by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER X
DISCOVERIES
The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over thediscovery of Marcia's disappearance. No one exactly told anyone, but thenews flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famousfor its gossiping tendency. The school buildings were searched again,with no result. No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly notin the school. Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the townwith whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seenher or heard from her.
In great distress Miss Harland called up Marcia's father, Mr. West, whowas staying in a hotel in a nearby town, and asked him if his daughterwas with him, and to her intense relief, received a quick andreassuring reply. Yes, his little girl had just arrived by the latetrain. She was so homesick for her Daddy, she could not stay away fromhim any longer, she told him.
Could she speak to Marcia herself, Miss Harland asked. There was a briefcolloquy at the other end of the line, and then Mr. West spokecourteously. Marcia had just gone to bed with a bad cold, and could nottalk that night. Tomorrow he would talk with her. And with a pleasant"Goodnight," he hung up.
Relieved from her fears for Marcia's safety, Miss Harland gladlyrelinquished the search for the night, and the girls were forced torestrain their excitement and go to bed. The next morning Mr. West camein person to talk with Miss Harland. Marcia was still in bed, and toohoarse to talk, so she had asked her father to explain to Miss Harlandwhy she had left school without a word to her. She could not bear to beaway from him, and hearing that he was about to leave for Chicago toaccept a position there, had hurried to join him, and being in haste tocatch the afternoon train, had not had time to take leave of her friendsand teachers. It was foolish, he said indulgently, but he had spoiledhis little girl, and could not be hard on her.
Miss Harland asked him quietly whether Marcia had said anything ofhaving borrowed something of one of the girls. But Mr. West shook hishead. He would ask her, and let Miss Harland know; and politely bowedhimself out. Later, he telephoned to say that he had talked to Marcia,and she had declared she had borrowed nothing of her friends. She andher father were going to start for Chicago the same night, and she wouldhave no opportunity to say goodbye to the girls and Miss Harland. Hercold was better, and she sent her love, and wished them all a merryChristmas.
Miss Harland returned a similar wish, and smiled as she hung up. She wasglad Marcia was safe with her father, and was not sorry to have seen thelast of her.
So Marcia left Briarwood, and with her departed something that hadspoiled the spirit of concord and happiness which usually prevailed inthe school. The girls were happy and at peace again. Joan returned toher old place as Alison's roommate, and their room became as beforeMarcia's coming, the rendezvous of the "Kindred Spirits."
All would have been well with Alison, but for the grief for the loss ofher lamp. No trace of it had been found. There was no certainty thatMarcia had had anything to do with its vanishing, but Joan, alwayspractical and logical, maintained that since Marcia and the lamp hadbeen alone together the whole afternoon, and since the lamp, having nofeet, could not have left the room by itself, it was plain that Marciamust have assisted its departure. Alison said nothing, but she grieveddeeply, with no hope of ever seeing her treasure again.
The Christmas holidays were drawing near. The girls were busy with plansfor the two weeks' vacation, looking forward eagerly to going home, andthe teachers were equally anxious for the coming of the last day ofschool.
Alison felt as if she could scarcely wait. Her gifts for the family werebought--the book she knew her father had long wanted but had not felt hecould afford to buy for himself; the new dress for her mother, who wouldnever get it for herself; the roller skates for Billy, the pretty scarffor Floss, the doll for little Mat, who had not yet outgrown them.
She hovered over them lovingly, fondling each package as she wrapped andtied them with a lavish expenditure of tissue paper and ribbon. How sheblessed the memory of Aunt Justina, whose generosity had made her giftspossible! "I _can't_ wait," she said, and laughed at herself for herimpatience.
The only flaw in her happiness was the prospect of having to confess athome that she had lost her "Aladdin lamp."
Two days before the 23rd, Joan, looking over her lists, made adiscovery. "Alison, I'll have to have some more cards. I forgot a wholebunch of cousins out in Texas, who will be sure to send to me. I mustrun down and get some more before they are all gone. Come with me. It'ssnowing a little, but not too much."
"All right. Run and get permission while I put on my hat and coat."
In a few moments Joan came back with the required permission, and thetwo girls set out, running down the steps of the terrace and out intothe snowy street. The snow was coming down more briskly, but they onlylaughed and enjoyed the frolic as they ran down the steep hillside andreached the level street on which the stores were. The "ten-cent store,"the shoppers' delight, was packed with late shoppers like themselves.Joan struggled through the dense crowd at the counter, pushed andjostled by the good-natured crowd, while Alison waited, amused andinterested.
It was a lengthy ordeal, but at last Joan had found all she wanted andwas ready to go. It was nearly dark by this time, and the snow wasthicker, swirling about so as almost to blind them.
"We must run, or we shall be late for supper," Joan said, and they madewhat speed they could. Suddenly Alison stopped short before thewell-lighted window of a little jewelry and antique shop. "Look, Joan!"
"What are you looking at? Do let's hurry," urged Joan.
But Alison stood still. "Do you see? There, in Mr. Delany's window. Isthat my lamp, or isn't it?"
Interested now, Joan stopped. "It is yours, or its twin," she decided."I didn't think there was but one."
"I believe it _is_ mine. I'm going in to ask about it," said Alison, andturned into the warm bright little shop, followed by Joan.
The proprietor was a friendly little Frenchman, well known to the girls,who frequently purchased their gifts there. He came forward, bowing andrubbing his hands. "You want something for Christmas, is it not? I hafmany pretty things," he offered.
"I came to ask about that lamp in the window, Mr. Delany," Alison said,too eager to beat about the bush. "It is exactly like one I lost. Willyou tell me where you got it?"
"That?" The old man looked disconcerted. "It was not meant to be in thewindow at all; but my assistant, he has not much sense. It is not forsale, Mademoiselle."
"But how did you get it?" Alison persisted, and seeing her earnestnesshe looked puzzled.
"It was sold to me, Mademoiselle, by a young lady, I think from yourschool. I haf seen her pass with the other young demoiselles. She askedme not to sell it again. She needed money, and if I would buy it fromher, she would come back and redeem it later. Her father was ill, veryill, and she had no money to go to him. She was coming back to get itlater. So I lent her the money on it--but I haf not seen her yet."
The girls looked at each other. So, Alison's generous heart said,perhaps Marcia _did_ mean only to borrow the lamp. Perhaps she reallymeant to return it; but in the mean time, what if it should be sold bymistake, or even stolen before that time came? Should she risk leavingit in Mr. Delany's shop, even overnight?
"Mr. Delany," she said, "I know all you say is true. I know the younglady who sold you the lamp, or borrowed money on it. She was my roommateat school, and she has gone to her father, as she said. That part istrue. But I want my lamp back at once, to take home for Christmas. Can Iget it from you now?"
Mr. Delany looked puzzled and doubtful. "I promised the youngdemoiselle--" he began.
"If she were here, she would give it back to me. If Miss Harland comesto you herself and explains about it, will you let me have it?" Alisonasked persuasively. "I will pay you, of course, just what you advancedto the young lady."
"But certainly, if Mademoiselle Harland herself assures me that it isall right," agreed Mr. Delany affably.
"Then please put it away for a little while until she comes," beggedAlison.
They flew home to report the discovery and the difficulty to MissHarland, and late though it was, she went with them at once to thelittle Frenchman's shop. Mr. Delany was so impressed by her quietdignity and authority that he readily parted with the lamp for the sumhe had paid to Marcia for it, considering that he had come out very wellon the transaction at that.
And in triumph Alison carried her treasure home, feeling that herChristmas was assured.
CHAPTER XI
CLASS PROPHECY
Christmas came, with all its anticipated joys, and went all too swiftlyinto the past, leaving behind it a precious store of happy memories.
The New Year found the girls of Briarwood back at school, fresh fromtheir holiday and ready for the hardest work of the year. The days werewell filled with study and play. New friendships were formed and oldones strengthened, and a spirit of happiness and of honest comradeshipprevailed in the school as the girls worked together.
Marcia was gone, and no one regretted her absence. She never returned toredeem the lamp or, as Miss Harland had half hoped she would, to offeran apology and explanation of why she had "borrowed" Alison's lamp, andthe other pieces of property belonging to others, which she hadappropriated without leave, and returned in so cavalier a fashion. Theyheard of her now and then in the course of the next few years--sometimesin the lists of schools in the different cities to which her father'sbusiness took him; later, she appeared occasionally in the society pagesof the papers.
Later still came the announcement of her marriage to a young man wellknown in society circles; after which she was heard of no more, and thetrouble she had caused in the school was forgotten in the otherinterests that had taken its place.
The Sophomore, Junior and Senior years of the "Kindred Spirits" andtheir friends were successfully passed, and at length came the day, solong worked for and looked forward to, when, with their school honorswon, the members of the Senior class were ready to throw off the cap andgown, receive their diplomas and step forth as full-fledged graduates,equipped for life in their various ways, each hoping to fulfill herambition and to realize the cherished hope that lay nearest her heart.
The "Kindred Spirits" were gathered for the last time in Alison's andJoan's room, to look over and comment on the new Annual, _BriarwoodBells_. The class history was pronounced fairly good. In their Freshmanyear they had made good in athletics. As Sophomores, there had been somedrawbacks in the first half of the year, but these had been made up bythe work of the latter half. Their "verdant days" were past, and theyrealized the importance of faithful work.
With the Junior year came new interests and hopes. The principal eventin this year, in the girls' memories, was the "Junior-Senior banquet,"the end and aim of existence for the time being. And now, with the closeof the Senior year the class had won its laurels, concluded theHistorian; and one sensed the long breath of relief with which shefinished her task.
"Pretty good, on the whole," Joan pronounced. "Nothing brilliant, but Ithink Miss Harland will consider that we have upheld the honor ofBriarwood."
Kathy turned the pages, and then suddenly closed the book.
"Girls, I have an idea. Before we read the class prophecy, let us eachtell our plans and ambitions for the future, and see how they tally withwhat Helen has foretold for us--"
"And let us meet here in this very room, ten years from now, and see howmany of her prophecies have come true." That was Joan's suggestion.
"All right," assented Kathy. "Who will begin?"
"You. You started this thing," said Rachel.
"Very well. I expect to teach for a few years, and then to be a trainednurse. Now you, Alison."
"I want to do a lot of things, but most of all, I want to come back hereand teach at Briarwood," said Alison earnestly.
"Good! Then you'll be here to welcome us when we meet in ten years,"Joan applauded. "As for me, I'm going to fly.... You will hear of mesome day as the famous woman aviator."
"I'm going to travel to the ends of the earth," was Polly'scontribution. "Perhaps I'll fly with Polly."
It was Rachel's turn. "I'm not so ambitious as Polly and Jo. Mine is tobe the best teacher of Domestic Science that I know how to be. Ispecialized in that, you know."
"Fine! Mine is to teach music and play at big concerts," said Evelyn."Now, Rosalind, how are you going to distinguish yourself?"
Rosalind smiled and blushed all over her pretty flower-like face.
"Why--I hadn't quite made up my mind. I guess I'll just have a good timefor a while, and then be--a lawyer."
There was a shout of laughter. Kathy had been writing, and now read hernotes: "A teacher at Briarwood; a flyer; a great traveler; a DomesticScience teacher; a musician; a lawyer; and a trained nurse. Most of theprofessions seemed to be represented. Briarwood will have cause to beproud of us. Now let us see what the Class Prophet has to say of us."
She turned the pages to one headed
CLASS PROPHECY
and began to read. The "prophecy" purported to be items from newspapersof the future, and some of the extracts are of interest to our readers.The first ran thus:
"Misses Polly Worthington and Evelyn Kingsley have recently opened theirMusic Studio. Miss Worthington will give instruction in voice and MissKingsley in piano. Both young ladies distinguished themselves in thesebranches at college."
* * * * *
"The public will be glad to hear that the best equipped hospital in theSouth will shortly be opened, with Miss Alison Fair as head nurse."
* * * * *
"After finishing her course in Math. at the University of ---- in whichshe did brilliantly, Miss Rachel Cameron has accepted a position asMath. teacher at her Alma Mater."
* * * * *
"The best seller of the month is a novel by Miss Katherine Bertram, whois winning for herself an enviable name as a writer. Her formerclassmates will read her work with interest and pleasure."
* * * * *
"A recent item in a missionary magazine tells us that Miss JoanWentworth has decided to devote her life and talents to themissionfield. She will sail this week for China."
* * * * *
"Miss Rosalind Forrest, the fairest ornament of her class in college, isdeeply interested in Social Service work, and is doing valuable workalong this line."
"Helen May, Historian."
Kathy looked up. "So there is our future, girls, as our Historian hasforetold it. We never know. Perhaps some of us may follow the paths shehas pointed out. But in any case we can only do our very best inwhatever place in life we may find ourselves, content and humbly glad ifwe merit the Lord's commendation, 'Well done, good and faithfulservant--'"
There was a pause as Kathy stopped speaking. She had not meant topreach, but the words had come to her instinctively, and they touched aresponsive chord in their hearts. The young faces were serious asthoughts deeper than their merry surface banter made themselves felt.
A sweet-toned bell called them to supper. The spring evening wasfalling, soft and dewy, over the gray old walls and terraces ofBriarwood. Tomorrow they would separate, never to meet again ascare-free schoolgirls; and the shadow of the parting lay on their facesand hearts as they rose to go down. It was Joan who cheerfully said,
"To meet again--this day ten years!"
