A SOPHOMORE RACKET.
Monday evening, after study hours were over, again found Katherine
in her teacher's room, for now that the woman had begun to get an
understanding of the spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures
her desire to know more was insatiable; while our young Scientist
was only too glad to lend her what help she could along the way.
They went over the Sunday lesson together, and afterward fell to
talking upon certain points that had especially attracted their
attention, becoming so absorbed that they took no account of time
until the clock struck the half hour after eleven.
"Why!" Katherine exclaimed, and starting to her feet, "if you were
not a teacher I should be guilty of flagrant disobedience in being
out of my room at this hour."
"Dear child, I have been very thoughtless to keep you so long,"
said Miss Reynolds, regretfully, "but I certainly had no idea of
time. And what is time, anyway? I begin to realize that it is only
a mortal invention, and that we are living in eternity now. But I
must not begin on this infinite subject again to-night; go! go!"
She laughingly waved the girl away, and she slipped noiselessly
out into the hall to seek her own room.
Miss Reynolds was located on the second floor of the east wing,
and Katherine roomed in the west wing, consequently she was
obliged to go down a flight of stairs, cross the main or central
hall, and up another flight to gain her own quarters.
The lights were all out, but the moon was full, coming in through
the windows with a soft radiance, and thus she had no difficulty
in finding her way.
She had crossed the main hall, and just entered a short passage
leading to the west wing, when she came suddenly upon some one,
who appeared to be trying to shrink out of sight into a corner.
"Why, who is it?" she cried, in a repressed but startled tone.
"Sh! sh! keep mum!" was the warning response as the figure drew
near her.
"Jennie!" Katherine whispered, amazed, "what are you doing here at
this unearthly hour of the night?"
"Hush! don't give me away for the world," said the girl, laying a
nervous hand upon her arm. "There's something going on in yonder--
it's the fun I told you about a while ago. I'm not in the plot,
but I'm bound to be in at the finish, for it's going to be a hot
time, I can tell you."
"Really, dear, you are better out of it altogether," Katherine
gravely returned. "You know what we were talking of yesterday,
about breaking rules and spoiling one's record."
"Aren't you breaking rules, too?" retorted Jennie, aggressively.
"No; I have just come from Miss Reynolds' room."
"Well, I'm going to see this through, now I've started in. I've
had to pinch and pound myself for the last two hours, though, to
keep awake, and I'm not going to miss the 'racket' after all that
bother," declared the girl, clinging tenaciously to her purpose.
"Hark!" she added, a moment later, in a startled whisper, as a
titter of irrepressible mirth was borne to their ears from
somewhere beyond them.
It seemed to proceed from the landing at the head of the stairs
which led to the second story, but was quickly suppressed and all
was still again.
"Well," said Katharine, after listening a. moment, "I must go on
to my room, and my advice to you, Jennie, is to return at once to
yours. Good-night," and, leaving the willful "racket"-lover to her
fate, she stole softly away.
She paused at the foot of the stairs to listen again, when the
swish of garments fell on her ear, then a voice, which she
immediately recognized, whispered:
"Be sure you tie your end tight, Carrie."
Katherine moved lightly up a step or two and heard the answer:
"I have; now, Rose, scud up to the next floor and give the signal,
while I go for my cymbals," and a smothered laugh followed.
Again there was a rustle of garments and the soft slipping of
unshod feet over the upper flight of stairs, while Katherine as
noiselessly sped over the lower one.
On reaching the landing she looked about her to ascertain, if
possible, what mischief was brewing.
The hall was very dimly lighted by a window at each end, and, as
the moon had not yet got around to that quarter, it was almost
impossible to discern anything; but, lower down the hall, she
thought she could detect two lines, stretched across from opposite
doors, about three feet from the floor.
Not wishing to get involved in the prospective mischief, and as
her room was just at the head of the stairs, she softly turned the
handle of the door and slipped inside.
Scarcely a minute elapsed after she had closed and locked it, when
there came a deafening crash and bang, mingled with the blowing of
whistles, horns and combs, that seemed sufficient to awaken the
"Seven Sleepers" in their cavern of refuge.
"Oh, heavens! Whatever is the matter?" screamed Sadie, starting up
in affright. "Are you there, Katharine?"
"Yes."
"What was that noise? Did you hear it?"
"Indeed I did."
They listened for a moment or two, but there was no sound.
Then it seemed as if some commotion had arisen somewhere, and a
medley of muffled voices was borne to their ears.
Presently steps were heard on the stairs, whereupon Sadie sprang
out of bed, slipped on a wrapper, and, opening her door a crack,
saw the watchman with his lantern just mounting into view.
Then the voice of one of the teachers--Miss Clark--rang out
excitedly, while she vainly tugged at her door which had been
connected with the one opposite by a piece of clothesline:
"Young ladies, what is the meaning of this outrage? Release me
immediately."
"Ye'll just hev to wait a minute, marm," said the watchman, with
an audible chuckle of amusement as he comprehended the situation,
while he put down his lantern and plunged his hand into various
pockets in search of his knife.
Looking farther down the hall, Sadie saw that Miss Williams had
been imprisoned in the same manner, while a promiscuous assortment
of tin pans, covers and plates lay in a heap upon the floor, and
telling their own story regarding the recent crash.
There was not a person, save the watchman, in sight.
But, presently, doors were cautiously opened and tousled heads
appeared in the apertures, while timid voices made inquiries as to
what had happened.
The watchman--who had been making his rounds, as was his custom at
midnight, hence his timely appearance upon the scene--soon had the
indignant teachers released, and then went on to the next floor,
where similar conditions prevailed.
On being given their liberty, Miss Clark and Miss Williams
immediately bestirred themselves to ferret out the culprits; but,
of course, everybody was innocent and as eager as themselves to
ascertain "who could have been guilty of so daring an escapade at
that hour of the night."
Poor Jennie, however, was destined to pay the penalty of her
temerity.
A moment or two after Katherine left her, she had also stolen
cautiously up the stairs, but on moving farther down the hall had
run against one of the ropes.
Like a flash she comprehended something of the nature of the joke,
and, hearing steps and smothered laughter above, turned back and
slipped into a closet at the end of the hall, where she shrank
into a corner and waited with eager ears and bated breath for the
denouement.
When it came, however, she heartily wished she was anywhere else
in the world; but there was nothing for her to do except to wait
quietly in her place of concealment until the breeze blew over,
when she hoped she could steal away, unobserved, to her room. If
the watchman had not appeared upon the scene so opportunely, she
would have made a break immediately after the crash; but, hearing
his steps, she knew that her escape was cut off in that direction.
She could not even mingle with the other girls, when they began to
gather in the halls to "help investigate," and so find protection
in numbers; for she belonged in the other wing, and her presence
in the west wing would at once warrant the worst possible
construction being put upon her appearance there.
So she shrank closer into her corner and stood motionless, hoping
no one would think of looking there.
Vain hope, however, for Miss Williams, having closely questioned
various ones without gaining any satisfaction, walked straight to
the closet and opened the door, when the light from her candle
flared directly upon Jennie's white, frightened face and shrinking
figure.
"Ah! Miss Wild! so you are implicated in this disgraceful
escapade!" the teacher sternly exclaimed, as she laid a forcible
hand upon her arm and drew her from her hiding place. "What was
your object and who were your accomplices? for, of course, you
could not have carried it out alone," she concluded, sharply.
Miss Clark now joined them, while many of the students gathered
around and regarded Jennie with blank and wondering faces.
"I---I don't know-there wasn't--er--anybody," stammered Jennie,
too confused and overcome with fright to speak connectedly.
"Don't tell me that! It is impossible that you could conceive such
a plot and execute it without help, and I am going to sift it to
the bottom," was Miss Williams' sharp retort; for she by no means
relished being aroused at midnight by such a frightful bedlam, to
find herself a prisoner in her room.
"Truly, Miss Williams, I wasn't in it at all," Jennie affirmed,
with more coherence, and lifting an appealing look to the incensed
woman.
"Miss Wild, don't add falsehood to your other offenses. What were
you hiding here for, if you had nothing to do with it? But"--
suddenly cutting herself short--"I think we will defer further
investigation until to-morrow. Go to your room at once, and remain
there until I come to you in the morning. Young ladies, retire--
all of you--and those who, in any way, have participated in this
affair, prepare to make open confession, for I assure you it will
not be dropped until you do."
She waved them imperatively away, and they immediately vanished
with cheerful alacrity from her austere presence, while Jennie
also sped away without one backward glance.
Miss Williams then turned to the watchman and observed more
calmly:
"Mr. Johnson, it seems we were all more frightened than hurt. My
first impression was that there had been a terrific explosion, and
the sensation of being fastened in one's room at such a time isn't
at all agreeable. I am glad you were at hand to help and reassure
us."
"Ye were in rather a ticklish box, mum; fur, by the powers! 'twur
like a pan-dom-i-num let loose," replied the man, stooping to
recover his lantern and to conceal a broad grin of appreciation,
for it was well known he enjoyed a joke as well as anyone, even to
the point of sometimes abetting the perpetrators. "But what'll we
do wid all the truck?" he added, glancing at the pile of tinware
on the floor.
"Oh, leave it where it is until morning, and the maids will take
care of it," Miss Clark suggested; and then the teachers also
repaired to their rooms, the watchman went his way, his broad
shoulders shaking with silent laughter, and quiet settled down
once more upon Hilton's ruffled west wing.
Katherine had remained in the background throughout the entire
disturbance, quietly disrobing and getting ready for bed.
Sadie had been so frightened by the startling noises outside, she
did not observe--the room being dark--or dream that her roommate
was still up and dressed. She supposed that she had come in while
she was sleeping and retired without waking her; thus Katherine
escaped being questioned or obliged to make any explanations.
But she lay awake some time after the house had settled into
stillness, trying to decide what steps she ought to take, knowing
what she did about the matter.
She knew it would not be right to allow Jennie to suffer for what
she was in no way responsible, even though she had broken rules in
being out of her room at so late an hour. But what her duty was
regarding reporting the leaders in the "racket," if they
obstinately refrained from confessing their offense, she could not
readily determine. She finally resolved that she would do her
utmost to exonerate Jennie without incriminating anyone else, if
possible.
She arose with the first stroke of the rising bell, performed her
usual duties with what dispatch she could, and then sought Miss
Williams shortly before the breakfast hour.
The teacher greeted her cordially, and inquired with a significant
smile:
"Were you frightened nearly out of your senses, with the rest of
us last night, Miss Minturn?"
"Oh, no; but perhaps I might have been if I had been asleep. I
know something about the affair, Miss Williams, and I have come to
talk it over with you," Katherine explained.
"Ah!" and the woman looked both astonished and interested.
"Jennie Wild told you the truth last night," she went on. "She had
nothing whatever to do with the 'racket,' even though appearances
point strongly the other way."
She then proceeded to tell all that she knew about the matter, but
without revealing the names of the ringleaders.
"Well, this certainly does put an entirely different aspect upon
the affair," Miss Williams observed, when she concluded. "I am
more than glad, too, because my sympathies are with Miss Wild, in
spite of her tendency to bubble over now and then. Circumstantial
evidence is not always true evidence, is it?" she added, with a
smile. "I was highly indignant with her last night, for I felt
sure she was prominent in it--and she certainly was guilty of
disobedience."
"Yes; her curiosity surely got the better of her judgment,"
Katherine assented.
"Well, could you identify those girls, whom you overheard in the
hall?" Miss Williams now inquired.
Katherine flushed. She had been dreading this question.
"I did not see anyone," she returned with a faint smile, after a
moment of hesitation.
"I see, my dear; you do not wish to 'tell tales,' and I appreciate
your position," said her companion, with a wise nod that had
nothing of disapproval in it. "Well"--after considering a moment--
"we will say no more about it until Prof. Seabrook has been
consulted. Jennie, however, will have reason to be grateful to you
for helping her out of what, otherwise, might have proved a very
awkward situation."
Miss Williams went at once to the girl and released her from the
confinement she had imposed upon her the previous night. She
explained how Miss Minturn had come to her rescue, and Jennie, who
had for once been thoroughly frightened, vowed she would "never be
caught in a scrape of any kind" during the remainder of her
course.
Considerable excitement prevailed during the day, and the
"midnight escapade" was the one topic of conversation whenever a
group of girls came together; but it was not until study hours
were over in the afternoon that any active measures to
"investigate" the matter were instituted. Then Katherine was
summoned to the principal's study, where she found the four
teachers who had the west wing in charge, and Jennie, assembled.
Jennie was rigorously catechised, but had very little to tell. She
had overheard something of a plot that promised considerable
excitement and fun; she had also heard some one whisper, "Monday,
at midnight," and her curiosity had been raised to the highest
pitch, therefore she had been unable to resist being "in at the
finish." She could not tell who were the leaders, for she had
neither seen nor heard anyone, having slipped into the closet
before the crash came. Being hard pressed, however, she admitted
that she thought the sophomores were chiefly concerned in the
"racket."
Katherine was then requested to relate all that she knew about it,
whereupon she repeated what she had already told Miss Williams.
"You have corroborated what Miss Wild has stated, and have also
exonerated her from any complicity in the affair," Prof. Seabrook
observed, when she concluded. "I judge that it must have been
confined entirely to the sophomore class. Now we must get down to
individuals, if possible. Miss Minturn, did you recognize the
voices of those two girls whom you overheard in the hall last
night?"
"Truth compels me to say that I did," Katherine replied, a hot
flush mounting to her brow.
"Their names, if you please," commanded the principal, briefly.
"I beg that you will excuse me from naming them," she pleaded.
"It is plainly your duty to expose them, Miss Minturn. The affair
is of too serious a nature to allow sentiment to thwart discipline
and the preservation of law and order," returned the gentleman, in
an inflexible tone.
"Pardon me," she said, "but I cannot feel it my duty--at least
until--"
"That is equivalent to saying that you will not comply with my
request," interposed the professor, his eyes beginning to blaze in
view of what he regarded as a defiant attitude.
"No, sir; I could not be so disrespectful," Katherine gently
replied. "Please allow me to say that I would have taken no action
whatever in the matter but for the sake of saving Miss Wild from
being unjustly accused."
Jennie flashed her an adoring look as she said this.
"I just wanted to hug you!" she told her afterwards.
"Miss Wild is no doubt properly grateful; all the same you have no
right to shield the guilty ones, and I shall hold you to your
duty," inflexibly responded Prof. Seabrook.
Katherine saw that he was determined to make her name the
culprits, and, for a moment, she was deeply distressed. Then her
face suddenly cleared.
"May I suggest that it is the duty of the offenders to confess
their own wrongdoing?" she questioned, in a respectful tone;
adding: "It certainly is their right to have the opportunity given
them, and I would prefer not to rob them of it; while it would
release me from a very awkward position if they would do so."
"I think Miss Minturn is right, Prof. Seabrook," Miss Williams
here remarked. "I am sure we can all understand how she feels
about it, and we know that it would place her under the ban of the
whole school if she were to expose the ringleaders without giving
them the opportunity, as she says, to volunteer a confession."
Katherine shot a look of gratitude at the speaker, who nodded her
sympathy in return.
An uncomfortable silence followed, during which the much-tried
girl felt that her principal regarded her as obstinate as well as
sentimental, and was more than half inclined not to yield his
point, in spite of Miss Williams' espousal of her cause.
"Very well; let it rest here for the present," he at length curtly
observed. "You are temporarily excused, Miss Minturn. But if the
offenders do not promptly come forward, I shall expect you to tell
all you know, later."
Katherine bowed and slipped quietly from the room, but with a
choking sensation in her throat, a feeling of injustice pressing
heavily upon her heart.
She paused in the hall a moment, after closing the door, trying to
calm her perturbed thoughts, when these words from her dear
"little book" came to her:
"Let Truth uncover and destroy error in God's own way, and let
human justice wait on the divine." [Footnote: "Science and
Health," page 542.]
Then she went on her way, at peace with herself and all the world.