A TWICE TOLD TALE
Judith tried to beg off on her story of the great adventure, but the
girls were insistent. "Just tell us what happened when you got
inside the Beauty Shop," begged Velma, who had secret dreams of C.
O. D. dimples and longed to hear of such possibilities.
"It was like a screen comedy," replied Judith, who had been
beautifully pillowed up and otherwise made comfortable on Janet's
solo-couch. The audience was scattered around on cushions, on the
floor, on chairs, and even on the one narrow window sill. Queening
it from her pillows Judith looked quite Romanesque, with Jane
perched on a cretonne pedestal above the divan's level, waving her
riding crop regally. The pedestal really was a specially favored
trunk of Jane's which had escaped storage quarters and served many
useful and practical purposes, the present being one in point.
"You were saying," Jane reminded Judith, placing a firm hand on the
heaving breast solemnly, "that the rush in was like a movie scene."
"I said comedy, dear; there's a difference. First, Dol opened the
pigeon holed door, then Sarah Howland tumbled in howling--she was
honestly very much frightened, next went Shirley Duncan. She seemed
wild to get under cover. Then I tripped along--"
"Not scared or anything?" from Nettie.
"Not a bit scared but mad as fury," declared Judith, "for there was
old Sour Sandy at my heels taking such long and such big steps I
felt every next foot would crush me into the brand new door mat."
"Poor Judy," soothed Jane. "And no one to say thee nay!"
"Say me nix," moaned Judith. "I would have had thee say other things
than that. But to the tale. Have you ever seen a mouse run from a
cat and a dog after the cat and a boy after the dog? You know that
famous picture, I see. Well, when the messenger boy got away
somewhere about Dol's establishment, and Sarah went next, then went
Shirley and, Little Me, followed by that giant Sour Sandy! Well,
girls, I have to admit that for a few minutes I couldn't see a thing
but Dol Vin's eyes. She had me hypnotized," and Judith paused to
make sure of the dramatic impression.
"I can see her glare!" declared Jane. "Dol's eyes were made for
nobler tasks than matching hair shades."
"And mixing flesh tints," contributed Dozia, who just then managed
to purloin a sample of the fudge.
"Are you girls sure that keyhole is sealed and the door still
impregnable?" demanded Judith the narrator, with a sweeping glance
about the room.
Winifred Ayres dropped to the door sill and spread herself across it
while Dozia moved her chair to the jam in order to plank her
shoulders over the keyhole.
"Air tight," announced Jane, "and every girl here is pledged, Judy.
You may proceed with absolute safety."
"The responsibility is yours, Jane, for we had an awful time for a
brief interval under the doughty Dol's roof. Things flew--"
"Hair brushes and sponges?" prompted Janet, eager for sensation.
"Can't say as to the missiles," replied Judith, showing signs of
relaxing into indifference, "but the way that black head yelled, and
Sarah sobbed, and Shirley--I guess she shouted. I know her noise was
next loudest to Sour Sandy's and that was some racket!"
"But what was it all about?" demanded Janet.
"About the precious box--jewelry or something valuable. When I saw
the big boy take it from Tiny Tim and heard Tim yell, I knew there
was mischief brewing if nothing worse, but I never expected to see
Shirley Duncan jump into it. She aided and abetted the thief, for
she caught that box on a fly and would have escaped if little Judy
Stearns had not been right there Judy-on-the-spot."
"But why did old Sour Sandy lay hands on you?" asked Jane, somewhat
bewildered by the maze into which Judith was leading her audience.
"Oh, there was such a perfectly wild time of it," replied Judith,
"and of course Dol and Shirley had it all their own way--two to one,
you know."
"But didn't--little Sarah try to help you?" pressed Jane.
"Little Sarah was having a fit out in the kitchen, and the black
maid wanted to pour water over her, said she was in hysterics, only
the word she used was somewhat impaired."
"What a perfectly rip-roaring time you must have had," commented
Dozia, eyeing the fudge. "And I suppose you were taken in by Sour
Sandy because you seemed easiest to convey to the Town Hall. Just
like the old detective stories, arrest someone, anyone, and depend
upon the evidence to do the rest."
"Yes, I was handiest, nearest the door and dry eyed. Besides, I kept
kicking around on a jog trot all over the place because I could not
make any other sort of noise. Honestly, girls, it was too funny for
words!" and Judith doubled up in the pillows like a human jack-
knife.
"I am suspicious, Judy Steams, that you tempted old Sour Sandy to do
his worst; sort of defied him," suggested Jane, dragging a Columbia
cushion from Judith's convulsed arms. "Did you really want to be
arrested?"
"I did not!" shouted Judith, springing up straight and almost
upsetting the entire scene. "It was Dol Vin who insisted that we
Wellingtons were spoiling her business, interfering with her
customers and--she said this--'now this creature actually tries to
steal my parcels from a messenger boy!' Can you fancy that
accusation on this poor head?"
"But you didn't have the box?" asked Janet.
"Certainly not. Dol knew that, but old Sandy didn't. I could easily
have escaped when he ordered me to 'come along, girl,' but I knew to
resist arrest might bring real trouble upon us, whereas now the
whole thing is a farce, and whisper!" (she put her finger to her
lips) "it must never be told of within this campus. News from the
village rarely gets in here unless we bring it, and it would be a
shame to worry prexy with that sort of thing. She would never
understand it."
Applause, silent but visible, followed this. Heads were wagged, arms
waved and even feet waggled in approval, but no unseemly sounds
escaped the secret chamber.
"Never a word!" prompted Jane in a whisper with both hands uplifted.
"Never a word!" repeated the conclave in appropriate response.
"And that will be about all," finished Judith. "I am too tired to
move but I can't allow you to carry me. No, don't, please" (no one
had offered). "I'll just toddle along--it's lots better than keeping
step with Sandy."
"But the treat," wailed Janet. "I have fudge and cheese sticks."
"Please deliver mine," drawled Judith. "I am unable to collect in
person--I simply am--tired."
"And you should be," agreed Jane, glad that Judith had been wise
enough to break up the party early. In fact Jane was not sure
whether genuine fatigue or possible ghost hunts, had inspired the
heroic Judy to leave that buzzing bevy of students. At any rate
Janet counted out four squares of fudge and measured three ink wells
of cheese tid-bits (the well was glass and only used for
refreshments), all of which was folded in a paper napkin and handed
to Jane.
"Sorry you must leave," murmured Janet, "but Judith has had a trying
day. Come again and I'll treat you better."
"We had a perfectly lovely time," insisted Jane, "but I must put
Judy to bed. She is apt to walk in her sleep when overtired. Come,
dearie, toddle along. Good night, girls. Pleasant dreams," and those
who were not too interested in the fudge and tid-bits responded
appropriately.
"Oh," moaned Jane, when the two finally reached their own quarters,
room 19, "wasn't that an ordeal?"
"Rather," replied Judith, kicking her shoes off. "How did I make
out?"
"Wonderfully. You tied them all up in knots without leaving an end
to follow. Neither clues nor climax--just a jumble of sounds, but
thrilling for all that. I was so fearful they would ask more about
the unfortunate Shirley but you veered them off beautifully. Now,
Pally dear, tumble in, and I'll slip out and get Dozia. Lenox seems
far away just now, and those babes are trembling while we dare to
enjoy ourselves."
"Jane dear," interrupted Judith, "I do not believe you should risk
going over there tonight. Really I am getting nervous of the whole
thing."
"Just reaction," said Jane, her own eyes sparkling. "You have gone
through enough today to give you nerves, and I want you to shut your
eyes as soon as ever you can. After all I may just--do something
else. Leave it to me and Dozia the Fearless. You know what a brave
she can be in an emergency."
"And I know what a star you can be in a pinch. But Lenox at
midnight--"
"Hush, dear, and let me put out your light. There, you will be
asleep before the party winds up. There's the honor ring. Ten
minutes more to all lights out. I love an honor system with a
warning gong and an inspection. So complete."
Judith required little coaxing to enter dreamland, and when Jane
heard Miss Fairlie's step in the hall, on that tripping little
inspection tour, the light in room 19 was out.
Also, Jane under the coverlets was fully dressed for her ghost raid
at Lenox Hall.
Miss Fairlie's step paused at the door! Jane tittered, but Judith
breathed the regular tones of sleep.
For a moment it seemed the inspector would knock! She must want
something!
Someone else came along the corridor and directly at that door they
chose to whisper!
Jane felt her hour had come, but it was merely the fear of a
troubled mind, for presently Miss Fairlie laughed lightly, and the
pair journeyed on.
It was a full hour before the coast was safely clear for Jane's
venture.