CHAPTER XVI
A HARROWING EXPERIENCE
When Dorothy awoke, to find herself still in that attic room, to knowthat it was not all an awful dream, but a terrible reality, the fullmeaning her position flooded into her strained mind, like some awfuldeluge of horror!
That the people who held her captive did so for some undefinablereason was perfectly clear; but why they did so, was just asmysterious as was their reason for plying her with coddling words, asif she were a baby.
Realizing that they would not let her go her way, Dorothy determined,as she lay there, with the moonlight making queer shadows on the slantwall, that she would escape that day!
How little did Tavia know of the danger into which she had thrown herbest friend!
"And I wonder," thought Dorothy, "if Tavia is safely back at camp? Andwhat do the folks think of me?"
A sigh, as deep as it was sincere, escaped from her lips, and shecrawled out of bed to see if daylight was near.
"Such a long night!" she sobbed, "and to think that I am a prisoner!"
The low windows were shut, and the air of the room was stifling.Dorothy groped around to see if she might find the candle that she hadnoticed on the stand, but it was gone.
"They haven't even left me a match," she told herself. "Did they thinkI would eat matches?"
Then she decided she would raise a window if she had to break it open.A curtain roller lay on the floor. With this she tried to pry up theuncertain sash, and in doing so she fell over a low stool.
The noise disturbed the folks in the lower rooms, for directly Dorothyheard a shuffle of feet on the stairs.
At first she felt indignant, then her helplessness prompted caution,and she hurried into bed.
The door opened softly.
"What is it, dear?" asked Mrs. Hobbs, who, as Dorothy could see, wasenveloped in a robe of the same pattern as that which she herselfwore. "Did you call?"
"Oh, thank you. I only wanted a little air," replied Dorothy."Couldn't we open a window?"
"Well, perhaps we had best not, dearie," replied the woman. "Theremight be a draught."
"I wish there was," Dorothy could not help replying. Then she quicklyadded: "Don't you think fresh air is very good at this warm season?"
"Oh, yes, for some folks," said Mrs. Hobbs, tucking the warm bedclothes more warmly about the sweltering girl. "But, you see--well,this room--we don't always open the windows--fer company."
"I will be able to go back to my friends in the morning," said Dorothypromptly. "I am sure it has been very kind of you to take care of meas you have done."
"Now, don't talk too much dearie," ordered the woman. "You see, headtroubles--that is, when a girl falls on her head--she has got to bedreadful careful, fer a long time."
"Oh, my head is not hurt," declared Dorothy, as she leaned upon herelbow. "I feel able to walk back to camp now."
"Camp?" asked the woman.
"Why, yes. Didn't you know I came from a camp out Everglade way? I waswith one of the other girls from camp when I--got lost," finishedDorothy quite helplessly.
"Some folks don't call them places 'camps,'" Mrs. Hobbs ventured. "Butof course the name ain't got anything to do with it."
"What do they call them?" pressed Dorothy.
"Oh, now, you never mind. You will be all right. Jest go off to sleep,and as soon as Josh milks, I'll fetch you a nice drink of the warmsuds--it's splendid fer nerves."
Dorothy was completely mystified. Perhaps the old woman was queer, andshe might better humor her.
"Well, I may sleep a little more," she said, "and then when daylightcomes, I shall be ready to start off. Would you mind handing me myjacket. It has my purse in it, and I want to make sure that it is allright."
Samanthy Hobbs hobbled over to where Dorothy's clothes lay in a heap.She fumbled through the garments, and Dorothy distinctly saw her takethe beaded purse in her hand.
"That's it," said Dorothy.
"No pocketbook here," replied the woman.
"Why, that little beaded bag I saw you take from my pocket; that is mypurse!"
"Ain't no sign of sech a thing here," declared the woman, who was atthat very moment trying to secret the purse in the folds of her robe.
Dorothy was more puzzled than ever. Would this woman steal herpocketbook? How could she ever get away from the place if penniless?
"Give me that purse," the girl demanded, jumping up out of bed, andattempting to get hold of the beaded trifle.
"Josh! Josh!" called the woman. "Come up here and help me! She'sgettin' vi'lent!"
"Violent!" repeated Dorothy, "I ought to get--crazy, to be shut uphere--this way."
"Well, dearie, I didn't want to scare you," said the woman, in thattantalizing voice, "but if I was you, I wouldn't get any crazier thanI was--if _I_ was _you_."
"Crazy! Do you think I'm crazy? Is that it?" and poor Dorothy fellback upon the bed.
Fortunately Josiah did not hear his wife call, and of course did notcome in answer.
"There now, there now!" and Mrs. Hobbs smoothed out the bed things. "Iwill fetch you some nice, warm milk. And perhaps to-day I'll be ableto send you back to your ma."
"I have no mother," insisted Dorothy. "I told you that my name isDorothy Dale, and my father is Major Dale of the United States army.If any one attempts to--wrong me, _he_ will see that they arepunished."
With all the vehemence she could muster up Dorothy spoke these words,and she saw that they had some effect upon Mrs. Hobbs. Would shebelieve her, and let her go?
"Well, of course, you are a stranger to me," said the woman, "and, asI live, girlie, I intend to do right by you. But it's finding out theright that sometimes makes the wrong."
"Oh, I am sure Mrs. Hobbs you have been kind," Dorothy said, in asobbing voice, "but you see how dreadfully hard it is to be kept awayfrom one's friends. Why, I don't dare to think how they feel! How mycousins are worrying, and, of course, they have sent word to father.Oh, dear Mrs. Hobbs, help me to get back! Help me to get away to-day,for if I don't--they will think I am--dead!"
Dorothy had actually seized the woman's hands, and was almost kneelingbefore her. To be away for two days and a night!
The woman looked keenly into Dorothy's blue eyes. She smoothed backthe pretty, neglected yellow hair, and she brushed the flaming cheekkindly. "I would not harm you for the world," she declared, "for ifyou are not the lost girl--you are--an angel!"
"Here, Samanthy!" called Josiah, from below stairs. "Come and git me acup of coffee. I ain't got all day to wait around! I've got to git totown!"
"All right, Josh. I'll be there right away. Now, dearie, jest you bepatient, and everything will come out all right."
"But can't I have a window open? I am almost smothered. You know I amused to almost living out doors."
"Well," then, she whispered, "wait till Josh gets off and I'll slip upand fix you. He's awfully fussy about some things."
There was nothing for Dorothy to do but wait. But how long it seemed!How close the day was, as the sun opened up on that hot roof! Oh, ifshe did not get away, surely she _would_ go crazy!
She could hear the old farmer grumbling. Evidently he was not pleasedabout something. But Mrs. Hobbs was cautioning him not to speak soloud. Of course they were afraid of being overheard. "If she opens thewindow," Dorothy decided, "I'll drop to the piazza roof! Then I canescape! Oh, I must escape!"
She dare not, however, make any preparations to get away until afterthe farmer had gone to town; until after Mrs. Hobbs had opened thewindow and until after--she hoped this would happen--after Mrs. Hobbswent off to the fields for her berries.