s the system,” thought Tavia, and she +could have laughed aloud. And marveling at the +perfect simplicity of so many things that at first +glance seemed complicated, Tavia found herself +at the fourteen floor.</p> +<p>“Room Fourteen Hundred and Nine to your +right,” said the elevator boy, without Tavia having +asked him anything about it.</p> +<p>“To your right,” sounded simple, but as Tavia +surveyed the various halls, running in numerous +directions, she grew weary of her first business +trip and so tired that she almost lost sight of the +reason for the journey. Under the guidance of a +flippant young person, Tavia finally located “to +the right.”</p> +<p>She opened the door and entered. She fairly +rushed into the office because she felt that Mr. +Akerson must be tired waiting for her arrival. A +small boy sat at a telephone switchboard.</p> +<p>“Who d’yer wanta see?” asked the boy, with +utter indifference.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_169">[169]</div> +<p>“Mr. Akerson,” said Tavia.</p> +<p>The boy telephoned to somewhere, and presently +a young girl appeared, and without a word, conducted +Tavia through a long suite of offices, with +crowds of clerks, desks and bookcases in every +conceivable corner. The young miss poked her +head into a door and called out:</p> +<p>“Mr. A.”</p> +<p>“A’s not in,” called back another young voice. +“Back in half an hour.”</p> +<p>Tavia sat down and looked about her. So this +was the way business men kept important appointments! +Back in half an hour! It seemed ages +since Tavia left Mrs. White’s breakfast room, but +the ticking clock on the wall announced that it was +just ten-thirty. She must return for lunch, or the +family would be frightened. She quietly looked +about her, and in one quick glance decided that +after all, the various eyes that were looking her +way, might be kindly eyes, and with a great deal +of courage, for it really takes courage to face a +long line of clerks in a business office, Tavia +smiled at the entire force. Soon she became interested +in the clicking typewriting machines, and +the adding apparatus, and forgot all about herself, +which seemed the best thing in the world to do. +The most comfortable and happy people of all +are those who can become so interested in others +that they forget themselves.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_170">[170]</div> +<h2 id="c18">CHAPTER XVIII +<br /><span class="small">DANGEROUS GROUND</span></h2> +<p>“Miss——,” began a man with a ruddy face +and heavy gray hair, as he stood in front of Tavia, +almost an hour later, while a small boy relieved +him of his great fur coat and cane. “I don’t believe +I have your name. I’m Mr. Akerson.”</p> +<p>“I’m Octavia Travers,” answered Tavia, looking +straight into the brown eyes of Mr. Akerson.</p> +<p>“Oh, yes, you are the lady who ’phoned me? +Want to see me about something very important; +don’t you?” he asked, looking at Tavia’s fresh +young face with open admiration. Instinctively +Tavia did not like Mr. Akerson. His brown eyes +were large and bold, and his manners too free and +easy. As she gazed straight at him she wondered +how she, alone, could deal with such a man. But +she followed him, nevertheless, into an office +marked “<i>Private</i>” and the door closed behind +them.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_171">[171]</div> +<p>“Wonderful weather; is it not?” he asked, +pleasantly. “Such bracing air as this makes us +old fellows young,” he rubbed his large hands +together as he talked. “I suppose you’ve been +skating in the Park, and enjoying the Winter pleasures, +as girls do!”</p> +<p>“No, indeed,” answered Tavia sedately, “we +haven’t been skating yet, but we’re going to the +Park to-morrow.” Then she could have bitten +off her tongue for saying anything so foolish—for +telling this stranger anything about her engagements.</p> +<p>The man did not seem in a hurry to find out her +business. She drew herself up and raising her +chin, which was always a sign that Tavia was becoming +determined, she said:</p> +<p>“I wish to inquire about one of your apartments.”</p> +<p>“I understood you to say that it was special +business with me,” he laughed, and looked keenly +at Tavia. “You could have asked any of the +clerks about that.”</p> +<p>“I thought that I would have to see you personally, +of course.”</p> +<p>“Oh, no, that was not necessary. My clerks +are conversant with the renting of all our places.”</p> +<p>Tavia was puzzled. She would not talk to the +clerks, she wanted to find out from Mr. Akerson +himself. She smiled sweetly.</p> +<p>“I was told,” she said, “that in regard to this +particular apartment, the Court Apartments, that +I could only rent from you.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_172">[172]</div> +<p>The man glanced up quickly, and closing his +eyes shrewdly, asked Tavia, lowering his voice:</p> +<p>“Who sent you to me?”</p> +<p>“A friend of mine lives there and she mentioned +your name as being renting agent, and not the +company you represent.”</p> +<p>Mr. Akerson sat back, evidently very much relieved. +He toyed with a letter opener.</p> +<p>“No,” he said slowly, “the Court Apartments +do not belong to the company, and the clerks could +not have given you the information about renting. +We do not carry that place on the lists.”</p> +<p>For one wild moment Tavia wanted to laugh. +This shrewd man, of whom she had felt so much +in awe, was calmly telling her just what she wanted +to know!</p> +<p>“I wish,” said Tavia, “to see about renting an +apartment there.”</p> +<p>“An apartment just for yourself?” he asked, +and he looked so queerly at Tavia that she hesitated.</p> +<p>“No,” hastily corrected Tavia, “that is, not +alone. I expect to have—someone with me.” +Which, as Tavia said to herself, was perfectly +true, though she hesitated over it.</p> +<p>“Lucky young chap!” murmured the man, and +Tavia flushed hotly.</p> +<p>“The rent, please,” demanded Tavia, trying to +show the man how much he displeased her.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_173">[173]</div> +<p>“What can you afford to pay?” he asked. “The +rents differ. But, I have no doubt, I could give +you an apartment on very reasonable terms.”</p> +<p>“I couldn’t afford to pay over fifty dollars per +month,” answered Tavia smoothly, which was the +price at which the apartments were supposed to be +rented.</p> +<p>“I’m willing to shave off a bit,” said Mr. Akerson, +very generously. “Some of my tenants there +are paying one hundred dollars for the same +rooms that I’ll let you have for eighty dollars per +month.”</p> +<p>“Eighty dollars!” exclaimed Tavia, “I understood +that the rents were only forty and fifty dollars!”</p> +<p>“My dear young lady,” said the man soothingly, +“in that section! And such beautifully arranged +rooms! I ask eighty and one hundred +dollars for those apartments, and I get it. But, +as I said, if there are any particular rooms that +you fancy,” the man smiled familiarly at Tavia, +“maybe I could come to terms with you.”</p> +<p>“I’m sure I am right about the rents being +forty and fifty dollars,” Tavia insisted.</p> +<p>“Oh, they were that a long time ago; in fact, +the last time the apartment changed hands they +could be rented for thirty-five dollars. But I built +the place up, improved it, made it worth the price, +and I can get that amount. Only, if you’ve set +your little heart——”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_174">[174]</div> +<p>Tavia jumped up. The man had leaned so far +over toward her, that she resented the familiarity +implied. She drew herself up to her full height +and said coldly:</p> +<p>“I do not care to pay more than the regular +renting price for the Court Apartments. If you +will lease an apartment at fifty dollars, you shall +hear from me again.”</p> +<p>“Done!” said the man, “but I can’t promise +that the rent will go on indefinitely at that figure. +You can have it at that rental for three months, +but understand, the woman across the hall from +you and the family above, are paying one hundred +dollars per month.”</p> +<p>“I’m sure you’re very kind,” said Tavia, arranging +her fur neck piece, and pulling on her +gloves, “I appreciate it very much.”</p> +<p>“Don’t mention it,” said Mr. Akerson, grandly +expanding his broad chest, “I always aim to give +a lady whatever she wants,” and he came nearer +to Tavia.</p> +<p>With cool dignity she backed slowly to the door, +ignoring Mr. Akerson’s outstretched hand.</p> +<p>A quick flush mounted the man’s brow, and he +bowed Tavia out of his private office.</p> +<p>Once again in the open, she breathed freely.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_175">[175]</div> +<p>“What a perfectly horrid man,” she murmured. +“To think that Mrs. White receives but thirty-five +dollars from each apartment and he actually gets +eighty and one hundred dollars! Poor Miss +Mingle! It must take every penny she earns just +to pay the rent! And it takes all Aunt Winnie receives +to pay the expenses and taxes of the place! +And with the difference Mr. Akerson buys fur +coats and things.” Tavia’s indignation knew no +bounds.</p> +<p>On the trip home she thought quickly and +clearly.</p> +<p>Arriving there, she was met by an excited family.</p> +<p>“Wherever have you been?” cried Dorothy.</p> +<p>“My dear,” gasped Aunt Winnie, “you’ve +given us an awful fright!”</p> +<p>“I was just down to start out on a trip through +the hospitals and police stations,” said Ned.</p> +<p>“And I’ve now spoiled the beautiful trip,” said +Tavia, with a laugh. “It’s just delightful to stay +away long enough to be missed.”</p> +<p>“Yes, I know it is,” said Dorothy. “But where +have you been?”</p> +<p>“Out,” was Tavia’s laconic answer.</p> +<p>“Really!” said Ned, with broad sarcasm.</p> +<p>Aunt Winnie smiled. “Don’t tell them your +secret, Tavia; they only want to find out so that +they can tease you about it.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_176">[176]</div> +<p>“Anyone who insists on hearing my secret,” +said Tavia, striking a tragic pose, “does so at his +peril!”</p> +<p>Ned decided that it was worth the risk, and +rushed at Tavia to wrench the secret bare, but she +eluded him skillfully, leaping directly over a couch. +Ned was close at her heels, and out into the hall +she ran, shutting the door after her, keeping Ned +on the other side. In a moment it was opened. +Desperate, Tavia sprang to the entrance into the +main hall, and Ned followed so closely that they +reached the divan in the hall at the same moment, +Tavia sinking exhausted into its depths. She had +won, because Ned could do nothing now except +stand gallantly by—he could not smother Tavia in +pillows in the public hall, and still maintain his +dignity—so Tavia’s secret remained her own.</p> +<p>Dorothy appeared in the doorway.</p> +<p>“Such perfectly foolish young people!” she +scolded. “Come inside this instant! It’s a good +thing that father will arrive to-night, to balance +this frivolous family!”</p> +<p>Tavia sat up astonished. “Major Dale coming +to-night? I’m so glad. And Nat and Joe and +Roger! Won’t that be fine for the skating party?”</p> +<p>Dorothy, too, sank into the comfortable divan.</p> +<p>“Father’s rheumatism is all well again, and they +will arrive in time for dinner to-night,” she said. +“The telegram came directly after breakfast.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_177">[177]</div> +<p>“Dorothy told me about your visit to Miss +Mingle in the apartment house,” said Ned, suddenly +becoming serious. But Tavia did not want +to discuss apartment houses just then, and she +jumped lightly to her feet, just as Aunt Winnie +opened the door.</p> +<p>“There’s someone on the ’phone asking for +Miss Travers!” she said.</p> +<p>Certainly mysterious things were happening +to Tavia that day, thought Dorothy, as she and +Ned stood, frankly curious, while Tavia clung to +the receiver.</p> +<p>“Hello!” she said, in a trembling voice.</p> +<p>“Yes, this is Miss Travers!”</p> +<p>“No, I do not know your voice.”</p> +<p>“Really, I never heard your voice before!”</p> +<p>“Yes, this is Mrs. White’s apartment.”</p> +<p>“I’m from Dalton, yes, and my name is Travers, +but I don’t know you.”</p> +<p>“Ned? He’s here. You want to speak to +him?”</p> +<p>She stepped from the telephone and handed the +receiver to Ned: “It’s a man’s voice and he kept +laughing, but I’m sure I never met him, and he +finally asked for you,” she explained.</p> +<p>“How are you, old chum?” sang out Ned, heartily. +“Yes, certainly, come right upstairs. Get off +at the third floor. The girls will be wild with +joy!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_178">[178]</div> +<p>“Who is it?” demanded Dorothy and Tavia, in +one voice.</p> +<p>“He’ll be in the room in a minute,” answered +Ned, mysteriously.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_179">[179]</div> +<h2 id="c19">CHAPTER XIX +<br /><span class="small">THICK ICE AND THIN</span></h2> +<p>The owner of the voice on the telephone had +appeared in less than a minute in the person of +Bob, and before greetings were over the Major, +with Nat, Roger and Joe, appeared, and there +was a grand reunion.</p> +<p>When the boys took Bob off to see New York, +the girls retired.</p> +<p>“Does it really seem possible that a few days ago +we were country school girls?” mused Dorothy, +as she and Tavia lay wide awake the next morning, +waiting for the breakfast bell to ring. Tavia had +succeeded in convincing Dorothy that on a holiday +trip, one should never get up until two minutes before +breakfast was served, and then to scramble +madly to reach the table in time. This, Tavia, +contended, was the only real way of knowing it +was a holiday.</p> +<p>“I feel as much a part of New York City as +any of the natives might,” answered Tavia. “And +there are such stacks of places we must yet explore.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_180">[180]</div> +<p>“How different we will make Miss Mingle’s +days, after we all return to the Glen,” Dorothy +said. “We’ll elect her one of our club, the noble +little thing!”</p> +<p>“I feel like the most selfish of mortals in comparison,” +replied Tavia. “Such goodness as hers +is not common, I’m sure.”</p> +<p>A jingling of musical bells announced breakfast, +and to further impress the fact upon the family, +every young person banged on the other one’s bedroom +door, and the noise for a few minutes was +deafening.</p> +<p>“Now, Tavia, please,” pleaded Dorothy, as she +hurriedly dressed, “don’t act so to Bob! You +were so contrary last evening!”</p> +<p>“Can’t help it,” declared Tavia. “He inspires +contrariness! He’s so easy to tease!”</p> +<p>During the meal Tavia kept perfectly quiet, her +eyes modestly downcast, and Dorothy watched her +with great misgivings. Tavia was beginning the +day entirely too modestly.</p> +<p>Another hour found the whole party on the +banks of the lake in Central Park. The ice was +in fine condition, and the lake as crowded as every +spot in New York always seemed to be.</p> +<p>“Oh, I haven’t forgotten the figure eight,” said +Major Dale, with a laugh, as he struck out. Aunt +Winnie watched him anxiously because she had less +confidence in his recovery than did the major. It +was great fun for Roger and Joe to skate with +their father.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_181">[181]</div> +<p>“Girls,” said Aunt Winnie, as she tried bravely +to balance herself, “I’m really not as young as I +think I am! I believe I’ll return to the car, bundle +up in the fur robes and just watch.”</p> +<p>The girls begged her to remain. Nat and Bob, +after a long run to the end of the lake, had returned, +and Nat grasped Aunt Winnie suddenly. +Together they started up the lake, Aunt Winnie +skating as gracefully as any of the young girls. +Ned was tightening Dorothy’s skates as Bob approached +Tavia.</p> +<p>“Weren’t you surprised to see me yesterday?” +Bob wanted to know. “You didn’t think I would +come; did you?”</p> +<p>“I’ve been so busy, I don’t know what I really +have been thinking,” was Tavia’s non-committal +answer.</p> +<p>“But did you?” persisted Bob, anxious to know +whether Tavia had thought of him during her holiday. +Tavia knew that he was anxious.</p> +<p>“I hardly think I’ve thought much,” she answered, +as she did some fancy skating, just eluding +Bob and Nat as they tried to catch her.</p> +<p>Dorothy complained to Tavia: “Isn’t it horrid +the way people gather around just because two +country girls can do a few fancy strokes on the +ice!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_182">[182]</div> +<p>“It’s embarrassing to say the least,” replied +Tavia, still dizzily whirling about. “I’m glad, +aren’t you, that the rules for city park lakes forbid +small gatherings on the ice? The guard has broken +up each little group that has threatened to intrude +on our privacy.”</p> +<p>“Let them watch!” said Ned. “We’ll give the +city chaps some fine points on how to get over the +ice!”</p> +<p>“Most of the girls seem to enjoy just standing +still in the cold,” said Bob, with a laugh.</p> +<p>“I know that girl with the bright red skating +cap just bought skates because she had a skating +cap; she can’t move on the ice,” said Dorothy.</p> +<p>A tall man, with heavy gray hair and a fur overcoat, +was skating near by, and he watched Tavia +constantly. Dorothy noticed him and wondered +at his persistence in keeping near their party. +Tavia, however, was too deeply enraptured with +her own antics on the ice, to pay attention to the +mere onlookers.</p> +<p>Nat and Dorothy challenged Bob and Tavia to +a race to the end and back in a given time, and a +strong breeze carried them swiftly down the lake. +As they disappeared from sight, the tall stranger +in the fur coat plainly noticed Mrs. White and the +major, who stood watching the young people sail +away down the lake.</p> +<p>It was Mr. Akerson.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_183">[183]</div> +<p>“For once in my career I’ve made some kind +of a mistake,” he muttered to himself. “It was +an inspiration to try to meet that pretty red-haired +girl again, and by Jove! the knowledge gained was +worth the effort! Now which one is she; the niece +or the niece’s chum?” he mused as his car sped +through the park, for he had soon tired of the +ice.</p> +<p>“Well,” he said, with a laugh, “the little red-haired +lass is not yet through with Mr. Akerson.”</p> +<p>Before his car had reached the park entrance, +another car passed him, containing Mrs. White +and Major Dale homeward bound, the young +people having decided to remain on the ice until +lunch.</p> +<p>Tavia had kept Bob just dancing whither her +will o’ the wisp mood might lead. Finally it led +the whole party up to the man who sold hot coffee +and sandwiches.</p> +<p>“This is the first really sensible move Tavia’s +made to-day,” commented Nat, as his teeth sank +into a sandwich. The steaming coffee trickled +down the throats of the party accompanied by various +comments, but no one, except Dorothy, noticed +a little lad, followed by a yellow dog, who stood +hungrily watching the steaming cups. He was the +typical urchin of the streets of New York City, +who had wandered from goodness knows where +among the East side tenements, to bask in the sunlight +of Central Park. His hands were dug deep +into his ragged trousers, and his dirty little face +sank into the collar of a very large coat.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_184">[184]</div> +<p>“Is dat orful hot?” he asked with interest, as +Dorothy daintily drained her coffee cup.</p> +<p>“Are you cold?” she asked, kindly.</p> +<p>“Naw,” he answered, in great disgust, “I ain’t +never cold, but the dawg is. Say, lady, could yer +guv the dawg a hot drink o’ dat stuff?”</p> +<p>“Dogs can’t drink coffee,” said Dorothy with +a smile, “but you must have some.”</p> +<p>The boy slipped behind the dog and smiled wistfully +at the coffee urns.</p> +<p>“Naw,” he said, “I don’t want none.” But the +hunger in his eyes was not to be denied by his +brave little lips, and while Tavia and the boys +made merry at the lunch counter, Dorothy quietly +ordered coffee and sandwiches for the thin little +boy. And he drank, and ate, every bit, insisting +on sharing many mouthfuls with the yellow dog.</p> +<p>He stayed with the party, wandering up and +down the banks of the lake, until they were ready +to depart, and then he followed at a respectful +distance as they walked across town to Riverside +Drive. He had nothing else to do, and the lady +with the fluffy hair was kind and good to look at, +and as his whole life was spent on the streets, he +carelessly followed along until they reached home. +Turning, Dorothy saw him, and something in the +little face went straight to her heart. He did not +look at all like her own little brothers, there was +only the small boy manliness about him that, somehow, +reminded her of Joe, and smiling encouragement +for him to follow, he did so, until the porter +stopped him in the apartment hall.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_185">[185]</div> +<p>“It’s all right,” said Dorothy, in a low voice, +“he’s with us.”</p> +<p>“What are you going to do with him?” asked +Tavia, as they piled on the elevator.</p> +<p>“Feed him all the things his little stomach has +ever yearned for,” declared Dorothy. “I’ve seen +so many of him about the streets, and now I’m +going to try and make one happy, for just a day!”</p> +<p>The little thin boy being enthroned in the kitchenette +with the yellow dog sprawled out on the +floor, Dorothy returned to Tavia and the boys.</p> +<p>“Why did not I see that little boy?” asked +Tavia, soberly.</p> +<p>“Because,” said Bob gently, “you were ministering +to the enjoyment and success of the skating +party.”</p> +<p>“Huh!” said Tavia, in disdain. “Dorothy is +the most perfect darling! Who else would have +looked about for someone to bestow kindnesses +upon? I’m going right out to the little boy and—and +help entertain him.” And in deep repentance +Tavia strode out to the kitchenette, to make up to +the thin boy whom she would have passed by if +Dorothy had not been kind to him.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_186">[186]</div> +<p>Soon the boys stood outside the door listening +to Tavia patiently trying to say the very nicest +things!</p> +<p>At Ned’s suggestion, that a little practice on +Tavia’s part, in saying nice things, should by no +means be interrupted, they rushed to the drawing +room, and Dorothy played the piano while the +boys sang. Dorothy finally jumped up, with her +fingers in her ears, and declared she was becoming +deaf, so Nat immediately sat down on the piano +stool, and the singing continued.</p> +<p>Aunt Winnie looked in for a moment and +begged the bass to try to sing tenor! And even +the very boyish major closed his door to shut out +the hideous sounds. But nothing disturbed Tavia, +who was bent on making up to little Tommy.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_187">[187]</div> +<h2 id="c20">CHAPTER XX +<br /><span class="small">A THICKENED PLOT</span></h2> +<p>“This is becoming a habit,” said Dorothy to +Tavia, as they climbed the steps of the Fifth +Avenue ’bus, homeward bound after a few morning +hours spent in the shopping district, the day +after the skating party.</p> +<p>“Everybody seems to have the habit too,” commented +Tavia. “We can shop steadily for two +hours, and still not purchase anything. That’s +what I find so fascinating!”</p> +<p>“To me the charm of shopping lies in being +able to buy anything that inspires one at the moment, +and then calmly return it the next day. In +that way, we can really possess for a few hours +almost anything we set our hearts on,” said Dorothy +gleefully.</p> +<p>“Like returning the brass horses and finger +bowls!” said Tavia.</p> +<p>“Not to mention the rows of books and boxes +of handkerchiefs,” Dorothy opened a box of chocolates +as she spoke, and the candy occupied their +attention for several minutes.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_188">[188]</div> +<p>The ’bus stopped for a man who had hastily +crossed the street in front of it. He climbed the +steps and sat directly opposite the girls from the +country. Tavia was busy with her thoughts and +did not see him. Dorothy, however, noticed him, +but said nothing to Tavia, because, for one frightened +moment, she remembered him as the stranger +who had so closely watched Tavia on the lake the +morning before. To divert attention she began +to talk rapidly.</p> +<p>“I’m so sorry Bob cannot stay after to-morrow +morning,” she said. At mention of Bob’s name +Tavia turned her head toward the sidewalk, and +away from the stranger. “Do you recall the first +time we met him, Tavia?”</p> +<p>“I don’t recall much about Bob,” said Tavia, +diffidently, “I think he is too domineering. He is +always preaching to me!”</p> +<p>“He takes a brotherly interest in your welfare,” +teased Dorothy, for Bob was the one subject on +which Tavia could really be teased. “Ned seems +to have lost his place of big brother to Tavia,” she +continued, meanwhile casting sidewise glances at +the man opposite. He sat staring deliberately at +Tavia, and Dorothy was just about to suggest that +they leave the ’bus and rid themselves of the man’s +distasteful glances, when Tavia glanced across the +aisle and recognized the real estate agent!</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_189">[189]</div> +<p>For some reason that Tavia could not then +fathom, she trembled, and quickly jumped up, saying +to Dorothy:</p> +<p>“Let’s get off here! I’d rather walk the rest of +the way; wouldn’t you?”</p> +<p>As Dorothy had been about to suggest that very +thing, she looked in surprise from the man to +Tavia and saw him raise his hat.</p> +<p>“This is a very fortunate meeting,” said Mr. +Akerson to Tavia, “I couldn’t have asked for anything +more timely. Mrs. White, your aunt, expects +to be at my office in twenty minutes and she +expressed a desire, over the telephone, to have you +girls meet her there. How strangely things happen! +I am so fortunate as to be able to deliver +the message, and you will get there almost as soon +as she will.” He spoke easily, and with a slight +smile about his lips.</p> +<p>“My aunt?” repeated Tavia, mystified, “I +haven’t an aunt!”</p> +<p>“Isn’t Mrs. White your aunt,” he asked.</p> +<p>“Mrs. White is my aunt,” interrupted Dorothy. +“Who are you please?”</p> +<p>“Mr. Akerson, Mrs. White’s real estate manager. +Have I the pleasure of addressing her +niece?”</p> +<p>Dorothy assented with a quick nod of her head. +“But we were not informed of her visit to your +office,” she said quickly.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_190">[190]</div> +<p>“Do just as you like,” said Mr. Akerson, coolly, +“I get off here. I only thought it lucky to have +had the pleasure of carrying out Mrs. White’s +wishes. Don’t misunderstand me,” he added, “I +did not start out to hunt through the New York +shops for you, it was merely a happy coincidence +that we met. Mrs. White ’phoned me after you +left and merely mentioned that as she was coming +down town she wished she could meet you. Well, +I’ve an engagement on this block for five minutes, +and then I return to meet Mrs. White in my +office.”</p> +<p>He left the ’bus and the girls just stared!</p> +<p>“How did that man know us?” cried Dorothy, +too astounded to think of any answer to her own +question.</p> +<p>“I know how he knew me,” said Tavia, grimly. +“But how did he know I knew? Oh, dear me, it’s +all knows and knews; what am I trying to say?”</p> +<p>“Can people in New York sense relationship +as folk pass by on top of ’buses?” questioned +Dorothy, of the dazzling sunlight.</p> +<p>“Why,” queried Tavia, “should Aunt Winnie +tell him that she wanted us to meet her at his +office?”</p> +<p>“Or how,” demanded Dorothy, “did he happen +to be in just this section of the city and jump +on our very ’bus?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_191">[191]</div> +<p>“But Mrs. White may even now be waiting for +us, anxiously hoping for our arrival,” exclaimed +Tavia; “though of course she couldn’t guess he +would meet us. It must be a strange chance, as +he says.”</p> +<p>“Of course we start down town immediately,” +declared Dorothy, “I know the address.”</p> +<p>“Well Dorothy,” said Tavia, mysteriously, +“Mr. Akerson may be a shrewd business man, and +be playing a skillful game, but I am not one whit +afraid to go directly to his office, and see the whole +thing through to the end!”</p> +<p>“It’s exactly what I intend to do,” said Dorothy, +decidedly. “This, I rather feel, may be our +unexpected opportunity to quickly squelch the well-laid +plans of this man. But, Tavia, aren’t you +just a little bit dubious about going alone? Hadn’t +we better return home first?”</p> +<p>“No, we’ll take the next car downtown, and we +must work together to lay bare the real facts!” +declared Tavia as they ran for a downtown Broadway +car.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_192">[192]</div> +<h2 id="c21">CHAPTER XXI +<br /><span class="small">FRIGHT AND COURAGE</span></h2> +<p>With unhesitating steps, Tavia led Dorothy, +without any of the confusion of her own first visit, +directly to Mr. Akerson’s offices.</p> +<p>The same switchboard operator sat sleepy-eyed +at the telephone, and the same young person conducted +the girls through the office suite, the only +difference was that the hour was near twelve, and +most of the desks were empty, as the clerks had +left the building for lunch.</p> +<p>The offices seemed strangely quiet, as the girls +sat, with their hearts beating wildly, waiting for +the door marked “<i>Private</i>” to open. When it did, +Mr. Akerson came forth with a genial smile.</p> +<p>“I arrived a little ahead of you,” said he, and he +led the girls into his private office.</p> +<p>“But where is Mrs. White?” demanded Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Evidently delayed in reaching here,” answered +Mr. Akerson, pulling his watch from his pocket. +“No doubt she’ll be here directly.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_193">[193]</div> +<p>With this the girls had to be content. Dorothy +watched the door, expecting to see Aunt Winnie +enter at every sound.</p> +<p>“Well,” said the man, balancing himself on his +heels, “and what is the decision in regard to the +apartment you wanted?”</p> +<p>Tavia shot a meaning glance in Dorothy’s direction +and Dorothy quickly suppressed a start +of surprise at the man’s words. She decided instantly +that she must watch Tavia’s every glance, +if she were to follow the hidden meaning.</p> +<p>“Haven’t decided yet,” carelessly answered +Tavia. “Besides, there’s plenty of time.”</p> +<p>“Are you sure it was an apartment you wanted, +or”—the man wheeled about his desk chair and +arranged himself comfortably before continuing—“was +it just a woman’s curiosity?” He smiled +broadly at the girls; his look was that of a very +kindly disposed gentleman.</p> +<p>“My reasons were just as I stated—I may want +an apartment—I liked the arrangement of the +Court Apartments, and was seeking information +for my own future use,” defiantly replied Tavia.</p> +<p>“Of course, of course,” Mr. Akerson replied. +“But why come to me? Couldn’t—er—your +friend here have secured the information from—well +say, from Mrs. White?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_194">[194]</div> +<p>“Mrs. White, I regret to say, Mr. Akerson,” +responded Dorothy, “seems to be ill-informed +about her own property.”</p> +<p>“Mrs. White has access to my books,” he replied +coldly, “whenever she chooses to look them +over. Everything is there in black and white.”</p> +<p>“Except your verbal statements to me,” said +Tavia, standing up and facing Mr. Akerson. +“Your statement that rents used to be thirty-five +dollars, and are now one hundred dollars.”</p> +<p>Dorothy guessed instantly whither Tavia was +leading.</p> +<p>“And the difference between the thirty-five dollars +and the one hundred dollars,” she asked, +“goes to whom? Some charitable institution perhaps?”</p> +<p>“Ha! Ha!” laughed Mr. Akerson, “that’s +rich! So you,” he turned to Tavia, “took all my +nonsense so seriously that you’re convinced I’m a +scoundrel.” His teeth gleamed wickedly through +his stubby mustache, and Dorothy wished that +Aunt Winnie would hurry. She did not like this +man.</p> +<p>“By your own statements you’ve convicted yourself,” +declared Tavia. “The morning I interviewed +you, you did not know me, and told me +your prices.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_195">[195]</div> +<p>“You’re wrong; I did know you,” declared the +man bluntly. “I knew you to be a friend of Mrs. +Bergham’s, that you had listened to a rambling +tale of that feeble-minded woman, and came to me +expecting to have it confirmed—and, as you know, +I fully confirmed it. By the way, Mrs. Bergham +moves to-day, but I suppose you are thoroughly +conversant with her affairs.”</p> +<p>Like a shot the thought came to Dorothy and +Tavia, as they exchanged glances, could Mrs. +Bergham, who certainly did not seem dependable, +misrepresent matters to gain sympathy for herself? +But as quickly came the picture of patient +Miss Mingle, and all doubt vanished at once.</p> +<p>“That’s true,” confessed Tavia, “the first inkling +of absolute wrong-doing came quite unexpectedly +through Mrs. Bergham. I’m sorry, though, +that she has been ordered to move on account of +it.”</p> +<p>“Mrs. Bergham will not move,” said Dorothy, +quietly. “We have sufficient evidence, I should +say, Mr. Akerson, to convince even you that your +wrong-doings have at last been found out.”</p> +<p>Mr. Akerson jumped to his feet, a sudden rage +seeming to possess him.</p> +<p>He sprang to the door and locked it and turned +on the girls. Tavia slipped instinctively behind a +chair, but Dorothy stood her ground, facing the +enraged man with courage and aloofness.</p> +<p>“You can’t frighten me, Mr. Akerson,” she +said to him. White with rage the man approached +nearer and nearer to Dorothy.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_196">[196]</div> +<p>“Just what do you mean?” he asked, and there +was that in the cool, and incisive quality of his +tones that made both girls feel, if they had not +before, that they had rather undertaken too much +in coming to the office.</p> +<p>There was silence for a moment in the office, a +silence that seemed yet to echo to the rasping of +the lock in the door, a sound that had a sinister +meaning. And yet it seemed to flash to Dorothy +that, at the worst, the man could only frighten +them—force them, perhaps, to some admission +that would make his own case stand out in a better +light, if it came to law procedings.</p> +<p>Too late, Dorothy realized, as perhaps did Tavia, +that they had been indiscreet, from a legal +standpoint, in thus coming into the camp of an +enemy, unprotected by a lawyer’s advice.</p> +<p>All sorts of complications might ensue from +this hasty proceeding. Yet Dorothy, even in +that moment of trouble, realized that she must +keep her brain clear for whatever might transpire. +Tavia, she felt, might do something reckless—well +meant, no doubt, but none the less something that +might put a weapon in the hands of the man +against whom they hoped to proceed for the sake +of Aunt Winnie.</p> +<p>“Just what do you mean?” snapped the man +again, and he seemed master of the situation, even +though Dorothy thought she detected a gleam of—was +it fear? in his eyes. “I am not in the habit +of being spoken to in that manner,” he went on.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_197">[197]</div> +<p>“I am afraid I shall have to ask you to explain +yourself. It is the first time I have ever been accused +of wrongdoing.”</p> +<p>“I guess it isn’t the first time it has happened, +though,” murmured Tavia.</p> +<p>“What’s that?” demanded the man, quickly +turning toward her. Even bold Tavia quailed, so +menacing did his action seem.</p> +<p>“There always has to be a first time,” she substituted +in louder tones.</p> +<p>“I don’t know whether you are aware of it, or +not, young ladies,” the agent proceeded, “but it is +rather a dangerous proceeding to make indiscriminate +accusations, as you have just done to me.”</p> +<p>“Danger—dangerous?” faltered Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Exactly!” and the sleek fellow smiled in unctuous +fashion. “There is such a thing as criminal +libel, you know.”</p> +<p>“But we haven’t published anything!” retorted +Tavia. “I—I thought a libel had to be published.”</p> +<p>“The publishing of a libel is not necessarily in +a newspaper,” retorted Mr. Akerson. “It may +be done by word of mouth, as our courts have held +in several cases. I warn you to be careful of what +you say.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_198">[198]</div> +<p>“He seems to be well up on court matters,” +thought Tavia, taking heart. “I guess he isn’t so +innocent as he would like to appear.”</p> +<p>“I would like to know what you young ladies +want here?” the agent blurted out.</p> +<p>“Information,” said Tavia, sharply.</p> +<p>“What for?”</p> +<p>“What is information generally for?” asked +Tavia, verbally fencing with the man. “We want +to know where we stand.”</p> +<p>“Do you mean you want to find out what sort +of apartments they are—whether they are of high +class?”</p> +<p>He was assuming a more and more defiant attitude, +as he plainly saw that the girls, as he +thought, were weakening.</p> +<p>“Something of that sort—yes,” answered Tavia. +“You know we want to start right. But then, +of course,” and she actually smiled, “we would like +to know all the ins and outs. We are not at all +business-like—I admit that—and we certainly did +not mean to libel you.” Crafty Tavia! Thus, she +thought she might minimize any unintentional indiscretion +she had committed.</p> +<p>“Mrs. White doesn’t know much about business, +either,” she went on. “She would like to, +though, wouldn’t she, Dorothy?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_199">[199]</div> +<p>“Oh, yes—yes,” breathed Dorothy, scarcely +knowing what she said. She was trying to think +of a way out of the dilemma in which she and +Tavia found themselves.</p> +<p>“I will give Mrs. White any information she +may need,” said Mr. Akerson, coldly.</p> +<p>“But about the apartments themselves,” said +Tavia. “She wants to know what income they +bring in—about the new improvements—the class +of tenants—Oh, the thousand and one things that +a woman ought to know about her own property.”</p> +<p>“Rather indefinite,” sneered the man.</p> +<p>“I don’t mean to be so,” flashed Tavia. “I +want to be very definite—as very definite as it is +possible for you to be,” and she looked meaningly +at the agent. “We want to know all you can tell +us,” she went on, and, growing bolder, added: +“We want to know why there is not more money +coming from those apartments; don’t we, Dorothy?” +and she moved over nearer to her chum.</p> +<p>“Yes—yes, of course,” murmured Dorothy, +hardly knowing what she was saying, and hoping +Tavia was not going too far.</p> +<p>“More money?” the agent cried.</p> +<p>“Yes,” retorted Tavia. “What have you done +that you should be entitled to more than the legal +rate?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_200">[200]</div> +<p>“I brought those apartments up to their present +fitness,” he snarled, “and whatever I get over +and above the regular rentals, is mine; do you +understand that? What do you know about real +estate laws? I’ll keep you both locked in this +office, until I grind out of your heads the silliness +that led you to try and trap me. I’ll keep you +here until——”</p> +<p>“You will not,” said Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Where did she go?” He suddenly missed +Tavia, and Dorothy, turning, saw too that Tavia +had disappeared.</p> +<p>“This is nothing but a scheme to get us down +here,” cried Dorothy, after several moments of +anxiety, “Aunt Winnie was never expected, and +now Tavia has gone!”</p> +<p>“Oh, no I haven’t,” cried Tavia, as she stepped +from a sound-proof private telephone booth. “I’ve +just been looking about the office. It’s an interesting +place, and the melodrama of Mr. Akerson I +found quite wearisome.”</p> +<p>“Also that my private ’phone isn’t connected; +didn’t you?” he said. Suddenly dropping the pose +of the villain in a cheap melodrama, he smiled +again and rubbing his hands together said, as +though there never had been a disagreeable word +uttered:</p> +<p>“Seriously, girls, that Bergham woman is out +of her head, that’s a fact. You must know there +is something queer about her.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_201">[201]</div> +<p>On that point he certainly had Dorothy and +Tavia puzzled. Mrs. Bergham surely was not the +kind of a person either Tavia or Dorothy would +have selected as a friend, and they looked at the +man with hesitation. He followed up the advantage +he had gained quickly.</p> +<p>“Here’s something you young ladies knew nothing +about—that woman has hallucinations! It has +nearly driven her poor little sister, Miss Mingle, +distracted. Why, girls, she tells Miss Mingle such +yarns, and the poor little woman believes them and +blames me.” He looked terribly hurt and misunderstood.</p> +<p>“To show your good faith,” demanded Dorothy, +“unlock the door. Then we will listen to all +you have to say. But, first, I must command you +to talk to us with the doors wide open!”</p> +<p>“With pleasure, it was stupid to have locked it +at all,” he agreed affably. “Now if you’ll just +come with me to the bookkeeper’s department I’ll +prove everything to your entire satisfaction, and +since Mrs. White has not seen fit to keep her appointment, +you may convey the intelligence to her, +just where you stand in this matter.”</p> +<p>“About the apartment we might wish to rent,” +said Tavia, serenely, “have you the floor plan, that +we might look over it?”</p> +<p>Tavia was just behind Mr. Akerson, and Dorothy +brought up the rear.</p> +<p>“I’m not as much interested in the books as in +the floor plan,” explained Tavia.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_202">[202]</div> +<p>“The only one I have is hanging on the wall of +my private office,” he said slowly, looking Tavia +over from head to foot.</p> +<p>“If you’ll show me the books, so that I can explain +matters to my aunt, while Miss Travers is +looking over the plan of the apartment she may +wish to take,” said Dorothy seriously, “we can +bring this rather unpleasant call to an end.”</p> +<p>“I’m sure I am sorry for any unpleasantness,” +said Mr. Akerson, “but you’ll admit your manner +of talking business is just a little crude. No man +wants to be almost called a scoundrel and a cheat.”</p> +<p>“The books, I hope,” Dorothy answered bringing +out her words slowly and clearly, “will show +where the error lies. By the way, do you collect +these rents in person, or do you employ a sub-agent?”</p> +<p>“This, you understand, is not a company matter. +It’s a little investment of my own, and I take +such pride in that house, that I allow no one to +interfere with it. Yes, I collect the rents and give +my personal attention to all repairing. If I do +say it myself, it is the best-cared-for apartments in +this city to-day. And I’ll tell you this confidently, +Miss Dale, five per cent. for collecting doesn’t pay +me for my time. But I’m interested in the up-building +of that house, you understand.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_203">[203]</div> +<p>Tavia strolled leisurely back to the private office, +while Mr. Akerson went into a smaller office just +off the private one, and while he was bending over +the combination of the safe, quick as a flash, Dorothy +took off the receiver of the desk telephone +from the hook, and, in almost a whisper, asked +central for their Riverside home number.</p> +<p>“Ned,” she gasped, when she heard his voice, +“quick, don’t waste a moment! This is Dorothy. +We are in Akerson’s office and are frightened! +Come downtown at once! I’m afraid we won’t +be able to hold out much longer! Quick, quick, +Ned!” Then she softly put the receiver back and +turned just in time to see Mr. Akerson rising from +before the safe with a bundle of books in his arms. +Dorothy to hide her confusion bent over a blue +print that had been hanging on the walls, but all +she saw was a confused bunch of white lines drawn +on a blue background, and from the outer room +came the sound of Tavia’s voice, as she and Mr. +Akerson went over the pages of the ledger, the +alert girl seizing the opportunity to dip into the +books as well as look at the floor plans in order to +gain more time.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_204">[204]</div> +<h2 id="c22">CHAPTER XXII +<br /><span class="small">CAPTURED BY TWO GIRLS</span></h2> +<p>Dorothy pored over the blue print for a long +time. She was growing so nervous that all the +little white lines on the paper began dancing about +and grinning at her, and Mr. Akerson’s voice and +Tavia’s in the other room became louder and louder. +Every footstep as the clerks returned, one by +one, from lunch, set her heart palpitating, and she +clenched her hands nervously. She feared that +Mr. Akerson would in some way evade them, disappear +before Ned and the boys could arrive!</p> +<p>Tavia seemed so calm and self-possessed and examined +the books so critically that Dorothy marveled +at her! Surely Tavia could not understand +so complicated a thing as a ledger! Off in the distance, +at the end of the suite, Dorothy suddenly +saw a familiar brown head, and behind a shaggy +white head, and then a pair of great, braid shoulders, +and in back of them a modish bonnet framing +the dignified face of Aunt Winnie!</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_205">[205]</div> +<p>“Dorothy,” she called, running forward. +“Here they are!”</p> +<p>Dorothy’s interest in the prints ceased instantly, +and she sprang after Tavia.</p> +<p>Mr. Akerson’s face blanched and he withdrew +to his private office.</p> +<p>All the clerks returned discreetly to their +work, typewriters clicking merrily, as the family +filed down through the offices and into Mr. Akerson’s +private room. He faced them all until he +met the clear eyes of Mrs. White, then he shifted +uneasily and requested Bob, who came in last, to +close the door.</p> +<p>“What’s it all about, Dorothy?” asked Bob +in clear, cool tones, as he looked with rather a contemptuous +glance at the agent. “Has someone +been annoying you?” and he seemed to swell up +his splendid muscles under his coat-sleeves—muscles +that had been hardened by a healthy, active +out-of-door life in camp.</p> +<p>“If there has,” continued Bob, as he looked for +a place in the paper-littered office to place his hat, +“if there has, I’d just like to have a little talk with +them—outside,” and the lad nodded significantly +toward the hall.</p> +<p>“Oh, Bob!” began Dorothy. “You mustn’t—that +is—Oh, I’m sure it’s all a mistake,” she said, +hastily.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_206">[206]</div> +<p>“That’s more like it,” said Mr. Akerson, and +he seemed to smile in relief. Somehow he looked +rather apprehensively at Bob, Tavia thought. She, +herself, was admiring the lad’s manliness.</p> +<p>“But you telephoned,” Bob continued. “We +were quite alarmed over it. You said——”</p> +<p>“Young ladies aren’t always responsible for +what they say over the ’phone,” put in Mr. Akerson, +with what he meant to be a genial smile at +Bob. “I fancy—er—we men of the world realize +that. If Miss Dale has any complaint to make——” +he paused suggestively.</p> +<p>“Oh, I don’t know what to do!” cried Dorothy. +“There certainly seems to be some need of a complaint, +and yet——”</p> +<p>“Doro, dear, have you been trying to straighten +out my business for me?” demanded Mrs. White, +with a gracious smile.</p> +<p>“Aunt Winne—I don’t exactly know. Tavia +here, she——”</p> +<p>“We’re trying the straightening-out process,” +put in Tavia. “We had just started after being +locked——”</p> +<p>“Careful!” warned the agent. “I cautioned +you about libel, you remember, and that snapping +shut of the lock on the door was an error, I tell +you.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_207">[207]</div> +<p>“Never mind about that part,” broke in Tavia. +“Tell us about the business end of it. About the +rents, why they have fallen off, and all the rest.”</p> +<p>“Have you really been going over the books +with him, Dorothy?” asked Mrs. White, in wonder.</p> +<p>“Allow me to tell about matters,” interrupted +Akerson. “I think I understand it better.”</p> +<p>“You ought to,” murmured Tavia.</p> +<p>“I will listen to you, Mr. Akerson,” said Mrs. +White, gravely. “You may proceed.”</p> +<p>“As I have just been saying to Miss Dale,” he +went on, pointing to the ledgers on his desks, “this +matter can be explained in two minutes, if you will +just glance over these entries.”</p> +<p>He pushed the books toward Aunt Winnie.</p> +<p>“Don’t look at them, Aunt Winnie,” cried +Dorothy. “The entries are false! We have his +own words to prove his wrong-doing! His statements +to Tavia and Miss Mingle’s word to us are +different.”</p> +<div class="img"> +<img src="images/fig3.jpg" alt="“DON’T LOOK AT THEM, AUNT WINNIE,” CRIED DOROTHY. “THE ENTRIES ARE FALSE!”" width="500" height="779" /> +<p class="center"><span class="small">“DON’T LOOK AT THEM, AUNT WINNIE,” CRIED DOROTHY. “THE ENTRIES ARE FALSE!”</span></p> +</div> +<p>And by a peculiar net of circumstances, which +invariably occur when one thread tightens about a +guilty man, Miss Mingle at that moment walked +into the room! She had come to demand justice +from the man who had served removal notice upon +herself and her sister, Mrs. Bergham. She held +the notice in her hand. Major Dale took it, and +tearing it in small pieces, placed it in a waste paper +basket.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_208">[208]</div> +<p>“He admitted to me, quite freely,” protested +Tavia, “that every tenant in the house paid eighty +or one hundred dollars for his or her apartment!”</p> +<p>Miss Mingle at first could not grasp the meaning +of it, but as Dorothy quickly explained that +her aunt was the owner of the apartment, it +dawned on Miss Mingle just how, after all, the +guilty are punished, even though the road to justice +be a long and crooked one.</p> +<p>“You never spent a penny on that place,” +growled Mr. Akerson, “I spent a good pile of +my own money, just to fix it up after my own ideas +of a studio apartment.”</p> +<p>“I spent more than half of my income of thirty-five +dollars per month from each apartment, for +constant repairs, and when I discussed with you, +as you well know, the advisability of advancing +the rents a few dollars to cover the outlay, you +discouraged it, said it was impossible in that section +of the city to ask more than thirty-five dollars,” +said Mrs. White sternly.</p> +<p>“What these books really show,” said Dorothy, +“is the enormous amount that is due Aunt +Winnie from Mr. Akerson!”</p> +<p>“The tenants are so dissatisfied,” explained +Miss Mingle, “the constant increases in the rent +were so unreasonable! The porter in the house, +so we have found, was in league with Mr. Akerson, +and kept him informed of everything that +happened.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_209">[209]</div> +<p>“That’s how,” said Tavia, with a hysterical +laugh, “he knew whom it was we called on at the +Court Apartments!”</p> +<p>“Easy there,” said Bob to Tavia, “don’t start +laughing that way, or you’ll break down, and I’ll +have to take care of you.”</p> +<p>“It’s been so awful, Bob,” said Tavia, his name +slipping naturally from her lips. “We tried to +carry it through all alone!”</p> +<p>“Just as soon as you’re left to yourselves,” he +said with a smile, “you begin to get into all sorts +of trouble!”</p> +<p>“There is only one thing to say,” declared Major +Dale, advancing toward Mr. Akerson. “Nat +will figure up what you owe to Mrs. White, you +will sit down and write out a check for the amount, +and that will close further transactions with you!”</p> +<p>Mr. Akerson fingered his check book, and made +one last effort to explain:</p> +<p>“Miss Mingle is influenced by her sister, who +has hallucinations,” but he could say no more, for +Major Dale and Bob came toward him threateningly.</p> +<p>“Miss Mingle teaches my daughter in school, +and we will hear nothing from you about her family,” +said Major Dale, decidedly.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_210">[210]</div> +<p>“I demand justice!” cried Mr. Akerson, jumping +from his seat.</p> +<p>“I call this justice,” calmly answered the major.</p> +<p>“I shall not be coerced into signing a check and +handing it to Mrs. White. I’ll take this matter +to the proper authorities,” the agent fumed, as he +walked rapidly to and fro. “It’s an injustice. +I tell you I’m innocent.”</p> +<p>“Then prove your innocence!” answered Major +Dale.</p> +<p>The ladies were beginning to show signs of the +nervous strain. Miss Mingle and Tavia were almost +in hysterics, while Dorothy clung to Mrs. +White’s arm.</p> +<p>“You do not understand the laws in this State,” +declared Mr. Akerson. “There is no charge +against me. I defy you to prove one!”</p> +<p>“Very well, we will summon one who understands +the laws, and decide the matter at once,” +said Major Dale; “meanwhile, you ladies leave +these disagreeable surroundings.”</p> +<p>“After all,” said Miss Mingle, as they left the +office building, “we won’t have the awful bother +of moving; will we, dear Mrs. White?” Her +voice was full of pleading.</p> +<p>“No, indeed, and as soon as everything is settled, +we must try to find an honest agent to care +for the place. I am convinced that Mr. Akerson +is not honest, in spite of all he said,” said Mrs. +White.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_211">[211]</div> +<p>“My poor sister!” sighed Miss Mingle. “She +almost collapsed at the mere thought of having to +leave that apartment.”</p> +<p>“Never mind,” consoled Mrs. White, “everything +will be all right now. And you dear girls, +how you ever had the courage to face that situation +all alone, I cannot understand!”</p> +<p>“Oh, it was nothing!” said Tavia, really believing, +since the worst part of it was over, that it +had been nothing at all.</p> +<p>“I almost imagine we enjoyed it!” Dorothy exclaimed.</p> +<p>“Oh, nonsense,” said Mrs. White, “you are +both so nervous, you look as though another week’s +rest would be needed. You are pale, both of you.”</p> +<p>“Well, I don’t feel one bit pale,” said Tavia, +“Still I think I’ll lie down, when we get home.”</p> +<p>“So will I, but I’m not tired,” declared Dorothy.</p> +<p>“They are too young; too high spirited,” said +Mrs. White to Miss Mingle, as they parted; “they +won’t admit the awful strain they have been under +all day.”</p> +<p>An hour later, when the boys and Major Dale +returned to the apartment, all was quiet, and they +tiptoed about for fear of awakening the girls. +Aunt Winnie was waiting for them.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_212">[212]</div> +<p>“It’s all settled,” whispered Major Dale. “We +have Akerson under bonds to appear in three days +to pay back all money due you.”</p> +<p>“And to think that Dorothy and Tavia unraveled +the mystery!” sighed Aunt Winnie.</p> +<p>“Hurrah!” said the boys, in a whisper. “Hurrah +for the girls!”</p> +<p>Which brought the girls into the room.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_213">[213]</div> +<h2 id="c23">CHAPTER XXIII +<br /><span class="small">PATHOS AND POVERTY</span></h2> +<p>Dorothy roused the next morning with a +sense of great relief after the strenuous +hours of the previous day. At last they were +beginning to accomplish something in the way of +straightening out Aunt Winnie’s complicated money +matters. It was a decided rest to turn her +thoughts to the poor boy who had spent a little +time in their kitchenette—the boy who just ate +what was offered him, and grinned good-naturedly +at the family.</p> +<p>He had evidently considered them all a part +of the day’s routine, and accepted the food, and +the warmth, and kindness with a hardened indifference +that made Dorothy curious. He had +grudgingly given Dorothy his street and house +number. He was so flint-like, and skeptical about +rich people helping poor people, his young life +had had such varied experience with the settlement +workers, that he plainly did not wish to see +more of his hostess.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_214">[214]</div> +<p>It was an easy matter for Dorothy to just smile +and declare she was “going out.” Tavia was +curled up in numerous pillows, surrounded by +magazines and boxes of candy, and the boys were +going skating. City ice did not “keep” as did the +ice in the country, and the only way to enjoy it +while it lasted, as Ned explained, was to spend +every moment skating madly.</p> +<p>Dorothy read the address, Rivington Street, +and wondered as she started forth what this, her +first real glimpse into the life of New York City’s +poor, would reveal. She was a bit tremulous, and +anxious to reach the place.</p> +<p>“Where is this number, little boy?” she inquired, +of a street urchin.</p> +<p>“Over there,” responded a voice buried in the +depths of a turned-up collar. “I know you,” it +said impudently. One glance into the large, +heavily-lashed eyes made Dorothy smiled. Here +was the very same thin boy upon whom she was +going to call.</p> +<p>“Is your mother at home?” she asked.</p> +<p>“Sure,” he replied, “so’s father.” Then he +laughed impishly.</p> +<p>“And have you brothers and sisters, too?” +said Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Sure.” He looked Dorothy over carefully, +decided she could keep a secret, and coming close +to her he whispered: “We got the mostest big +family in de street; nobody’s got as many childrens +as we got!” Then he stood back proudly.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_215">[215]</div> +<p>“I want to see them all,” coaxed Dorothy. +She hesitated about entering the tenement to which +the thin boy led her. It was tall and dirty and a +series of odors, unknown to Dorothy’s well-brought-up +nose, rushed to meet them as the hall +door was pushed open. The fire escapes covering +the front of the house were used for back yards—ash +heaps and garbage, bedding and washes, all +hung suspended, threatening to topple over on the +heads of the passersby, and the long, dark hall +they entered was also littered with garbage cans, +and an accumulation of dirty rags and papers and +children.</p> +<p>Such frowsy-headed, unkempt, ragged little +babies! Dorothy’s heart went out to them all—she +wanted to take each one and wash the little +face, and smooth the suspicious, sullen brows. +The advent of a well-dressed visitor into the +main hall meant the opening of many doors +and a wonderfully frank assortment of remarks +as to whom the visitor might be. Little Tommy, +the thin boy, glad of the opportunity to “show +off” grandly led Dorothy up the stairs, making +the most of the trip.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_216">[216]</div> +<p>“The other day when I was skatin’ with you in +Central Park,” flippantly fell from Tommy’s lips, +loud enough for the words to enter bombastically +through the open doors, “I come home and said +to the family, I sez,—” but what Tommy had +said to the family never was known, because the +remainder of Tommy’s family having heard in +advance of Tommy’s coming, rushed pell-mell to +meet them, and with various smudgy fingers stuck +into all sizes of mouths, they stared, some through +the railings, some over the railing, more from the +top step—the “mostest biggest family” exhibited +no tendency to hang back.</p> +<p>“Come in out of that, you little ones,” said a +soft, motherly voice, that sounded clear and sweet +in the midst of the tumult of the tenement house, +and Dorothy looked quickly in the direction from +whence it came and beheld Tommy’s mother. She +was small and dark, and in garments of fashion +would have been dainty. She seemed little older +than Tommy, who was nine, and life in the poorest +section of the city, trying to bring up a large family +in three rooms, had left no tragic marks on her +smooth brow, and when she smiled, she dimpled. +Dorothy smiled back instantly, the revelation of +this mother was so unexpectedly different from +anything Dorothy had imagined.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_217">[217]</div> +<p>“They <i>will</i> run out in the hall,” the mother explained, +apologetically, “and they’re only half-dressed, +and it’s so cold that they’ll all be down with +sore throats, if they don’t mind me. Now come inside, +every one of you!” But not one of the children +moved an inch until Dorothy reached the top +landing, then they all backed into the room, which +at a glance Dorothy was unable at first to name. +There was a cot in one corner, a stove, a large +table, and sink in another, and one grand easy +chair near a window. Regular chairs there +were none, but boxes aplenty, and opening from +this kitchen-bedroom-living-room was an uncarpeted, +evil-looking room, and in the doorway a +giant of a man stood, looking in bleary-eyed bewilderment +at Dorothy.</p> +<p>“You’ll get your rent when I get my pay,” he +said, with an ill-natured leer. “So he’s sending +you around now? Afraid to come himself after +the scare I gave him the last time? D’ye remember +the scare I gave him Nellie?” he turned to the +little woman.</p> +<p>With a curious love and pride in this great, helpless +giant, his wife straightened his necktie, that +hung limply about the neck of his blue flannel +shirt, and patting his hand said, caressingly:</p> +<p>“Now stop your foolin’, she’s not from the +rent-man, she’s a friend of our Tommy’s,—the +lady that went skatin’ with Tommy in the Park; +don’t you know, James?”</p> +<p>James straightened himself against the panels +of the door, and stared down at Dorothy, but his +first idea that she was after his week’s pay was +evident in his manner.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_218">[218]</div> +<p>“You wouldn’t of got it if you did come for it,” +he declared, proudly, “’cause it ain’t so far behind +that you could make me pay it.”</p> +<p>“It’s only when he’s gettin’ over a sleepless +night,” explained Tommy’s mother, pathetically, +“that he worries so. When he’s well,” she whispered +to Dorothy, “he don’t worry about nothin’; +but when his money’s all gone and he ain’t well, the +way he frets about me and the children is somethin’ +awful!” She looked at her husband with +wonderful pride and pleasure in possessing so complicated +a man.</p> +<p>Dorothy wondered, in a dazed way, what happened +when the entire family wished to sit down +at the same time. She could count just four suitable +seating places, and there were nine members +of the family. The smallest member, a wan, blue-lipped +baby in arms, had a look on its face of a +wise old man.</p> +<p>How and where to begin to help, Dorothy +could not think. That the baby was almost +starved for proper nourishment and should at +once be taken care of, Dorothy realized. Yet +such an air of cheerfulness pervaded the whole +family, it was hard to believe that any of them +was starving. The cheerful poor! Dorothy’s +heart beat high with hope.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_219">[219]</div> +<p>The head of the family made his way to the +door opening into the main hall, and taking his +hat from a hook, pulled it over his eyes and put +his hand on the door knob. The little wife, forgetting +all else—that Dorothy was looking on, +that her baby was crying, and that something was +boiling over on the stove—threw herself into the +giant’s arms.</p> +<p>“Don’t go out, James!” she cried, pitifully, +“don’t go away in the cold. You won’t, dearie; I +know you won’t! Take off your hat, there’s a +good man. Don’t go, there’s no work now.” As +the man opened the door, “don’t you know how +we love you, James? Stay home to-night, dearie, +and rest for to-morrow.”</p> +<p>“I’m just goin’ down to the steps,” replied the +man, releasing the woman’s arms from about his +neck, “I’ll be up in a jiffy. I didn’t say I was +goin’ out. Who heard me say a word about goin’ +out?” he appealed to the numerous children playing +about.</p> +<p>“You don’t have to,” said Tommy, bravely trying +to keep his lips from quivering, “you put on +a hat; didn’t you? And you opened the door; +didn’t you?” and with such proof positive Tommy +stood facing his father, but his lips would quiver +in spite of biting them hard with his teeth.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_220">[220]</div> +<p>“I’m just goin’ down for a breath of air,” he +explained, as his wife clung desperately to his +arm, “just to get the sleep out o’ me eyes, and I’ll +run into the grocer’s, and come back with—cakes!” +he ended, triumphantly.</p> +<p>Dorothy felt awkward and intrusive. This was +a family scene that had grown wearisome to the +children, who took little interest in it, and the +mother of the brood at last fell away, and allowed +the man to leave the room. Then Dorothy saw +the tragedy of the little woman’s life! Glistening +tears fell thick and fast, and she hugged her baby +tightly to her breast, murmuring softly in its little +ears, oblivious to her surroundings.</p> +<p>“I’ll buy you food,” said Dorothy, the weary +voice of the woman bringing tears to her eyes. +“Tommy will come with me and we’ll buy everything +you need.”</p> +<p>Tommy rushed for his hat, and together they +started down the stairs. Reaching the steps, Dorothy +looked about for some sign of Tommy’s +father, but he must have been seated on another +porch for the breath of air he was after; the only +thing on the front steps was Tommy’s yellow dog.</p> +<p>“Did you see my father?” said the boy to the +dog. The dog jumped about madly, licking +Tommy’s face and hands and barking short, joyful +doggie greetings. “He’s seen him, all right,” said +Tommy.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_221">[221]</div> +<p>“Did he go to the grocer’s?” he asked of the +dog. In answer the dog’s ears and tail drooped +sadly, and he licked Tommy’s hand with less joyfulness.</p> +<p>“No,” said little Tommy, “he ain’t gone to the +grocer’s, he’s always looking for work now, he +says.”</p> +<p>“I’ll see if I can bring him back,” volunteered +Dorothy.</p> +<p>The evening crowd on Rivington Street was +pouring out of the doorways, bitter cold did not +seem to prevent social gatherings on the corners, +and the small shops were filled to overflowing with +loungers. A mission meeting was in progress on +one of the corners, as Dorothy hurried on, and a +sweet, girlish voice was exhorting the shivering +crowd to repent and mend their ways.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_222">[222]</div> +<h2 id="c24">CHAPTER XXIV +<br /><span class="small">A YOUNG REFORMER</span></h2> +<p>Close in the wake of Tommy’s father, now returning, +came Dorothy. A large automobile stood +before one of the rickety buildings, and Dorothy +just caught sight of a great fur coat and gray hair, +as the owner of the car came from the building. +It was Mr. Akerson! His chauffeur opened the +door of the car, touched his cap, and the auto +made its way slowly through the street.</p> +<p>“There’s the rent collector,” she heard a small +girl say, as she watched the automobile out of +sight. “Ain’t he grand!”</p> +<p>Dorothy wondered, with a shudder, how any +one could come among these people and take their +money from them, for housing them in such quarters!</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_223">[223]</div> +<p>Tommy’s father turned off Rivington Street +into a narrow lane, little more than an alley, but +it contained tall buildings nevertheless, with the inevitable +fire escape decorating the fronts. He +paused in front of a pawnbroker’s shop, which +was some feet below the level of the sidewalk. +Dorothy, too, paused, leaning on the iron fence. +The man was smiling an irresponsible, foolish +smile as he descended the steps to the pawnshop. +Dorothy peered down into the badly-lighted shop, +and saw Tommy’s father lay an ancient watch +chain, the last remaining article of the glory of +his young manhood, on the counter.</p> +<p>The clerk behind the counter threw it back in +disgust. Again Tommy’s father offered it, but the +pawnbroker would not take it, for it was evidently +not worth space in his cases. The man stumbled +up the steps, and Dorothy met him face to face +on the top one.</p> +<p>“I need a watch chain,” she heard herself saying +in desperation, “I’ll buy it, please.”</p> +<p>“You’re the woman as was collecting the rent; +eh?” he said.</p> +<p>“Oh, no,” said Dorothy, smiling brightly, “I +came to see Tommy’s mother, and his father. I +wanted to know Tommy’s family.”</p> +<p>“You wanted to help the boy, maybe?” he +asked, his attention at last arrested.</p> +<p>“Yes,” replied Dorothy, eagerly, “I want to +do something. I have money with me now, and +I’ll buy the chain.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_224">[224]</div> +<p>The man suddenly turned and went on ahead. +He wasn’t a really desperate man, but Dorothy +did not know just what state it could be called, he +simply seemed unable to think quite clearly, and +after walking one block, Dorothy decided he had +forgotten her entirely.</p> +<p>“I want to buy the groceries,” she said, stepping +close to his elbow, “but there will be so many, +you’ll have to help carry them home to your wife +and Tommy.”</p> +<p>He stared at her sullenly. “Who told you to +buy groceries?” he demanded.</p> +<p>“Your wife said there was nothing to eat in the +house,” she answered, “and I would love to buy +everything you need, just for this once.”</p> +<p>“I was just goin’ to get ’em, but there was no +money. How’s a man goin’ to help his family, +when they takes his money right outer his pockets; +tell me that, will you?” he demanded of +Dorothy. She shrank as the huge form towered +over her, but she answered steadily:</p> +<p>“The children are at home, hungry, waiting for +something to eat—the cakes you promised them, +you know,” she said with a brave smile.</p> +<p>“Well, come along; what are you standin’ here +for wastin’ time when the children are hungry?” +he said finally.</p> +<p>Dorothy laughed quietly, and went along at his +elbow. Such unreasonable sort of humanity! At +least, one thing was certain, he would not escape +from her now, since she was convinced that he +had really been trying to secure money enough to +buy food; if she had to call on the rough-looking +element on the street to come to her aid she would +help him.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_225">[225]</div> +<p>In the grocer’s Dorothy found great delight in +ordering food for a family, and they left the shop, +loaded down with parcels. The grocer’s clock +chimed out the hour of seven as they left the store.</p> +<p>“Aunt Winnie,” thought Dorothy suddenly, +“she’ll be worried ill! I had almost forgotten I +had a family of my own to be anxious about. But +they’ll have to wait,” she decided, “they, at least, +aren’t hungry. They are only worried, and I know +I’m safe,” she ended, philosophically.</p> +<p>The yellow dog was in the hall, so were all the +evil odors, even some of the babies still played +about, evidently knowing no bedtime, until with +utter weariness their small limbs refused to move +another step. And the dog being there meant +that Tommy had gone ahead and was safe at +home.</p> +<p>The upper halls were noisy. The hours after +supper were being turned into the festive part of +the day. At Tommy’s door there were no loud +sounds of mirth, and, opening it quietly, Dorothy +entered, the man behind. A dim light burned in +the room, the mother sat asleep in the old velvet +chair, the smaller children curled up in her lap, +and she was holding the baby in her arms. Several +of the children were stretched crosswise on the +kitchen cot, and Dorothy decided the remainder +of the family were in the dark room just off the +kitchen, and later she discovered that the surplus +room of the three-room home was rented out, +to help pay the rent.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_226">[226]</div> +<p>The children quickly scrambled from the cot +and from the mother’s lap, with wild haste to unwrap +the paper parcels. There was little use trying +judiciously to serve the eatables to such hungry +children. It mattered not to Tommy that +jelly and condensed milk and butter and cheese +were not all supposed to be eaten on one slice of +bread. Tommy never before saw these things all +at one time, and, as far as Tommy knew, he might +never again have the chance to put so many different +things on one slice. Oranges and bananas +were unknown luxuries in that family, and the +little boys eyed them suspiciously, but brave +Tommy sampling them first, they picked up courage, +and soon there were neither oranges nor +bananas, only messy little heaps of peeling.</p> +<p>Dorothy was busy instructing the mother how +to prepare beef broth, and a nourishing food for +the baby, when the clock struck eight.</p> +<p>“Tommy,” said Dorothy, as she busily stirred +the baby’s food, “do you know where there is a +telephone? I must send a message to Aunt Winnie.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_227">[227]</div> +<p>“Sure,” said the confident Tommy, “I know +all about them things. I often seen people ‘telphoning,’” +thus Tommy called it.</p> +<p>Soon it was agreed that Tommy and his father +would go and inform Dorothy’s aunt of her whereabouts, +over the wire.</p> +<p>It was an anxious fifteen minutes waiting for +their return. The mother let the steak broil to a +crisp in her anxiety lest the father slip away from +Tommy’s grasp, and Dorothy, listening for the +returning footsteps, had visions of again running +after Tommy’s father to bring him back to the +bosom of his family, and allowed the oatmeal to +boil over. But all was serene when the man returned +safely with the information that: “some +old feller on the wire got excited, and a lot of +people all talked at once,” and the only thing he +was sure of was that they demanded the address +of his home, which he had given them, not being +ashamed, as he proudly bragged, for anyone to +know where he lived.</p> +<p>“That was father!” said Dorothy. “What +else did he say?”</p> +<p>“Nothin’,” replied the man, “but the old feller +was maddern a wet hen!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_228">[228]</div> +<p>“Poor father!” thought Dorothy, as she +handed an apple to one of the small boys. “No +doubt I’m very foolish to have done this thing. +Father will never forgive me for running away +and staying until this late hour. I really didn’t +think about anything, though. It did seem so important +to bring home the things. I can’t bear to +think that to-morrow night and the next night and +the next, Tommy and his mother will be here, +worrying and cold and hungry.”</p> +<p>She served each of the children a steaming dish +of oatmeal, floating in milk, and was surprised to +find how hungry she was herself. She looked +critically at the messy table, the cracked bowls, +and tin spoons, and democratic as she knew herself +to be, she couldn’t—simply couldn’t—eat on +that kitchen-bedroom-living-room table.</p> +<p>The creaking of the steps and a heavy footfall +pausing before the door, caused a moment’s hush. +A knock on the portal and Tommy flew to open +it. On the threshold stood Major Dale, very +soldierly and dignified, and he stared into the +room through the dim light until he discovered +Dorothy. She ran to him and threw her arms +about his neck before he could utter a word.</p> +<p>“Dear daddy!” she murmured, so glad to see +one of her own people, and she realized in that +instant a sense of comfort and ease to know she +was well cared for, and had a dear, old dignified +father.</p> +<p>“I forgot,” she said, repentantly, “I should +have been home hours ago, I know, but you must +hear the whole story, before you scold me.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_229">[229]</div> +<p>For Major Dale to ever scold Dorothy was +among the impossible things, and to have scolded +her in this instance, the furthest thing from his +mind. The children stood about gazing at Major +Dale in awed silence.</p> +<p>“There are so many, father,” said Dorothy, +“to have to live in these close quarters. If they +could just be transported to a farm, or some place +out in the open!”</p> +<p>“Perhaps they could be,” answered Major +Dale, “but first, I must take you home. We’ll +discuss the future of Tommy and his family, after +you are safely back with Aunt Winnie.”</p> +<p>“Couldn’t James be placed somewhere in the +country? I want to know now, before I leave +them, perhaps never to see them again,” pleaded +Dorothy to her father. “Say that you know some +place for James to work that will take the family +away from this awful city.”</p> +<p>“We’ll see, daughter,” said the major kindly. +“I guess there is some place for him and the +little ones.”</p> +<p>“He’s so willin’ to work for us,” explained the +mother, “and we’d love to be in the country. We +both grew up in a country town, and I’ll go back +to-morrow morning. It’s nothin’ but struggling +here from one year’s end to the other, and we +grow poorer each year.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_230">[230]</div> +<p>“Many a hard day’s work I’ve done on the +farm,” said the six-feet-four-husband, “and I’m +good for many more. I’ll work at anything that’s +steady, and that’ll help me keep a roof over the +family.”</p> +<p>“I’m so glad to hear you say so!” cried Dorothy, +in delight. “I’m sure we will find some work +in the country for you, and before many weeks +you can leave this place, and find happiness in a +busy, country life.”</p> +<p>On the trip uptown, Dorothy asked about the +family at home, feeling very much as though she +had been away on a long trip and anxious to see +them all once again.</p> +<p>“We began to grow worried about an hour before +the telephone message came,” her father said, +“Aunt Winnie had callers, and the arrangements +were to have them all for dinner and we, of course, +waited dinner for Dorothy.” He smiled at his +daughter fondly. “When you did not appear, the +anxiety became intense, and the callers are still at +the apartment anxiously awaiting the return of +the wanderer.”</p> +<p>“Who are the callers,” queried Dorothy; “do +I know them?”</p> +<p>“No, just Aunt Winnie’s friends, but they are +waiting to meet you,” said Major Dale.</p> +<p>“Won’t I be glad to get home!” exclaimed +Dorothy, clinging to her father’s arm as they left +the subway.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_231">[231]</div> +<p>“Daughter,” said Major Dale, sternly, “have +you really forgotten?”</p> +<p>“Forgotten what, father?” asked Dorothy in +surprise.</p> +<p>“Forgotten the dinner and dance that is to be +given in your honor this evening?” Major Dale +could just suppress a smile as he tried to ask the +question with great severity.</p> +<p>“Oh, my dear!” cried Dorothy, “I forgot it +completely!”</p> +<p>“Well,” he said, “you’ll be late for the dinner, +but they are waiting for you to start the dance.”</p> +<p>“You see, father,” exclaimed Dorothy, desperately, +“I am not a girl for society! To think I +could have forgotten the most important event of +our whole holiday! But tell me now, daddy, don’t +you think big James and his family would do nicely +for old Mr. Hill’s Summer home—they could +care for it in the Winter, and take charge of the +farm in the Summer?”</p> +<p>“That is just what I thought, but said nothing, +because I did not care to raise false hopes in +the breast of such a pathetic little woman as +Tommy’s mother.”</p> +<p>“Then, before I join the dancers, I can rest +easily in my thoughts, that you will take care of +Tommy’s future, daddy?” Dorothy asked.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_232">[232]</div> +<p>“My daughter can join the party, and cease +thinking of little Tommy and the others, because +I’ll take entire charge of them just as soon as we +return to North Birchland.”</p> +<p>“I knew it, dear,” said Dorothy, as they entered +the apartment, and she hugged her father +closely. “You’d rather be down on Rivington +Street at this moment, seeing the other side of the +world, just as I would; wouldn’t you, father?”</p> +<p>But her father just pinched her pink cheeks and +told her to run along and be a giddy, charming +debutante.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_233">[233]</div> +<h2 id="c25">CHAPTER XXV +<br /><span class="small">THE LOVING CUP</span></h2> +<p>“Hurry, hurry!” cried Tavia, hugging Dorothy. +“You awful girl! I’ve been doing everything +under the skies to help Aunt Winnie get +through the dinner, but I absolutely refuse to carry +along the dance! How could you place us all in +such a predicament, you angel of mercy! And to +leave me to manage those boys in their evening +dress! They’re too funny for words! Nat positively +looks weird in his; he insists on pulling down +the tails, he’s afraid they don’t hang gracefully! +And Ned is as stiff and awkward as a small boy +at his first party!”</p> +<p>“And Bob?” asked Dorothy, as she arranged +a band of gold around her hair.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_234">[234]</div> +<p>“Well,” said Tavia meditatively, “there might +be a more uncomfortable-looking person than Bob +is at this moment, but I never hope to see one. +Dorothy, I simply can’t look his way! He’s +pathetic, he’s all hands, and he’s trying to hide the +fact, and you never saw anyone having so much +trouble! In short, I’ve been scrupulously evading +those very much dressed-up youths. They’ve been +depending entirely on me to push them forward; +just at present, with other awkward youths, they +are holding up the fireplace in the little side room, +casting fugitive glances toward the drawing room, +where we’re having the dance!” Tavia laughed +and pranced about as she talked.</p> +<p>“Why will our boys always act so silly in the +evening? I really believe if dances were given in +the morning, directly after breakfast, the girls +would be dull and listless and the men enchanting,” +said Dorothy with a laugh, as she stood forth, resplendent +in her evening gown of pale blue, ready +to make a tardy appearance.</p> +<p>The late arrival of the girl whom all these +guests were invited to meet, caused a stir of merriment, +which Dorothy met with a certain charm and +grace, that was her direct inheritance from Aunt +Winnie.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_235">[235]</div> +<p>The boys emerged from the side room and +looked around the dancing room, sheepishly. Now, +in North Birchland and in Dalton, Ned and Nat +enjoyed a dance, or a party, even if they did show +a decided tendency to hide behind Dorothy and +Aunt Winnie. But here in New York they were +not gallant enough to hide their misery, and the +comfortable back of Aunt Winnie was not at all +at their disposal, and Tavia’s back they had given +up some hours since as hopeless, which left Dorothy +as the last thin straw! And Dorothy was too +much of a wisp of straw to hide such broad shoulders +as Bob’s and Ned’s and entirely too short to +hide tall Nat! So they clung together in a corner +until Tavia separated them, giving each young +man a charming girl to pilot over the slippery +floor through the maze of a two-step.</p> +<p>Tavia was bubbling over with mirth. All this +was as much to her liking—the lovely gowns and +the laughter, the easy wit and light chatter.</p> +<p>“Did you notice that big suit-case in the hall?” +whispered Tavia, mysteriously to Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Yes, indeed,” replied Dorothy. “Are some +of these people staying over the week-end?”</p> +<p>“Sh-h-h!” warned Tavia, leading Dorothy to +a secluded corner behind a tall palm, “I’m really +afraid to say it out loud!”</p> +<p>“This isn’t a dark mystery, I hope. Tavia, I’m +weary of sudden surprises—tell me at once,” demanded +Dorothy, laughing at Tavia’s very dramatic +manner of being securely hidden from view.</p> +<p>With one slender finger, Tavia pointed between +the leaves of the palm to the dancing floor.</p> +<p>“Do you see that very picturesque creature in +green?” she whispered.</p> +<p>“Yes,” said Dorothy breathlessly.</p> +<p>“Well,” said Tavia relaxing, “that’s her suit-case.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_236">[236]</div> +<p>“Who is she?” asked Dorothy, “and why bring +her bag here?”</p> +<p>“She’s a society girl,” replied Tavia, peering +out between the palm leaves, “and she arrived at +four o’clock this afternoon with a maid and a suit-case.”</p> +<p>“Auntie said nothing about week-end guests,” +said Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Of course she didn’t, and this isn’t a week-end +guest, this is a society girl! She couldn’t play +cards at four, and have dinner at seven, and a +dance at eight-thirty, without a suit-case and a +maid; could she? How unreasonable you are, +Dorothy,” exclaimed Tavia, with scorn.</p> +<p>“Did she wear something different for each occasion?” +whispered Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Yes,” replied Tavia. “Dorothy, doesn’t it +make you dizzy to think of keeping up an appearance +in that way—packing one’s suit-case every +morning to attend an evening function!”</p> +<p>“And she doesn’t seem to be having an awfully +good time either,” commented Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Everyone is afraid of her—she’s too wonderful!” +laughed Tavia.</p> +<p>“How perfectly ridiculous!” murmured Dorothy, +thinking at that moment of Tommy’s mother, +dressed in a faded, worn wrapper every hour of +each day throughout all the months of the year.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_237">[237]</div> +<p>“And that isn’t all,” declared Tavia. “See that +perfectly honest-looking person in purple?”</p> +<p>“Very broad and stout and homely?” asked +Dorothy.</p> +<p>“Yes. Well, she appropriated one of our +cups!”</p> +<p>“You’re just making these things up!” declared +Dorothy, rising to leave the secluded corner.</p> +<p>“Really I’m not,” said Tavia earnestly, “the +purple person took a cup!”</p> +<p>“But why should she do so?” Dorothy asked, +not quite believing such a thing possible.</p> +<p>“That’s what we don’t know, but Aunt Winnie +says it’s possibly just a fad, or a hobby, and not +to notice it—but, I’m going to find out.”</p> +<p>“There is so much that is not real, perhaps her +royal purple velvet gown is no clue to her wealth,” +said Dorothy.</p> +<p>“No, I don’t think her dress is. I’ve decided +that she needs the cup for breakfast to-morrow +morning. Anyhow, her maid is in the small bedroom, +that we’re using for the wraps, and we must +question her,” declared Tavia.</p> +<p>“It’s too perfectly horrid to even think such a +thing of one of our guests. We must forget the +matter,” Dorothy said rather sternly.</p> +<p>“And you who are so anxious to help the poor +and needy, forget your own home!” said Tavia +reproachfully. “Suppose that poor lady has no +cup for her coffee? Won’t it be an act of human +kindness to ascertain that?”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_238">[238]</div> +<p>“Well, I don’t understand why it should happen,” +said Dorothy, perplexed, “but I feel, Tavia, +that you are not in earnest.”</p> +<p>Coming out from behind the palm, the girls +were just in time to catch a glimpse of Nat, bowing +and sliding gracefully away from his partner. +Ned had successfully gotten over the slippery floor +and stood aimlessly staring into space; and his +aimless stare touched Dorothy more than his tears +would have done. Bob met Tavia in the slipperiest +part of the floor and Tavia, for once in her acquaintance +with Bob, did not feel disdainful of his +masterly physical strength, for Bob couldn’t manage +to cross a waxed floor with as much dexterity +as could Tavia and actually touched her elbow +for assistance in guiding him wall-ward.</p> +<p>“How much longer does this gaiety continue?” +asked Bob.</p> +<p>“I fear you’re a sad failure, Bob,” cried Tavia, +as she led him through the hall to the small room +at the end of the hall. “You can’t dance, and you +won’t sing, and you’re perfectly miserable dressed +in civilized, evening clothes. You’re just hopeless, +I’m afraid,” Tavia sighed.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_239">[239]</div> +<p>Their sudden entrance into the cloakroom surprised +the various maids who were yawning and +sleepy-eyed. The French maid was the only one +who seemed alert, and she was bending attentively +over something, with her back toward the others. +Tavia whispered to Bob:</p> +<p>“Saunter carelessly past that maid, and tell me +what she’s doing,” Tavia meanwhile diligently +looking through a pile of furs and wraps.</p> +<p>“She seems to be fingering a cup,” reported +Bob, as he looked at Tavia, questioningly.</p> +<p>“Walk past her again and find out more,” commanded +Tavia. To herself she murmured: “Men +are so slow, I’d know in an instant what she’s doing +with that cup, were it possible for me to peer +about; which it isn’t.”</p> +<p>“Haven’t an idea what she’s doing,” reported +Bob again, “she’s just holding the cup in her +hand.”</p> +<p>“Nonsense,” declared Tavia, “she must be doing +something. Go right straight back and stand +around until you find out. I can’t pull these furs +and wraps about much longer, they’re too heavy!”</p> +<p>When Bob returned again he whispered to +Tavia, and Tavia’s straight eyebrows flew up toward +her hair with a decidedly “Ah! I told you!” +expression.</p> +<p>She rushed to Aunt Winnie and informed her.</p> +<p>“You know,” explained Aunt Winnie, “the cup +is the one Miss Mingle’s sister painted and sent to +Dorothy the other day. It was such an odd, exquisite +pattern I valued it above all my antiques +and my pottery!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_240">[240]</div> +<p>“Well, that’s just what’s she doing,” declared +Tavia, “she’s copying the pattern or borrowing it.”</p> +<p>“It must indeed be unique when one of our +guests is driven to such extremes to get a copy of +it,” said Aunt Winnie.</p> +<p>The dancers were becoming weary, even the +lights and decorations began to show signs of wishing +to go out, and most of the guests had bidden +the hostesses adieu when the stout person in royal +purple calmly approached Aunt Winnie and Dorothy, +holding a cup in her hand:</p> +<p>“You’ll pardon the impudence of my maid, I +know, she has a mania for peculiar patterns on +china, and she copied one on this cup. You don’t +mind at all?” she asked sweetly.</p> +<p>“It was painted for my niece by a very feeble +lady,” explained Mrs. White. “We value it +highly.”</p> +<p>“You should value it highly,” purred the stout +person. “So far as I know there are only three +cups of that pattern in the world to-day. One is +in an English museum, and the other two have +been lost. Those two cups would be worth a fortune +to the holder, the collectors would pay almost +any price for them.” She was plainly an enthusiast +on the subject of old china. “But your cup is not +original, it is merely a copy, but we knew it instantly. +You’ll forgive me, won’t you?” she asked, +sweetly.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_241">[241]</div> +<p>“Miss Mingle’s sister is the owner of the other +two cups, Auntie,” gasped Dorothy, as the stout +person in purple departed. “Mrs. Bergham’s husband +was an artist and collector, and he left Mrs. +Bergham all his pictures and art treasures. I just +raved with delight over those two cups, the day +we called, and she very amiably sent me an exact +duplicate.”</p> +<p>“Then there may be a fortune awaiting little +Miss Mingle,” exclaimed Tavia. “I thought +her home was terribly crowded with artistic-looking +objects and unusual adornments for folk in +moderate circumstances.”</p> +<p>“Doubtlessly, the sentimental nature of Mrs. +Bergham would not entertain such an idea as disposing +of her treasures for mere lucre,” said Mrs. +White, laughingly.</p> +<p>“Perhaps they do not know their value,” reasoned +Dorothy, as the guests prepared to leave.</p> +<p>“We’ll find out more from the stout person, and +bring an art collector to call upon Mrs. Bergham, +and thus give those two struggling women some +chance to enjoy a little comfort,” said Major +Dale.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_242">[242]</div> +<h2 id="c26">CHAPTER XXVI +<br /><span class="small">A NEW COLLECTOR</span></h2> +<p>“My poor, dear husband,” sighed Mrs. Bergham, +“he told me to never part with those two +cups, in fact, never to sell anything of his unless I +could get his catalogue price. But it was a hard +struggle, and I did love everything so much, that—well, +I simply did not bother about selling.”</p> +<p>“I can hardly believe those old cups can be so +valuable,” Miss Mingle exclaimed, as she handled +them.</p> +<p>“Well,” said Dorothy, as she and Mrs. White +and Tavia prepared to leave after their short call, +“we will have a collector call to place a value on +all your antiques, if you wish. Of course, it will +be hard to part with them, but when the financial +end is considered——”</p> +<p>“My dear,” said Mrs. Bergham, with more animation +than she had yet shown, “you don’t know +what it will mean to us to have enough money to go +’round! And to have my little boys with me again, +and sister relieved of the awful strain!”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_243">[243]</div> +<p>“Wasn’t it lovely for the stout guest in purple +to kindly borrow the cup!” exclaimed Tavia.</p> +<p>“And for you to follow up the clue,” said Mrs. +White, “when Dorothy and I were too embarrassed +to know what to do!”</p> +<p>“Oh, by the way,” continued Mrs. White, +“about an agent for this house, I thought—don’t +be offended dear Mrs. Bergham—but I thought +you might like to take charge of this property, with +plenty of assistants of course, and to have your +commission, the same as paying a real estate agent. +Don’t say you won’t help me! I really need someone +right on the premises.”</p> +<p>“Certainly,” promptly replied Miss Mingle, +“sister could take care of it. You see, sister has +lost all confidence in herself and her ability—we +have had such troublous times for five years past!”</p> +<p>“This matter was even more serious than I +dared say,” exclaimed Mrs. White, referring to +the apartment-house trouble. “You know the +house originally belonged to my husband’s ancestors, +it was one of the old Dutch mansions here in +New York, and as the years passed, it was remodeled +several times, finally coming to me, with +the proviso that it be again remodeled into a good +paying apartment house, as an investment for the +boys when they are of age. The income, as you +know, has barely kept the expenses covered, and I +began to fear that my boys would come of age +without the money they should have.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_244">[244]</div> +<p>“I did not know that,” exclaimed Dorothy. “So +we really saved Nat and Ned from financial disasters; +didn’t we?”</p> +<p>“Well, we don’t know yet, whether we will ever +receive the money Mr. Akerson took,” said Mrs. +White, gravely. “But we will know just as soon +as we return home. At any rate, a future is assured +the boys, now that we have taken the collecting +away from Mr. Akerson.”</p> +<p>Arriving home, the girls found Major Dale +and the boys anxiously waiting for them.</p> +<p>“Well, we’re safe at last,” cried Ned, “thanks +to the courageous efforts of two little girls!”</p> +<p>“We bow before two small thoughtful heads,” +said Major Dale, with a laugh, “while we men +were trying to think out a way, the girls rushed +ahead and beat us!”</p> +<p>“So it’s settled?” said Aunt Winnie, anxiously.</p> +<p>“Every penny,” exclaimed Major Dale.</p> +<p>“When we are of age,” declared Ned, “the +girls shall have all their hearts desire; eh, Nat?”</p> +<p>“Yes, because without Dorothy’s and Tavia’s +courage and thoughtfulness and quick wits, we +boys would have had little to begin life with, in all +probability.”</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_245">[245]</div> +<p>“And girls,” said Aunt Winnie, “the sweetest +memories of your trip to New York City will be +that you not only had a lovely good time, but +helped wherever you saw that help was needed.”</p> +<p>“So that,” cried Major Dale, “Dorothy in the +city was as happy as everywhere else!”</p> +<p>“Happier, Daddy,” cried his daughter, with +her arms around his neck. “Much happier, for I +helped someone.”</p> +<p>“As you always do,” murmured Tavia. “I +wonder whom you will help next; or what you will +do? Dorothy Dale! If only I could have the +faculty of falling into things, straightening them +out, and making everybody live happier ever after, +as you do, I’m sure I would be the happiest person +alive.”</p> +<p>“But you do help,” said Dorothy, with a sly +look at Bob.</p> +<p>“Indeed she——” began that well-built young +man.</p> +<p>“Let’s tell ghost stories!” proposed Tavia suddenly, +with an obvious desire to change the topic. +“It’s nice of you to say that, Doro,” she went on, +“but you know I do make a horrible mess of everything +I touch. But I do wonder what you’ll do +next?”</p> +<p>And what Dorothy did may be learned by reading +the next volume of this series to be called, +“Dorothy Dale’s Promise.” In that we will +meet her again, and Tavia also, for the two were +too close friends now to let ordinary matters separate +them.</p> +<div class="pb" id="Page_246">[246]</div> +<p>“Come on, girls!” proposed Bob, a few days +later, as he, with the other boys, called at the +apartment “We’ve got the best scheme ever!”</p> +<p>“What is it?” asked Tavia suspiciously.</p> +<p>“A sleighing party—a good old-fashioned one, +like in the country. We’ll go up to the Bronx, +somewhere, have a supper and a dance, and——”</p> +<p>“We really ought to be packing to go home,” +said Dorothy, but not as if she half meant it.</p> +<p>“Fudge!” cried Nat. “You can pack in half +an hour.”</p> +<p>“Much you know about it,” declared Tavia.</p> +<p>But the boys prevailed, and that night, with +Mrs. White and the major, a merry little party +dashed over the white snow, to the accompaniment +of jingling bells, and under a silvery moon. And +now, for a time, we will take leave of Dorothy +Dale.</p> +<p class="tbcenter">THE END.</p> +<h3>The Motor Girls Series</h3> +<p class="center"><b>By Margaret Penrose</b> +<br /><span class="small">Author of the highly successful “Dorothy Dale Series”</span> +<br /><span class="smaller">Cloth. 12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid.</span></p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Motor Girls</b> +<br /><span class="small">or A Mystery of the Road</span></p> +<p class="blurb">When Cora Kimball got her touring car she +did not imagine so many adventures were in +store for her. A fine tale that all wide awake +girls will appreciate.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Motor Girls on a Tour</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Keeping a Strange Promise</span></p> +<p class="blurb">A great many things happen in this volume, starting with the running +over of a hamper of good things lying in the road. A precious heirloom +is missing, and how it was traced up is told with absorbing interest.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Motor Girls at Lookout Beach</b> +<br /><span class="small">or In Quest of the Runaways</span></p> +<p class="blurb">There was great excitement when the Motor Girls decided to go to +Lookout Beach for the summer.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Motor Girls Through New England</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Held by the Gypsies</span></p> +<p class="blurb">A strong story and one which will make this series more popular than +ever. The girls go on a motoring trip through New England.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Motor Girls on Cedar Lake</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Hermit of Fern Island</span></p> +<p class="blurb">How Cora and her chums went camping on the lake shore, how they +took trips in their motor boat, are told with a vim and vigor all girls +will enjoy.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Motor Girls on the Coast</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Waif from the Sea</span></p> +<p class="blurb">From a lake the scene is shifted to the sea coast where the girls pay +a visit. They have their motor boat with them and go out for many +good times.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK</span></p> +<h3>Ruth Fielding Series</h3> +<p class="center"><b>By Alice B. Emerson</b> +<br /><span class="smaller">12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, 40 Cents, Postpaid</span></p> +<p class="center">Ruth Fielding is a character that will live in juvenile fiction.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Ruth Fielding of The Red Mill</b> +<br /><span class="small">Or Jaspar Parloe’s Secret</span></p> +<p class="blurb">Telling how Ruth, an orphan girl, came +to live with her miserly uncle, and how +the girl’s sunny disposition melted the +old miller’s heart. A great flood, and the +disappearance of the miser’s treasure +box, add to the interest of the volume.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Ruth Fielding at Briarwood Hall</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Solving the Campus Mystery</span></p> +<p class="blurb">Ruth was sent by her uncle to boarding school to get an +education. She made many friends and also one enemy, +and the latter made much trouble for her. The mystery +of the school campus is a most unusual one.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Ruth Fielding at Snow Camp</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Lost in the Backwoods</span></p> +<p class="blurb">A thrilling tale of adventures in the backwoods in winter. +How Ruth went to the camp, and how she fell in with +some very strange people, is told in a manner to interest +every girl.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Nita, the Girl Runaway</span></p> +<p class="blurb">From boarding school the scene is shifted to the Atlantic +Coast, where Ruth goes for a summer vacation with some +chums. There is a storm and a wreck, and Ruth aids in +rescuing a girl from the sea.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Ruth Fielding at Silver Ranch</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Schoolgirls Among the Cowboys</span></p> +<p class="blurb">A story with a western flavor—but one which is up-to-date +and free from mere sensationalism. How the girls came +to the rescue of Bashful Ike, the cowboy, and aided him +and Sally, his “gal,” is told in a way that is most +absorbing.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK</span></p> +<h3><span class="small">Alive, Patriotic, Elevating</span> +<br />The Banner Boy Scouts Series</h3> +<p class="center"><b>By George A. Warren</b> +<br /><span class="small">Author of the Revolutionary Series, “The Musket Boys Series”</span> +<br /><span class="smaller">Handsomely bound in Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume. $1.00 postpaid.</span></p> +<p>The Boys Scouts movement has swept over +our country like wildfire, and is endorsed by many +of our greatest men and leading educators. +No author is better qualified to write such a +series as this than Professor Warren, who has +watched the movement closely since its inception +in England some years ago.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Banner Boy Scouts</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Struggle for Leadership</span></p> +<p class="blurb">This initial volume tells how the news of the scout movement reached +the boys and how they determined to act on it. They organized the +Fox Patrol, and some rivals organized another patrol. More patrols +were formed in neighboring towns and a prize was put up for the +patrol scoring the most points in a many-sided contest.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Banner Boy Scouts a Tour</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Mystery of Rattlesnake Mountain</span></p> +<p class="blurb">This story begins with a mystery that is most unusual. There is a +good deal of fun and adventure, camping, fishing, and swimming, and +the young heroes more than once prove their worth.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Banner Boy Scouts Afloat</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Secret of Cedar Island</span></p> +<p class="blurb">Here is another tale of life in the open, of jolly times on river and +lake and around the camp fire, told by one who has camped out for +many years.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK</span></p> +<h3>The College Sports Series</h3> +<p class="center"><b>By Lester Chadwick</b></p> +<p class="center"><span class="smaller">Cloth. 12mo. Handsomely illustrated and beautifully bound in decorated cover, stamped in gold and several colors. +<br />Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid.</span></p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Rival Pitchers</b> +<br /><span class="small">A Story of College Baseball</span></p> +<p class="blurb">A faithful picture of college life of to-day, +with its hazings, its grinds, its pretty girls +and all.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>A Quarter-back’s Pluck</b> +<br /><span class="small">A Story of College Football</span></p> +<p class="blurb">Of all college sports, football is undoubtedly king, and in this tale +Mr. Chadwick has risen to the occasion by giving us something that +is bound to grip the reader from start to finish.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Batting to Win</b> +<br /><span class="small">A Story of College Baseball</span></p> +<p class="blurb">As before, Tom, Phil and Sid are to the front. Sid, in particular, +has developed into a heavy hitter, and the nine depend upon him to +bring in the needed runs.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Winning Touchdown</b> +<br /><span class="small">A Story of College Football</span></p> +<p class="blurb">There had been the loss of several old players at Randall, and then, +almost at the last moment, another good player had to be dropped. +How, in the end, they made that glorious touchdown that won the big +game, is told in a way that must be read to be appreciated.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>For the Honor of Randall</b> +<br /><span class="small">A Story of College Athletics</span></p> +<p class="blurb">The readers of this series will welcome this volume for it covers a +new field in Mr. Chadwick’s best manner. A splendid story of college +track athletics with mystery and adventure in plenty.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Eight-Oared Victors</b> +<br /><span class="small">A Story of College Water Sports</span></p> +<p class="blurb">Once more we meet the lads of Randall College. This time the +scene is shifted to boating and the rivalry on the river is intense.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK</span></p> +<h3><span class="smaller">A New Line By the Author of the Ever-Popular</span> +<br /><span class="small">“Motor Boys Series”</span> +<br />The Racer Boys Series</h3> +<p class="center"><b>by CLARENCE YOUNG</b> +<br /><span class="smaller">Author of “The Motor Boys Series”, “Jack Ranger Series”, etc. etc.</span> +<br /><span class="smaller">Fine cloth binding. Illustrated. Price per vol. 60 cts. postpaid.</span></p> +<p>The announcement of a new series of stories by +Mr. Clarence Young is always hailed with delight +by boys and girls throughout the country, and we +predict an even greater success for these new books, +than that now enjoyed by the “Motor Boys Series.”</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Racer Boys</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Mystery of the Wreck</span></p> +<p class="blurb">This, the first volume of the new series, tells who +the Racer Boys were and how they chanced to be +out on the ocean in a great storm. Adventures follow each other in +rapid succession in a manner that only our author, Mr. Young, can +describe.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Racer Boys At Boarding School</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Striving for the Championship</span></p> +<p class="blurb">When the Racer Boys arrived at the school they found everything at +a stand-still. The school was going down rapidly and the students +lacked ambition and leadership. The Racers took hold with a will, +and got their father to aid the head of the school financially, and then +reorganized the football team.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Racer Boys To The Rescue</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Stirring Days in a Winter Camp</span></p> +<p class="blurb">Here is a story filled with the spirit of good times in winter—skating, +ice-boating and hunting.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Racer Boys On The Prairies</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Treasure of Golden Peak</span></p> +<p class="blurb">From their boarding school the Racer Boys accept an invitation to +visit a ranch in the West.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>The Racer Boys on Guard</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Rebellion of Riverview Hall</span></p> +<p class="blurb">Once more the boys are back at boarding school, where they have +many frolics, and enter more than one athletic contest.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK</span></p> +<h3><span class="smaller">Up-to-Date Baseball Stories</span> +<br />Baseball Joe Series</h3> +<p class="center"><b>By Lester Chadwick</b> +<br /><span class="small">Author of “The College Sports Series”</span> +<br /><span class="smaller">Cloth. 12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid.</span></p> +<p>Ever since the success of Mr. Chadwick’s +“College Sports Series” we have been urged +to get him to write a series dealing exclusively +with baseball, a subject in which he is unexcelled +by any living American author or +coach.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Baseball Joe of the Silver Stars</b> +<br /><span class="small">or The Rivals of Riverside</span></p> +<p class="blurb">In this volume, the first of the series, Joe is introduced as an everyday +country boy who loves to play baseball and is particularly anxious to +make his mark as a pitcher. He finds it almost impossible to get on +the local nine, but, after a struggle, he succeeds, although much +frowned upon by the star pitcher of the club. A splendid picture of +the great national game in the smaller towns of our country.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Baseball Joe on the School Nine</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Pitching for the Blue Banner</span></p> +<p class="blurb">Joe’s great ambition was to go to boarding school and play on the +school team. He got to boarding school but found it harder making +the team there than it was getting on the nine at home. He fought +his way along, however, and at last saw his chance and took it, and +made good.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><b>Baseball Joe at Yale</b> +<br /><span class="small">or Pitching for the College Championship</span></p> +<p class="blurb">From a preparatory school Baseball Joe goes to Yale University. +He makes the freshman nine and in his second year becomes a varsity +pitcher and pitches in several big games.</p> +<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK</span></p> +<h3>Transcriber’s Notes</h3> +<ul><li>Illustrations, originally on unnumbered pages at random locations, were relocated to relevant paragraphs.</li> +<li>A few palpable typos were corrected silently. Possibly intentional inconsistent or nonstandard spellings were not changed.</li></ul> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Dorothy Dale in the City, by Margaret Penrose + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOROTHY DALE IN THE CITY *** + +***** This file should be named 38555-h.htm or 38555-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/5/5/38555/ + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +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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