Dorothy felt the time had arrived for her to speak.
How she dreaded to mar that happy school hour with such unpleasant reminders of past troubles!
But she had promised Sarah; moreover it was due the entire cla.s.s that the occurrence should be disposed of honorably.
Tavia was waiting anxiously. Alice also fidgeted at her books. Finally Dorothy raised her hand. The motion was not seen at once by Miss Ellis, but it is safe to say no other person in the room missed it.
A stir of excitement caused the teacher to look up and she bowed to Dorothy.
"I am sorry, Miss Ellis," began Dorothy with hesitation, "to refer to anything unpleasant today, but I have promised Sarah Ford to make an explanation for her--she of course could not come herself."
"What is it Dorothy?" asked the teacher, although she no doubt guessed what the girl wished to say.
"I just want to state that Sarah did not intend to blame anyone for her accident--she had only cried that it was our fault when she was suffering so, and did not mean that those about her should have taken it up as they did. She wished me to apologize for her, and to say that the whole thing was an accident, the reports as well as the injury."
"Thank you," said Miss Ellis as Dorothy sat down. "I am very glad indeed that the unpleasant happening has been disposed of."
Alice was on her feet next.
"I also want to apologize, Miss Ellis," she broke out in her "boyish tones," adding: "I should not have spoken as I did, when you asked me to be silent. I was rude to do so."
"A fault atoned for is a lesson learned," commented the teacher, as Alice took her seat.
It seemed to the girls the entire session would be given up to apologies and "love feasts," but when Tavia arose there was a decided murmur through the room.
"Fluffy!" whispered the girl in the very last seat referring to Tavia"s fancy dress.
"Full bloom!" said another, meaning that the pink and white dress put the "Tiger Lily," as they called Tavia, in full bloom.
But these remarks had no effect on Tavia.
"I believe," she began bravely, "that I was the real cause of the trouble. I did swing Sarah too high, I was angry about Memorial Day, and blamed her for taking Dorothy"s place. I am very sorry."
At that moment a man appeared at the door. It was Squire Sanders!
In he tramped, his cane beating a formidable march in advance of his steps, and his green-black hat kept on his head making a poor show of his manners in a girls" schoolroom.
"I just come in to settle up that little matter of the Ford girl," he drawled. "I see you"ve got that wild harum-scarum Travers" girl back again."
"The matter has been settled." Miss Ellis interrupted.
"Has, eh? Well, I"ve not been notified to that effect and I continue my services until I am officially notified to quit," he announced, bringing his cane down in a "full stop."
How odious his presence was in the room at that moment. Tavia"s face crimsoned when he referred to her as a "harum-scarum" and only a warning look from Dorothy kept her from replying to his insult.
"I think, Squire Sanders," said Miss Ellis, "that Mr. and Mrs. Ford are satisfied the affair was an accident. It was a misunderstanding--blaming the pupils."
"Accident or no accident, that"s no account to me. I"m on this case, and I intend to see it through."
"Mean old thing!" said one girl, somewhat above a whisper, "he just wants the fine. Let"s chase him!"
It was quite evident more than one girl felt like "chasing" the obnoxious squire, but he held his ground and continued to punctuate his impolite remarks with that noisy cane.
"I want to see Octavia Travers at my office," he announced, "and I want her to come right along with me now!"
"Squire Sanders!" cried Miss Ellis, shocked and alarmed. "I cannot and will not permit you to take a pupil from this room!"
"Oh, you won"t eh?" the squire looked more unpleasantly than ever.
"Well, I"d like to see you stop me! Perhaps you would like to give up your job here? There"s more after it, and some knows more about the ways of keeping wild girls down than Rachel Ellis does, too. I would advise you not to interfere with an officer. Come along, Miss Travers."
"She will not!" called out Alice. "My father is a town committeeman and I know something about the laws of Dalton. Show us your warrant!"
This was a surprise to Squire Sanders. He never expected his authority would be questioned--and by a mere schoolgirl.
"Warrant, eh?" he sneered. "Maybe you would like to come along yourself, since you are so smart!"
A wild thought flashed through the mind of Alice. What if he should take both her and Tavia to his office!
It would be a case of false arrest, and cost the squire his place in Dalton!
"Get ready!" he called again to Tavia, who now seemed to regard the whole thing as a joke, and was smiling broadly.
"Don"t move a step!" called Alice, while Miss Ellis looked on helplessly.
"Now, that settles it," cried out the squire, red with anger. "I"ll take you, too. Come right along here!"
Alice shot a meaning look at Miss Ellis and stepped out.
"Come, Tavia," she said, "the more the merrier. Girls we will be back in time for the picnic," and, taking the "cue" from Alice, Tavia also stepped out, and with her, marched off behind the squire.
CHAPTER XIII
A QUEER PICNIC
And that was to be picnic day!
A queer holiday, indeed, with two girls taken from the cla.s.sroom--arrested!
Yes, that was what it amounted to, in spite of the jolly way Tavia and Alice trooped off, making "faces" and doing fancy "steps" back of the squire.
Miss Ellis sat at her desk dazed, and stunned. She could not realize it all--a squire coming into her room--threatening her with dismissal, and taking two girls off to the common police court for a "hearing."
She was not a woman given to showing her feelings, but this seemed more than she could bear; tears came into her eyes, fell upon her books and then she bowed her head--she had to cry! Dorothy was at her side instantly.
"Dear Miss Ellis," she murmured, "don"t take it so seriously. It will be all right. I"m sure those two girls are well able to take care of themselves, and I suspect Alice went more for mischief than for anything. Perhaps I had better run down to father"s office, and tell him about it; he will know exactly what to do."