CHAPTER X
THE THORNS OF A HOLLY WREATH
"Loafing is not resting; labor is the grindstone of life's dull edges,"quoted Dorothy Dale on the evening of her return from the city.
"Copyrighted?" asked Tavia in a grave tone of voice.
"No; but all rights are reserved," answered her chum. "It took me all theway from the city to North Birchland station to work that out. What do youthink of it?"
"Great for the grindstone, but hard on life," commented Tavia. "Nosharpening for mine. I make it 'Labor is the sharp knife that cuts all thegood things out of life.'"
"But your motto will not stand the test," declared Dorothy. "I happen toknow--I found out to-day. Going in on the train I 'loafed' all the way,and the process tired me. Coming out I was tired from shopping, and thattire rested me."
"Well, if you're all right, I'm glad I'm crazy," declared Taviafacetiously. "There's just one thing I want to get to heaven for--onegreat, long, delicious loaf! If I cannot rest without labor, then pleasepass along the 'loaf.'"
"But, seriously, Tavia, I particularly want to speak to you," beganDorothy, putting away numerous small packages and then dropping into herfavorite seat--the window-bench in her own room.
"Go ahead and speak, then," answered Tavia. "I hope what you have to sayhas nothing to do with work."
"Now, dearie, listen," commanded Dorothy. "Who do you think was on thetrain with me this morning?"
"The conductor?"
"Likely," replied Dorothy; "but he did not occupy the entire ten coaches,although he managed to circulate through them rather successfully. But Idid not refer to him. I sat in the same seat with--our little woman inblack!"
"_Our_ little woman in black! Please do not include me in that class. Didshe want your purse?"
"Now, really, Tavia, I am almost convinced that we have greatly wrongedthat woman--she was just as nice as she could be--"
"Oh, of course, she was--nice. That's what the laws are for, keepingpeople nice. They don't have much trouble to make that clear to you,Doro, dear."
"Well, of course, you are entitled to your own opinion, but I do wish youwould listen. She sent you a message."
"Sent me a message! It was to you she owed the apology. She has her casesmixed."
"Tavia, she gave me this card to hand you with the request that you callupon her on Thursday morning."
Tavia glanced at the card. Then she read the inscription aloud.
"Of all the--nerve!" she exclaimed, seemingly at a total loss to grasp anyother word. "To ask me to call on a handwriting expert! Does she think Iwant her services?"
"I was, and am still, just as puzzled as you are, Tavia; but she seemed soserious. Said you were young, and that perhaps she could help you--"
Tavia seemed to catch her breath. The next moment she had recoveredherself. "I might call--just for fun. Then, again--I might not," she saidindifferently.
"So many queer things contrived to happen," continued Dorothy, noting theslight agitation her chum betrayed. "The clerk at the jewelrycounter--Miss Allen, the pleasant girl--told me the woman detective, MissDearing, had been discharged."
"Nothing queer about that," exclaimed Tavia. "The wonder is they everemployed such a person in that capacity. Why, I fancy she would arrest ababy to fix her case. Too ambitious, I guess."
"Perhaps," acquiesced Dorothy. "But Miss Allen said she asked for myaddress. Now, what could she want that for?"
"To apologize, likely. Surely she owes you some sort of apology."
"She was merely mistaken," corrected Dorothy, "and did what she consideredher duty."
"The sweetness of forgiving," soliloquized Tavia.
"Simply a matter of justice," added Dorothy. "But it does seem strange tome. However, we will have to await developments. Meantime, we must getready for Christmas."
"I sent my things off to-day," said Tavia in a relieved tone.
"So early?"
"It is a little early, but they say express packages are always sure to bedelayed at this season, and I would simply not live through it if Johnniedid not have his steam engine for Christmas morning. It was awfully sweetof you, Doro, to lend me that money."
"Why shouldn't I when you had to spend yours for needed things? I onlywish it had been twice as much. You would have been welcome to it, Tavia.I don't forget chewing-gum days in dear old Dalton."
Tavia's brow was clouded. What an opportunity for her confession! Why didshe so dread to tell Dorothy what her own five dollars had gone for? Natsaid it would positively leak out some day. Yet he promised not to tell.
"Do you want me to go with you to see Miss Brooks?" asked Dorothysuddenly.
"Why," stammered Tavia, "I don't know that I will go at all. Such awild-goose chase! I am really not so curious as some might think me. I canovercome a desire for further knowledge of that peaked little thing. Infact, she makes me--creepy."
"Just as you like, of course," replied Dorothy, her manner somewhatstrained. "I only thought you might not like to go alone."
But Tavia had made up her mind to precisely that thing.
"I must sew the ribbons on Aunt Winnie's bag," went on Dorothy pleasantlyafter a pause. "Don't you think it pretty?" and she displayed a small bagmade of white oiled silk and fitted up with all the little pockets neededin traveling. One for the wet sponge, another for the toothbrush, then aplace for soap; in fact, a place for everything necessary in the emergencyof traveling.
"It is dear," agreed Tavia, looking the prospective gift over carefully."I don't see how you have patience to do such fine work."
"Oh, that is not fine," replied Dorothy. "See my lace pieces. They arewhat I call fine."
"Oh, they are simply beyond my understanding altogether. Like geometry,you know. But I forgot to ask Nat something. I wonder if he has gone up tohis room yet?" and Tavia rose to ascertain.
"It's nearly ten," Dorothy told her, "and he usually retires before teno'clock."
"Well, I'll just run down to the library and find out. I may forget it bymorning."
Dorothy could not help thinking that so urgent a matter as one whichrequired that attention would scarcely be so easily forgotten, but whenTavia left the room she put her little gifts away and soon forgot allabout Tavia's sudden determination to seek Nat. Dorothy had so many othermore interesting things to dwell upon.
"But I do hope she will not sit up late," came the thought, when some timeafter Tavia's exit Dorothy remembered that no sound had since indicatedthat her chum had come toward the room. "Aunt Winnie does not like theselittle late conferences."
Then she turned off her light and continued to listen for Tavia'sfootstep.
Meanwhile, Tavia was talking very seriously to Nat. She had told him aboutDorothy's message from the strange woman, and he had suggested that thehandwriting expert might in some way be connected with the Chicago firm towhich Tavia had written, and through which she had made herfinancial--mistake.
"But how would she know me?" asked Tavia, deeply perplexed.
"You said she saw your name on the envelope that dropped in the car," Natreminded her, "and she might have had an envelope with your name on.Those--sharks send names all over the country."
"Then do you think I ought to go see her?" asked Tavia in a whisper.
"Certainly. She can't eat you," replied the young man, "and she might beable to help you."
"Then I'll go--next Thursday," decided Tavia. "But I'll have trouble toslip away from Dorothy."
"Course you will," Nat assured her promptly; "and you'll have trouble allalong the line if you don't do as I say, and make a clean breast of it."
But Tavia, having so long delayed that telling, felt unequal to goingthrough with it now. She would simply "await developments," as Dorothyherself had suggested doing in the other matter.