Chapter XV
PHYLLIS' STORY
Gale leaned her hot cheek against the coolness of the window pane.
The rain beating against the outside tinkled in her ear. She closed hereyes and swallowed a big yawn. From her position she could see the smalltown of Weston spread out before her. Lamps gleamed yellow gold,reflected on the shining wetness of the streets. Automobiles crawledpast like bugs on a sheet of black paper.
"Do you suppose he will ever come out?" Gale asked wearily.
"It has been three hours," Valerie sighed. "It will scarcely be muchlonger."
David paced up and down the waiting room while Brent sprawled lazily ina leather chair and stared at the ceiling. The girls turned from thewindow and contemplated the room. They had come there early in theafternoon with Phyllis and Brent and David. At the hospital, for thefirst time they met Doctor Elton. He was a middle-aged man, good lookingand dignified. Gale could see a strong resemblance between Phyllis andher father. The Doctor had immediately taken Phyllis away with him,being professionally kind, but not at all fatherish as Gale had remarkedto Brent.
"That will come later," Brent told her.
The four of them had elected to wait until the operation was over. Theyhad not seen Phyllis again. Now it was long past their dinner time andthey were waiting for Doctor Elton to tell them of the success orfailure of his work.
Gale argued with herself that there could be no thought of failure.Doctor Elton was skillful, the most marvelous surgeon of his kind in theworld. But a little demon of pessimism reminded her that any operationcould fail--no matter how skillful the physician. But not to Phyl! Notto Phyl! she repeated over and over. Phyllis certainly deserved a rewardfor all her bravery and courage.
The minutes dragged away into hours. The grayness of the world outsidewas seeping into the room. A nurse came in and quietly, efficientlylighted the lamps, straightened a group of magazines, and disappearedagain.
"If somebody doesn't come to us soon," Valerie threatened, "I'm goinghunting for Doctor Elton. Do you suppose he could have forgotten aboutus?"
Gale shook her head and turned again to the window. She did not relishthe ride home to the college in the rain. They had been forced to bringPhyllis to Weston because it was the nearest town with a modern,sufficiently equipped hospital for Doctor Elton. Doctor Norcot was here,so Phyllis' father said. The girls had not seen her as yet, but Galewished she would bring them some kind of news now.
"We better go out and get our dinner," Brent said finally. "We may haveto wait quite a while yet."
"I couldn't eat anything," David said decisively, flinging himself intoa chair, only to get up and walk restlessly about again.
"Nor I," Gale said.
She wondered if Doctor Elton proposed to tell Phyllis who he wastonight. Hardly, she decided later; this was scarcely an opportunemoment. It would be a bit of a shock to find after all this time thatPhyllis had a father, and that it should be Doctor Elton would be morestupendous still.
There were footsteps in the hall. All of them came to attention. DoctorElton entered. His face was grave and pale. He looked more tired thananyone Gale had ever seen. It was as if all the cares in the world wereon his shoulders. He seated himself in a chair and looked at them.
"Well?" David said impatiently.
"She will be well again," the Doctor pronounced. "Two months should seeher back on her feet as before her accident. She is wonderfully brave,"he murmured. "I have never seen such gay courage. I have just left her.She wants to see you," he added to the girls. "But only for a moment,"he added warningly, "she must not be excited. The nurse will take you."
"I'll wait," Valerie said unselfishly. "Two of us might be too much."
Gale followed a white uniformed nurse down the narrow hall past numerousclosed doors. At last the nurse halted and motioned for Gale to enter acorner room. Slowly Gale did so. Phyllis smiled at her.
"Hi!" her friend said faintly. "I came through, Gale."
"Splendidly!" Gale said. "Oh, darling, we're so glad for you. Gosh," shesniffed, "I'll cry in a minute. In that case I'll be put out."
"Do you suppose you can arrange it so I might see David for a fewminutes?" Phyllis whispered.
Gale's eyes twinkled. "I'll try."
Twice a week after that for five weeks Gale made trips to the hospitalto visit Phyllis. Sometimes Doctor Norcot drove her, sometimes she tooka local bus, but on two occasions the Dean herself drove Gale.
One afternoon when Gale was making her visit alone Doctor Elton calledher into the office before she saw Phyllis.
"So will you tell her, Gale?" the Doctor asked in conclusion. "I can'tjust rush in and say 'I'm your father.' It would be too dramatic andmuch too abrupt. Probably she won't believe it at first. I can hardlyrealize myself that I have a grown daughter."
At his frank smile Gale felt aglow with friendliness. The more she sawof Doctor Elton the more she liked him. She could see now where Phyllisgot her capacity for making friends, her radiating smile and her senseof humor. Doctor Elton had spent all his time here in Weston, ever sincethe discovery of his daughter. But as yet Phyllis was ignorant of whomhe really was.
"I'll tell her," Gale agreed. "But you had better be close at handbecause I'm sure she will want to talk to you right away."
"I'll stand outside the door," he promised. He straightened his tienervously. "Do you think she will like her father?" he asked with asmile.
"From what I have seen of you two together," Gale said, "she alreadylikes you a lot."
Phyllis was in a chair by the window. The sun was streaming in. Therewere magazines and newspapers in profusion, but Phyllis was busy withnone of these. She had a sketching board propped up before her and withcharcoal was rapidly transferring the view from the window to the paper.The low buildings and the farther hillside upon which spring was alreadyawakening trees and plants were pictured with exactly the right delicateshadows and lights.
Gale opened the door and closed it softly behind her. Phyllis did nothear her at all, so engrossed was she in the work at hand. Gale tiptoedacross the room to look over Phyllis' shoulder.
"Splendid!" she commented gayly.
Phyllis was so startled the pencil dropped from her hand and rolled onthe floor. Gale rescued it.
"You have been hiding things from me," Gale accused. "First a gloriousvoice and now real artistic ability. I am discovering that I hardly knowyou at all."
"Gale!" Phyllis welcomed her eagerly. "Sit down." She made room for Galeon the chaise-longue. "Did you hear? Did the Doctor tell you? I'm comingback to Briarhurst next week."
"You are!" Gale said joyfully. "I'm so glad."
"He thinks by the first of May I should be as good as new--no canes orcrutches or anything."
"He is a wonderful man," Gale commented.
"Doctor Elton?" Phyllis murmured. "He is--he is--oh, words fail me," shelaughed. "But I can never repay him for what he has done--or you either,for that matter."
"Me?" Gale gasped.
"You and David and Brent," Phyllis nodded. "I just know it was you whowere responsible in bringing Doctor Elton to see me at all."
"It wasn't us alone. It was something much more important," Gale saidslowly. She thought this was probably the best opportunity she wouldhave to tell Phyllis about her father. "I've a story to tell you,Phyl--it is more interesting than a fairy story--and it is true.Remember that, it is true!"
"Reading fairy stories again, Gale?" Phyllis laughed. "Go ahead, I'mlistening."
Gale took the sketching board and laid it on the floor, then she graspedboth Phyllis' hands tightly in her own.
"It seems about nineteen years ago a little baby girl arrived at thehome of a certain young doctor and his wife. The doctor was ambitiousand wealthy. The three were supremely happy. But one day his wife waskilled in a railroad accident. The doctor was broken-hearted and couldreally find peace of mind only in his work. He decided to go to Euro
peto study surgery--the height of his ambition. He entrusted his littlegirl to the care of a woman who for years had been his secretary. Hegave her money and told her to look after the baby until he returned."Gale paused for breath. Phyllis was regarding her with steady, cleareyes.
"This woman grew to love the little girl," Gale continued, determined tobe as charitable as possible to Miss Fields. "For two years the doctorremained in Europe making a name for himself--becoming famous. When hedecided to come home the woman got panicky. She was afraid somethingwould separate her from the little girl. She decided to run away andhide and take the girl with her. She found a small town and a lonely oldhouse. The doctor returned to the United States, to his home, to findthe woman and the child gone. No one knows exactly how long he searchedbefore giving up in despair. Then he returned to Europe and his workagain. Meanwhile, the woman and the girl remained hidden. The girl grewup into a sweet young lady and went away to college."
"Gale--what are you saying?" Phyllis whispered faintly.
"Don't you see, dear?" Gale asked gently. "You're the little girl--thedoctor, your father, is Doctor Elton."
"Oh, no!" Phyllis said. "Gale, it can't be true--if you are teasing----"
"But it is true," Gale insisted smilingly. "I know it sounds fantasticbut such things can happen. It has happened. Your Dad is here, Phyl, andhe is never going to let you out of his sight again. He is waitingoutside----"
"Bring him in," Phyllis said quickly. "Oh, please, Gale----"
"I won't bring him," Gale said, "I'll send him. I'm off to school againbut I'll be back on Thursday."
Gale softly closed the door upon Phyllis and Doctor Elton. Smiling shewent out into the sunshine and boarded the bus. She felt all vivid withjoy herself to think that she had been able to help a little in givingPhyllis her new happiness--for there was no doubt that Phyllis washappy. Her eyes and face had told Gale that much.
Gale scarcely felt the bruises she acquired while being bounced aroundin the bus en route to Briarhurst. She was in a rosy dream-world wheremagical wishes and lovely thoughts came true. She descended in thelittle college town and walked up to the college still in blissfuljoyland. She found Carol and Janet and Valerie standing before thesorority house arguing.
"We are not going to tell her now and spoil everything!" Carol saidconclusively.
"Tell who what?" Gale wanted to know.
"You know we have been saving the news of our equestrienne ability as asecret for Ricky. Being western born and bred she thinks she is the onlyone here who knows anything about a horse," explained Carol.
"I want to tell her about our summer in Arizona when we learned to ridelike Indians," Janet put in. "She teased me unmercifully this afternoon.Told me tomorrow in our first riding class I wouldn't know one side ofthe horse from the other. I won't stand for it!"
"But it will only be for a few hours now," Valerie soothed her. "Imagineher surprise tomorrow when we calmly jump into the saddle and gallopoff."
"Where have you been?" Carol asked Gale. "To see Phyl? How is she? I'mgoing with you on Thursday."
"She is on top of the world," Gale said happily. "All taken up with thediscovery of her father."
"Ricky said----" Janet was continuing with her original theme when theimport of Gale's words was borne in upon her. "Phyl is all taken up withwhat?" she asked.
"Yes, why don't you speak distinctly?" Carol added laughingly. "I almostthought you said something about Phyl's father."
"I did," Gale acknowledged calmly.
"But she hasn't----" Valerie began. "Wait a minute! Gale Howard! Haveyou been doing detective work on something unbeknownst to us?"
"It is a long story, gals," Gale said. "Come up to my room and I willunfold a tale that will make you throw away your latest detective novelfor lack of interest."
Comfortably ensconced on her bed beside Valerie, while Carol and Janethovered at comfortable if ungraceful angles on Phyllis' cot, Gale toldthem the story she had earlier unfolded to Phyllis. The girls were asastounded and as sceptical as Phyllis at first had been. However, theywere all glad things had turned out so happily and profitably forPhyllis.
"Imagine," Carol said dreamily, "he gets lost in the jungles of Braziland comes home to meet his daughter whom he hasn't seen for nigh ontoeighteen years."
"He hasn't been lost in the jungle all these years," Janet corrected herfriend.
"No," Carol admitted, "but isn't it wonderful?" she repeated. "Do yousuppose," she continued hopefully, "he would lend us his yacht to gocruising this summer?"
"And get ourselves lost in the jungle as he did?" put in Janet. "Nothanks! I have no desire to get eaten by a ferocious tiger."
"I just mentioned it," Carol said soothingly. "Besides, he wasn't eatenby a tiger."
"It was only a matter of time," Janet said knowingly. "He probably wouldhave been eventually."
"Who knows," Carol said argumentatively, "perhaps he would have eatenthe tiger."
"Oh, dry up!" Valerie said explosively. "When is Phyllis coming back toschool, Gale?"
"Next week," Gale replied. "She won't be able to start classes rightaway and she will have to use crutches for two weeks or so, but thedoctor thinks by the first of May she will be as fit as a fiddle."
"Coming back next week?" Carol sat up in inspiration. "We'll give her asurprise party."
"Fine," Janet agreed. "But there is one surprise I am more interested inright now--the one we are going to give Ricky tomorrow."
A week ago horses had arrived for the students. The girls had allinspected the ten mounts and each privately had her own decided upon.Surprisingly there were not many girls who were interested in theclasses. A lot of them, especially the upper classmen, already werehorsewomen or had their rosters so full they could not find time for anymore after-hour activities. Not so the Adventure Girls, however. Theywere fully determined to ride as were Gloria and Ricky. The AdventureGirls had ridden a lot the summer they spent in Arizona. They couldstick in the saddle of their mount at no matter how fast a pace on aflat stretch of road. At hurdles is where they encountered theirdifficulties and this is what they wanted to learn. They wanted to learnto take fences and broad jumps as easily as the riding instructor. Itpromised lots of fun as well as healthful exercise.