CHAPTER III A CUP OF TEA
"Dorothy," began Tavia that evening, as the two girls sat alone in theirroom, enjoying their usual good-night conference, "why couldn't you takethat spin out to the auto meet. It would be no end of good fun."
"Fun!" echoed Dorothy, surprised that Tavia should again venture topropose such a thing. "Why, Tavia! Really you shock me!" Then she went tothe little dresser, under pretext of looking for something, but inreality to gain time--she scarcely knew what to say to her chum, whosesudden whim was so startling.
Tavia sat on the box divan, her hands in her lap, and her brown head bentover, a strange and serious attitude for the girl who was never known tosit still, even in church; and who had the reputation of being thejolliest girl at Glenwood. For some moments she appeared to beunconscious of Dorothy's presence, so absorbed was she in her ownthoughts. Dorothy was now regarding her curiously. What could have turnedTavia's head? For turned from its usually bright and happy line ofthought it plainly was.
"What is it, Tavia?" she asked finally, stealing up to the crouchedfigure, and placing her arm gently about her chum's neck.
"Why?" inquired the other, with a sudden start, as if afraid Dorothywould divine her thoughts.
"You are worried about something--come tell me what it is!"
"Worried!" Tavia jumped up, shaking off Dorothy's arm. "Worried! DorothyDale, I believe you're not well! You act morbid--creepy!"
Dorothy turned away. She was hurt--crushed--that Tavia should spurn heraffection and refuse her confidence.
"We always told each other everything," and Dorothy almost sighed, as herwords came slowly, and with strange coldness. "I never imagined you wouldkeep any important secret from me."
"You silly!" exclaimed Tavia, throwing her arms around Dorothy this time."Who said I had a secret? What in the world has put that wild notion intoyour yellow head?--bless it!"
This last expression brought a kiss to the golden ringlets, and, as thetwo girls sat there, Dorothy with a far-away look in her eyes that wereclouded with unbidden tears, Tavia with her cheek pressed lovinglyagainst the blond head, and her own eyes looking into some unknownfuture, their pose was like a stage picture--the kind usually presentedwhen one sister is about to leave a country home, and the other bids herstay.
"Aren't we a couple of jays!" broke in Tavia, as soon as she appeared torealize the melo-dramatic effect. "I declare we ought to travel as 'TheGlum Sisters--Mag and Liz.' There! Wouldn't we make a hit for teary ones?Weeps are in great demand they say. Smiles are being overworked in theprofresh!" and she strode up to the mirror with a most self-satisfiedglance at her pretty face.
"Tavia, you are getting awfully big for slang--it seems more likesneering than joking," exclaimed Dorothy. "And I've been wanting to saythat to you--some of the other girls have noticed it. They say you actmore like a chorus girl than a Glenwood pupil. Of course I don't want tohurt your feelings, but I thought it would be better for me to tell youthan for you to hear it from some one else."
"Chorus girl! Thanks! No need to apologize, I assure you. That's fromsilly, little Nita Brandt, I suppose? Well, better to act like a chorusgirl than--a fool!" blurted out Tavia with a show of temper. "And anysilly girl, who can not keep things to herself--well, I always thoughtNita was a featherhead and now I know it!"
"Oh, indeed it was not Nita!" Dorothy hastened to assure her. "It was atthe lawn tea the other day. You were 'acting'; don't you remember? Doingthat funny toe dance you are always trying lately."
"O-o-o-o-h!" and Tavia made a queer little pout, and a very funny face."So they appreciated my maiden effort, eh? I am indeed flattered! Tellthe girls I'm much obliged and I'll see that they get passes for theinitial performance. Tell them, also, to have the bouquets tagged--it'sso annoying to have a great stack of 'Please accepts' to answer, with thesuperscriptions 'cut out' so to speak. I know all the girls will sendpansies--they are so sweet, and would make such wicked faces for thegirls who could not conveniently present their own adorable 'phizes'!"
"What in the world are you talking about?" asked Dorothy, who had beenlistening to the outburst with a queer idea that all this stage businesswas not mere idle chatter--that there might be a reason for Tavia'scynicism.
"Talking about auto rides," quietly answered Tavia, recovering herselfwith an effort. "Wasn't that a dandy this afternoon? And to think wemight have missed that 'Horatius at the bridge' business if I had beensilly enough to mention that the planking was gone!"
"Don't talk of it!" exclaimed Dorothy, shuddering. "I cannot bear tothink of what might have happened. And, Tavia, you must not think I haveadopted the lecture platform for good, but I must say, it was careless ofyou not to mention about the bridge--especially as you knew what a hillled down to it, and how the Fire Bird can cover hills."
"Of course you know I entirely forgot it, Doro," and now Tavia showedsome remorse at the reprimand.
"My! There's the bell!" exclaimed Dorothy as a clang sounded down thecorridor. "I had no idea it was so late," and she jumped up to disrobe."Quick, or Miss Higley will see our light."
"Let her," answered Tavia indifferently. "I don't feel very well, andwould just love something warm--say a nice little cup of tea--"
A tap at the door interrupted her remarks. Dorothy jumped into a largecloset and Tavia calmly opened the portal.
It was Miss Higley, the second assistant teacher, with rather aforbidding expression on her wrinkled face, and who, among the girls,bore a reputation characterized as "sour."
"Why is this?" she demanded, stepping in and brushing Tavia aside.
"I was just thinking of calling you," answered Tavia, clapping her handto her waist line. "I have such a dreadful--Oh, dear!" and she sat downwithout further explanation.
"Do you need anything?" asked Miss Higley, her tone more kindly.
"Oh, no; certainly not," sighed Tavia. "I would not trouble you. But if Imight have a sip of tea--that tea you brought Dorothy did her so muchgood the other night."
She paused to allow a proper expression of agony to spread over her face,and gently rubbed her hand over the region covered by her belt.
"I suppose you made that tea yourself, didn't you? It was so good,Dorothy told me."
That settled it. For any one to praise Miss Higley's brew! So few personsreally do appreciate a good cup of tea. As usual Tavia had "won out."
"Why of course I'll get you a cup. I have just made a small pot--I feltrather--rather tired myself. I don't, as a rule, drink tea at night, butI was not altogether well. Where is Dorothy?"
"Just slipping on a robe," with a glance at the closet where her chum wasconcealed. "I'm afraid I disturbed her," went on Tavia glibly.
"Well, I'll get the tea," Miss Higley remarked, as she started to leavethe room. "I'll bring the pot here and we can take it together."
"Quick!" called Tavia to Dorothy as the door closed. "Slip on your robe.Tea with Higley! Of all the doin's!" and she promptly turned a somersaulton the hitherto unrumpled bed. "Won't the girls howl! I do hope shebrings biscuits. There, get down your box, you precious miser! Just thinkof 'crackering' Higley!"
Dorothy appeared dumfounded. It had all been arranged so quickly--andthere was Miss Higley back again. She carried a tray with a small chinateapot and three blue cups to match.
"I thought Dorothy might like a cup," she remarked in a sort ofapologetic way. "There now," as Tavia and Dorothy relieved her of thetray, "it will be pleasant to have a sip together. Of course we would notdo it but for Octavia's illness." (Tavia looked to be in dreadful pain atthat moment.) "But since we have to give her a cup of tea, we may as wellmake a virtue of necessity."
"It is very kind of you, Miss Higley," Dorothy said, rather hesitatingly."I'm sure that we--that is I--I mean Tavia--should not have put you toall this trouble--but of course one can't help being ill," she hastenedto add, for she felt she was rather giving Tavia's secret away.
"It really is too bad
to make all this fuss," the supposed suffererinterjected. "You went to a lot of trouble for me, Miss Higley, and Iappreciate it very much," and Tavia winked the eye next to Dorothy, butconcealed the sign from the sight of the instructress. Tavia was tryinghard not to laugh, and her repressed emotion shook the tray to the nosmall danger of upsetting the teapot, cups and all.
"I never consider my duty any trouble," answered Miss Higley, seeming tofeel the obligation of being dignified. In fact, it did not occur to herjust then that she was doing a most unprecedented thing--taking tea withtwo school girls, and after hours at that! However, she had committedherself, and now there was no way out. Dorothy presented her package ofchocolate crackers, and Miss Higley took some, while Tavia arranged thetea tray on the little table.
Surely the scene was mirth-provoking. Dorothy in her pretty blue robe,Tavia with her hair loose, collar off and shoes unlaced, and Miss Higley,prim as ever, in her brown mohair, with the long black cord on herglasses. There the three sat, sipping tea and "making eyes,"--"too fullfor utterance," as Tavia would say.
"Such lovely tea," Dorothy managed to gulp out at the risk of allowingher mouth to get loose in a titter, once the tight line of silence wasbroken.
Then, all at once they stopped drinking--some one was coming down thehall. Miss Higley arose instantly. The gentle tap on the door wasanswered by Tavia.
Mrs. Pangborn!
"Oh," she apologized, "I did not mean to disturb a little social tea. Dosit down, Honorah," to Miss Higley. "I'm very glad to see you enjoyingyourself," and Mrs. Pangborn meant what she said.
"Oh, indeed, I merely came to administer to a sick girl. Octavia wassuddenly taken with cramps."
Mrs. Pangborn glanced at Tavia.
"But that cup of tea has made me feel so much better," declared Dorothy'sroom-mate, with that kind of truth that mere words make--the kind thatchallenges falsehood.
"I am always glad to see you looking after the girls, Honorah," went onthe principal, "but I am equally glad to see you consider yourself. I'msure you have a perfect right to take a cup of tea here. My dear," toDorothy, "perhaps you have a sip left?"
Dorothy found there was another cup of the beverage, still warm in thelittle teapot, and this she poured into her own pink and white china cupfor Mrs. Pangborn.
Miss Higley remained standing, seemingly too abashed to move.
"Do finish yours," said Tavia, pushing the empty chair toward theembarrassed teacher.
But Tavia's mirth showed through her alleged illness, and Miss Higleybegan to feel that she had been imposed upon.
"If you--if you will excuse me," she stammered.
"Oh, do finish your tea," begged Mrs. Pangborn, and so the severe littleteacher was obliged to sit down again.
An hour later Tavia was still trying to "untwist her kinks," as shedescribed her attacks of muffled laughter.
"Oh, wasn't it gloriotious!" she exclaimed. "To think I couldn't get asingle twinge in my entire system! If I only could put that sort of acramp in alcohol, wouldn't it be an heirloom to Glenwood!"
"Please do stop," pleaded Dorothy, from under her quilt. "The next timethey may bring a doctor and a stomach pump, and if you don't let me go tosleep I do believe I will call her."
"You dare to and I'll get something dreadfully contagious, so you willhave to be disinfected and isolated. But Higley the terrible! The abusedlittle squinty-eyed tattle-tale! Oh, when Mrs. Pangborn said she was gladto see her enjoying herself! That persecuted saint enjoying herself!Didn't she look the part?"
But even such mirth must succumb to slumber when the victim is young andimpressionable, so, with yawns and titters, Tavia finally quieted down tosleep.