CHAPTER XVII
GOODY TWO-STICKS
To tell the truth the young ladies of the West Dormitory who attendedHelen's sub-rosa supper looked pretty blue when the rest of the schoolfiled out of chapel and left them sticking, like limpets, to theirseats. Mrs. Tellingham looked just as stern as Helen imagined shecould look, when she ended a whispered conference with Miss Picolet,and stood before the culprits.
"Being out of bed at all hours, and stuffing one's self with all mannerof indigestible viands, is more than a crime against the school rules,young ladies," she began. "It is a crime against common sense.Besides, I take a pride in the fact that Briarwood Hall supplies asufficient and a well-served table. Fruit at times between meals isall very well. But a sour pickle and a piece of angel cake at elevenor twelve o'clock at night would soon break down the digestivefaculties of a second Samson.
"However," she added grimly, "that will bring its own punishment. Ineed not trouble myself about this phase of the matter. But thatdistinct rules of the school have been broken cannot be ignored. Eachof you who were visitors at the study of Misses Fielding and Cameronlast evening after hours will have one demerit to work off by extraexercises in Latin and French.
"Miss Cox!"
She spoke so sharply that The Fox hopped up quickly, knowing that shewas especially addressed.
"It is reported to me by Miss Picolet that you spoke to her in a mostunladylike manner. You have two demerits to work off, instead of one."
Mary Cox ruffled up instantly. She flounced into her seat and threwher book aside.
"Miss Cox," repeated the Preceptress, sharply, "I do not like yourmanner. Most of these girls are younger than you, and you are theirleader. I believe you are all members of the Up and Doing Club. Havea care. Let your club stand for something besides infractions of therules, I beg. And, when you deliberately insult the teacher who hascharge of your dormitory, you insult _me_."
"I suppose I'm to be given no opportunity of answering Miss Picolet'sreport, or accusation?" cried Mary Fox. "I don't call it fair----"
"Silence!" exclaimed the Preceptress. "You may come to me aftersession this afternoon. Miss Cameron may work off a full demerit, andbefore the Christmas Holidays, for being the prime mover in this orgy,I am told about," said Mrs. Tellingham, bitingly. "I understand thereare some extenuating circumstances in the case of Ruth Fielding. Shewill have one-half mark against her record--to be worked off, ofcourse. And, young ladies, I hope this will be the last time I shallsee you before me for such a matter. You are relieved for classes."
Two unexpected things happened to Ruth Fielding that morning. As theycame out from breakfast she came face to face with Mary Cox, and theolder girl "cut" her plainly. She swept by Ruth with her head in theair and without returning the latter's nod, and although Ruth did notcare much about Mary Cox, the unkindness troubled her. The Fox hadsuch an influence over Helen!
The second surprising happening was the receipt of a letter from MercyCurtis, the lame girl. Dr. Davison's protege wrote:
"Dear Ruth:
"Mrs. Kimmons, next door, is trundling her twin babies--awfully homelylittle mites--up and down her long piazza in my wheel-chair. To whatbase uses have the mighty fallen! Do you know what your UncleJabez--Dusty Miller--has done? He had waiting for me when I got homefrom the sanitarium a pair of the loveliest ebony crutches you eversaw--with silver ferrules! I use 'em when I go out for a walk. Fancyold miserable, withered, crippled me going out for a walk! Of course,it's really a hobble yet--I hobble-gobble like a rheumatic goblin; butI may do better some day. The doctors all say so.
"And now I'm going to surprise you, Ruth Fielding. I'm coming to seeyou--not for a mere 'how-de-do-good-bye' visit; but to stay atBriarwood Hall a while. Dr. Cranfew (he's the surgeon who helped me somuch) is at Lumberton and he says I can try school again. Publicschool he doesn't approve of for me. I don't know how they are goingto 'rig' it for me, Ruth--such wonderful things happen to me all thetime! But Dr. Davison says I am coming, and when he says a thing isgoing to happen, it happens. Like my going to the Red Mill that time.
"And isn't old Dusty Miller good to me, too? He stops to see me everySaturday when he is in town. They miss you a lot at the Red Mill,Ruthie. I have been out once behind Dr. Davison's red and white mare,to see Aunt Alviry. We just gabbled about you all the time. Yourpullets are laying. Tell Helen 'Hullo!' for me. I expect to see yousoon, though--that is, if arrangements can be made to billet me withsomebody who doesn't mind having a Goody Two-Sticks around.
"Now, good-bye, Ruthie, "From your fidgetty friend, "MERCY CURTIS."
This letter delighted Ruth, and she went in search of Helen to show itto her. The chums were due at their first recitation in a very fewmoments. Ruth found Helen talking with Mary Cox and Belle Tingley onthe steps of the building in a recitation room in which Ruth and Helenwere soon to recite. Ruth heard Belle say, earnestly:
"I believe it, too. Miss Picolet wasn't downstairs in her room at all.When she caught me she came from upstairs, and that's how I didn't giveany warning. I didn't expect her from that direction and I was lookingdownstairs."
"She had been warned, all right," said the Fox, sharply. "It's plainenough who played the traitor. Nasty little cat!"
"I believe you," said Belle. "And she only got half a demerit. Theyfavored her, of course."
"But why any demerit at all, if she was a spy for Miss Picolet?"demanded Helen, in a worried tone.
"Pshaw! that's all for a blind," declared the Fox.
And then all three saw Ruth at the bottom of the steps. The Fox andBelle Tingley turned away without giving Ruth a second glance, and wentinto the building. But Helen smiled frankly on Ruth as her chumapproached, and slipped an arm within her own:
"What have you got there, Ruthie?" she demanded, seeing the open letter.
"It's from Mercy. Read it when you get a chance," Ruth whispered,thrusting it into her chum's hand as they went in. "It's just as yousaid--Dr. Davison is going to bring it about. Mercy Curtis is comingto Briarwood, too."
Helen said nothing at all about The Fox and her room-mate. But Ruthsaw that the Upedes--especially those who had been caught in the Frenchteacher's raid on Duet Number 2--whispered a good deal amongthemselves, and when they looked at Ruth they did not look kindly.
After recitation, and before dinner, several of the girls deliberatelycut her as Mary Cox had. But Helen said nothing, nor would Ruth speakfirst. She saw plainly that The Fox had started the cabal against her.It made Ruth feel very unhappy, but there was nothing she could do todefend herself.