The Orchard Secret Part 12

"Have you decided yet," asked Terry, "where you think you saw the original of that reward-poster picture?"

"Not yet," Arden had ruefully to admit. "But I shall. And now those sophs----"

"Well, more power to them if they can raise the money for the swimming pool, I say," spoke Sim philosophically.

"Never shall I forget, scared as I was, the expression on the face of Jessica as we flung the apples at her! It was almost worth the fright we had," Terry ventured, to change the subject.

"I know what we can do, though, to get a little even with them,"

suggested Arden. "We won't tell, no matter how much they ask, just what happened."

"All right, Arden, we'll do that. Now, don't let's talk any more about it. I'm tired of the word orchard. I'd much rather talk about the tea dance," Sim returned, arranging her books more comfortably. "Do you think we can go?"

"Of course! Why not?" asked Terry.

"Well--boys, you know. We couldn't get any of our own friends from home to come this far for us," Sim decided.

"You've been thinking about this dance, have you, Sim? Now, I never would have thought that!" laughed Arden.

"Of course I have! I like dances. I've been thinking about this one to such an extent that when I saw the notice on the bulletin board I asked Mary Todd what about it, and she and Ethel Anderson and Jane Randall have already written to their three brothers----"

"Oh, my! Has each one three brothers who are eligible for tea dances?"

gasped Terry.

"No--one each," went on Sim, laughing. "What do you expect? Anyhow, that's how much I've been thinking about it!"

"That's quite a lot of thinking," Terry remarked, "for you, my little one! I might say that perhaps you took a great deal for granted, but if it works out all right, I'll be just as glad as you are. Did you have the sisters send their brothers our pictures? That one of you in the school play, Sim, dressed as an old man, is good."

"Don't be silly! Of course I didn't. Anyhow, as long as we pay for the bids, those boys ought to be glad to go. They don't have to dance with us all afternoon."

"Oh, stop, you two! Do let it go, as long as Sim has engineered it this far. It will be fun, very likely. Russ Albono's orchestra is grand, and we all have new dresses. There are more important things to consider,"

Arden decided. "We must get our hair and nails done and see about a room in the hotel. I've never been there, have you? Think of going to a real college tea dance in a big New York hotel!"

"I was there once on my birthday," Sim remarked. "My loving parents took me to dinner and the theater. We stayed at the hotel a whole week-end. I loved it!" She sighed, remembering.

"I hope you'll find it as wonderful this time," remarked Terry.

"Let us hope so," murmured Arden.

"Mrs. Malvern is to be the official chaperon. You must report to her before the dance and after it is over, as you leave," announced Sim. "I should think she might be pretty tired of answering the phone calls of the girls to her room when they notify her."

"Really, Sim, how did you find out so much?" asked Arden.

"I asked here and there," Sim admitted. "I also found out that we are to go to New York the afternoon of the dance, which is on Sat.u.r.day. We don't have to be back here at college until nine that night."

"Quite a bit of liberty--for Cedar Ridge," commented Terry.

"Oh, dear! Here we are at Bordmust, and we'll have to separate just when the talk is getting exciting!" exclaimed Arden. "But as soon as you two can, come back to 513, and we'll complete our arrangements, will you?"

she begged as they reached the grim building.

"Yes," nodded Sim and Terry.

Groups of students on the steps were discussing the dean's talk, the coming tea dance, and the ever intruding lessons, which, dance or not, must be endured.

Suddenly Sim saw Mary Todd.

"Have you heard anything, Mary?" she asked.

"No, it's too soon. Give them a few more days," called back Mary.

"Don't be so anxious, Sim," advised Arden. "You'd think we just couldn't wait to find out about those boys."

"Well, I _am_ anxious. If they don't take us, I don't know how we'll get there." Sim sighed, certainly a little downcast.

"Don't worry. We'll go all right, and probably make a big hit, too!"

Terry was climbing the steps now. "I'll think it out in Latin cla.s.s. I do some of my best thinking there."

"See you later!" Arden waved a hand, laughing. "I'm due at math, worse luck!" and she hurried into the building.

Terry and Sim followed. They were already lost in daydreams of music, laughter, lights, and gayety: the prospective coming dance.

"Say, listen, Sim," exclaimed Terry suddenly, taking hold of Sim's arm to a.s.sure attention.

"What is it, darling?" joked Sim. "Got a better idea for our dance boy supply?"

"No, nothing about that. But you know our Tom who got that mysterious blow the other night?"

"Do I?"

"Well, I heard him telling one of the gardeners about it, and he was laughing it off."

"Well, what's wrong about that?" demanded Sim.

"Sounded flooey to me. He said he merely tripped over a tree stump and another stump cut his head."

"Maybe he did," Sim casually answered.

"And maybe he _didn't_," retorted Terry significantly.

CHAPTER IX The Disappearance of Sim

Cla.s.s matters went all too slowly between the time of the tea dance announcement and the affair itself. Lessons were slighted with bold abandon as the girls made their preparations, their universal excuse being:

"We can make it up later."

At last it was the day. Soon after noon the college buildings began emptying rapidly, and excited students, carrying overnight bags, hurried to the little station for the New York trains.