CHAPTER VIII
JANNET'S "FORTUNE"
It did not take Jannet long to get ready for the expedition. Justbefore starting out of her room, she paused, her hand on the knob, forthis room had more protection than the old-fashioned latches. Shouldshe leave the pearls in the desk? They had disappeared from it before.
But where could she put them if she took them from the desk? Naturallyshe could not wear them. Windows and doors were open. She could hearthe sounds of laughter from where her young friends were. She musthurry. She ran back to her windows, put them down and locked themfirmly. Then she took her key from the lock, locked the door from theoutside and pinned the key inside her sweater pocket.
"I'm the 'foxy Jannet' now," she said to herself, thinking of one ofJan's expressions. "_Now_ if any one gets in,--I'll know it's some onewith a key!"
Walking rapidly, past the door of Paulina's room, down the back stairs,out of the back door, Jannet hastened to join her friends. Jan, mountedon a curveting black horse, was leading the animal intended for Jannetand cantered toward her, stopping at a high block. He started todismount to help Jannet, but she waved him back. "Don't get off, Jan.Pity if I can not get on myself. Is this the stump of the old blackwalnut that nearly killed you when it fell?"
"Who told you? Yes; if Chick hadn't yelled in time, I'd have been underthe trunk instead of being scratched up a little by some of thebranches. You remember that wind storm, Nell?"
"Indeed I do. We didn't know where you boys were and Mother was almostcrazy till you came in after it was all over. I was sure that you wereover here, but the telephone wires were down."
"Why do I have Lucy, Jan? I thought that Uncle Pieter wanted me to rideBen?"
"That is what took me so long, Jannet. I saddled Ben first and foundthat he went a little lame. Lucy is all right, only a little moreskittish. She never runs away, but look out for her shying a little."
"All right. I like Lucy better anyhow."
Jannet was happy with the reins in her hand, for riding was herfavorite sport. This pursuit of real country roads, away from hamperingconditions of the city was what she called to Nell "real riding,"instead of "riding lessons." Nell and John Clyde, or "Chick", drewalongside as Jannet settled herself for the trip and patted her prettysteed.
"Did you know that you are going to have supper with us at hometo-night, after our picnic dinner in the hills?" asked Nell.
"No, I didn't. What fun! But Jan, shan't we take something for thepicnic?"
"Of course," Jan answered, with a grin. "Say, I forgot all about that.Good thing that you spoke of it." Jan turned his horse toward thehouse. "I told P'lina, though. There she comes now."
From the back door Paulina this moment made her appearance with apackage in her hands. As she approached, her sharp nose looked sharperthan ever. Her solemn eyes surveyed the riders with no display ofinterest and her stolid face was without a smile. A small shawldecorated her shoulders, pinned across her breast, but the tight knotof black hair was without a covering and the spring breeze blew a wirywisp over her forehead.
"I think that it is going to rain," said she shortly, as she gave theneat package to Jan, with something for tying it to his saddle. She hadgiven a curt nod in the direction of the Clydes.
"Oh, now, Paulina," said Jan, grinning down at her, "don't be acalamity howler. We'll get under a rock somewhere if it does. Any otherwoes that you can think of?"
Jannet was quite shocked at Jan's frankness and expected to see "OldP'lina" show some offense. Far from this, the stony features almostrelaxed into a smile, so Jannet thought. "Be careful," Paulina said."An owl hooted all last night and the ghost walked over my head." Withthis cheerful announcement, Paulina turned away.
"What did Paulina mean, 'over her head'?" asked Nell Clyde.
"Rats in the attic, Nell. I heard 'em, too." So Jan explained.
But Paulina had overheard and looked back over her shoulder. "We haveno rats," said she, "and rats don't tiptoe down imaginary stairs. Itwas _her_ again."
Jan looked cross, but he said nothing further as Paulina rapidly walkedtoward the house. Jannet fancied that Jan did not like to havePaulina's superstitions aired before the Clydes. There was enough talkin the neighborhood, in all probability.
Chick urged his horse on, passing Jannet and Nell, but Jan, as hefollowed, leaned over to Jannet. "Paulina is an old goose," said he ina low tone. "Her imagination works all night. Don't pay any attentionto what she says."
This was funny, for Jan had seemed to enjoy joking Jannet about itbefore now. Boys must be odd creatures,--but Jan and Chick were prettygood at that!
"I wish that we had a family ghost," laughed Nell, as she drew herhorse beside Lucy. "Have you seen yours, yet, Jannet?"
"I am not sure that I would know it if I saw it," replied Jannet, aftera moment's hesitation.
"Let me come to stay all night with you some time, Jannet, and perhapsthe ghost will walk for us."
"If the ghost _should_ walk, I'd be glad to have company, I can tellyou, and I'll love to have you any time. I suppose I'll have to askCousin Di or Uncle Pieter first, though."
"Of course you will, and I'd better not be inviting myself over!"
"Don't think of that, Nell. I'm sure that it can be arranged and I'mglad that you thought of it. You haven't had a peep at my dear roomyet."
"No, I haven't, and I have never even been inside of that old part ofthe Van Meter place, though Chick is there so much when Jan is home. Doyou suppose that we could see the attic, too?"
"That might depend on Paulina. I haven't asked to go there yet. I'vefelt a little timid, you know, just coming. The only place where I feelthat I have a real right is in my mother's room. But Jan goes all overand has a den in the attic, and he isn't nearly so much related as Iam."
"I heard a neighbor say once, Jannet, that your uncle Pieter hadtreated your mother shamefully and had beaten her out of a lot ofproperty that she ought to have had. I don't suppose that I ought totell you this and perhaps it isn't true, but if it is, you ought toknow it."
"Yes. But I do not believe it. People gossip. Why should he send forme?" This from Jannet, in spite of her most recent suspicions!
"Remorse," laughed Nell.
"Uncle Pieter was a lot older than my mother and perhaps he wanted tohave his own way about things, but I'll not believe yet that he isdishonest. I'm going to stand up for my people, Nell, now that I havefound them. Mother must have died before my grandfather, so how couldUncle Pieter cut her out of her rights?"
"I don't know."
"Exactly. I'm surely grateful to Uncle Pieter for finding me," saidJannet, to close the subject.
Jannet was a thoughtful girl, and she had determined not to lose sightof what Uncle Pieter had done for her in sending for her. She had herown doubts, particularly since finding her mother's diary notes and theslip of paper in the library book, but none of the neighbors shouldsuspect them.
Jannet did not know whether she liked her uncle or not. She wasattracted sometimes, then again his coldness and reserve repelled her.He had not offered to have any explanatory talk with her so far, thoughshe realized that the spring work on the large place was engaging hisattention. He was out of the house most of the time either upon hishorse about the farm, or on business errands away from theneighborhood. Jannet had not inquired what his interests were, for shewas not informed about such matters.
Her cousin Andrew Jannet loved already. Jan was a jolly companion, andMrs. Holt was everything that a girl could ask for in a kind chaperon.She was not demonstrative, but then, Jannet was not used todemonstrative affection. Paulina was the "funniest." She was silent,matter-of-fact, and stiff, but Jannet knew that "Old P'lina" missednothing of what was going on at the Van Meter home.
Nell Clyde was a plump, sturdy little thing, but active for all herplumpness, sitting her horse well as the girls now pushed their mountsforward a little to catch up with the boys. Nell had been seized
with agreat admiration for the graceful, golden-haired Jannet and had alreadyconfided her dreams to her as she had not done to any of the othergirls whom she knew. Jannet, more accustomed to many girl friends, hadbeen more reserved so far about her own affairs, though she wasdelighted to find so congenital a girl so near.
No unhappy thoughts were Jannet's to-day. The pleasure of riding, thefresh air, the morning sunshine, and the quiet memory of the lovelything hid at home in her desk brought her spirits to a high pitch.P'lina must certainly be mistaken, for there was scarcely a cloud. Lucybehaved with great decorum after a long gallop over a good stretch inthe road, during which the horses worked off any excess of spirits thatthey may have possessed at the start.
The Clyde place was on their way and Chick dashed in to get their shareof the lunch, which was not ready when they had ridden over for Jannetand Jan. Jannet laughed as she watched Chick, for with a boy'snonsense, he spread out his elbows at a ridiculous angle, leanedforward in his saddle, letting himself be lifted up and jolted down ina comical exhibition of bad riding. Flapping the reins, he loudlychirruped to his long-suffering animal.
"Ichabod Crane!" exclaimed the amused Jannet; and Nell, who wasfamiliar also with Irving's _Legend of Sleepy Hollow_, remarked thatChick was almost lanky enough to fit the character.
The boys were sure that the folks had not put up enough lunch, butNell's more practiced eye measured the two packages. "Don't you worry,"said she. "There's a whole fried chicken in each, or I miss my guess."
Over devious ways, where Jannet knew that she would be lost, the littleparty of four went into the hills and among the pines. Here and there alittle stream with its trickling waters helped to make the beauty ofthe way. Jannet kept thinking that it was her mother's home country. "Iwonder if my mother used to ride," she said to Jan.
"Sure she did. Andy said something yesterday about her having a horsecalled Juniper that threw her once and pretty nearly ended her lifethen and there. How queer that you have all this to find out!"
"Yes, and that's the advantage of being here for a while. Things comeout gradually, just the sort of little everyday things that you wouldlike to know. What are we going to do up here besides the picnic lunch,Nell?"
"Just see things, and find wild flowers, and see what birds are back.Chick has to take a list back to one of his teachers that wants to knowwhen certain birds come here. We're going to hitch the horses here, orlet them graze a little, if there's anything to graze on, while weclimb higher to a grand place to see the valley and to spread ourlunch."
"Any snakes?" Jannet inquired.
"We are not likely to see any here, and it is so open up on the rocksthat it will not be damp. Mother warned me not to have the lunch whereit was damp, but this sun will dry anything off."
The boys ungallantly went off by themselves for some time, reportingearly for lunch. Chick had seen a chickadee, a tufted titmouse, a songsparrow, a purple finch and a woodcock. The girls had a handful offlowers, which they had picked carefully not to destroy the roots.
This was all very wholesome for Jannet, who had not taken much interestin nature study at Miss Hilliard's school and the Marcys did not havethat except in a very general way in their summer curriculum of goodtimes. Her mind was far away from ghosts and problems of all sortswhile the picnic lasted. But Paulina was right in her prophecy. It didrain, though not until their good lunch was eaten and its crumbsscattered for the birds.
First there were a few scattered drops, then a little shower, whichmade them all run for their raincoats. But then they noticed that itlooked very black in one portion of the sky. "We'd better get out ofhere, girls," said Chick. "It may be a thunderstorm and we oughtn't tobe among the trees."
Down they scrambled from the heights, found their horses and made theirway as quickly as possible from the hills to the level country. Distantthunder began to be heard, and clouds collected thickly. The girls saidnothing, but they did not enjoy the prospect. Then it began to rain,moderately at first. Chick motioned to Jannet to ride up with him,while Jan fell back with Nell.
Leaning over toward Jannet, while they were urging their horsesforward, Chick told her that he and Jan thought it best to strike offfrom the main road about half a mile to where an "old settler" lived."Do you mind?" Chick asked.
"Why should I?" asked Jannet. "It's better than being soaked, or scaredto death with the lightning."
Chick laughed. "Are you afraid?"
"Not very, but it isn't especially safe."
Nothing more was said. In a moment they had reached the turn in theroad and were making their way as fast as a very poor little side roadwould permit. Puddles and mud-holes had to be avoided. The birds weretaking to cover as well as they. Chick pointed ahead to where a smallfarmhouse stood, not far away. It was not a very prepossessing place,even at a distance, but it promised shelter.
The driveway was open, fortunately, for the rain was coming down insheets, as they galloped into it and drew up their horses under an openshed. The bombardment had begun. One sharp flash succeeded another andthe crashes of thunder were of terrific violence. "This is one Aprilshower that I don't care for," Nell remarked, as she had difficulty inholding her frightened horse.
But Chick dismounted and held both her horse and his own. "Get off yourhorse, Jannet," said he, "it is better. Jan, you'd better do the same."
"Come, Lucy, it's all right," soothingly Jannet said to the pretty mareshe rode, as she dismounted. Jan reached his hand to Lucy's bridlewhile Jannet and Nell withdrew a little from too close proximity toprancing horses and threatening heels.
Rain beating in from the opposite side, drove the party to the side ofthe shed nearest the house, which was not far away. There, at a sidedoor, as the electrical display lessened somewhat, a curious figureappeared. It was bent and old, a sharp chin and piercing black eyes themost noticeable features under an old-fashioned cap. A red and blackshoulder shawl, something like that which Paulina often wore, waspinned about the rounding shoulders. A long, blue calico dress camealmost to the floor. The aged woman peered out and over to the littlecompany under the shed. Jan and Chick touched their caps and the girlsbowed, but no explanation seemed necessary. The storm would account fortheir presence.
"Who lives there?" Jannet asked of Nell, the noise of the rain makingit unnecessary to lower her voice.
"It's one of the old Dutch farms and that is the grandmother of thefarmer's wife. They are odd people, and they say that this old lady ishalf Indian and half gypsy. She is past ninety years old. She tellsfortunes, and buys her tobacco."
"Tobacco!"
"Sure, she smokes a pipe," laughed Chick, who had overheard. "The womennow use cigarettes, don't they?"
"Not any that I know, Chick," smiled Jannet. "Miss Hilliard says thatshe is training 'ladies,' not the 'sporting class.' A girl who triedout smoking in our school would get sent home too quickly to knowwhether she was coming or going. That's in the printed rules."
"The whole of it?" laughingly asked Jan.
"I don't mean the way I put it. You know that. I mean that the rule isagainst smoking. It does say, though, that young ladies who have thehabit are requested to go elsewhere."
"Look, Jannet, she's beckoning to us," Nell interrupted.
Jannet noticed that Jan and Chick felt in their pockets. "I've gotenough change, Chick," said Jan. "The poor old woman sees a chance tomake a little money, and it's kind of nice of her to ask us in out ofthe rain."
"Gracious!" Nell exclaimed. "It will smell of stale tobacco smoke and Idon't know what else, in there,--but all right, if you boys want to. Afire would feel pretty good, as wet as we are, and I know that theywill have one."
Jannet did not know that she cared to try it, but she would not makeany objection, she thought. She would do what the rest did, though shedid not want her fortune told,--she could get out of that.
The boys saw that the horses were firmly hitched to the posts of theshed and presently all of them dashed across the yielding, puddly grassand g
round to the little stoop of the house. A plump woman of pastmiddle age had come to the door by this time, while the old ladyhobbled back to a chair by the fire. She was moving aside to make roomfor the guests when they entered.
"Come right in," pleasantly said the younger woman. "You got caught inone of the worst storms we've had yet. I'll hang up your raincoats inthe kitchen and you can dry out a little before the fire. That rainwould go through anything!"
"It's around the edges that we are wettest," said Nell, going on toexplain about their picnic and inquiring about the health of the familyand the grandmother in particular.
The grand-daughter, in the kitchen door, noting that her grandmother'sback was turned to her, shook her head and tapped it with her fingers,to indicate that the old lady's mind was not just what it should be,but answered cheerfully, "Oh, Grandma is coming on all right. She canhear as well as anybody, see well enough to read the paper, and she'llbe ninety-three to-morrow."
"If that's so, we'll have to send her something to-morrow," said kindlyNell, "and wish her many happy returns."
Jannet, altogether inexperienced in country life, was getting a glimpseof the kindly, helpful feeling that exists in many such neighborhoods.She stood at one side, near the blaze, which the farmer's wife tried tomake burn more briskly.
"Who's the girl?" bluntly asked the old lady.
"Oh, I forgot," hastily said Nell. "This is Jannet Eldon, who has cometo live with her uncle Pieter. Jannet, this is Mrs. Meer,--and hergrandmother."
"Jannet Eldon, huh? Jannet. That was the name of the girl,--so you arePieter's niece, then?"
"Yes'm," said Jannet, smiling at the old lady and looking at her withinterest. "Did you know my mother?"
"I saw her often enough. You look like her. I told her fortune once,and I'll tell yours."
Janet shrank back a little, scarcely conscious that she did so. "Thankyou, I don't believe that I want to have you do that. I'd rather notknow, even if you _can_ tell it."
"You don't believe in fortune telling, then. I'll not hurt you. If Iread anything bad in your hand, I'll not tell you that."
The old woman's voice rose shrilly, and Mrs. Meer looked ratherdistressed. But Jannet's warm heart came to the rescue of thesituation. It certainly could do no harm to satisfy the old woman."Well, maybe it would be fun, then,--if you won't tell me of any 'badluck'," and Jannet playfully shook her finger in warning.
She could see that "Grandmother," whose name she had not been told, waspleased. Her toothless mouth widened into a smile. She laid aside herpipe, which, as Nell had said, had been filling the room with adisagreeable smoke. "Sit down," she said. Jannet drew up a small woodenstool and held out her hand. Jan, with noble promptness, laid a fiftycent piece upon the mantel, hoping, as he told Jannet afterward, thatthe fortune would not scare her to death. The aged woman saw it and thedark eyes gleamed.
Wrinkled fingers took the young, delicate hand. "They thought that youwere dead," she mumbled. Jannet did not know whether this were part ofthe fortune or not, but it was not particularly pleasant.
The old crone went on with a few facts about Jannet's past life, factsthat any one could guess at, Nell said afterward. Then she took upJannet's character, cleverly setting forth some traits that Jannetrecognized, though none that were not more or less flattering.
"Gee, she's giving you a good line, Jannet," said Chick.
"Sh-sh, you're interrupting her," warned Nell.
It grew more interesting. "Some one has looked for you," said the oldwoman, "some one not your uncle. If you are found, it will bring yougood luck. You have had a loss, but you will find what you look for.There will be something strange in your uncle's house, but do not befrightened. Nothing will harm you.
"Many like you. Some you can not trust, but you will find them out. Isee a long journey. You will live to marry, perhaps twice. That is notclear. I see a long life and much happiness. You will have good luckthis year and something will happen that you do not expect. That isall."
As if tired, the old lady dropped Jannet's hand. "I never told yourfortune, Jan Holt. You have not lived here long."
"Say, you know my name already," said Jan, as if that were a sign ofgreat cleverness. "Now give me a good one."
One by one the boys and girls had their fortunes told and left almostall the change which the boys possessed upon the mantel. Then theybegan to gather up their coats and other articles of wearing apparel,feeling pretty well dried out by the heat from the fireplace. The stormhad ceased before the aged grandmother had finished. Rapidly the fourcovered the distance remaining between this place and that of theClydes, where they were to have dinner together. Nell promised to letJannet wear one of her frocks, if necessary, for Jannet had started insuch a hurry that she had not realized how odd it might be to eatdinner in her riding clothes.
"I'll certainly look funny in a dress of yours, Nell,--I'd better wearone of your mother's, or else ride on home. But if you don't mind Icould wear these things; they are dry now."
"We'll fix you up some way, Jannet. Don't worry."
"Say, Jannet," soberly said Jan, "may I be your second husband?"
"_Second husband!_" ejaculated Jannet, a grin beginning to spread herpretty mouth.
"Yep. I wouldn't want to be the first, because he may die, according tothe old gypsy. Of course, I'll probably marry, and then my wife mayhave objections to the arrangement."
"You crazy boy! I believe that you'd make fun about anything! Yes, I'll'consider your application,' as Miss Hilliard says. But I'm only goingto marry somebody very wonderful, and he'll not dare leave me till I'mas old as Grandma Meer, or whatever her name is."
"Some outlandish name," said Nell, "that I've heard and forgotten."
"Chick, she says that she is only going to marry somebody _verywonderful_. That settles it. It isn't me. Honestly, Jannet, she readyou a pretty good fortune; but some of it was queer. Of course, youknow that the whole countryside knows about our ghost, so she couldmake up anything there."
"I don't mind, and I'm going to forget it, Jan. Poor old soul! Are youreally going to take her something to-morrow, Nell? I'd like to dosomething, too, even tobacco!"
"Why, Jannet!" said Jan in falsetto tones, as if representing Jannet'sschool, shocked beyond words.
Jannet gave Jan a solemn glance, drawing her mouth down at the cornersand rolling her blue eyes. Then, grinning again, she said, "GrandmaMeer is too old to reform, Jan. Besides, if it isn't wicked for CousinAndy to smoke, it isn't wicked for Grandma Meer. And she doesn't haveto be a lady."
This conversation took place on the way from the Clyde barns to thehouse. The four sauntered along in the highest of spirits, though itwas almost too near dinner time, or, more properly here, supper time,for them to linger.
A skirt-and-tunic dress of Nell's was found possible to arrange forJannet, and more fun was in prospect when by the telephone it wasarranged for Jannet and Jan to stay all night. "And may we have Nelland Chick over to-morrow night, Cousin Di?" Jannet asked sweetly.
"Of course you may. Jan often has Chick. I don't know how it hashappened that we have not had him more this time. You and Nell ought tohave great fun in the 'haunted' room. I'll have Paulina cook yousomething, too."
"Thank you, Cousin Di." Turning, after hanging up the receiver, Jannetclasped her hands together in delight, as she communicated the resultsof her telephoning to the rest. "Oh, we can _stay_, and Cousin Di was_too cordial for words_ about your coming over to-morrow night, Nelland Chick. Paulina will cook up something and we'll have a littleevening party of it, I guess."
"Good," said Jan. "Let's hope that the ghost will walk."
"Mercy, no, Jan,--not really," said Jannet.