The Girl from the Big Horn Country

  CHAPTER XIII

  THE TEST OF CARVER STANDISH III

  "Don't they hurt a bit, Jean?"

  "No, of course not."

  "Don't you feel at all sick either?"

  "No, just mad! What's in that bag, Virginia?"

  "Pop-corn. Can you eat it?"

  "I should say I can. Haven't had anything but disgusting cream toastfor four days. Put it under the letters so no one will see. What'sthat in the box, Priscilla?"

  "Peggy Norris' white mice she bought down town. They're only a loanfor to-day. Open the box right off or they'll smother."

  "What do you do all day, Jean?"

  "Oh, learn things by heart mostly. Miss Wood won't let me read, so Ijust glance and then recite. It's a comfort. I've learned theNinety-first Psalm and 'Annabel Lee' and 'Drink to Me Only with ThineEyes' and the 'Address at Gettysburg' and 'One Thought of MarcusAurelius.' I call that quite good."

  "How do you know you're going to have them anyway, Jean?"

  "Oh, you hate everybody for two days, and your eyes water the third.Is it all ready? Shall I pull? Be sure the mice are right side up.Here goes then!"

  The taller Blackmore twin in a red wrapper and a bandaged throatleaned out of her window and pulled on a rope, at the end of whichdangled a waste-basket filled with bags, envelopes, and boxes. Below,in the snow, stood half a dozen sympathizers who had brought the"morning post" to their comrade, confined to her room with the GermanMeasles.

  Judging from the patient's alacrity in securing the basket she was notsuffering. In fact she might have been called most indiscreet, as themorning air was cold. However, the flower of discretion does not bloomin boarding-school; and the afflicted Jean, after depositing thebasket on the floor, and giving some air to the half-suffocated mice,leaned farther out of the window.

  "Don't go. I'll look my mail over later. It's fine of you to come. Anymore caught?"

  "Yes, Bess Shepard has them for sure, and Elinor Brooks has a sorethroat."

  "Then she's probably just starting out."

  "My room-mate is awfully cross without any reason." This from Vivian.

  "Look behind her ears. Probably there are specks and lumps, too."

  "Are you all over speckles, Jean?"

  "Pretty much so!"

  The patient appeared to listen, drawing herself farther into the room.All at once she waved a corner of her red bath-robe, a signal ofdanger, and slunk back toward the couch. The six sympathizers with oneaccord withdrew to the other side of the lilac bushes. They heard thecloset door open and close, after something had been hurriedly placedtherein, then foot-steps, and a peremptory rap on Jean's door. ThenJean's voice, pathetically lowered,

  "Come in."

  The door opened.

  "Jeannette," said a voice, which they behind the lilac treesrecognized as Miss Wood's. "Jeannette, don't you feel the draught fromthat open window?"

  "No, thank you, Miss Wood. I need air."

  "Didn't I hear you talking a moment since?"

  "Perhaps," said the weary Jean with half-closed eyes. "I recite agreat deal to myself. And this morning I felt able to say a few wordsto some of the girls who came beneath the window."

  "You must not talk, my dear. It is bad for your throat. Do you feelbetter this morning?"

  "Yes, I think so, slightly, thank you."

  Miss Wood smoothed with soft fingers the patient's head.

  "You seem very cool--a good sign. How would some cream-toast taste?It's nourishing, and won't hurt your throat."

  "Oh, it would be delicious, I'm sure. Thank you, Miss Wood. I reallybelieve I'm a little hungry."

  Miss Wood departed to make the toast, while her patient, quicklyrecovering, consumed buttered popcorn as an appetizer, hoping thatcream toast would be agreeable to the white mice. After which, sheonce more lay down, and tried to look ill in time for Miss Wood'sreappearance. Meanwhile the six behind the lilac trees hurried acrossthe campus toward their respective cottages to do the weekly "tidying"of their rooms.

  "Virginia," said Priscilla, as they left the others to post someletters, "I just know I'm going to have them. I was with Jean all oneafternoon when she was hating everybody. Oh, I hope you'll have themwhen I do!"

  "So do I. 'Twould be fun having the girls bring mail from every one.And maybe Miss Wallace would make us cream toast. That would be worththe regular measles, not to mention German. You don't feelout-of-sorts yet, do you?"

  "No, I'll tell you when I do, or you'll probably know anyway. Isn'tJean a scream? Probably she was in bed when Miss Wood got there."

  "She's dear. Why don't she and Jess room together?"

  "My dear, the whole faculty rose up in arms this year when theysuggested it. They tried it exactly three weeks last year, and MissWood nearly resigned. One is bad enough, but the two are awful! Theythink up the most fearful things to do. Why, the summer before last,they'd been in England all summer, and had seen all kinds of newthings. Well, the first thing they did when they got back to St.Helen's was to play chimney-sweep. Jess had seen them in London andshe couldn't rest to see how it felt to be in a chimney. So, one day,she put on some black tights and an old Jersey of her brother's, andmade a tall hat out of paste-board. Then they went up on the roof ofHathaway, and Jean helped her get up on the chimney, and she droppeddown. The chimney's wide, you know, and she dropped straight down,making an awful noise and loosening all the soot, right into theliving-room fire-place. Miss King and Bishop Hughes were calling onMiss Wood just then, though, of course, Jess didn't know that. Downshe came, feet first, into the grate, and scared Miss King and MissWood and the Bishop all but to death. She was all over soot, and was asight! The Bishop laughs about it every time he comes."

  Virginia laughed and laughed. As long as she had been at St. Helen'sshe had never heard that story.

  "The thing that Jean's crossest about," Priscilla continued, "is theGordon dance on Washington's Birthday. Her cousin asked her to come,and she's afraid Miss Wood won't let her go."

  "Why, she'll be all right by then, won't she? The speckles are mostgone already, and the dance is two weeks off."

  "I know, but Miss Wood is very careful, and, besides, Jess told herthat Jean was subject to tonsillitis. Oh, dear, I was sort of hopingthat Carver Standish would invite me! You see, I've never been to areally big dance in the evening in my life. But I guess he's not goingto. Jean got her invitation yesterday."

  But when they reached The Hermitage and their own room, Priscillafound the coveted envelope, with a card bearing the name "CarverStandish III," and a note saying it would be "downright rotten," ifanything prevented her coming. Priscilla ran at once to ask for MissWallace's chaperonage, but, when she returned, a worried expressionhad replaced the joyous one on her face.

  "Won't she go with you?"

  "Yes, she'll go; but, Virginia, I just remembered the German Measles.They don't look so much like a blessing as they did a few minutes ago.What if I do get them? Oh, Virginia, what if I do? If I'm going tohave them, I wish I'd get them right away, and then I'd be all overthem in a week. Isn't there some way they can be hurried up if they'reinside of you?"

  Virginia was for a few moments lost in contemplation. Then apparentlyshe remembered.

  "Why, of course, there is," she said. "I remember all about it now. Ifthey're really inside of you, hot things will bring them out. Whenthey thought I had the mumps once, Hannah said 'Steam them out, dear.If they're there, they'll come.' And they did come out. I've heardHannah say that over and over again. Don't you worry, Priscilla. We'lluse all the hot things we know, and try to bring them out, and, ifthey don't come, you can be reasonably sure they're not inside of you.If I were you, I'd begin right off. I'd put on a sweater, and sit overthe register. I'd just bake! To-night we'll get extra blankets and hotwater bottles, and in a day or two I believe we'll have them out. It'slucky to-morrow is Sunday."

  "I just know they're inside," wailed Priscilla, buttoning her sweater,as she sat over the register. "My! It's hot here! Would you th
ink ofhot things, too? You know we said we believed that thoughts werepowerful."

  "I certainly do believe it. Yes, I believe I'd let my mind dwell onVesuvius and the burning of Rome, and things like--like crematories andbonfires and the Equator. If there's anything in thought suggestionthat certainly will help. It won't harm anyway. Are you awfullyuncomfortable?"

  "Very hot. Would you really stay here all the afternoon?"

  "Yes, I would, and most of to-morrow. If, by to-morrow night, therearen't any signs, I'll believe the danger's past Let's not tellanybody what we're doing. If Miss Wallace thought you expected them,she might think you ought not to go."

  "Does Hannah know all about sickness?"

  "She certainly does. Why, everybody for miles around comes to her foradvice, and trusts her just as though she were a doctor. Really,Priscilla, I know she'd do just this way if she were here."

  The reassured Priscilla sweltered over the register most of theafternoon. When evening came, she was somewhat out-of-sorts. "Maybethe hating everybody has begun," thought her room-mate as she filledhot water-bottles. They had borrowed all in The Hermitage, except MissWallace's and Miss Baxter's (Miss Baxter was Miss Green's more popularsuccessor)--much to the unsatisfied wonder of the household. Priscillaturned uneasily all night in a nest of hot water-bottles and extrablankets. In the morning there were no signs of measles, exceptperhaps a somewhat peevish disposition.

  "And that's not measles, Virginia, I'll have you to know!" the ownerof the disposition announced fretfully. "It's just from being burnedalive! Now, I'm not going to do another thing, so you might just aswell put away those two suits of underwear. One's enough!"

  "Well," said Virginia a little doubtfully, as she folded the extrasuit and replaced it in the drawer; "well, it does seem as though ifthey'd been coming they would have come after all that steaming. Iwish Hannah were here! She'd know. But, if I were you, Priscilla, I'djust keep thinking I wasn't going to have them. That will probablyhelp."

  This prescription compared to the preceding one was easy to follow,and all through the next two weeks Priscilla, when she remembered it,maintained that she was not to have the German Measles! For the restof the time, which was by far the larger portion, she was perfectlyoblivious as to even the possibility of her having them, so elated wasshe over her preparation for the Gordon dance. She and Miss Wallaceand Jean Blackmore, who was really to be allowed to go after all, wereto make the journey, a distance of twenty-five miles, by automobile.The two weeks dragged their days slowly along, but at last Thursdaynight arrived, and Priscilla, with a happy heart, surveyed for thelast time that day her new dress, which her mother had sent from home.

  "Just one more night to wait," she said, as she got into bed. "Oh,Virginia, I wish you were a Junior! I don't see why Miss King won'tlet new girls go. Carver said if you only could, he would have askedyou, because his grandfather had told him so much about you, and hisroom-mate, Robert Stuart, whom I've met, would have asked me. Then wecould have gone together."

  "I don't mind. It's been such fun getting you ready. Maybe next yearwe'll both go. Isn't it the luckiest thing you haven't had them atall?"

  "It certainly is! It just shows how powerful thought is! Really, Ihave more faith in it than ever. You see, if they were inside of me,they didn't get any attention, and probably decided not to come out."

  "Well, if they'd been there, they would have come out with all thatheat, I'm sure," said Virginia, still faithful to Hannah. "But itdoesn't matter whether they were there or not, just so long as they'renot here. Good-night."

  In the gray early morning Virginia was rudely awakened by some oneshaking her. She sat up in bed to find Priscilla desperately shakingher with one hand and the witch-hazel bottle with the other. Priscillawas apparently in trouble. What could be the matter? She sat up,dazed, half-asleep.

  "Why, what is it? What's the matter? Was the dance lovely? Did youhave a good time?"

  At these last remarks Priscilla wept.

  "Oh, wake up!" she cried. "It's only Friday. I haven't been to thedance at all, and probably I can't go, because I've got them; yes, Ihave! My head aches, and my throat's sore, and I'm hot, and my eyesrun, and I hate everybody, and I'll be lumpy and speckled right away--I_know_ I shall! Oh, what shall I do?"

  The last sentence ended in a long, heart-broken wail, which broughtthe still dazed Virginia thoroughly to her senses. She sprang frombed, turned on the light, and scrutinized the disconsolate Priscilla.Yes, her cheeks were most assuredly flushed, and her eyes werewatery--from tears. Virginia was mistress of the situation.

  "Now, Priscilla," she commanded, "you go back to bed. You're _going_to that dance. Remember that! I've got an idea. If heat will bring thethings out, then cold must keep them in, of course. We'll fill the hotwater-bottles with cold water, and turn off the heat, and you'll feelbetter. See if you don't. And you won't get speckled to-day anyway,because Jean Blackmore didn't till two days after they started; andeven if you do behind your ears it won't matter. Stop crying, orsomebody'll hear, and tell Miss Wallace you're sick."

  This dire threat soothed the agitated Priscilla, and she consented tothe cold bags, which felt good against her hot cheeks and forehead. Bybreakfast time she did feel better, though still not very well; andshe went to classes with injunctions from Virginia to return aftereach one and lie down fifteen minutes in a cold room until time forthe next class. Thus the morning passed. In the afternoon, Virginiatacked an "Asleep" sign on the door, and commenced more rigoroustreatment. The numerous hot water-bags were again collected, this timefilled with cold water, and placed around the recumbent patient. Anice-bag, surreptitiously filled from the pitcher in the dining-room,adorned her aching head, and a black bandage covered her watery eyes.The poor child's thoughts, when she had any, were directed towardEskimos and the Alps, and "such things as refrigerators, sherbet, andicebergs." For the sake of atmosphere, her room-mate read "Snowbound"to her.

  But all in vain. They did not stay in! By supper time unmistakablespeckles were apparent behind two very red ears, as well as elsewhere.Priscilla's cheeks were hot and flushed Her eyes were watery, and herhead ached; but her spirit was undaunted.

  "My dear, you don't look well," Miss Wallace said anxiously, as theyleft the dining-room, and went to dress. "Are you sure you're well?"

  "Oh, yes, Miss Wallace. I'm just hot because I'm excited. My cheeksalways get red then What time does the machine come?"

  "In an hour, I think. You're sure you're all right, Priscilla?"

  "Oh, yes, thank you!" Priscilla spoke hastily, and hurried away beforeMiss Wallace should feel called upon to examine her too closely. "Comeon, Virginia, and help me dress."

  Miss Wallace went to her room, a trifle anxious. Strange to say, shedid not once think of German Measles. No more cases had appeared, toSt. Helen's relief; and apparently the epidemic had been confined tothree unfortunates. Priscilla was probably, as she said, a littleover-excited; and Miss Wallace had been in that state herself. Therewas doubtless not the least cause for alarm, and, reassured, she beganto dress.

  Meanwhile, behind a mysteriously locked door, the anxious Virginia wasdressing her room-mate, who showed unmistakable evidences of furtherspeckling, and whose determination alone kept her from crawling intobed, where she most assuredly belonged.

  "Don't you feel a single bit better, dear?"

  "Oh, yes, I guess so--I don't know. I feel sort of loose inside, asthough I weren't connected. But I'll feel better driving over. Oh,Virginia, talcum powder my ears. They're perfect danger signals. _Is_that a speckle on my neck? Oh, say it isn't!"

  "Of course, it isn't! It's only a wee pimple. I'll talcum powder it,too. There! You look just lovely! Shan't I let the others in now?They're cross as hops, because we've both been so secret, and we don'twant to rouse suspicion."

  Priscilla assented, and Virginia unlocked the door to the house ingeneral.

  "Too bad you're so exclusive!"

  "Even if we're not asked, we might see the fun of getti
ng ready."

  "You look perfectly heavenly, Priscilla!"

  "It's a love of a dress!"

  "Mercy, Priscilla, what makes your ears so red?"

  "I'll bet you've gotten them frost-bitten!"

  "They certainly look it!"

  "Your cheeks are red, too, but it's becoming!"

  "What makes your eyes shine so?"

  Here the uneasy Virginia felt as though a reply were necessary.

  "Why, because she's happy, of course. You act just like Red RidingHood talking to the wolf, Dorothy."

  Fortunately, just when inquiries were becoming too personal, JeanBlackmore entered, and claimed attention.

  "Jean, you're actually pretty!"

  "You really are, Jean."

  "Thank you. I'm sure that's nice of you."

  "That light green certainly is becoming. It makes you look like anapple-blossom."

  "You lucky things! Wish we were going! Here's the machine now, andMiss Wallace is calling."

  They went down-stairs, the house following.

  "Oh, Miss Wallace, take your coat off and let us see! Oh, please do!"

  The obliging Miss Wallace complied. She really was charming in oldblue, with half-blown, pale pink roses, Priscilla's gift, at herwaist.

  "Oh, Miss Wallace, you look just like a girl!"

  "You're just beautiful, Miss Wallace!"

  "No one will think you're a chaperon."

  "They'll all want to dance with you, Miss Wallace."

  "Oh, girls, you'll quite spoil me," said the chaperon, and looked morecharming than ever. "Come, girls. Priscilla, do raise your coatcollar. I'm afraid you've caught cold. Jean, I insist, put on thatscarf. Take care of the house, girls. Miss Baxter's out. But I knowyou will. Good-night."

  The car rolled away into the darkness, and the girls went up-stairs,talking things over as they went.

  "Isn't Miss Wallace the sweetest thing?"

  "Something's the matter with Priscilla. She wasn't talking. What isit, Virginia?"

  "Oh, she's excited, and perhaps--perhaps, she doesn't feel exactlywell." Virginia felt more free, now that Priscilla was safely on herway.

  * * * * *

  At the Gordon school all was excitement. Boys in white trousers waitedimpatiently at the gates, as the automobiles and carriages approached,to greet their friends and conduct them to the brilliantly lighted andbeautifully decorated gymnasium. This annual dance on Washington'sBirthday was the one real social function, outside Commencement,allowed at Gordon, and its importance was greatly felt by the younghosts.

  Priscilla, strangely shivery, tried to reply easily to Carver'sremarks, as they went up the walk toward the gymnasium.

  "Isn't it lucky you didn't catch those things? I was dead scared youwould when you wrote me."

  "Yes, it's--it is lucky."

  "My! Your cheeks are red, Priscilla. Just the way they used to beafter swimming. Say, but you're looking great!"

  "Am I?"

  "Isn't Bob Stuart a corker? He decorated the whole gym. Never sawflags look any better, did you?"

  "No, it's awfully pretty. I--I think I'll sit down, Carver, tilldancing begins."

  "Sure. Of course. I'll run and get Bob. He has three with you. Excuseme just a moment."

  How Priscilla ever managed to dance the ten dances beforeintermission, she never knew. Her cheeks grew redder, her eyesbrighter, her poor head spun as though never-ending wheels, eternallywound up, were to whirl around forever. Sometimes the lights of thegymnasium blurred, and something sang in her ears; but still shesmiled and moved her feet. At the end of each dance when her chargewas returned to her to await the arrival of her partner for the next,Miss Wallace grew more and more anxious.

  "Priscilla dear, I'm sure you're ill. What is it?"

  "Really, Miss Wallace, I've just a headache. Oh, don't make me stop,please!"

  But at intermission--that blessed time when one could rest and closeher eyes when nobody looked her way--at intermission while they sat inCarver's study and ate ice-cream and cake, Priscilla all at once gavea little worn-out sigh, and fainted quite away. Poor Carver StandishIII was all consternation. Had he tired her out? Hadn't there beenenough air in the room? Had he done anything he shouldn't? He pliedMiss Wallace with anxious questionings while a guest, who by goodfortune happened to be a doctor, bent over Priscilla.

  But Priscilla, coming to herself just then, answered his questions.

  "No, you haven't done a thing, Carver. It's the German Measles. Theywouldn't stay frozen in!"

  Then, to the greatly amused doctor, and to the greatly disturbed MissWallace, and the greatly relieved Carver, the patient told in a weaklittle voice of how they had tried two weeks ago to steam them out;and how, when they had unexpectedly come that morning, they had, withdoubtful logic, striven to freeze them in. The doctor, though helooked grave, laughed as though he never could stop; and it all endedby his taking her and Miss Wallace home in his own machine, leavingJean to be chaperoned by her aunt, and a sympathetic but indignanthost, who thought they ought to let him go along.

  Virginia, who had read too late, and who even at bed-time felt calledupon to inscribe some thoughts in her book, was startled at eleveno'clock by hearing foot-steps in the hall. Her door wasunceremoniously opened by a tall, gray-haired gentleman, who carriedin his arms a limp figure in a pink dress--a figure, who cried in amuffled voice from somewhere within the scarfs that covered her:

  "Oh, Virginia, 'twas no use. They came out all the same!"

  "So this is the other member of the new medical school," announced thegray-haired man, depositing his bundle on the bed. "Miss Virginia, I'mhonored to meet you!"

  The mystified and frightened Virginia was led away to Miss Wallace'sroom, where she gleaned some hurried information before that ladyreturned to help the doctor, who assured them that Priscilla would bemuch improved and doubtless much more speckled in the morning. An hourlater he drove away, leaving sweet Miss Bailey, St. Helen's nurse, incharge.

  But the contrite and troubled Virginia could not sleep until she hadbeen permitted to say a short good-night to her room-mate.

  "Oh, Priscilla," she moaned. "I'm so sorry! I thought 'twas just theright thing to do."

  "It was," said the patient from under the blankets, for a return tosteaming had been prescribed. "It was, Virginia! Else I never couldhave gone, and I wouldn't have missed the one half I had for theworld. Only I've just thought of the awful result! I've probably giventhem to Carver and all the others; and he'll never invite me again!Oh, why didn't we think?"

  Virginia, by this time weeping in sympathy, was again led away to MissWallace's room, where she spent a restless night, thinking of theawful consequences to Colonel Standish's grandson. But both she andPriscilla might have spared themselves unnecessary worry, for thesolicitous Carver telephoned daily for a week, and sent some flowersand two boxes of candy. A few days after the telephone calls hadceased, the fully restored Priscilla received the following note:

  "Gordon School, Mar. 1, 19--.

  "Dear Priscilla:

  "I've got them, and so has Bob, and the four other fellows you danced with. Don't mind, because we're all jolly well pleased. Old Morley, who is a good sort, let us out of the February exams and we're some happy, I tell you. Besides, grandfather sent me all kinds of new fishing-tackle, and ten dollars. We all think you were no end of a game sport to come, and next year Bob and I are going to have you and Virginia, whom grandfather's always cracking up to me.

  "Your speckled friend, "Carver Standish."