CHAPTER XVI
A PERPLEXING PROBLEM OF LIFE
Miss Tross-Kingdon entered Miss Hexam's room, looking so disturbedthat the latter asked:
"Why, Muriel, what is the matter?"
They two were of kin and called each other by their first names.
"Matter enough, Wilda. I'm worried and angry. And to think it shouldhappen while the Bishop is away on that trip of his to the States!"
"Tell me," urged the gentle little woman, pushing a chair forward intowhich the Lady Principal wearily dropped.
"It's that Dorothy Calvert. She's lost herself again!"
"She has a knack of doing that! But she'll be found."
"Maybe. Worst is she's taken another with her. Robin, the newboot-boy."
Miss Hexam laughed:
"Well, I admit that is the greater loss just now! Girls are plentifulenough at Oak Knowe but boot-boys are scarce. And this Robin was aparagon, wasn't he? Also, I thought Dorothy was away up toward the'good conduct medal,' as well as 'distinction' in music. I don't seewhy she should do so foolish a thing as you say and lessen her chancesfor the prize."
"Wilda, you don't understand how serious it is. It was one thing tohave it happen in this house but it's night now and she away in astrange city. I declare I almost wish she'd never come at all."
For a moment Miss Hexam said no more. She knew that Miss Muriel lovedthe missing girl with sincere affection and was extremely proud of hergreat progress in her studies. All the school had readily concededthat in her own Form Dorothy stood highest, and would certainly winthe "honors" of that Form. When the Principal had rested quietly awhile longer she asked:
"Now tell me all about it, Muriel."
"Nobody missed her, but, she did not come home with the rest. I've'phoned to the police to look for for her and the boy, but it's adisgrace to the school to have to do such a thing. Besides, Robin'smother is half wild about him and declares she must walk into town toseek him."
"You're foolish, the pair of you. Stop and reason. Robin is thoroughlyfamiliar with the city and suburbs, from his messenger-boy experience.Dorothy is blessed with a fair share of common sense. If theywandered away somewhere, they'll soon wander back again when theyrealize what they have done. I'm sorry you stirred up the police andthey should be warned to keep the matter quiet."
"Oh! they have been," answered the weary Lady Principal. "It doesseem, lately, that every good time we allow the girls ends indisaster."
"Never mind. You go to bed. You've done all you can till morning."
Miss Muriel did go away but only to spend the night in watching alongwith Lady Jane in the library, the latter deeply regretting that shehad ever suggested this outing and, like the Lady Principal, bothsorry and angry over its ending.
Dorothy had ridden to the exhibition in the very last sleigh of all,as Robin had in the first, and when they all left the hotel afterdinner he had lingered beside her while she waited for the other teamsto drive on and her own to come up.
This took a long time, there was so much ado in settling so many girlsto the satisfaction of all; and looking backward he saw that therewould still be a delay of several moments.
"I say, Dorothy, come on. I want to show you where we used to livebefore my father died. We'll be back in plenty time. It's the dearestlittle house, with only two rooms in it; but after we left it nobodylived there and it's all gone to pieces. Makes me feel bad but I'dlike to show you. Just down that block and around a side street. Comeon. What's the use standing here?"
"Sure we can be back in time, Robin?"
"Certain. Cross my heart. I'm telling you the truth. It's only a stepor so."
"Well, then, let's hurry."
Hurry they did, he whistling as usual, until they came to a narrowalley that had used to be open but had now been closed by a great pileof lumber, impossible for them to climb.
"Oh! pshaw! Somebody must be going to build here. But never mind. Ourhouse was right yonder, we can go another way."
His interest as well as hers in exploring "new places," made themforget everything else; and when, at last, they came to Robin's oldhome a full half-hour had passed.
It was, indeed, a sorry place. Broken windows, hanging doors andshutters, chimney fallen, and doorstep gone. Nobody occupied it nowexcept, possibly, a passing tramp or the street gamin who haddestroyed it.
"My! I'm glad my Mother can't see it now. She never has since we moveddown to our cottage in the glen. It would break her dear heart, for myfather built it when they were first married. That was the kitchen,that the bedroom--Hark! What's that?"
"Sounded like a cat."
"Didn't to me. Cats are squealier'n that was. I wonder if anybody orthing is in there now. If I had time I'd go and see."
"Robin, wouldn't you be afraid?"
"Afraid? Afraid to go into my own house, that was, that my fatherbuilt with his own hands? Huh! What do you take me for? I'd as soon goin there as eat my din--Hello! There certainly--"
They put their heads close to the paneless window and listenedintently. That was a human groan. That was a curious patter of smallhoofs--Dorothy had heard just such a sound before. That surely was amost familiar wail:
"Oh, Baal! My jiminy cricket!"
"Jiminy cricket yourself, Jack-boot-boy! What you doing in my house?I'm living in yours--I mean I'm boot-boy now. How are you?" criedRobin, through the window.
"Who'm you? Have you got anything to eat? Quick! Have you?"
The voice which put the question was surely Jack's but oddly weak andtremulous. Dorothy answered:
"Not here, Jack, course. Are you hungry?"
"Starvin'! Starvin'! I ain't touched food nor drink this two days. Oh!Have you?"
Daylight was already fading and street lights flashing out but thisby-way of the town had no such break to the darkness. Robin was overthe rickety threshold in an instant and Dorothy quickly followed.Neither had now any thought save for the boy within and his suffering.
They found him lying on a pile of old rags or pieces of discardedburlap which he had picked up on the streets, or that some formerlodger in the room had gathered. Beside him was Baal, bleatingpiteously, as if he, too, were starving. The reason for this wasevident when Robin stumbled over a rope by which the animal wasfastened to the window sash; else he might have strolled abroad andforaged for himself.
But if Robin fell he was up in a second and with the instincts of acity bred boy knew just what to do and how to do it.
"Got any money, Dorothy?"
"Yes. Twenty-five cents, my week's allowance."
"I've got ten. Mother said I might keep that much out of my week'swages. Give it here. I'll be back in a minute."
He was gone and Dorothy dropped down on the dusty floor beside Jackand asked his story. He told it readily enough, as far as willingnesswent, but his speech lagged for once and from sheer lack of strength.
"I left--seeking my fortune. It warn't so easy as I thought it wouldbe. I've hired for odd jobs, held horses, run arrants, helped 'roundtaverns, but didn't get no place for steady. Trouble was, folks don'ttake no great to Baal. They'd put with him a spell, treat him realdecent till he'd up and butt somebody over--then his dough was cooked.The worse he was used the better I liked him, though I'd ha' sold himfor money if I could, I've been hungry so much the time. And thatright here, Dorothy, _in a town full o' victuals_! Just chock full.See 'em in the winders, see 'em in the markets, on wagons--and everycreated place, but not a speck for me. But I got along, I'd ha' madeout, if I hadn't et somethin' made me dretful sick. It was somethin'in a can I picked up out a garbage pail, some sort o' fish I guess,and I've been terr'ble ever since. What'd he go for? Why don't he comeback?"
"I don't know. I reckon he went for food. How did you keep warm inhere, if this is where you lived?"
"Didn't keep warm. How could I? I ain't been warm, not real cleanthrough, since the last night I slep' in my nice bed at Oak Knowe."
"Why didn't you come back? Or go to the railway stati
ons? They arealways heated, I reckon."
"Did. Turned me out. Lemme stay a spell but then turned me out. Said Ibetter go to the poorhouse but--won't that boy never come!"
"He's coming now, Jack," she answered and was almost as glad as he ofthe fact.
Robin came whistling in, good cheer in the very sound.
"Here you are neighbor! Candle and matches--two cents. Pint ofmilk--three. Drink it down while I light up!"
Jack grabbed the milk bottle with both hands and drained it; then fellback again with a groan.
"'T hurts my stummick! Hurts my stummick awful!"
"Never mind. I'll turn Baal loose and let him find something outside.A likely supper of tin cans and old shoes'll set him up to a T. Scoot,Baal!"
The goat was glad enough to go, apparently, yet in a moment camebleating back to his master. Dorothy thought that was pathetic butRobin declared it disgusting.
"Clear out, you old heathen, and hunt your supper--"
"Oh! don't be cruel to the loving creature, Robin! Suppose he shouldget lost?" begged Dorothy.
"Lost? You can't lose Baal, don't you fret. Look-a-here, boy! here's asandwich! Come from the best place in town. I know it. Give thebiggest slice for the least money. Can't tell me anything about that,for I've been nigh starved myself too often in this same old town.What? You don't want it? Can't eat it? Then what do you want?"
Provoked that his efforts to please Jack failed so fully, Robinwhistled again, but not at all merrily this time; for he had at lastbegun to think of his own predicament and Dorothy's. Here they werestranded in town, Oak Knowe so far away, night fast falling and,doubtless, a stern reprimand due--should they ever reach that happyhaven again.
"Robin, I do believe he is sick. Real, terrible sick. It wasn't juststarving ailed him. Do you s'pose we could get a doctor to him?"
"To this shanty? No, I don't. But if he's sick, there's hospitals.Slathers of 'em. Hurray! There's the one that Dr. Winston is head of.There's an emergency ward there and free ones--and it's the verychecker!"
Jack had ceased moaning and lay very still. So still that they wereboth frightened and Dolly asked:
"How can we get him there, if they would take him in? He's terribleheavy to carry."
Even dimly seen by the light of the flickering candle struck on thefloor, Dorothy thought the pose of superiority Robin now affected thefunniest thing, and was not offended when he answered with loftyscorn:
"Carry him? I should say not. We couldn't and we won't. I'll just stepto the corner and ring up an ambulance. I know the name. You stayhere. I'll meet it when it comes and don't get scared when the gongclangs to get out of the way."
Dorothy's own life in a southern city returned to her now and sheremembered some of its advantages which Robin had spoken of. So shewas not at all frightened when she heard the ambulance come into thestreet beyond the alley, which was too narrow for it to enter, norwhen two men in hospital uniforms appeared at the door of the room.They had lanterns and a stretcher and at once placed poor Jack upon itand hurried away.
They needed not to ask questions for Robin had followed them and wasglibly explaining all he knew of the "case" and the rest which he hadguessed.
"Ate spoiled fish out of a garbage can, did he? So you think it'sptomaine poisoning, do you Doctor Jack-o'-my-thumb? Well, I shouldn'tbe surprised if your diagnosis is correct. Steady now, mate, this isa--Hello! What's that?"
"That" proved to be Baal, returned to inquire what was being done tohis master by prodding the orderly's legs with his horns, so that thestretcher nearly fell out of his hand.
Baal got his answer by way of a vicious kick which landed him out ofreach and permitted the men to carry their burden quickly away. Leftbehind, the pair of young Samaritans stared for an instant at oneanother, dismayed at their own delay.
It was Dorothy who came to a decision:
"We've done as bad as we could and as good. Seems awful queer how itall happened. Now we must go home. Can we get a carriage anywhere andwould it take us back without any money to pay it? Would MissTross-Kingdon pay it, do you think? The Bishop would but he's gonetraveling."
Leaving their candle still flickering on the floor they anxiously leftthe shanty; and it may be stated here, for the guidance of othercareless ones that there was an item in the next morning's paperstating that a certain "old rookery had been burned down during thenight; origin of fire unknown; a benefit to the city for it had longbeen infested by hoboes and tramps." To which of these classes poorJack belonged it did not state; but either one was a far call to the"great artist" he had said he would become.
There were cabs in plenty to be seen and, probably, to be hired; butthey did not summon one. A vision of Miss Tross-Kingdon's face at itssternest rose before Dorothy and she dared not venture on the lady'sgenerosity. Another thought came, a far happier one:
"I'll tell you! Let's follow Jack. Maybe Dr. Winston would be there orsomebody would know about us--if we told--and would telephone to OakKnowe what trouble we're in. For it is trouble now, Robin Locke, andyou needn't say it isn't. You're scared almost to death and so am I. Iwish--I wish I'd never heard of a Wax Works, so there!"
Robin stopped and turned her face up to the light of a street lampthey were passing and saw tears in her eyes. That was the oddest thingfor her to cry--right here in this familiar city where were railwaystations plenty in which they might wait till morning and somebodycame. But, softened as her tears made him, he couldn't yet quiteforget that he was the man of the party.
"It's an awful long ways to that Hospital, and I've got five centsleft. We can go in anywhere and I can 'phone for myself. No need tobother any doctors or nurses."
Opposition to her wishes dried her tears.
"Well, I am going to Dr. Winston's hospital. I'd like you to go withme and show me the way but if you won't the policemen I meet will doit. I'm going right now."
That conquered this small Canadian gentleman, and he answered:
"All right. I'll show you. Only don't you dare to be crying when youget there."
She wasn't. It proved a long walk but help loomed at the end of it andthe youngsters scarcely felt fatigue in the prospect of this. Also,the help proved to be just what they most desired. For there was Dr.Winston himself, making his night visit to a very ill patient andalmost ready to depart in his car which stood waiting at the door.
Dorothy remembered how little gentlewomen should conduct themselveswhen paying visits; so after inquiring of the white-clad orderly whoadmitted her if Dr. Winston was there, and being told that he was, shetook her empty purse from her pocket and sent up her card. She wouldhave written Robin's name below hers if she had had a pencil or--hadthought about it.
The tiny card was placed upon a little silver salver and borne awaywith all the dignity possible; but there was more amazement thandignity in the good doctor's reception of it. Another moment he wasbelow, buttoning his top-coat as he came and demanding with a smilethat was rather anxious:
"To what am I indebted for the pleasure of this visit, Miss DorothyCalvert?"
But the tears were still too near the girl's eyes for her to meet jestwith jest. She could only hold out her arms, like the lonely,frightened child she was and he promptly clasped her in his own.
Then "tinkle, tinkle, tinkle," ran a little bell in the Oak Knowelibrary and over the telephone wire rang the doctor's hearty voice.
"Be at rest, Miss Muriel. Your runaways are found and I'll motor themhome in a jiffy!"
This was so joyful a message that Lady Jane and the Lady Principalpromptly fell upon one another's neck and wept a few womanly tears.Then Miss Tross-Kingdon released herself, exclaiming:
"Oh! those dreadful police. Why did I violate the privacy of Oak Knoweby setting them to search? I must recall the order right away--if Ican!"
Self-blame doesn't tend toward anybody's good nature and the head ofOak Knowe School for Young Ladies had been sorely tried. Also, heroffense had come from the very girl she trusted most and was,th
erefore, the more difficult to forgive. So clothing herself in allher dignity, she was simply the Lady Principal and nothing more, whenfor a second time the quiet of her domain was broken by the honk-honkof an automobile, the door opened and Dorothy and Robin walked in. Thedoctor had laughingly declared that he couldn't enter with them--hewas afraid! But though it was really only lack of time that preventedhim so doing, their own spirits were now so low that they caught theinfection of his remark--if not his spirit--and visibly trembled.
This was a sign of guilt and caught Miss Muriel's eye at once.
"What is the explanation of this, Dorothy? Robin?"
Dorothy had been pondering that explanation on the swift ride home.Dr. Winston had called them the Good Samaritans and seemed pleasedwith them. Maybe Miss Muriel would think so, too.
"We stayed to see--we had to be what he said. Good littleSamaritans--"
"Humph! If that is some new game you have invented, please never toplay it again. Your duty--"
"Why, Lady Principal, you wouldn't have us 'pass by on the otherside,' would you? To-morrow's lesson--"
But there was no softening in Miss Muriel's eye, and indignant Robinflashed out:
"Well--well--you needn't blame _her_. You needn't blame a _girl_--whenit was all my fault! I coaxed her or she wouldn't ha' done it!"
This was such a manly, loyal reversion of the old story of Adam andEve that Lady Jane laughed and would have clapped her hands in prideof her small compatriot. But she refrained and chose the wiser courseof slipping away unseen.
"Robin! you forget yourself! I have given you a home here but I havenot given you license to be insolent or disobedient. You have beenboth. Your mother is somewhere on the road to town, looking for you."
But it happened she was not. Dr. Winston had espied a lone womandragging herself citywards and had stopped to give her a lift. Then,learning who she was and her errand, had promptly turned about andconveyed her also home; so she was back in their own rooms almost assoon as her boy was and able to soothe his wrath as only mothers can.
But upon poor Dorothy fell the full force of her teacher'sindignation.
"Dorothy, I would not have believed it possible for you so willfullyto disappoint me. Go to your dormitory and to bed at once. You cannotgo off bounds again till Easter holidays. Good night."
Dorothy obeyed in silence. She could think of many things to say butshe could not say them. Even to anxious Dawkins who would havewelcomed her warmly and ministered loving comfort she could only say:
"Good night. It's such a mixed up world. It was good to help Jack, thedoctor said; and it was wrong, Miss Tross-Kingdon said; and--and--I'mso tired! Oh! if I could only see Aunt Betty!"
With that last homesick cry, she laid her head on her pillow, andbeing a perfectly healthy girl--fell fast asleep.