CHAPTER III
PEERS AND COMMONS
Along the hall down which Dorothy followed the Lady Principal weremany doors opening into small class rooms. Each class was under itsespecial teacher, its number being limited to ten students. It was thepolicy of the school that by this division better instruction could begiven each pupil, and Dorothy wondered to which of these groups--ifany--she would be assigned. Another hall and other class rooms joinedthe first and longer one, at a right angle, and here Miss Murielpaused, directing:
"Proceed down this corridor till you reach the parlor at its end.There you will find Miss Hexam awaiting you. She will test yourscholarship and report to me. Do not fail to answer her questionspromptly and distinctly. I observe that you do not enunciate well. Youslur some of your words and clip the endings from your participles. Tosay 'hopin'' or 'runnin'' is execrable. Also, there is no such word as'daown' or 'araoun'.'"
Dorothy's temper rose. She had done nothing right, it seemed, sinceshe had arrived at this "school for criticism," as she termed it, andnow said pertly:
"I reckon that's the Southern way of talking. I noticed that theBishop didn't bother about his 'gs' and he had the same twang that alldo down home. He must have lived there a right smart time when he waslittle."
"Many things are permissible in a cultured old gentleman which arenot in an ignorant and forward girl. You came here for your ownimprovement. I shall see that you attain it; or, if you fail in thisafter a reasonable trial, you cannot be retained. That rule is plainlystated in our circular. I will bid you good morning until I send foryou."
Poor Dorothy fairly withered under this sternness that she felt wasunjust, but she felt, also, that she had been impertinent, and runningafter Miss Muriel, as she moved away, she caught the lady's sleeve,imploring:
"Please don't think I'm all bad, Miss Tross-Kingdon! I've beenheedless and saucy, but I didn't mean it--not for badness. Please waitand try me and I _will_ 'improve,' as you said. Please, please! Itwould break Aunt Betty's heart if she thought I wasn't good and--andI'm so unhappy! Please forgive me."
The dark eyes, lifted so appealingly, filled with tears which theirowner bravely restrained, and the Lady Principal was touched by thisself-control. Also, under all her sternness, she was just.
"Certainly, Dorothy, your apology is sufficient. Now go at once toMiss Hexam and do yourself credit. If you have studied music, anotherperson will examine you in that."
Impulsively Dorothy caught the lady's hand and kissed it; and,fortunately, did not observe that dainty person wipe off the caresswith her handkerchief.
Then summoning her courage, the new pupil hurried to the end parlorand entered it as she had been taught. But the "den of inquisition,"as some of the girls had named it, proved anything but that toDorothy.
"The Inquisitor" was a lovely, white-haired woman, clothed in softwhite wool, and smiling so gently toward the trembling girl that allfear instantly left her.
"So this is Dorothy Calvert, our little maid from Dixie. You'll find awide difference between your Southland and our Province, but I hopeyou'll find the change a pleasant one. Take this chair before thefire. You'll find it comfortable. I love these autumn days, when ablazing log can keep us warm. It's so fragrant and cheerful and farmore romantic than a coil of steam pipe. Have a biscuit, dear?"
Miss Hexam motioned to a low wicker chair, which some girls haddeclared a "chair of torture," but which suited Dorothy exactly, forit was own mate to her own little reading chair "at home." Almost shecould have kissed it for its likeness, but was allowed no time forfoolishness. The homely little treat of the simple crackers banishedall shyness and the dreaded "exam" proved really but a social visit,the girl not dreaming that under this friendly talk was a carefulprobing of her own character and attainments. Nor did she understandjust then how greatly her answers pleased the gentle "Inquisitor."
"You want me to 'begin at the beginning'? Why, that's a long way back,when I was a mere midget. A baby only a year and a half old. Papa andmamma died away out west, but, of course, I didn't know that then. Ididn't know anything, I reckon, except how to make Mother Marthatrouble. My father was Aunt Betty's nephew and she didn't like hismarrying mamma. I don't know why; only Ephraim says 'Miss Betty wasallays full o' notions same's a aig's full o' meat.' Ephy's AuntBetty's 'boy,' about as old as she is--something over eighty. Nobodyknows just auntie's real age, except Ephraim and Dinah. They've livedwith her always and treat her now just as if she were a child. It'stoo funny for words, sometimes, to hear the three of them argue oversome thing or trifle. She'll let them go a certain length; then all atonce she'll put on her dignity and they fairly begin to tremble. She'smistress then and they're her servants, but I do believe either onewould die to prolong her life. Dinah says: ''Pears lak death an' dyin'nebah gwine come nigh my Miss Betty Calvert.' And she's just right.Everybody thinks my darling aunt is the sweetest, most wonderful womanin the world. But I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to talk so much andhinder your examination."
"Oh! that is all right. I love to hear your story that you've left offat its beginning. You're only a 'baby' so far, you know."
"Well, if you like. When my father died, my mother felt that she woulddie, too, and she couldn't bear to leave me alone. So she just sent meto Aunt Betty. But she felt, auntie did, that she couldn't be botheredwith a 'squalling baby,' nor could she cast me off, really. 'Cause shewas my real great-aunt and my nearest relation and was rich enough todo what she liked in a money way. Besides, she wanted me to be raisedreal sensible. So she picked out a splendid couple she knew and had meleft on their doorstep. She had pinned to my clothes that my name was'Dorothy C.' Their name began with 'C,' too, so they guessed I wasmeant for them to keep, because they hadn't any other child. What alot I'm talking! Do you want to hear any more? Won't the LadyPrincipal be angry if I don't get examined?"
"I will make that all right, Dorothy, and I am greatly interested.It's 'like a story out of a book,' as the Minims say. Go on, please."
"Well, these dear people took care of me till I was a real big girl. Ilove them dearly. He was a postman and he walked too much. So he hadto lose his position with lameness and he's never gotten over it,though he's better now. He has a position in a sanitarium for otherlame folks and Mother Martha is the housekeeper, or matron, there.Uncle Seth Winters, who knows so much that he is called the 'LearnedBlacksmith,' is my guardian. He and Aunt Betty have been dearestfriends ever since they were little. They call each other cousin,though they're no kin at all, any more than he's my uncle. He was myfirst teacher at his 'school in the woods,' but felt I ought to go toa school for girls. So I went to the Rhinelander Academy and he stayedat his smithy on the mountain, near Mother Martha's little farm andAunt Betty's big one, and one vacation auntie told me who I was andtook me home to live with her; and she liked Oak Knowe because theBishop is her lifelong friend. She has had my name on the list waitingfor a vacancy for a long, long time; so it's a terrible pity I shouldhave been horrid, and offended the Lady Principal."
"Let us hope she is not seriously offended, dear, nor have you told mewhat the offense is. But bear in mind, Dorothy, that she is at thehead of a great and famous institution and must strictly live up toits standards and keep her pupils to their duty. But she is absolutelyjust, as you will learn in time.
"I feel like hearing music, to-day, but get very little. All ourpractice rooms are sound-deadened. Do you play at all, on anyinstrument, or sing?"
"A little of both, when I'm at home. Not well in either, though AuntBetty loves my violin and my little songs. If I had it here, I wouldtry for you, if you'd like. But it's in my trunk, my 'box,' Mr. Gilpincalled it."
Miss Hexam smiled and, opening a little secretary, took out an oldCremona, explaining:
"This was my brother's, who died when I was young. He was a master ofit, had many pupils. I allow few to touch it, but I'd be pleased tohave you, if you would like."
"Would you? May I?" asked Dorothy, handling it reverently for itssacr
edness to this loving old sister. And, after she had tuned it, asreverently for its own sake. It was a rare old instrument of sweetesttone and almost unconsciously Dorothy tried one theme after anotherupon it while Miss Hexam leaned back in her chair listening andmotionless.
Into that playing the young musician put all the love and homesicknessof her own heart. It seemed as if she were back at Deerhurst, with theGreat Danes lying on the rug at her feet and dear Aunt Betty restingbefore the fire. Then, when memory threatened to bring the tears shewas determined should not fall, she stopped, laid the violin silentlyupon the table and slipped out of the room, leaving Miss Hexam stillmotionless in her chair.
But she would have been surprised had she looked back into the"inquisition chamber" a few moments later to see the "inquisitor"arouse, seize a sheet of paper and rapidly write a few lines upon it.But the few lines were important. They gave a synopsis of Dorothy'sscholarship and accomplishments, and unerringly assigned her to "FormIVb, class of Miss Aldrich."
The "terrible exam" was over and Dorothy hadn't known a thing aboutit!
Outside that little parlor another surprise awaited her. A crowd ofgirls was racing madly down the hall, the foremost looking backward asshe ran and roughly colliding with Dorothy; with the result that bothfell; while the others, following in such speed, were unable to checkin time to prevent their tumbling over the first pair. Then suchshrieks of laughter rang out that the teachers in the nearbyclassrooms came to their doors in haste.
Even they were obliged to smile over the heap of girls and the tangleof legs and arms as the fallen ones strove to extricate themselves.They were all in gymnasium-costume and were bound for a side door ofthe building which led by a short cut to the gymnasium in the Annex.
This was Dorothy's introduction to the "Commons," the largest andwildest "set" in the great school. They were all daughters of goodfamilies but of no "rank" or titles; and there was an abidingopposition among them to the "Peers," the smaller "set" of aristocratsto which the Honorable Gwendolyn Borst-Kennard and Lady MarjorieLancaster belonged. Mostly the "Commons" were a rollicking company,going to the extreme limits of behavior where any fun promised tofollow, yet mostly keeping just safely within rules. Their escapadeskept the faculty in considerable anxiety as to what they would donext, yet their very gayety was the life of Oak Knowe and even theLady Principal was secretly fonder of them than of the more dignified"Peers."
As they now scrambled to their feet, she who had run against Dorothyheartily apologized, yet paused half-way in that apology to stare andremark:
"Why, heigho, there! I thought you were a Minim, you're so little.But I fancy you're a newcomer whom I don't know. Please explain; areyou 'Peer' or 'Lower House'?"
Dorothy laughed:
"'Lower House,' I thought when you knocked me down, whatever that maybe."
"It means--is your father an Earl? or your mother a Duchess? Have youan Honorable amongst you? You hold your curly head as if you mighthave all three!"
All the girls had now gathered about the stranger whom their leaderwas so unceremoniously quizzing and were eagerly inspecting her, butsomehow Dorothy did not resent the scrutiny. There were big girls andlittle ones, fat girls and thin ones, plain and pretty, but each sogood-natured looking and so friendly in her curiosity that Dolly's ownspirits rose in response to their liveliness.
"No, indeed! I'm just a plain American girl and prouder of that thanof any title in the world. You see, all of _us_ are queens in our ownright!" answered the newcomer, promptly.
"Well, come on then; you belong to us and we all belong to the queen.Queen, what shall we call you? Where do you hail from?"
"My home is in Baltimore, and my name is Dorothy Calvert."
"Then you must be a sort of 'Peer' after all. I hate history, but Iremember about that, for Lord Baltimore and Calvert are the samething, I fancy. I'm sorry. I hoped you belonged to our 'set' andweren't an aristocrat."
"But I'm not, I'm not!" protested Dorothy. "I do belong to you, I wantto because you look so friendly and I need friends dreadfully. I'm solonely, or I was. I've just come, you know."
"Have you been 'inquisitioned' yet?"
"I don't understand."
The questioner explained, and Dorothy exclaimed:
"Oh! I think that's cruel! Miss Hexam is perfectly lovely!"
"So do we think, course, and she doesn't mind the nickname. It wasfirst given her by a silly Seventh Form girl who thought she was allready for the University yet failed to pass even a Fifth Form exam. Iguess you'll not be put to study to-day, so best come over to the gymwith us. What stunts can you do?"
"None. But I've told you my name and you haven't told yours. Thankyou, though, for asking me. I'm so glad to go."
"Oh! you poor little lonesome Queen Baltimore! I'm Winifred Christie;this freckle face is Fannie Dimock; Annie Dow wears that blue bow inher hair; Florita Sheraton is the fat one; Ernesta Smith the thin;Bessie Walters--well, no need to point out Bessie. She's the nimblestgirl in the gym. We here extend the freedom of the Lower House; andall in favor of grabbing this Yankee into our set before the other setcatches her, say--Aye!"
"Aye--aye--aye!" endorsed the motion and Dorothy clapped her handsover her ears, to keep out the ear-splitting shouts. How these girlsdared make such an uproar amazed her; but she did not yet know that inthe "long recess," now passing, much liberty was permitted and that anoise which did not interfere with study hours was not reprimanded.
"It's the overflow of natural spirits and inevitable in the young,"was one of the Bishop's beliefs, and not even the Lady Principaldisputed his authority.
"Come on, Queenie, and be put through your paces!" cried Winifred,throwing her arm around Dorothy's shoulders and forcibly racing herout of doors and across the lawn toward the gymnasium.
But arrived there only one or two of the group attempted any exercise.The rest settled around Dorothy, whom the athletic Winifred had tossedupward upon the back of the wooden horse, and, with her arms foldedupon the newcomer's knees, this leader of the "Commons" proceeded tocross-question her victim.
"PROCEEDED TO CROSS-QUESTION HER VICTIM." _Dorothy at Oak Knowe._]
"It's the cast-iron rule of our set to find out everything aboutanybody we receive into it. Begin at the date of your birth andproceed in a seemly manner until you come up to date. Where were youborn? What sort of baby were you--good, bad, or indifferent? Begin!"
Entering into the spirit of the thing Dorothy gave her simple lifehistory in a few sentences. But when the questions came as to theevents of the last few days her face grew serious and her voicefaltered.
"Why did I come to Oak Knowe alone? Because there was nobody to comewith me. That is, Dinah or Ephraim, who might have come, couldn't betrusted to go back alone. My dearest girl friend, Molly Breckenridge,had been enrolled here and we expected to come together, but theJudge's health suddenly broke down and he was ordered to Californiaand couldn't part with her. Uncle Seth wasn't well. He's my guardianand Aunt Betty's friend. She's my great aunt who takes care of me butshe wouldn't leave Uncle Seth, even if he's not our kin at all, thoughwe call him so. Jim Barlow is tutoring in a boys' school and; well,Aunt Betty said I could perfectly well and safely travel alone. I wasput into the conductor's care when I started from Baltimore and hepassed me along to the next one, and they've all been splendid to me.There'd have been no mistakes if I hadn't been careless myself. But Iwas. I missed a train I should have taken and didn't send the telegramI ought at the right time and there was nobody at the station to meetme and--and--"
"The idea! A girl like you, traveling all the way from Baltimore toToronto without a maid or any grown-up to take care of her! That's thestrangest thing I ever heard. Weren't you just awfully scared all thetime?" asked Florita Sheraton, amazed. "An English girl would havebeen in a blue funk every minute of the time."
"I don't know anything about a blue or other colored funk, but everywell-bred American girl can take care of herself if she chooses. Ifshe 'loses her head'
she gets into trouble right away. I lost minelast night and went riding off at dark with a strange old man, whosaid he'd bring me here, instead of stepping into the telegraph officeand wiring the Lady Principal. Then all I'd have had to do would be towait for her to send for me, and after all it wasn't the old man whobrought me, it was Dr. Winston in his motor. He called here thismorning and asked me to ride back with him and see Robin, but MissTross-Kingdon wouldn't let me."
"Course she wouldn't. She never lets anybody do anything she wantsto, if she can help it. Hateful old thing!" remarked Bessie Walters;at which the others laughed and Annie Dow inquired, "Who is Robin?"
Dorothy told the story of last night, her new acquaintances listeningintently, and Winifred commenting:
"If you aren't the very luckiest girl in the world! Why I never had anadventure in my life, yet I'm ages older than you."
At this a shout of derision rose, and Fannie Dimock exclaimed:
"Don't believe that, Queen Baltimore. There's scarcely a day passesthat she isn't in some scrape or other. Why, last term, she was indisgrace so often I really believed she wouldn't be allowed to comeback."
"Oh! little things like that don't count. But--" she stopped speakingso abruptly and such an earnest expression settled on her face that amate remarked:
"Look! There's something brewing this minute! Look out, Win, what youdo! Don't mix any of us up in your schemes. I don't want any moreextras so soon again;" then explained to Dorothy that "extras" weresome difficult lessons any culprit was obliged to learn.
Just then came the bell for mid-day luncheon, and all the Commonsexcept Winifred answered the summons promptly. But she lingeredbehind, detaining Dorothy till the others were out of hearing, andthen suggested something to her which made her clap her hands indelight. For the secret thus imparted seemed the simplest thingpossible and one in which, to Dolly's ignorance of Oak Knowe rules,was entirely right.
Arm in arm, the new friends entered the dining-room and Winifredmarched Dorothy steadily forward to a seat at her own table, justopposite that occupied by some of the other "set," with the HonorableGwendolyn among them. Dolly glanced across and nodded, but that titledyoung person returned the nod with a stare so intent and contemptuousthat the color flashed to the stranger's face and her eyes fell as ifshe were in guilt. Yet she couldn't guess why, nor why she should berelieved when there arose a sudden diversion outside the doorwaytoward which everybody turned their eyes.