"Mercy!" breathed Edna aside. "If they start that sort of talk we may as well camp out to-night."
But the young man did not express his opinion publicly. Instead, he stepped up to Tavia, and presently the two were conversing in subdued voices.
Dorothy did not like that. She, in fact, did not fancy this young man"s "apparition" habit, and she now determined to force Tavia to a sense of her own obligations to reach Glenwood School without further delay.
"Girls," called Dorothy, "we really must hurry! Thank you, very much"
(this to the strange man), "for your kindness this afternoon, but you see now, we have to get back to school. We would not have been out so long but for the fact that this is privilege day--school closes Thursday."
"Then why not make use of the privilege?" the young man asked, with a sly look at Tavia. "We don"t meet--professional friends every afternoon."
The thought that Tavia might have met this man while engaged in her brief and notable stage career, as related in "Dorothy Dale"s Great Secret," flashed across Dorothy"s mind. With it came a thought of danger--Tavia was scarcely yet cured of her dramatic fever.
The sheep stood around in the most serio-comic style, and the seminary girls were scarcely less comic.
"Oh!" screamed Nita, suddenly, "there comes that awful farmer! And he has a whip!"
"Can"t ride off on a sheep this time," remarked Tavia with ill-chosen levity. "Let"s run!"
"Yes, let"s!" chimed in Dorothy with a knowing look at Cologne.
At this the girls started off; and they did run!
When they reached the foot of the steep hill, Dorothy stopped to look back.
There, on the summit, stood the unmistakable form of the young man.
Beside him posed the equally unmistakable form of the farmer and his whip.
And the sheep were flocked around them!
CHAPTER III
THE DISASTROUS DRAG
"It was perfectly delicious!"
"I"m glad you think so, Tavia. No, I am not, either; I am very sorry."
Dorothy put aside her notes, and sighed the last sigh for one night--that sort of content signal with which young girls usually put the final period to labor.
"Oh, Dorothy!" and Tavia flung herself down directly upon her friend"s nicely pressed robe. "You always want to put the damper on. What"s the use of being girls if we can"t be----"
"Idiots!" added Dorothy, and she wondered why she so strongly opposed Tavia. "I"ll tell you, Tavia, this business of chatting with strange young men is nothing less than foolish. I can"t see where it becomes funny."
"It begins," said Tavia, balancing her pencil on her third finger, "at the point where Dorothy Dale turns preacher. A poor sermon is absolutely--funny."
"Thank you," returned Dorothy, without recovering her good nature, "but you must remember, Tavia, that we are leaving Glenwood in two days."
"I may leave to-night if you keep on," declared Tavia. "Dorothy, I never knew you to be so obstinate."
"Nor have I ever known you to be so foolish. Tavia, that young man is--queer. He is mysterious, and I have a feeling that he means harm."
"Pure jealousy, Doro," and Tavia jumped up and flung herself almost upon the girl who sat in the shade of the study lamp. "I am so sorry he did not take the notion to you."
Dorothy was accustomed to these outbreaks, and they merely meant a gesture, or whatever fling came with the speech; the words indicated absolutely nothing. She gave Tavia an answering smile. "Well, dear, we won"t quarrel, at least this time. But see that it doesn"t happen again."
"When shall we go home? Dear me! It does seem a long time between holidays," and Tavia tumbled down in the most nondescript heap.
"I shall be glad to see dear old Dalton," replied Dorothy. "Father and the boys are going with me to settle things up there. Then we will go to Aunt Winnie"s. I hope you and I will be able to spend our vacations together. You know I am going to camp with Cologne, and she has included you in the invitation."
"As Dorothy"s paper-weight--no, it can"t be that--I could never keep anything down--it must have been Dorothy"s watch-charm," interrupted Tavia, with a slight show of sarcasm.
"Rose-Mary was particularly anxious that you should come, Tavia,"
declared Dorothy, with emphasis, "and she has the reputation of never giving an insincere invitation. She likes you, and wants to enjoy you, as well as to have you enjoy yourself."
"Three cheers for the enjoys," retorted Tavia, "and may their shadow never grow less. But say, Dorothy, how did you get out of the sc.r.a.pe?
I was a traitor to run, but somehow I couldn"t stand for Higley"s look. When she puts her alleged features at half mast, and sounds taps, I have to quit."
"But we had to stand. I can"t see any good reason for telling you about it--making a report to the deserter."
"Now, Doro," and Tavia fairly melted into sweetness, "I simply cannot slumber until I have heard. Did Nita peach?"
"There was nothing to hide in our part of the--comedy," declared Dorothy. "Of course, we skipped the man part, and left out the hay cart dump, besides omitting the sheep act, and forgetting the farmer"s whip----"
"Hip! Hip!" threatened Tavia. "Couldn"t have done better myself. And no one ordered to the guard house?"
"You have not yet been accounted for," said Dorothy, with well-aimed meaning. "Miss Higley said she would see to your account herself."
"Will, eh? Not if I see her first. Did any one say I was there? I should think, with such remarkable skill at omitting, that you might have had the good taste to omit me."
"Tavia, does it strike you that this is packing-up night? That to-morrow we make all our bouquets of remembrance, more or less artificial, and that the day following----"
"We flit the flutter! And good riddance! I just abhor school--notice how I have improved? Last year I "hated" it."
"And I must admit you have improved otherwise than in your vocabulary," said Dorothy. "Seems to me you have grown almost tall."
"Thanks, pretty maiden. Any more in stock like that?" and Tavia jumped up to get a look in the gla.s.s. "Tell me, before I shrink--in your opinion," she begged, making queer pa.s.ses before the mirror. "But say, Doro, do you ever take a look at yourself? I have to say you are simply splendid, and that"s putting it mild. The Dalton youths will be suiciding on account of the returned Calla--that lily is the one that stands beings boxed up without food or--atmosphere--for half the year, I believe, hence my comparison: you have withstood Glenwood, and come out of the ring more beautiful than when you entered. Oh, you need not protest! Everybody admits that you are a perfect Dresden, animated, of course," and Tavia gazed with unstinted admiration at the girl under the study lamp.
"Well, I hope I have not actually grown homely," conceded Dorothy, "for Aunt Winnie is so fond of a good appearance."
"Your hair is darker--that is, on the ripe corn shade. I like that better than the fourteen karat variety. I only wish mine would turn mahogany. I have a mind to turn it."
"I wonder the thoughts do not poison the roots--the idea of you saying a word against your hair! Why, it"s simply wonderful! Edna says it sings in the sunshine."
"Oh, Ned pities me I suppose--she has such a fine crop herself. But I would--love--to--be handsome!"