CHAPTER XVII
The Dance of the Nations
Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get noinformation as to who had placed the lamp in the window. She locked thedoor of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol thegrounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, butnothing more occurred. After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she cameto the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part ofone of the girls. Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheldthat view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions. She oftenlooked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under thatcalm exterior. To all outward appearance the house mistress wasscholastic, cold, and entirely occupied with her duties. She wasessentially a disciplinarian, and kept St. Elgiva's under a strictregime. Her girls often wished she were less conscientious in hersuperintendence of their doings.
The possession of a mutual secret shared by themselves alone seemed todraw Chrissie and Marjorie closer together than ever. Not that Chrissiegave her chum any more of her real confidence, for she was the kind ofgirl who never reveals her heart, but she seemed to become more andmore interested in Marjorie's affairs. She enjoyed the latter's homenews, and especially letters from the front.
"I envy you, with three brothers in the army!" she admitted one day witha wistful sigh.
"Yes, it's something to know our family is doing its bit," returnedMarjorie proudly. "Haven't you any relations at the front?" she added.
Chrissie shook her head.
"My father is dead, and my only brother is delicate."
Marjorie forbore to press the question further. She could see it was atender subject.
"Probably the brother is a shirker or a conscientious objector," shethought, "and to such a patriotic girl as Chrissie it must be a dreadfultrial. If Bevis or Leonard or Larry seemed to hang back I'd die ofshame."
Judging from the photo of Chrissie's brother which stood on herdressing-table, he did not look an engaging or interesting youth. Thedormitory, keenly critical of each other's relatives, had privatelydecided in his disfavour. That Chrissie was fond of him Marjorie wassure, though she never talked about him and his doings, as other girlsdid of their brothers. The suspicion that her chum was hiding a secrethumiliation on this score made warm-hearted Marjorie doubly kind, andChrissie, though no more expansive than formerly, seemed to understand.She was evidently intensely grateful for Marjorie's friendship, and asentirely devoted to her as her reserved disposition allowed. She wouldsend to Whitecliffe for violets, and place the little bunch on herchum's dressing-table, flushing hotly when she was thanked. Shepresented innumerable small gifts which she managed to make in her sparetime. She was a quick and exquisite needlewoman, and dainty collars inbroderie anglaise, embroidered pocket-handkerchiefs, pin-cushions,dressing-table mats, and other pretty trifles seemed to grow like magicunder her nimble fingers. Any return present from Marjorie she seemed tovalue exceedingly. She put the latter's photo inside a locket, and woreit constantly. She was clever at her lessons, and would help her chumwith her work out of school hours. St. Elgiva's smiled tolerantly, andnamed the pair "the Turtle Doves". Though the atmosphere of the hostelwas not sentimental, violent friendships were not unknown there.Sometimes they were of enduring quality, and sometimes they ended in aquarrel. Miss Norton did not encourage demonstrative affection among herflock, but it was known that Mrs. Morrison considered schoolgirlfriendships highly important and likely to last for life. She beamedrather than frowned on those who walked arm in arm.
Marjorie's second term at Brackenfield was fast wearing itself away. Inspite of many disagreeable happenings she felt that she had taken herplace in the life of the school, and that she was a definite figure atSt. Elgiva's. There was a little rivalry between the hostels, and eachwould try to outdo the other in such matters as collecting forcharities, knitting for the soldiers, or providing items for concerts.At the end of term each hostel put up in the hall a list of its variousachievements, and great was the triumph of that house which could recordthe largest number of socks or shillings. There was an old andwell-established custom that on the last three evenings of term thethree hostels in turn might take possession of the assembly hall, andgive some form of entertainment to which they could invite the rest ofthe school. St. Elgiva's held a committee meeting to discuss possibleprojects.
"There doesn't seem anything new," mourned Mollie. "Of course concertsand plays and charades are very well in their way, but they're doneevery time."
"We all like them," admitted Phyllis.
"Oh yes, we like them; but it would be so nice to have a change."
"Can't anybody make a suggestion?" urged Francie.
"The things we really want to do are just the things we can't," sighedBetty. "If I could choose, I'd vote for a bonfire and fireworks."
"Or a torchlight picnic," prompted Sylvia. "It would make a niceexcitement for the special constables to come and arrest us, as theymost certainly would. What a heading it would make for the newspaper--'ALadies' School in Prison. No Bail Allowed'! Would they set us to pickoakum?"
"But seriously, do think of something practical. Have your brains allgone rusty?"
"There are progressive games," ventured Patricia.
"St. Githa's are giving them. I know it for a fact. They sent toWhitecliffe for marbles and boxes of pins and shoe-buttons to make'fish-ponds'. They get first innings, so it would be too stale if ourevening were to be just a repetition of theirs."
It was Chrissie who at last made the original suggestion.
"Couldn't we have a dance? I don't mean an ordinary dance, but somethingspecial. Suppose we were all to dress up to represent different nations.We could have all the Allies."
"Ripping! But how could we manage enough costumes?"
"We'd make them up with coloured paper and ribbons. It shouldn't be verydifficult."
"It's a jolly good idea," said Mollie reflectively.
The more the committee considered the matter the more they felt disposedto decide in favour of the dance. They consulted Miss Norton on thesubject, and she proved unusually genial and encouraging, and offered totake two delegates with her to Whitecliffe to buy requisites. The girlsdrew lots for the honour, and the luck fell to Mollie and Phyllis. Theyhad an exciting afternoon at the Stores, and came back laden withbrown-paper parcels.
"Miss Norton says the fairest plan will be to have the things on sale,"they announced. "We're going to turn the sitting-room into a shop, andyou may each come in one by one and spend a shilling, but no more."
"All serene! When will you be at the receipt of custom?"
"This evening after supper."
That day there had been in the library a tremendous run upon any bookswhich gave illustrations of European costumes. The girls considered thateither allegorical or native peasant dresses would be suitable. Theytook drawings and wrote down details.
"What I'd like would be to write to London to a firm of theatricalproviders, and tell them to send us down a consignment of costumes,"announced Patricia.
"Oh, I dare say! A nice little bill we should have! I've hired costumesbefore, and they charge a terrific amount for them," commented Francie.
"It's rather fun to make our own, especially when we're all limited thesame as to material," maintained Nora.
The girls usually did needlework after supper, but this evening thesitting-room was to be devoted to the sale. Mollie and Phyllis were wisein their generation, and, anticipating a stampede, they picked outGertrude Holmes and Laura Norris as being the most stalwart andbrawny-armed among the damsels of St. Elgiva's, and set them to keep thedoor, admitting only two at a time. Even with this precaution a ratherwild scene ensued. Instead of keeping in an orderly queue, the girlspushed for places, and there were several excited struggles in thevicinity of the stairs. As each girl came out, proudly exhibiting whatshe had purchased, the anxiety of those who had not yet entered thesitting-room increased. They were afraid everything might be
sold beforeit came to their turns, and had it not been for the well-developedmuscles of Gertrude and Laura, the fort might have been stormed and thestores raided.
Mollie and Phyllis had invested their capital with skill, and showed anassortment of white and coloured crinkled papers, cheap remnants ofsateen, lengths of gay butter muslin, and yards of ribbon. For theoccasion they assumed the manners of shop assistants, and greeted theirvisitors with the orthodox: "What can I show you, madam?" But theirelaborate politeness soon melted away when the customer showed signs ofdemanding more than her portion, and the "Oh, certainly!" or "Here's asweet thing, madam!" uttered in honeyed tones, turned to a blunt "Don'tbe greedy!" "Can't give you more than your shilling's worth, not if youask ever so." "There won't be enough to go round, so you must just makewhat you've got do. Not a single inch more! If you don't go this minutewe'll take your parcels back. We're in a hurry."
By using the greatest dispatch Mollie and Phyllis just managed todistribute their goods before the bell rang for prayers. The ribbon andsateen were all bought up, and the crinkled paper which was left overthey put aside to make decorations for the hall.
Next day St. Elgiva's was given up to the fabrication of costumes. Thegirls retired to their dormitories, strewed their beds with materials,and worked feverishly. In No. 9 the excitement was intense. Sylvia, whointended to represent the United States, was seccotining stars andstripes, cut out of coloured paper, on to her best white petticoat.Betty was stitching red stripes down the sides of her gymnasiumknickers, being determined to appear in the nearest approach to a Zouaveuniform that she could muster, though a little doubtful of Miss Norton'sapproval of male attire. Chrissie, with a brown-paper hat, a red tie,and belt strapped over her shoulder, meant to figure as Young Australia.Marjorie alone, the most enthusiastic of all for the scheme, sat limplyon her bed with idle scissors.
"I'd meant to be Rumania," she confessed, "and I find Patricia's baggedthe exact thing I sketched."
"Can't there be several Rumanias?"
"Yes, there will be, because Rose and Enid have set their hearts on thesame. I'd rather have something original, though."
"I don't think Rumania would suit you; you're too tall and fair," saidSylvia. "It's better for dark girls, with curly hair if possible."
"Couldn't you have a Breton peasant costume?" suggested Chrissie. "I'vea picture post card here in my album that we could copy. Look, it's justthe thing! The big cap and the white sleeves would do beautifully incrinkled paper, and I'll lend you that velvet bodice I wore when I was'Fadette'."
"How about the apron?"
"Stitch two handkerchiefs together, pick the lace off your bestpetticoat and sew it round, and you'll have the jinkiest little Bretonapron you ever saw."
"Christina Lang, you're a genius!" exclaimed Marjorie, pulling out thebest petticoat from under a pile of blouses in her drawer, and settingto work with Sylvia's embroidery scissors to detach the trimming.
"You'll want a necklace and some earrings," decided Chrissie. "Oh, we'lleasily make you ear-rings--break up a string of beads, thread a few ofthem, and tie them on to your ears. I'll guarantee to turn you out afirst-class peasant if you'll put yourself in my hands."
"I suppose I'll be expected to talk Breton," chuckled Marjorie.
The Seniors' entertainment came first, and on the following eveningIntermediates and Juniors assembled in the big hall as the guests of St.Githa's. Progressive games had been provided, and the company spent ahilarious hour fishing up boot-buttons with bent pins, picking upmarbles with two pencils, or securing potatoes with egg-spoons. A numberof pretty prizes were given, and the hostesses had the satisfaction offeeling perfectly sure that their visitors, to judge by their behaviour,had absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. St. Githa's hadundoubtedly covered itself with glory, and St. Elgiva's must not beoutdone. The Intermediates worked feverishly to finish their costumes.Such an amount of borrowing and lending went on that it would be quite aproblem to sort out possessions afterwards. It was a point of etiquettethat anyone who had anything that would be useful to a neighbour'sget-up was bound in honour to offer the loan of it. Only the hostesseswere to be in costume; the guests were to appear in ordinary eveningdresses.
Marjorie, before the mirror in her bedroom, gazed critically at her ownreflection. Chrissie's clever fingers had pulled and twisted thecrinkled paper into the most becoming of peasant caps, the large beadear-rings, tied on with silk, jangled on to her neck, her paper sleevesstood out like lawn, the lace-edged apron was a triumph of daintiness,she wore Patricia's scarlet-kid dancing-slippers with Betty's black silkstockings.
"Do you think I'll do?" she queried.
The Zouave officer threw herself on one knee in an attitude of ecstaticadmiration, and laid a hand upon her heart.
"Do? You're ravishing! I'm going to make love to you all the evening,just for the sport of seeing the Acid Drop's face. Play up and flirt,won't you?"
"You look a regular Don Juan!" chuckled Marjorie.
"That's my role this evening. I'm going to break hearts by the dozen. Idon't mind telling you that I mean to dance with Norty herself."
St. Elgiva's might certainly congratulate itself upon the success of itsefforts. The fancy costumes produced a sensation. All the Allies wererepresented, as well as allegorical figures, such as Britannia, Justice,Peace, and Plenty. It was marvellous how much had been accomplished withthe very scanty materials that the girls had had to work upon. The ballwas soon in full swing; mistresses and prefects joined in the fun, andfound themselves being whirled round by Neapolitan contadini orpicturesque Japs. The room, decorated with flags and big rosettes ofcoloured paper, looked delightfully festive. Even Miss Norton, usuallythe climax of dignity, thawed for the occasion, and accepted Betty'sinvitation to a fox-trot without expressing any disapproval of theZouave uniform. Marjorie, after a vigorous half-hour of exercise, pausedpanting near the platform, and refused further partners.
"I want a rest," she proclaimed. "You wouldn't believe it, but thiscostume's very hot, and my ear-rings keep smacking me in the face."
"If you not want to dance, Marjorie, you shall play, and I take a turn,"suggested the French mistress, vacating the piano stool.
"By all means, mademoiselle. Do go and dance. There's Elsie wanting apartner. I'll enjoy playing for a while. What pieces have you got here?Oh, I know most of them."
Marjorie good-naturedly settled herself to the piano. She was anexcellent reader, so could manage even the pieces with which she was notalready acquainted. She was playing a two-step, and turning her head towatch the dancers as they whirled by, when suddenly she heard a shout,and Chrissie, who was passing, scrambled on to the platform, dragged herfrom the piano, threw her on the floor, and sat upon her head. Dazed bythe suddenness of her chum's extraordinary conduct, Marjorie was toomuch amazed even to scream. When Chrissie released her she realized whathad happened. She had put the corner of her large Breton cap into theflame of the candle, and it had flared up. Only her friend's promptaction could have saved her from being horribly burnt. As it was, herhair was slightly singed, but her face was unscathed. The girls,thoroughly alarmed, came crowding on to the platform, and Miss Norton,after blowing out the piano candles, examined her carefully to see theextent of the damage.
"More frightened than hurt!" was her verdict. "But another second mighthave been too late. I must congratulate you, Chrissie, on your presenceof mind."
Chrissie flushed crimson. It was not often that Miss Nortoncongratulated anybody. Praise from her was praise indeed.
"Please go on dancing," begged Marjorie. "I'm all right, only I thinkI'll sit still and watch. It's made my legs feel shaky. I never thoughtof the candle and the size of my cap."
"It's spoilt your costume," said Sylvia commiseratingly. "And yours wasthe best in all the room--everybody's been saying so. I wanted to get asnapshot of you in it to-morrow."
"Take Betty instead. She's the limit in that Zouave get-up. And if youwouldn't mind using an extra film,
I'd like one of Chrissie.Chrissie"--Marjorie caught her breath in a little gasp--"has saved mylife to-night!"
A Patriotic Schoolgirl Page 17
