Mimi at Sheridan School

  CHAPTER XVIII

  THE HORSE SHOW

  What proved to be one of the happiest weeks Mimi spent at Sheridan hada fearful beginning. When she dashed in the post office between classesto see if she had a letter from Germany, the disappointment of notfinding one was enough. On top of that, there was a note asking Mimi tocome to Dr. Barnes' office at one o'clock!

  Mimi crushed the notice. After all, they had not slipped in Saturdayunobserved. Perspiration popped out on her forehead and around hermouth. Mimi, who usually danced through life on her tiptoes expecting"sprises," had her head bowed in misery. There was no time to wail. Shewas late to geometry now.

  After a miserably forty-five-minute class period during which she brokeher recent perfect recitation record, Mimi fled to College Hall andconfided in Dit.

  "We didn't intend anything terrible, Dit; honest we didn't. We justwanted to slip out to see if it could be done."

  "Don't look so woebegone, Mimi. Your guilty conscience is torturingyou. Dr. Barnes may want something entirely different. I shouldn'tmention the summons to anyone if I were you until I found out what itwas. In case it is a punishment, don't worry. Don't cry. Just look outthe window and watch the green grass grow."

  "Watch the green grass grow." So that's what the college girls meant.Mimi had heard the expression a dozen times.

  "After all Dr. Barnes won't put you in stocks or tickle your feet orcut off your ears. Let him fume until he gets tired and then he'll letyou go."

  Bolstered by Dit's encouragement, at one o'clock, Mimi knocked timidlyon the door of Dr. Barnes' private office. He had not come back fromlunch so his secretary asked Mimi to wait. Mimi wanted to ask her whyshe was summoned, but her tongue stuck tightly to the roof of her moutheach time she tried to speak. Mimi teetered on the edge of the chair.She couldn't be still yet. She never touched the chair back. With greateffort she tore her mind from prospective punishment. She tried tothink of rainbows or balloons, but there was no beauty for her now. Forthe first time, thinking "Hojoni" failed.

  While she sat here, Chloe, with special permission to miss English andgym, was being photographed for the beauty section of the Annual. Whilemany envied, no one questioned her place. She really was the mostbeautiful Prep. Already Sue had had her picture taken with both theorchestra and the glee club. Betsy's would be with the soccer, as wellas the basket ball, team. Oh dear! Mimi's woes were increasing withevery thought. Why had she broken her nose when she knew she could havebeen on the basket ball team? There was still tennis, but thetournament was three weeks off and the pictures for the Annual werebeing made now!

  "Thank you for coming promptly, Miss Mimi," Dr. Barnes said as heentered briskly and hung his hat on the stand in the corner behind hisdesk. "I have three things to speak to you about and I do not want youto be late for your one-thirty class."

  Three things! Mimi swallowed hard. She hadn't been that naughty!

  "First," Dr. Barnes was saying, "you will be glad to know that Irecently had a most interesting letter from your father. He asked me totell you that I was sending him a copy of our complete record ofClorissa. Being a close friend of Chloe's Aunt Marcia, I was able tosend him much information not on our records. All of this is strictlywithout precedent and must not be mentioned outside this office. Do nottell even Clorissa."

  Dear Dr. Barnes. He was helping, too. Why had she been so afraid? If hewere a close friend of Aunt Marcia's, then she could not possibly, byany stretch of imagination be Freida; that was out.

  "There are _two_ more things yet," her guilty conscience whispered, butMimi wouldn't listen. How nice to talk to someone about Daddy, andabout Chloe, the problem nearest her heart.

  "What time is your last class?"

  "I have gym from two-forty-five to three-thirty, sir."

  "You are excused from it this afternoon. You may receive a caller inthe south parlor at three o'clock."

  "Dr. Barnes!"

  Dr. Barnes twinkled behind his glasses and funny little wrinkles of fatmade rolls above his ears and below his bald spot. He had been askednot to tell who the visitor was and Mimi could not worm the name out ofhim. Only the importance of the third thing he was telling now couldhave saved Mimi from her elephant-child's curiosity.

  "I have been finding out things about you, Miss Mimi."

  It was coming now--why had her feet ever strayed from Hojoni----. ButDr. Barnes looked proud and not aggrieved.

  "Rumors have been coming to me of what an excellent horsewoman you are.The Bridle Club here----"

  Mimi put up her hand. Stop, Dr. Barnes. Are my ears deceiving me? Waituntil this much soaks in.

  Dr. Barnes mistook her flushed face and raised hand as a gesture ofmodesty and embarrassment.

  "Don't be too modest. We are glad to know Sheridan has someone who canrepresent us worthily in the annual Spring Show of the Bridle Club. Ihave arranged for you and four other Sheridan students to be entered.There are several good mounts available. Beginning tomorrow and atthree-thirty every afternoon the rest of the week you will go to theClub stables and be coached for the events you are to enter. Somefaculty member will chaperon you."

  "Let Miss Bassett," Mimi interrupted. Why had she ever quaked in herboots when Dr. Barnes' name was mentioned? He was kindly and human ascould be, not an ogre at all.

  "Do you like my plans, Miss Mimi?"

  "They're precious, perfectly precious!"

  That was the most Mimi could say for anything. She must get out of thisoffice quickly and whistle between her teeth, or clog or jump up andcrack her heels together twice before landing or she would exploderight before Dr. Barnes. She forgot about her visitor until she wasseated in Spanish class. No chance to tell any of her news. She stoodit as long as she could, then scrawled headlines and held up hernotebook so that Sue could read three rows away:

  AM RIDING FOR "S" IN HORSE SHOW COMPANY AT THREE. HOTCHA!

  Sue grabbed a pencil.

  WHO?

  La profesora was looking, so Mimi shook her head. Besides, what couldshe say? She didn't know herself who was coming. Whoever it would be,they would find her looking her best.

  When the two-forty bell rang, Mimi dashed up to Tumble Inn and put on aclean uniform. Then she cleaned her nails and put some lotion on herhands. Now for her hair. A pat here and a pat there. At three o'clocksharp, looking like a typical Sheridan girl, Mimi entered the southparlor.

  A youth was standing facing the fire, his back to the door. In spite ofthe fact that he had grown since last summer, and regardless of whatangle she glimpsed him--back, front or side--Mimi would recognize him.

  "Honky!" she cried. "You're the last person I ever expected to crashthis gate!"

  "Mimi, hello!"

  She extended both her hands to him as they met in the center of theroom. It was the way she had seen Miss Jane greet Dick.

  "It's great to see you and not nice to ask questions but I have to knowthis minute _why_ you're here."

  "Well, Dad had business in Nashville and I egged him on to bringing me.This morning, as I had hoped, he saw he'd have to stay overnight, so Iasked him for the car and drove on over here. We were afraid I couldn'tsee you so Dad phoned Dr. Barnes long distance and he said I could comeahead."

  "How is the gang? Gee! I missed you all Christmas! When have you seenCissy? Von? Has King been ridden any this winter? Oh, Honky! I'm goingto ride in a horse show Saturday!"

  "Not so fast, lady, not so fast."

  Mimi chattered away and Honky followed as best he could. She rememberedto thank him politely for helping fix her Christmas box. Once againwhen she was on the verge of telling the great mystery about Chloe, shewas saved. Sue, Chloe, and Betsy came in, arm-in-arm. Sue broke looseto shake hands with Honky and to introduce the suite mates. Then herquestions began.

  Before they had half finished "pumping" Honky, or before near as manygirls as wanted to had passe
d the open doors and looked in, Mrs. Colesailed in erect in her stiff skirt tails and suggested that Honky callagain sometime.

  "In other words, here's your hat; now what's your rush?" Mimi giggledwhen Mrs. Cole sailed on by.

  "Can't you walk out to the car with me, Mimi?"

  "Why, yes, I will anyway."

  Was she glad she went!

  She came back in with an arm load. Honky gave her a big box ofcandy--not chocolates in a fancy box--but a whole carton of assortedfive-cent candy bars. He knew Mimi liked them better and that theywould last longer. The suit box was from Cissy. Honky had beenthoughtful enough to phone the day before he left and when he blew hiscar horn on his way out, Cissy had had the box ready.

  Sue had a hunch something like this might happen so the three suitemates had waited at the door for Mimi. As Honky drove off Mimi wavedfrom the steps and the three yelled from the door.

  "Scram, Honky," Betsy called, but not loud enough for him to hear, "youare keeping me from my food!"

  "_Your_ food," Mimi teased. "I'm going to eat it all myself--string,box, paper, food!"

  "Don't ever _say_ that," the girls yelled.

  "Sure 'nough, let's sneak up to Tumble Inn before we open it or therewon't be a greasy spot around."

  "Food!" Olivia cried, meeting them in the hall. "I, the great gourmand,detect the presence of delicately browned viands!"

  "Aw boloney!" Betsy fibbed. "Don't you know clean clothes come in suitboxes."

  It wasn't an outright story, but it discouraged Olivia. When theyopened the box and saw what a real feast Mammy had prepared, they weregladder than ever she had not followed.

  Six rolls of sandwiches--three tuna fish and three pimiento cheese--aloaf of orange bread, a date loaf, a quart jar of peach pickles, and adrained carton of mixed pickles Mimi liked better.

  Mimi was so happy and grateful. She intended to write Cissy that verynight but she was too excited about the Horse Show. She wished shecould have her own King to ride. She could even hurdle on him. Therewere several points she intended to ask Honky about changing gaits inthe ring, but the time was too short. At least she had sent Cissy aworld of thanks by him. That eased her mind when she delayed writing.Until it was over, the Show was first and foremost.

  Mimi knew that appearance counted much with the people in the grandstand and that often judges were influenced by applause. Therefore, shegave careful attention to her habit. Her best outfit was black andwhite. She hoped for a sunny day so that her white gaberdine pantswould not seem too out-of-season. Her black patent leather boots shone.She punched another hole in the belt Betsy gave her Christmas. Shebrushed and brushed her derby and finally fastened a chin strap to it.She would need her hands for something besides grabbing for her hat. Tobreak the monotony of black and white and to identify her further, shesewed a Sheridan green satin arm band on her sleeve. She fastened herwhite entry number to the green satin band.

  She rode hard and heeded carefully every instruction the groom gave.The horses were pedigreed thoroughbreds and accustomed to the showring. Mimi, at home in the small English saddles, gained skill andconfidence each afternoon.

  She was not particularly surprised when the day of the Show she, theyoungest of the entrants, won the coveted Good Hands Cup class. PuttingMorning Star through the customary walk, trot and canter was a cinch.Mimi felt sure that if given a chance, he could go through them byhimself. When the ten contestants were thinned to five and Mimi withthe four remaining in the ring was asked to change mounts, she was notdisturbed. Easily she flung herself off Morning Star and one foot inthe stirrup, one hand on the pommel, with one swing she was astrideBlue Boy. Walk, trot, canter. What a stance Blue Boy made before thestand. Fore feet forward until he nearly bowed. Neck arched, head high.

  "Steady, Blue Boy, Steady-O," Mimi fondled. She was erect in the saddlebut her voice was easy and lazy.

  Blue Boy walled his eyes at the judges as they walked around him but hedid not flinch.

  After a brief conference in which the judges compared notes, the headfield judge stepped up to Mimi on Blue Boy.

  With all the grace in the world Mimi accepted the cup and the blueribbon. With the latter between her teeth, the cup held high in onehand, Mimi cantered past the grand stand and out of the ring.

  The cheers of the Sheridan rooters followed her. This was the highestaward a Sheridan girl had ever won in a Bridle Club show. For this,Mimi would have--not a picture smothered in a club or team or anorchestra--but a whole page picture mounted on Blue Boy in the Annual.She hoped it would be opposite Chloe's. Since they had lived togetherall year it would be dandy to have their pictures next each other's.