Dorothy at Oak Knowe Part 14

But no sooner had she settled herself there than all her uneasiness returned. Twisting and turning on her cushions she fretted:

"I don't see what's got into this chair, the night! Seems if I can't get a comfortable spot in it anywhere. Maybe, it's 'cause I'm extra tired. Hallowe'en pranks are fun for the time but there's a deal hard work goes along with 'em. Or any other company fixings, for that matter. I wonder was the little Grace scared again, by that ridic'lous goat? Is that why Dorothy went with her? Where'd the beast come from, anyway? And who invited it to the masquerade? Not the good Bishop, I'll be bound. Now, what does make me so uneasy! Sure there's nought wrong with dear little Dixie. How could there be under this safe roof?"

But the longer Dawkins pondered the matter the more restless she grew; till, at last, she felt she must satisfy her mind, even at the cost of disturbing the Lady Princ.i.p.al; and a moment later tapped at her door, asking softly:

"Are you awake, Miss Muriel? It's Dawkins."

"Yes, Dawkins, come in. I've not been able to sleep yet. I suppose the evening's care and excitement has tired me too much. What is it you want? Anything wrong in the dormitory?"

"Well, not to say wrong--or so I hope. I just stepped here to ask is Miss Dorothy Calvert staying the night?"

"Staying with Grace? No, indeed, the child has been asleep for hours: perfectly satisfied now that I and so many others have seen the apparition she had, and so proved her the truthful little creature she'd always been."

That seemed a very long answer to impatient Dawkins and she clipped it short by asking:

"Then, Ma'am, where do you suppose she is?"

"What? Do you mean that she isn't in her own place?"

"No, Ma'am, nor sign of her; and it's terr'ble strange, 'pears to me.

I don't like the look of it, Ma'am, I do not."

"Pooh! don't make a mystery out of it, my good woman!" replied Miss Tross-Kingdon, yet with a curious flutter in her usually stern voice.

Then she considered the matter for a moment, finally directing:

"Go to the hospital wing and ask if she's there with Gwendolyn. She's been so sorry for the girl and I noticed her slipping out of a.s.sembly with a plate full of the things Mr. Gilpin brought. I don't remember her coming back, but she was certainly absent when her violin was asked for. Doubtless, you'll find her there, but be careful not to rouse any of the young ladies. Then come back and report."

Dawkins tip-toed away, glad that she had told her anxiety to her mistress. But she was back from her errand before it seemed possible she could be, her face white and her limbs trembling with fear of--she knew not what!

"If it was any girl but her, Ma'am! That keeps the rules better nor any other here!"

"Hush, good Dawkins. She's all right somewhere, as we shall soon discover. We'll go below and look in all the rooms, in case she might be ill, or locked in some of them."

"Yes, yes, Ma'am, we'll look. Ill she might really be after all them nuts an' trash, but locked in she can't be, since never a lock is turned in this whole house. Sure the Bishop wouldn't so permit, seeing that if it fired any time them that was locked up could not so easy get out. And me the last one down, to leave all in the good order you like."

"Step softly still, Dawkins. It would take very little to start a panic among our many girls should they hear that anything was amiss."

Each took a candle from the rack in the hall and by the soft light of these began their search below, not daring to flash on the electric lights whose brilliance might possibly arouse the sleepers in the house. Dawkins observed that the Lady Princ.i.p.al, walking ahead, was shaking, either with cold or nervousness, and, as for herself, her teeth were fairly chattering.

Of course their search proved useless. Nowhere in any of those first floor rooms was any trace of the missing girl. Even closets were examined while Dawkins peered behind the furniture and curtains, her heart growing heavier each moment.

Neither mistress nor maid spoke now, though the former led the way upwards again and silently inspected the dormitories on each floor.

Also, she looked into each private room of the older and wealthier pupils, but the result was the same--Dorothy had as completely disappeared as if she had been bodily swallowed up.

Then the aid of the other maids and, even of a few teachers was secured, although that the school work might go on regularly the next day, not many of these latter were disturbed.

At daybreak, when the servants began to gather in the great kitchen, each to begin his daily tasks, the Lady Princ.i.p.al surprised them by her appearance among them. In the briefest and quietest manner possible she told them what had happened and begged their help in the search.

But she was unprepared for the result. A housemaid threw up her hands in wild excitement, crying: "'Tis ten long years I've served Oak Knowe but my day is past! Her that went some syne was the wise one. I'll not tarry longer to risk the health o' me soul in a house that's haunted by imps!"

"Nor me! Him that's s.n.a.t.c.hed off to his wicked place the sweet, purty gell, of the willin' word an' friendly smile, 'll no long spare such as me! A fine collectin' ground for the Evil One is so big a school as this. I'm leavin' the dustin' to such as can do it, but I'm off, Ma'am, and better times for ye, I'm sure!" cried another superst.i.tious creature.

This was plain mutiny. For a moment the lady's heart sank at the prospect before her, for the panic would spread if not instantly quelled, and there were three hundred hungry girls awaiting breakfast--and breakfast but one feature of the case. Should these servants leave, to spread their untrue tales, new ones would be almost impossible to obtain. Then, summoning her authority, she demanded:

"Silence and attention from all of you. I shall telephone for the constabulary, and any person who leaves Oak Knowe before Miss Calvert is found will leave it for the lock-up. The housemaids are excused from ordinary duties and are to a.s.sist the _chef_ in preparing breakfast. The rest of you, who have retained your common sense, are to spread yourselves about the house and grounds, and through every outbuilding till some one of you shall find the girl you all have loved. Leave before then? I am ashamed of your hard hearts."

With stately dignity the mistress left the kitchen and a much subdued force of helpers behind her. That threat of "the constabulary" was an argument not to be defied.

"Worst of it is, she meant it. Lady Princ.i.p.al never says a thing she doesn't mean. So--Well, I suppose I'll have to stay, then, for who wants to get took up? But it's hard on a workin' woman 't she can't do as she likes," muttered the first deserter and set about her duties.

Also, as did she so did the others.

Meanwhile how had the night pa.s.sed with the imprisoned Dorothy? At first with greater anger than fear; anger against the unknown person who had shut that door upon her. Then she thought:

"But of course he didn't know, whoever it was. I'm sure it was a man or boy, afraid, maybe, to make a noise account of its being late. Yet what a fix I'm in! n.o.body will know or come to let me out till Dawkins goes her rounds and that'll be very, very late, on account of her clearing up the mess we made down in a.s.sembly. My! what a fine time we had! And how perfectly grand that Gwendolyn and I should be friends at last. She kissed me. Gwendolyn Borst-Kennard kissed me! It's worth even being shut up here alone, behind that spring-locked door, just to be friends. I'm so sleepy. I wish I could find something to put around me and I'd lie right down on this floor and take a nap till somebody lets me out."

Then she remembered that once she had heard Dawkins telling another maid that there were "plenty more blankets in the old drying-room if her 'beds' needed 'em;" and maybe she could find some if she tried.

"This is the very darkest place could ever be, seems if! ouch! that hurt!" said the prisoner aloud, to bolster her own courage, and as she stumbled against a trunk that bruised her ankle. "I'll take more care."

So she did: reasoning that people generally piled things against a wall, that is, in such a place, for greater convenience. With outstretched hands she felt her way and at last was rewarded by finding the blankets she sought. Here, too, were folded several cots, that were needed at times, like Commencement, when many strangers were at Oak Knowe. But she didn't trouble to set up one of these, even if she could have done so in that gloom. But a blanket she could manage, and beside the cots she could feel a heap of them. In a very few minutes she had pulled down several of these and spread them on the floor; and a little later had wrapped them about her and was sound asleep--"as a bug in a rug, like Dawkins says," her last, untroubled thought. So, though a prisoner, for many hours she slumbered peacefully.

Down in the breakfast-room matters went on as usual. Or if many of the girls and a few of the pupils seemed unduly sleepy, that was natural enough, considering the frivolities and late hours of the night before.

Even the Lady Princ.i.p.al, sitting calmly in her accustomed place, looked very pale and tired; and Winifred, observing this, whispered to her neighbor:

"I don't believe we'll get another party very soon. Just look at Miss Tross-Kingdon. She's as white as a ghost and so nervous she can hardly sit still. I never saw her that way before. The way she keeps glancing toward the doors, half-scared every time she hears a noise, is queer.

I wonder if she's expecting somebody!"

"Likely somebody's late and she's waiting to say: 'Miss'--whoever it is--'your excuse, please?' I wonder who 'twill be! and say, look at the Aldrich ten--can you see Dorothy?"

Winifred glanced around and answered, with real surprise: "Why, she's absent! If it were I n.o.body'd be astonished, 'cause I always have the same excuse: 'Overslept.' But Dolly? Oh! I hope she isn't sick!"

And immediately the meal was over, Winifred hurried to the Lady Princ.i.p.al and asked:

"Please, Miss Muriel, can you tell me, is Dorothy Calvert ill?"

"Excuse me, Winifred, I am extremely busy," returned Miss Tross-Kingdon, and hurried away as if she were afraid of being questioned further.

Naturally, Winifred was surprised, for despite her sternness the Lady Princ.i.p.al was invariably courteous; and putting "two and two together"

she decided that Dorothy was in trouble of some sort and began a systematic inquiry of all she met concerning her. But n.o.body had seen the girl or knew anything about her; yet the questioner's anxiety promptly influenced others and by the time school session was called there was a wide-spread belief that some dreadful thing had befallen the southerner, and small attention was paid to lessons.

It was not until the middle of the morning that Jack-boot-boy appeared in the kitchen, from his room in an outside building, where the men servants slept. He was greeted by reproofs for his tardiness and the news of Dorothy's disappearance.

"Lost? Lost, you say? How can she be right here in this house? Why, I saw her around all evening. It was her own party, wasn't it? or hers was the first notion of it. Huh! That's the queerest! S'pose the faculty'll offer a reward? Jiminy cricket! Wish they would! I bet I'd find her. Why, sir, I'd make a first rate detective, I would. I've been readin' up on that thing an' I don't know but it would pay me better'n paintin', even if I am a 'born artist,' as Miss Gwendolyn says."

"Born nincomp.o.o.p! That's what you are, and the all-conceitedest lazybones 't ever trod shoe leather! Dragging out of bed this time o'

day, and not a shoe cleaned--in my dormitory, anyway!" retorted Dawkins, in disgust.

"Huh! old woman, what's the matter with you? And why ain't you _in_ bed, 'stead of out of it? I thought all you night-owls went to bed when the rest of us got up. You need sleep, you do, for I never knowed you crosser'n you be now--which is sayin' consid'able!"