The Orchard Secret

  CHAPTER IX The Disappearance of Sim

  Class matters went all too slowly between the time of the tea danceannouncement and the affair itself. Lessons were slighted with boldabandon as the girls made their preparations, their universal excusebeing:

  "We can make it up later."

  At last it was the day. Soon after noon the college buildings beganemptying rapidly, and excited students, carrying overnight bags, hurriedto the little station for the New York trains.

  It was great fun going in to the city. The seniors and juniors were, ofcourse, literally "on their own," but the lower-class girls werechaperoned by the ever-watchful Mrs. Malvern.

  The train was crowded, but Arden and her friends, after some tactfulpushing, managed to get seats together.

  "It was fine of Mary Todd to help us get the boys to go to the dancewith. And it wasn't so hard in her own case, for she lives so near NewYork. None of the boys we know could travel so far for a tea dance."Terry was chattering excitedly.

  "Yes, it was nice," Sim agreed. "I was certainly relieved when I heardthey could come. If Mother lets me have a house party at Christmas, wecould invite them."

  "Do you mean the boys or the girls?" asked Arden.

  "I mean the boys," supplied Sim.

  "How perfectly grand!" exclaimed Terry.

  "Of course, we haven't seen the boys yet," continued Arden. "So perhapswe had better wait until we do."

  "And of course, I haven't asked Mother about the party yet, either. Itwas just an idea," Sim concluded.

  "Oh--Sim!" was all Arden and Terry could say to that admission, andpresently they lapsed into silence while the train clicked on.

  The ride to New York from Cedar Ridge was hardly long enough, and itseemed no time at all before the various groups of girls were alightingfrom the variously colored taxis in front of the Chancellor Hotel.

  Then up to their rooms in the gorgeous bird-cage elevators, to unpacktheir dresses and give last-minute touches to hair, hands, andcomplexions.

  "Sim looks simply darling!" observed Arden in an aside to Terry. "As longas she is small and child-like, I think she's wise in making the most ofit."

  "Yes, she does look sweet," agreed Terry. "And you look nice, too, Arden.I like that color on you. Your hair has a dandy wave. I think that was agood beauty shop, don't you?"

  "Very good," assented Arden. "And to complete the circle, Terry, youlook--wonderful!"

  "Thanks!"

  Sim was so busy preening herself before a large glass set in the closetdoor that she took no part in the conversation until, all at once, sheseemed satisfied with her appearance and, turning to her chums, remarked:

  "Your dress is just perfect, Arden--blue is surely _your_ color. Andgreen is yours, Terry: you look sweet. And I think we all three arecredits to Cedar Ridge. But let's go down. It's late, and we have to findMary and meet the boys. They must have been waiting a long time."

  So they left their room after many last-minute touches, and with sometemerity descended to the ballroom. Already lights were casting softglows over the tapestry-hung walls. The orchestra was playing a livelytune, and several couples were dancing in the stately Louis XIV room.Smartly dressed girls and good-looking boys were laughing and talkingtogether in little knots, their eager anticipation being distinctly feltif not actually heard.

  "Have you seen Mary Todd anywhere?" Sim had a chance to ask Helen Burns,a classmate, who was apparently waiting for someone at the door of theballroom.

  "Oh, hello, Sim!" Helen greeted. "You look lovely! Yes, I saw Mary andJane and Ethel and a whole lot of boys over there in that small room."She pointed toward a sort of alcove off the dancing space.

  "Oh, gosh, Arden!" Sim's poise was leaving her. "What shall we do now?Wait! There's Mary. I see her!"

  "Why, let's go over and speak to her, of course," suggested Arden. "Yournerve seems to be deserting you, Sim. You got us into this very nicely,but you don't seem so brave about it just now."

  "You lead the way, Arden, and we'll follow," Terry said, smoothing herbright hair. "I've never been in a situation just like this before. Ifeel almost as frightened as though I were in the orchard!"

  "Hey there! No orchards tonight, girlie," cautioned Arden. "Come on,children! We'll get the introductions over with, and the rest will beeasy." Arden started toward Mary who was chatting with several young men.

  Then Mary looked up, saw Arden coming toward her, followed by Sim andTerry, and went halfway to meet the trio. So it wasn't so difficult,after all, to cross to the small room where the boys were waiting.

  "Arden," said Mary formally, "may I present my brother Jim? This is ArdenBlake, Jim. I've told you about her."

  "How do you do?" greeted Jim. "Mary wrote me all about your adventure."

  Arden was wondering just what Mary had referred to, but there was no timeto ask, for the others were now being presented, Sim and Terry takingtheir turns. Sim was now her vivacious self, and Terry had lost all hernervousness. Could one boy have brought them such reassurance?

  Then Ethel Anderson's brother Ed, a tall, good-looking boy, asked Sim todance, and soon she was humming "Tea for Two" as though they were oldfriends. Yes, boys did inspire confidence just like that.

  Terry was dancing with Dick Randall, talking and laughing as they whirledabout the big, beautiful room. It truly was exciting.

  Next Arden and Mary Todd's brother Jim joined the dancers. Ardenunconsciously made a pretty picture as she looked up smiling at thehandsome boy. She was thinking how easily the introductions had gone offafter all and how glad she was to be there. Then, as the music stopped,she glanced about her inquiringly.

  "There are not as many here as I thought there would be," she remarked."I wonder if the sophomores will clear expenses and make something forrepairing the swimming pool?"

  "You sound almost as if you wished they wouldn't," observed Jim, somewhatcuriously.

  "It isn't that, exactly," went on Arden. "But, you see, I had sort ofplanned on raising the money for the pool myself--with the help of Simand Terry. I suppose it doesn't matter, though, if they have _more_ thanthey need, just as long as they don't have _less_."

  "You talk like Alice in Wonderland and you remind me of her, too,"laughed Jim. "But that's rather a tall order, isn't it? Trying to raisesuch a large sum by yourselves--just you girls?"

  "About a thousand dollars," admitted Arden. "I know it sounds awfullyconceited, but back at school, in the post office----"

  Arden was interrupted by Ed Anderson coming to claim her for a dance."I'll tell you some other time," she explained gayly to Jim, and to herwaiting partner she smiled a little coquettishly as she put up her armsin the correct position as he danced away with her. No thought of uglyorchards now; even college could be forgotten with that rapturous music.Arden was a pretty dancer.

  The rest of the afternoon dissolved into a lovely kaleidoscope of color,music, and lights. The three sophomore hazers of the trio from 513,headed by Toots Everett, managed the affair extremely well as far as thesocial end of it was concerned. Arden and her chums had occasionalglimpses of "the apple trio," as they were sometimes thought of,surreptitiously regarding them and the good-looking boys with whom thefreshmen danced so often.

  Was there envy in the glances?

  Now and then an ominous "good-bye" intruded upon the pleasant dream Ardenwas living in, until, as though she were slowly awakening, she realizedthat the party was over.

  The boys and girls of Arden's little group were gathered in a corner nearthe ballroom door. Like overlapping broadcasts of sound, the farewellsand thank-yous crossed and crisscrossed among them.

  "I want to say good-bye to Sim."

  Ed Anderson's smiling request caused them all suddenly to stop talkingand look at one another.

  "Where is she?" Dick Randall asked. "I haven't seen her for a long time."

  "I don't know. She should be somewhere around here. We must find herquickly. We have scarcely t
ime to dress and catch the eight-thirty trainback to Cedar Ridge!" Arden exclaimed.

  "She knew we were to meet her here when the dance was over," Terry saidpetulantly. "Come, Arden, let's go look for her! We have to hurry."