CHAPTER IV
A TAUNT
With a great crash, a deluge of rain, a wind that swept the spray acrossthe school room, and the rumbling of thunder, punctuated by vivid,hissing flashes of lightning, the storm broke. At once the tension--thatof nature as well as that of the nerves of the girls--was relieved. Asound, like a great sigh, was heard in the room. There were one or twofaint cries, some laughter, and the members of the class were themselvesagain. The balance had been restored.
"She will be all right presently," said Miss Greene, quietly, as shehelped place Amy on a couch in her own private room. "Close some of thewindows, girls, the rain is coming in."
Her firm and cheering words, and her calm manner, aided in the work ofrestoration that had begun when the nerve-tension was lessened. The girlswere themselves again, most of them going quietly to their seats, whileBetty and Grace helped Miss Greene restore Amy to consciousness. Theyhad loosed her collar, and some ammonia had been procured from thephysics laboratory by Frank, who also brought water.
"I can't imagine what made her faint," whispered Grace. "She never didsuch a thing before."
"Probably it was the storm," said the teacher. "I have often noticed thatjust before a severe electrical disturbance I felt 'like flying topieces,' to put it crudely. Then when the rain came I would get calmagain. I remarked that Amy did not seem quite herself while reciting, andperhaps I should have excused her, but I hoped, by letting her fix herattention on the lesson, that the little spell might pass over."
"It was that horrid Alice Jallow giggling at her!" declared Mollie, whohad come softly into the room. "I could--" she clenched her hands, andher dark eyes gleamed.
"Mollie," said Betty softly, and the threatened fit of anger passed over.
"She will come to in a moment," remarked Miss Greene, as she saw Amy'seyelids fluttering. "It was just a nervous strain. I have seen ithappen before."
"Not with Amy," declared Grace, positively.
"No; but in other girls."
"I do hope Amy isn't going to be ill," said Betty. "We want her to comeon the walk with us."
"I have heard of your little club," said the teacher, with a smile. "Theidea is a very good one; I hope you have a pleasant time. I think it willdo all of you good. I wish more of my girls would take up systematicwalking. We would have better recitations, I think."
"Poor Amy!" murmured Grace. "I wonder what could have caused it?" and shelooked down at her pale, little chum.
"It was because Alice laughed at her!" declared Mollie, half fiercely.
"I think not," spoke Betty, softly. "Amy has not been quite herself oflate. She--"
But she was not destined to finish that sentence, for the girl underdiscussion opened her eyes, and struggled to sit up.
"You're all right," said Miss Greene, softly. "Lie still, my dear."
"Where am I--what happened? Oh, I remember. Did I faint?" and she askedthe question in some alarm.
"You did, my dear; but there was no harm in that," spoke Miss Greenesoftly, and she laughed in a low voice.
"I--I never did such a thing before. What made me?"
"The storm, Amy. It was the electrical disturbance, I think. My! howit rains!"
A perfect deluge was descending, but it had brought a calm to the waitingearth, and calm to tired girlish nerves as well. Amy sighed, and then satup. The color came back into her pale face.
"I am all right now," she said, more firmly, and was soon able to walk.
"Stay here a little longer," urged Miss Greene, "Betty, Mollie and Gracemay remain with you. I will go out to the other pupils. Some of them maybe alarmed."
A crash of thunder almost smothered her words, and the girls startednervously. The three glanced apprehensively at Amy, but she smiledbravely and said:
"Don't worry about me. I'm all right. It was silly of me to go offthat way."
The storm raged and tore about the school, and gradually spent its fury.Miss Greene gave up the attempt to have a Latin recitation, and the classwas permitted to engage in general conversation.
It was the final period of the day, and soon school was over. Most of thegirls remained, however, for few had brought rain coats or umbrellas,there being no hint that morning of the deluge that was to come. Thenthe rain gradually slackened, and the pupils departed.
"Don't come to school to-morrow, if you don't feel well," urged MissGreene, as Amy and her chums left.
"Oh, I'll be all right," she brightly answered.
"I wish we were going to start on our tramp to-morrow!" exclaimed Bettyas they walked along the damp country road toward their homes, the sweetsmell of the newly-watered earth mingling with the scent of grass andflowers. "The country is just lovely now."
"It will still be as lovely next month," said Mollie. "Only two weeksmore of school, and then we will be on our way."
"Do you feel all right, Amy?" asked Grace. "Have a--"
"No, she won't have a _chocolate_, if that's what you're going to say!"spoke Mollie, quickly. "Do you want to make her get worse?"
"I wasn't going to say chocolate--so there!" snapped the usuallygentle-mannered Grace. "Don't be so quick, Billy."
"Oh, I beg your pardon," and the French girl showed her contrition. "Iforgot you can think of something beside candy."
"I was going to ask her if she wanted my smelling salts," Grace went on,and Amy accepted the little bottle.
There was much talk that afternoon of the coming trip. Some furtherletters had been received from relatives who would welcome the girls atthe various stopping places.
"This about completes our schedule," remarked Betty, as she noted down,on a map she had drawn, the names of some persons and places. "Everythingis coming on fine, girls."
"Isn't it nice!" exclaimed Mollie.
"You're sure to come; aren't you, Amy?" asked Grace.
"Yes, of course--that is--" A shadow seemed to pass over her face, andthen her pale cheeks became pink. "Oh, I guess you can count on me," shefinally declared. "I was just thinking--oh, it doesn't matter. Let's seenow, Betty, how many stopping places do you count on?"
"About eight. Of course there may be more, and we may have to stay in oneplace longer than I figure on, and we might skip some places altogether."
"What about the camp?" asked Mollie.
"I am arranging for that," spoke Grace. "Papa's half-brother lives inCameron. He and his wife maintain a sort of camp there for those wholove the woods and outdoors. Mamma has written, and arrangements will bemade for us to have a cabin or bungalow there for a few days."
"Won't it be glorious!" cried Mollie, taking Amy in a waltzing hold andwhirling about the room with her, while she hummed a dreamy song.
They were at Betty's house discussing their coming trip, and it wasnearly supper time when they dispersed. Grace insisted on accompanyingAmy part of the way home.
"I don't want you to faint again and be all by yourself," she said.
"Silly! I shall do nothing of the sort," declared Amy, but Gracehad her way.
It was the next afternoon, when Betty and Grace were having a game oftennis on the court that had been laid out back of the High School, thatAlice Jallow and Kittie Rossmore came past, arm in arm. They paused for amoment to watch the game, and during a lull Alice remarked:
"When does the tramping club start?"
"As soon as school closes," replied Betty, for the term ended unusuallyearly that year.
"Have you the party all made up?" inquired Kittie, and it was evidentthat she had a reason for asking.
"Pretty much," answered Betty, wondering what was to follow. "It's yourserve," she added to Grace.
"Alice and I are very fond of walking," proceeded Kittie. "We thought ifthe Camping and Tramping Club was to be a general one--that is, if youwanted more members--we'd like to join."
Betty caught her breath. It was a hard answer to give.
"I'm awfully sorry," she said softly, coming over to where Alice andKittie stood. "If we had known before we
might have arranged it. But ourmembership is limited to four now."
"You four, I presume," and there was almost a sneer in the voice of Aliceas she looked at the four chums.
"Yes, it so happens. You see we are going to stop each night at thehouses of friends or relatives, and of course--"
"I see--the accommodations are limited; are they?" and again that sneerwas manifest.
"Yes, they are, I'm sorry to say," spoke Betty. "But why don't you girlsform another club? You could easily do that, and we could be together allday, if not at night. Why don't you?" she asked, brightly.
"We might," said Alice, cooly. "Come on, Kittie," she added. "I guesswe're not wanted here."
"The idea!" cried Mollie. "Betty, I've a good notion to--"
"Hush!" cautioned Betty, placing a hand on the arm of her impetuous chum."Don't say anything. It will only make matters worse. They are trying toprovoke us."
Kittie and Alice walked off, their arms about each other's waist,laughing heartily at something in which they seemed to find a good joke.
"Let us finish the game," suggested Betty quietly to Grace, and they did.
"I don't see how they could be so bold as to ask us," murmured Mollie.
It was one afternoon, a few days before the close of school for the term,which also would mark the start of the outdoor girls on their trampingtour that, as she was packing her books to leave her desk for the day,Betty saw a note fall out of her Latin grammar.
"That's strange," she murmured, half aloud, "I wonder who could have putthat there? Who is it from, I wonder?"
"As if you didn't know!" laughed Amy, coming up behind her friend. Theywere alone in the classroom for the moment.
"Why, what do you mean?" asked Betty blushing slightly.
"I think I saw Will give Grace a note this noon," went on Amy. "Ah,secrets! And doesn't it happen that Will and Allen Washburn are quitechummy? If the initials A.W. aren't on that note, Betty--"
"Of course they're not! The idea! Allen Washburn needn't think--"
"Oh, I know he needn't send notes to you this way, but perhaps Willforgot to deliver it, and Grace just slipped it into your book, intendingto tell you of it. Ah, Betty!"
"Silly. It isn't that at all. See, I'll let you read the note."
Hastily Betty unfolded it. There was but a single unsigned sheet ofpaper, and scrawled on it were these words:
"Before you go camping and tramping ask Amy Stonington who her father andmother are."