Betty Vivian Part 40

"Betty!"

"It is true," answered Betty.

"And you will not tell me why?"

"No more can I tell you why than I can explain to you what I have lost."

"Betty, my poor child, there is a mystery somewhere. I am deeply puzzled and terribly distressed. This is Wednesday evening. This day week, at the same hour, I will send for you again and ask for your full and absolute confidence. If you refuse to give it to me, Betty, I will not expel you, my child; but I must send you from Haddo Court. I have an old friend who will receive you until I can get into communication with Sir John Crawford, for the sort of mystery which now exists is bad for the school as a whole. You are intelligent enough to perceive that."

"Yes, Mrs. Haddo, I am quite intelligent enough to perceive it." Betty stood up as she spoke.

"Have you anything more to say?"

"Nothing," replied Betty.

"This day week, then, my child. And one word before we part. The chapel where Mr. Fairfax reads prayers--where G.o.d, I hope, is worshiped both in spirit and in truth--is meant as much for the sorrowful, the erring, the sinners, as for those who think themselves close to Him. For, Betty, the G.o.d whom I believe in is a very present Help in time of trouble. I want you to realize that at least, and not to cease attending prayers, my dear."

Betty bent her head. The next minute she went up to Mrs. Haddo, flung herself on her knees by that lady's side, took her long white hand, kissed it with pa.s.sion, and left the room.

CHAPTER XVIII

NOT ACCEPTABLE

It was Thursday evening, and f.a.n.n.y Crawford did not altogether like the prospect which lay before her. Ever since Sibyl had put the little sealed packet into her hands, that packet had lain on f.a.n.n.y's heart with the weight of lead. Now that she had obtained the packet she did not want it; she did not dare to let any one guess how it had come into her hands. f.a.n.n.y the proud, the looked-up-to, the respected, the girl whose conduct had hitherto been so immaculate, had stooped to employ another girl to act as a spy. f.a.n.n.y was absolutely in the power of that very insignificant person, Sibyl Ray. Sibyl demanded her reward. f.a.n.n.y must do her utmost to get Sibyl admitted to the club.

On that very evening, as f.a.n.n.y was going towards the Bertrams' room, where the meeting was to be held, she was waylaid by Sibyl.

"You won't forget?--you have promised."

"Of course I won't forget, Sibyl. What a tease you are!"

"Can you possibly give me a hint afterwards? You might come to my room just for an instant, or you might push a little note under the door. I am so panting to know. I do so dreadfully want to belong to the club. I have been counting up all the privileges. I shall go mad with joy if I am admitted."

"I will do my best for you; but whether I can tell you anything or not to-night is more than I can possibly say," replied f.a.n.n.y. "Now, do go away, Sibyl; go away, and be quick about it!"

"All right," said Sibyl. "Of course you know, or perhaps you don't know, that Betty isn't well? The doctor came an hour ago, and he says she is to be kept very quiet. I am ever so sorry for her, she is so--so----Oh dear, I am almost sorry now that I took that little packet from under the root of the Scotch heather!"

"Go, Sibyl. If we are seen together it will be much more difficult for me to get you elected," was f.a.n.n.y's response; and at last, to f.a.n.n.y's infinite relief, Sibyl took her departure.

All the other members of the club were present when f.a.n.n.y made her appearance. They were talking in low tones, and as f.a.n.n.y entered she heard Betty's name being pa.s.sed from lip to lip.

"She does look bad, poor thing!" said Olive.

"Did you know," exclaimed Susie Rushworth, "that after doing that splendid piece of recitation in the cla.s.s to-day she fainted right off?

Miss Symes was quite terrified about her."

"They say the doctor has been sent for," said Martha. "Oh dear," she added, "I never felt so unhappy about a girl before in my life!"

f.a.n.n.y was not too gratified to hear these remarks. She perceived all too quickly that, notwithstanding the fact that Betty was no longer a member of the club, she still reigned in the hearts of the girls.

"Well, Fan, here you are!" exclaimed Margaret. "Is there anything very special for us to do to-night? I have no inclination to do anything. We are all so dreadfully anxious about Betty and those darling little twins. Do you know, the doctor has ordered them not to sleep in Betty's room to-night; so Miss Symes is going to look after them. They are such sweet pets! The doctor isn't very happy about Betty. Sometimes I think we made a mistake--that we were cruel to Betty to turn her out of the club."

f.a.n.n.y felt that if she did not quickly a.s.sert herself all would be lost.

She therefore said quietly, "I don't pretend to share your raptures with regard to Betty Vivian, and I certainly think that if rules are worth anything they ought not to be broken."

"I suppose you are right," remarked Olive; "only, Betty seemed to make an exception to every rule."

"Well," said f.a.n.n.y, "if we want a new member----"

"Another Speciality?" said Margaret.

"I was thinking," continued f.a.n.n.y, her pretty pink cheeks glowing brightly and her eyes shining, "that we might be doing a kindness to a very worthy little girl who will most certainly not break any of the rules."

"Whom in the world do you mean?" asked Susie.

"I suppose you will be surprised at my choice; but although seven is the perfect number, there is no rule whatever against our having eight, nine, ten, or even more members of the club."

"There is no rule against our having twenty members, if those members are worthy," said Margaret Grant. "But whom have you in the back of your head, f.a.n.n.y? You look so mysterious."

"I cannot think of any one myself," said Martha West.

When Martha said this f.a.n.n.y made a little gesture of despair. "Well,"

she said, "I have taken a fancy to her. I think she is very nice; and I know she is poor, and I know she wants help, and I know that Mrs. Haddo takes a great interest in her. I allude to that dear little thing, Sibyl Ray. You, Martha, surely will support me?"

"Sibyl Ray!" The girls looked at each other in unbounded astonishment.

Martha was quite silent, and her cheeks turned pale.

After a long pause Margaret spoke, "May I ask, f.a.n.n.y, what one single qualification Sibyl Ray has for election to membership in the Speciality Club?"

"But what possible reason is there against her being a member?" retorted f.a.n.n.y.

"A great many, I should say," was Margaret's answer. "In the first place, she is too young; in the second place, she has only just been admitted to the upper school."

"You can't keep her out on that account," objected f.a.n.n.y, "for she has been longer in the upper school than Betty Vivian."

"Oh, please don't mention Betty and Sibyl in the same breath!" was Margaret's answer.

"I do not," said f.a.n.n.y, who was fast losing her temper. "Sibyl is a good, straightforward, honorable girl. Betty is the reverse."

"Oh f.a.n.n.y," exclaimed Martha, "I wouldn't abuse my own cousin if I were you!"

"Nonsense!" said f.a.n.n.y. "Whether she is a cousin, or even a sister, I cannot be blind to her most flagrant faults."

"Of course you have a right to propose Sibyl Ray as a possible member of this club," said Margaret, "for it is one of our by-laws that any member can propose the election of another. But I don't really think you will carry the thing through. In the first place, what do you know about Sibyl? I have observed you talking to her once or twice lately; but until the last week or so, I think, you hardly knew of her existence."