CHAPTER IX
At last Elise saw the Captain glance in her direction as the whistleblew once more for attention and the Captain commanded, "Fall in!" Alook of serious interest appeared on the faces of the girls as theyformed in a horseshoe, the Captain and the Lieutenant standing in thegap and the American flag spread out before them.
Elise, with Helen beside her, walked to a place just inside the circleand stood facing the Captain. In the Lieutenant's hands were the staffand hat, the shoulder knot, badge and neckerchief of the TenderfootElise.
She could not refrain from a glance at them. How she had longed to wearall those things; the insignia of everything she had learned to admireand look up to in the girls of America!
"Salute!" said the Captain.
All saluted Elise, who stood waiting for some order, she did not knowwhat.
"Forward!" said the Captain to Helen, and the two girls stepped to thecenter.
Regarding Elise with a long, careful glance, and speaking carefully, sothe little French girl should miss nothing of the full meaning of herwords, the Captain asked:
"Do you know what your _honor_ means?"
"Yess," said Elise, finding her voice after what seemed to her anendless time. "Yess, it does mean that always I shall be trusted to befaithful and true and honorable."
"Can I trust you," asked the Captain, "on your honor, to be loyal to Godand your country, to help other people at all times, and to obey theScout Law?"
Elise, coached by Helen and Rosanna, made the half salute in unison withthe whole company, as she answered, "I do promise on my honor to beloyal to God and my country, to help other people at all times and toobey the Scout Law."
"I trust you on your honor to keep this promise," answered the Captain.
The circle of girls listened with respectful and solemn interest. Wellthey realized that the vow being given was not an empty or idle one.They knew that it entailed hard work, self-denial, and many hardships.Yet they gloried in it, and silently renewed their own vows as theyheard the Tenderfoot make her promises.
"Invest!" came the Captain's next order.
Stepping forward, the Lieutenant gave Elise her staff, and put the hat,handkerchief and knot on her, and smiled as Elise said, "I thank you!"in her pretty way.
Then, at a whispered word, she marched up the line to the Captain whopinned on her trefoil badge and explained that it was an emblem of herScout "life." If for any misbehavior, the trefoil or "life" must betaken away from her, she would become a dead Scout for the time theCaptain ordered and for that time in disgrace.
The new Scout was then initiated into all the secret passwords, aproceeding which filled Elise with despair; she felt that she wouldnever be able to remember the queer words and phrases.
Then with the ceremony of marching back to their proper patrols theceremony was over, and in a moment the formal meeting was dismissed.
The girls crowded around, all anxious to meet the new Tenderfoot andwelcome her. They talked to her so hard that Elise felt her head whirl.She was glad to hear the voice of the little Captain suggesting a song.She handed a leaflet to Elise, but the girls knew the songs, andgathering in a circle they wanted to know which one to sing.
"Sing _The Long, Long Line_," suggested the Captain, and the girls sang:
THE LONG, LONG LINE
(Tune: The Long, Long Trail)
Recruiting song.
Do you feel a little lonely? Are your friends too few? Would you like to join some jolly girls In the things you think and do? Don't you know your Country's waiting? Have you heard her call? See, the Scouts are crowding, crowding in, Where there's room for one and all!
Chorus
There's a long, long line a-growing, From north to south, east to west, There's a place awaiting in it, too, that you'll fill best. We are sure you'd like to join us If you knew what we can do And we'd like, O how we'd like to make a good Girl Scout of you.
It certainly sounded sweet as the fresh young voices blended, and Elisethrilled as she listened. She was having such a good time! All the girlsseemed so friendly and so sweet, with the exception of one girl who hungback and on whose face there rested the shadow of discontent anddissatisfaction. Elise found herself wondering about her; she seemed soout of place in that happy, merry throng. But none of the other girlsappeared to notice that one of their number sat apart and occupiedherself rather ostentatiously over a book.
They were all so busy making the evening pass pleasantly for thecharming new Tenderfoot who responded so prettily to their advances thatno one spoke or looked at the silent Scout, but presently Elise noticedthat the little Captain sat down beside her and compelled her attention.Even then the girl looked as though she preferred to be let alone.
For a long while, the girls sat and told Elise about their work and playand the camping in summer and the delightful hikes all the year. Finallyit came time to go home and some one called for another song.
"Which shall it be, Elise?" asked Helen. "You choose one of the songs."
"I see one follows the air of the _Old Colored Joe_," said Elise. "I doknow that loving song. Please to sing that; and if I may, I will try tosing it also."
"Of course we will sing that, you dear," laughed the tall youngLieutenant, and together they sang:
WE'RE COMING
(Tune: Old Black Joe)
Camping Song.
I
Come where the lake lies gleaming in the sun; Come where the days are filled with work and fun. Come where the moon hangs out her evening lamp; The Scouts are trooping, trooping, trooping back to camp.
Chorus
We're coming! We're coming! To the lakes, the hills, the sea! Old Mother Nature calls her children--you and me.
II
Come where we learn the wisdom of the wood; Come where we prove that simple things are good, Come where we pledge allegiance to our land; America, you've called your daughters--here we stand.
Chorus
We're coming! We're coming! 'Til we spread from sea to sea, Our country needs us--wants us--calls us--you and me!
"That is so _most_ lovely," said Elise as the song was finished, neverfor a moment realizing that her own pure and bell-like voice had addedrichness and beauty to the song.
The other girls looked at each other and smiled. Here was indeed a find.Never had there come a Scout to the council with such a wonderful voice.They felt that the pretty young Tenderfoot was a great acquisition totheir number. So they all crowded around and said good night,--all butthe silent Scout who had not joined in the jollity. Elise and Rosannaand Helen filled the two automobiles that were waiting for them with thegirls. Never, never had those big cars been so crowded. Certainly theyhad never held happier passengers. But there was no noise orboisterousness, no singing or whistling. The girls chatted in tones thatwere agreeably low and as each one reached her destination, she thankedRosanna or Elise. When the last passenger in the Hargrave car had beenset down, Elise leaned back in a corner and thought deeply. She washappy beyond words.
To do good to someone every day; that was part of her pledge. Such aneasy part! But it was hard _not_ to be good when everyone was so good toher. Then suddenly she thought of the sulky face of the girl at themeeting.
All the time she was telling Mrs. Hargrave about the installation andthe songs, and trying them over for her, she saw the dark, discontentedface before her. She could not feel perfectly happy because somehow theface seemed to send her a message. "Help me; help me!" Elise heard inher soul. But what could she, a stranger, a girl who could scarcelyspeak the new language, what _could_ she do for that girl? And besides,why did she _need_ help? Elise, whose bright eyes saw everything, hadnoted the beautiful silk stockings, the texture of the black hairribbon, and at the last, the expensive fur that edged her coat. Also acar had come for her, in which she went off alone. It was not poverty,at all events, decided Elise. She could walk; she was not lame like thepoor little blond in the c
orner. As Elise thought it over, she puzzledmore and more. She decided to ask Rosanna or Helen next day; then abetter decision came to her. She would find out for herself. No oneshould tell her. Then if she made any mistake, why, the mistake would behers.
But the next day but one the plot thickened. She went over with Rosannato see Miss Hooker about some Scout work, and as they stood on the stepswaiting for the door to open, it did open with a jerk, and the girlElise had been worrying about dashed down the steps and into herlimousine. Her face was disfigured with tears.
"Dear me!" said Rosanna. "What do you suppose has happened to LucyBreen? She has been crying."
"Assuredly. The _petite pauvre_ one!" answered Elise sadly.
Rosanna with her usual directness asked Miss Hooker the moment theyentered what was the matter with Lucy.
Miss Hooker hesitated. "You really ought not ask a question like that,Rosanna," she said finally, "but perhaps I ought to tell you. You willall have to know."
"Please _don't_ tell me, Miss Hooker," Rosanna begged with a deep flush."I thought perhaps someone had died or something like that."
"No, but for a week Lucy must be a dead Scout herself."
"How _awful_!" cried both girls, and then were silent.
"I prefer not to tell you why just now, but of course this will not makeyou shun her. You must show all the kindness and consideration that youcan for her, and be with her all you can." More than that Miss Hookerdid not seem to want to say, and the girls, saddened and quiet, finishedtheir errand and left.
A day or two later, going with Mrs. Hargrave to the Red Cross rooms downtown, Elise thought she saw Lucy Breen shrink out of sight behind someportieres at the back of the store that the Red Cross used as a salesroom.
Elise acted on a generous impulse. She went back through the storelooking at one thing and another until she in turn came to theportieres. Behind them was a space used for a sort of store-room forarticles brought into the shop, and as Elise looked curiously throughthe curtains as though wondering what lay beyond, she saw Lucy standingin a corner, crowded against the wall. Elise nodded gaily.
"Are you what they call making the sort of things in here, Lucy?" shecried. "Is it not fun to see what the good kind people give away?"
She stepped into the store-room as she spoke, smiling and nodding. "Yes,it is droll, some of the things," she chattered on, as though Lucy wasdoing her share in the conversation. Finally, however, like a littleclock, Elise ran down. She could not think of a single thing to sayfurther, and she trailed off, looking shyly into Lucy's dark face.
Lucy was smiling a set and bitter smile.
"Don't you think you had better get out of this and leave me?" sheasked. "Perhaps you don't know that I have lost my badge. I shall be adead Scout for a week, and I don't care in the least whether I ever wearit again or not."
Elise came close and laid a hand on Lucy's shoulder, but the girl shookit off.
"_Don't!_" she said pettishly.
"I knew that you had resigned your badge for the so small time of aweek," said Elise gently, "but one week soon passes."
"Do you know _why_ I lost it?" asked Lucy harshly.
"No," said Elise, "and I do not so much care. That is for you to know,and our dear Captain. I am just so so sorry that you are unhappy. Butyou will be happy again. Always unhappiness goes away. We do not forget,but it ceases to wound. And if the fault makes you so unhappy, why,certainly you will never, never so do again; will you, dear Lucy?"
To her surprise and dismay, Lucy turned and, hiding her face in herarms, leaned against the cracked old wall and sobbed.
"Oh, I _am_ unhappy!" she cried. "I am unhappy, and I don't know what todo! Sometimes I think I will run away!"
"Oh, don't do that; don't do that!" cried Elise. "Think of your dearmama and your father. Oh, you could never have a fault that would makeyou need to do anything that would make them so unhappy!"
Lucy laughed her bitter little laugh.
"I think I will tell you what has happened," she said, "and then you cansee just how I feel."
"Can you not tell to someone more wise than I?" asked Elise, her dismaygrowing. "I will be so glad to listen, but for advice, I am so ignorant,so what you call it? I speak your English so poorly, that maybe I say toyou the wrong thing."
"You needn't say anything," said Lucy. "You were so good to come andspeak to me, and I want to talk to someone. I had advice from MissHooker but I shall not take it."
"Was it not good advice?" asked Elise, who thought every word that MissHooker uttered was a pearl of wisdom.
"I suppose so," said Lucy with a sneer, "but she does not understand.Oh, Elise, I shall _die_, I am so unhappy."
"No," said Elise softly, "you will not die so. If it could be, I wouldbe dead long since but I am not, and I am happy--so very, very happyjust as my most dear ones who are dead would wish me to be. So it willbe with you."
"I want to talk to you," said Lucy.
"Let us sit here then," said Elise, "where no one comes. There is a whatyou call 'meeting' which my maman is here to attend. It goes on in theupstairs, and she told me it would meet for an hour or two. Tell me allyour woe."
She pulled Lucy down on a pile of velvet curtains and patting her hotlittle hand, said softly, "I wait."