Ann Crosses a Secret Trail Page 5

  CHAPTER V

  THE DISTRESSED DAMSEL

  Ann did not see Suzanne at dinner, and heard afterward that she,Madeline and Genevieve had gone to town for their dinner, to “Polly’s.”Ann’s trunk had been sent to the suite and Ann was busy unpacking, whenMarta came running up the stairs, not far from the open door. “You’rewanted, Ann,” said she, out of breath. “Suzanne is downstairs and wantsto see you.”

  “Why doesn’t she come up?”

  Marta lifted her brows and nodded toward Eleanor’s door, through whichEleanor, writing a letter, could be seen.

  “Sakes!” softly said Ann. “I’m right in the middle of this! And itis going to be a pretty state of things if Suzanne won’t come whereEleanor is!” But Ann picked up her scarf and started out.

  Suzanne was strolling up and down the lower hall while she waited forAnn, rather avoiding the stairway, for she did not want to run intoEleanor or Aline. “Hello, Ann,” said she, “come out for a little walkwith me. I want to see you.”

  “I wish that you would come upstairs, Suzanne,” said Ann. “I’m justin the midst of unpacking and the room is a sight. Still, Martawon’t mind, and we’ll not go to bed for ages. I have to study likeeverything.”

  “I wouldn’t go to your suite tonight for a thousand dollars! The ideaof Eleanor’s doing that way! That is what I want to talk about.”

  The girls walked out of the hall and out upon the campus to one of thebenches, under a beautiful elm. Girls were scattered everywhere overthe green lawns, but this seat was empty.

  Ann felt from Suzanne’s manner that she was in for somethingdisagreeable, but calmly waited for the explosion, if explosion therewas to be.

  Suzanne came to the point immediately, sitting down and leaning towardAnn, her hands tightly clasped. “Did you know anything about this, Ann?”

  “What do you mean? Did I know _beforehand_, you mean, about roomingarrangements? Indeed I did not. Did you?” Ann asked this question askeenly as Suzanne, though without the feeling behind it.

  “Genevieve wrote Madeline a few days before we came that she had askedfor a suite for us all. She was counting on rooming with Eleanor, andEleanor has played her a mean trick! I did not say anything about itto you, Ann, because it was uncertain about our getting the suite, andI did not suppose that you would care; you were planning to room withMarta, weren’t you?”

  “Certainly. We did not even ask to be in a suite, though we hadexpressed a preference for one, to Miss Tudor, one time. This was onegreat surprise to me, Suzanne.”

  “I suppose so, but I wanted to make sure. And I can’t tell you, Ann,how I feel about Eleanor’s turning us down this way!” Suzanne’s eyesfilled with tears. She started to speak again and could not. Finallyshe put her head down on Ann’s shoulder, shaking all over in the effortto control herself and keep from breaking into a storm of tears.

  Ann took her hands and squeezed them, without saying a word. With a soband a sigh, Suzanne presently raised her head. “Were any girls lookingat us?” she asked.

  “No,--not a soul around. Never mind, Suzanne. It isn’t worth feeling sobad about it.”

  “Yes, it is, too, Ann. You don’t know what it means among our crowdof girls to be in with Eleanor.” There it was again! Ann’s sympathyreceived a jolt. It wasn’t that Suzanne cared so much for Eleanor,after all!

  “So I have been wondering if something can’t be done about it. Wouldyou and Marta care, if Eleanor and Aline should room with Maddy andme?”

  “Not a bit, but could you plan a thing like that, Suzanne? Wherewould Genevieve come in? And wasn’t she the one who arranged for thatparticular suite?”

  “Yes, but it’s her fault that she is out with Eleanor. Couldn’t you askEleanor about it?”

  “Not I, Suzanne. You girls will have to fix it up among yourselves.”Ann spoke very decidedly.

  “But you could find out whether she dislikes me or not, couldn’t you?”

  “Probably. I don’t believe that Eleanor has anything against you.Marta said that it was Genevieve, and then, that Eleanor does not likeMadeline.”

  “Then don’t you suppose that I could room with you?”

  “And turn Marta out? Why, Suzanne!”

  “Well, she might not care much. Besides, Grandmother would much ratherhave me room with you. She did not like it a bit last year, Mothersaid, when she found out that I was rooming with Madeline instead ofyou. But Mother persuaded her, told her that Maddy and I had beenfriends so long and that you did not care.”

  “Grandmother never mentioned it to me. I had expected to room with you,Suzanne; but I knew Marta as well as I knew you, of course, and we havebecome fast friends. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt Marta for worlds!”

  “It could be fixed up through our parents, you know.”

  Ann wanted to tell Suzanne that she was a “selfish little pig” and thewords were on the tip of her tongue,--but she refrained. It would notdo. Here was a bit of scheming that would be worthy of Aunt Sue. WhatSuzanne could not get in one way she would get in another!

  “If you won’t do anything about it, I’m going to ask Marta myself,”Suzanne continued.

  “For pity’s sake, Suzanne! Don’t do anything of the kind!”

  Suzanne set her lips together. How much her profile looked like AuntSue.

  “Would you and Marta care, then, if it were arranged for Maddy and meto come with Eleanor and Aline? That would give Genevieve the old suitein the new cottage, and she’d get over being mad about it!”

  “So far as I am concerned, if you can arrange to room with Eleanor andAline, it is all right. I don’t think that Marta would care, thoughit certainly would be a bother, after getting settled. But how aboutEleanor’s not liking Madeline?”

  “Maybe I can get some other Sig-Ep girl that she _does_ like.”

  “If you can fix it up, Suzanne, I’ll not stand in your way. This was asurprise, and it really does not make any difference to me,--just tillthe Christmas vacation. Do you think that it is important enough tostir things up so?”

  “Yes. If I could room with Eleanor this year, it would probably meanfor the junior and senior years, too. Maybe Eleanor is going South,too, with her mother.”

  “I see. All right, Suzanne; do anything you want to, but don’t expectme to take a hand. You will have to see Eleanor yourself.”

  “That is what I hate to do. I believe that I’ll talk to Miss Tudorfirst, tell her that I am not satisfied. She’ll want to keep in withMother.”

  “Perhaps,” dryly said Ann.

  That ended the interview and the girls separated, Suzanne to join someother girls, after being assured by Ann that all traces of tears wereremoved, and Ann to resume her interrupted task of unpacking. She wasboth annoyed and troubled. Marta noticed her abstraction but made nocomment. Both girls studied busily, chiefly in their bedroom this time,for Eleanor and Aline were talking in their common study.

  * * * * *

  Ann was too busy the next day to think of anything but lessons, thoughshe wondered if Suzanne would go to work “upsetting things.”

  The worst arrangement suggested was the one whereby she and Suzannewould room in the suite with Eleanor and Aline. Not that she didnot like them all, but she wanted Marta or some one of the JollySix, her very own congenial friends, with much of the same interestsand purposes. But she told herself, as she had in wakeful hours ofthe previous night, that they all would have to be consulted anyhowabout the matter and it would be handled by headquarters in finalarrangements. “No use to worry,” she thought. The best plan, if changewas to be made, was for Suzanne and some one of the “Sig-Eps” to movein with Eleanor and Aline. That would be much better for Suzanne, Annthought, than continuing to room with Madeline. Perhaps she _ought_ todo something about it! It _would_ be a shame for Suzanne to be withboth Genevieve and Madeline!

  At dinner, for the girls were at present sitting where they pleased attable, Suzanne joined Ann and afterward almost dissolve
d into tearsagain telling Ann about matters at their suite. “Miss Tudor has put anew girl in with us, temporarily, she said, and she is awful. Genevieveis tearing her hair, figuratively speaking, and we are all upset. I amto see Miss Tudor pretty soon.”

  Poor Ann wondered what her duty was in the matter, and hoped that sheneed have nothing to do with it. Ought she to give her consent totaking Suzanne in place of Marta, if Miss Tudor suggested it? Whatwould Marta think? Perhaps she and Suzanne could take a room or a tworoom suite together, and let Marta get a new room-mate, staying withEleanor and Aline. There! _That_ was what she would suggest, if she hadanything to say about it. That would fulfill her duty to her cousin andnot turn anybody out. Of course, that would not suit Suzanne. Ann feltfairly dizzy with the different plans that suggested themselves. What abother!

  No wandering about the campus that evening. “Bunny” had announced atheme, the assignment in Math looked hard, and there were pages andpages of new and more difficult French to prepare. Ann got out herbooks and went to work at the table in the study, where Eleanor andAline found her later. Marta was still out with the girls.

  “Got a wonderful song, Ann,” said Eleanor, waving some sheets of music.“I borrowed it from the girl who owns it. It has an exquisite violinobligato and I want you to do the accompanying, if you will. I’msending for copies. We were just trying it over in the parlor. Saraplayed the piano part.”

  Ann stopped work long enough to look at the music “I’d like to go rightdown and try it over, but I can’t,--got to study.”

  “I have to, too,” said Eleanor. “Aline and I have a miserable harmonylesson to work out. Will it bother you if we do it together?”

  “I’ll not even hear you,” laughed Ann.

  The girls had scarcely started on the harmony lesson, when there came aknock. One of the girls acknowledged Eleanor’s “Come in” by poking herhead inside the door and saying, “Miss Tudor wants to see you, Eleanor.”

  Ann, busy with a problem, heard it as in a dream, but waked upsufficiently to her surroundings to hear Aline say, as Eleanor hurriedout, “It’s about the suite, Eleanor!” And Eleanor answered, shortly,“That’s all settled!”

  Aline disappeared from the room a little later, and soon, who shouldappear but Suzanne, in some excitement. “I saw that Eleanor went overto the administration building, and that Aline was outside, so I ran upa minute. I saw Miss Tudor and talked with her,--all about it. She didnot say much, but said that she would see me again after she had talkedto the other girls. So she is going to do something!”

  Suzanne was feeling some confidence about the affair, Ann could see.“You’d better not put on your kimono, Ann, for she may send for you. Doyour best for me, cousin,” said artful Suzanne.

  “I will,” said Ann, “though I don’t know what is ‘best.’ I fancy thatMiss Tudor will do the settling of it, don’t you?”

  “She can be _influenced_,” replied Suzanne.

  Ann did not believe this, in the sense in which Suzanne meant it, andthought that Suzanne exaggerated her own importance and that of herfamily. “She thinks that the Huntington-LeRoys are the whole thing!”thought Ann. “And to get her own way and be with Eleanor, for the sakeof I don’t know what, she’d do anything and turn anybody out!” Ann wasthoroughly disgusted. She laid aside her “math,” decided that she couldnot think up a theme while her mind was so distracted, and picked upthe new French text, rather technical and difficult, but she could moreeasily read along and look up the new words in her dictionary than doanything else. She went into her bedroom, looked in the glass to see ifher hair were in condition to appear before the dean, and sat down bythe window with her book. If Eleanor came in and did not want to speakto her about where she had been, it would be simpler for her to be outof the way. She shut the bedroom door, as this occurred to her.

  But it was not long before Aline and Eleanor came in, talking, as Annthought, in some excitement, though their voices were low. “Ann!”called Eleanor, rapping sharply upon the bedroom door.

  “Come in,” called Ann in reply.

  Both girls came in and sat down on the bed, looking at Ann and eachother. “You tell her, Eleanor,” said Aline, clasping the head of thebed with one arm, crossing her small slippered feet and cupping herpointed, poetic chin with her free hand.

  “Surely I will,” replied the efficient Eleanor, her eyes flashing.“Are you satisfied with this arrangement, Ann, or would you like to getout of it?” she asked directly.

  “I should prefer to leave things as they are,” promptly replied Ann.

  “From what I know of you,” said Eleanor, “I judge that you are tellingthe truth.”

  “I am,” said Ann.

  “Did you see Suzanne and know that she was going to see Miss Tudorabout this rooming business?”

  “Yes. Suzanne was very much upset, and hurt, because she thought thatperhaps you did not want to room with her. She says that she is justsick over it. She wanted me to talk to you about it, but I told herthat I would not get into it.”

  Eleanor looked thoughtful. “I like Suzanne,” she said, “but I can’tbear Maddy, nor Genevieve, now. Of course you know that Miss Tudorhas been talking to me about it. She gave me a good lecture, too, onnot having consideration for other people, and upsetting plans and soforth. I certainly am _mad_ about it!” Eleanor’s eyes flashed fireagain; then she looked at Ann, and they both laughed, Aline joining.

  “I suppose you think, Ann, that it is a tempest in a tea-pot; but thesethings make a lot of difference.”

  “Yes, they do,” answered Ann, sobering again. “It _is_ important whomyou room with. I can’t say that I am very anxious to have Suzanne staywith Genevieve and Madeline--both pretty reckless about some things.”

  Eleanor nodded. “Say, Ann, I’ve always wanted to explain about thattime when you came on us and we had the cigarettes. I don’t do thatsort of thing, but we were in high spirits and Gen dared us. She andMaddy think that it’s smart, and that is one of the reasons that Idon’t want to room with Genevieve,--but please don’t say anything aboutit. I couldn’t tell Miss Tudor that.”

  “What is Miss Tudor going to do?” asked Ann.

  “Mercy, I don’t know! She’s talking to Genevieve and Madeline now.Probably she will send for you next. That is why I wanted to talk withyou. Miss Tudor asked me if I would object to having Suzanne room herewith you,--of course, she gave me to understand that I hadn’t much tosay about it, but still, she wants a good arrangement for everybody. Itold her that it would be all right with me, but that I thought it meanto turn Marta out. Then I didn’t know how you would like it, I said. Iwas so mad because of the good scolding I had, that I talked right upto her!”

  Ann laughed. “Lots of good it will do, Eleanor.”

  “Exactly. But it was some consolation to me.”

  “I’d have a great time with three Sig-Eps in the suite with me,wouldn’t I?” laughed Ann. She did not mind giving this hint.

  “I thought of that, but it would only be two, at that. I can’t getAline into the Sigs. Her mother was a Bat.”

  A direct look was exchanged between Ann and Eleanor. “Thanks,” saidAnn, storing away the knowledge, as Eleanor meant her to do. The Batswould be after Aline now. They had thought it useless before, as sheand Eleanor were so intimate. But they had wondered why they did nothear of her initiation as a Sig-Ep. Eleanor was a “pretty good scout”after all.

  “I don’t like it of Suzanne, if this is her scheme, to leave Maddy outin the cold; but if she wants to room with you it would be much betterfor her. I don’t see why she didn’t do it last year,--yes, I do, too.She and Maddy are more congenial in many ways. That is nothing againstyou, either.” Eleanor was surely frank, Ann thought. Probably Eleanorhad learned some things during her freshman year, as they all had.