CHAPTER VII
IN TROUBLE
It was Monday morning--the beginning of Blue Bonnet's fourth week atMiss North's school. Prayers were just over and Blue Bonnet had come upto her room to make her bed. She was drawing up the counterpane whenthere was a rap at the door and Mary Boyd entered.
"Oh, Blue Bonnet," she said, her eyes wide with excitement; "Carita'ssick--real sick! Mrs. Goodwin just came to our room and took her to theInfirmary."
Blue Bonnet looked at Mary in amazement.
"Sick?" she repeated. "Sick? Why, she was all right yesterday."
Mary shook her head.
"No, she wasn't. She hasn't been well for several days; but she beggedme so not to tell anybody that I didn't. I wish now I had. I'm awfullyfrightened about her. She's had headache for a week. Goodness knows whatshe's got! That's the way typhoid fever and a lot of things come. Youache all over--"
"Mary," Blue Bonnet said sternly, "it was very wrong of you not to tellme. I am responsible for Carita. If anything should happen to herhere--" she paused; the thought was too dreadful to contemplate.
Blue Bonnet started out the door.
Mary caught, and held her tightly.
"Where are you going, Blue Bonnet?"
"To the Infirmary, of course. Let me go."
"No, no, you can't! It's strictly against the rules. Carita'squarantined. They've sent for the doctor."
The word quarantined sent a fresh chill to Blue Bonnet's heart.
"Rules or no rules, I'm going to Carita."
But Mary held her fast.
"Oh, no, Blue Bonnet, please, please don't! It will get you in trouble.Go find Mrs. Goodwin. She's awfully nice, really she is. She'll tell youall about it."
But Mrs. Goodwin was nowhere to be found.
"That settles it," Blue Bonnet said. "I shall go to the Infirmary." Andto the Infirmary she went.
The door was closed. Blue Bonnet opened it boldly.
Carita lay on one of the little hospital cots, her eyes closed, her facealmost as white as the sheet that was drawn up close about her.
"Carita--Carita, dear," Blue Bonnet said softly, kneeling down besideher. "What's the matter? Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"
The closed eyelids fluttered for a second, then opened wide with terror.
"Oh, Blue Bonnet, go out of here, quick! They don't know what I've got.You might catch something!"
For answer Blue Bonnet smoothed the black hair from the white brow andlooked into the face eagerly.
"Please--please go, Blue Bonnet. I'm all right. Really I am! Please goaway; anyway until the doctor comes."
A little red spot began to glow in each of the white cheeks and Caritatried to sit up in bed. She fell back limply.
Blue Bonnet was terror stricken.
"What do they mean by leaving you alone?" she said, clasping andunclasping her hands. "It's outrageous!"
"I've only been alone a few minutes. Mrs. Goodwin just stepped out aminute."
As Carita spoke the door opened and Mrs. Goodwin herself entered,followed by a very professional looking man carrying a satchel.
Mrs. Goodwin looked at Blue Bonnet in surprise, and as the doctor wentover to Carita's bed, she took her to one side.
"You must go out of here at once, Miss Ashe; this is quite against therules."
Blue Bonnet caught Mrs. Goodwin by the arm impatiently.
"What is the matter with Carita? Is it anything very dreadful--a diseaselike typhoid or anything?"
"We don't know yet," Mrs. Goodwin replied, opening the door and showingBlue Bonnet out.
"Will you please let me know as soon--as soon as you know yourself, Mrs.Goodwin?"
The alarm in the girl's face appealed to the kind house-mother and shepromised willingly: reiterating that Blue Bonnet must not come again tothe Infirmary without permission.
Blue Bonnet passed out of the room slowly, casting a lingering glancetoward Carita. The doctor had her hand, was feeling her pulse.
"I will come to your room, Mrs. Goodwin, after my English period, atnine forty-five. May I? Perhaps you will know more then. May I, please?"
"Yes, Miss Ashe. And say nothing about this to any of the girls."
Blue Bonnet promised and went to her class reluctantly.
At nine forty-five she left the classroom and went straight to Mrs.Goodwin's room, but Mrs. Goodwin was not in. She went on to theInfirmary.
This time she knocked and stepped back well from the door.
Mrs. Goodwin came out, closing the door behind her. Her face lookedserious, though she tried to speak lightly.
"The doctor cannot tell for another forty-eight hours just what is thematter with Miss Judson. He hopes it is nothing serious."
"Is it anything contagious--like a fever?"
"We don't know."
"May I see Carita a minute?"
"Not to-day."
"Will some one stay with her all the time? I should like her to have anurse."
"I will not leave Miss Judson, Miss Ashe. She will have every care.Please do not come up on this floor again. I will keep you advised as toher condition. Do not make yourself unhappy about it. I know that youare very anxious."
"Oh, I am, Mrs. Goodwin. Awfully--awfully anxious! You see--" shehesitated--"I am responsible for Carita's being here, and if there'sanything very much the matter, I ought to send for my aunt."
"That will all be attended to, Miss Ashe, at the proper time."
"But what did the doctor say?"
"He thinks Miss Judson may be getting acclimated. She has lived a veryfree life in the open country, and this confinement, for a while, maytell upon her. I really think it is nothing more than that."
Blue Bonnet decided to skip her French, and went to her own room tothink a little while. She had barely closed the door when there was aknock.
Fraulein stood just outside the door, an inquisitive, disagreeableexpression on her face.
"Are you ill, Miss Ashe?" she said.
"No, Fraulein, I am not ill."
"Then why are you in your room at this hour? Have you not some class?French?"
"Yes, I have French at this hour."
"And you go not to the lesson?"
There was surprise and indignation in Fraulein's expression.
"I shall haf to report you to Miss North."
Blue Bonnet picked up her French books and pushed past Fraulein.
"I will save you the trouble," she said. "I am going to Miss North now,myself."
Fraulein stared after the flying figure.
"She is one impertinent young person," she said to herself, and followedBlue Bonnet down the first flight of stairs to make sure that she reallywent to Miss North's office.
Miss North was at her desk, busy with some papers.
"May I speak with you, Miss North?" Blue Bonnet said.
"What is it, Miss Ashe?"
"You know about Carita, Miss North?"
"Mrs. Goodwin has reported her illness."
"I think that my aunt should be notified at once."
Blue Bonnet did not realize in her excitement that her tone was a bitdictatorial.
"We are responsible for Carita, and--"
"Miss Judson will have every attention, Miss Ashe. She is in noimmediate danger. I shall notify Miss Clyde as soon as I think itnecessary."
"You mean that you will not notify her to-day?"
"Hardly--to-day."
"Then I shall, Miss North! I want to report to you that I didn't go tomy French class this morning. You will probably hear of it from FrauleinHerrmann, though I should have told you anyway."
She was out of the room and half way down the hall when Miss Northcalled her.
Blue Bonnet came back and took the chair to which Miss North pointed,wonderingly.
"Why did you not go to your French class, Miss Ashe?"
"Because I was so worried about Carita. I knew I couldn't make any kindof a recitation."
"That does not excuse you from going
. You may report now to Madam deCartier. In regard to Miss Judson--" Miss North paused, as trying tothink of the best way to impress her authority upon the very determinedyoung girl before her.
"You will leave Miss Judson to the care of Mrs. Goodwin and Doctor Gilesfor the present. As soon as there is the slightest cause for alarm youraunt will be notified. You may go now."
In the hall Blue Bonnet met Mary Boyd.
"How's Carita?" Mary asked. "Have they found out what's the matter withher?"
"No. The doctor can't tell yet."
"What doctor?"
"I think his name is Giles."
"Doctor Giles! Oh, mercy, they always get him, and he's slower thanmolasses at Christmas. That's just the way he did when I was sick. Firsthe said it was cold--then it was grippe; then it looked like somethingelse. By the time they got my mother here I was so sick I didn't knowher."
"Mary," Blue Bonnet said, actually frightened, "is that really true?Aren't you exaggerating?"
"No. You ask Peggy Austin. She'll tell you!"
But Blue Bonnet's mind was made up. She would take no chances. If shehad been a little older, a little more experienced, she would have takenMary's opinion of Doctor Giles for exactly what it was worth--theprejudice of a spoiled child. But Blue Bonnet was very young herself,and very much excited.
She went directly to Professor Howe's room, but Professor Howe wasteaching. So was Madam de Cartier. Blue Bonnet's next period was vacant,so she went to the study hall and slipped into her seat quietly.
Fraulein Herrmann was in charge of the room. She looked at Blue Bonnetsuspiciously, and watched her as she got out her books.
Blue Bonnet opened her Latin, but the words danced before her eyes.Study was out of the question. Her mind and heart centred upon Carita.Poor little Carita, white and forlorn, miles and miles away from herfather, her mother, shut up in a room with a woman she scarcely knew,the thought was intolerable.
For a few minutes she sat thinking. How could she get word to AuntLucinda? There was the long distance telephone, but she hardly knew howto manage that; there might be complications, and then any one couldhear, the telephone was so publicly placed.
Suddenly it flashed over her that she could get a letter--a specialdelivery--to Woodford that afternoon. One of the day pupils would mailit.
Unmindful of Fraulein's watchful eye, she leaned over and spoke to herseat-mate, Ethel Merrill.
"Would you do me a favor, Ethel?" she asked.
"Surely," Ethel replied.
Blue Bonnet explained--a bit indefinitely. It was a letter--a veryimportant one--that must be mailed at noon.
Ethel promised to take it without fail.
Blue Bonnet got out some paper and began writing hastily.
"DEAR AUNT LUCINDA:--Will you please come up at once. Carita is sick. The doctor doesn't know yet what's the matter with her, he can't tell for forty-eight hours,--"
"Miss Ashe!"
Fraulein's stentorian tones rang out sharply.
Blue Bonnet looked up, startled.
"What haf you there, Miss Ashe? This is a time for study, not for thewriting of letters."
Blue Bonnet remained silent.
"You may bring the paper to the desk, Miss Ashe."
Blue Bonnet gathered up her books, picked up the letter which she hadbeen writing and tore it into bits. Then she got up and started to leavethe room.
Fraulein was white with anger.
"Come back to your seat, this instant, Miss Ashe," she demanded.
Blue Bonnet continued on her way out of the room.
Fraulein ran after her, insisting upon her return.
Blue Bonnet hurried to her room, and, entering, locked the door behindher. She dropped her books on the table, and for a moment sat staringout of the window. What should she do? She had defied several rules thatmorning. Perhaps they would expel her. Well, they could! She wasn'tparticularly anxious to remain in the school if Fraulein Herrmann did,anyway. The house hardly seemed large enough for both.
Suddenly she sat up with a start. There was Cousin Tracy! Why hadn't shethought of him before! She could telephone to him, and he could get AuntLucinda. The thought acted like magic, and she was scurrying down thehall to the telephone in less than a minute.
She got Cousin Honora, but Cousin Tracy was out. Cousin Honora was noteven expecting him home to lunch, but she would try to locate him andsend him out to the school. Was anything wrong?
Blue Bonnet admitted that there was, a bit reluctantly, and hung up thereceiver, leaving Cousin Honora mystified and uneasy.
As she started back to her room she remembered that she had not yetreported to Professor Howe. She went back, and entered Professor Howe'soffice just as Fraulein Herrmann was leaving it.
Professor Howe looked serious as she motioned Blue Bonnet to a seat andclosed the door quietly.
"I have a very unpleasant report of you, Miss Ashe," she said firmly,but gently. "I am surprised and sorry. What have you to say in thematter?"
The idea that she was to have a chance to explain, had not entered BlueBonnet's head. Professor Howe's tendency to fairness changed herviewpoint instantly. She felt ashamed--humiliated in the presence ofthis clear-eyed, soft-voiced woman, whose glance fell upon her with anexpression almost maternal in its interest.
Slowly--one by one--the tears gathered in Blue Bonnet's eyes and rolleddown her cheeks. But for the ticking of the clock above the desk, therewas absolute silence in the room.
Professor Howe reached over and took Blue Bonnet's hand in her own.
"Tell me about it," she said, "everything--from the beginning."
And Blue Bonnet did tell her, omitting not a single detail.
When she had finished Professor Howe was silent for a moment.
"Did you ever think, Miss Ashe," she said presently, "what a chaotic,unpleasant place this world would be without law, and order, anddiscipline?"
Blue Bonnet had to confess that she had not thought much about it.
"Think _now_, for a moment. Take the case of your friend, Carita. Ifthere had been no rule against your going to the Infirmary this morning,and Carita had come down with a contagious disease, you, by yourpresence there for only a moment, might have carried the contagion to adozen others. Would you have had the right to do that, do you think,simply because of your interest in your friend?"
Blue Bonnet shook her head slowly.
"And in regard to sending for your aunt. Could you not have trusted MissNorth, my child? She has been operating this school successfully formany years. She has the interest of each and every pupil at heart--sheknows their needs. She has perfect confidence in our physician."
"Yes, but Mary--one of the girls--said that he was awfully slow and oldfashioned, and I--"
"Mary Boyd is only a silly little girl. She wouldn't know thequalifications of a good doctor if she were asked to give them. Youshould never rely on immature judgment. It is apt to be colored withprejudice."
Blue Bonnet got up.
"I reckon I have made a mistake, Professor Howe. I'm sorry. I was soawfully worried and upset about Carita."
"Of course you were. I can quite understand that. On the other hand, wedo not expect you to love and trust us all at once. Confidence comes bydegrees; but we _do_ want you to believe that your _best_ interests areconsidered here--always."
Blue Bonnet started to leave the room.
"One moment, Miss Ashe. Will you say to Fraulein Herrmann what you havejust said to me--that you are sorry--sorry for what she deems animpertinence on your part in the study hall?"
Blue Bonnet flushed to the roots of her brown hair.
"But I am _not_ sorry, Professor Howe."
"Not sorry to have been rude, Miss Ashe?"
"I think Fraulein Herrmann was rude to me. She called to me before thewhole room--she--"
"You were disobeying the rules, Miss Ashe. Fraulein was right. Studyhour is not the time for letter writing. You will apologize, I am sure."
The little smile so rare and fleeting that Blue Bonnet loved appearedfor a brief second. It won the girl as nothing else could.
"I will then--to please you," she answered, and went to find Frauleinimmediately.
The day dragged on drearily. Blue Bonnet was unhappy and ill at ease.Although Professor Howe had been so kind, she felt that she was by nomeans out of the woods yet. There was still Miss North to reckon with,and Fraulein Herrmann had been none too gracious about accepting herapology. Perhaps they might still expel her. There was that Fanny Pricelast year that the girls had spoken of. She had been sent away forbreaking the rules. What a blow it would be to Grandmother and the WeAre Sevens. They'd be disgraced forever--and Aunt Lucinda! The thoughtbrought terror to her heart. Why, Aunt Lucinda wouldn't be able to holdup her head in Woodford.
It was getting on to four o'clock and still Cousin Tracy had not come.Evidently Cousin Honora had had difficulty in locating him.
There was no news from Carita, either. Mrs. Goodwin was not in her room,and Blue Bonnet was afraid to venture to the Infirmary.
At four o'clock there was a stir along the hall. The girls werevisiting. Blue Bonnet decided to have a minute's chat with AnnabelJackson.
Annabel, as usual, had the chafing dish going. She was making cocoa, andhailed Blue Bonnet's presence with delight.
"Goodness," she said, after a moment, during which Blue Bonnet had notspoken, "what's the matter? You look like a funeral!"
Blue Bonnet tried to smile, but the effort was a failure.
"Got the blues?"
"No."
"Not homesick?"
Blue Bonnet shook her head, and a tear splashed down on her blouse.
"Why, Blue Bonnet, what is it, dear?" Annabel asked, really surprised.
Blue Bonnet struggled for self control. She sat up very straight, andmade a remark about the cocoa.
"Never mind about the cocoa. What's happened?"
"Nothing--at least--I can't tell you, Annabel."
"Why can't you?"
"Because--I can't!"
Annabel slipped down on the couch beside Blue Bonnet and put an arm overher shoulder.
"Oh, please," she said. "Come, tell me. Maybe I can help."
It was at that identical moment that Sue Hemphill put her head in thedoor.
"Why, Blue Bonnet," she said, "Martha's been hunting everywhere for you.Miss North wants you in her office right away. There's a man with her--adumpy--I beg your pardon--but a short, stout man with a bald head. Ithink it's your uncle, or cousin. Anyway, hurry! There's somethingdoing. Miss North looks like a war cloud without a ghost of a silverlining. She was just laying it off to your--ah--em--relative. Do hurry.I'm simply wild to know what's up, and come right back and tell us allabout it. Don't forget!"
She gave Blue Bonnet a gentle push out into the hall and watched her asshe descended the stairs slowly.