CHAPTER XVII
POLLY INTERVENES
Polly had just washed her hair, and she was sitting on her shirt waistbox before the open window drying it. It was a gloriously warm, sunshinyday and the twitter of birds, the spring smell of the earth and the lazyhellos of the girls as they greeted one another on the campus below,gave her a drowsy feeling of contentment. Exams were nearly all over,and every one seemed to be just waiting in happy anticipation ofCommencement.
Except for a short talk by Mrs. Baird after dinner it was to be a freeevening and the girls had been granted permission to stay out of doorsuntil it was really dark. Mrs. Baird had said that now was the time totake a big deep breath before rushing into the coming week ofexcitement.
Polly, half asleep, felt the top of her head and found it nearly dry--sheshifted her position to a half kneeling one, shook her hair over herface so that the sun might shine on the back of it, and cradling herhead on her arm resumed her dreaming.
"I wonder where Lo is," she mused--"probably practicing in the gym withBet. I wish I hadn't washed my hair. It seems awfully silly to wastethis beautiful day just breathing. I wonder what we could do. Whydoesn't Lo come up; she knows I can't go out. I believe I'm lonesome."Polly sat up as this thought took shape in her mind. "How absurd," shesaid aloud. And then she laughed. It was funny to think that after allthe years she had spent alone that she could so soon forget how to amuseherself. It was the first time she had realized what a difference SeddonHall had made to her.
"I'd better get used to it," she said again, but she looked very dolefulat the prospect.
A few minutes later, as she was feeling sorry for herself, a rap soundedat the door and Lois' voice called:
"Oh, Poll, are you there?"
"Yes, come in."
"I've been looking all over the place for you."
"I told you I was going to wash my hair."
"Well, if you did I forgot it, and I've been all over the grounds tryingto find you." Lois poked her head out of the window. "She's here, Bet,come on up," she called. "We have a plan for tonight," she continued;"it's too nice to waste time just roaming around."
"That's what I've been thinking. What are you going to do?"
Polly, now quite awake, was rubbing her head with the towel in anattempt to hurry the drying.
"Nothing very exciting, it's Bet's suggestion."
"I like that," Betty herself burst in upon them. "Not very exciting,just one of Betty's silly ideas." Lois and Polly laughed heartily.Nothing was quite so amusing as Betty trying to look offended.
"It's a perfectly good idea, Poll," Betty continued, "and fits in withthis nice lazy day."
"What is it?"
"Just a walk to the fort after dinner. Of course when we get there, wecan sing and--"
"Thrilling, Bet, thrilling," teased Lois, but Polly made her stop bypushing her down on the bed and stuffing a pillow over her mouth. ToBetty she said:
"It's a bully idea. It ought to be wonderful near the river tonight.Who's going?"
Lois struggled under the pillow. "I'll be good, let me up," she pleaded."Ugh! you nearly smothered me. I'll tell you who's going. We are, ofcourse, and Ange and Connie, and the two Dorothys, because one of themcan sing, and perhaps Florence and Louise and--oh, anybody else thatwants to come along."
"Who'll chaperon?"
"Oh, I never thought of that."
"Let's ask Miss Porter; I know she'd like it." It was Polly'ssuggestion.
"Fine, she's just the one."
"Not if the two Dorothys come," Betty said decidedly. "Have youforgotten the row in class?"
"Then let's drop the two Dorothys," replied Lois.
"Wait, I've an idea," Polly exclaimed; "let's ask only the girls we likeawfully well. We don't know when we'll ever be together again and--"
"Oh, Poll!" Lois protested. "Don't talk like that."
"Well, we don't know. Louise and Florence graduate; Connie may go to theconservatory, and Ange--"
"I see what you mean," Betty interrupted. "Make it a sort of farewellreunion and of course we'll take Miss Porter--she's our favoriteteacher."
"It'll be worse than a funeral," Lois said dolefully, "but it's rather apretty idea."
"Lo, stop being sentimental; let's get the girls," suggested Betty."Poll, hurry up and fix your hair."
"It's still sopping."
"Never mind, stick it up any way. It's too warm to make any difference."
Later they stopped to consult on the "Bridge of Sighs." They had askedAngela and Connie, and Louise and Florence, and had left them delightedwith the plan. Louise and Florence had a class meeting on, but theypromised to come for a little while.
"Who else?" asked Betty, expectantly.
"I don't know," replied Polly; "I can't think of any one."
"Neither can I," Lois added, "except Miss Porter."
"Why, that's perfectly silly; don't tell me there are only four girls inschool we like," protested Betty.
"You're forgetting ourselves," Lois reminded her.
"Yes, but even then."
"Let's each choose one other girl," suggested Polly. "Lo, you first, whodo you want?"
Lois puckered her eyebrows and tried hard to think; finally she said, "Ijust don't want any one else and that's the truth."
Polly smiled, "Bet, it's your turn; who do you want?"
"Mine? All right, let's see. I like a lot of girls--there's you and Loisand Ange and Connie--and--Oh, Jemima, but you're all going and I can'tthink of any one else, can you?"
"No, I can't," Polly said, laughing, "so that's settled. Let's go andask Miss Porter."
They found the English teacher in a perfect ocean of examination papers,a daub of red ink on one ear.
"Come in, girls, I suppose you want to know if you've passed," she said,smiling the welcome she always felt for this particular trio.
"Why, our papers aren't corrected are they?" Betty asked, excitedly. "Ithought it would be days before we knew."
"Oh, please tell us," begged Polly.
"Not until I hear why you came," Miss Porter said.
"Oh, no, tell us our marks first, please, please, please," Loisbeseeched.
"Very well, I will. I'm too delighted to keep it to myself anotherminute," Miss Porter's eyes snapped. "You all passed wonderfully well--Ican't tell you your marks, that wouldn't be fair to the rest, but I amso proud of you all."
They accepted this unexpected good news with delight. Literature wasmore important to them than any other subject.
"Oh, great."
"Isn't that bully!"
"I was scared to death, the examination was so hard."
"Now tell me why you came." Miss Porter put down her pen and waited.
"Will you?"
"We thought--"
"Tonight--" They all began at once.
"It's your idea, Poll, go on," Lois said.
"Well," Polly began.
"Polly, Polly," Miss Porter chided, "all your wells will surely make anocean and drown you some one of these days."
"Oh, I know it, but it's such an easy way to begin a sentence. I won'tdo it again." Polly took a long breath.
"You know tonight there is nothing to do, and we thought it would benice to go for a walk, out to the fort, just we three, and Angela andConnie; Florence and Louise said they'd come for a little while if theycould."
"Yes, and?" Miss Porter asked inquiringly.
"Oh, well, of course, we want you to come, too," Polly ended, ratherlamely.
Miss Porter sat very still for a minute and then she smiled, and whenMiss Porter smiled it was a rare treat. If you watched her long enoughyou always ended by smiling, too. "That is a jolly idea," she said,enthusiastically. "Of course I'll come. I can't think of any nicer wayof spending this lovely evening." Then suddenly her face fell. "Oh, mydear children, I forgot."
"What?" they demanded.
"We haven't a free evening at all. We are to have a lecture."
"You mean Mrs. Baird? But
she's only going to tell us the plans for nextweek; it won't take a minute," Betty said assuringly.
"No, that's not it; this is another quite unexpected lecture. Mrs. Bairdtold the faculty about it after luncheon, but it slipped my mind."
"Oh," Lois groaned, "what's it to be?"
"A lecture on New England during the Revolution, by Professor Hale."
"Hale? The Spartan--Miss Porter, did she have anything to do with it?"Betty's eyes flashed indignation.
"The Professor is Miss Hale's cousin, I believe, and she was responsiblefor his coming. I think the lecture will be a very interesting one. Heis going to show pictures." Miss Porter tried to be cheerful.
"Lantern slides?" demanded Polly.
"Yes, I believe that's it. I'm sorry about the walk, it would have beenso nice." Miss Porter looked wistfully out of the window, as if shecould see the old fort bathed in moonlight that very second. "But I amsure we will enjoy the lecture," she added hastily. The girls knew thatno matter how strongly Miss Porter sympathized with them she would notpermit a word against Miss Hale.
They left in silence and waited until they were in Polly's room, withthe door closed, before they gave vent to their feelings.
Lois threw herself on the bed in despair. "If that isn't the meanestthing I ever heard of."
"To have to stay in on an evening like this and listen to History,"Betty raged.
"History and the Spartan's cousin," Lois, cross as she was, could nothelp laughing at the combination.
"I suppose it's to get even; we weren't awfully pleasant about the Latinexam." Betty was jumping at conclusions.
"Oh, Bet, how silly." Polly turned from her place at the window. "TheSpartan's not as bad as all that, she probably thinks we'll enjoy it."
"Yes, she does," Betty was skeptical.
"Polly, talk sense," Lois begged. "How could any one think that we'drather listen to--Oh, mercy, when I think of it--the Revolution, battlesand dates--Maybe the Spartan means well, only--"
But Polly was again looking out of the window. Her eye traveled over thefamiliar objects. The tennis court, the gym roof, and a little fartheron, the corner of the stables and the power house. Something in thequeer shaped little stone building caught her attention.
Betty was still raving. "But Lo, that's not the worst of it, we'll haveto look at millions and hundreds of postal cards, while the Spartan'scousin explains them like this:
"My dear young ladies," Betty snatched up a nail file from Polly'sdresser and pointed to a picture on the wall; "in the foreground of thisbeautiful picture, we have the exact spot where five minute men fellafter a heroic encounter with the British, in the year--"
"Oh, Bet, do stop; it's too horrible. Can't we cut?" There was amoment's silence.
"We cut one lecture," Polly said with meaning.
"And we promised Mrs. Baird we'd never do it again," Lois finished forher.
Polly whistled softly and reached for her sweater.
"Where are you going?" Betty demanded.
"For a walk, and I don't want any company," Polly replied, going outquietly and shutting the door.
Lois and Betty were too surprised to speak. And when they had recoveredsufficiently to go out and follow Polly, it was too late, for Polly hadchosen the most unlikely spot for her walk.
At dinner that night, Mrs. Baird announced the lecture. It was receivedwith respectful silence. The rest of the girls were quite asdisappointed as Lois and Betty had been--Polly was the only cheerful oneat the Freshman table, and Betty whispered to Lois:
"I can't make Polly out; she acts as if she were pleased."
"Poll," Lois appealed direct, "what is the matter with you, do youreally think you are going to like this lecture?"
Polly smiled an inscrutable smile--"History is my favorite lesson," shesaid primly.
After dinner she disappeared. There would be fifteen minutes before thelecture began and she had enough to do to fill each one. She wentstraight to the power house. Pat was standing in the doorway, his pipein his mouth, and an expression on his face that boded ill to alllectures.
"Beautiful evening, isn't it?" Polly greeted him.
Pat looked surprised. "Oh, you're back again. What is it you want toknow now?" he asked.
"Nothing much, I just thought it would be fun to see you fix up theconnection for the lantern," Polly answered idly.
"Sure, it's all fixed. I'm sorry; had I knowed you was that interested,I'd a waited."
"Oh, pshaw." Polly looked very crestfallen.
"It's an easy matter to show you how it's done, though. Come inside."
After a lengthy and voluble discourse on the one hand, and eagerattention on the other, Polly asked:
"So, really, if you just pulled down that switch the lantern wouldn'twork up at school?"
"Not till it was turned on again, but why--"
"Pat," Polly interrupted hastily, "don't you think it's time to go up toschool? They can't begin without you."
Pat's face fell and he sighed reproachfully.
"There, I suppose you're right; I'll be getting my coat."
"Pat, do you like to work the lantern for lecture?"
"I do not; well, that's not always."
"How about tonight?"
"Tonight?" Pat hesitated, tried to keep his reserve, and then gave itup. "It's like this, Miss, tonight I made plans to go to the village,and so you can see that this lecture coming sudden like, is not, in amanner of speaking, welcome to me."
"Hard luck; I'm sorry," Polly said airily. "It can't be helped, though;I guess we'd better start." They left the power house and had gone abouta hundred feet when Polly stopped.
"Gracious, Pat, I've left my Latin book in the power house. I'll have togo back for it. There goes the bell; you'd better hurry."
Professor Irvington Hale mounted the platform in Assembly room atexactly seven-fifteen. He was a young old man with a knotty forehead andvery large ears. He wore horn rim glasses and he carried a black ebonypointer in one hand. Betty described him adequately when she whisperedto Lois: "He's an owl."
Lois smothered a giggle and turned to Polly--They were all sitting in thefront row. "Two hours of that; O dear."
Polly was occupied in watching Mr. Hale, very closely. She only said:"Oh, cheer up," and kept on watching.
"Good evening, young ladies. I--er--have the pleasure to address you thisevening on New England and its historical past--" The professor wasalready stumbling on his way. After his opening remark he coughed,shifted his feet, and consulted a card that he held in the palm of onehand. "First picture, please," he said rather abruptly.
The lights were turned out promptly, and the girls settled down with asigh of resignation.
They waited, no picture came; the white curtain waved ghost-like in thedark. The younger girls began to giggle nervously and then some oneturned on the light. Mrs. Baird went to the back of the room.
"What's the matter, Pat, is there something wrong with the lantern?"
Pat scratched his head in solemn wonder. "Sure, there should be nothingwrong with it," he said.
"Perhaps the trouble is at the power house," Mrs. Baird suggested. "Youbetter go as quickly as possible and find out. And in the meantime," shecontinued, returning to the platform, "perhaps Professor Hale will talkto us."
But Professor Hale would not, could not. He had just his lecture, alllearned by heart. A picture slipped in at the wrong time would haveseriously upset him. He fled from the very idea of attempting to talkagainst time to this room full of fluttering beribboned young ladies. Herefused point-blank--
The school waited restlessly for Pat's return. It was prompt. Mrs. Bairdrose as he entered, and there followed a low voiced and very lengthyexplanation in which the words "wouldn't happen in a hundred years,""short circuit," and "sorry to disappoint the gentleman," enteredrepeatedly.
Mrs. Baird explained that it would be impossible to fix the lantern thatnight, and tried again to induce Professor Hale to give a short talk,but to no
avail. He departed with the Spartan without another word.
"There will be no lecture tonight, girls," Mrs. Baird announced, "andyou may go out as you planned to do. Don't go too far away from thehouse and be sure and return promptly when you hear the bell." Andglancing at the clock she added, smiling: "You haven't lost much time."
It was the merriest of parties that set out a few minutes later for theold fort.
Lois and Betty tried their hardest to find out just how Polly wasresponsible, for responsible they knew she was, but Polly refused to sayanything. Her eyes danced with fun and impishness as she insisted it wasreally too bad that they'd had to miss the lecture. When the othersjoined them Lois and Betty dropped the subject. They sang all the schoolsongs, and did a great deal of speculating about the future. Miss Portertold story after story of college.
"It's been the jolliest and at the same time the saddest evening of thewhole year," Connie declared, as they hurried home at the first sound ofthe bell. "Hasn't it, though; it's been so nice just being together. Idon't believe we'll any of us ever forget it," Angela agreed.
Polly thought of that remark as she sat up in bed an hour later.
"I know I'll never forget it," she said to her conscience--"It really wasa wonderful evening, and it couldn't have been so very wicked for me toturn off that switch. And oh dear, Pat was so funny; I know he waspleased. It was hard for him, though, having to do all the fibbing. Iwonder why things you know are wrong seem right sometimes. This was thesort of thing Aunt Hannah would have said 'I'm shocked' about, but whenI tell Uncle Roddy he'll only say: 'Good for you, Tiddle de Winks.' It'stoo much for me, I don't understand," she finished, drowsily. And in afew minutes sleep relieved her of any further need of explanation.