“I’ll wait,” Valerie said unselfishly. “Two of us might be too much.”
Gale followed a white uniformed nurse down the narrow hall past numerous closed doors. At last the nurse halted and motioned for Gale to enter a corner room. Slowly Gale did so. Phyllis smiled at her.
“Hi!” her friend said faintly. “I came through, Gale.”
“Splendidly!” Gale said. “Oh, darling, we’re so glad for you. Gosh,” she sniffed, “I’ll cry in a minute. In that case I’ll be put out.”
“Do you suppose you can arrange it so I might see David for a few minutes?” Phyllis whispered.
Gale’s eyes twinkled. “I’ll try.”
Twice a week after that for five weeks Gale made trips to the hospital to visit Phyllis. Sometimes Doctor Norcot drove her, sometimes she took a local bus, but on two occasions the Dean herself drove Gale.
One afternoon when Gale was making her visit alone Doctor Elton called her into the office before she saw Phyllis.
“So will you tell her, Gale?” the Doctor asked in conclusion. “I can’t just rush in and say ‘I’m your father.’ It would be too dramatic and much too abrupt. Probably she won’t believe it at first. I can hardly realize myself that I have a grown daughter.”
At his frank smile Gale felt aglow with friendliness. The more she saw of Doctor Elton the more she liked him. She could see now where Phyllis got her capacity for making friends, her radiating smile and her sense of humor. Doctor Elton had spent all his time here in Weston, ever since the discovery of his daughter. But as yet Phyllis was ignorant of whom he really was.
“I’ll tell her,” Gale agreed. “But you had better be close at hand because I’m sure she will want to talk to you right away.”
“I’ll stand outside the door,” he promised. He straightened his tie nervously. “Do you think she will like her father?” he asked with a smile.
“From what I have seen of you two together,” Gale said, “she already likes you a lot.”
Phyllis was in a chair by the window. The sun was streaming in. There were magazines and newspapers in profusion, but Phyllis was busy with none of these. She had a sketching board propped up before her and with charcoal was rapidly transferring the view from the window to the paper. The low buildings and the farther hillside upon which spring was already awakening trees and plants were pictured with exactly the right delicate shadows and lights.
Gale opened the door and closed it softly behind her. Phyllis did not hear her at all, so engrossed was she in the work at hand. Gale tiptoed across the room to look over Phyllis’ shoulder.
“Splendid!” she commented gayly.
Phyllis was so startled the pencil dropped from her hand and rolled on the floor. Gale rescued it.
“You have been hiding things from me,” Gale accused. “First a glorious voice and now real artistic ability. I am discovering that I hardly know you at all.”
“Gale!” Phyllis welcomed her eagerly. “Sit down.” She made room for Gale on the chaise-longue. “Did you hear? Did the Doctor tell you? I’m coming back to Briarhurst next week.”
“You are!” Gale said joyfully. “I’m so glad.”
“He thinks by the first of May I should be as good as new—no canes or crutches or anything.”
“He is a wonderful man,” Gale commented.
“Doctor Elton?” Phyllis murmured. “He is—he is—oh, words fail me,” she laughed. “But I can never repay him for what he has done—or you either, for that matter.”
“Me?” Gale gasped.
“You and David and Brent,” Phyllis nodded. “I just know it was you who were responsible in bringing Doctor Elton to see me at all.”
“It wasn’t us alone. It was something much more important,” Gale said slowly. She thought this was probably the best opportunity she would have to tell Phyllis about her father. “I’ve a story to tell you, Phyl—it is more interesting than a fairy story—and it is true. Remember that, it is true!”
“Reading fairy stories again, Gale?” Phyllis laughed. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”
Gale took the sketching board and laid it on the floor, then she grasped both Phyllis’ hands tightly in her own.
“It seems about nineteen years ago a little baby girl arrived at the home of a certain young doctor and his wife. The doctor was ambitious and wealthy. The three were supremely happy. But one day his wife was killed in a railroad accident. The doctor was broken-hearted and could really find peace of mind only in his work. He decided to go to Europe to study surgery—the height of his ambition. He entrusted his little girl to the care of a woman who for years had been his secretary. He gave her money and told her to look after the baby until he returned.” Gale paused for breath. Phyllis was regarding her with steady, clear eyes.
“This woman grew to love the little girl,” Gale continued, determined to be as charitable as possible to Miss Fields. “For two years the doctor remained in Europe making a name for himself—becoming famous. When he decided to come home the woman got panicky. She was afraid something would separate her from the little girl. She decided to run away and hide and take the girl with her. She found a small town and a lonely old house. The doctor returned to the United States, to his home, to find the woman and the child gone. No one knows exactly how long he searched before giving up in despair. Then he returned to Europe and his work again. Meanwhile, the woman and the girl remained hidden. The girl grew up into a sweet young lady and went away to college.”
“Gale—what are you saying?” Phyllis whispered faintly.
“Don’t you see, dear?” Gale asked gently. “You’re the little girl—the doctor, your father, is Doctor Elton.”
“Oh, no!” Phyllis said. “Gale, it can’t be true—if you are teasing——”
“But it is true,” Gale insisted smilingly. “I know it sounds fantastic but such things can happen. It has happened. Your Dad is here, Phyl, and he is never going to let you out of his sight again. He is waiting outside——”
“Bring him in,” Phyllis said quickly. “Oh, please, Gale——”
“I won’t bring him,” Gale said, “I’ll send him. I’m off to school again but I’ll be back on Thursday.”
Gale softly closed the door upon Phyllis and Doctor Elton. Smiling she went out into the sunshine and boarded the bus. She felt all vivid with joy herself to think that she had been able to help a little in giving Phyllis her new happiness—for there was no doubt that Phyllis was happy. Her eyes and face had told Gale that much.
Gale scarcely felt the bruises she acquired while being bounced around in the bus en route to Briarhurst. She was in a rosy dream-world where magical wishes and lovely thoughts came true. She descended in the little college town and walked up to the college still in blissful joyland. She found Carol and Janet and Valerie standing before the sorority house arguing.
“We are not going to tell her now and spoil everything!” Carol said conclusively.
“Tell who what?” Gale wanted to know.
“You know we have been saving the news of our equestrienne ability as a secret for Ricky. Being western born and bred she thinks she is the only one here who knows anything about a horse,” explained Carol.
“I want to tell her about our summer in Arizona when we learned to ride like Indians,” Janet put in. “She teased me unmercifully this afternoon. Told me tomorrow in our first riding class I wouldn’t know one side of the horse from the other. I won’t stand for it!”
“But it will only be for a few hours now,” Valerie soothed her. “Imagine her surprise tomorrow when we calmly jump into the saddle and gallop off.”
“Where have you been?” Carol asked Gale. “To see Phyl? How is she? I’m going with you on Thursday.”
“She is on top of the world,” Gale said happily. “All taken up with the discovery of her father.”
“Ricky said——” Janet was continuing with her original theme when the import of Gale’s words was borne in upon her. “Phyl is all take
n up with what?” she asked.
“Yes, why don’t you speak distinctly?” Carol added laughingly. “I almost thought you said something about Phyl’s father.”
“I did,” Gale acknowledged calmly.
“But she hasn’t——” Valerie began. “Wait a minute! Gale Howard! Have you been doing detective work on something unbeknownst to us?”
“It is a long story, gals,” Gale said. “Come up to my room and I will unfold a tale that will make you throw away your latest detective novel for lack of interest.”
Comfortably ensconced on her bed beside Valerie, while Carol and Janet hovered at comfortable if ungraceful angles on Phyllis’ cot, Gale told them the story she had earlier unfolded to Phyllis. The girls were as astounded and as sceptical as Phyllis at first had been. However, they were all glad things had turned out so happily and profitably for Phyllis.
“Imagine,” Carol said dreamily, “he gets lost in the jungles of Brazil and comes home to meet his daughter whom he hasn’t seen for nigh onto eighteen years.”
“He hasn’t been lost in the jungle all these years,” Janet corrected her friend.
“No,” Carol admitted, “but isn’t it wonderful?” she repeated. “Do you suppose,” she continued hopefully, “he would lend us his yacht to go cruising this summer?”
“And get ourselves lost in the jungle as he did?” put in Janet. “No thanks! I have no desire to get eaten by a ferocious tiger.”
“I just mentioned it,” Carol said soothingly. “Besides, he wasn’t eaten by a tiger.”
“It was only a matter of time,” Janet said knowingly. “He probably would have been eventually.”
“Who knows,” Carol said argumentatively, “perhaps he would have eaten the tiger.”
“Oh, dry up!” Valerie said explosively. “When is Phyllis coming back to school, Gale?”
“Next week,” Gale replied. “She won’t be able to start classes right away and she will have to use crutches for two weeks or so, but the doctor thinks by the first of May she will be as fit as a fiddle.”
“Coming back next week?” Carol sat up in inspiration. “We’ll give her a surprise party.”
“Fine,” Janet agreed. “But there is one surprise I am more interested in right now—the one we are going to give Ricky tomorrow.”
A week ago horses had arrived for the students. The girls had all inspected the ten mounts and each privately had her own decided upon. Surprisingly there were not many girls who were interested in the classes. A lot of them, especially the upper classmen, already were horsewomen or had their rosters so full they could not find time for any more after-hour activities. Not so the Adventure Girls, however. They were fully determined to ride as were Gloria and Ricky. The Adventure Girls had ridden a lot the summer they spent in Arizona. They could stick in the saddle of their mount at no matter how fast a pace on a flat stretch of road. At hurdles is where they encountered their difficulties and this is what they wanted to learn. They wanted to learn to take fences and broad jumps as easily as the riding instructor. It promised lots of fun as well as healthful exercise.
CHAPTER XVI
The First Lesson
“Now don’t be frightened when the horse looks at you,” Ricky advised Janet patronizingly as the five Adventure Girls with Ricky and Gloria walked to the new stables to meet the other two members of the class and their instructor.
“The horse will probably be frightened when Janet looks at it,” Carol giggled shamelessly.
Janet favored them both with a look of utter disgust and settled her hat at a more rakish angle.
At the stables the girls found the two grooms with saddled mounts ready and waiting. Their instructor was already mounted. Several upper classmen had come down to watch the Freshmen get their first instructions. Among them was Marcia Marlette and Gale thanked her lucky stars that she knew something about riding. She would not look foolish before Marcia. The other two members of the class arrived and the girls took the reins of their mounts.
“Just watch me,” Ricky whispered to Janet. “I’ll show you how to mount.”
Janet murmured something under her breath which Ricky innocently did not hear. Ricky swung into the saddle with the easy familiarity of being used to horses. Janet followed suit.
“Excellent!” Ricky applauded. “It almost looked as though you had done it before.”
“I’m crazy about the merry-go-round,” Janet explained, coughing away a giggle. “What do we do now?”
“Get the correct hold on the reins,” Ricky instructed.
With the most guileless of expressions Carol and Janet, especially, went through the pantomimes of beginners. The upper classmen spectators were getting a lot of enjoyment out of the scene.
The horses were spirited mounts but easily handled by the girls. At last the instructions were beginning to pall upon Carol and Janet. They didn’t like the leisurely pace they were forced to maintain for the class as a unit. When they came to an open stretch in the road Carol and Janet urged their horses alongside the instructor. They talked in low tones for several minutes; finally she nodded smilingly.
“Yipee!” Janet cheered. “Now, Ricky, we’ll show you some riding!”
Side by side Janet and Carol spurred their horses on. The mounts, fresh and eager, galloped away sending up a cloud of dust in their wake. Ricky watched the two girls in amazement.
“Where did they learn to ride like that?” she gasped to Valerie.
“On the western plains,” Valerie laughed. “We spent a summer there. Janet has been bursting to show you.”
“Look at them go!” Gloria cried. “They really are good.”
“On flat roads, yes,” Madge smiled. “Let them come to a jump—and watch out.”
“Let’s catch them,” Gale proposed.
An acquiescent nod from the instructor with a word of caution, and the Adventure Girls with Ricky were off in pursuit of their friends.
Carol and Janet were racing neck and neck down the road. They were trying recklessly to outrun one another. Their horses seemed to enter into the spirit of the occasion and raced ahead. The girls bent low in the saddles. They had not had so much fun since they were in Arizona.
“Race you to the old mill,” Janet shouted.
“Be there ahead of you,” retorted Carol.
Around a bend in the road ahead there was an old deserted water mill. Its water wheel was still now and the stream from which it had once secured current was a mere trickle of water through the woods. The girls had discovered the old mill on one of their jaunts about the countryside. Now Janet and Carol decided it would be a good spot at which to bring to a close their race.
“They must be heading for the old mill,” Valerie cried to Gale as they followed their friends’ trail of dust.
Ricky reined in her horse. “Girls, I, was there yesterday,” she said excitedly. “There is a big oak tree down across the road. If they don’t see it and jump——”
“Come on.” Gale spurred her horse on anew.
She and the others could picture what might happen. Janet and Carol coming around the bend suddenly, totally unprepared for the tree across the road, might have a bad fall. If their horses did not make the jump there would most certainly be an accident. Even if their horses did clear the tree that did not say the girls would. They needed plenty of time to prepare for a jump and time to think of what to do. Horsemanship was not as instinctive with them yet as with Ricky. She could have cleared the jump without hesitating, but not so the other two Freshmen.
Carol, her head down, whispering encouragingly to her horse, felt that she was having the most marvelous time of her college term. She had always loved thoroughbred horses. Inch by inch her mount pulled ahead of Janet. Gleefully she observed that at this rate she would win the race. They were rounding the bend of the road. Not much farther to go! Carol glanced over her shoulder at Janet. Her friend was gesticulating wildly and endeavoring to rein in her horse. Carol mistook her friend’s gest
ures for enthusiasm and waved in return.
“Look out, Carol!” Janet shouted. “The tree! Jump!”
Janet saw her friend turn. Carol’s horse was almost upon the huge trunk of an oak tree lying directly across the road. Carol stiffened, then bent forward on her horse’s neck. Together, in marvelously graceful form, Carol’s mount carried both himself and his rider over the fallen tree successfully.
However, Janet, surprised at the appearance of the tree and in her effort to warn Carol, had neglected to check her own mount. He raced ahead. Now it was too late to stop him.
The pursuing girls rounded the bend. Their horses raised a cloud of dust as they were brought to an abrupt halt by their riders.
“Janet!” Madge screamed.
The girls saw Janet’s horse try to take the jump. He rose into the air but with an inexperienced rider his jump was not successful. His hind feet caught on the trunk, throwing both him and his rider heavily to the ground. The horse scrambled to his feet, leaving his rider prostrate on the ground.
Carol was off her mount in the twinkling of an eye. The other girls scrambled over or walked around the fallen tree which had caused the accident.
“Are you all right, Jan?” Carol asked anxiously.
Janet ruefully inspected herself. “I guess I’m all here,” she acknowledged.
“I should have warned you about that tree,” Ricky said. “You’re really a good rider,” she added.
“Of course, ow—oooo—ouch!” With mingled exclamations Janet managed to get to her feet with Carol’s help. “And I wanted to show off!” she giggled. “How did the horse make out?”
“He is all right,” Valerie said.
“We got our signals mixed,” Janet continued laughingly. “He saw a green light and I a red one.”
“How are we going to get the horses back over the fallen tree?” Carol asked. “I don’t care to jump mine again.”
The Second Girl Detective Megapack: 23 Classic Mystery Novels for Girls Page 288
