CHAPTER VIII
ON THE ROAD
"Ugh!" shivered Nan the next morning when she came into the room afterher bath. "This isn't Palm Beach, is it, Bess? More like the North Pole,eh?"
"Palm Beach," echoed Bess disgustedly, as she reluctantly slipped out ofher warm bed and reached for her bathrobe. "It reminds me of it--it's sodifferent. When that horrid old rising gong sounded, I was dreaming thatI was there standing on the beach ready for a swim. I can feel that warmsand about my feet now," and she gave her cold little feet a viciousshove into her far from warm bedroom slippers.
"I don't believe Grace has slept much," smiled Nan.
"I know she hasn't," returned Bess, as she hurriedly dressed. "I'm sureI wouldn't have slept a wink if I had been in her place. I believe I'djust die if I were."
"Then," returned Nan cheerfully, fastening the last snapper in her belt,"I'm exceedingly glad you're not in Grace's place, for I prefer to seeyou alive a little longer."
They found Grace and Rhoda already in the lower hall, and knew by theirflushed faces that last night's news was still the fascinating topic ofconversation. All joined in, and were soon so absorbed that Laura'svoice made them start.
"Beginning where you left off last night?" she was asking. "I don'tbelieve Grace went to bed at all, but just sat up and anticipated allnight long."
"Not quite so bad as that," laughed Grace. "I went to bed, but I confessthat I was too excited to sleep very much."
"It's perfectly safe to say that all of us dreamed of Palm Beach,anyway," Bess conjectured.
"I did," replied Laura, chuckling at the remembrance. "I dreamed I wasstanding on one of those great broad piazzas. The moon was shining sobrightly that the palm trees stood out clearly, and the gleam of thespray could be plainly seen as the breakers came rolling up on thebeach. The air was warm and delightful, and I was thinking how happy Iwas to be there and of you unlucky girls shivering here at LakeviewHall, when a gong clanged, some one shouted 'fire,' and smoke camepouring out of the hotel windows. I was so frightened I woke up andfound that old rising gong getting in its work. I tell you, girls, I wasmad enough to bite somebody."
"Serves you right for leaving us here to freeze when you could so easilyhave taken us with you," joked Nan.
Several times while the girls were chatting, Linda Riggs and CoraCourtney had passed very close to them in an effort to hear what theywere so excitedly talking about. But the girls had purposely loweredtheir voices till, when the two passed, they were talking in whispers.It was a great satisfaction to get Linda so keyed up with curiosity.
"Some people are afraid to speak aloud," Linda remarked to Cora, duringone of their walks past the group, "because they don't dare let peopleknow what they're talking about."
"They seem to think it's smart to be mysterious," sniffed Cora.
But when they reached the end of the corridor, Linda stopped and said:
"What do you suppose they are talking about anyway? I bet they arehatching up something. I'd give my eyes to find out what it is,especially if Nan Sherwood is in it."
"You love her, don't you?" Cora asked sarcastically.
"As I love poison ivy," Linda snapped vindictively. "I never could bearher."
"She was ordered to Doctor Beulah's room yesterday," said Cora. "I betshe got a calling down for nearly killing that woman."
"That's something I never did," sneered Linda; "nearly kill any one. Ofcourse, I'm glad no serious harm came to the woman. I don't want to seeher hurt. But what fun it would have been, to see Nan Sherwood up incourt for manslaughter."
Just at that moment Bess Harley, who had gone up to her room for ahandkerchief, came down the stairs and heard the spiteful remark.Shocked and indignant, she said angrily:
"Of course, Linda Riggs, I know what makes you say those horrid thingsabout Nan. It's because she beat you in the race yesterday. And thatwasn't the last time, either. She'll always beat you, because she'sworth a dozen of you."
Bess had unconsciously raised her voice, and Nan, hearing the angrywords, came quickly, and, laying her hand soothingly on her chum's arm,said:
"Don't mind, dear, come along," and drew her gently away.
They passed into the breakfast room, while Linda, who had found noanswer ready, looked after them vindictively.
She turned to Cora, and, giving her foot a vicious stamp, said:
"Never mind, I'll see that Nan Sherwood gets all that's coming to her."
"What do you mean?" asked Cora, her curiosity aroused.
"I haven't thought it all out," snapped Linda, "but I have an idea, abig idea. I'll tell you what it is later."
Lessons rather dragged that morning. The girls were impatient to gettogether and talk. A thousand things they had heard and read of theglories of Palm Beach came between them and the printed page, andquestions that burned to be asked would persist in pushing their lessonsfrom their minds. Everybody was relieved by the ripple of laughter thatwent round the class when Laura, a question of capital cities coming up,slipped and said that the capital of Florida was the Royal Poinciana.
Her teacher stared.
"I beg your pardon, Laura?" she said frigidly.
Laura reddened.
"I--I--meant Palm Beach," she stammered. "Er--er--I should say, I meantTallahassee."
The girls who were in the secret of Grace's forthcoming trip giggled andlooked meaningly at each other, and the recitation went on. But theslowest quarter hours will pass at last, and on this day they mergedinto hours and finally brought three o'clock and freedom.
"That's over at last! Did you ever live through such a long day?" askedNan, as she put away her books and took her coat from the form. "Now forMrs. Bragley."
"But first," said Bess, snatching up a small bonbon dish from the table,"we've got to have funds, and 'the collection will now be taken.' My,but you girls are generous!" she exclaimed exultantly, after she hadcounted up the donations. "Mrs. Bragley is going to have _some_ spread!"
The committee of three went around by way of the town in order topurchase materials for the surprise spread for the woman they had rundown. When the basket was filled they fairly reveled in theattractiveness of its contents. Boxes of crisp delicate crackers,tumblers of jelly, jars of imported strawberries and cherries, a bunchof California grapes that Rhoda said she was sure would weigh threepounds, and some unusually fine Florida oranges. Piling the basket onthe sled that they had brought with them, they started gaily off,dragging it behind them.
After they had covered half the distance a voice hailed them, and Waltercame dashing up behind them in his cutter. Reining in the spirited horsehe was driving, he cried:
"Jump in, girls. It's a dandy day for a spin."
But they laughingly refused.
"Too many of us for that cutter," said Rhoda. "We'd make an awful load."
"And we don't want any men around anyway, to-day," laughed Bess.
Walter heard, but he saw only Nan's glowing face. What he thought aboutthat face was plainly to be read in his eyes.
"Isn't there anything that I can do for you?" he asked. "Don't you wantme to run the basket up to the cottage for you?"
"No, thanks," replied Nan. "We're getting along finely. It's awfullygood of you, just the same."
Walter chirped to his horse, still with his eyes on Nan's smiling face,and, lifting his hat, drove on.