CHAPTER XVII. PRIDE MEETS PRIDE
"Well, thanks be there are only two more weeks of incarceration in thisprison."
Gwynette Poindexter-Jones was in no pleasant mood as her two companionscould easily discern. "I would simply expire of ennui if I had to remainhere one day longer. When I think that Ma Mere, after having had awonderful winter in France, is now arriving in San Francisco, where Isuppose she will remain for a time, I feel as though I never can standthe stupid routine of this place even a fortnight longer. And the truthis, I don't know as I will. I wrote Mother that I had refused to take thefinal tests. I cannot see why I should care for a diploma from thisseminary, or any other, since I am next year to become a debutante in SanFrancisco's best society. One doesn't have to pass an examination inhistory, thank heavens, to make an eligible marriage. Beauty is far morerequisite."
"And I suppose you are quite satisfied with yourself on that score." Itwas Beulah Hollingsworth who made this sarcastic remark. The three girlswere seated in the summer-house on the lawn of the seminary waiting forthe arrival of the rural postman. A box of chocolates lay open on thetable before them, and, spread about it, were books and magazines.Patricia Sullivan, to the displeasure of at least one of her friends, wasreading a romance of the West. She had not heard the remarks of hercompanions until the last sentence had been uttered and the tone in whichit had been said made her look up and exclaim: "What is the matter,Beulah? Your disposition used to be quite amiable, but it certainly ischanging. Are you living on vinegar?"
Gwynette tossed her head. "Her favorite pastime seems to be findingsomething to be sarcastic about. Of course I know that I am no rarebeauty, but I do believe that I can hold my own."
Beulah reached over and took an especially luscious looking chocolate. Asshe did so, the driveway for a moment was in her vision. A crunching ofwheels attracted her attention and she saw an old-fashioned wagon drawnby a heavy white horse. A girl, dressed in yellow and wearing awide-brimmed hat wreathed with buttercups, was the driver. Beulah said:"If you would like to see a girl who has real claim to beauty, cast yourglance out of the summer-house."
Patricia closed her book and, rising, sauntered to the rose-hung doorway.Turning, she said in a low voice: "Gwyn, isn't that the girl we saw atyour Rocky Point Farm?"
Indignant, because Jenny Warner's beauty had been compared with her own,Gwynette replied with great indifference, as she purposely turned herback: "I neither know nor care. I have no interest in my mother'sservants."
But it was quite evident by Jenny's manner that she had some interest inthe summer-house, for she drew rein, and called in her prettiest manner:"Can you tell me where I will find Miss Poindexter-Jones? I have amessage for her."
Patricia good-naturedly replied: "You won't have far to hunt. Herhighness is holding court in this very summer-house."
Gwynette's groundless anger against the world in general but increasedwhen she heard the inquiry, and she snapped as Patricia turned towardher: "If that girl has a message for me, tell her to bring it to me atonce, though I am sure I cannot conceive what it can be."
Jenny, who had clearly heard every word that had been spoken, as indeedGwynette had intended that she should, replied, not without pride in hertone: "Kindly tell Miss Poindexter-Jones that I will send the message toMiss Granger and she may receive it from her."
But this was not all pleasing to the haughty girl. She did not wish tohave a needless audience with the woman who disapproved of her conduct asshe well knew. Appearing in the doorway, she said angrily: "Why don't youbring me the message, if you have one for me? I shall report yourbehavior to my mother."
Jenny said nothing, but, picking up the reins, she was about to drive onto the school when Gwynette stepped out of the summer-house saying:"Kindly give me whatever message you have for me. I do not wish it takento Miss Granger." Jenny took from her basket a letter, which she handedto the girl, and for one moment, and for the first time, they lookedstraight into each other's eyes.
Gwynette glanced at the envelope, then, handing it back toward the girlon the high seat of the wagon, she said disdainfully: "You are mistaken,this letter is addressed to your grandmother and not to me."
Jenny, undisturbed, nodded her agreement. "That is why it came to thefarm, but Mrs. Poindexter-Jones made a mistake. The message is for you."The girl, standing in the drive, flushed angrily when she found that thiswas true. "Well, I certainly hope your grandmother was not snoopingenough to read it," she flashed, desiring to hurt someone's feelings inan endeavor to relieve her own.
It was Patricia who protested, as she saw the flaming color in the faceBeulah had called beautiful. "Gwyn," she said sharply, "I hope the timewill come when you meet someone who will hurt your feelings as you soenjoy hurting other people's."
Jenny Warner made no response, but drove around to the kitchen door todeliver the honey and eggs. When she returned, Gwynette was not in sight,as she had at once gone to her room to be alone when she read the letter.She instinctively knew that it contained a message that would increaseher already belligerent mood.
As she was passing the summer-house, Jenny saw Patricia Sullivan leap outof the doorway and beckon to her. "Miss Warner," she called, "won't youhave a few of my chocolates? They're guaranteed to be sweet clearthrough."
Beulah appeared at her side. "That's more than can be said of GwynettePoindexter-Jones. No one knows how glad I am that at the expiration of afortnight I shall have no further need to associate with her. You, MissWarner, will be the unfortunate victim, as you are to have her for aneighbor all summer, I believe."
Jenny, seeing that these girls evidently wished to be friendly, had againdrawn rein and had taken one of the proffered candies.
Patricia looked rather longingly at the old-fashioned wagon and then atthe placid old white horse. Her gaze returned to the driver and she saidin her impulsive way: "Maybe you won't believe that it can be true, butit is! I have never ridden in a conveyance of this kind, and I'd justlove to try it. Should you mind if I rode down the canyon road part waywith you?"
"Of course I wouldn't mind," Jenny replied with her brightest smile."There is plenty of room for both of you." She included Beulah in herinvitation. Then added with a glance at the seminary, "if you are surethat Miss Granger will not mind."
Patricia scrambled up as she merrily replied: "Why should she care?"
Beulah remarked: "It does seem to me that there is some archaic ruleabout not going beyond the gates without a chaperone, but we each haveone. Miss Warner may chaperone me and I will chaperone Pat."
They laughed gleefully as though something really clever had been said."But who will chaperone Miss Warner?"
"Dobbin will," the driver replied. "He usually does."
"This is jolly fun," Patricia declared a few moments later when she hadrequested to drive. Beulah burst into unexpected merriment. "Oh, don't Ihope her beautiful highness saw us when we drove away. Her wrath willbring down a volcano of sparks on our heads when we get back."
Patricia retorted: "Beulah, I sometimes think that you like to stir upthe embers in Gwyn's nature, even when they are smouldering and might dieif they were let alone."
Instead of replying, the other girl exclaimed after a glance at her wristwatch: "Great moons! I must go back on a run! I have a French test at 4."
Jenny took the reins and brought Dobbin to a stop. When they were in theroad, Patricia asked: "May we come down and see you some day? I wanted togo out on that rocky point when we were there before, but when Gwyn'salong, everything has to be done her way."
"I'd be glad to have you," was Jenny's sincerely given reply.