CHAPTER XX.
MISS STEEL.
With the wonderful powers of recuperation which natures like Molly'shave, on Sunday morning she was up and dressed, almost dancing about herroom in the infirmary, long before it was time for Dr. McLean to calland grant her permission to leave.
It was good to be up and well again; it was good to be at college, forshe had been homesick for Wellington since she had been shut up in thehospital, and better still, it was good to have friends, such friends asshe had.
As for the emerald ring--a shadow darkened her face. The thought of theemerald ring would push its way into her mind.
"I believe it will come out all right," she said to herself. "I believeit--I believe it! I couldn't help losing it, and if it isn't found, Ican't help that, either. I just won't be miserable, that's all. I feeltoo happy and too well."
"Are you at home to visitors this morning, Miss Brown?" asked a sharpunmusical voice at the door.
"Oh, yes; do come in," answered Molly, rising to meet Miss Steel, whohad walked up the uncarpeted steps and along the echoing corridorwithout making a sound, as usual.
Molly's manners were unfailingly cordial to visitors, and when she shookhands with Miss Steel and insisted on making her take the armchair, thatflint-like person visibly softened a little and faintly smiled. Mollywondered why the sanitary inspector had called on her, but sheappreciated attentions from anybody and was as grateful for beingpopular as if it were something entirely new and strange to her.
She showed Miss Steel her flowers and pinned a lovely pink rose on theinspector's granite-colored cloth coat. She made light of her illness,and rejoiced that she was returning in a few hours to dear old Queen's.She was, in fact, so wonderfully sweet and charming that Sunday morningthat it must have been very difficult even for the stony inspector totouch on the real business of her visit.
At last, however, Miss Steel buckled on her armor of decision, avertedher eyes for a moment from Molly's glowing face and plunged in.
"I don't suppose, Miss Brown, you suspected my title of 'DormitoryInspector' here was merely a nominal one, and that I had another motivein being at Wellington College?"
Molly hardly liked to tell her that they had long considered her a spyand detested her for that reason. She said nothing, therefore, and satin her favorite position when listening intently with her hands claspingone knee and her shoulders drooping; a very wrong position indeed,considering that it would eventually make her round-shouldered andhollow chested; but Molly was never more graceful or comfortable thanwhen she adopted this unhealthful attitude.
"I am an inspector," went on the other, "but I am an inspector ofpolice, that is, a detective. Doubtless you have heard of certainmysterious things that have happened at Wellington this autumn; theattempt to burn the gymnasium, which we now believe was only a practicaljoke to frighten the sophomore class; the cutting of the electricwires one night, and there are a few other things you have not heard;for instance, Miss Walker has received lately several anonymousletters--two of them about you----"
Molly started.
"About me?" she exclaimed.
"Yes," said Miss Steel, watching her closely. "But they were notdisagreeable letters, strange to say, since anonymous letters usuallyare. They expressed the most ardent admiration for you. They mentionedthat you had enemies who were trying to ruin your reputation."
"How absurd!" exclaimed Molly indignantly. She detested anythingdeceitful and underhand with all her soul. "When did these letterscome?"
"Just since you have been at the Infirmary."
"They must be about the emerald ring," broke in Molly.
"Exactly," answered the inspector. "You have lost a valuable emeraldring belonging to another girl who is making it disagreeable for you."
"But I didn't want to take care of her ring," protested Molly. "Sheinsisted on it. It was too big for my finger, and when I fainted itmust have slipped off. I've done everything I could to find it, but sheneedn't worry. She'll be paid for it, if two acres of good apple orchardthat were to have paid my college expenses have to go."
"Nonsense, child!" exclaimed Miss Steel, suddenly melting into a humanbeing. "I'm going to find that ring for you if it takes the rest of thiswinter."
Molly seized her hand joyfully. By one of those swift flashes of insightwhich come to us when we least expect them, it was revealed to Mollythat she had made a friend of the inspector.
"I have been here almost a month," continued Miss Steel, giving thegirl's hand a little vicelike squeeze, which was her way of expressingcordiality, "and I have found out a great many things. A girls' collegeis a strange place. There is a good deal of wire-pulling and pettyjealousy among a certain class of girls, and yet I have reason to knowthat the code of honor here is exceedingly high, and I find myselfgrowing more and more interested in the girls and their lives. Nowherebut in college could such devoted friendships be formed. They areelevating and fine, especially for selfish girls, who learn how to beunselfish by example. The girls develop each other. Your G. F. Society,for instance, has had a remarkably refining and, shall I say, quietingeffect on Miss Andrews----"
Molly started. She was amazed at the inspector's insight into thecollege life.
"Which brings me to the point I have been aiming to reach. Since I havebeen here I have taken pains to learn the history of Miss Andrews aswell as to study her character. She is a strange girl. Doubtless youknow the incident of last year?"
Molly shook her head.
"To begin at the beginning: Miss Andrews' parents were rather strangepeople. Her father is a city politician who never made any secret of hisgrafting methods. Her mother was an actress and is dead. Frances hadn'tbeen brought up to any code of honor. She had been allowed to do as shechose, and had all the money she wanted to spend. If she is vulgar andpretentious, it isn't really her fault. Last year she offended her classby telling a falsehood. She was under honor, according to the customhere when a student leaves the premises, to be back from some visit byten o'clock Sunday night. She missed the ten o'clock train and took thetrain which arrived at midnight. However, as luck would have it, theten o'clock train was delayed by a washout and drew into Wellingtonstation just in front of the train Frances was on. She, of course, foundthis out immediately, and taking advantage of it, she gave out that shehad been on the earlier train, which saved all unnecessary explanations.It must have been a great temptation for a girl brought up as she hadbeen. But truth always comes to the top, sooner or later, and as thePresident of her own class happened to have been on the earlier train,she was found out. She was summoned by the Student Council, tried andfound guilty. Then she was treated, I imagine, something in the same waythat a French soldier is expelled from the army. Figuratively speaking,her sword was broken and her epaulettes torn from her uniform!"
"How terrible!" exclaimed Molly.
"Yes; it was pretty severe. But she was very defiant, and said dreadfulthings, denounced her class and college. Few girls would have had thecourage to return to college next year, but she came back, hoping tolive her dishonor down, and when she found her class to a member ignoredher very existence, she became almost insane with bitterness and rage,and having studied her character closely, I judge that for a while,until your secret society took her in hand, she was hardly responsiblefor her actions.
"Now, Miss Walker is very sorry for Frances Andrews; but she considersher a dangerous element in college, and at mid-years she would like somedefinite reason for asking her not to come back. I am speaking plainly,because Miss Walker is convinced that you know a definite reason andthrough some mistaken idea of kindness, you keep it to yourself. Infact, Miss Brown, Miss Walker is convinced that you and you alone sawFrances Andrews cut the wires in the gymnasium that night."
"But I didn't," cried Molly, much excited; "or, rather, it wasn't MissAndrews."
Miss Steel looked at her in surprise, so sure was she that Molly wouldconfirm her suspicions.
Molly sat down again and clasped h
er knees with her long arms. Hercheeks were crimson and her eyes blazing.
"Who was it, then?" asked the inspector.
"I can't tell you that, Miss Steel. If I should give you the girl's nameI should be dishonored all my life. I have been brought up to believethat the one who tells is as low as the one who did the deed. When wewere children, my mother would never listen to a telltale. I do think itwas a wicked, mischievous thing to have done--a contemptible thing; butI'd rather you found out the name of the girl in some other way thanthrough me, especially right now----"
"Why right now?"
But Molly would not reply.
Miss Steel could see nothing but truth in the depths of Molly's troubledblue eyes. She took the girl's hand in her's and looked at her gravely.
"You are a fine girl, Miss Brown," she said, "and if you tell methat the girl who cut the wires was not Miss Andrews, I believe youimplicitly. Of course, Miss Walker would never tell Miss Andrews not toreturn to Wellington without something very definite and tangible onwhich to base her dismissal. Luke Andrews, the girl's father, is ashot-headed and high tempered as his daughter, and he would probably makea great deal of trouble and cause a great deal of publicity if Franceswere asked to leave college quietly."
"I'm sorry for her," said Molly. "I think she might have been helped ifshe had had just a little more time. After all, the worse thing abouther is her bringing up."
"And this other girl whom you are shielding, Miss Brown, does shedeserve so much generosity from you?"
Molly closed her lips firmly.
"That isn't the question with me, Miss Steel," she said at last. "Thequestion is: could I ever show my face again if I told."
"But no one need ever know, that is, no one but the President and me."
"You don't understand," said Molly wearily. "It's with me, you see. Icould never be on comfortable terms with myself again. I should alwaysbe thinking that I hadn't behaved--well, like a gentleman."
Then the inspector did a most surprising thing. She went over and kissedMolly.
"I wouldn't for worlds keep you from being true to yourself, my child,"she exclaimed. "It's a rare quality, and one which will make you devotedfriends all your life, because people will always know they can trustyou."
Molly looked at the inspector, and lo and behold, a strangetransformation had taken place in that inscrutable, expressionless face.The cold gray eyes were softened by a mist of tears and the thin lipswere actually quivering. She looked almost beautiful at that moment, andMolly suddenly put her arms around her neck and laid her head on theflat, hard chest.
"You'll forgive me, won't you, Miss Steel?"
"I will, indeed, dear," answered the other, patting Molly's cheek. "Andnow, don't bother about all this business. Get well and strong. Don'toverwork, and I promise to find that ring for you if I have to turn thecollege upside down to do it."
Then she gave Molly a warm, motherly squeeze, kissed her on the foreheadand took her departure as quietly as she had come.