Betty Lee, Sophomore Part 1

Betty Lee, Soph.o.m.ore.

by Harriet Pyne Grove.

CHAPTER I: "GYPSY"

"Why, Kathryn, I think you're _awfully_ pretty!" Betty Lee exclaimed in some surprise. "And I'm not saying that just to console you, either.

Why, the _idea_!"

"Well, Betty, you needn't go that far. I don't have to be pretty to be happy, you know; but it did hurt to have her tell me that Peggy said it."

"In the first place, Kathryn, I don't believe Peggy ever said it. You know what people say goes with their _characters_. And Peggy isn't like that."

"N-no," replied Kathryn, doubtfully. "Peggy has always seemed to like me."

"I think that it was just a hateful twisting of something Peggy did say, or maybe it was just made up. What sort of a girl is this Mathilde Finn anyway? And how is it that I haven't met her if she goes to Lyon High?"

"Oh, she was out last year, at a private school, but she is coming back.

They have plenty of money and Mathilde thinks that she is everybody, you know. She was abroad this summer and was somewhere with Peggy last week.

They came back earlier than they intended. Somebody was sick. The girls used to call her 'Finny' and I imagine that she will hear the same nickname this year, though she hates it."

Betty laughed. "If she only knew it, she's given you a pretty nice nickname at that. Why shouldn't you _like_ to be called Gypsy? Why, Kathryn, I know a perfectly _darling_ girl, only a grown-up one, that everybody calls Gypsy; and she likes it and signs her letters Gypsy!"

Kathryn shook her head. "To be told that I looked like a horrid old gypsy!"

"You couldn't look horrid if you tried, Kitten. I've seen you this summer in your worst old clothes, haven't I now?"

"You certainly have," laughed Kathryn, her black eyes sparkling and her vivid face all alive amus.e.m.e.nt at the thought of some of the performances in which she and Betty had taken part.

"And do you remember that week when Cousin Lil was here and you did dress up as a gypsy in your attic?"

Kathryn nodded.

"I always meant to tell you that you made the prettiest gypsy in the world, the nice, romantic _Romany_ kind, you know, with a handsome lover and everything as spuzzy as gypsies could have."

"You're the kind of a friend to have, Betty Lee," laughingly Kathryn remarked; "but I always wanted to have golden hair, like yours, and be a G.o.ddess-like creature, all pink and white."

"Isn't it funny--and ever since I read a story about a beautiful creature with black, black hair and flashy dark eyes--I longed to look like that, so entrancingly fascinating!"

"Probably that is the way girls are, want to look like something else.

Well, I don't know that I'd mind being called Gypsy. It _is_ a cute nickname. Oh, did you know that Carolyn is coming back today or tomorrow?"

"Gypsy"--and Betty looked wickedly at Kathryn as she used the term.

"Gypsy," Betty repeated, "I have had just one letter from Carolyn all this summer. I answered it and wrote _pages_; but not one word more have I had. If you have had a late letter I'm terribly jealous."

"Good!" returned Kathryn. Then her face grew a little sober. "No, Betty, I've not heard from Carolyn either, except a card at the first of the summer. But I may as well confess one more secret. I've been telling you everything I know all summer, you know."

At this point a slender brown hand and slim brown arm reached over after Betty's almost equally tanned head. "It's this and I'm ashamed of it, too. I've been worrying for fear when Carolyn comes we can't be such friends as we have been this summer."

"Why not, Kathryn Allen!" Betty squeezed the hand which had slipped inside of her grasp and sat a little closer on the step of the porch.

"Is that why you said 'good,' when I said I'd be jealous?"

"Yes. Because I'm jealous myself."

"Jealousy is a very bad--um--quality."

"Yes; I know it. But I do hate to have you like Carolyn best!"

As Betty looked now seriously into Kathryn's face so near her, she saw that Kathryn was in earnest and that tears were springing into her eyes.

"Why, Kitty!" she exclaimed softly. "I didn't know you liked me as much as that. I'm rather glad to know it, though it's very silly, 'cause I'm not worth it."

"Yes you are, Betty Lee. I'm not an old silly softy, Betty. You know that. I don't go around having crushes and all that. But I like to be with you. And when Carolyn comes--" Kathryn could not finish her sentence.

Betty's arm was around Kathryn now. "Listen, Kathryn--I'm glad you told me this, because if you hadn't and had gone on and felt bad, when there wasn't any need of it, it would have been horrid. But you know I do like Carolyn a lot, and will you feel bad if I show it? That would make it pretty hard for me, too. There isn't any 'best' about it. I never thought about it at all. You know how wonderful Carolyn and Peggy have been to me, ever since I came to the high school as a scared little freshman, almost a year ago."

"Yes; they're my friends, too."

"I'm not sure but I know you a little better than either of them now, after this queer summer and all our being together and having so much fun. Why, I shall look at you even in cla.s.s when I think of something funny. And if you cast those gypsy eyes in my direction with that look of yours, when I'm reciting Latin or Math or something----"

Betty stopped to laugh, and Kathryn gave an answering chuckle. Tension was lessening. The idea of Kathryn's feeling that way! Well, surprises were always happening.

"I like to have friends, Kathryn; and you have ever so many."

"Yes, Betty, and I have sense enough to know that a girl like you will always have a great many, just like Carolyn."

"I can't see that either of us have more than you have. But that isn't important, after all. Let me tell you what Mother said one time when the twins were fussing and d.i.c.k said that Mother liked Doris best. Mother pretty nearly said that there wasn't any best about it. She said that she loved all her children to pieces, whatever they did; that each child had his own place in her heart, and that she didn't even love them all together in a lump, just separately and a great deal. No child could take the place of another and she couldn't even be happy in heaven unless we all were along!"

"Your mother must be a dear. Well, I know she is, from what I saw of her last year. Mother says that she wants to know her better, judging from what she has seen of you this summer."

"Why, how nice! Gypsy, you'll spoil me."

"No I won't. You're unspoilable! But I'd like to be friends with you forever. Honestly, Betty, I'm not going to be crabby about your being with Carolyn, or Peggy, or anybody."

"It wouldn't be like you, Kathryn; and let's make a sure-bond of friends.h.i.+p, to tell each other things the way we have this summer. And you can count on me, Kathryn, not to say mean things about you; so if Mathilde or anybody says things, please come straight to me about it, will you?"

"Yes, I will, but I couldn't believe that you could say mean things; you don't say them about anybody."

"Oh, dear, I'm afraid I do criticize sometimes!"

"I never heard you say a mean thing--so live up to what I think of you, Betty Lee!" Kathryn was grinning at Betty now.

"I'll try to," laughed Betty. "It's good of you to think I'm nice. Wait till I bring you another piece of fudge." Betty dashed into the house, to return with the fudge pan, which they placed between them. That fudge _was_ good. It was in just the right stage, a little soft, but firm enough to hold in pieces. It certainly did melt in one's mouth.

"Is the back door locked?" asked Kathryn.

"Yes, indeedy. We must go in pretty soon, for Father will be driving out early. He said he was going to take us to a chicken dinner at Rockmont, a real country dinner. I hope they'll have corn on the cob!"