CHAPTER XVII A ROBBERY
"Have you seen the paper this morning?" demanded Jane excitedly, wavingthe _Granard Herald_ overhead as Pat was hurrying down the corridor toher room after breakfast.
"No, what's in it?"
"Look!" Jane held out the front sheet and pointed to a headline in heavyprint:
Daring Robbery. Thieves Make Big Haul.
Victim of losses sits in library while men work in room above. No clews. Mrs. Brock, owner of property, offers reward.
"Why!" gasped Patricia. "How awful!"
A clock somewhere in the Hall struck the quarter hour.
"Oh, I'm going to be late," cried Patricia, dashing into her room,seizing a couple of books, and running down the corridor. "Have to hearthe rest later," she called back to Jane.
"Pat!" cried Anne, catching hold of her at the door. "Have you seen thepaper?"
"Yes, Jane just showed it to me."
"Isn't it exciting? All her jewelry, and a lot of money taken."
"I'm late, Anne; let me go, please!" pulling away from the girl.
At the corner of Wentworth Street, Ruth caught up with her.
"Heard the news?" she panted.
"Yes, but can't stop; most time for class."
As Patricia sank, breathless, into a seat in French class, which hadalready begun, Frances leaned forward from the row behind to whisper,"Know about the robbery?"
Patricia nodded.
"The paper says nobody heard a thing," continued Frances. "Norman was inhis room right next to the one where the robbers were working. Isn't thatthrilling?"
"How do you know?" traced Patricia's pencil on the margin of her notebook.
"Clarice met him this morning, and he told her."
"Mademoiselle Quinne, _continuez s'il vous plait_," requested theProfessor's smooth voice.
It must be confessed that Patricia heard little of the French lesson thatday. Her mind was briskly working on the piecemeal information she hadreceived about the disaster at Big House.
"Seems awfully queer," she commented to Jack later in the day, "that aperson or persons would break into a house early in the evening likethat. Why, Mrs. Brock or Norman might have walked in on them any minute."
Jack smiled. "He probably had worked out, by direct observation, when hischances of being undisturbed were greatest."
"Direct observation?" repeated Patricia.
"Yes; whoever it was knew the layout of the house, the habits of itsinmates, and where valuables were kept."
"Why, Jack!" cried Patricia, her eyes dilating with a dawning suspicion."Who--"
"Better not put anything into words, Pat," Jack said quickly; "probablywe're all wrong. I hope so. Let's try to forget all about it. Theauthorities will take care of it; it's their business, not ours."
In spite of Jack's good advice, Patricia could not keep from dwelling onthe subject rather constantly for the rest of the week, especially sincethe robbery was the Gang's principal theme of conversation.
"Mrs. Brock," announced Katharine on Thursday night, "is offering a largereward for the return of her grandfather's watch alone. It's a valuableheirloom, and she cares more for that than for the rest of the jewelry.Don't I wish I could go out some morning, pick up the timepiece, and takeit over to her!"
"I guess none of us would object to some extra money," laughed Anne. "Ifyou weren't going home this week end, Pat, we might organize a searchingparty and beat Kath out."
"Go ahead, anyway," advised Patricia, pulling out her bag and beginningto pack it ready for an early start the next afternoon. "You'd better getyour things together, Jane; we won't have any time after lunch tomorrow."
"Jane going with you?" inquired Anne somewhat wistfully.
"Yes. Want to come, too?"
"_Do_ I! You're a peach." Anne hugged Patricia, and departed for her ownroom, stumbling over the doorstop as she went out.
"Look out, Anne; you'll break your neck over my coach-and-four," calledPatricia. "She never fails to fall over that," she added to the girls."Kath, why don't you come with us?"
"I'd love to, but what will your mother say to so many of us?"
"She won't care. My room has twin beds, so I can have guests in comfortwhenever I want to; and then we have the regular guest room. You won'thave to sleep on the floor."
"As if I'd care for that! I've done it at house parties." Katharinedeparted to announce her good fortune to the rest of the Gang, and thenwent to pack.
"I envy you, Patricia," said Jane, the next afternoon, as they wereriding through a stretch of woods, "being able to take this lovely ridehome any week end you want to."
"Not whenever I want to," corrected Pat, "but rather when I have moneyenough for the gas, and when my work can be left for a couple of days. Ican't do any studying at home, of course."
"Don't think I'd care for these woods in the dark," observed Anne.
"Well, darling," said Katharine soothingly, "you won't be in them in thedark."
"Not a chance," agreed Patricia. "Dad always starts me back in good timeso I won't be on the road after nightfall. He's deadly afraid of ahold-up."
"Good place for wild flowers, I should think," continued Jane, peering inbetween the tree trunks. "Don't you want to stop and gather some, Pat?"
"I do not! I've had quite enough experience with wild flowers for awhile, anyhow."
"Ever see your reporter-rescuer?" asked Katharine.
"Once in a while. Jack likes him a lot, and Craig has asked us out acouple of times."
"Hasn't he a girl friend?" demanded Katharine.
"I guess not; not a regular, anyhow. But why should you be interested?Aren't you and the Professor good pals any more?"
"Sure; but there are several nice girls in the Gang who haven't boyfriends. You see I'm being purely altruistic."
"Maybe the man in question would prefer to manage his affairs himself,"said Jane practically.
"Maybe; in fact, he may have made a selection already," suggested Anne,smiling at Pat in the mirror.
Patricia kept her eyes on the road ahead, and feigned ignorance of Anne'smeaning. Presently she changed the subject by asking what her guestswould like to do that evening. "The week end is so short that we have touse every minute of it."
"A movie," proposed Katharine. "I haven't seen a good one in a coon'sage."
"And double sodas all around afterward," added Jane. "My treat."
"Sounds good to me," agreed Anne, when Patricia looked inquiringly ather.
"All right, then. That's what we'll do. Guess I'll put on a little speed,so we'll get home early enough to go to the first performance. This newroad certainly has meant a lot to me--it shortened the distance so much.You know it's quite a trip by rail; this road through the woods cuts offmiles. Oh!" her remarks concluded with a shriek.
"What's the matter?" demanded Anne, startled.
"A bee!" exclaimed Patricia. "For pity's sake keep your eyes on him andtry to put him out. I'm always afraid of being stung when I'm at thewheel."
"You have some opinion of our eyes if you think they are capable ofputting out a full grown bee," remarked Katharine. "Mine don't even seehim, to say nothing of pushing him out the window."
"Stop joking," begged Patricia, "and find him."
"There he is!" cried Anne, drawing herself as far into the corner as shecould.
"Where?" demanded Jane, turning around to look at the passengers in theback seat.
"Down on the floor," said Katharine. "You girls make me tired; all soafraid of one poor little bee!"
"Suppose you pick him up and throw him out, if there's nothing to beafraid of," suggested Patricia.
"No--o; but, there! I've set my bag on him. He'll be quite dead in aminute, then I'll pick him up," offered Katharine.
"Most any one of us would be willing to pick up a dead bee," offeredJane.
Presently Katharine lifted the bag; but the action was followed b
y asqueal from Anne, who announced that he was just as much alive as ever.
Katharine thumped her bag down again while Jane laughed breathlessly.
Ten minutes later, Katharine again peered at her victim; and again heshowed very definite signs of life.
"Talk about cats having nine lives," she commented.
"Set that bag down," begged Anne, "and leave him alone. If he's not dead,he's at least out of mischief."
"Toughest bee I ever saw," commented Katharine, thumping the bag again onthe unlucky insect. "There you stay until we get to our destination."
Mrs. Randall was on the porch waiting for them when the car pulled up atthe steps.
"I brought two extras, Mum!" cried Patricia, jumping out and hugging hermother.
"That's fine," replied Mrs. Randall, smiling at her guests. "It's prettylonesome around here now, and Pat's friends are always welcome."
When the introductions were over, the irrepressible Katharine said totheir hostess, "One of our passengers is in there on the floor; whereshall I put him?"
Mrs. Randall looked puzzled, while the girls laughed.
"See?" said Katharine, taking Mrs. Randall by the arm, and showing herthe bee crawling along as if holding up heavy bags were just pastime forhim.
"Oh," said Mrs. Randall, entering into the spirit of the fun. "Supposeyou leave the door open and let him select his own room."
As she spoke, the big black and gold fellow spread his wings, blunderedabout a moment, then sailed out past the girls who dodged him with littleshrieks and settled on a patch of lilies of the valley beside the porch.
"Now that the stowaway is disposed of, let's go in," proposed Patricia,following her mother up the steps.
"Better go right upstairs and get ready for dinner, Pat," advised Mrs.Randall. "Daddy's coming home a bit early, and I thought we would eat assoon as he gets here, so you girls will have a long evening for anythingyou want to do."
"Your mother's a peach; isn't she?" remarked Anne, as the four girls wentup the long stairs together.
"I think so," replied Patricia, smiling with gratification. "Now this ismy room, and the guest room is right opposite. We can divide up any wayyou please."
"Suppose we change around," proposed Anne. "Katharine and I will take theguest room tonight; then tomorrow night we'll put Jane in with Katharineand I'll go with you."
"Ah--wa! Ah--wa!" lamented Katharine.
"What on earth's the matter with you?" demanded Anne.
"I don't have Pat at all, I don't!"
"Oh, you sleep all the time; so what difference does it make?" laughedJane.
"I'll set the alarm," offered Patricia in amusement; "and when thenight's half over, I'll go in, roll Anne out, send her over to my room,and get in with you. How's that?"
"I'll consider it," replied Katharine in her most dignified tones; "but Ithink my feelings are irreparably damaged."
"Oh, go on!" cried Anne, shoving Katharine ahead of her into the guestroom. "You'll never be ready for dinner."
Mr. Randall loved company, and was always most entertaining wheneverPatricia had guests; so the dinner hour was prolonged to such an extentthat when the four girls reached the theater, the early performance waswell under way.
"I like it over on the right," whispered Patricia, as they entered thedarkened house. "Just follow me," she added, ignoring the ushercompletely and hurrying down a side aisle. She was a bit careless instepping up into a row of seats, and turned on her ankle. To save herselfa fall, she grabbed madly at the seat in front of her, which was occupiedby a very large and very dignified-looking man. Instead of grasping theback of his seat, as she intended, her hand came down very forcibly onthe top of his bald head.
"Ouch!" he cried out in astonishment and discomfort.
Everybody within hearing turned around. Several people exclaimed inannoyance. Some nearby, who had witnessed the incident, laughed aloud. Inthe general disturbance, the girls managed to sink into their seats quiteovercome with embarrassment. Presently Anne hid her face in her hands andbegan to quiver.
"What is the matter?" whispered Patricia.
Anne only shook her head, and Patricia realized that the girl was in aparoxysm of laughter. It was contagious, and before long Pat andKatharine were in the same state.
"Stop that!" ordered Jane. "Think of something sad, and do it _quick_."
With much effort and several relapses they finally succeeded in pullingthemselves together, and fixed their eyes determinedly on the screen, notdaring to glance at one another.
"That was just terrible!" exclaimed Jane in mock anger, when they wereout upon the street again. "I'll never go to a movie with you again,Patricia Randall!"
"I'm--awfully--sorry," gasped Pat.
"You certainly act as if you were, quite overcome with grief," said Anne.
"Did you ever in your life hear anything so funny as the way that manhollered--he fairly bellowed!" said Katharine.
"You do get into more scrapes, Pat," commented Anne, "than anyone I evermet."
"Don't I?"
"Never mind," said Jane soothingly, as they entered a confectionerystore, "you mean well."
"I think," said Katharine, "that is about the worst thing one can say.'Oh, he means well.' It seems like sort of damning with faint praise. Notthat Jane meant it that way."
Everybody laughed. Katharine was so unconscious of her inconsistency.
While they were waiting for their order, Patricia's eyes, which wereroving about the room in search of possible acquaintances, came to reston the back of a tall figure two tables beyond theirs. As if compelled byher questioning gaze, the individual turned around, immediately jumpedup, and crossed the room in two strides.