CHAPTER VIII
PENANCE
Blue Bonnet went down-stairs slowly; her heart in a tumult ofconflicting emotions. As she passed the reception-room and neared MissNorth's office, she heard Cousin Tracy's voice, gentle and patient,raised now a trifle in protest.
"I am sure," he was saying, "that Blue Bonnet meant no interference orharm in sending for me. It was a most natural impulse, which I hope youwill find it possible to pardon."
Cousin Tracy was sitting stiffly on the edge of a chair, his cane andhat held tightly, as if he intended putting them in use at the earliestpossible moment.
Miss North's position was also somewhat strained and alert. She motionedBlue Bonnet to a seat, and went on with the conversation.
"That is no doubt true, Mr. Winthrop; but it is not altogether to thepoint. Miss Ashe has been willful and disobedient in this matter. Shehas shown an absolute disregard of rules--a lack of faith in my word. Ipromised her this morning that Miss Judson should have every attentionand care, and that Miss Clyde should be notified at the proper time. Youwill understand, of course, Mr. Winthrop, that if each parent who has adaughter in this institution were to be notified the moment that childbecomes indisposed, it would cause unnecessary alarm, as well asexpense. It is a very common thing, at the beginning of the year, tohave the Infirmary half full of girls who are suffering from colds,change of climate, homesickness; minor ills, insignificant and trivial.It is our habit to call our physician, Doctor Giles, immediately. Werely implicitly upon his judgment. Perhaps you may know of Doctor Giles?He has something of a reputation in the city."
"Yes," Mr. Winthrop said, "I know him very well indeed; in fact he is myphysician--and friend."
Miss North cast a quick look in Blue Bonnet's direction.
"Then you know something of his skill," she said. "He has just lefthere--his second visit to-day. He finds Miss Judson much better,absolutely without temperature--in fact, quite normal. Her illness,superinduced by homesickness, has at no time been alarming. She has abilious cold--always disagreeable--and some difficulty in adjustingherself to this climate after the fresh air of the prairie. This, Ibelieve, is the history of the case. You see how simple it is--scarcelysufficient to cause this--teapot tempest!"
As Miss North spoke a change came over Blue Bonnet's countenance. Shewas gifted as few people are in this world, in that she had the abilityto see herself as others saw her. At the present moment the vision wasanything but pleasing or gratifying. Miss North's argument, clear andlogical, spoke straight to her conscience. She realized all at once thatshe had been meddlesome and officious, and she longed to make amends.
There was silence for a full minute. Mr. Winthrop had no further defencein favor of Blue Bonnet--that was evident.
Miss North waited for him to speak. He cleared his throat audibly andopened his lips; but, before the words came, Blue Bonnet had leanedforward to the very edge of her chair and addressed Miss North.
"I see your point--perfectly--now," she said. "I didn't this morning.I'm terribly sorry that I've caused you all this annoyance. I reckon itwas because--" she stopped, unwilling to allow herself the slightestloophole of escape through an explanation. "There is no excuse for me atall. I apologize, Miss North, and I'm willing to take mypunishment--anything you think right--only I hope--it won't beexpulsion. Grandmother could never stand that. It would most kill her!"
There was a grave, old-fashioned dignity about the way Blue Bonnetacknowledged her error. It appealed to Miss North. She was so frank, soevidently sincere, that almost without an instant's hesitation MissNorth replied:
"I accept your apology, Miss Ashe. We try never to expel formistakes--unless they are serious enough to be contaminating ininfluence. As to a punishment--we will discuss that later. You may comehere--to my office, for a few minutes after study hour this evening."
Blue Bonnet shook hands with Mr. Winthrop, thanked him for coming, andwent back up-stairs as slowly as she had come down ten minutes before.
In order to lose no time, or miss hearing all the details of theinterview with Miss North, Annabel and Sue were waiting in Blue Bonnet'sroom.
As Blue Bonnet opened the door they made a rush for her.
"For goodness' sake, tell us what this is all about!" Sue said, draggingher over to the couch. "We're just dying to know!"
Blue Bonnet sat down with a sigh.
"There isn't much to tell," she said wearily. "I've been perfectlyhorrid about Carita being ill, that's all--she's sick, you know. Theywouldn't let me see her this morning--that is, they kept me out of theInfirmary, so I sent for Cousin Tracy."
"You sent for your cousin!" Annabel exclaimed.
"Yes."
"How did you send for him?"
"Telephoned."
Sue went off in a gale of laughter.
"I adore your nerve," she said. "Oh, isn't this lovely!"
"Didn't you know that would get you in trouble?" Annabel asked.
"I didn't seem to care--this morning. I wish I had."
"Was Miss North--awful?"
"No, she was lovely."
"Didn't she take away your privileges?"
"I don't know yet--she's to tell me later."
"Well, she will, so cheer up," Sue comforted. "The worst is yet tocome!"
"Oh, Sue, stop! She doesn't know anything about it, Blue Bonnet. Ishouldn't worry. Come on over in my room and have some eats."
Annabel's tone was persuasive, but Blue Bonnet shook her head.
"Oh, come on! Sue wants to fix your hair. By the way, may I wear yourwhite Peter Tom to-night? I'm wild for one."
Blue Bonnet got out the dress and handed it to Annabel.
"Thanks, awfully," Annabel said. "You are welcome to anything of mine,you know. One gets so tired of one's own things. Sue and I change allthe time."
"You mean _you_ do the changing," Sue said, laughing. "Annabel's wornout every pair of silk stockings I've got--honestly she has! I've got ona pair of Wee Watts' now, and they sag something awful. I think it's soinconsiderate of Wee to be fat. Nobody ever can borrow from her!"
She raised her skirt and the girls shrieked with laughter at the baggystockings.
"Let's all change round to-night," Annabel suggested. "Blue Bonnet canwear my pink organdy, and I'll wear this--"
"Where do I come in?" Sue interrupted.
"At the head of the procession, as usual, dearest," Annabel promised."You can wear that sweet yellow gown of Blue Bonnet's. Can't she?"
"I reckon she can," Blue Bonnet said. "I've never worn it myself yet."
"Oh, that doesn't matter: she'll christen it."
Blue Bonnet got the dress from the closet.
Sue examined it closely, measuring it to her own length.
"I'm afraid it is a little long for me. Maybe I could take a tuck in itsomewhere. Yes, I can; here! See?"
Blue Bonnet saw! She also had visions of Aunt Lucinda if the gown weretorn or stepped on, but she couldn't be disagreeable and selfish. Shefollowed the girls on in to Annabel's room.
Sue pushed Blue Bonnet into a chair and began taking the bow off herhair.
"I've been wild to get at your hair ever since I first saw you. You'retoo old to wear it in a braid. Here, give this ribbon to Carita; she'sin the infant class yet."
Annabel opened a box of chocolates and curled up comfortably on thecouch, from which vantage she watched operations lazily.
"Part it, Sue," she said, studying Blue Bonnet's face. "She has aheavenly nose for it--real patrician. Didn't any one ever tell you thatyou ought to wear it parted?"
"No--I can't remember that any one ever did."
"How funny! Your face is made for it."
Sue brushed the soft fly-away hair, coiling it low over the ears andtwisting it into a becoming knot on the neck.
Annabel clapped her hands with delight.
"Didn't I tell you?" she said. "Here, take this mirror. Isn't itsplendid? Why, it makes you look all of twenty. You could go to aHarvard dance and get yo
ur program filled in two minutes with your hairlike that!"
Blue Bonnet took the mirror and looked at herself from all angles.
"BLUE BONNET TOOK THE MIRROR AND LOOKED AT HERSELF FROMALL ANGLES."]
"It is rather nice," she said, and a rosy flush stole into her cheeks."But Aunt Lucinda would never stand for it. I know she wouldn't!"
"Change it when you go home then. But you are too old forhair-ribbons--really you are. Isn't she, Sue?"
Sue thought so--decidedly.
Blue Bonnet picked up the ribbon Annabel had so scorned and smoothed outits wrinkles gently. She hated to give it up, somehow; it linked her toher childhood. She wasn't half as anxious to grow up as Annabel was. Shedidn't want to look twenty--yet! There was so much time to be a woman.
The five o'clock gong sounded.
Blue Bonnet picked up her things and started for her room.
"Wait--the dress," Annabel said. She got out the pink organdy.
Blue Bonnet glanced at it shyly.
"If you don't mind, I believe I'll wear my own."
Annabel looked hurt.
"All right, if you feel that way, of course. Then we won't wear yours."She handed Blue Bonnet the Peter Thompson.
"Oh, yes, you will--please do! You are quite welcome. I only thought---I--you see, I have never worn anybody's clothes in my life. It seems sofunny--"
Sue came to the rescue.
"Nonsense. You'll get over that. You can't be so particular inboarding-school. Everybody does it. If Annabel doesn't care, why shouldyou?"
Blue Bonnet took the dress and went to her room. When the gong soundedfor dinner she emerged, radiant in the pink organdy. A critical observermight have thought the waist line a trifle too high, and the skirt a weebit short. Of the becomingness, however, there could be no doubt. Thegown was pretty, and it suited Blue Bonnet, bringing out the wild rosecoloring in the face that glowed and dimpled above it.
* * * * *
Miss North bore the reputation in the school, with pupils and teachers,of being just. She was often accused of being severe--of being cross; ofbeing too strict; but even those who cared for her the least had toacknowledge her general fairness.
Therefore, although it may have been in her heart to pardon Blue Bonnetunreservedly, she felt that a punishment was due her; and she proceededto mete out that punishment in full accordance with the offence. BlueBonnet's privileges were taken away for a week. That meant she couldhave no communication with the girls outside of school hours. She couldnot visit during the chatting hour; she was denied shoppingexpeditions--even the Friday afternoon Symphony concert; which was,perhaps, the hardest thing to bear, because Blue Bonnet loved music.
Severe? Yes, perhaps; but nothing could have served half so well togive the girl a proper regard for authority and self government. BlueBonnet finished the week happier for having expiated her treason toschool law--ready to begin the next week with the slate wiped clean.
The week slipped by quickly, too, as weeks have a habit of doing. Therewere other things beside visiting with the girls and dancing in thegymnasium after dinner. There was the half hour every day just afterlunch when Miss North read to the girls in the study hall--a half hourBlue Bonnet always looked forward to eagerly. Miss North was anexcellent reader, as well as a keen critic. She read from the poetsusually,--Shakespeare, Tennyson, Browning,--though sometimes, by way ofvariety, an essay or modern drama was substituted.
Miss North felt the pulse of her audience by instinct. She could tellwithout so much as a glance who was giving attention and who wasindifferent. She had a habit of pointing a long, slender finger at someparticular girl, and asking for an explanation of what she had beenreading.
Blue Bonnet's strict attention pleased her. She liked the girl'sappreciation of good literature and her ability to fathom difficultpassages.
"Give me the text of 'A Grammarian's Funeral,'" she said to Blue Bonnetone day during this week of penance, after finishing the poem. She knewthat she was asking a difficult thing; but she wanted to test BlueBonnet's perception--her mental acuteness.
"You mean tell what it is about?" Blue Bonnet asked.
"Exactly, Miss Ashe."
"Well--" Blue Bonnet halted lamely for a second, "I couldn't understandit--that is, all of it--but I think it's about some students taking thebody of their teacher up a mountain to bury it--and singing as theywent."
Miss North smiled and a laugh went round the room.
Blue Bonnet sank down in her seat, covered with confusion, totallyunaware that she had said anything that might be regarded as funny. Shelooked up in surprise, her cheeks flaming.
Miss North explained.
"You have the idea, Miss Ashe. It amuses the class to think of studentssinging as they bury their teacher, though I daresay there might be moretruth than poetry in it."
There was no sarcasm in her tones. She laughed with the rest. BlueBonnet's attention had delighted her.
There had been another pleasure during the week, one that Blue Bonnetgreatly appreciated. She was allowed ten minutes with Carita in theInfirmary.
Carita was sitting up--her long hair brushed and braided smartly; herface--still a bit white--wreathed in smiles.
Blue Bonnet hovered over her.
"Have you been awfully lonely, Carita?"
"No--not a bit."
"Really?"
"No, truly I haven't. Mrs. Goodwin is such a dear, Blue Bonnet. Shemakes me think of my mother. She read to me--and cooked things for me,herself: the best milk toast, with cream on it; and to-day I hadice-cream--"
"You did? Well, that's more than we had. This was heavenly hash day!"
"I've had visitors, too; Miss North--she brought me those flowers overthere--"
Blue Bonnet turned to look at two pink roses on a table by the bed.
"--and Fraulein--"
"Fraulein!"
"Yes--and she was real nice--as nice as _she_ could be, you know. Marysent me this by Mrs. Goodwin--look!"
Carita brought from beneath her pillow a large, handsome scrap book.
"Oh, a scrap book!"
"A memory book," Carita corrected. "You put everything in it, you know;things to remind you of the school after you have graduated or goneaway. I hope I'll get it awfully full. Oh, Blue Bonnet, I know I'mgoing to be so happy here--in the school. Everybody has been so good tome."
A little mantle of shame spread over Blue Bonnet's face and dyed it aglowing red.
"And I'm doing penance for trying to thrust attention on Carita whichshe didn't need," she thought.
But the penance--indeed, the mistake itself--had brought its reward:Blue Bonnet had learned her first lesson in faith.
Friday came, and Blue Bonnet watched the girls as they started for theSymphony concert. How pretty they looked!
Annabel had peeked in Blue Bonnet's room at the last minute, ostensiblyto say good-by, but purposely to borrow the white fox muff and a pair ofgloves. Annabel was an inveterate borrower; not from any lack ofclothes, but because she loved dress extravagantly.
"So sorry you can't go, dear," she said. "It's just awfully too bad!There's to be a wonderful singer to-day--I can't seem to think of hername; it's one of those long Italian ones--but her clothes are perfectdreams. I'm dying to see her gown. If we get anywhere near Huyler'safter the concert I'll bring you some candy. That's one reason I wantedyour muff; it holds such oceans. I think maybe we'll get into S. S.Pierce's too. If we do, I'll stock up. My allowance came this morning;I'm feeling particularly opulent."
With a nod and a wave she was off, and Blue Bonnet was left alone. Shepractised for a while, getting in a little extra time; it was a goodchance with so many pianos idle.
She was deep in the intricacies of a sonata when the door of thepractice-room opened, and Martha, Miss North's maid, entered.
"There's a gentleman to see you in the reception-room, Miss Ashe," shesaid. "Miss North says you may see him for fifteen minutes."
"A gen
tleman! To see me?"
"Yes, Miss Ashe."
"An old gentleman, Martha?"
"No--a young man."
Blue Bonnet looked puzzled.
"That's queer. Where's his card?"
"He didn't send one, Miss Ashe."
Blue Bonnet went to her room, took a sweeping glance in the mirror, gaveher hair an extra brushing, got out a clean handkerchief and wentdown-stairs quickly.
A tall young man came forward eagerly as she entered the reception-room.
For a moment she stared in dumb amazement, then she gave a cry ofdelight:
"Alec! Oh, how glad I am to see you! How ever in the world did youhappen to come? How's Uncle Cliff, and Uncle Joe, and everybody on theranch? Have you been to Woodford or are you just going?"
"One question at a time--please. Let's see, the first--Oh, yes; Ihappened to come because I got my appointment to West Point--"
"You did? How perfectly splendid! When?"
"A couple of weeks ago. I came on immediately to prepare. Mr. Ashe iswell, so is Uncle Joe. They sent you all sorts of messages. I have beenin Woodford for several days. I came through here the first of the week,but I wasn't in shape to call--exactly--not on a young lady in afashionable boarding-school. I'm afraid I wouldn't have been admitted. Ihad to have some clothes--"
"How awfully well you're looking," Blue Bonnet interrupted.
"Oh, I'm fine--can hold my own now, I think; thanks to Texas. That's agreat country you've got down there."
Blue Bonnet beamed with pleasure.
"Isn't it, though! Is Benita well?"
"Fine."
"How's Uncle Joe's rheumatism?"
"Better, I guess. Haven't heard him complain."
"Then it _is_ better," Blue Bonnet said. "And old Gertrudis--andJuanita? How are they?"
"Fine--all of them."
"Oh, how I should love to see them! When is Uncle Cliff coming to seeme?"
"Along about Easter vacation, I think." Blue Bonnet fairly jumped withjoy.
"He is? Really--aren't you joking, Alec? He hasn't said anything aboutit to me."
"Maybe I've let the cat out, then. Well--it's true just the same. That'sthe way he talks now. Hadn't we better sit down?"
"Oh, I'm awfully rude. Sit here."
She drew forth as comfortable a chair as the room afforded.
"You took me so by surprise that I forgot my manners."
"I expected to find you over-stocked on 'em, to tell the truth. My, butyou look grown up! What have you been doing to your hair? Does MissClyde stand for that?"
"Aunt Lucinda hasn't seen it yet. It's something new."
"The We Are Sevens are still clinging to hair-ribbons. I saw Kitty Clarkthis morning. She was on her way to school."
"You did? I'm wild to see the girls. I'm going home next week to stayover Sunday. That is, I am, if I can manage to keep the rules. I'm doingpenance this week."
Alec gave a low whistle.
"What have you been up to?" he asked.
"We'll talk of that another time. And you got your appointment! Howpleased the General must be."
"Yes--rather! He's no end pleased. It's been his dream, you know. As faras I'm concerned I'd as lief take to ranching. I'm pretty much in lovewith that Texas of yours. Look at the brawn it's put on me."
He doubled up his arm to show the muscle, and Blue Bonnet noddedapprovingly.
"It's certainly made you over," she said. "You look as if you couldfight now. You'd have made a poor soldier before!"
The fifteen minutes passed with lightning rapidity.
Blue Bonnet got up first.
"It seems very--inhospitable," she said, "but I reckon I've got to askyou to go now."
"Go? Why, I've just come!"
"I know, but Miss North said you could stay fifteen minutes--that's all.I don't know how she ever happened to let me see you in the first place.I'm just a bit in disgrace this week."
"I had a very pressing note from your aunt, that's why, I fancy. I sentit on up before I saw you. Miss Clyde said I was to see you; she doesn'tusually mince matters."
They both laughed.
"She certainly does not," Blue Bonnet admitted.
"Couldn't you ask to have the time extended?" Alec looked wistful."Why, I haven't given you half the messages from the ranch yet."
"I might try. I'll see."
She came back in a few minutes with Miss North.
"Miss Ashe tells me that you have just come from her home in Texas,"Miss North said. "I can quite appreciate how much you have to tell herof her friends. Perhaps you would stay and dine with us?"
Alec seemed a bit embarrassed. To dine among so many girls was not asalluring as it sounded.
"Oh, do, Alec--please!" Blue Bonnet insisted.
Blue Bonnet was invited to sit at Miss North's table for the occasion.The Seniors sat at Miss North's table, so Alec had Blue Bonnet next tohim, and Annabel opposite--an embarrassment of riches.
The girls seemed overwhelmed with such unexpected good fortune. Theyacted as if they had suddenly been struck dumb. Miss North and BlueBonnet took turns breaking the silence with trivial generalities.
To Alec it seemed as if the meal would never end. He answered thequestions put to him mechanically, owing to his extreme embarrassment;but he found courage toward the end of the meal to cast a sly glance inAnnabel's direction--a glance not unobserved by Annabel.
Out in the hall, away from Miss North's watchful eye, he said to BlueBonnet:
"If you ever get me into a deal like that again, you'll know it! It wasworse than busting my first broncho."
And, although it was January, and the thermometer registering freezingweather, he took out his pocket handkerchief and mopped the perspirationfrom his neck and brow.
He made his adieux to Miss North very charmingly, however, thanking herfor her hospitality; and Blue Bonnet left him at the reception-roomdoor, conscious that broncho busting, and other things incident to ranchlife, had not made any serious inroads on his native good breeding.