Presently the luggage was taken in by the man, while the girls followed Mrs. White up the broad staircase to their rooms.
"Now, my dears," said their hostess, as she opened the doors to two connecting rooms, "here is where you will "pitch your tents" as the boys would say. I hope you will be comfortable, but should you need anything Dorothy knows the plan of this house--just ask for anything you want. I"ll leave you now. We will lunch as soon as you feel refreshed."
"But, auntie," called Dorothy, as Mrs. White pa.s.sed into the hall, "won"t you come here a moment? I have a very interesting thing to tell you," and as Mrs. White stepped back to the door again, Dorothy s.n.a.t.c.hed the hat from Tavia"s head.
Instantly the "installment" hair fell to the waist on one side, and clung to Tavia"s neck at the other.
"Why!" exclaimed the aunt. "What on earth has happened to the child"s locks?"
"Hair tonic model," laughed Dorothy, "sit down, auntie, and I will tell you."
Mrs. White took the uninjured ma.s.s of golden brown tresses into her hands.
"Some one stole them, of course," she ventured.
"One more guess!" smiled Dorothy.
At this the scar on Tavia"s neck was discovered.
"Not in a fire?" exclaimed the aunt.
"Exactly," declared Dorothy, and then she told of the railroad accident.
"Why, you poor dear!" sighed Mrs. White to Tavia, "you must be quite ill from the shock. Get into bed immediately, and I will see how we can doctor you up," and before Tavia had a chance to protest against the "treatment" she found herself in bed, shoes and dress off, and wrapped in a comfortable robe Dorothy had brought in her bag.
"Now," teased Dorothy, "you wanted to know how it feels to be sick. How do you like it?"
"Best ever," replied the girl in the pillows. "Make it incurable please."
"Here," announced their hostess, appearing at the door with a steaming bowl that smelled good. "Just drink this bouillon. I believe that more lives might be saved by the hot bouillon process than by the reported efficacy of hot whisky. One stays hot, the other turns into chills.
Just drink this dear, and I will banish Dorothy. I know how she can talk when one should sleep--she roomed with me one summer," and at this Dorothy was whisked out of the room by her aunt, and Tavia left to commune with the pleasant aroma of hot bouillon with chopped parsley flavoring.
"Riches are not to be despised," she commented, when the paneled door closed her away from friends for the moment. "I wonder Major Dale does not let Dorothy stay with her aunt; she would know exactly how to train her in society ways, and Dorothy is plainly cut out to be a leader where ever she goes. I suppose," reflected the girl, "some day Mrs.
White will introduce her into her social world and then--"
A step in the hall aroused her from her rather tangled reverie, and presently Dorothy stood before her with an immense bunch of "Jack"
roses.
"Oh!" exclaimed Tavia, in unfeigned admiration, "have you been to heaven stealing flowers?"
"No, an angel tossed them down," replied Dorothy, "and her card said they were for you." Whereat she held out to Tavia the "angelic" bouquet.
"Oh Dorothy Darling Dale! I never saw such flowers! I have always thought the wild kinds prettier than those that grew so proud-like but there is just as much difference between a Jack-in-the-pulpit and a real Jack rose as there is between you and me!"
"Well Jack, I like you just as well as if you grew in a hot house--better, because you have taught me the value of life"s storms--you have grown outside and know the music of the winds," and with the flowers she gave her friend all the hug she dared risk in the presence of the "railroad line" on Tavia"s neck.
"But you have the sweetness of the greenhouse," insisted Tavia, "and that blows off with the music of the winds."
"Well, we will not quarrel over our virtues," said Dorothy, "the thing to discuss at present is what are you going to do with the railroad money?"
"What money?" inquired Tavia, showing surprise.
"Your damages, of course. How much do you calculate your other braid was worth?"
"Not worth talking about."
"But if you were offered a fair price for it you would not refuse?"
persisted Dorothy.
"No, I"d take most anything from a cream soda to a twenty-five cent piece."
"Well, my dear, now compose yourself. Get a good hold on the chair near you, or better still sit down, since you insist on getting out of bed.
I have a very lively piece of news for you--the sensational kind."
"Let her go," called Tavia grasping the chair with both hands.
"It is this. Aunt Winnie says you will undoubtedly received damages for the accident. She says Mr. French is a noted lawyer and he will possibly arrange it so that all you will have to do is to put your name to the signing-off paper. The fact that you lighted the lamp, auntie says, will not do away with the fact that a careless employee left that explosive there."
"Do you know, Dorothy," said Tavia in her most serious tone, "the only thing that has consoled me for asking that baby in there is, that she told me she was going in for a drink of water, and had she done so she would, or at least might, have tasted the poison stuff. She was the most meddlesome child and might have killed herself."
"Certainly her mother would have allowed her to roam about as she pleased," said Dorothy, "for people told me after the accident that little Lily had been in almost every seat in the car, while her mother curled herself up on that sofa. It is a strange thing to me that most women travelers are more careful of their dogs than of their babies.
Did you notice that blonde with the soft leather bag? Well, she had a poodle in that bag, it is against the rules, you know, to keep animals in the pa.s.senger cars, but that lady had her bag open on the seat, and every time a brakeman came through she would pull the string and close the bag. Then once in a while she would let the dog run around a bit.
But indeed she did not let it get away like Lily"s mother let her go."
"And do you really think the railroad people will pay me damages?"
"I am almost sure of it. Aunt Winnie is a very clever business woman, and if they come while we are here it will be all the better for you.
Just think! Suppose they should offer five hundred dollars!"
"I am too poor to be able to think of five hundred dollars all at once.
I will have to try it on the installment plan. But wouldn"t it be jolly if I did get a good sum," and Tavia"s eyes took on a far-away look--perhaps all the way to Dalton and happiness.
CHAPTER XXII
THE PRICE OF TAVIA"S TRESSES
A week had pa.s.sed at North Birchland, with Dorothy and Tavia enjoying every succeeding hour better than the last, when the expected lawyers arrived to interview the victim of the railroad fire.
Fortunately Mrs. White was at home, and more fortunately still was the arrival of Mr. French with the strange lawyer.
Tavia was flushed and nervous when Dorothy helped her to dress for the interview.
"Now don"t you mind it a bit," said Dorothy. "Just keep thinking that you might have been very seriously injured, and that the railroad people should be more careful for the sake of others. Then you will forget all about the lawyers and their statements."
Mrs. White was talking to the men in the reception room. Certainly the shock had been severe, she said, and only the fact that Miss Travers was unusually lively in temperament had saved her from more serious results.