A Dixie School Girl Part 6

Petty was sweetly romantic, but stupidly literal. At times a hopeless combination. The riding party had cantered along in the fleeing Beverly's wake for a little more than a mile when Petty spied the hat upon the bush. Nothing further was needed to confirm her misgivings.

"She _has_ been run away with, girls! She has! I think it's perfectly awful not to ride faster. She may be lying on the road d-e-a-d-!"

By this time Jefferson thought it might be politic to manifest more concern, so throwing a well-a.s.similated anxiety into voice and manner he said hastily:

"Now you fo' yo'ng ladies jist come 'long careful an' orderly, so's not ter bring no mo' trebbulations, 'pon us an' I'll light out fer dat run-way. Ma Lawd, I'se been clar distracted fer de las' ten minutes fer ter know which-a-way ter tu'n! I aint really believe Miss Bev'ly is in no danger 'twell Miss Petty done got me so sympathizin', but now I'se sh.o.r.e rattled an' I'se gwin' ter find out fer sartin. Come on yo' Jumbo! Wo'k yo' laigs fer fair," and under touch of the spur the big horse broke into a gait which bade fair to speedily overhand the scapegraces, _providing Jefferson let him do so_.

A turn in the road simplified the problem.

"Now don' yo' tak ter sweatin' yo'self so's I has ter spend a hull hour a-coolin' yo' down," admonished Jefferson when well out of sight. "We'll git there, an' when we does we'll mak' one fair show down," and thereupon Jefferson restrained his steed to a long swinging run which told off the miles without making him turn a hair until Kilton Hall was in sight.

_Then_ the dusky actor and his mount prepared to make their spectacular entre. Pulling up at the roadside Jefferson threw his cap upon the ground, twisted his tie awry, and let fly the belt of his riding blouse, then dismounting, he caught up a few handfuls of dust and promptly transformed big bay Jumbo into as disreputable looking a horse as dust rubbed upon his muzzle, his chest and his warm moist flanks could transform him. It was this likely pair which came pounding across the athletic field of Kilton Hall at the moment of Mr. Ford's question, the human of the species, with eyes rolling until they were nearly all whites, shouting as he drew near:

"My Lawd-a-mighty, Miss Bev'ly, is yo' hu't? Is yo' daid?"

It was a good enough bit of acting to have won the actor fame and fortune. As a matter of fact, Beverly gave one glance at the fly-away figure, then clasping both arms around Apache's neck, buried her face in his mane and to all intents and purposes collapsed into a paroxysm of tears, to the entire dismay of Mr. Cushman, and the skeptical "sizing up"

of the situation by Mr. Ford, more lately from the campus. It was Athol who promptly turned a few handsprings behind their backs and Archie who rolled over upon the gra.s.s chortling.

"Don't be alarmed! Don't be alarmed, my good man. Your young lady is none the worse for her involuntary run (just here a distinct snort came from the ground behind Mr. Cushman) though I dare say a little unstrung and exhausted. But we stopped her mount ("yes you did!" came sotto voce from Athol) and now we will lead your mistress back to the house where Mrs.

Kilton will be delighted to minister to her comfort. Are you too nervous to ride to the rear entrance, Miss Ashby?" for during the few words spoken Mr. Cushman had discovered that this was Athol Ashby's sister, had the resemblance left any doubt of that fact.

Beverly resumed an upright position, hastily wiped away her tears, (one _can_ laugh as well as weep them) and answered:

"Oh, no sir. Of course I was a little startled at first, but Apache is never vicious, and it was only the need of exercise which made us--_him_--bolt, you know."

The acrobat came to an upright position and very nearly upset the whole show.

Meantime Jefferson with many flutterings and gesticulations, had dismounted and managed to work his way to Archie's side and whisper:

"Don't yo' let on, will yo' suh?"

"Not on your sweet life. It's the best ever. But where's the rest of the bunch? There must _be_ some. You always take out a full fledged seminary."

"Praise Gawd der aint but fo' dis time, an' dey's yander on de pike some--'ers. But I'se near scared blue."

"Gray, you mean. Keep cool. I'll fix it all right. Oh, Mr. Cushman the groom had to leave the other young ladies back yonder on the road and he's a good bit upset about it. Hadn't he better ride back to them?

They'll be scared blue you know."

"Certainly. Certainly. By all means. Return to them at once. This young lady will be carefully looked after," and Jefferson lost no time in going.

"You'd better bring the whole outfit--I--er--I mean you'd better bring the other young ladies to the Hall," called Mr. Ford, deciding that if Beverly was a sample of the Leslie Manor girls it would be just as well to see more of the material. Had he caught the sudden flash in Archie's eyes perhaps he would have grown a bit wiser.

Twenty minutes later all five girls were seated in Mrs. Kilton's cozy living room, the boys, and the instructors who had s.h.i.+fted into drawing-room garments in record time, serving hot chocolate and little iced cakes.

As they were not expected home until five anyway there was no cause for concern. There would be no alarm at Leslie Manor. Meanwhile Jefferson, who had looked after the horses, was holding the floor in the servant's quarters. If a report of that afternoon's experiences did reach Leslie Manor he meant to have first scoop.

After an hour spent very delightfully, for Mr. Ford was attention itself to Beverly, to Archie's ill-concealed disgust, Hope MacLeod advised a move toward home. As they were about to start Beverly asked sweetly:

"Oh, dear Mrs. Kilton, would you mind if Athol showed me his room? You know we have never before in all our lives been separated and I get so homesick for him and his traps it just seems as though I couldn't stand it."

"Why of course you may go up, my dear," smiled kindly Mrs. Kilton. She was too wholesome to see the least impropriety in so simple a request.

"Oh, hold on a second, Ath. Keep her a minute until I rush up and stow a few of our duds. We didn't stop to slick things up when we s.h.i.+fted," and Archie bounded away.

"Come on now, Bev. I reckon he's had time to make Number 70 presentable,"

said Athol three minutes later, and the brother and sister went demurely from the room.

CHAPTER IX

WHILE GOBLINS DANCED

Although in little sympathy with frivolous forms of entertainment, Miss Woodhull did condescend to a Hallowe'en Masquerade each year, and two nights after Beverly's John Gilpin performance the girls were preparing for the dance in the big gymnasium.

A collection had been taken up among the sixty girls const.i.tuting the academic grades and a couple of musicians engaged for the occasion. They came from an adjacent town where they formed part of a colored orchestra of more than local fame, which was in great demand for miles around.

Consequently, the girls would have good music for their frolic and as Mrs. Bonnell looked to the refreshments, everything was satisfactory excepting Miss Woodhull's veto upon "the absurd practices of Hallowe'en:"

meaning the love tests of fate and fortune usually made that night. Those were debarred, though many a one was indulged in in secret of which that practical lady little kenned.

As a hostess and chaperone were deemed absolutely indispensable upon any occasion, however informal, Mrs. Bonnell was always eagerly sought after by the girls to act in the former capacity and Miss Dalton the gym instructor in the latter. Miss Dalton seemed just like a girl herself, and was, in fact, not many years her pupils' senior. She was in her twenty-fourth year, but looked about nineteen, a jolly, chummy, lovable woman, though no instructor maintained better discipline, or was more willingly obeyed. She and Mrs. Bonnell worked in perfect harmony when their duties brought them together.

Now it is only reasonable to surmise that Beverly and the boys had made the very utmost of the fifteen minutes spent in Athol's room the previous Wednesday, and some lightening-like communications had been interchanged.

On the way back to Leslie Manor, Beverly, Sally and Aileen had kept somewhat in the rear, Petty and Hope (by the latter's finesse) contriving to keep Jefferson between them. This had not been difficult because Jefferson simply _had_ to have someone to talk to.

What the three in the rear discussed will be seen later. Those leading were needlessly trying to convince Jefferson of the folly of making any reference whatsoever to the unexpected route taken that afternoon.

Had they only known it, he was as anxious as they were to keep the affair from headquarters, his chief misgivings resting in the possibility of the report coming from Kilton Hall. As a matter of fact, it never occurred to either Dr. or Mrs. Kilton to report it. It was a mere incident which had ended rather pleasantly than otherwise, and, as a matter of fact, the relations between the two schools were not over cordial. Dr. and Mrs.

Kilton had made very gracious overtures to Miss Woodhull when she first opened Leslie Manor, but desiring to keep distantly at arm's length all relations with a school that harbored boys, her response had been as frigid as her New England coast line in February. This was rather fortunate in the present case. Dr. and Mrs. Kilton not only requested the instructors not to give needless publicity to the affair, or anxiety to Miss Woodhull by permitting any report of the runaway to become circulated, but also warned the servants and forbade the boys discussing it abroad. And the boys were wise enough to put two and two together. So a discreet silence was maintained, and Miss Woodhull spared a nerve shock.

At seven-thirty o'clock on Hallowe'en, suite Number 10 buzzed like a bee-hive. The three occupants were dressing, two or three girls were a.s.sisting at the robing, and two or three more who were already costumed were acting as spectators.

Beverly was going as Tweedle-dum, her costume consisting of funny little ruffled trousers, a Lord Fauntleroy s.h.i.+rt, jacket and collar, her hair braided and tucked inside her waist and her head covered by a huge Glengarry bonnet. Tiny patent-leather pumps and little blue socks completed the funny makeup. She was as bonny a little lad as one could find, her name being plainly printed upon her big collar. Who would complete the pair by being Tweedle-dee no one had been able to coax from her. Her reply to all the girl's importunities being:

"Just wait and see if we don't match well."

Sally was to be Will-o'-the-Wisp, and a plump, spooky sprite she made with dabs of phosphorus upon her fluttering black cambric costume, and funny peaked cap, which glowed uncannily when the room was darkened. She carried a little electric bulb lantern which unexpectedly flashed its blinding rays into people's faces.

Aileen chose to be the evening star and very lovely she looked in her costume made of several silver-spangled scarfs draped over one of her dainty "nighties," which, of course, fell straight from her shoulders.

Her hair was caught up with every rhinestone pin or buckle she owned or could borrow, and Mrs. Bonnell had supplied from the properties kept for private theatricals the glittering star she wore above her forehead.

Aileen moved a G.o.ddess and she looked a queen, for she was a very stately, lovely young girl.

At the stroke of eight all were ready and a general rush was made for the gym, the girls laughing, talking, jostling each other and in most hilarious mood, but, when they reached that gaily decorated room Tweedle-dum was not among them.

The gym presented a pretty picture that night lighted by pumpkin Jack o'

Lanterns in which electric bulbs had been hidden, and by grotesque paper lanterns representing bats, owls and all sorts of flying nocturnal creatures. The side walls had been covered with gorgeous autumn foliage, palms and potted rubber plants stood all about, and last, but by no means least, there was a long table laden with goodies and more pumpkin decorations. The room was a fitting scene for goblin's revels.

A barn dance had just begun, when down through the gym pranced Tweedle-dum _and_ Tweedle-dee, and so identical were the figures that no mortal being could have told one from the other had they chanced to become separated. But this they seemed to have no intention of doing.