CHAPTER XXI PAT'S SACRIFICE
"But, Dean Walters, she does not seem really bad."
"There have been many complaints of her, Mrs. Vincent, and her actionsare causing most unfavorable comment outside as well as inside collegecircles. It is not desirable for the institution to retain such a girl."
"It seems to me that the crowd she was in with for a while is largelyresponsible. I feel quite sure that Clarice was not entirely to blame inthat last affair."
"Might it not have been better to have verified your suspicions at thetime, and brought them to my attention, instead of waiting until now tomention them?"
"Well--she--she naturally would not wish to betray her friends--andI--I--"
"Be that as it may, one more escapade will automatically sever MissTyson's connections with Granard College. I leave it to you to make mydecision known to the young lady."
Patricia drew a long breath of relief as the two women left the libraryalcove next to the one in which she had been an unwilling eavesdropper.
Not long ago, a noisy party on the top floor, one night when the chaperonwas at a concert, had brought a shower of complaints from private housessurrounding Arnold Hall. Exactly who else beside Clarice had attended thespread, no one knew; for she was the only one who owned up when thematter had been made the object of a very solemn house meeting a coupleof days later. The affair had crystallized Clarice's standing in theHall; for the law-abiding students felt that the honor and reputation oftheir house had been tarnished. Secretly they wished that the ringleadermight be sent to room elsewhere, but gossip whispered that the chaperonwas especially interested in Clarice by reason of a long-standingfriendship with one of the girl's relatives.
Patricia was sure, however, that underneath the veneer of lawlessness,the girl was fine and true. She was the only one who had "owned up" andshe wouldn't divulge the names of the other culprits. Too bad she got inwith that crowd of girls who roomed outside of the dormitories. They wereless hampered by rules and regulations, and gladly welcomed Clarice withher generous allowance and her readiness for all kinds of fun. She wasalways easily led by anyone who was friendly toward her, and on severaloccasions she had been taken advantage of by the crowd. It was a pitythat a girl who was capable of doing good work, and possessed ofqualities which, if developed, would make her amount to something, shouldbe playing around with those idlers who had come to college principallyfor a good time. Somebody really ought to rescue her.
"I suppose I might undertake the job," thought Patricia reluctantly."Clarice responds to flattery and petting like a pussy cat. Yet even if Iwanted to (which I really don't) I haven't the time. It would meanconstant attention, and would probably ruin my standings."
Patricia shook herself, as if to be rid of the whole troublesomebusiness, and resolutely opened her book. Next day's assignment wasdifficult, and required perfect concentration.
"One more escapade--sever connections--"
Bother! Why need those relentless words ring in _her_ ears? It was theduty of Mrs. Vincent, as chaperon, to advise and guard the girls underher care. Inefficient little Dolly! The only methods she knew how to usewere reprimands and warnings, neither of which would do in this case. Theredemption of Clarice must be effected by one who would win and hold heraffection; who could, and would, detach her from the outside crowd, andunite her to the girls from Arnold Hall.
Patricia gave up further attempts to study, and sat arguing with herselfuntil a bell rang and the janitor came in to close the building. With astart she packed up her books, hurried out, and walked briskly across thecampus in the direction of the Hall. The girls, unless special permissionhad been granted, were expected to be in the house at ten o'clock, and itwas within a quarter of that hour. A passing automobile forced her topause at the corner where a street light clearly revealed the faces ofthe occupants of the car: Clarice and Bert King!
Quick anger filled Patricia's heart. How could anyone, with any sense atall, go right out on top of a warning? She could not have obtainedpermission, because all her privileges had been used up. Calender Streetled directly out to Driftwood Inn, where there was a dance every Thursdaynight. Evidently that was their destination. No use bothering one's headabout a girl who was quite so reckless. A sheer waste of time and energy!
Thursday night? This was the evening that the chaperons played bridge atthe Faculty Club. Possibly Mrs. Vincent had gone directly there from thelibrary. In that case, very likely she had not yet seen Clarice. That puta different face on the matter. Poor Clarice! Rushing so gayly away tothe Inn for a good time, she would return to find herself expelled.Hardly fair; yet the Dean had said distinctly that one more escapade, andshe always kept her word. In view of her recent reprimand, Mrs. Vincentwould not be likely to spare Clarice this time.
Mechanically Patricia entered the Hall and walked down the empty corridorto her own room. She was alone tonight; for Betty had gone home for theweek end a day early. Mechanically she undressed, her brain busy creatingand discarding ways and means of shielding the truant.
There was little doubt about Clarice's ability to enter the house and getto her room unseen and unheard. That she had accomplished before bysecret methods of her own. The greatest danger lay in room inspection,recently inaugurated. Every night, now, Mrs. Vincent made a tour of roomsabout eleven o'clock to see if any of her charges were missing. In allprobability, after the Dean's recent hint that she had not beensufficiently on the alert, tonight would be the time for greaterthoroughness than usual.
If there were only someone who could be placed in Clarice's bed untilafter the ceremony had been concluded. No one of the girls, of course,would risk a demerit by absence from her own room, especially forClarice; they disapproved of her too strongly.
Her own hair was almost exactly the shade of Clarice's. There seemed noway except to sacrifice herself to the cause, and she rebelled againstit.
"It is being deceitful, and that is wrong," admonished an inner voice.
"It's being very charitable," contradicted another little voice. "Bydoing this, you'll give Clarice a chance to complete her year's work."
"And next year," came back the sneering suggestion, "she'll act just thesame as ever."
"No such thing! You are going to help her keep away from undesirablecompanions, and develop her real self."
The fact that she might not be back next year herself was entirely losttrack of in the conflict between the opposing impulses.
When she was all ready for bed, Patricia opened her door quietly, pausedto listen, then slipped noiselessly along the corridor to Clarice's room.Cautiously turning the knob, she slipped into the dark room. Safe so far.Rolling herself in the bed clothes, she turned her face to the wall andburrowed deep into the pillows. Shaking with excitement, and too muchdisturbed to sleep, she lay listening to the trolley cars and automobileswhich passed and repassed on the busy street, and to the little movementsand noises inside. She heard Mrs. Vincent come in and go directly to herown room. Finally the clock in the hall sounded its soft chimes, thengave forth eleven measured strokes. Like a cuckoo, Mrs. Vincent promptlyemerged from her room and crossed the hall to the table where theregister lay. Presently, Patricia heard her put down the heavy book andstart along the corridor. Now she was at Lucile's door; now Anne's; thenPatricia's own. A pause. Quick step around the room. Return to theregister. Silence. Then the steps re-crossed the hall and stopped atClarice's door. The knob turned softly. Patricia held her breath.Suppose, after all, she should be caught, and Clarice's absencediscovered! The ray of a little flash light wavered over her head, dartedabout the room, and--disappeared. Half an hour later, Mrs. Vincent was inbed, fast asleep; then Patricia crept noiselessly back to her own room.
The students had just returned from breakfast the following morning, whenMrs. Vincent called Patricia into her room.
"Miss Randall," she began, without preamble, "did you have permission togo out last night?"
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p; "No, Mrs. Vincent."
"You were not in your room at room inspection."
Patricia was silent. The chaperon looked surprised.
"Where were you?" she asked at last.
"That I am not at liberty to tell you; but I can truthfully say that Iwas not doing anything of which I should be ashamed."
"You realize, of course, that I shall have to report this to the Dean?"
"Yes, Mrs. Vincent."
Baffled, rather annoyed, and wholly puzzled, the chaperon dismissed her.
By dinner time that evening the whole college seethed with the reportthat Patricia Randall had been required to withdraw from participation inthe spring entertainment which was to be given the following Saturday.Little groups were gathered here and there excitedly discussing theastounding news.
"My dear, Patricia was out without permission last night--"
No one knew where!
"Her room was empty at inspection."
"Dean Walters and Mrs. Vincent are furious because they couldn't get herto say where she was."
"Jack Dunn's terribly upset, because they say she had one of the mostimportant dance numbers with him!"
"Yes, and nobody else knows how to do it; and it's too late to coachanyone."
"It is a shame! That part will just have to be omitted."
"What _do_ you suppose possessed Patricia, of all people, to startbreaking rules, and then be so secretive about it?"
In the little reception room of Arnold Hall sat the object of theirdiscussions.
"I feel just as bad as you do, Jack," she was saying to the serious-facedyouth opposite her; "and I'd explain if I could; but I really can't. Theworst of it is cutting you out of the dance."
"What about yourself?"
"Oh, that doesn't matter--much."
Patricia was examining the pleats in her skirt, laying each one carefullyinto its exact crease. If only she wouldn't feel so like crying everytime she talked about the entertainment. She had never been in anythingas large as this before, and was looking forward to inviting some peopledown from home. How glad she was that she had held up the invitations!
"There _is_ a way," she continued, as soon as she could control hervoice, "that the dance could be given just the same, if you will onlyagree."
"I won't make a solo of it, because it would be a complete frost. Anyhow,I don't want to go on without you. I need you for inspiration," he added,with a mischievous grin.
"It's nice of you to put it that way, but your desire to make the affaira success should furnish enough 'inspiration.' The omission of that danceleaves an awful gap in the performance."
"Don't I know it?" gloomily.
"Well, then, ask Clarice Tyson to take my place."
As if shot, the boy sprang from his chair. If Patricia had hurled a bombat his head, he couldn't have been much more shocked.
"Nothing doing!" he exclaimed violently.
"Hush! Don't get so excited. Sit down and listen to me."
The look of mingled astonishment and disgust on his face was so funnythat Patricia almost had to laugh. Just in time, she succeeded in chokingback her amusement. This was not a time for mirth; the case requireddiplomatic handling.
"In the first place, Clarice is perfectly familiar with that dance; andsince she is a born dancer, she won't embarrass you by ignorance andawkwardness."
"She'll not have a chance to," muttered the boy.
"Don't say that," pleaded Patricia. "Jack, we've been good pals for sometime now; can't you do this for me, if we must put it on a purelypersonal basis? There is a special reason why I very much want to placeClarice before the public in a new role and under different auspices.Your position in the college is so solid, your reputation so--soirreproachable, that what you do or sponsor meets with the completeapproval of the Powers-that-Be."
"Baloney; but I'm beginning, I think, to see through your scheme."
"And you will do it?" Eagerly the girl leaned forward and waited for hisreply.
"I can't take her by the hand and just drag her onto the stage with meSaturday night," objected Jack irritably.
"Of course not. Tell Jane you know a girl who is well able to take myplace, and ask if you may substitute her. Jane is so busy and worriedover the affair that she'll be delighted, and probably will ask noquestions."
Jack considered the question gravely, while Patricia watched his facehopefully.
"Will you, Jack?" she begged. "Please say you will."
"All right," he agreed gruffly. "I'm not at all keen, I must confess, atappearing so publicly with the celebrated Clarice; but if you say so, itmust be done. Probably will cause a tempest in a teapot, but--"
"I'll take care of that," cried Patricia joyfully; "and thanks a lot.I'll do something big for you some day."
Jack drew from his pocket a small note book and scribbled a few lines onone of its pages.
"What are you doing?" asked Patricia curiously.
"Just making a note of that promise."
At that moment the clock struck half past ten.
"I must get out of here before I'm put out," said Jack, getting up andstarting for the hall. At the outside door, he paused.
"By the way, Pat, how does Clarice happen to know that dance?"
"I taught it to her this afternoon," was the startling reply, as Patriciaclosed the door.
On her way to her own room, she stuck her head into Jane's.
"Jack knows a girl he can get to sub for me Saturday night," she said."Will it be all right?"
Jane jumped up with a sigh of relief. "I'll say so!" she ejaculated. "Oh,boy! How worried I've been at the idea of leaving out that dance!"
"I'm so very sorry to have made all this trouble for everybody," falteredPatricia, with tears in her eyes; "but I just couldn't help it."
"Don't, dear!" whispered Jane, putting both arms around the girl. "TheGang's back of you, whatever you do."
"It's good of you to say that, especially when I can't clear myself."
"Maybe later on something will happen to clear things up for you,"suggested Ruth.
Pat looked at her quickly, wondering if the girl suspected anything; butRuth, who was placidly combing her hair, smiled at her in the mirror soinnocently that her fears were allayed.
"Pat's shielding some one," declared Ruth, after Patricia had gone."We'll have to find out who it is."
"Oh, Ruthie," groaned Jane, distractedly, "don't suggest my doinganything until after this blamed entertainment is over."
Ruth said no more, but she made up her mind that Pat _must_ be cleared.