Part 12 (1/2)
Tears ran down Genevieve's face as she re-read this precious epistle and then crumpling the paper in her hands she ran to her room. Sympathizing friends followed, and ”Poor Genevieve!” was heard on all sides.
Judith had been a distressed spectator of this scene. How sorry Catherine would be! How sorry she was for Catherine! Whoever could be writing the letters?
This, indeed, was the sole topic of conversation in the ”Jolly Susan”
during the dressing-hour, and before the evening was over the School was enjoying a thoroughly good gossip. One amateur detective had suggested that jealousy must be the motive of the unknown writer, for most of the girls dismissed the suggestion that Catherine was the author. Some one else contributed the story of Genevieve's unsuccessful attempt to obtain a room in the ”Jolly Susan,” and then some one, who had overheard Sally May's indignation thereat, suggested Sally May as a likely culprit.
As was inevitable these mere suppositions grew by their many tellings into ”facts,” and by the next evening many of the girls were convinced that Sally May, ”who is absolutely devoted to Catherine, my dear,” was ”wildly jealous of Genevieve,” and was actually ”seen putting a letter into the box.”
Miss Marlowe, who remains in the background in this story, but whom we must never forget, sits in the midst of South House like some omniscient and benevolent providence, decided that something must be done to stop these mischievous wagging tongues, so she summoned her prefects and said frankly:
”A little bird has told me something about these anonymous letters. I know they are very trivial and silly, but when one girl begins to be accused by the others, it is time to clean up the matter. From what I know of Sally May, I cannot believe that she has written them. Don't tell me anything more about it. I leave it to you; please do your best to get them stopped.” And she left them to solve the puzzle.
The prefects held a meeting at once and decided that the matter was not serious enough to call a special house meeting. Such meetings called and addressed by the captain were held on very special occasions, and this--”Well, this is _too_ silly,” said Patricia Caldwell, giggling.
”Poor Cathy! its a pity you are so bewitching. I don't know how you will manage your affairs after you leave school,” she added teasingly. ”I'm afraid the morning papers will have to devote front-page s.p.a.ce to the duels fought in Miss Catherine Ellison's honour.”
Catherine could stand being chaffed by her peers and equals, but she really hated the gossip of the younger girls.
It was decided that every prefect was to keep ears and eyes open and report to Eleanor anything suspicious. A special watch was to be kept on the mail-box. Two prefects were to make it their business to saunter past the box whenever they could and keep an eye on pigeon-hole ”S.”
Perhaps they might catch the criminal at the box.
There was much laughter about it, and with the exception of Catherine they rather enjoyed the importance and the mystery. They realized, however, that so much gossiping was bad for the tone of the house. ”It must be stopped.”
CHAPTER X
JUDITH PLAYS DETECTIVE
WHILE the prefects were sitting in solemn conclave, Judith at her desk, writing to her mother, found that the story of the week's doings centred about Genevieve and the mysterious letter.
”She is hard to describe, Mummy,” she wrote; ”she isn't exactly pretty, but her face changes so often when she is talking that she is interesting to listen to. She doesn't play many games and I don't see very much of her, but you remember I told you how clever she was as Malvolio in 'Twelfth Night.' She acts awfully well and she just loves doing it. And she's always getting frightfully fond of somebody and feeling badly if they don't like her.” Judith sat rolling her pen absent-mindedly up and down her blotter as the picture of Genevieve filled her mind.
Perhaps it was a matter of ”thinking of angels and hearing their wings”; at any rate, just at this moment, Genevieve, returning from a fruitless attempt to catch Catherine in her room, knocked at Judith's door.
”Come on down and see me, Judy,” she begged; ”I've got some biscuits and some Was.h.i.+ngton coffee and I'll beg some hot water from Mrs. Bronson.”
Judith who loved coffee needed no second bidding, and was soon enjoying a steaming cup and listening to Genevieve's woes; but Genevieve was scarcely well started on the subject of the letters when a heavy step was heard in the corridor and she jumped up in alarm.
”Throw the coffee out the window, Judy,” she begged--”that's Miss Watson doing laundry--she's in Joan's room now.” And with amazing swiftness she emptied her laundry bag on the bed, covered the contents with her eiderdown, spread out two dainty sets of immaculate French underwear, and was seated with a darning-basket and a pair of stockings in her hand, before the astonished Judith could take in the significance of her actions.
”Come in,” said Genevieve sweetly as Miss Watson knocked. ”Oh, is that you, Miss Watson? I'm just finis.h.i.+ng my stockings.”
Miss Watson, who was short-sighted and a bit indolent, hated the weekly task of inspecting the newly returned laundry in search of missing b.u.t.tons and rents, all of which were to be recorded in her little black book and checked off when the owners testified that the said garments had been made whole. So remembering the immaculate clothes which awaited her each week in Genevieve's room, she made a cursory examination of the dainty undies and checked O.K. opposite Genevieve's name.
”There's a funny odor in here,” she commented as she turned to go; ”you haven't--”
”Yes,” said Genevieve politely, ”I've just had a hot drink. Mrs. Bronson thought I'd better have one because I felt so tired.”
And Judith, watching with wide-open eyes, to her amazement saw Genevieve's sensitive mobile face actually grow tired and sad-looking while she watched, and then the moment Miss Watson was safely out of sight, with a slight grimace and shrug Genevieve was smiling triumphantly at her own cleverness, and slyly watching the effect of it all on Judith.