The Orchard Secret Part 4

"Wasn't she dreadful!" murmured Terry.

"It's going to be fun, girls!" Arden exclaimed. "I'm not a bit afraid of being hazed. Now, let's unpack the rest of our things, and then we must write some letters home. They will all be so anxious to know what happened on our first day at Cedar Ridge."

"Such a lot has happened," murmured Sim, looking doubtful. "I'm afraid we haven't exactly endeared ourselves to those sophs."

"Who cares?" laughed Terry.

"After hazing is over they'll be our good friends," declared Arden. "It's part of their stock in trade to seem very gruff and terrible now, but we needn't worry about that. Let's get at our letters. You'll have to lend me something to write on, Sim. I don't seem to have any paper in my suitcase. There's some in my trunk. I suppose that'll be up tomorrow."

"I expected this, Arden," Sim laughed. "I brought some extra stationery for you. See that you write your mother a nice long letter. No more ten-word telegrams."

The room was soon quiet except for the scratching of pens on paper. It was very serene around Cedar Ridge College now, and quiet in the farm and orchard grounds that formed part of the old estate which had been transformed into a seat of learning.

The girls had been told that night letters might be placed on a table at the end of their corridor, whence they would be taken up by one of the porters or janitors in time for the early morning mail.

"Well, I've finished!" said Terry, sealing her last envelope.

"So have I," said Arden.

"Let's take them out and leave them on the table," suggested Sim. "The folks will get them tomorrow night."

As the three walked down the dimly lighted corridor, they saw two other freshmen going back to their room after having deposited their mail on the table over which glowed a small light.

This table was at the end of the corridor nearest the old apple orchard, which formed part of the college farm. The girls had heard something of the college farm, and there had been a veiled threat that the freshmen had to gather apples for their soph.o.m.ore hazers.

The big window in the corridor was open. And as Arden and her two chums dropped their letters upon the table they thrust their heads out for a breath of the fresh night air.

"I wonder what sort of apples grow in that orchard?" mused Sim.

"They must be very choice," suggested Arden.

"How do you know?" asked Terry.

"Don't you remember, that good-looking porter with the cute little mustache who took up our bags, was gazing so soulfully out of the window into this same orchard?" suggested Arden. "There was such a queer, rapt look on his face, I'm sure, though I could see only the back of his head."

"Oh, my word!" mocked Sim. "Aren't we getting poetical and humorous all of a sudden!"

"Hark!" cautioned Terry in a whisper.

From the dark orchard below them and to the northeast of the college building sounded a cry of alarm and fright floating through the murky blackness. It was a cry as if someone was in danger.

"Oh!" gasped Sim. "Whatever was that?"

Then, with one accord, she and her chums ran back to their room and closed the door but did not lock it. For it was against the rules of Cedar Ridge to lock bedroom doors. Miss Anklon had impressed this on the freshmen. Terry, however, insisted on dragging a chair against the portal, bracing the back of it under the k.n.o.b so it would be difficult to gain access.

The three girls gazed at one another with fear in their eyes.

Was there danger abroad in the blackness of the night?

CHAPTER IV The Reward Circular

"What could that have been?" gasped Terry, sinking on her bed.

"Then you heard it, too?" asked Arden.

"Of course! We all heard it!" declared Sim. "A shout or groan in that dark orchard as if someone were suffering. Do you think there could have been a fight among the help? You know they have a resident farmer here at Cedar Ridge and several laborers. They might have had a bout--or something."

Suddenly all three burst out laughing. They couldn't help it. The looks on their faces were so queerly tragic. And Terry said:

"I think we're making a lot out of nothing. Probably what happened was that a porter--the blue-eyed porter--was trying to lug in some faculty baggage the back way and it fell on his toes."

"Well, whatever it was, don't let's go spreading scandal around the college so early in the term," warned Arden. "We must keep the secret of the orchard to ourselves--if there is a secret."

"Guess we'll have to," yawned Sim. "For who knows what the secret is?"

"That taxi-man seemed to hint at something," murmured Terry.

"Oh--bos.h.!.+" exploded Arden. "I guess we're all just worked up and nervous because this is our first night and we've had to stand a lot of annoyance so soon--those sophs and all that."

"Well spoken, my brave girl!" declaimed Sim. "Let's forget it."

It was this thought which gradually quieted the palpitating hearts and the excited breathing of the three. After they had listened, more or less cowering on their beds, and heard no sounds of any general alarm, they finally prepared to retire for their first night at Cedar Ridge.

"After all," said Terry, "it may have been some skylarking boys trying to steal the college apples."

"Maybe," agreed Sim.

"It didn't sound like boys to me," declared Arden. "It was more like a man's shout."

"Well, we don't need to worry about it," went on Terry. "But if those sn.o.bby sophs think we're going in that orchard in the dark, after what we just heard, to get apples for them, they can have my resignation."

"And mine!" echoed her chums.

Sleep was actually in prospect, and final yawns had been stifled when a scratching in one corner of the room aroused the tired girls.

"We must get a trap for those mice," Terry sleepily murmured. "I suppose they smell the fruit-cake crumbs."

"All very well to trap 'em," chuckled Sim, "but who's going to take 'em out of the trap after they're caught or strangled to death?"

"Oh, stop!" pleaded Arden. "Let the poor mice have the crumbs. Maybe they need them." Which seemed sound advice well given.

The morning of a new day dawned bright and cool. Fall had only lately checked the glories of summer, and the heavily clumped shrubbery about the college seemed strong enough to withstand many wintry blasts before giving up its well-earned beauty.

"Oh, look, girls!" exclaimed Arden, first of the trio out in the corridor ready for breakfast. She pointed a slim finger, well manicured, at the table near the end of the pa.s.sage.