Part 28 (1/2)
”Allow me to lend them to you until next term. You can return me the money then, can you not?”
Polly's face became on the instant a show of s.h.i.+ning eyes, gleaming white teeth and glowing cheeks.
”Of course I could pay you back, you-- darling,” she said with enthusiasm. ”Oh, what a relief this is to me; I'd have done anything in all the world to have my jacket back again.”
”It's a bargain, then. Good night, Miss Singleton.”
Maggie tossed the jacket on Polly's bed, touched her hand lightly with one of her own and left the room. She went quickly back to her own pretty sitting-room, locked her door, threw herself on her knees by her bureau and sobbed long and pa.s.sionately.
During the few days which now remained before the end of the term no one quite knew what was wrong with Miss Oliphant. She worked hard in preparation for her lectures and when seen in public was always very merry. But there was a certain hardness about her mirth which her best friends detected and which caused Nancy Banister a good deal of puzzled pain.
Priscilla was treated very kindly by Maggie; she still helped her willingly with her Greek and even invited her into her room once or twice. But all the little half-beginnings of confidence which, now and then, used to burst from Maggie's lips, the allusions to old times, the sentences which revealed deep thoughts and high aspirations, all these, which made the essence of true friends.h.i.+p, vanished out of her conversation.
Priscilla said to herself over and over that there was really no difference-- that Miss Oliphant was still as kind to her, as valued a friend as ever-- but in her heart she knew that this was not the case.
Maggie startled all her friends by making one request. Might they postpone the acting of The Princess until the middle of the following term?”
”I cannot do it justice now,” she said. ”I cannot throw my heart and soul into my part. If you act the play now you must allow me to withdraw.”
The other girls, Constance Field in particular, were astonished. They even felt resentful. All arrangements had been made for this special play. Maggie was to be the Princess herself; no one could possibly take her place. It was most unreasonable of her to withdraw now.
But it was one of the facts well known at St. Benet's that, fascinating as Miss Oliphant was, she was also unreasonable. On certain occasions she could even be disobliging. In short, when Maggie ”took the bit between her teeth,” to employ an old metaphor, she could neither be led nor driven. After a great deal of heated discussion and indignant words, she had her will. The play was deferred till the following term, and one or two slight comedies, which had been acted before, were revived in a hurry to take its place.
CHAPTER XXII
A BLACK SATIN JACKET
VERY active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine's return. Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coa.r.s.ely ill.u.s.trated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting. A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
”How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
”Do stay still, Hattie, and don't fidget. Don't you see how tired Aunt Raby looks?” exclaimed Rose. ”Prissie can't be here yet, and you are such a worry when you jump up and down like that, Hattie.”
Rose's words were quite severe, and Hattie planted herself on the edge of a chair, folded her plump hands, managed to get a demure look into her laughing eyes and dimpled mouth and sat motionless for about half a minute. At the end of that time she tumbled on the floor with a loud crash and Aunt Raby sprang to her feet with some alarm.
”Good gracious, child! are you hurt? What's the matter?”
Hattie was sitting on the floor in convulsions of mirth.
”I'm not hurt,” she exclaimed. ”I slipped off the chair. I didn't mean to; I couldn't help it, really. I'm sorry I woke you, Aunt Raby.”
”I wasn't asleep, child.” Miss Peel walked across the room and vanished into the kitchen, from which very savory smells issued.
Hattie and Rose began to quarrel and argue, and Katie, who was more or less of a little peacemaker, suggested that they should draw up the blind and all three get into the window to watch for Prissie.
”I wonder how she will look?” said Rose when they were all comfortably established.
”I hope she won't talk in Latin,” exclaimed Hattie.
”Oh, it is nice to think of seeing Prissie so soon,” murmured Katie in an ecstasy.