CHAPTER VI
PICKING UP THE THREADS
Ann Hicks must see the preceptress at once. That came first, and Ruthwould not go into the old dormitory until the introduction of the westerngirl was accomplished.
There was a whole bevy of girls on the steps of the main building, inwhich Mrs. Grace Tellingham and Dr. Tellingham lived. Nobody ever thoughtof putting the queer old doctor first, although all the Briarwoodsrespected the historian immensely. He was considered very, very scholarly,although it would have been hard to find any of his histories in anylibrary save that of Briarwood itself.
It was understood that just now he was engaged upon a treatise relating tothe possible existence of a race before the Mound Builders in the MiddleWest, and he was not to be disturbed, of course, at his work.
But when Ruth and Ann Hicks entered the big office room, there he was,bent over huge tomes upon the work table, his spectacles awry, and his wigpushed so far back upon his head that two hands' breadth of glisteningcrown was exposed.
The fiction that Dr. Tellingham was not bald might have been kept up verywell indeed, did not the gentleman get so excited while he worked. As soonas he became interested in his books, he proceeded to bare his high browto all beholders, and the wig slid toward the back of his neck.
The truth was, as Heavy Stone said, Dr. Tellingham had to remove hiscollar to brush his hair--there really was so little of it.
"Dear, dear!" sputtered the historian, peering at the two girls over hisreading glasses. "You don't want me, of course?"
"Oh, no, Dr. Tellingham. This is a new girl. We wished to see Mrs.Tellingham," Ruth assured him.
"Quite so," he said, briskly. "She is--Ah! she comes! My dear! Two of theyoung ladies to see you," and instantly he was buried in his booksagain--that is, buried all but his shining crown.
Mrs. Tellingham was a graceful, gray-haired lady, with a charming smile.She trailed her black robe across the carpet and stooped to kiss Ruthwarmly, for she not only respected the junior, but had learned to loveher.
"Welcome, Miss Fielding!" she said, kindly. "I am glad to see you back.And this is the girl I have been getting letters about--Miss Hicks?"
"Ann Hicks," responded Ruth, firmly. "That is the name she wishes to beknown by, dear Mrs. Tellingham."
"I don't know who could be writing you but Uncle Bill," said Ann Hicks,blunderingly. "And I expect he's told you a-plenty."
"I think 'Uncle Bill' must be the most recklessly generous man in theworld, my dear," observed Mrs. Tellingham, taking and holding one of Ann'sbrown hands, and looking closely at the western girl.
For a moment the new girl blushed and her own eyes shone. "You bet he is!I--I beg pardon," she stammered. "Uncle Bill is all right."
"And Jennie Stone's Aunt Kate has been writing me about you, too. It seemsshe was much interested in you when you visited their place at LighthousePoint."
"She's very kind," murmured the new girl.
"And Mrs. Murchiston, Helen's governess, has spoken a good word for you,"added the preceptress.
"Why--why I didn't know so many people _cared_," stammered Ann.
"You see, you have a way of making friends unconsciously. I can see that,"Mrs. Tellingham said, kindly. "Now, do not be discouraged. You will makefriends among the girls in just the same way. Don't mind their banter fora while. The rough edges will soon rub off----"
"But there _are_ rough edges," admitted the western girl, hanging herhead.
"Don't mind. There are such in most girls' characters and they show upwhen first they come to school. Keep cheerful. Come to me if you are inreal trouble--and stick close to Miss Fielding, here. I can't give you anybetter advice than that," added Mrs. Tellingham, with a laugh.
Then she was ready to listen to Ruth's plea that the room next to The Foxand her chums be given up to Ruth, Helen, Mercy and the new girl.
"We love our little room; but it was crowded with Mercy last half; and wecould all get along splendidly in a quartette room," said Ruth.
"All right," agreed the principal. "I'll telephone to Miss Scrimp and MissPicolet. Now, go and see about getting settled, young ladies. I expectmuch of you this half, Ruth Fielding. As for Ann, I shall take her in handmyself on Monday and see what classes she would best enter."
"She's fine," declared Ann Hicks, when they were outside again. "I can getalong with her. But how about the girls?"
"They'll be nice to you, too--after a bit. Of course, everybody new has toexpect some hazing. Thank your stars that you won't have to be put throughthe initiation of the marble harp," and she pointed to a marble figure inthe tiny Italian garden in the middle of the campus.
When Ann wanted to know what _that_ meant, Ruth repeated the legend as allnew girls at Briarwood must learn it. But Ruth and her friends had longsince agreed that no other nervous or high-strung girl was to be hazed, asshe and Helen had been, when they first came to the Hall. So the ceremonyof the marble harp was abolished. It has been described in the formervolume of this series, "Ruth Fielding at Briarwood Hall."
The two went back to the dormitory that had become like home to Ruth. MissPicolet, the little French teacher, beckoned them into her study. "I mustbe the good friend of your good friend, too, Miss Fielding," she said, andshook hands warmly with Ann.
The matron of the house had already opened and aired the large room nextto that which had been so long occupied by The Fox and her chums. Theeight girls made the corridor ring with laughter and shouts while theywere getting settled. The trunks had arrived from Lumberton and Helen andRuth were busy decorating the big room which they were to share in thefuture with the lame girl and Ann Hicks.
There were two wide beds in it; but each girl had her own dressing caseand her locker and closet There were four windows and two study tables.It was a delightful place, they all agreed.
"Hush! tell it not in Gath; whisper it not in Ascalon!" hissed The Fox,peering into the room. "You girls have the best there is. It's lots biggerthan our quartette----"
"Oh, I don't think so. Only a 'teeny' bit larger," responded Ruth,quickly.
"Then it's Heavy that takes up so much space in our room. She dwarfseverything. However," said the red-haired girl, "you can have lots morefun in here. Shove back everything against one wall, roll up the rugs, andthen we can dance."
"And have Picolet after us in a hurry," observed Helen, laughing.
"Barefoot dancing is still in vogue," retorted The Fox. "Helen can playher violin."
"After retiring bell? No, thanks!" exclaimed Ruth's chum. "I am to standbetter in my classes this half than last spring or Monsieur Pa-_pa_ willhave something to say to me. He doesn't often preach; but thatblack-haired brother of mine did better last term than I did. Can't havethat."
"They're awfully strict with the boys over at Seven Oaks," sighed Heavy,who was chewing industriously as she talked, sitting cross-legged on thefloor.
"What are you eating, Heavy?" demanded Belle, suddenly.
"Some of those doughnut holes, I bet!" giggled Lluella. "They must beawful filling, Heavy."
"Nothing _is_ filling," replied the stout girl. "Just think, almost thewhole universe is filled with just atmosphere--and your head, Lluella."
"That's not pretty, dear," remarked The Fox, pinching Heavy. "Don't benasty to your playmates."
"Well, I've got to eat," groaned Heavy. "If you knew how long it seemedfrom luncheon to supper time----"
Despite all Ruth Fielding could do, the girl from Silver Ranch feltherself a good deal out of this nonsense and joviality. Ann could not talkthe way these girls did. She felt serious when she contemplated her futurein the school.
"I'd--I'd run away if it wasn't for Uncle Bill," she whispered to herself,looking out of the window at the hundreds of girls parading the walksabout the campus.
Almost every two girls seemed chums. They walked with their arms abouteach other's waists, and chattered like magpies. Ann Hicks wanted to runand hide somewhere, for she was more lonely now than she had ever
beenwhen wandering about the far-reaching range on the Montana ranch!