CHAPTER XXIII
VIRGINIA CHANGES HER MIND
What the vanquished sophomores thought of the trick that had been playedon them was a matter for speculation. Once back in Overton, the truth ofthe situation had dawned upon them. Their common sense told them thatreal ghosts, if there were any, never congregated in companies the sizeof the one that had risen to haunt them the previous night. Obviouslysome one had overheard their plan to picnic at Hunter's Rock and treatedthem to an unwelcome surprise. It did not occur to any one of them untilthey had returned to their respective houses that they had left J.Elfreda locked in the haunted abode of the two brothers. Thenconsternation reigned in each sophomore breast.
Directly after chapel the next morning, eight young women were to beseen in an anxious group just outside the chapel. Several freshmen andtwo or three juniors glanced appraisingly at them, then passed on.
"Did you notice the way that Miss Wells looked at me this morning?"muttered Mary Hampton to her satellites.
"Never mind a little thing like that," snapped Alberta Wicks. "Thequestion is, where is J. Elfreda? If she is still shut up in that housewe might as well go home now instead of waiting to be sent there."
"Nonsense, Bert," scoffed one of the sophomores. "You are nervous. Wemay not be found out."
"Found out! J. Elfreda will be raging. She'll go straight to the dean,the minute she is free. Oh, why didn't we think to run back and let herout in spite of those ridiculous white figures?"
"What made you lock her in there, then, if you were afraid she'd tell?"asked one of the others rather sarcastically.
"Yes, that's what I say!" exclaimed a second. "This affair has been verysilly from start to finish. I'm ashamed of myself for having been drawninto it, and in future you may count me out of any more such stunts."
"You girls don't understand," declared Alberta Wicks angrily. "We onlymeant to even an old score with the Briggs person. We were going to callfor her on the way home, and tell her that we had evened our score. Shewouldn't have breathed it to a soul. She knew that we'd make lifemiserable for her next year if she did. She wouldn't tell a little thinglike that, but to leave her there all night. That really was dreadful.Mary and I are in for it. That's certain."
"If I'm not mistaken, there goes Miss Briggs now!" exclaimed a girl whohad been idly watching the students as they passed out of the chapel.
"Where? Where?" questioned Mary and Alberta together.
The sophomore pointed.
"Yes; it is J. Elfreda," almost wailed Alberta Wicks. "I'm goingstraight back to Stuart Hall and pack my trunk. Come on, Mary."
"Better wait a little," dryly advised the sophomore who had announcedher disapproval of the night's escapade. "You may be sorry if youdon't."
"Good-bye, girls," said Alberta abruptly. "If I hear anything, I'llreport to you at once. Now that J. Elfreda is among us, we'd bettersteer clear of one another for a while at least."
She hurried away, followed by Mary Hampton.
"That was my first, and if I get safely out of this, will be my lastoffense," said another sophomore firmly. "All those who agree with mesay 'aye.'" Five "ayes" were spoken simultaneously.
In the meantime, Grace was trying vainly to make up her mind what to do.Should she go directly to the two mischievous sophomores, revealing theidentity of the ghosts, or should she leave them in a quandary as to theoutcome of their unwomanly trick? One thing had been decided upondefinitely by Grace and her friends. They would tell no tales. Gracecould not help thinking that a little anxiety would be the just due ofthe plotters, and with this idea in mind determined to do nothing for atime, at least, toward putting them at their ease.
But there was one person who had not been asked to remain silentconcerning the ghost party, and that person was Elfreda. Grace hadforgotten to tell her that the night's happenings were to be kept asecret and when late that afternoon she espied Alberta Wicks and MaryHampton walking in the direction of Stuart Hall she pursued them withthe air of an avenger. Before they realized her presence she had begun afurious arraignment of their treachery. "You ought to be sent home forit," she concluded savagely, "and if Grace Harlowe wasn't----"
"Grace Harlowe!" exclaimed Alberta, turning pale. "Do you mean to tellme that it was she who planned that ghost party?"
"I shall tell you nothing," retorted Elfreda. "I'm sorry I said eventhat much. I want you to understand, though, that if you ever try toplay a trick on me again, I'll see that you are punished for it if Ihave to go down on my knees to the whole faculty to get them to give youwhat you deserve. Just remember that, and mind your own business,strictly, from now on."
Turning on her heel, the stout girl marched off, leaving the two girlsin a state of complete perturbation.
"Had we better go and see Miss Harlowe?" asked Mary Hampton, ratherunsteadily.
"The question is, do we care to come back here next year?" returnedAlberta grimly.
"I'd like to come back," said Mary in a low voice. "Wouldn't you?"
"I don't know," was the perverse answer. "I don't wish to humble myselfto any one. I'm going to take a chance on her keeping quiet about lastnight. I have an idea she is not a telltale. If worse comes to worst,there are other colleges, you know, Mary."
"I thought, perhaps, if we were to go to Miss Harlowe, we mightstraighten out matters and be friends," said Mary rather hesitatingly."Those girls have nice times together, and they are the cleverest crowdin the freshman class. I'm tired of being at sword's points withpeople."
"Then go over to them, by all means," sneered Alberta. "Don't troubleyourself about your old friends. They don't count."
"You know I didn't mean that, Bert," said Mary reproachfully. "I won'tgo near them if you feel so bitter about last night."
It was several minutes before Mary succeeded in conciliating her sulkyfriend. By that time the tiny sprouts of good fellowship that had vainlytried to poke their heads up into the light had been hopelessly blightedby the chilling reception they met with, and Mary had again been wonover to Alberta's side.
Saturday evening Arline Thayer entertained the ghost party at Martell's,and Elfreda, to her utter astonishment, was made the guest of honor.During the progress of the dinner, Alberta Wicks, Mary Hampton and twoother sophomores dropped in for ice cream. By their furtive glances andearnest conversation it was apparent that they strongly suspected theidentity of the avenging specters. Elfreda's presence, too, confirmedtheir suspicions.
In a spirit of pure mischief Mabel Ashe pulled a leaf from her notebook. Borrowing a pencil, she made an interesting little sketch of twofrightened young women fleeing before a band of sheeted specters.Underneath she wrote: "It is sometimes difficult to lay ghosts. Walkwarily if you wish to remain unhaunted." This she sent to Alberta Wicksby the waitress. It was passed from hand to hand, and resulted in fouryoung women leaving Martell's without finishing their ice cream.
"You spoiled their taste for ice cream, Mabel," laughed Frances Marlton,glancing at the now vacant table. "I imagine they are shaking in theirshoes."
"They did not think that the juniors had taken a hand in things,"remarked Constance Fuller.
"Hardly," laughed Helen Burton. "Did you see their faces when they readthat note?"
"It's really too bad to frighten them so," said Leona Rowe.
"I don't agree with you, Leona," said Mabel Ashe firmly. Her charmingface had grown grave. "I think that Miss Wicks and Miss Hampton bothought to be sent home. If you will look back a little you will recollectthat these two girls were far from being a credit to their class duringtheir freshman year. I don't like to say unkind things about an Overtongirl, but those two young women were distinctly trying freshmen, and asfar as I can see haven't imbibed an iota of college spirit. Last night'strick, however, was completely overstepping the bounds. If Miss Briggshad been a timid, nervous girl, matters might have resulted quitedifferently. Then it would have been our duty to report the mischiefmakers. I am not sure that we are doing right in withholding what wenow
know from the faculty, but I am willing to give these girls thebenefit of the doubt and remain silent."
"That is my opinion of the matter, too," agreed Grace. "It is only amatter of a few days until we shall all have to say good-bye until fall.During vacation certain girls will have plenty of time to think thingsover, and then they may see matters in an entirely different light. Ishouldn't like to think that almost my last act before going home to mymother was to give some girl a dismissal from Overton to take home tohers."
A brief silence followed Grace's remark. The little speech about hermother had turned the thoughts of the girls homeward. Suddenly MabelAshe rose from her chair. "Here's to our mothers, girls. Let's dedicateour best efforts to them, and resolve never to lessen their pride in uswith failures."
Over the Tea and Cakes the Clouds Dispersed.]
When Elfreda, Miriam, Anne and Grace ran up the steps of Wayne Hall at alittle before ten o'clock they were laughing and talking so happily theyfailed to notice Virginia Gaines, who had been walking directly ahead ofthem. She had come from Stuart Hall, where, impatient to learn just whathad happened the night before, she had gone to see Mary and Alberta.Finding them out she managed to learn the news from the very girl whohad declared herself sorry for her part in the escapade. This particularsophomore, now that the reaction had set in, was loud in herdenunciation of the trick and congratulated Virginia on not being one ofthose intimately concerned in it.
But Virginia, now conscience-stricken, had little to say.
She still lingered in the hall as the quartette entered, but they passedher on their way upstairs without speaking and she finally went to herroom wishing, regretfully, that she had been less ready to quarrel withthe girls who bade fair to lead their class both in scholarship andpopularity. It was fully a week afterward when a thoroughly humbled andrepentant Virginia, after making sure that Anne was out, knocked oneafternoon at Grace's door.
"How do you do, Miss Gaines," said Grace civilly, but without warmth."Won't you come in?"
Virginia entered, but refused the chair Grace offered her. "No, thankyou, I'll stand," she replied. Then in a halting fashion she said: "MissHarlowe, I--am--awfully sorry for--for being so hateful all this year."She stopped, biting her lip, which quivered suspiciously.
Grace stared at her caller in amazement. Could it be possible thatinsolent Virginia Gaines was meekly apologizing to her. Then,thoughtful of the other girl's feelings, she smiled and stretched outher hand: "Don't say anything further about it, Miss Gaines. I hope weshall be friends. One can't have too many, you know, and college is thebest place in the world for us to find ourselves. Come in to-night andhave tea and cakes with us after lessons. That is the highest proof ofhospitality I can offer at present."
"I will," promised Virginia. Then impulsively she caught one of Grace'shands in hers. "You're the dearest girl," she said, "and I'll try to beworthy of your friendship. Please tell the girls I'm sorry. I'll tellthem myself to-night." With that she fairly ran from the room, and goingto her own shed tears of real contrition. Later, it took all Grace'sreasoning powers to put Elfreda in a state of mind that verged evenslightly on charitable, but after much coaxing she promised to behavewith becoming graciousness toward Virginia.
Over the tea and cakes the clouds gradually dispersed, and when Virginiawent to her room that night, after declaring that she had had aperfectly lovely time, Grace took from her writing case the note thatMiriam had found, and tore it into small pieces. She needed no evidenceagainst Virginia.