CHAPTER I--NATALIE SOLVES A PROBLEM
"Here comes Natalie Averill, girls!" exclaimed Janet Wardell, as aslender, pale-faced girl of fifteen came slowly down the walk from theschoolhouse door.
"My! Doesn't she look awful?" said Frances Lowden.
"Poor Nat! I should say she did!" agreed Norma Evaston sympathetically.
"She looks as if the end of the world had come for her," remarked BelleBarlow, the fourth girl in this group of chums.
"Not only the end of the world, but 'the end of her rope,' too," addedJanet, in a low tone so that no one else might hear.
"If it's true--what mother heard yesterday--the end of Nat's rope hascome," hinted Norma knowingly.
"What is it?" asked the girls anxiously.
"Nothing new for poor Natalie to suffer from, I hope," said HeleneWardell, Janet's younger sister and not a member of the clique of fivegirls, although she often walked to and from school with her sister.
"Well," replied Norma, aware of her important news, "it is about theworst thing that can happen to a girl after she has lost mother andfather. Mrs. James confided to mother last night that there isn't a centfor poor Nat. The lawyer said that Mr. Averill kept up appearances buthe had no capital. He must have spent all the money he made sinceNatalie's mother died four years ago."
"How perfectly dreadful for Nat!" cried Janet.
"After the luxurious manner of life she has had, too," added Belle.
"S-sh! Not so loud, girls; she will hear us," warned Helene, thetender-hearted.
"Did Mrs. James tell your mother what they would do?" whispered Francesanxiously.
"She said she would stay on with Natalie for a time, without salary, asshe has learned to love her so. You know she has been her companion forfour years! And Rachel declares _she_ won't go even if the world turnsupside down," returned Norma.
"Just like good old Rachel," declared Belle.
"But they can't live in New York without a cent of money, you know,"said Janet, with deep concern. "Folks have to pay rent and havesomething to eat, wherever they are."
But there was no opportunity to discuss more of Natalie's problems then,as the girl came up and joined her friends. Her whole carriage denotedutter discouragement, and her face was drawn into lines of anguish.
"Hello, Nat dear! What made you stay in after school?" asked Janetcheerily, placing an arm about the girl's shoulders.
"I had to tell Miss Mason that I would not finish the term at school,"returned Natalie in a quivering voice.
"No! Why not?" asked several voices.
"Why, I expect to leave the city very soon."
"Where to?" chorused her companions anxiously.
"Oh, girls! I hate to think of it, it is so awful after all I had hopedto do and be, for Daddy's sake!" cried the girl, hiding her face in herhands.
Instantly four girls closed in about her and each one had a loving andsympathetic word of encouragement to say to her. In a few moments,Natalie dried her eyes and tried to smile.
"Janet will think it is wonderful, because she always _did_ like afarm," said she. "But the only choice in life now given me, is to moveaway to an outlandish farm up State, and leave all my friends andfavorite pastimes behind. When I think of having to live all my days ona barren bit of land, I wish I were dead!"
Janet tried to change the subject. "What did Miss Mason say when youtold her you would not complete the year here?"
"Oh, you know what a faddist she is over that Girl Scout organization!Well, she talked to me of nothing but my splendid opportunities ofopening a Country Camp on the farm and renting out the woodland to girlswho would be glad to use it."
"But, Natalie, is it your own farm?" asked Janet and Norma.
"Why, of course! Didn't I tell you about it?" cried the girlimpatiently.
"No, we thought it was someone else's farm--Mrs. James', or Mr.Marvin's, perhaps," explained Belle, gently.
"It used to be my great-grandmother's place. Mother was born there, butraised in the city. When grandmother died, Aunt stayed on there untilshe, too, died. Then it descended to mother, who leased it to a man forten years. I have never even seen the horrid place, but I know it is amile from anywhere on the map. Mr. Marvin says it is fine, and _he_wants me to go and live there."
"It sounds all right, Nat, if the house is habitable," remarked Janet,the practical girl of the group.
"I told Mr. Marvin to sell it for me, but he says I would be foolish todo that. He says I can live on it for some years and then sell it when Igrow up and get more for it than if I sold it in its present condition.He says I could spend my summers there and try to grow strong and happyagain, and in a few years he could ask a far better price for theproperty than would be advisable now. I reminded him of all the familieswho wanted homes, but he said the cost of building was so high that fewsensible investors would consider buying an old house that neededremodelling. So there I am!"
"How big a house is it, Nat?" asked Janet, as a thought flashed throughher mind.
"Mr. Marvin motored over there a few weeks ago, but I refused to go withhim. Jimmy went, however, and has been raving over the place, eversince. I just had to tell her to keep quiet about it, or I'd run awayfrom her."
Helene laughed softly: "But that isn't telling us how large a house youhave on the farm!"
"What difference would it make?" retorted Natalie plaintively. "The verysize of the barracks is a thorn in my side. It is a two-story affair,with long rambling wings. Jimmy says it is pure Colonial--whatever thatmeans--and declares it is an ideal home."
"Then, for goodness' sake, Nat, why are you so glum? Any other girlwould jump out of her skin for joy if she were left such a wonderfulinheritance," rebuked Norma gently.
"Can't you girls understand? It isn't the house or farm I abhor so muchas the isolation I shall have to live in. That splendid auto-tour Iplanned for the five of us is now out of the question. Even theapartment Daddy and I were so happy in, is too expensive for my income.If I can manage to keep any of my parents' lovely furnishings, I shallbe more than lucky."
Her hearers were silenced by her pathetic complaint, but their teacher,Miss Mason, now came from the front door of the school and smiledinvitingly at them. She was a great favorite with all the girls of herclass, and these five in particular. She came straight over and stoodwith a hand affectionately resting on Natalie's shoulder as she spoke.
"Have you heard of Natalie's good fortune, girls?" asked she cheerfully.
"I thought it was fine, but Nat says I don't understand," said Janeteagerly.
"I don't believe Natalie can comprehend the fullness of the cup ofopportunity that is handed her, until she sees the place with her owneyes. It is often difficult to visualize the possibilities in an ideafrom another's description. If you girls want to have a little outing onSaturday, I shall be delighted to drive you to Green Hill Farm in mybrother's car. He has a seven passenger machine, you know, and will notbe home to use it, this week-end," said Miss Mason graciously.
"Oh, Nat! Won't that be fine?" exclaimed several girlish voices eagerly.
"It will be a lovely trip, Miss Mason, and I'm sure we will all enjoyit," grudged Natalie.
"Maybe we can tuck Mrs. James in, somewhere, so she can play major-domofor us when we arrive at the farm," added Miss Mason.
"Maybe," admitted Natalie. "That is, if she cares to go again."
"This is Thursday, so we have to-morrow to make our final plans. If allis well, we can start out Saturday morning about ten," ventured MissMason, leaving no room for argument.
"I'll ask Jimmy when I go home, and let you know what she says," saidNatalie.
"Where are you girls going now?" asked Miss Mason, with seemingguilelessness, but with intent aforethought.
"Why, Helene and I are going home, and Nat was invited to stay fordinner and spend the evening," replied Janet. "Norma and Francie arecoming over after dinner, and bring Ned Foster and his cousin. They havea motion-picture camera, you know, Miss Mason, an
d it is such fun takingmoving pictures of each other."
"That will be fine! Natalie will enjoy seeing herself as a screen star,won't you, Nat dear?" laughingly replied the teacher.
"Oh, I don't know, Miss Mason! Nothing is worth while any more. I justwish I were dead!" sighed the girl.
"No you don't, Honey! It is just morbid sorrow that's fastened itself inyour heart. The moment you change your entire present state of mind fora more harmonious one, you will feel like a new being. Now run alongwith your chums and have a real--r-e-e-l--happy time." Miss Mason'sjoyous nature was contagious, and smiles appeared where intense feelingshad drawn faces awry. So it was with Natalie: as Miss Mason turned to godown the street, she stood smiling after her, with a lighter heart thanshe had carried for many days.
The five girls walked arm-in-arm along the city street regardless ofinconvenienced pedestrians who had to give way for them. But four of thegirls vied with each other in cheering Natalie into a happy mood, forthey felt so sorry for her.
The five schoolmates had known each other for more than five years, andbeing very near an age and in the same class in school, naturally becameintimates. Janet Wardell lived a few blocks from Belle Barlow and NormaEvaston; and Frances Lowden and her brothers boarded at a FamilyApartment Hotel, two blocks west of Norma's home. Natalie Averill,supposedly the wealthiest girl in school, lived on Riverside Drive, inone of the modern apartment houses.
A few years previous to the opening of this story, Natalie's motherpassed away, and Mr. Averill devoted all his love and spare time to hismotherless daughter. She was past the age when so much attention couldspoil her disposition, but since her father's death it was all theharder for her to live without such love and pampering. Even the fundsthat used to provide everything she asked for had vanished, andhenceforth she must go without the things that had made her life sopleasant for a few years.
Mrs. James, lovingly called "Jimmy" by Natalie, had accepted theposition of companion and mother to the little girl, when Mr. Marvinexplained the situation. As Mr. Marvin was one of Mr. Averill's closestfriends, as well as being his attorney, his recommendation of Mrs. Jameswas sufficient.
As for Mrs. James, a lady in birth and training, she knew Mr. Marvinwould never offer her the home and charge of anyone that was not herequal in life. Being penniless was no disgrace, but she had found itmost unpleasant when she met her old-time friends and could not feelfree to accept invitations because of her limited circumstances.
This lovely home with every luxury, and her freedom in time and ways,made the position an attractive one for her. So she had held the reinsof government very successfully since Mrs. Averill's passing, and Mr.Averill's appreciation of it was shown in his last words.
From perfect health and happy hours with his little daughter, Mr.Averill had suddenly been taken with acute indigestion and in an hourwas gone. It was all so unexpected and helpless, that Natalie had notgrasped the meaning of it until the day of the funeral. Then she gaveway to hysterics and daily became more morbid and despondent.
Mr. Marvin had confided to Mrs. Mason that, in spite of there being somuch ready money on hand whenever it was asked for in Mr. Averill'slifetime, there was nothing left for Natalie's future. When the funeralexpenses were paid not a dollar would be on hand for rent, or food, orclothing. There were some rare and expensive paintings, antiques, andrugs, but they would be the only things that could be turned into readymoney.
The lawyer had not given a thought to the farm in the Westchester Hillsthat had belonged to Mrs. Averill's mother, as it had always beenmentioned in an apologetic manner. So, naturally, Mr. Marvin believed itto be a tiny patch of poor land with a cottage of some kind on it.
Consequently he was all the more surprised when he opened the deed ofthe place, and found it was located a few miles west of White Plains,and a mile east of the Hudson Division of the New York Central Railroad.As he read down the printed page of the legal paper and found there werethirty acres of good land,--ten tillable, ten woodland, and tenpasturage,--with a substantial dwelling and some out-houses on it, heheaved a deep sigh of relief.
He telephoned Mrs. James at once, and explained the finding of the deedand what it meant for Natalie's future. He also invited the chaperoneand Natalie to go out with him and inspect the property that he mightget an idea of the rent he should ask for it--or what price to value itin case he could find a purchaser.
Natalie would not go when the time came, so she knew not what the placelooked like. It was enough for her that her dear mother had never wantedto live there and Daddy hardly ever mentioned it. Mr. Marvin could rentor sell it as he liked--but she would not take an interest in it.
To her utter disgust, Natalie found both Mrs. James and Mr. Marvin sodelighted with the old farm that neither spoke of a sale, or of rentingit. It seemed to be a settled fact that Natalie and her chaperone wouldmove out and live there for the summer.
When the girl heard the verdict, she stormed away from the room and fledto the refuge she had always sought when she had been thwarted inanything in the past. That was Rachel's big brown arms. Rachel had beenhousekeeper, cook, and nurse, alternately, in the Averill family. Andthe kind-hearted old colored mammy never failed "her li'l' chile."
But this time, when Natalie wept tears of misery over the idea of goingto live on a farm, Rachel explained how much better that would be thanto be adopted by a stranger, or have to live in a cheap boarding-schoolsomewhere in the country.
Natalie had not dreamed of such an alternative, and as her oldconfidante described the hardships of being a poor scholar in a cheapboarding-school, or a handy-help in form of an adopted child in aworking family, her tears vanished and a feeling of dread of suchexperiences caused her to consider the farm with a better grace. But itwas not with enthusiasm or cheerfulness that she told her school friendsher plans for the future.
So Miss Mason left the girls to enjoy the evening, while she hurriedacross town until she reached the address on Riverside Drive, where shehoped to find Mrs. James at home.