CHAPTER XXII
MISS CRANE AND VIOLA
Viola Green was thoroughly upset. She had quarreled with Miss Higley.She had more than quarreled with Dorothy. Mrs. Pangborn had told herplainly that if her story concerning Dorothy was found to be untrue shewould have to leave Glenwood, for that story had touched on the fairname of a pupil of the school, to say nothing more. Having defamed thehonored name of Dale made the matter of still greater importance.
What should she do? To leave Glenwood seemed to be the only answer tothat oft-repeated question. But to get into Beaumonde required a cleanrecord from the former academy, and would Mrs. Pangborn furnish such arecord under the circumstances?
It was evening, and the other girls were probably enjoying themselves,visiting about and settling wherever there was the best prospect offudge--the only confection students were allowed to make in their rooms.
But Viola would not go out, she was in no humor for visiting. Whilereclining on her small white bed, thinking the situation over until herhead ached from very monotony, a note was slipped under her door. Shesaw it instantly but did not at once attempt to pick it up--the sendermight be waiting outside and notice her readiness to become acquaintedwith the contents.
Hearing the light step make its way down the hall Viola took and openedthe note.
"Humph!" she sniffed, "from Adele Thomas." Then she glanced over thenote. It read:
MY DEAR VIOLA:
We are all so worried about you. Do please come out of your room orlet some of us in. We wish very much to talk to you, but if youpersist in keeping us at bay won't you please make up your mind toapologize at once to Miss Higley? There are so many counts against usthis month that the latest is positively dangerous in its present form.Do Viola, dear, answer, and tell us you feel better and that you willcomply with the request of the committee. Lovingly yours,
LOWLY.
"Apologize!" echoed the girl. "As if my mother's daughter could everstoop to that weak American method of crawling out of things!" and herdark eyes flashed while her olive face became as intense as if the girlwere a desperate woman.
"Don't they know that the blood of the de Carlos flows in my veins?"she asked herself. "No, that's so, they do not know it--nor shallthey. Let them think me Italian, French or whatever they choose--butlet them not trifle with Spain. Ah, Spain! and how I have longed tosee that beautiful country with mother--darling mother!"
This thought of affection never failed to soften the temper of the wilyViola. True she had seen fit always to hide her mother's nationalityfrom the schoolgirls. Often they had questioned her about her foreignface and manners, but like many who do not admire the frankness ofAmericans, it had pleased her to remain simply "foreign."
A supercilious smile crept over Viola's face. She held Adele's note inher hand and read it again.
"Worried about me!" she repeated, "as if they care for anything butexcitement and nonsense. And they are aching for me to give the nextspasm of excitement! Well, they may get that, sooner than they expect."
A step stopped at her door. Then a light tap sounded on the panel.Casting aside the note, Viola opened the portal and was confronted byMiss Crane. Without waiting for an invitation the pleasant littlewoman stepped inside.
"Good evening, Viola," she began. "Mrs. Pangborn sent me to have atalk with you."
"Yes?" replied Viola, in her most non-committal tone.
"She has been much worried of late, so many things have been going onthat did not add to her peace of mind."
"That's a pity," said Viola, and this time her tone admitted of anynumber of interpretations. But Miss Crane expected all this and wasfully prepared for it.
"Especially that matter about Dorothy Dale," went on the teacher. "Sheis determined that the whole thing shall be cleared up at once."
"It ought to be," said Viola coolly, without appearing to take theleast interest in the conversation.
"In the first place," argued Miss Crane, "Mrs. Pangborn wished me tosay to you that a full explanation on your part would in the end saveyou much--trouble."
"State's evidence!" almost sneered Viola.
"Not at all," contradicted her visitor. "Simply a matter of commonjustice."
"I believe that's what they call it," persisted the girl, tossing herhead about to show a weariness of the "whole miserable thing."
"You insist that you saw Dorothy Dale and Octavia Travers alight from apolice patrol wagon?" asked Miss Crane severely.
"I do!" answered Viola, as solemnly as if taking an oath.
"And that you were told they had been arrested for some theft? Gardenstuff, I believe?"
"I heard Nat White, Dorothy Dale's own cousin, say so," again declaredViola.
"And you had reason to believe he was in earnest?"
"Every reason to believe and know so."
Miss Crane stopped. She had expected Viola to break down on thiscross-examination, but evidently her story was not to be shaken.
"Is that all?" asked the girl with a show of hauteur.
"No," said Miss Crane. "I would like you to tell me the whole story."
"And if I refuse?"
"You surely would not risk dismissal?"
"No risk at all, my dear Miss Crane, I court it," and all the Spanishfire of Viola's nature flashed and flamed with her words.
"Viola! Do you know what you are saying?"
"Perfectly. Have you finished with the 'third degree?'"
"Refrain from slang, if you please. I never countenance suchexpressions."
Viola only smiled. Evidently Miss Crane had reached "the end of herrope."
"And you will make no explanation of why you told such a story to thegirls of Glenwood?" and the calm voice of the teacher rang out clearlynow. "No other reason to give for depriving one of the sweetest andbest of these girls of her happy place among her companions? And thatsame girl refuses to tell her own story, because of a promise! Shemust bear all the shame, all the suspicion, all the wrong silently,when everybody knows she is shielding someone. Viola Green, to whomdid Dorothy Dale make that promise?"
"How should I know?" replied the other with curled lip.
"Who, then, is Dorothy Dale shielding?"
"Shielding? Why, probably her dear friend, Tavia Travers. I don'tknow, of course. I am merely trying to help you out!"
That shot blazed home--it staggered Miss Crane. She had never thoughtof Octavia! And she was so close a friend of Dorothy's--besides beingover reckless! It might be that Dorothy was shielding Tavia and thatshe would not and could not break a promise made to the absent memberof Glenwood school.
Miss Crane was silent. She sat there gazing at Viola. Her pink andwhite cheeks assumed a red tinge.
Viola was victorious again. She had only made a suggestion and thatsuggestion had done all the rest.
"I will talk to Mrs. Pangborn," said Miss Crane finally, and she aroseand quietly left the room.