Dorothy at Oak Knowe

by Evelyn Raymond

  CHAPTER IX

  THE NIGHT THAT FOLLOWED

  It was long past the hour when, on ordinary nights, Oak Knowe wouldhave been in darkness, relieved only by a glimmer here and there, atthe head of some stairway, and in absolute stillness.

  But the Hallowe'en party had made everything give way and the servantswere up late, putting the great Assembly Hall into the spotless orderrequired for the routine of the next day.

  Nut shells and scattered pop corn, apple-skins that had been tossedover the merrymakers' shoulders to see what initial might be formed,broken masks that had been discarded, fragments of the flimsycostumes, splashes of spilled cider, scattered crumbs and misplacedfurniture, made Dawkins and her aids lift hands in dismay as, armedwith brooms and scrubbing brushes they came to "clear up."

  "Clear up, indeed! Never was such a mess as this since ever I set footat Oak Knowe. After the sweepin' the scrubbin'; and after thescrubbin' the polishin', and the chair fetchin' and--my heart! 'Tisthe dear bit lassie she is, but may I be further afore Dorothy Dixiegets up another Hallowe'en prank!" grumbled Dawkins, yet with a tendersmile on her lips, remembering the thousand and one trifles which thewilling girl had done for her.

  For Dawkins was growing old. Under her maid's cap the hair was thinand gray, and stooping to pick up things the girls had carelesslythrown down was no longer an easy task.

  The rules against carelessness were stringent enough and fairly wellobeyed, yet among three hundred lively girls some rules were bound tobe ignored. But from the first, as soon as she understood them,Dorothy had been obedient to all these rules; and it was Dawkins'spride, when showing visitors through the building to point to Dolly'scubicle as a model. Here was never an article left out of place;because not only school regulations but real affection for the maid,who had been her first friend at Oak Knowe, made Dorothy "take care."

  Then busy at their tasks, the workers talked of the evening's eventsand laughingly recalled the incident of the goat, which they hadwitnessed from the upper gallery; a place prepared for them by thegood Bishop's orders, that nobody at his great school should beprohibited from enjoying a sight of the pupils' frequententertainments.

  "But sure, 'tis that lad, Jack, which frets me as one not belongin' toOak Knowe," said Dora, with conviction.

  "Not belonging? Why, woman alive, he's been here longer nor yourself.'Twas his mother that's gone, was cook here before the _chef_ and pityfor his orphaned state the reason he's stayed since. But I own ye,he's not been bettered by his summers off, when the school's notkeepin' and him let work for any farmer round. I note he's a bit moreprankish an' disobliging, every fall when he comes back. For somecurious reason--I can't dream what--he's been terrible chummy withMiss Gwendolyn. Don't that beat all?" said Dawkins whirling her brush.

  "I don't know--I don't really know as 'tis. He's forever drawingpictures round of every created thing, and she's come across him doin'it. She's that crazy for drawing herself that she's likely took anint'rest in him. I heard her puttin' notions in his head, once,tellin' him how 't some the greatest painters ever lived had been bornjust peasants like him."

  "Huh! Was that what made him so top-lofty and up-steppin'? When I toldhim he didn't half clean the young ladies' shoes, tossin' his headlike the simpleton he is, and saucin' back as how he wouldn't be aboot-boy all his life. I'd find out one these days whom I'd beentongue-lashin' so long and'd be ashamed to look him in the face. Huh!"added another maid.

  "Well, why bother with such as him, when we've all this to finish, andme to go yet to my dormitory to see if all's right with my youngladies," answered Dawkins and silence fell, till the task was done andthe great room in the perfect order required for the morning.

  Then away to her task above hurried good Dawkins and coming toDorothy's cubicle found its bed still untouched and its light brightlyburning. The maid stared and gasped. What did this mean? Had harmbefallen her favorite?

  Then she smiled at her own fears. Of course, Dorothy was in the roomwith little Grace, where the cot once prepared for her still remainedbecause the child had so begged; in "hopes I'll be sick some more andDolly'll come again." So Dawkins turned off the light and hurried toher reclining chair in the outer hall, where she usually spent thehours of her watch.

  But no sooner had she settled herself there than all her uneasinessreturned. Twisting and turning on her cushions she fretted:

  "I don't see what's got into this chair, the night! Seems if I can'tget a comfortable spot in it anywhere. Maybe, it's 'cause I'm extratired. Hallowe'en pranks are fun for the time but there's a deal hardwork goes along with 'em. Or any other company fixings, for thatmatter. I wonder was the little Grace scared again, by that ridic'lousgoat? Is that why Dorothy went with her? Where'd the beast come from,anyway? And who invited it to the masquerade? Not the good Bishop,I'll be bound. Now, what does make me so uneasy! Sure there's noughtwrong with dear little Dixie. How could there be under this saferoof?"

  But the longer Dawkins pondered the matter the more restless she grew;till, at last, she felt she must satisfy her mind, even at the cost ofdisturbing the Lady Principal; and a moment later tapped at her door,asking softly:

  "Are you awake, Miss Muriel? It's Dawkins."

  "Yes, Dawkins, come in. I've not been able to sleep yet. I suppose theevening's care and excitement has tired me too much. What is it youwant? Anything wrong in the dormitory?"

  "Well, not to say wrong--or so I hope. I just stepped here to ask isMiss Dorothy Calvert staying the night?"

  "Staying with Grace? No, indeed, the child has been asleep for hours:perfectly satisfied now that I and so many others have seen theapparition she had, and so proved her the truthful little creatureshe'd always been."

  That seemed a very long answer to impatient Dawkins and she clipped itshort by asking:

  "Then, Ma'am, where do you suppose she is?"

  "What? Do you mean that she isn't in her own place?"

  "No, Ma'am, nor sign of her; and it's terr'ble strange, 'pears to me.I don't like the look of it, Ma'am, I do not."

  "Pooh! don't make a mystery out of it, my good woman!" replied MissTross-Kingdon, yet with a curious flutter in her usually stern voice.Then she considered the matter for a moment, finally directing:

  "Go to the hospital wing and ask if she's there with Gwendolyn. She'sbeen so sorry for the girl and I noticed her slipping out of Assemblywith a plate full of the things Mr. Gilpin brought. I don't rememberher coming back, but she was certainly absent when her violin wasasked for. Doubtless, you'll find her there, but be careful not torouse any of the young ladies. Then come back and report."

  Dawkins tip-toed away, glad that she had told her anxiety to hermistress. But she was back from her errand before it seemed possibleshe could be, her face white and her limbs trembling with fear of--sheknew not what!

  "If it was any girl but her, Ma'am! That keeps the rules better norany other here!"

  "Hush, good Dawkins. She's all right somewhere, as we shall soondiscover. We'll go below and look in all the rooms, in case she mightbe ill, or locked in some of them."

  "Yes, yes, Ma'am, we'll look. Ill she might really be after all themnuts an' trash, but locked in she can't be, since never a lock isturned in this whole house. Sure the Bishop wouldn't so permit, seeingthat if it fired any time them that was locked up could not so easyget out. And me the last one down, to leave all in the good order youlike."

  "Step softly still, Dawkins. It would take very little to start apanic among our many girls should they hear that anything was amiss."

  Each took a candle from the rack in the hall and by the soft light ofthese began their search below, not daring to flash on the electriclights whose brilliance might possibly arouse the sleepers in thehouse. Dawkins observed that the Lady Principal, walking ahead, wasshaking, either with cold or nervousness, and, as for herself, herteeth were fairly chattering.

  Of course their search proved useless. Nowhere in any of those firstfloor rooms was any trace of the missing gi
rl. Even closets wereexamined while Dawkins peered behind the furniture and curtains, herheart growing heavier each moment.

  Neither mistress nor maid spoke now, though the former led the wayupwards again and silently inspected the dormitories on each floor.Also, she looked into each private room of the older and wealthierpupils, but the result was the same--Dorothy had as completelydisappeared as if she had been bodily swallowed up.

  Then the aid of the other maids and, even of a few teachers wassecured, although that the school work might go on regularly the nextday, not many of these latter were disturbed.

  At daybreak, when the servants began to gather in the great kitchen,each to begin his daily tasks, the Lady Principal surprised them byher appearance among them. In the briefest and quietest mannerpossible she told them what had happened and begged their help in thesearch.

  But she was unprepared for the result. A housemaid threw up her handsin wild excitement, crying: "'Tis ten long years I've served Oak Knowebut my day is past! Her that went some syne was the wise one. I'll nottarry longer to risk the health o' me soul in a house that's hauntedby imps!"

  "Nor me! Him that's snatched off to his wicked place the sweet, purtygell, of the willin' word an' friendly smile, 'll no long spare suchas me! A fine collectin' ground for the Evil One is so big a schoolas this. I'm leavin' the dustin' to such as can do it, but I'm off,Ma'am, and better times for ye, I'm sure!" cried another superstitiouscreature.

  This was plain mutiny. For a moment the lady's heart sank at theprospect before her, for the panic would spread if not instantlyquelled, and there were three hundred hungry girls awaitingbreakfast--and breakfast but one feature of the case. Should theseservants leave, to spread their untrue tales, new ones would be almostimpossible to obtain. Then, summoning her authority, she demanded:

  "Silence and attention from all of you. I shall telephone for theconstabulary, and any person who leaves Oak Knowe before Miss Calvertis found will leave it for the lock-up. The housemaids are excusedfrom ordinary duties and are to assist the _chef_ in preparingbreakfast. The rest of you, who have retained your common sense, areto spread yourselves about the house and grounds, and through everyoutbuilding till some one of you shall find the girl you all haveloved. Leave before then? I am ashamed of your hard hearts."

  With stately dignity the mistress left the kitchen and a much subduedforce of helpers behind her. That threat of "the constabulary" was anargument not to be defied.

  "Worst of it is, she meant it. Lady Principal never says a thing shedoesn't mean. So--Well, I suppose I'll have to stay, then, for whowants to get took up? But it's hard on a workin' woman 't she can't doas she likes," muttered the first deserter and set about her duties.Also, as did she so did the others.

  Meanwhile how had the night passed with the imprisoned Dorothy? Atfirst with greater anger than fear; anger against the unknown personwho had shut that door upon her. Then she thought:

  "But of course he didn't know, whoever it was. I'm sure it was a manor boy, afraid, maybe, to make a noise account of its being late. Yetwhat a fix I'm in! Nobody will know or come to let me out till Dawkinsgoes her rounds and that'll be very, very late, on account of herclearing up the mess we made down in Assembly. My! what a fine time wehad! And how perfectly grand that Gwendolyn and I should be friends atlast. She kissed me. Gwendolyn Borst-Kennard kissed me! It's wortheven being shut up here alone, behind that spring-locked door, just tobe friends. I'm so sleepy. I wish I could find something to put aroundme and I'd lie right down on this floor and take a nap till somebodylets me out."

  Then she remembered that once she had heard Dawkins telling anothermaid that there were "plenty more blankets in the old drying-room ifher 'beds' needed 'em;" and maybe she could find some if she tried.

  "This is the very darkest place could ever be, seems if! ouch! thathurt!" said the prisoner aloud, to bolster her own courage, and as shestumbled against a trunk that bruised her ankle. "I'll take morecare."

  So she did: reasoning that people generally piled things against awall, that is, in such a place, for greater convenience. Withoutstretched hands she felt her way and at last was rewarded byfinding the blankets she sought. Here, too, were folded several cots,that were needed at times, like Commencement, when many strangers wereat Oak Knowe. But she didn't trouble to set up one of these, even ifshe could have done so in that gloom. But a blanket she could manage,and beside the cots she could feel a heap of them. In a very fewminutes she had pulled down several of these and spread them on thefloor; and a little later had wrapped them about her and was soundasleep--"as a bug in a rug, like Dawkins says," her last, untroubledthought. So, though a prisoner, for many hours she slumberedpeacefully.

  Down in the breakfast-room matters went on as usual. Or if many of thegirls and a few of the pupils seemed unduly sleepy, that was naturalenough, considering the frivolities and late hours of the nightbefore.

  Even the Lady Principal, sitting calmly in her accustomed place,looked very pale and tired; and Winifred, observing this, whispered toher neighbor:

  "I don't believe we'll get another party very soon. Just look at MissTross-Kingdon. She's as white as a ghost and so nervous she can hardlysit still. I never saw her that way before. The way she keeps glancingtoward the doors, half-scared every time she hears a noise, is queer.I wonder if she's expecting somebody!"

  "Likely somebody's late and she's waiting to say: 'Miss'--whoever itis--'your excuse, please?' I wonder who 'twill be! and say, look atthe Aldrich ten--can you see Dorothy?"

  Winifred glanced around and answered, with real surprise: "Why, she'sabsent! If it were I nobody'd be astonished, 'cause I always have thesame excuse: 'Overslept.' But Dolly? Oh! I hope she isn't sick!"

  And immediately the meal was over, Winifred hurried to the LadyPrincipal and asked:

  "Please, Miss Muriel, can you tell me, is Dorothy Calvert ill?"

  "Excuse me, Winifred, I am extremely busy," returned MissTross-Kingdon, and hurried away as if she were afraid of beingquestioned further.

  Naturally, Winifred was surprised, for despite her sternness the LadyPrincipal was invariably courteous; and putting "two and two together"she decided that Dorothy was in trouble of some sort and began asystematic inquiry of all she met concerning her. But nobody had seenthe girl or knew anything about her; yet the questioner's anxietypromptly influenced others and by the time school session was calledthere was a wide-spread belief that some dreadful thing had befallenthe southerner, and small attention was paid to lessons.

  It was not until the middle of the morning that Jack-boot-boy appearedin the kitchen, from his room in an outside building, where the menservants slept. He was greeted by reproofs for his tardiness and thenews of Dorothy's disappearance.

  "Lost? Lost, you say? How can she be right here in this house? Why, Isaw her around all evening. It was her own party, wasn't it? or herswas the first notion of it. Huh! That's the queerest! S'pose thefaculty'll offer a reward? Jiminy cricket! Wish they would! I bet I'dfind her. Why, sir, I'd make a first rate detective, I would. I'vebeen readin' up on that thing an' I don't know but it would pay mebetter'n paintin', even if I am a 'born artist,' as Miss Gwendolynsays."

  "Born nincompoop! That's what you are, and the all-conceitedestlazybones 't ever trod shoe leather! Dragging out of bed this time o'day, and not a shoe cleaned--in my dormitory, anyway!" retortedDawkins, in disgust.

  "Huh! old woman, what's the matter with you? And why ain't you _in_bed, 'stead of out of it? I thought all you night-owls went to bedwhen the rest of us got up. You need sleep, you do, for I never knowedyou crosser'n you be now--which is sayin' consid'able!"

  Dawkins was cross, there was no denying that, for her nerves weresadly shaken by her fears for the girl she had learned to love sodearly.

  "You get about your business, boy, at once; without tarryin' to passremarks upon your betters;" and she made a vicious dash toward him asif to strike him. He knew this was only pretence, and sidled towardher, mockingly, then, as she raised her
hand again--this time withmore decision--he cowered aside and made a rush out of the kitchen.

  "Well, that's odd! The first time I ever knew that boy to turn downhis breakfast!" remarked the _chef_, pointing to a heaped up plate atthe back of the range. "Well, I shan't keep it any longer. He'll havethe better appetite for dinner, ha, ha!"

  Jack's unusual indifference to good food was due to a sound he hadoverheard. It came from somewhere above and passed unnoticed by allbut him, but set him running to a distant stairway which led from "theold laundry" to the drying-loft above: and a sigh of satisfactionescaped him as he saw that the door of this was shut.

  "Lucky for me, that is! I was afraid they'd been looking here for thatCalvert girl, but they haven't, 'cause the lock ain't broke and thekey's in my pocket," said he, in a habit he had of talking to himself.

  The noise beyond the door increased, and worried him, and he hurriedlysought the key where he usually carried it. The door could be, and hadbeen, closed by a spring, but it needed that key to open it, as he hadboastingly remembered. Unhappy lad! In not one of his many and raggedpockets could that key now be found! While in the great room beyondthe noise grew loud, and louder, with each passing second and surelywould soon be heard by all the house. Under the circumstances nobodywould hesitate to break that hateful lock to learn the racket's cause;yet what would happen to him when this was discovered?

  What, indeed! Yet, strangely enough, in all his trepidation there wasno thought of Dorothy.