Dorothy Dale's Great Secret

  CHAPTER VI ON THE LAWN

  "When I was a very small girl," exclaimed Mollie Richards, otherwiseknown as Dick, "I used to hope I would die young so I could escape thetooth-filling process, but here I am, doing these dreadful exams, and Ihaven't died yet."

  "Never despair," quoted Rose-Mary. "The worst is yet to come."

  "Cheer up, fellows," lisped little Nita Brandt, "We've been promised aclam-bake when it's all over."

  "Yes, I fancy it will be all over with me when that clam-bake arrives,"sighed Edna Black. "Since Tavia has 'turned turtle' I don't even have thefun of sneezing for exercise."

  "It's an ill wind--and so on," ventured Dick. "That was a most abominablehabit of yours--sneezing when you were too lazy to open your mouth tolaugh."

  "But I never would have believed that Tavia would get so--so--"

  "Batty," finished Amy Brooks. "It's slang, but I know of no English wordinto which the explicit 'batty' may be translated."

  "And Tavia of all girls," added Ned, ponderingly.

  "But it seems to agree with her," declared Cologne. "Haven't you noticedher petal complexion?"

  "Too much like the drug store variety," objected Nita. "I like somethingmore substantial."

  "Sour grapes," fired back Ned, who could always be depended on to takeTavia's part. "Yours is so perfect--"

  "Oh, I know--freckles," admitted the confused Nita with a pout. "Fairskins always freckle."

  "Then why don't you close the 'fair' and raffle off," suggested Dick."Much easier than sleeping in lemon juice every night."

  "Molly Richards, you're too smart!" snapped the abused one.

  "Not altogether so," replied Dick. "At least this abominable French can'tprove it. I have always believed that the only way to acquire a goodFrench accent would be to get acute tonsilitis. Then one might choke outthe gutterals beautifully."

  The girls of Glenwood school were supposed to be busy preparing forexaminations. They had congregated in little knots, out of doors,scattering under the leafing oaks, and the temptation to gossip wasevidently more than mere girls could withstand amid such surroundings.

  "There's Dorothy now," announced Cologne, as the latter turned into thepath.

  "Yes, and there's Tavia," followed Ned, showing keen pleasure as the lateabsent one made her appearance on the lawn.

  "Now we will have a chance to study her complex--" lisped Nita withrather a malicious tone.

  "Suit you better to study your complex--verbs," snapped Ned, while Taviaand Dorothy came up at that moment.

  Profuse greetings were showered upon Tavia, for the girls were wellpleased to have her back with them, and it must be admitted that everyeye which turned toward her came back in an unanimous vote "beautiful."Even Nita did not dare cast a dissenting glance--she could not, forindeed Tavia had improved wonderfully, as we have seen, under the"grooming."

  Her hazel eyes shown brighter than ever in her clear peach-blow skin, herhair was not now "too near red" as Nita had been in the habit ofdeclaring, but a true chestnut brown, and as "glossy as her new tanshoes," whispered Ned to Cologne.

  Tavia wore her brown gingham dress, and much to the surprise of hercompanions, had "her neck turned in."

  "What happened to your collar?" asked Dick, with a merry twinkle in hereyes.

  "I happened to it," answered Tavia promptly. "No sense in having one'sneck all marked up from collars--going about advertising capitalpunishment."

  "Behold the new woman! We will make her president of our peaceconference. But of course we would not expect her to settle her own'squabs' with Nita. We will have a committee of subs, for that departmentof the work," said Cologne as she made room for Dorothy at her side,being anxious to get a private word with her. Tavia found a place betweenNed and Dick, and soon the others were at least pretending to be at theirbooks, realizing that too much time had already been wasted on outsidematters.

  The morning typified one of those rare days in June, and the girls on thelawn were like human spring blossoms--indeed what is more beautiful thana wholesome, happy young girl?

  She need not be especially beautiful in feature, for health and happinessmake her irresistible to the real student of beauty, and the wonderfulcharm of human life seems nowhere to be so perfectly depicted as in thepersonality of a young girl.

  "At last," announced Lena Berg, rolling over as the bell for recreationsounded, ending the period of open-air study usually allowed at thisseason.

  Instantly the others were on their feet, and, as quickly had paired offfor their favorite pastime. Ned and Tavia were together, Dorothy was withCologne, and the others had selected their companions to suit theirparticular fancy.

  "Say, Parson," began Cologne, using the name made for Dorothy from herinitials "D. D.," and placing her arm about Dorothy's waist, "we've got agreat scheme on. We're going swimming!"

  "Swimming!" Dorothy almost screamed.

  "Exactly that," insisted Cologne. "Mrs. Pangborn has given the permissionand we are to go to Squinty Lake to-morrow afternoon."

  "Squinty Lake?" echoed Dorothy in surprise.

  "Well, they call it Sunset, you know, but Ned declares it is 'Squinty' asno one can look out of the front of her eyes on the shores of it. Butisn't it too giddy--to go swimming so early. And to think that Higley isthe best swimmer of the respected faculty. Now if our dear little CamilleCrane were here--Feathers, you know. But I don't suppose she will be backto the bench this season. Wasn't it too bad she should break down?"rattled on Cologne. "But for the swimming! Aren't you perfectlydelighted? You haven't said a single word."

  "Why I haven't had a chance," replied Dorothy laughing. "Of course it islovely to think you can go."

  "I can go! Aren't you going?"

  "I don't believe so. Tavia is so fond of swimming, and I am sure shewould not dare go in the water so soon after her fever. So I guess I'llstay home to keep her company."

  "Oh, you silly!" exclaimed Cologne. "Why should you stay out on heraccount?" and, possibly there was a note of jealousy in the girl's tone,and a hint of it in her manner. "I'm very sure she wouldn't do as muchfor you."

  "Indeed she would, Cologne," Dorothy hurried to say. "You have no ideahow kind Tavia can be and has been to me. Why, when I was sick home inDalton, she stayed with me night and day."

  "Well, I can't see why you shouldn't go in bathing when you get a chance.Precious seldom the chance comes at Glenwood."

  "I suppose Mrs. Pangborn has hired the beach," ventured Dorothy.

  "Yes, worse luck. Afraid any one would see our orphan asylum bathingsuits."

  "Indeed, I think those brown suits very pretty," objected Dorothy. "Ithought so when I saw them taken out this spring. Of course I have neverworn one."

  "Of course you haven't," agreed Cologne. "That's why you like 'em, butyou should try to swim dog fashion in one of those knickerbockers. Theskirts are built for hoops, but they seemed to run short of goods on thebloomers."

  "But it is awfully good of Mrs. Pangborn to provide for bathing when wewill soon be at our own summer quarters for it."

  "Yes, I admitted that much at the start, if you will remember. But,really, Doro, you had better make up your mind to go in. It's allnonsense to stay out to keep Tavia company. I'm sure she would rather seeyou in the swim."

  "I'll see," answered Dorothy, as they turned back into the path that ledto the Hall.