Meg of Mystery Mountain

by Grace May North

  MEG OF MYSTERY MOUNTAIN

  by

  GRACE MAY NORTH

  The Saalfield Publishing CompanyAkron, Ohio New York

  Copyright MCMXXVI

  Made in the United States of America

  MEG OF MYSTERY MOUNTAIN.

  CHAPTER I. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL

  Jane Abbott, tall, graceful and languidly beautiful, passed through thebevy of girls on the wharf below Highacres Seminary with scarcely a nodfor any of them. Closely following her came three other girls, eachcarrying a satchel and wearing a tailored gown of the latest cut.

  Although Esther Ballard and Barbara Morris called gaily to many of theirfriends, it was around Marion Starr that all of the girls crowded untilher passage way to the small boat, even then getting up steam, wascompletely blocked.

  Jane, when she had crossed the gang plank, turned to find only Esther andBarbara at her side. A slight sneer curled her lips as she watched theadulation which Merry was receiving. Then, with a shrug of her slendershoulders that was more eloquent than words, the proud girl seatedherself in one of the reclining deck chairs and imperiously motioned herfriends to do likewise.

  "It's so silly of Merry to make such a fuss over all those girls. She'llmiss the boat if she doesn't hurry."

  Marion had evidently thought of the same thing, for she laughingly ran upthe gang plank, her arms filled with candy boxes, boquets and magazines,gifts of her admiring friends. Depositing these on a chair, she leanedover the rail to call: "Good-bye, girls! Of course I'll write to you,Sally, reams and reams; a sort of a round-robin letter to be sent to thewhole crowd.

  "Sure thing, Betty Ann. I'll tell my handsome brother Bob that you don'twant him to ever forget you." Then as there was a protest from the wharf,the girl laughingly added: "But you wished to be remembered to him. Isn'tthat the same thing?"

  Noticing a small girl who had put her handkerchief to her eyes, Merryremonstrated. "Tessie, don't cry, child! This isn't a funeral or awedding. Of course you'll see us again. We four intend to come back toHighacres to watch you graduate just as you watched us today. Work hard,Little One, and carry off the honors. I've been your big-sister coach allthis year, and I want you to make the goal. I know you will! Goodbye!"Marion Starr could say no more for the small river steamer gave a warningwhistle--the rope was drawn in, and, as the boat churned the waternoisily in starting, the chorus of goodbyes from the throng of girls onthe wharf could be heard but faintly.

  Marion remained standing at the rail, waving her handkerchief, smilingand nodding until the small steamer rounded a jutting-out point of land,then she turned about and faced the three other girls, who had madethemselves comfortable in the reclining steamer chairs.

  "What a fuss you make over all those undergrads, Merry," Jane Abbottremarked languidly. "A casual observer might suppose that each one ofthem was a very best friend, while we three, who are here present, havethat honor. For myself, I much prefer to conserve my enthusiasm."

  Marion sat down in a vacant steamer chair, and merely smiled her reply,but the youngest among them, Esther Ballard, flashed a defense for herideal among girls. "That's the very reason why Merry was unanimouslyvoted the most popular girl in Highacres during the entire four yearsthat we have been at the seminary. Nothing was ever too much trouble, andno girl was too unimportant for Merry's loving consideration."

  "Listen! Listen!" laughed good natured Barbara Morris. "All salute SaintMarion Starr."

  But Esther, flushed and eager, did not stop. "While you, JaneAbbott"--she could not keep the scorn out of her voice--"while you wereonly voted the most beautiful."

  "Only?" there was a rising inflection in Barbara's voice, and she alsolifted her eyebrows questioningly. "I think our queen is quite satisfiedwith her laurels."

  Jane merely shrugged her shoulders, then turning her dark, shapely headon the small cherry colored pillow with which she always traveled, sheasked in her usual languid manner, "Marion, let's forget the past andplan for the future."

  "You said you had a wonderful vacation trip to suggest, and that youwould reveal it when we were on the boat. Well, this is the time and theplace."

  "And the girls?" chimed in Barbara. "Do hurry and tell us, Merry. Yourplans are always jolly."

  And so with a smile of pleasurable anticipation, Merry began to unfoldher scheme.

  "Aunt Belle is going to one of those adorable cottage hotels at Newport.She is just past-perfect as a chaperone and she said that she thought aparty of four girls would be ideal. It will only cost each of us about$100 a month."

  "A mere mite," Jane Abbott commented, "and the plan, as far as I'mconcerned, is simply inspirational. I've always had a wild desire to liveat one of those fashionable cottage-hotels, but not having a mother totake me, I have never been. I know my father will be glad to have me go,since your Aunt Belle is to be there, and I shall ask for $150 a month,so that we may have plenty of ice cream and not feel stinted."

  The usually indolent Jane was so interested in Merry's plan that she wasactually sitting erect, the small cherry-colored pillow in her lap.

  "I'm not so sure that I can go," Esther Ballard said ruefully. "My fatheris not a Wall Street magnate as is your father, Jane, and $100 a monthmay seem a good deal to him, following so closely the vast sum that hehas had to spend on my four years' tuition at Highacres."

  "Nonsense," Jane flashed at their youngest. "You are the idol of yourartist-father's existence. He'd give you anything you needed to make youhappy."

  Then, before Esther could voice her retort, the older girl had continued:"As for me, I shall need an additional $500 for clothes. Since we aregoing to so fashionable a place, we ought to have the smartest and latestsummer styles from Paris. Let's all make note of the wardrobe we'd liketo take."

  Out came four small leather notebooks and with tiny pencils suspendedabove them, the girls thought for a moment.

  Then Merry scribbled something as she remarked, "My first is a bathingsuit. Green, the color mermaids wear."

  "Mine shall be cherry colored. It best suits my style of beauty," Janesaid complacently.

  "You surely do look peachy in it," Barbara remarked admirably. "Itdoesn't matter what I put on, my squint and my freckled pug nose spoil itall."

  "Oh, you're not so bad!" Esther said generously. "I heard one of thecadets at our closing dance say that he thought your squint wasadorable."

  "Lead me to him!" Barbara jumped up as though about to start in search ofher unknown admirer, but sank back again when she recalled that she wason a steamer which was chugging down the Hudson at its best speed.

  "Do be serious, girls. See, I've made out a long list of things that Ishall need." Jane held up her notebook for inspection. But Esther closedhers and replaced it in her natty alligator traveling bag. "I'll selectmy wardrobe after I have had my father's consent," she said. "You mightas well stop planning now, Jane, as we are nearly to the Battery."

  Esther was right and in another five moments all was confusion on thesmall steamer. When they had safely crossed the gang plank, Merrydetained them long enough to say, "Girls, before we part, let's plan tomeet at my home next Friday. Since you will all have to travel so far,suppose you come early and stay to lunch. Then we can make our finalplans. How I do hope that we can all go."

  "I know that I can," Jane replied confidently. "I always do as I wish,and nothing could induce me to spend another summer with my young brotherand sister. They're so boisterous and bothersome. As for Dan, he's soeager to make high grades at college that he always is deep in a book."

  "Why Jane Abbott," rebuked Esther. "I think your little sister isadorable. I'd give anything if I were not an only child." Jane merelyshrugged. "
Au revoir," she called over her shoulder. "I've got to catchthe ferry."