A Dixie School Girl Part 10

"And now that you've gotten your load of sins off your shoulders and bundled onto mine do you feel better?"

"No, I can't say that I do, but I had to unload all the same. There is no one at the school to unload upon, you see. Besides, it could never be like you, any way. You always let things sort of percolate, before you let off steam, but it's mostly all steam, or _hot air_, at Leslie Manor."

"Reckon you can supply your share of the latter, can't you?" was the half serious, half-bantering retort.

"Somehow, I haven't felt exactly hot-airy since I've been there. It makes me feel more steamy; as though I'd blow up sometimes. It seems so sort of--of--oh, I don't know just how to tell you. I'd _like_ to like Miss Woodhull but she'd freeze a polar bear, and I believe she just hates girls even though she keeps a girl's school. And Miss Stetson must have been fed on vinegar when she was a baby, and Miss Baylis is the _limit_, and Miss Forsd.y.k.e lives in Rome."

"Is anybody just right?" asked the Admiral, quizzically.

"Some of them would be all right if they had half a chance or dared. Mrs.

Bonnel is a dear. Miss Dalton's lovely, but has no chance to prove it.

Miss Powell is the most loveable girl you ever knew and the little kindergarteners adore her. Miss Forsd.y.k.e would be lovely if she wasn't scared to death of Miss Woodhull and Miss Atwell would be sort of nice if she wasn't so silly. Oh, Uncle Athol if you only _could_ see her pose and make us do stunts! And she's just like a jelly fish; all floppy and tumble-a-party. I feel just exactly as though I hadn't a bone in my body after two hours flopping 'round under her instructions."

"What in thunder do they waste time on such nonsense for?" blurted out the Admiral.

"To make us supple and graceful. Am I stiff, Uncle Athol? I've always felt ten times more supple after a rattling good gallop with Ath and Archie, or half a dozen games of tennis, than after I've turned and twisted myself into bowline-knots with Miss Atwell. Oh, _how_ I miss the old good times, Uncle Athol! Why can't Ath come to see me or I go to see him sometimes? If they'd only let me I'd never think of running away as I did that day."

"Good Lord how can I tell the workings of an old maid's mind?" exploded Admiral Seldon. "It's too big a question for me to answer. I've always had an idea that it was a good thing for boys and girls to grow up together, and so has your mother, I reckon, or she'd never have allowed you to romp 'round with Athol and Archie as long as you have. And I can't for the life of me see that you're any the worse for it. But maybe that's just exactly the difference between an old maid's and an old bach's viewpoint. Can't you wheedle her as you wheedle _me_. Seems to me if you went at it like this you might make her believe that the port and starboard lights were black and white instead of red and green. Try it."

"_Cuddle_ Miss Woodhull! Uncle Athol would _you_ like to cuddle Miss Woodhull?" demanded Beverly tragically.

"G.o.d bless my soul, No! I'd as soon cuddle that statue of Diana yonder on the lawn."

"So would _I_," was the prompt reply. "I reckon I'd rather. She isn't half so cold. Wheedle? Hum. Wouldn't it be funny if I could? I'll think about it. But if she were as cuddable as you it would be--de-li-cious,"

she ended with a bear hug.

"Here's Queen to announce tea. Come along you artful huzzy. I never have an atom of justice or logic in me when I talk to you."

Nevertheless, he kissed her very tenderly as he untwined her circling arms. The past two months had been very lonely ones for him without her.

"Will you try to make Miss Woodhull let us see each other?" she begged.

"I'll think about it. I'll think about it. And do you do some thinking too lest you disgrace Woodbine.

"I'm _going_ to think. _Hard_," she added, as together they entered the cheerful dining room.

CHAPTER XII

AFTER THE HOLIDAYS

The session between the Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation always seemed a brief one, filled as it is with plans for the latter holiday.

When the Thanksgiving holiday was over Beverly and the boys went back to their respective schools under Admiral Seldon's escort. At least he went as far as Front Royal with Athol and Archie, leaving them at that point to go on by themselves while he accompanied Beverly to Leslie Manor. He was minded to have a few words with Miss Woodhull and know something more of the lady's character than he already knew. The outcome of that interview left a good deal to be desired upon the Admiral's part. He returned to Woodbine "with every gun silenced," and the lady triumphant in her convictions that _her_ methods of conducting a school for girls were quite beyond criticism. It would be utterly impossible for Beverly to even think of visiting her brother at Kilton Hall, she said, nor could she consent to Athol visiting Leslie Manor. She did not wish to establish a precedent. As to Archie _ever_ coming there, _that_ idea was preposterous. Why every boy for miles around would feel at liberty to call upon her pupils and they would be simply besieged. She had conducted her school successfully for many years under its present methods and until she saw more cogent reasons for changing she should continue to do so.

Had not the Admiral made arrangements for the year it is safe to surmise that Beverly would have returned to Woodbine with him, and his frame of mind, and the remarks to which he gave utterance, as he drove back to the junction, elicited more than one broad grin or chuckle from Andrew J.

Jefferson as he drove. But Beverly did not know anything about it.

So the weeks sped by until the Christmas recess drew near and the girls were once more planning to scatter, far and wide, for their two-weeks holiday.

Now be it known that Petty had returned from her Thanksgiving trip to Annapolis in a more sentimental frame of mind than ever, and filled as full of romance as an egg is of meat.

Each day brought a letter always addressed in a feminine handwriting, to be sure, or there would have been little chance of said letter ever reaching Petty. They were, she confided to every girl in the school under strictest promises of secrecy, re-addressed for "Reggy" by "darling mamma," for mamma, knowing how desperate was their devotion to each other, just simply could not help acting as a go-between. And she knew very well too that she, Petty, would not have remained at school a single day unless she did this. Why, mamma, herself, had eloped with papa before she was sixteen. One whole year younger than she, herself, was at that moment. "Wasn't that romantic?"

"Where is papa now?" asked Beverly. She had never heard him mentioned.

"Oh, why--well--he has business interests which keep him in South America nearly all the time, and--er,"

"Oh, you needn't go into details. It doesn't make any difference to me,"

said Beverly, and walked away with Sally.

"Isn't she odious! And so perfectly callous to sentiment," cried Petty.

"She's a dear, and it's a pity you hadn't a small portion of her common sense," championed Aileen emphatically.

"I have sense enough to be engaged before I'm _seventeen_, and to know what it means to be _embraced_, which is more than any other girl in this school can boast," brindled Petty.

"Well, I should hope it is!" was Aileen's disgusted retort. "And if you don't watch out you'll boast just once too often and Miss Woodhull will get wise to your boasting. Then there will be something stirring unless I'm mighty mistaken."

"Pouf! Who cares for Miss Woodhull? I don't believe she ever had a proposal in all her life."

"Well, you'd better be careful," was Aileen's final warning as she left the half-dozen girls of which Petty formed the bright particular star.

"Those three feel themselves so superior yet they are such children," was Petty's withering remark.

Aileen was two months her junior. Sally less than a year and Beverly exactly fifteen months. But being engaged very naturally developes and broadens one's views of life. Dear "Reggie" was just twenty, and had his lady love but known that interesting fact, had already been "engaged" to three other susceptible damsels during his brief sojourn upon the earth.

Moreover, he was openly boasting of it to his fellow midshipmen and regarding it as a good joke. Oh, Reggie was a full-fledged, bra.s.s-b.u.t.toned heart-breaker. Happily he was not a representative among his companions.

Most of them are gentlemen. They can do a good bit of "fussing" as they term it, but this wholesale engagement business is the exception, rather than the rule.

Nevertheless, Petty had sang of the charms of Annapolis until all her set were wild to go there, and her enthusiasm had spread like chickenpox. If the affairs at Annapolis were all Petty pictured them and the midshipmen as fascinating, the place must, indeed, be a sort of Paradise.

Of course, all the girls knew that Beverly was a real, true Admiral's grandniece. That he had left Annapolis upon his graduation to take sides with his native state. So why had Beverly never been to that alluring place?

Beverly had never given Annapolis a thought. Now, however, she meant to know a few facts regarding it, and while home on her vacation learned a number. She also learned that sometime in the spring, during the Easter holiday, possibly, her uncle might take her and the boys to Washington and while stopping in the capital, visit the old town which lay adjacent to the Naval Academy Reservation.

Upon her return after the Christmas recess Beverly made some casual allusion to this fact, and at once started a new and livelier interest.

Why couldn't a party of girls be chaperoned there by one of the teachers, choosing the same time?

In five minutes it was all planned. But they had Miss Woodhull to reckon with, and Easter was still many weeks ahead on the calendar.

When not long after came the mid-year examinations. The girls had been working hard all the week and were tired. Examinations had ended the day before and they had about reached the limit for that week. February was the month most dreaded of all the eight. The last period of each day was twelve to one, the juniors had history and English literature under Miss Baylis. Now Miss Baylis at her very best was not a restful individual with whom to come in touch, and after a long morning of hard work and the growing hunger of healthy appet.i.tes for food for the body rather than for the mind, the girls did not find "a barbed tongue" and a caustic disposition soothing.

English literature as taught by Miss Baylis was not inspiring to say the least, and the half hour devoted to it had not aroused enthusiasm. Then came the second half hour for English history; Miss Woodhull believing it well to take up the kindred subject while the girl's minds were well imbued with the first one. Just as Miss Baylis was about to begin she was summoned from the recitation room by Miss Forsd.y.k.e.

"Take your books and refresh your memories for a moment or two: I shall be back immediately, and I _hope_ you will employ this special privilege in studying diligently. _You_ in particular, Electra, for you certainly did not make a brilliant showing in your literature recitation. Remember I shall expect you to redeem yourself in history, for the periods are identical," was her admonition as she went toward the door. As she was about to pa.s.s through it, she paused to repeat her words. Sally yawned behind her book. As the door closed Petty's inevitable "tee-hee-hee" was audible. The next second the door was hastily opened.