CHAPTER II
WHAT THE DAY BROUGHT FORTH
For a second the three girls fairly gasped at Jessica's discovery. Gracewas the first to speak.
"You have hit the nail on the head, Jessica. That's why her face seemedso familiar. The resemblance is striking."
The four girls glanced from one to another, the same thought in mind.Perhaps the mystery of Mabel Allison's parentage was to be solved atlast.
Those who have read "Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at HighSchool" will recall how the Phi Sigma Tau became interested inMabel Allison, a young girl taken from an orphanage by Miss Brant, awoman devoid of either gentleness or sympathy, who treated her youngcharge with great cruelty.
It will be remembered that through the efforts of Grace and Jessica,aided by Jessica's father, Miss Brant was forced to give Mabel up, andshe became a member of the Bright household, and the especial protegeeof the Phi Sigma Tau.
Grace and her friends had always believed Mabel to be a child of goodfamily. She had been picked up in the streets of New York when a baby,and taken to the police station, where she had been held for some time,but on remaining unclaimed, had been sent to an orphanage outside NewYork City, where she had spent her life until she had been brought toOakdale by Miss Brant.
Although Mabel had been in the Bright household but a few months,Jessica, who was motherless, had become deeply attached to her, whileJessica's father was equally fond of the young girl.
She had spent her vacation with the Phi Sigma Tau, who were the guestsof Judge Putnam, a prominent Oakdale citizen, and his sister at theircamp in the Adirondacks. The judge had conceived a great affection forher, and on hearing her story had offered to adopt her.
This proved a cross to Jessica, who was torn between her desire to keepMabel with her, and the feeling that the opportunity was too great forMabel to refuse. Mabel had left the decision to Jessica, and the judgewas still awaiting his answer.
"I might have known something would happen to take her away," almostwailed Jessica. "First, the judge, and now--"
"Don't be a goose, Jessica," said Nora stoutly, "and don't jump at theconclusion that this strange woman is a relative of Mabel's. There arelots of chance resemblances."
"Of course there are," consoled Grace. "When we go to the hospitalto-morrow we'll find no doubt that our stranger is named 'Smith' or'Brown' or anything except 'Allison.'"
"Don't worry, dear," said Anne, slipping her hand into Jessica's. "Noone will take your one chicken from you."
"I don't know about that," responded Jessica gloomily. "I feel in mybones that something terrible is going to happen. I suppose you girlsthink me foolish about Mabel, but I've no mother or sister, and you knowyourselves what a dear Mabel is."
"Forget it," advised Nora wisely. "We've had enough to harrow our youngfeelings to-day. Let's go and drown our sorrows in sundaes. I'll treatuntil my money gives out, and then the rest of you can take up the goodwork."
"Who will go to the hospital with me to-morrow!" asked Grace when theywere seated around a table at Stillman's.
"Let me see. To-morrow is Sunday," said Jessica. "I'm afraid I can't go.Papa is going to take Mabel and me for a drive."
"I'll go with, you," volunteered Nora.
"And I," said Anne.
"Good girls," commended Grace. "Meet me here at three o'clock. I amfairly sure that visitors are allowed on Sunday, but if I am mistaken wecan at least go to the office and inquire for our stranger."
The three girls met in front of Stillman's at exactly three o'clock thefollowing afternoon, and set out for the hospital.
"Visitors are allowed on Sunday from three until five," remarked Graceas they strolled down Main Street. "I telephoned last night to thehospital. Our stranger is not seriously hurt. She is badly shaken up,and awfully nervous. If she feels more calm to-day we may be allowed tosee her."
"What is her name?" asked Anne.
Grace looked blank, then exclaimed: "Why, girls, how stupid of me! Iforgot to ask. I was so interested in hearing about her condition that Inever thought of that."
"Well, our curiosity will soon be satisfied in that respect," said Nora,"for here we are at the hospital."
"We should like to see the woman who was thrown from the automobileyesterday afternoon," said Grace to the matron. "Is she able to receivevisitors?"
"Oh, yes," replied the matron. "She is sitting in a wheeled chair on thesecond-story veranda. Miss Elton," she called to a nurse who had justentered, "take these young women up to the veranda, they wish to see thepatient who has 47."
"What is her--" began Grace. But at that moment a nurse hurried in witha communication for the matron. Grace waited a moment, bent on repeatingher question, but the nurse said rather impatiently, "This way, please,"and the opportunity was lost.
The three girls began to feel a trifle diffident as they approached thestranger who was seated in a wheeled chair in a corner of the veranda.
"Visitors to see you, madam," said the nurse curtly, halting before thepatient. "Be careful not to over-exert yourself," and was gone.
The woman in the chair turned quickly at the nurse's words, her eyesresting upon the three girls.
Grace felt a queer little shiver creep up and down her spine. Theresemblance between the stranger and Mabel Allison was even moreremarkable to-day.
"How do you do, my dears," said the woman with a sweet smile, extendingher hand in turn to the three girls. "Under the circumstances I am sureyou will pardon me for not rising."
Her voice was clear and well modulated.
"Please don't think of it," cried Grace. "We saw the accident yesterday.We were afraid you were seriously injured, and we couldn't resist comingto see you. I am Grace Harlowe, and these are my friends Nora O'Malleyand Anne Pierson."
"I am very pleased to know you," responded the stranger. "It is so sweetto know that you thought of me."
"Miss Harlowe was the first to reach you, after your accident," saidAnne, knowing that Grace herself would avoid mentioning it. "She heldyour head in her lap until the doctor came."
"Then I am deeply indebted to you," returned the patient, again takingGrace's hand in hers, "and I hope to know you better. I dearly loveyoung girls."
She motioned them to a broad settee near her chair.
"There!" she exclaimed. "Now I can look at all of you at the same time.I am far more able to appreciate you to-day than I was at this timeyesterday. It was all so dreadful," she shuddered slightly, thencontinued.
"I have never before been in an accident. I had been spending a weekwith some friends of mine who have a place a few miles from here called'Hawk's Nest.' Perhaps you know of it?"
The three girls exchanged glances. "Hawk's Nest" was one of the finestestates in that part of the state, and the Gibsons who owned it hadunlimited wealth.
"I was summoned to New York on business and had barely time to make mytrain. Mrs. Gibson's chauffeur had been running the car at a high rateof speed, and just as we reached the little incline above the station,the machine skidded, and we crashed into that tree. I felt a frightfuljar that seemed to loosen every bone in my body, and remembered nothingfurther until I came back to earth again, here in the hospital."
"You opened your eyes, once, before the ambulance came," said Grace.
"Did I!" smiled the stranger. "I do not remember it. But, really, I amvery rude! I have not told you my name."
"It's coming," thought Grace, unconsciously bracing herself. Nora andAnne had also straightened up, their eyes fastened on the speaker.
"My name is Allison," said the woman, wholly unaware of the bombshellshe had exploded. "I am a widow and quite alone in the world. My husbanddied a number of years ago."
"I knew it, I knew it," muttered Grace.
"What did you say, my dear?" asked Mrs. Allison.
But Grace was silent. The woman was too nervous as yet to hear the news.Perhaps after all the name was a mere coincidence.
Anne, understanding Grace's silence, hur
riedly took up the conversation.
"Are you familiar with this part of the country?" she asked.
"I have not been here for a number of years," replied Mrs. Allison,"although my friends, the Gibsons, have sent me repeated invitations.Mrs. Gibson and I went through Vassar together."
"We expect to go to college next year," said Grace. "We are seniors inOakdale High School."
"The years a young girl spends in college are usually the happiest ofher whole life," said Mrs. Allison, with a sigh. "Everything is rosecolored. She forms high ideals that help to sweeten life for her longafter her college career is over. The friendships she forms are usuallyworth while, too. Mrs. Gibson and I have kept track of one another evensince graduation. We have shared our joys and sorrows, and in my darkesthours her loyal friendship and ready sympathy have been a heaven-sentblessing to me."
"We three girls are sworn friends," said Grace, "and we have anotherchum, too. She was very sorry that she could not come to-day. She willbe glad to know that you are so much better. Her name is Jessica Bright.She was with us at the station yesterday."
"I should like to meet her," said Mrs. Allison, "and I thank her for herinterest in me. I really feel as though I had known you three girls fora long time. I wish you would tell me more of yourselves and your schoollife."
"There isn't much to tell," laughed Grace. "The life of a school-girl isnot crowded with many stirring events."
"You have no idea of how much has happened to Grace, Mrs. Allison, sincewe began High School," interposed Nora. "She never will talk about thesplendid things she has done for other people. She is the president ofher class, the captain of the senior basketball team, too, and the mostpopular girl in Oakdale High School."
"I refuse to plead guilty to the last statement!" exclaimed Grace."Believe me, Mrs. Allison, there are a dozen girls in High School whoare far more popular than I."
"There is only one Grace Harlowe," said Anne, with conviction.
"It is a case of two against one, Miss Grace," laughed Mrs. Allison. "Iinsist upon hearing about some of your good works."
"It's really time for us to go, girls," said Grace, laughing a little.She rose and held out her hand to the older woman.
"You are very cruel," smiled Mrs. Allison. "You arouse my curiosity andthen refuse to satisfy it. But you cannot escape so easily. You mustcome to see me again before I leave here. I shall not try to return tothe Gibsons before Wednesday. I expect Mr. Gibson here to-morrow and hewill attend to my New York business for me. If I had accepted his offerin the first place, I might have spared myself this accident. However, Iam glad, now. It has brought me charming friends. For I feel that weshall become friends," she added, stretching out both hands. "When willyou come again?"
"On Tuesday afternoon after school," replied Grace promptly. "And wewill bring Miss Bright, too, unless she and Mabel have some otherengagement."
There was purpose in Grace's last remark. She wished to see if the name"Mabel" made any impression upon her listener, and therefore kept hereyes fixed upon Mrs. Allison.
As Grace carelessly mentioned the name she saw an expression of painflit across Mrs. Allison's fine face.
"I shall be glad to see Miss Bright," she said quietly. "Is the 'Mabel'you speak of her sister?"
"No," replied Grace hastily, "she is a girl friend. May we bring herwith us?"
"Do so by all means," rejoined Mrs. Allison. "She bears the name I lovebest in all the world." An expression of deep sadness crept into herface as she uttered these words, and she looked past her callers withunseeing eyes. "Good-bye, Mrs. Allison," said Grace, and the older womanroused herself with a start.
"Good-bye, my dears," she responded. "Be sure to come to me on Tuesday."
"We'll be here," chorused the three girls. "Take good care of yourself."
Not a word was spoken until they reached the street.
"Well!" exclaimed Grace. "What do you think of the whole thing?"
"I think there are several people due to get a shock," said Noraemphatically.
"I am sorry for Jessica," said Anne. "It will be very hard for her togive Mabel up."
"Then you think--" said Grace, looking at Anne.
"I am reasonably sure," replied Anne quietly, "from what I have heardand seen to-day that Mabel is no longer motherless."