The Orchard Secret

  CHAPTER VIII A Tea Dance

  "There!"

  Sim flung the bag of apples with desperate aim straight at JessicaDarglan, who stood in surprised dismay near the doorway of her room.

  "We're back! We got the apples for you. But don't ever ask us to go tothat orchard again. It's a _terrible_ place!" Arden almost shook herfinger at Jessica.

  "I think you sophs are going a little too far in this hazing business."Terry spoke firmly. "We tried to be good sports about it, but we mighthave been hurt or killed--or something! Well, anyhow, here's your lamp,and you have the apples. Come on, girls!" she finished a little lamely,but a little defiantly as well.

  The three frightened freshmen wearily climbed the last flight of stairsto their room. Never had the sight of those three beds in a row seemed sopleasant, so reassuring.

  Terry decided to let her French go until morning. Arden and Sim thankedtheir lucky stars they could go to bed with easy consciences. They hadnothing to prepare.

  "But, Arden, what was it?" asked Sim as she began to undress.

  "You haven't given us any idea," added Terry.

  "For the simple reason that I can't," was the answer made after a momentof thought. "It was all so sudden--and terrible--a rushing blackshape--something getting tangled in my skirt--twirling me downand--and--around----"

  "Whoosing, snorting, and sneezing like some giant of an old man with abad cold," finished Sim.

  "Yes," Arden assented, glad to have been helped out.

  "The orchard," murmured Terry. "Could it have been--a snake?"

  "You're thinking of the Garden of Eden and Eve's apple, I guess," laughedSim.

  "Oh, don't let's talk about it!" begged Arden. "Maybe it was--the wind."

  "You know it wasn't," said Sim calmly.

  "It may have been--for all I _know_," Arden said. "I'm going to bed andtry to forget it. College life should make girls brave."

  The others followed her example but sleep was long in coming. Adventureslike the peril in the orchard called for pulling covers over one's head,Arden remarked, and she did exactly that. Darling sleep came at last.

  In the morning, at breakfast, the trio guardedly whispered to a few oftheir friends something of what had happened, but the real secret theykept to themselves. There were murmurs of wonder amid promises, exactedand given, of silence. But the talk spread. The idea of threefreshmen--etc.--etc.--!

  It was two days later, though, before an effect was produced. Then thewhole college was called to General Assembly, and the three in room 513realized to what an extent gossip had traveled.

  "Any stories which you may have heard about queer things happening in theold orchard must be taken, well--conservatively, at least." It was thedean speaking to the college students, who for once were all vitallyinterested in her discourse. "There is not much danger of our upper classstudents taking these things seriously. But in a college of this size,stories travel with remarkable speed. It would not be to the credit ofCedar Ridge to have such rumors spread on the outside. So we shall say nomore about it, except to remark that, apparently, our sophomores thisyear are doing a very good job of hazing. It is to be hoped they willremember where hazing ends and bullying begins." The dean's usuallyaustere manner suddenly melted into a kindly interest.

  "She must have heard something," Arden whispered to Sim. "Do you noticeshe doesn't say exactly what happened?"

  "It's my guess," whispered Sim, "she doesn't _know_ exactly what."

  The three girls were sitting together in the large assembly hall.

  "Foxy old thing!" Terry spoke out of the corner of her mouth at Arden."I'd like to hear just how much she actually knows."

  The dean had finished with the matter of the orchard. She swept herglance over the faces raised expectantly to hers as she broached a newand not unwelcome subject.

  "The Sophomore Tea Dance will be held this year earlier than usual; inNew York, at the Hotel Chancellor. The committee, of which JessicaDarglan, Margaret Everett, and Priscilla MacGovern are the active heads,ask your support in their undertaking." A murmur of approval greeted thisannouncement. "They have voted to give any funds they may raise to thecollege treasury for the reconditioning of the swimming pool. I wish themevery success." This was a real pronouncement.

  Then, gathering herself together and teetering on her toes as if, Terrysaid, she was getting ready to jump, the dean dismissed her students.

  "Wouldn't you just know they'd do something like that!" Arden wasspeaking, as the three chums sauntered toward their classes in BordmustHall. "Stealing our plan!"

  "But we didn't announce it, Arden," Terry remarked. "That is, if you meanwe are to try for the thousand dollars reward for information about thatmissing Harry Pangborn."

  "That's what I mean."

  "But we haven't done anything," suggested Sim. "Really, you know,Arden----"

  "Why didn't they give us a chance? I just know we can solve that mysteryif we have time. I'm sure of it!"

  "Have you decided yet," asked Terry, "where you think you saw theoriginal of that reward-poster picture?"

  "Not yet," Arden had ruefully to admit. "But I shall. And now thosesophs----"

  "Well, more power to them if they can raise the money for the swimmingpool, I say," spoke Sim philosophically.

  "Never shall I forget, scared as I was, the expression on the face ofJessica as we flung the apples at her! It was almost worth the fright wehad," Terry ventured, to change the subject.

  "I know what we can do, though, to get a little even with them,"suggested Arden. "We won't tell, no matter how much they ask, just whathappened."

  "All right, Arden, we'll do that. Now, don't let's talk any more aboutit. I'm tired of the word orchard. I'd much rather talk about the teadance," Sim returned, arranging her books more comfortably. "Do you thinkwe can go?"

  "Of course! Why not?" asked Terry.

  "Well--boys, you know. We couldn't get any of our own friends from hometo come this far for us," Sim decided.

  "You've been thinking about this dance, have you, Sim? Now, I never wouldhave thought that!" laughed Arden.

  "Of course I have! I like dances. I've been thinking about this one tosuch an extent that when I saw the notice on the bulletin board I askedMary Todd what about it, and she and Ethel Anderson and Jane Randall havealready written to their three brothers----"

  "Oh, my! Has each one three brothers who are eligible for tea dances?"gasped Terry.

  "No--one each," went on Sim, laughing. "What do you expect? Anyhow,that's how much I've been thinking about it!"

  "That's quite a lot of thinking," Terry remarked, "for you, my littleone! I might say that perhaps you took a great deal for granted, but ifit works out all right, I'll be just as glad as you are. Did you have thesisters send their brothers our pictures? That one of you in the schoolplay, Sim, dressed as an old man, is good."

  "Don't be silly! Of course I didn't. Anyhow, as long as we pay for thebids, those boys ought to be glad to go. They don't have to dance with usall afternoon."

  "Oh, stop, you two! Do let it go, as long as Sim has engineered it thisfar. It will be fun, very likely. Russ Albono's orchestra is grand, andwe all have new dresses. There are more important things to consider,"Arden decided. "We must get our hair and nails done and see about a roomin the hotel. I've never been there, have you? Think of going to a realcollege tea dance in a big New York hotel!"

  "I was there once on my birthday," Sim remarked. "My loving parents tookme to dinner and the theater. We stayed at the hotel a whole week-end. Iloved it!" She sighed, remembering.

  "I hope you'll find it as wonderful this time," remarked Terry.

  "Let us hope so," murmured Arden.

  "Mrs. Malvern is to be the official chaperon. You must report to herbefore the dance and after it is over, as you leave," announced Sim. "Ishould think she might be pretty tired of answering the phone calls ofthe girls to her room when they notify her."


  "Really, Sim, how did you find out so much?" asked Arden.

  "I asked here and there," Sim admitted. "I also found out that we are togo to New York the afternoon of the dance, which is on Saturday. We don'thave to be back here at college until nine that night."

  "Quite a bit of liberty--for Cedar Ridge," commented Terry.

  "Oh, dear! Here we are at Bordmust, and we'll have to separate just whenthe talk is getting exciting!" exclaimed Arden. "But as soon as you twocan, come back to 513, and we'll complete our arrangements, will you?"she begged as they reached the grim building.

  "Yes," nodded Sim and Terry.

  Groups of students on the steps were discussing the dean's talk, thecoming tea dance, and the ever intruding lessons, which, dance or not,must be endured.

  Suddenly Sim saw Mary Todd.

  "Have you heard anything, Mary?" she asked.

  "No, it's too soon. Give them a few more days," called back Mary.

  "Don't be so anxious, Sim," advised Arden. "You'd think we just couldn'twait to find out about those boys."

  "Well, I _am_ anxious. If they don't take us, I don't know how we'll getthere." Sim sighed, certainly a little downcast.

  "Don't worry. We'll go all right, and probably make a big hit, too!"Terry was climbing the steps now. "I'll think it out in Latin class. I dosome of my best thinking there."

  "See you later!" Arden waved a hand, laughing. "I'm due at math, worseluck!" and she hurried into the building.

  Terry and Sim followed. They were already lost in daydreams of music,laughter, lights, and gayety: the prospective coming dance.

  "Say, listen, Sim," exclaimed Terry suddenly, taking hold of Sim's arm toassure attention.

  "What is it, darling?" joked Sim. "Got a better idea for our dance boysupply?"

  "No, nothing about that. But you know our Tom who got that mysteriousblow the other night?"

  "Do I?"

  "Well, I heard him telling one of the gardeners about it, and he waslaughing it off."

  "Well, what's wrong about that?" demanded Sim.

  "Sounded flooey to me. He said he merely tripped over a tree stump andanother stump cut his head."

  "Maybe he did," Sim casually answered.

  "And maybe he _didn't_," retorted Terry significantly.