CHAPTER V
THE PHI SIGMA TAU
At the door a halt was called.
"Prepare to jump," commanded Grace in a deep voice. "One, two, three!Jump down! Be careful!"
The four candidates gave four uncertain jumps and experienced thedisagreeable sensation usually felt in attempting to jump downward whenon level ground. This was one of the oldest and mildest forms ofinitiation, but Nora had insisted upon it, and giggled violently as thefour girls prepared for a long leap. Even Grace, who was conducting theceremony with the utmost seriousness, laughed a little at the picturethey made.
"They'll do anything you tell them," whispered Nora. Which was perfectlytrue. To show fear or reluctance in obeying the demands made upon one,was to prove one's self unworthy of membership in the Phi Sigma Tau.
"Let the music begin," said Grace.
There was a faint snicker as Anne, Nora and Jessica raised three combs,wrapped in tissue paper, to their lips and began the "Merry Widow"waltz, with weird effect.
"You must waltz around the room fifteen times without stopping,"continued Grace, "and then sit down in the four opposite corners of theroom, on the cushions provided for you."
The girl chums retreated to the doorway of the room, that had previouslybeen cleared of almost all the furniture, to watch the movements oftheir victims as they endeavored to circle the room the required numberof times. They lost their count, bumped each other at every turn, andat last staggered dizzily toward what they thought were the corners ofthe room. Miriam Nesbit made straight for the door in which the chumsstood, and Grace was obliged to take her by the shoulders and gentlysteer her in the opposite direction. Eleanor, after groping along oneside of the room for a corner, was the first to find one, and sank witha sigh of relief upon the pile of cushions. The other girls had not beenso successful. They all endeavored to sit in the same corner at once, andGrace was obliged to go to the rescue, and lead two of them to oppositesides of the initiation chamber.
"In order to become successful members of this society, it is necessaryfor you to sing. You may all sing the first verse and the chorus of anysong you know, only be sure that you don't choose the same song, and don'tstop until you have finished," directed Grace. "Begin after I have countedthree. I will wait for a minute while you choose your song. The orchestrawill accompany you."
There was considerable subdued laughter from the orchestra, who had beeninstructed to play "The Star Spangled Banner," oblivious of whatever thecandidates might sing.
"One, two, three!" counted Grace, and the concert began.
Eva Allen chose "John Brown's Body." Miriam Nesbit, "Old Kentucky Home."Marian Barber, "Schooldays," while Eleanor contributed "The Marseillaise"in French. The orchestra dutifully burst forth with "The Star SpangledBanner," and the effect was indescribable.
The orchestra broke down before they reached their chorus, and theaccompaniment ended in a shriek of suppressed mirth, but the candidateswent stolidly on without a smile and finished almost together.
"Very well done," commended Grace. "I see you will be valuable additionsto the society."
The girls were then put through a series of ridiculous tests that thefour chums had devised. They were made to dip their hands in watercharged with electricity, caress a mechanical rubber snake that wriggledrealistically, drink a cup of boneset tea apiece, and were directedfinally to bare their arms for the branding of the letters of thesociety.
The branding was done with a piece of ice, pressed hard against theirbare arms, and the shock made the victims gasp for a second and wonderif they really were being burned.
"You will now hold up your right hands and repeat after me," said Grace,"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute my duties as amember of the Phi Sigma Tau, and will, to the best of my ability,preserve, protect and defend its laws."
This done, the girls received the grip of the society, the handkerchiefswere removed from their eyes and they were pronounced full-fledgedmembers.
"That oath has a rather familiar sound," remarked Miriam Nesbit, tryingto recollect where she had heard it before.
"I know," she said at last. "It's the oath of office taken by thePresident of the United States at inauguration, only you changed it tosuit this sorority."
"You've guessed it exactly," replied Grace. "I chose it because itsounded so much more expressive than to say, 'May my bones be crushedand my heart cut out if ever I am unfaithful to my vows.'"
There was a general laugh at this, the girls agreeing that Grace'schoice was infinitely less blood-thirsty.
"Now that you have so bravely endured the trials of initiation, youshall receive your reward," declared Jessica. "Follow me."
She led the way to the dining room, where a bountiful lunch awaitedthem, to which, after the manner of hungry school girls, they did fulljustice.
"By the way," said Grace, after they had returned to the sitting roomand were comfortably settled, "you never said one word about my freshmanprize girl. I thought you would be awfully interested in her. For thebenefit of the new members, I will say that this society was organizedwith a definite object, that of helping others. We are to look aftergirls who have no one to make things pleasant or happy for them. Why, doyou know that there are quite a number of girls attending High Schoolwho come from other places, and who have to spend the holidays at theirboarding houses without any fun at all? Look at this poor, littleAllison girl. She works for her board in the winter, and in the mill inthe summer, and now that miserable Miss Brant is going to take her outof school, and she is getting along so well, too."
"Isn't it a pity," said Anne, "that people like her can't understandthat if a girl were allowed to finish her education, she could earn somuch more in the long run than she could by working year after year in amill?"
"We might go to Miss Brant and explain that to her," said Nora. "Perhapsshe would listen to us."
"I don't believe so," replied Grace. "Besides, she might be very angryand take her spite out on poor Mabel. If we could only get Mabel awayfrom her. But if she has legally adopted her we couldn't do anything.Besides, where would she go if we did get her away?"
"I'll tell you what I'll do," said Jessica thoughtfully. "I'll ask papaabout it. Lawyers always know everything about such things. Maybe hecould find out if Miss Brant has any real claim upon her."
"That's a good idea," said Miriam Nesbit. "If we can get her away fromthat hateful old wretch, the sorority could adopt her. She could staywith each one of us for a month. That would be eight months, and at theend of that time she would have finished her sophomore year. Then shecould get something pleasant to do through the summer vacation. Thatwould give her some money for clothes for next year. Perhaps by thattime we could find some nice people for her to stay with, or if weliked her well enough, we could go on having her with us. I'll ask mymother to-morrow, and you girls might do the same."
"Miriam Nesbit, what a perfectly lovely plan!" exclaimed Grace Harlowewith rapture. "I feel sure mother would let me have her."
"She can come here any time," said Jessica. "Papa allows me to do asI like."
"'First catch your bird,'" said Nora wisely. "Don't plan too much, untilyou find out whether you can snatch her from the dragon's claws."
"I feel sure we shall win," replied Grace confidently. "What do yougirls think of it?" she asked, turning to Eva, Marian and Eleanor, whohad so far expressed no opinion.
"Count us in," said Eva and Marian in a breath.
"And you, Eleanor?" asked Grace.
"She can live at our house forever, if she doesn't disturb me," repliedEleanor lazily. "My aunt won't care, either. When we lived in Spain sheused to help every beggar we came across, and Spain is a land ofbeggars. She never can resist an appeal for charity."
There was a sudden silence. Then Grace said gently, although she feltirritated at Eleanor's careless speech: "I don't think Mabel Allisoncould really be called a beggar; and if we adopt her, we ought never tolet her think that we consider her a dep
endent. Of course we know verylittle about her yet, but I think she will prove worthy. I am to see herto-morrow, and perhaps it would be better to talk a little more with herbefore we tell Jessica's father about it."
Eleanor looked at Grace with an amused smile.
"How serious you girls are," she said. "Is it school that makes you so?If it is, I don't think I shall stay long. I like to drift along and doonly what my inclination prompts me to do. I hate responsibility of anysort."
"Perhaps you will feel differently about school after a while," saidAnne quietly. "This is my third year in Oakdale High School, and I neverhad any good times until I came here. As for responsibility, it is agood thing to learn to be responsible for one's self, if for no oneelse."
"Well, perhaps you are right, but I am sure that if you had never livedlong enough in one country to become acclimated, you wouldn't feel veryresponsible, either," said Eleanor in such rueful tones that the girlslaughed, although they secretly disapproved of Eleanor's inconsequentialattitude.
"Did you think the examinations hard?" asked Jessica of Eleanor.
"Oh, no," replied Eleanor lightly. "I had an English governess who waswith us for five years. She drilled me thoroughly in English andmathematics. I loathed them both, but studied them merely to show herthat I could master them. Miss Thompson said my work was good, and thatif I were ambitious she would put me in the senior class, but I held outfor the juniors and finally got my own way. If you are going to takesuch a serious view of this gay world, however, perhaps I'll wishI had joined the seniors, after all. No, I don't mean that. I'm awfullyglad to know you, and feel honored at being a member of your sorority.Only I don't expect to ever be a very useful one. My aunt has spoiledme, and I frankly admit it. So, you see, there is no hope for me." Shespread out both hands in a deprecating manner and shrugged her shouldersexactly as a French woman might have done.
"I am sure we like you, just as you are," said Eva Allen warmly. She hadbeen rather impressed with Eleanor.
"Do you see the time?" said Nora, suddenly pointing to the old-fashionedclock in the corner. "Half past ten! I must go this minute. Sister willbe worried."
She immediately made for her hat and coat, the others following suit,with the exception of Eleanor, who was to wait until the coachman camefor her.
Once the girls were outside the gate, Marian Barber broke out with:"What a queer girl that Eleanor Savell is. She is beautiful andfascinating, but I don't know whether I like her or not."
"You must like her," said Grace. "You know the members of this societymust stand by each other."
"But why did you ask her to join, Grace?" persisted Marian. "She isdifferent from the rest of us. I don't believe we shall get along withher very well."
"I'll tell you girls a secret," replied Grace. "Anne and Nora alreadyknow it. Mrs. Gray wants us to be nice to Eleanor for a number ofreasons, and, of course, we wish to please her. Anne, Jessica, Nora andI were talking about it the other day, and while we were laying plansfor this sorority, we decided to ask Eleanor to join. We thought wecould learn to know her better, and she would eventually become a goodcomrade."
"It sounds ridiculous to talk about helping a clever girl like Eleanor,but from her conversation to-night you can see that she needs somewholesome advice occasionally," said Nora bluntly. "Mrs. Gray seems tothink we can be of some use in that direction, so we are trying to carryout her theory."
"I think I understand the situation," said Miriam Nesbit, "and will doall I can to be nice to her, if she doesn't attempt to patronize me.I couldn't stand that. I know I used to do it. I suppose that's why itseems so unendurable to me now."
"David Nesbit didn't disturb us, after all," remarked Eva Allen. "It's awonder those boys didn't put tick-tacks on the windows or do somethinglike that."
The girls had come to the turn of the street, and were about to pass theonly really lonely spot during their walk. It was an old colonialresidence, the surrounding grounds extending for a block. It had beenuntenanted for some time, as the owners were in Europe, although bothhouse and grounds were looked after by a care-taker. On the other sideof the street was a field where the small fry of Oakdale usually heldtheir ball games.
"I always hate passing this old house," said Marian Barber. "It is soterribly still back there among those pines. I don't----"
She stopped short, an expression of terror overspreading hergood-natured face, as she mutely pointed toward the old house. Threeghostly figures swathed in white stole out from the shadow of the pinesand glided down the wide, graveled drive toward the gate. Theirappearance was terrifying. Their faces were white as their robes, andblue flames played about their eyes. They carried out in everyparticular the description of the regulation churchyard ghost.
For an instant the six girls stood still, regarding those strangeapparitions with fascinated terror. Then Eva Allen and Marian Barbershrieked in unison and fled down the street as fast as their legs wouldcarry them. Grace, Nora, Anne and Miriam stood their ground and awaitedthe oncoming spectres, who halted when they saw that the girls did notintend to run.
"High School boys, on a lark," whispered Grace to her friends. "Let'scharge them in a body."
With a bound she reached the drive, closely followed by the other girls.The ghostly three evidently considering discretion the better part ofvalor, left the drive and took to their heels across the lawn. ButGrace, who was well in the lead, caught the last fleeing ghost by itsrobe and held on for dear life. There was a sound of rending cloth asthe apparition bounded forward, then it caught its spectre toe on atuft of long grass and fell forward with a decidedly human thud.
The girls surrounded it in an instant. Before it had time to rise, Gracesnatched off a white mask smeared around the eye-holes with phosphorus,which explained the flamelike effect, and disclosed the sheepish face ofJames Gardiner, one of the sophomore class.
"Oh, let a fellow up, will you?" he said, with a sickly grin.
"You bad boy!" exclaimed Grace. "What do you mean by dressing up likethis? Don't you know you might frighten some timid person terribly?"
"Initiation," said the youth, with a grin, rising on his elbow andlooking as though he would like to make a sudden break for liberty."Part of the sacred obligations of the 'Knights and Squires' frat. Threefellows of us were initiated to-night. This was the last stunt."
"Well, I suppose under those circumstances we shall have to forgive you.Did you appear to any one else?" asked Grace.
"Only to that old crank Miss Brant. She was scared out of her wits,"replied James, laughing. "Two of your crowd got out in a hurry, too,didn't they?"
"I suppose I shall have to confess that they did," replied Grace. "IfI were you, James, I'd take off that costume and hurry away. Miss Brantis liable to inform the police, and they might not look at initiationstunts as we do."
"That's right," said James, looking a trifle alarmed. "Wonder where thefellows went. I'd better put them on. We never thought of that. If yougirls will excuse me, I'll hunt them up."
"Certainly," said the girls. "Good night, James."
"Good night," replied the youth. "You girls are all right. Can't scareyou." With a nod to them he started across the grass on the run, hisghostly garments trailing behind him.
"I'm glad that wasn't David," said Anne as James disappeared. "I wasafraid when first I saw them that they might be our boys. I didn't feelfrightened at all, after what Grace had said about meeting David."
"Eva and Marian didn't show any great amount of courage," said Nora,laughing. "I wonder if they ran all the way home."
"There they are ahead of us," said Anne.
True enough, the two girls stood on the corner waiting for the others tocome up.
"Why don't you hurry on home?" called Nora. "'The goblins will git you,ef you don't watch out.'"
"Don't tease," said Marian Barber, looking rather foolish. "We areawfully sorry we ran away, but when I saw those awful white figurescoming toward us, I just had to run and so did Eva. Who on eart
h werethey, and where did they go?"
In a few words Grace told her what had happened.
"That horrid James Gardiner. I'll never speak to him again," cried EvaAllen. "I hope he didn't recognize us. He'll tell every one in schoolabout it."
"I don't think he did," replied Grace. "Oh, look, girls! Here comesOfficer Donavan! I was right when I said that Miss Brant would notifythe police."
"I hope she got a good scare," remarked Nora wickedly. "As for theghosts, they are very likely at home by this time."