CHAPTER XII--THE M. O. R. INITIATION
Now there was one girl of that walking party, you may be sure, who didnot congratulate Laura Belding upon her happy thought in aiding the manon the steeple of St. Cecelia's Church. That was Hester Grimes.
Since the evening previous Hester had had little to say to anybody--evento her chum. The fires of wrath always burned deeply in Hester; shehugged an injury--or a supposed injury--to her, and made it greatertherefore than it was.
In the first place, she had hoped much that the M. O. R.'s would giveher the "touch." For months--ever since she had become a soph at CentralHigh, indeed, she had been looking forward to that end. She wanted to"make" the secret society more than she wanted anything else in herschool life.
And now it would be another year, at least, before she could stand herchance again, while Laura Belding, whom she hated, was one of thefavored candidates. She could not understand it. Hester had toadied tojuniors and seniors alike--especially to those who were members of thesecret society. Of course, she had paid little attention to such girlsas Mary O'Rourke. She could not understand how the daughter of alaborer, who had neither money nor influence, could have become aprominent member of the M. O. R.'s. But by the girls of wealthy parentsHester had tried to make herself noticed.
She could not understand her lack of popularity, when Laura, and JessMorse, and Dr. Agnew's daughter and the Lockwood twins had received thetouch. And rage burned hotter in her heart.
Besides, Bobby's impudent trick had made Hester appear ridiculous, shecould not forget that. And she insisted upon holding Laura responsiblefor the joke. She told Lily she was sure that Laura Belding had putBobby up to it. And it was nothing that would pass over quickly.Already, on this Saturday, she had heard some of the lines of thedoggerel repeated by giggling girls--and she hated them all for it!
"I'll get square--you just see," she whispered to Lily Pendleton. "Nogirl like Laura Belding can treat me so----"
"But it was those freshies and Bobby Hargrew," interposed her chum.
"Laura was back of it--believe me!" declared Hester, shaking her head. "Ishould think you would feel the slight, too, Lily. For those stuck-upM. O. R.'s to choose Belding, and Morse, and those other girls of ourclass, and overlook _us_."
"But the candidates had nothing to do with it," said Lily, weakly.
"Belding and the others benefited, just the same--didn't they?"
"Um--m. They're in and we're out."
"Well!" said Hester, with flashing eyes.
"But what are you going to do about it? What _can_ we do?"
"Never mind. You'll see," promised the butcher's daughter, darkly.
It would not have changed Hester's attitude at all--for she was not oneto easily forgive--had she known that Laura Belding had taken occasionthat very morning to take Bobby Hargrew to task for what she had donethe evening before. Bobby came into Mr. Belding's store while Laura wasdusting and re-arranging the show cases.
"Have a scrumptious time at the club house, Laura?" asked theirrepressible.
"Oh, it is nice, Bobby!" cried Laura. "I wish you had been touched."
"Me? Huh! I'd have about as much chance of ever being an M. O. R. asHester Grimes," and she chuckled.
"Less chance than Hester, I fear," said Laura, with sudden gravity."Especially after last evening. Bobby Hargrew, I never knew you to do somean a thing before."
"Well, wasn't she mean to me?"
"That does not excuse you. And I told Mr. Sharp that you had never donea really mean thing within my knowledge----"
"Ah! Now I see why I have not been promoted to the outside of CentralHigh," cried Bobby, quickly. "You have been interceding for me."
"I--I---- Well, it was nothing much I said, dear," said Laura.
"I'm grateful," said Bobby, really moved. "But I can't tell you howmuch."
"Show me, then," urged Laura.
"How do you mean?"
"Give up this practical joking. Stop making trouble for the teachers----"
"I have! Gee Gee hasn't had a chance to criticize me all this week. Andsometimes I feel as though I should burst," cried the spirited girl.
"But I _did_ tell the principal that you never did anything mean--and seewhat you have done to Hester!"
"And see what she has done to me," snapped Bobby.
"Perhaps she _thought_ she saw you throw something into that basket."
"No, she didn't. She and I sassed each other," declared Bobby, who wasplain if not elegant of speech at all times, "right there in theprincipal's office when Miss Gee Gee sailed out into the music room.Hessie _was_ the last girl to leave me--true enough. But she did not seeme near that basket, for I started for the corridor when she was goingout of the room."
"But she might have been mistaken----"
"You don't more than half believe me yourself, Laura Belding!" accusedBobby.
"I do. I believe just what you say about it."
"Then you can take it from me," said the emphatic Bobby, "that HesterGrimes told that story to Miss Carrington for the sake of getting meinto trouble--and for no other reason."
"I'd hate to think her so mean," sighed Laura.
"I'd hate to be foolish enough to believe she was anything _but_ mean,"growled Bobby, sullenly. "We've always known what she was. Why so tenderof her all of a sudden?"
"But she must be hurt dreadfully by that trick you played on her lastevening."
"Serves her right, then. I've no love for her, I confess. But if youdon't want me to I'll let her strictly alone hereafter. I guess I'vesquared things pretty well with her anyway," and Bobby Hargrew laughedlightly.
"I want you to be good, Bobby," said Laura, yet smiling at the youngergirl. "Show them there is something in you besides mischief. Theteachers have a wrong idea of you. You want to change all that."
"Gee! I couldn't be a Miss Nancy," chuckled the other.
"Just see how you are cut out of all our good times," warned Laura. "Andwe need you in athletics, Bobby! Our eight-oared shell will be withoutits cox--and we hoped to have a boat of our own this season. You see,Bobby, one girl can't do wrong without hurting the rest of us. 'All forone and one for all' is the motto of Central High, you know."
"Oh, dear, Laura, I _didn't_ set that fire," cried Bobby, suddenly, andalmost in tears.
"I don't believe for a minute that you did," returned her friend. "Butyou might use your superabundance of wit in finding out who did set it.I've racked my brains, I am sure, and I can't see the answer."
"Then, how do you expect me to do so--and you always so ingenious?"complained Bobby.
Laura's ingenuity about the kite and the steeple-jack delighted most ofthe girls who were with her on that Saturday afternoon tramp. And whenthey knew she intended giving the gold eagle presented to her by ColonelSwayne to the treasury of the Girls' Branch they cheered her--all butHester and Lily.
The explanation of the fire in Mr. Sharp's office eluded Laura, however,as it did everybody else. But she gave considerable thought to theproblem as the days passed.
The Athletic Field was being put in shape as rapidly as possible.Already the high board fence was being erected and a large shed withlockers for the girls. As the field joined their old bathing pavilionthere were shower and plunge baths already at hand. Mrs. Case promisedthe school that, other things being well, the girls should have anexhibition field day for parents and friends before many weeks. Theindoor exercises were practiced assiduously, and most of the advancedclasses, at least, tried to stand well in these so as to take part inthe outdoor games.
With the regular school work, the physical instruction, and theafter-hour athletics, the girls of Central High found their time filled.But Laura Belding and her close friends had the added excitement andinterest of the coming M. O. R. initiation.
A full week elapsed from the Day of the Touch to the hour when thecandidates were to be made full members of the secret society. Thisinitiation was usually a novel affair, and on this occasion it wasannounced
to the candidates that Robinson's Woods was the scene andSaturday at four o'clock the time of the exercises. Secrecy wasmaintained--or should have been. No one but members of the M. O. R., orthe candidates, was to know the time and place; but events whichfollowed showed that there was a "leak" somewhere.
Robinson's Woods was a fine picnicking ground, back among the hills. Oneof the Market Street cars passed a road which led to the grove; oneneeded to walk but half a mile, and through a pleasant byway. But onceat the Woods, it was as though the primeval forest surrounded the place.
There was a small hotel, tables and benches in the open, swings and acarousel, and a dancing pavilion. But the M. O. R.'s did not propose tohold their exercises in so exposed a place. Up from the regular groundsdevoted to entertainment led a narrow, rocky path through the thickerwood. The goal to which this path led was a high, open plateau in themidst of the forest, from which one could overlook a winding countryroad and a more winding, tumbling, noisy brook which came down from theheights.
Two special cars awaited the M. O. R. girls and the candidates forinitiation, and it was a merry party that debarked at the head of thewood road. They marched straight away from the regular picnic groundsand were soon on the plateau.
The sun was going down and the view over the valley, in which lay theCity of Centerport, was beautiful indeed. There were nearly a hundredgirls, and in their bright dresses they made a very pretty picture inthe open space in the forest.
They were far from human habitation. Indeed there was no house in sight,save an abandoned farmhouse at the upper end of the clearing. Surroundedby a straggling fence, with a gate hanging from one hinge, and theout-houses behind it fallen in ruins, this old dwelling presented arather ghostly appearance. It did, indeed, go by the name of "Robinson'sHaunted House"; but in the late afternoon sunlight none of the visitorsthought of the grewsome stories told of it.