by Clair Blank
Chapter XIV
DISCOVERED
"Look!" Carol pirouetted gracefully for the benefit of her friends.
"I'm speechless," Janet said appreciatively.
"Wait until I get my sun glasses," pleaded Phyllis. "I'm dazzled."
Carol was arrayed in the scarlet lounging pajamas she had received for aChristmas present. The Adventure Girls were all gathered in her andJanet's room viewing the display with mingled exclamations.
"And wait----" Carol murmured diving into the closet.
"More to come," Madge said shaking her head. "If it is as terrific asthose pajamas, don't show it to me. My nerves won't stand it."
"My riding habit," Carol said proudly.
Janet laughed. "All you need now is the horse."
"I've heard they have a merry-go-round in the next village park,"Valerie put in. "Perhaps they would let you practice there."
Carol made a little face at her. "Just the same, I am all prepared."
"What time is it?" Phyllis asked suddenly. "Heavens! I have to go. Ipromised Adele to go with her to the Glee Club meeting this afternoon."
"Ah, our singer is blossoming out," Janet said gleefully. "What did Itell you!"
"I'll go with you," Gale said. "I have to see Professor Lukens about ourChemistry assignment tomorrow."
The two girls went down to the campus. Gale saw Phyllis safely to theGlee Club meeting before she went on to the Chemistry Hall. Thecorridors and rooms were for the most part empty. She went to theclassroom where the Professor often spent his afternoons going overpapers. He was not there so Gale went on to the laboratory.
At the door she drew back hastily into the corridor. Someone was in theroom but it was not the Professor. It was Miss Horton, the Dean'ssecretary, and the girl was fussing with the lock on the cabinet wherethe experimental materials were kept. Gale watched her cautiouslythrough a crack in the door. The glass doors were suddenly opened. Asmall glass vial found its way from the closet into the pocket of thegirl's coat.
Gale turned and fled down the hall. Outside she waited. Miss Horton cameout. With a glance about she hurried down the steps and set off in thedirection of the Dean's office. Gale followed, hurrying her steps tokeep the girl in sight. At the corner of the building Gale bumped intoValerie.
"Going to a fire?" Valerie asked. "Say, Gale, do you know where I canfind----"
"Can't stop now," Gale said. "Val, something is going to happen. FindDoctor Norcot. Bring her to the Dean's office right away. Hurry!" Galeurged when Valerie hesitated.
Valerie broke into a run. Gale hurried on her way. Miss Horton wasdisappearing into the building. Gale followed and it was not until shewas in the building that she realized she had no definite idea at allwhy she was so alarmed. True, it was strange that Miss Horton shouldbreak into the Chemistry cabinet and take something--Gale wasn't surewhat. Could it have been Miss Horton who hurled that acid out the windowat the Dean so many weeks ago? Could it have been Miss Horton who wrotethat mysterious note to the girls? Could she have cut the rope to setDean Travis' canoe afloat?
Yes, all those things were quite possible. But what was she up to now?There were a lot of things in that Chemistry cabinet--things which inthe wrong hands could cause a lot of damage.
On tiptoe Gale approached the door to the outer office. Miss Horton wasstirring a white liquid in a glass. On her desk was the discarded vialfrom the Chemistry laboratory--empty! The contents had been put into theglass with something else. Gale watched the silent actions of the girlwithin the room. Miss Horton was nervous, erratic, in her movements. Sheappeared slightly crazed with an inner obsession. The telephone rang,the bell startling both Gale and the girl inside.
Miss Horton stared at the instrument for a moment then picked up thereceiver. She sank into her desk chair.
"Sarah! Why did you call? Of course I'm all right. Don't worry. Do youunderstand? Don't worry! And Sarah--you will be Dean of Briarhurstsomeday."
With those words Miss Horton replaced the receiver. She looked about theroom and stood up. Grasping the glass again she walked toward the Dean'soffice. She opened the door and spoke. Gale could clearly hear herwords.
"This will help your headache, Dean Travis."
Gale lost no time. She dashed wildly into the office, knocking the glassfrom the Dean's upraised hand, thinking at the same time what wouldhappen if she was wrong in her suspicions!
"Don't drink it!" she cried.
The glass crashed to the floor and made a dark stain on the carpet. MissHorton gazed at Gale in horror, shrinking toward the door.
"Gale! What does this mean?" the Dean gasped.
"It means Miss Horton broke into the Chemistry laboratory and took avial--poison probably. She mixed it in that glass," Gale continuedaccusingly.
"Is this true?" the Dean asked, looking from Gale to her now sobbingsecretary.
The girl did not answer. Doctor Norcot and Valerie appeared in thedoorway.
"What is going on?" the Doctor demanded breathlessly. She held up theempty vial which had been on the secretary's desk. "Whom does thisbelong to?"
"Gale----" Valerie said in mystification.
"It is all right now," Gale said, "Miss Horton almost poisoned the Dean.I followed her here from the Chemistry laboratory."
"Yes, I meant to poison her," Miss Horton said desperately,hysterically. "If it hadn't been for her my sister would be Dean ofBriarhurst. She worked years to have the position, she studied inEurope, everything to fit herself for this. Then you came along," thegirl said to Dean Travis, "and were appointed. It nearly broke mysister's heart."
"You thought if you could get rid of me your sister would still have achance," Dean Travis said slowly. "Is that it?"
"Yes. Now I've failed. You might as well know, I took the money fromyour safe, too. I meant to put it back--but I couldn't right away. Nowyou will probably send me to prison."
The Dean smiled in sympathetic understanding. "No, but if you return themoney, pack your things and leave tonight, we will forget the wholeincident."
"Now," Valerie pounced upon Gale when they were outside. "Tell me whathappened? It was all a mystery to me yet you seemed to know all aboutthings."
"Simple," Gale grinned. "Miss Horton's sister wanted to be Dean at thesame time as Dean Travis. You know who won. Miss Horton evidently soughtrevenge for her sister. She was doing these things to frighten DeanTravis into leaving. Once she left, Miss Horton's sister stood a goodchance of being appointed in her place."
"But Dean Travis didn't scare so easily, is that it?" Valerie asked.
"Right," Gale agreed.
"So Miss Horton was going to murder the Dean," Valerie shivered. "Howhorrible!"
"She didn't really know what she was doing," Gale said.
"And the Dean forgave her as if it were nothing at all," Valerie said."Attempted murder is a criminal offense."
"Miss Horton was too scared to ever do anything like it again," Galesaid. "There was no use punishing her farther. After all, no harm wasactually done."
"You forget the note and the mysterious man that night back of theChemistry Hall," Valerie reminded her. "And what of Phyl's accident? Didsomeone push the lumber that day?"
"That we will probably never know--about the man I mean," Gale said."She must have had someone with her. But I think she wrote the note. Asfor the lumber that caught Phyllis, I believe that really was anaccident."
"Will the girls be surprised!" Valerie said. "Anyway, I'm glad I was inat the finish."
The girls were gathered in the living room of the sorority house. One ofthe Seniors had a small radio and she was fussing with it while the restlistened and idled away the time until dinner. Just as Gale entered andjoined Phyllis and Ricky a voice from the radio proclaimed:
"Flash! An unconfirmed report has just been received that Doctor PhilipElton, the world renowned surgeon, is lost in the jungles of Brazil.Doctor Elton sailed from Liverpool, England, a
month ago for a vacationcruise on his yacht, the _Tornado_."
"Some fun," Ricky commented. "I've heard all sorts of things about thosejungles."
"Is he any relation to you?" Valerie asked of Phyllis smilingly. "Samename."
Gale held her breath until Phyllis had replied.
"Not that I know of," Phyllis laughed. "No relation of mine is fortunateenough to own a yacht."
Gale moved away. If she stayed with the girls another minute she wouldtell them the truth or burst!
"Hi, Gale!" A voice called. "Telephone!"
Gale shut the door to the small closet-like room which the girls hadconverted into a telephone booth.
"Hello? Yes."
It was Brent.
"Oh, Brent, I just heard the news about Doctor Elton. Phyllis heard it,too, and she doesn't suspect a thing."
"I called to tell you," Brent said. "David and I are flying downtonight. The South American government is sending out a searching partyand we want to help."
"Take care," Gale pleaded. "The jungle is so dangerous."
"Who was it?" Ricky demanded, when Gale emerged.
Luckily the dinner summons saved Gale the necessity of an explanation.After dinner the girls retreated to their rooms to devote much neededtime to their studies.
Gale looked up from her books to Phyllis. Phyllis was bent over amathematics problem; her cane lay beside her chair and she looked verytired.
"Do you ever hear from Miss Fields, Phyllis?" Gale asked suddenly.
Phyllis looked up in surprise. "She sends me a monthly allowance. Thatis all, why?"
"I wondered. Did you always live with her, Phyl?" Gale continued slowly.
"I can't remember anyone else," Phyllis said. "Very faintly I recall abig house and a dog. We used to have grand times together. But I neverhad a dog in Marchton," she said, "so perhaps it is all a dream."
"Is Miss Fields your mother's or your father's sister?" Gale asked next.She knew the woman was neither, but she wanted to have Phyllis' thoughton the subject.
Phyllis twirled her pencil between her fingers. "Perhaps you will thinkI'm funny, but sometimes I think she isn't even my Aunt."
"Why?" Gale asked intently.
Phyllis shrugged her shoulders. "I can't explain it. The feeling is justthere. She never speaks about any of those things."
"Hmmm," Gale said.
"But this isn't getting my mathematics done," Phyllis sighed.
"Nor my Latin," Gale agreed.
The girls resumed their studies, but Gale's mind insisted on wanderingoff to picture an airplane bearing two young men toward South America.David and Brent were off to aid in the search for the famoussurgeon--Phyllis' father! What if the Doctor wasn't found? Gale lookedacross at Phyllis. Practically all of Phyllis' future hinged on the newsannouncement they had heard downstairs and the girl did not know it!
"What are you going to do after college, Phyl?" Gale asked dreamily.
Phyllis laughed. "What's the matter, isn't the Latin interesting?"
"Terribly," Gale smiled. "But what are you?"
"I haven't the faintest idea," Phyllis confessed.
"Neither have I," Gale admitted, "unless it is to be a doctor. Anyway,you can go back to your mathematics." She turned her attention to herbook again, but she couldn't concentrate on it. She wandered out oftheir room and downstairs. She found the Senior still at her radiolistening to a popular comedian.
"Any more news flashes?" she asked.
"Nope."
Gale went back upstairs. She was restless. She wished she was with Brentand David. It was hard to wait for news. It was so much better to be inthe center of the activity. But now it was doubly hard for her becauseshe was the only one here who knew about Phyllis' father. If there wasonly someone she could talk it over with! But it was to be a secret andshe would keep it. Still, sometimes she felt she must tell Phyllis thatthings would be brighter for her.
For days Gale's suspense continued. She attended classes, basketballgames, club meetings, and every afternoon walked to the little villagefor an evening paper. There was very little news printed about DoctorElton and his trip into the Brazilian jungle. Neither did Gale receiveany word from Brent. She had not heard a thing since the night hetelephoned her. Now she had an additional worry. Not only was sheconcerned about Doctor Elton, but more so about Brent's safety.
Day after day she scanned the newspapers, listened to news reports onthe Seniors' radio and looked for a letter, but none of them yielded thenews she hoped for. She tried to conceal all anxiety from Phyllis andthe other Adventure Girls, but she wasn't very successful. They couldnot help but notice her sudden absorptions in newspapers and the radio.However, try as they would, they could not drag forth any explanation.Gale laughed all their questions aside.
Then one day came a thick letter from Brent. Gale received it in theliving room and raced to the privacy of the girls' sanctum to read it.Lying on the bed, her chin propped on her hands, the letter against thepillow, Gale read it through once and then again. She rolled over on herback and stared at the ceiling.
Doctor Elton was found and Brent and David were flying him toBriarhurst. They would arrive on the seventeenth. This was already thefifteenth! They had told the Doctor Phyllis' story--also that she washis daughter. Brent said very little of what a revelation it must havebeen to the Doctor. She searched out a particular paragraph again.
"'Doctor Elton is willing to perform Phyllis' operation himself, but sheis not to know until afterward that he is her father. Why he makes thatreservation I do not know--unless it would be more of a trial and anordeal for her knowing who he was. So, Gale, dear, it is up to you toget Phyllis ready to meet the Doctor. He wants to do things rightaway.'"
"Why so deep in thought?" Phyllis asked, when she entered.
"Phyllis----" Gale sat up. "Phyl, suppose you had the chance to have theoperation that might make you all right again, would you go through withit?"
Phyllis grew a little pale.
"What do you mean?"
"Just that," Gale pursued. "Suppose the biggest doctor in the countrysaid you had a chance--a very good chance, if your leg was operated onand reset, of walking again as you used to. Would you take it?"
"Would I take it?" Phyllis gasped incredulously. "Oh, Gale, need youask? I'd take any sort of chance--even the slimmest."
"It means weeks again of convalescence--time in the hospital," Galereminded her gently.
"But it would be worth it," Phyllis said. "Gale, tell me what you mean!"
Gale hugged Phyllis rapturously. "It means, Phyl, that Doctor Elton, thesurgeon, is coming to Briarhurst to see you. He is going to perform it."
"When?"
"He arrives day after tomorrow."
"But the money?"
That momentarily stumped Gale.
"He is interested in you," Gale explained lamely. "Brent met him and wastelling him about you and he----"
"An experiment, is that it?" Phyllis asked.
"Um--ah--sort of," Gale agreed. "But think what it will mean, Phyl!You'll even be back on the hockey team next year," she added gayly.
"Who will be on what hockey team?" Valerie asked, entering. "Greetings,Madam President and Madam Pro Tem. What did I interrupt?"
Phyllis breathlessly told her and went off happily to tell Ricky.
"How come, Gale?" Valerie asked, mystified. "To have Doctor Elton, THEDoctor Elton----"
"It is a long story," Gale said, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I'lltell you sometime, Val, but the main thing now is Phyllis--she is sohappy."
"It is going to take a lot of courage to go through it all again," Valsaid. "I suppose there is no doubt about the success of the operation?"
"If Doctor Elton can't do it, it can't be done," Gale said firmly. "Heis the best, Val. Besides that, he is her----"
"Her what?" Valerie asked interestedly.
"Nothing," Gale said hastily. "Here comes Phyl. Let's go tell DoctorNorcot and Dean Travis now," she proposed.
