CHAPTER VIII
MARIAN ASSERTS HER INDEPENDENCE
There was not the slightest clue to the thief who had stolen the ironbox containing a little over five hundred dollars, for which the girlshad worked so hard, but the loss was made good by Judge Putnam who,though on the bench at the state capital at the time the robberyoccurred, had promptly sent Grace his check for the amount when Gracewrote him an account of it. For which generous act he became the idol ofOakdale High School.
"As for the thief," observed Mr. Harlowe, several mornings later at thebreakfast table, after Grace had opened the letter and joyfullyexhibited the check to her mother and father; "he'll have some troubleopening that box. It was the strongest box I have ever seen of the kind,made of iron reinforced with steel bands, with a combination lock thatwould baffle even your friend, Richards, Grace, who appeared to be apretty sharp crook."
"How will the thief get at the money, then, father?" asked Grace.
"I can't imagine," answered Mr. Harlowe. "If he tries to blow up the boxhe runs the chance of blowing up all the money at the same time, and Idon't believe there is an instrument made that would pry it open. Hecan't melt it and he can't knock a hole in it. Therefore, I don't justsee what he can do, unless he finds some way to work the combination."
"It would be the irony of fate if the thief couldn't spend the moneyafter all his trouble," observed Mrs. Harlowe.
"I hope he never, never can," cried Grace. "I hope he'll bruise all hisknuckles and break all his finger nails trying to open the box, andstill not make the slightest impression!"
"He certainly will if he tries to open the box with his finger nails andknuckles," replied her father, as he bestowed two kisses upon his wifeand daughter, respectively, and departed to his business.
"Who is to be custodian of the fund, Grace? Are you to have charge ofit?" asked Mrs. Harlowe.
"No, mother; Marian Barber was formally elected class treasurer lastyear. She likes to keep books and add up accounts and all those things.So I shall just turn the check over to her to put in the bank until wegive our next entertainment. Then, when we have about a thousanddollars, we'll give it all to Miss Thompson as our contribution towardrebuilding the gymnasium. I hear that the juniors are going to give adance, but I don't think they will make any large amount like this,because they will have to pay for music and refreshments."
Grace could not help feeling proud of the success of the bazaar now thatthe judge's check had arrived, although at first she had demurred aboutaccepting it. However, as the judge absolutely refused to take it back,it was therefore duly presented to Marian Barber, who, with a feeling ofextreme importance at handling so much money in her own name, depositedit in the Upton Bank, and was the recipient, for the first time in herlife, of a small, neat-looking check book. Later she showed it withgreat glee to the Phi Sigma Tau, who were drinking hot chocolate in theHarlowe's sitting room, the day after school began.
"I feel just like a millionaire," she exclaimed, "even though the moneyisn't mine. I'd just like to write one check to see how my name wouldlook signed at the bottom here."
"It does seem like a lot of money," observed Anne thoughtfully, "but I'mafraid the check book won't be of much use to you, Marian, as you willprobably draw it all out in a lump when the time comes to hand it overto Miss Thompson."
"Oh, I don't know," answered Marian, "we may have to give a few checksfor expenses and things, the next entertainment we get up, and then I'llhave an opportunity."
The girls laughed good-naturedly at Marian's evident eagerness to draw acheck.
"We'll certainly have to incur some kind of expense for the expresspurpose of allowing Marian to draw a check," said Nora. "By the way,Grace, which booth made the most money, outside the auction, of course?"
"Eleanor Savelli's," replied Grace promptly. "They made most of it onconfetti, too, although they sold quantities of flowers. They turned inseventy-five dollars."
"Eleanor certainly did work," observed Anne. "One feels as though onecould forgive her all her sins after the success she made of her booth.It is a shame that so much ability and cleverness is choked and crowdedout by wilfulness and temper."
"Did you hear about the quarrel that she and Edna Wright had, after sheattacked us?" asked Eva Allen.
"Yes," answered Grace. "I understand, too, that it has completely brokenup their sorority. They carried their part of the bazaar throughtogether and then Eleanor told Edna that she was practically done withher."
"You don't mean it! I hadn't heard that! Who told you so?" were theexclamations that followed this information.
"Daisy Culver told Ruth Deane, and Ruth told me," said Grace. "Ruth saysthat Edna feels dreadfully over it. She was really fond of Eleanor."
"Now I suppose that Miss Eleanor Vendetta de Savelli will be moreimpossible than ever," giggled Nora.
"Perhaps not," said Anne quietly. "I think it a very good thing thatEdna and Eleanor have separated, for Eleanor Savelli is a far bettergirl at heart than Edna Wright. Eleanor is better off without her."
"I believe you are right, Anne," said Grace with conviction. "AlthoughEleanor's reformation is not for us. We've had experience."
"'Never too late to mend,'" quoted Jessica.
"True," retorted Nora, "but for my part I think the Phi Sigma Tau havedone their share toward the mending process."
"Marian Barber!" exclaimed Grace. "Where in the world did you unearththat man you introduced us to, at the bazaar?"
"Yes, I should say so," echoed Nora. "I didn't like him one bit."
A flush overspread Marian Barber's plain face. She frowned, then saidvery stiffly:
"Really, girls, I can't see why any one should dislike Mr. Hammond. Ithink he is a remarkably nice young man. Father and mother like him,too. He has called to see me twice since the bazaar, and I am going tothe theatre with him to-morrow night. I like him very much better thanany of these silly Oakdale schoolboys," she added a trifle maliciously.
The girls listened, thunderstruck. Was this good-natured, easy goingMarian Barber who had spoken? To their knowledge Marian had never beforereceived attentions from even "silly schoolboys." She was well likedamong girls, but had always fought shy of young men.
"Forgive me, Marian," cried Nora impulsively. "I didn't dream that youwere interested in Mr. Hammond."
"I am not half as much interested in him as he is interested in me,"retorted Marian, bridling. "He prefers me to any Oakdale girl he hasmet."
The girls exchanged astonished glances at Marian's complacent statement.
"Where did you first meet him, Marian?" asked Anne gently.
"At the bazaar," replied Marian promptly.
"Who introduced him to you?" asked Grace curiously.
Marian hesitated a moment, then burst forth defiantly. "I suppose yougirls will think it perfectly dreadful when I tell you that heintroduced himself. He came up and asked me to tell him about some ofthe features of the bazaar. I did, then he went away, and after a whilehe came back and talked to me a long time. He is in the real estatebusiness, and is going to have an office here in Oakdale. He was verymuch interested in the things I said to him, and when I told him aboutour Phi Sigma Tau he asked to be introduced to you girls. I neversupposed you'd take such a dislike to him. I think he is perfectlysplendid," she added with emphasis.
"Well, I don't agree with you," said hot-headed Nora. "And I don't thinkyou should have noticed him, beyond being merely civil, without anintroduction. Do you, Grace?"
"I don't know," said Grace slowly. "That is a question that no one saveMarian can settle. I don't wish to seem hateful, Marian, but to tell youthe truth, I wasn't favorably impressed with Mr. Hammond. Besides, he isever so much older than you are. He must be at least twenty-five yearsold."
"He is twenty-nine," replied Marian coldly. "And I am glad that he isn'tas young and foolish as most of the boys I have met."
"Does your mother know how you happened to meet him?" asked Jessicaunthinkingly.
But this was a little too much. Marian rose to her feet, her voicechoking with anger. "I don't blame Eleanor Savelli for calling youbusy-bodies," she said. "And I shall be infinitely obliged to you if youwill in future look to your own affairs and stop criticizing me."
With these words she rushed from the room, seized her wraps and was outon the street before any of the remaining girls had fully comprehendedwhat had happened.