CHAPTER IX
SOME GIRLS
Tom thought the fifteen-mile trolley ride to Fairview was an unusuallylong one, but, as a matter of fact, it was soon accomplished, for hecaught an express, and about eight o'clock that night arrived in thetown where the co-educational institution was located.
"Now to find Phil's sister," he said half aloud, as he headed for thecollege. He knew the way well, for he had been there several timesbefore in the previous spring, when his team played baseball.
"Hello, Parsons," a voice greeted him as he was walking up the campus."Where you bound for?"
The speaker was Frank Sullivan, manager of the Fairview ball team.
"Oh, I just came over to see what sort of a football eleven you weregoing to stack up against us this fall," answered Tom easily.
"Not very good, I'm afraid," declared Frank. "We're in pretty bad shape.Several of our best men have been hurt in practice."
"We've got a few cripples ourselves," said Tom. "Phil Clinton just gotlaid up with a bad shoulder."
"Our half-back is a wreck," added Frank.
It is curious, but true, nevertheless, that most football elevens seemto rejoice in the number of cripples they can boast of. The worse themen are "banged up," the better those interested in the team seem tobe. It may be that they wish to conceal from other teams their realcondition, and so give the enemy a false idea of their strength. Howeverthat may be, the fact remains.
"So you came over to see how we were doing, eh?" went on Frank. "Well,not very good, I'm afraid. We expect to be the tailenders this season,"which was not at all what Frank expected, however, nor did his friends.But he considered it policy to say so.
"I didn't come over for that alone," said Tom. "I have a message toPhil's sister. Say, how do you get into the female department of thisshebang, anyhow? What's the proper method of procedure? Do I have tohave the password and a countersign?"
"Pretty nearly. It's like the combination on a safe. The first thing youwill have to do is to go and interview Miss Philock."
"Who's she?"
"The preceptress; and a regular ogress into the bargain. If you passmuster with her first inspection, you'll have to answer a lot ofcategorical questions covering your whole life history. Then, maybe,she'll consent to take a note from you to the fair damsel."
"Can't I see her?" asked Tom in some dismay, for he had counted onmeeting Madge Tyler.
"See a girl student of Fairview after dark? Why, the idea ispreposterous, my dear sir! Perfectly scandalous!" and Frank gave a fairimitation of an indignant lady teacher.
"Well, I'll have to send word in," decided Tom, "for I didn't bring anote."
"Do you know her personally?" asked Frank.
"Who--Miss Philock or Phil's sister?"
"Phil's sister?"
"No, I don't."
"Worse and more of it. I wish you joy of your job. But I'm off. There'sgoing to be some hazing, and I'm on the committee to provide some extratortures for the freshies. So long. Miss Philock has her den in that redbuilding on your left," and, whistling a merry air, which was utterlyout of keeping with Tom's spirits, Frank Sullivan walked away.
"Well, here goes," said Tom to himself, as he walked up to the residenceof the preceptress and rang the bell.
An elderly servant answered his summons, and looked very much surprisedat observing a good-looking youth standing on the steps. Tom asked tosee Miss Philock, and the servant, after shutting the door, and audiblylocking it, walked away.
"They must be terribly afraid of me," thought Tom, but further musingswere put to an end by the arrival of the preceptress herself.
"What do you want, young man?" she asked, and her voice sounded likesome file rasping and scraping.
"I wish to deliver a message to Miss Ruth Clinton," was Tom's answer.
"Who are you?"
"I am Thomas Parsons, of Randall College."
"Are you any relation to Miss Clinton?"
"No; but I room with her brother, and he was slightly hurt in footballpractice to-day. He wanted me to tell her that it was nothing serious.He also has a letter from his father, that he wished me to deliver."
Miss Philock fairly glared at Tom.
"That is a very ingenious and plausible answer," said the elderly ladyslowly. "I have had many excuses made to me by young gentlemen asreasons for sending messages to young ladies under my care, but this oneis the most ingenious I have ever received."
"But it's true!" insisted Tom, who perceived that his story was notbelieved.
"That's what they all say," was the calm answer of Miss Philock.
Tom was nonplused. He hardly knew what reply to make.
"You are evidently a stranger to our rules," went on Miss Philock. "Youmust go away at once, or I shall notify the proctor," and she was aboutto close the door.
"But," cried Tom desperately, "I have a message for Miss Ruth Clinton!"
"Are you a relative of hers?" again asked the preceptress coldly.
"No; not exactly," spoke Tom slowly.
"That's the way they all say it," she went on. "If you are not arelative you can send her no message."
"But can't you tell her what I've told you?" asked the 'varsity pitcher."She may worry about her brother, and he wants her to have this letterfrom her father."
"How do I know she has a brother?" asked Miss Philock sternly.
"I am telling you."
"Yes, I know," frigidly. "Other young men have called here to see theyoung ladies under my charge, and they often pretend to be brothers andcousins, when they were not."
"I am not pretending."
"I don't know whether you are or not, sir. It has been my experiencethat you can never trust a young man. I shall have to bid you goodevening, though I do you the credit to state that your plan is a verygood one. Only, I am too sharp for you, young man. You can send nomessage to Miss Clinton or any other young lady student under mycharge."
The door was almost shut. Tom was in despair. At that moment he caughtsight of a girlish figure in the hall behind the preceptress. It wasMadge Tyler.
"Oh, Madge--Miss Tyler!" he cried impulsively, "will you tell MissClinton that her brother is not badly hurt. That is, in case she hearsany rumors. His shoulder is dislocated, but he's all right."
"Why, Mr. Parsons--Tom!" exclaimed the girl in surprise. "What bringsyou here?"
"Young man, what do you mean by disobeying my orders in this manner?"demanded Miss Philock, bristling with anger.
"You didn't tell me not to speak to Miss Tyler," said Tom slyly. And hesmiled mischievously.
"Miss Tyler--do you know her?"
"I am an old friend of hers," insisted Tom quickly, his confidencecoming back.
"Is this true, Miss Tyler?" asked the head instructress.
Madge was a bright girl, and a quick thinker. She at once understoodTom's predicament, and resolved to help him out. Perhaps it was as muchon her own account as Ruth's--who knows? At any rate, she said:
"Why, Miss Philock, Tom Parsons and I have known each other ever sincewe were children. He is a sort of distant relation of mine. Aren't you,Tom?"
"Ye--yes, Madge," he almost stammered.
"His mother and my mother are second cousins," went on the girl, whichwas true enough, though Tom had forgotten it. He did not stop to figureout just what degree of kinship he bore to Madge. He was satisfied tohave it as it was. Miss Philock turned to Tom.
"If I had known this at first," she said, "I would have allowed you tosend a message to Miss Tyler at once. However strongly young gentlemenmay insist that they are related to my girls, I never believe them. Butif the statement is made by one of my pupils, I never doubt her. In viewof the fact that you have come some distance, you may step into theparlor, and speak with Miss Tyler for ten minutes--no longer."
She opened the door wider. It was quite a different reception from whatTom had expected, but he was glad enough to see Madge for even thatbrief period. He followed her into the parlor, whi
le Miss Philock passeddown the corridor.
"Oh, Tom, I'm so glad to see you!" exclaimed the girl, and she extendedboth hands, which Tom held just as long as he decently could.
"And I'm glad to see you," he declared. "You're looking fine!"
"What's this about Ruth's brother?" she asked.
"It's true. He was hurt at football practice this afternoon, and he wasafraid she'd worry. I told him I'd bring a message to her, and also thisletter. It's from her father, about her mother. Will you give it toher?"
"Of course. Isn't it too bad about her poor, dear mother? Ruth is such asweet girl. Have you ever met her?"
"I haven't had the pleasure."
"I wonder if I'd better introduce you to her," said Madge musingly. "Sheis very fascinating, and--er--well----" She looked at Tom and laughed.
"Can you doubt me?" asked Tom, also laughing, and he bowed low, with hishand on his heart.
"Oh, no! Men--especially young men--are never faithless!" she exclaimedgaily.
"But how can you present me to her, when the 'ogress,' as I have heardher called, bars the way?"
"Hush! She may hear you," cautioned Madge. "Oh, we have 'ways that aredark and tricks that are vain,' I suppose Miss Philock would say. I'lljust send a message by wireless, and Ruth will soon be here. I think itwill be safe. Philly, as we call her, will be in her office by thistime."
Madge stepped to the steam pipes in the room, and with her pencil tappedseveral times in a peculiar way.
"That's a code message to Ruth to come down here," she explained.
"It's a great system," complimented Tom. "How do you work it?"
"Oh, we have a code. Each girl has a number, and we just tap that numberon the pipes. You know, you can hear a tap all over the building. Then,after giving the number, we rap out the message, also by numbers. Wejust _had_ to invent it. You boys have ever so many things that we girlscan't, you know. Now tell me all about football. I suppose you willplay?"
"I hope to."
"And Phil--I mean Mr. Clinton, but I call him Phil, because I hear Ruthspeak of him so often--I think he plays half-back, doesn't he?"
"No; quarter," answered Tom.
"I hope to meet him soon," went on Madge. "Ruth has promised---- Oh,here she is now," she interrupted herself to say. "Come in, Ruth, dear.Here is a sort of forty-second cousin of mine, with a message about yourbrother."
Tom looked up, to see a tall, dark, handsome girl entering the room.Behind her came a rather stout, light-haired maiden, with laughing blueeyes.
"A message from my brother!" exclaimed Ruth, and she looked at Tom in amanner that made his heart beat rather faster than usual.
"Yes, Ruth," went on Madge; "but nothing serious. I'm glad you camedown, too, Sarah, dear. I want you to meet my cousin."
"I brought Sarah because I was afraid I didn't get your pipe messagejust right," explained Ruth. "Did you mean you had company you wanted toshare with me, or that there was a letter for me? I couldn't find thecode book."
"It's both," declared Madge with a laugh. "But first let's get theintroductions over with," and she presented Tom to Ruth, and then toMiss Sarah Warden, her roommate, as well as Ruth's.
"Phil has often spoken to me about you, Miss Clinton," said Tom. "Infact, he has your picture in our room. It doesn't look like you--I meanit doesn't do you justice--that is--er--I--I mean----"
"Better stop, Tom," cautioned Madge. "Evidently Ruth has played havocwith you already. You should study more carefully the art of makingcompliments."
"Miss Clinton needs no compliments other than unspoken ones," said Tom,with an elaborate bow.
"Oh, how prettily said!" exclaimed Miss Warden. "Madge, why didn't youtell us about your cousin before?"
"It's time enough now," was Madge's rejoinder.
"But what about my brother?" asked Ruth anxiously.
Then Tom told her, and gave her the letter with which Phil had entrustedhim. The young people talked gaily for some minutes longer, and thenMadge, with a look at the clock, said that it was about time MissPhilock would be back to see that Tom had not overstayed.
"What a short ten minutes!" he exclaimed, and he looked full in RuthClinton's eyes.
"Wasn't it?" she agreed. "However, I hope you will come again--thatis--of course you can't come here, but perhaps we--I--er--that is----"She stopped in confusion.
"You're almost as bad as Tom was!" declared Madge, and there was just alittle change from her former genial tones. She glanced critically atTom.
"I expect to come over again," replied Phil's chum. "And I hope I shallsee you then, Miss Clinton--see all of you, of course," he addedquickly.
"It depends on Miss Philock," said Miss Warden.
"Will you be at the Fairview-Randall football game?" asked Tom.
"Yes," answered Ruth, for he looked at her.
"I shall see you and Madge, then, I hope, only it's a long way off," andTom sighed just the least bit.
Madge raised her eyebrows. She might be pardoned for considering thatTom, in a measure, was her personal property, and now, the first time hehad met Ruth, to hear him talk thus, was something of a shock.
But she was too proud to show more than a mere hint of her feelings, andRuth was, for the time being, entirely unaware that her friend was a bitjealous.
"Here comes Philly!" exclaimed Sarah Warden, as steps were heardapproaching. "You had better go, Mr. Parsons, if you value yourreputation."
"Yes," spoke Madge; "better go, Tom. Sorry you couldn't stay longer."
"So am I," was his answer, and once more he looked straight at Ruth. Hehad thought Madge very pretty, and, while he did not waver in the leastin still thinking her most attractive, he had to admit to himself thatRuth's was of a different style of beauty.
"I'm sure I don't know how to thank you for taking the trouble to bringme this message and letter," said Phil's sister, as she held out herhand to Tom. He took it in a firm clasp.
"It was only a pleasure," he said. "Next time I hope to bring betternews."
"Then there is to be a next time?" she asked archly.
"Of course," he replied, and laughed.
"Hurry, Tom, or Miss Philock may order you out," urged Madge. "You'veoverstayed your leave as it is, and she may punish us for it. Good-by,"and she held out her hand. Tom clasped it, but a careful observer, witha split-second watch, might have noted that he did not hold it quite aslong as he had held Ruth's.
A few minutes later Tom was out on the campus, walking toward thetrolley that would take him to Haddonfield. His brain was in somethingof a whirl, and his heart was strangely light.
"My! but she's pretty!" he exclaimed half aloud. "What fine eyes!I--I---- Oh, well, what's the use of talking to yourself?" And with thatsage reflection Tom pursued his silent way.
Back in the parlor the three girls stood for a moment.
"I like your cousin very much, Madge, dear," said Ruth.
"I shouldn't wonder!" exclaimed Madge shortly, and she turned andhurried from the room.
Ruth looked at her in some surprise.
"Whatever has come over Madge?" asked Sarah Warden.
"I can't imagine," replied Ruth, and then, with a thoughtful look on herface, she went to her room.
"Humph! I guess I know," murmured Miss Warden, as she followed.
A Quarter-Back's Pluck: A Story of College Football Page 9
