CHAPTER XII
AN UNPROVOKED ATTACK
The beautiful month of June was jotting down her days with sweetestfloral mottoes--each in its turn paying tribute to the Queen of Months.Roses had come, daisies were weaving the fields into a cloth of whiteand gold, the side roads of Dalton were framed with clouds of snowydogwood, and that "rarest of days" the perfect day in June had come.And this was to be the picnic day for the girls of Dalton school.
Tavia was over to Dorothy's house very early. She wanted to borrow alunch box, and, incidentally, to hear Dorothy's opinion of the"glorious dress" from Rochester.
"Isn't it sweet?" she began pirouetting on the board walk, at the sidedoor of the Dale house, while waiting for Joe to find an empty crackerbox for her lunch.
"It is pretty," agreed Dorothy, examining the dress critically. "Thosepink ribbons are so becoming to you."
"Cousin Nannie had it made for a party, so it ought to do for apicnic," Tavia said. "How do you feel to-day Doro? I have been thinkingyou look--sort of 'peaked' as Aunt Libby would say. Have you beenworrying about the explanation business? Because if you feel sensitiveabout it, just leave it to me. I am not the least bit bashful, youknow."
"I feel well enough," Dorothy assured her, "and I haven't beenworrying--about that any way," and Dorothy smiled to convince herfriend that nothing serious was disturbing her peace of mind.
"Well, we assemble at nine you know; check our dinner pails. ThanksJoe, that will do nicely, and if I have any left I will leave it in thebox when I return it. After a bluff at study, and an exchange ofcompliments, for my dress particularly (no one else will have anythinglike this) we will expect to hear something from you, Doro. Really,this business of making speeches in school is quite an accomplishment.Had I known that Alice was going to 'spout' the way she did that day Ileft for my vacation--ahem! you noticed Joe, how I said that? Well, Ishould have postponed the trip had I any idea there would be suchstunts going on in lady-like society. But Doro, how is Sarah? Did yousee her yesterday?"
"Yes, I saw her just for a moment," and Dorothy looked the other way tohide the serious thoughts that the meeting with Sarah recalled.
"And she has forgiven me for that push into the clouds? Now she is notso bad after all. I feel as if I should bring her some flowers orsomething; as a peace offering, you know."
"Well, I would not go over just to-day," said Dorothy, "for the doctoris to take the splints off her ankle--"
"Splints? Was it as bad as that? The poor girl, no wonder she--fibbed.I would too, if I had to stand for splints."
"Why don't you say 'stand splints,' and not use that horrid slang,"corrected Dorothy.
"But she didn't stand them, she stood for them, with the other foot.You see, Doro, sometimes the much despised slang is--the real thing,"and with a tantalizing swish of her skirts, and a most frivolous tossof her head Tavia called "Ta-ta!" and dashed across the fields with thelunch box under her arm.
"She's the kind of girl!" commented Joe, who had been busy making a bowand arrow for Roger. "If her brother Jack had a little of her spunk hewould not be where he is."
"Why?" asked Dorothy, "doesn't Johnnie get along well at school?"
"At school?" echoed Joe, "he is never there to get along at all. Ithink it is clothes that keeps him home. I was going to ask Aunt Libbyif any of mine might be spared--"
"Why, of course, you have some that are too small. I will see aboutthem myself. It is too bad those children have no one to manage forthem."
"What's the matter with their mother?"
"I don't know--that is--of course they have their mother, but she doesnot seem to know how to manage."
"And we have you and you do seem to know," responded the boy, tryingthe bow to make sure it would not shoot backwards. "Well, sis, you're abrick and Tavia, well, she is brick-dust, at any rate, but Jack--wellhe is Jack, and that is all there is to it. I'm going to ask father tolet him carry Bugles next week. What little he could earn would dosomething for him."
"Mr. Travers is such a nice man," went on Dorothy, "I think Tavia isexactly like him."
"And Jack is like his mother. But we musn't back-bite," seeing the lookof reproach on Dorothy's face. "I hope you have a jolly good time atthe picnic."
One hour later the girls of Dalton school were crowded around Dorothy,asking all kinds of well-meant questions concerning her health. Tavia,too, came in for her share of the queries, although hers did not relateto health, but to other interesting little confidences, least of whichwas, by no means, the new dress.
But the fact that her own cousin Nannie gave it to her put Tavia atease and questions that might otherwise seem impertinent wereconsidered compliments--showing what a "stir" the dress created.
Dorothy looked a trifle pale, and the light blue muslin gown she worebrought out a mere gleam of the pink flush that usually shown in hercheeks. Her blonde curls--the delight of all her friends, fell in amass about her shoulders, so that even Tavia in the famous pink andwhite dress did not outdo Dorothy in pretty looks.
Alice wore a buff linen that suited her "golf style" admirably. She hadthe air of the well-trained college girl, the result, perhaps, ofannual trips to the seashore, where she was allowed to indulge inboating, swimming, and other "manly sports" as she termed the exercise.
Belle Miller, otherwise known as "Tinkle," was as "dear and dainty" asever, in a creamy white swiss, and May Egner wore lavender, althoughfully conscious of the disastrous effects of picnic sun on thatperishable shade. It was a "last year's" gown, so May decided she mightbetter get a few more turns out of it and this, she thought, would beone of the rare occasions, when a lavender might be worn, "withimpunity."
All the girls wore appropriate costumes, and, when the classesassembled, the room presented a veritable holiday look. Study seemedthe last thing to be thought of amid such gaiety.
Even Miss Ellis wore a white collar and cuffs, a relief from her usualsomber black, and as she touched the bell she smiled pleasantly to herpupils, plainly bidding them a happy holiday.
"Young ladies," she began, "we will take a brief review of lastFriday's work. It is so near closing time we must not waste an entireday."
Dorothy felt the time had arrived for her to speak.
How she dreaded to mar that happy school hour with such unpleasantreminders of past troubles!
But she had promised Sarah; moreover it was due the entire class thatthe occurrence should be disposed of honorably.
Tavia was waiting anxiously. Alice also fidgeted at her books. FinallyDorothy 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 toDorothy.
"I am sorry, Miss Ellis," began Dorothy with hesitation, "to refer toanything unpleasant today, but I have promised Sarah Ford to make anexplanation for her--she of course could not come herself."
"What is it Dorothy?" asked the teacher, although she no doubt guessedwhat the girl wished to say.
"I just want to state that Sarah did not intend to blame anyone for heraccident--she had only cried that it was our fault when she wassuffering so, and did not mean that those about her should have takenit up as they did. She wished me to apologize for her, and to say thatthe whole thing was an accident, the reports as well as the injury."
"Thank you," said Miss Ellis as Dorothy sat down. "I am very gladindeed 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 "boyishtones," adding: "I should not have spoken as I did, when you asked meto be silent. I was rude to do so."
"A fault atoned for is a lesson learned," commented the teacher, asAlice took her seat.
It seemed to the girls the entire session would be given up toapologies and "love feasts," but when Tavia arose there was a decidedmurmur through the room.
"Fluffy!" whispered the girl in the
very last seat referring to Tavia'sfancy dress.
"Full bloom!" said another, meaning that the pink and white dress putthe "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 thetrouble. 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 hissteps, and his green-black hat kept on his head making a poor show ofhis manners in a girls' schoolroom.
"I just come in to settle up that little matter of the Ford girl," hedrawled. "I see you've got that wild harum-scarum Travers' girl backagain."
"The matter has been settled." Miss Ellis interrupted.
"Has, eh? Well, I've not been notified to that effect and I continue myservices 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 facecrimsoned when he referred to her as a "harum-scarum" and only awarning look from Dorothy kept her from replying to his insult.
"I think, Squire Sanders," said Miss Ellis, "that Mr. and Mrs. Ford aresatisfied the affair was an accident. It was amisunderstanding--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 justwants the fine. Let's chase him!"
It was quite evident more than one girl felt like "chasing" theobnoxious squire, but he held his ground and continued to punctuate hisimpolite remarks with that noisy cane.
"I want to see Octavia Travers at my office," he announced, "and I wanther to come right along with me now!"
"Squire Sanders!" cried Miss Ellis, shocked and alarmed. "I cannot andwill 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 upyour job here? There's more after it, and some knows more about theways of keeping wild girls down than Rachel Ellis does, too. I wouldadvise you not to interfere with an officer. Come along, Miss Travers."
"She will not!" called out Alice. "My father is a town committeeman andI know something about the laws of Dalton. Show us your warrant!"
This was a surprise to Squire Sanders. He never expected his authoritywould be questioned--and by a mere schoolgirl.
"Warrant, eh?" he sneered. "Maybe you would like to come alongyourself, since you are so smart!"
A wild thought flashed through the mind of Alice. What if he shouldtake both her and Tavia to his office!
It would be a case of false arrest, and cost the squire his place inDalton!
"Get ready!" he called again to Tavia, who now seemed to regard thewhole thing as a joke, and was smiling broadly.
"Don't move a step!" called Alice, while Miss Ellis looked onhelplessly.
"Now, that settles it," cried out the squire, red with anger. "I'lltake 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 backin time for the picnic," and, taking the "cue" from Alice, Tavia alsostepped out, and with her, marched off behind the squire.