THE ANONYMOUS LETTER
WHAT fun it was to get back to York Hill!
As Judith stood in the front hall waiting her turn to sign the register,
she almost laughed aloud as she remembered how, standing in this very
spot, she had clung desperately to Aunt Nell five short months ago. How
different it was now! She could hardly wait to get over to South, and
see Nancy, and Catherine, and Jane, and Josephine, and all the rest of
them.
She peeped into the drawing-room, and there sat a stiff, solemn little
figure--a new girl, no doubt--and, yes, here was Eleanor bringing Peggy
Forrest to introduce to the newcomer. And as Judith ran across to her
own house, she felt a warm glow of gratitude that Miss Meredith had
chosen Nancy to be her "pilot" during those first difficult days.
Cries of welcome greeted her in the corridor.
"Hi, there, Judibus! Had a good time?"
"Sally May was looking for you, Judy."
"Good old Scrooge!"
"Merry Christmas, everybody--Happy New Year to all the world," quoted
Judith promptly, seizing her letters and making her way through the
crowd around Miss Marlowe's door down to the good old "Jolly Susan" and
Nancy.
Yes, there was Nancy's pretty yellow head, and in another minute she was
looking into Nancy's merry eyes and trying to answer three questions at
once and say "hullo" to Josephine and Jane and Sally May.
Judith was the last to arrive, so they all crowded into her room and
sampled Aunt Nell's Christmas cake--thoughtfully provided for the
occasion--and the big box of chocolates which Josephine's brother had
sent.
Five tongues wagged merrily in spite of cake and candy, for there were
endless things to tell--Josephine had been to her first real dance, and
Jane had been down to New York with Phyllis Lovell, and you may be sure
that Nancy and Judith were not behind the others in their accounts of
"perfectly gorgeous" times. And when Catherine joined them and added her
tale of a gay winter fête in Winnipeg, Judith felt that no home-coming
_could_ be happier.
"Oh, isn't it nice to _belong!_" said Judith to herself as she dressed
for supper. "I wonder how that new girl is getting on--I guess she's in
our form when Eleanor got Peggy for her--I wish I could do something to
make her feel at home--"
Josephine's head appeared in the door and she whispered mysteriously,
"Come on down to the common room when you've finished."
"What _do_ you think," she said when Judith joined her, "that mean
Genevieve Singleton has been trying to get in here in Jane's room! Jane
said once at the beginning of last term that she wished she was down in
Peggy Forrest's cubicles, but that was ages ago. Genevieve went to Miss
Marlowe and said that Jane wanted to change her room, and may she please
have Jane's room, as she hasn't been very well during the holidays and
her mother doesn't want her to climb stairs. Miss Marlowe sent for Jane,
and you should have heard her when she came back! Genevieve is in
Catherine's room now telling her how heartbroken she is, I suppose.
Silly thing, I wish she would try holding _my_ hand."
Judith laughed at Josephine's disgusted expression, and blushed a little
as she remembered her own foolishness about Catherine.
"Genevieve's queer, isn't she? I can't make her out--you remember how
crazy she was about Helen, and Helen didn't seem to like her a bit."
"She's a silly owl," said Josephine decidedly, "but--my word--wasn't she
a dandy Malvolio?"
At supper Judith, who was talking as hard as any one else, realized what
a Babel of sound they were making when she saw the bewildered look on
the face of the new girl whose name she learned was Florence Newman. She
smiled across at Florence in a friendly manner and said, "Did you know
that we're going to dance afterwards--give me the first spare one you
have, will you--and I want to introduce you to Josephine Burley--she's
from Alberta, too--and she's a perfect dear, although she doesn't look
it."
The talk about Christmas presents and parties and new frocks and next
term's doings buzzed on, but Florence felt less lonely and frightened.
The "girl from Alberta" sounded friendly and comforting: _she_ would
know what this turmoil meant after the silence of the prairies.
Judith was as good as her word and shared with Peggy the duty of
"piloting" the new member of Form Five. But she found Florence very
quiet and unresponsive, and gradually the excitement of the new class in
figure-skating and the inter-form and house hockey matches absorbed her
attention.
There was plenty of hard work done in the various classes, and the staff
congratulated themselves that the School was in good working form, but,
judging from the conversation in the sitting-room and at table, the
girls apparently did nothing but think and talk and play hockey and
figure-skating.
Judith did not join a hockey team, but Josephine was one of the Junior
captains, and as she kept the crew of the "Jolly Susan" well informed as
to the "points" of her team, Judith was an interested "fan" at all the
matches.
There were two cups given for the fancy skating and Judith and Nancy
resolved to enter the competition. After a long morning in the classroom
they could hardly wait to get out to the rink to begin again on the
figure eight. A beautiful curve seemed the most important thing in the
world.
The rink these zero days was a pretty sight. Miss Meredith, on her way
out for a walk, used to love to stand for a few minutes and watch the
charming scene. "What lovely things girls are," she would murmur to
herself as they flashed by in their bright-coloured caps and coats,
their cheeks glowing and eyes bright from the wholesome exercise in the
ozone-laden air.
Judith did not win a cup, "but it was great fun trying for it, Mummy,"
she wrote to her mother, "and Patricia did beautifully. Aunt Nell says I
have lost my stoop, so perhaps that's my reward instead of the cup, and
I think I must have gained another five pounds. We're so hungry when we
come in for supper that I believe we'd eat our books--if there were
nothing more appetising!
"We had great fun last night at a sleighing party--the Domestic Science
Form invited forty of us and you may be sure we accepted. We were
bundled up in all the warm clothes we owned, and there was lots of straw
in the bottom of the sleigh. We packed into two big sleighs, and as soon
as we got out into the country we sang songs, and tooted horns, and had
an awfully good time. Josephine said she was 'glad to goodness' it was a
Domestic Science party, for the eats were sure to be good, and they sure
were! I never was so hungry in my life."
Then it was Five A's turn to entertain, and after an enormous amount of
talking they decided on a skating party. The invitation list gave the
committee a great deal of trouble. It grew and grew until they realized
that they never could afford to feed such a large and hungry mob. Nancy,
who had been elected Form President on her return, took the difficulty
to Miss Marlowe and she came out of the study with a beaming face.
"Miss Marlowe's a brick," she announced. "She says that if we are going
to have a hurdy-gurdy and coloured lanterns and a moonlight night, why
not ask everybody; the House'll provide cocoa and Chelsea buns, and we
can get any extra cakes we like ourselves." And so it was happily
arranged.
Nancy proved herself a born organizer, and on Friday evening each Five A
girl shared in the duty of being hostess. Even Florence, who remained
persistently quiet and difficult to know, was given her share of work
to do. Sally May and her committee were responsible for decorating the
supper-room, Peggy Forrest was to look after the coloured lanterns,
Judith was to see that the smiling Italian and his wife, who took turns
at the hurdy-gurdy, each had a rest in the warm kitchen and some supper,
"and be sure," cautioned wise Nancy, "that the maids keep back enough
for our own supper afterwards."
Friday afternoon saw Form Five A hard at work getting ready for their
guests. Nancy flew hither and thither; she worked out on the rink
helping with the lanterns, and down in the supper-room with the
decorations, and then she was off to the housekeeper's room with a list
of special requests. She was making a splendid Form President, every one
agreed, and that was very high praise, for the post was by no means an
easy one to fill.
So far Nancy's chief difficulty had been in keeping silence when the
form was lined up ready to lead into morning prayers, but later on in
the year she was to tackle the problem of how to deal with persistent
petty cheating which remained undiscovered by the authorities. The Form
Mistress may be a wise counsellor and a constant friend, but the Form
President is often--as Nancy was later on--kept from seeking advice by
the schoolgirl's horror of "telling tales."
By six o'clock everything was ready for the skating party, and Five A
went in to supper with a good appetite and the happy consciousness that
they were going to have a good time.
"Glistening snow, tingling air, glittering stars, shining moon," said
Judith gleefully, as she and Sally May waltzed on the ice, while Peggy
was turning on the coloured lights. "It's going to be a perfectly
blissful party."
And it was. The night was perfect to begin with, and the Chinese
lanterns and the music of the hurdy-gurdy all combined to form a scene
of magic enchantment that fairly entranced beauty-loving Judith.
The snow lay about the rink in a great glistening white bank, splashed
here and there by a pool of coloured light, far away glittered the stars
in a dark blue winter sky, and over all the moon shed a pure, cold,
white light.
Form Five didn't stop to think about the beauty around them, but they
enjoyed it nevertheless. What a good time they had! They waltzed--those
who could--and they "cracked the whip," and they hummed the tunes the
Italian was industriously grinding out, and they laughed and shouted and
were perfectly happy. Judith had three "bands" with Nancy, and two with
Catherine who looked exquisitely lovely, and what more could heart
desire? Indeed, as she and Nancy drank their third cup of cocoa and
divided the last piece of chocolate cake, she agreed enthusiastically
that she had never had such a "perfectly gorgeous time in all her born
days!"
The fine cold weather lasted for almost six weeks, and then quite
suddenly came an unmistakable thaw.
"If only it had come in January," sighed Miss Evans as she surveyed the
dirty pond, which had once been a rink, "but it is too late in the
season now to hope for steady skating again."
She was justified in her pessimism; the skating season was over. Every
girl in the School regarded the dull weather almost as a personal
insult, and every teacher in the School realized that the most difficult
weeks of the year had now to be faced, for unless precautions were
taken, sickness and mischief were bound to flourish in this
in-between-seasons time. Wise Miss Meredith marshalled her forces and
took counsel with the Heads of Houses; the gymnasium staff put on extra
dancing classes, and indoor basket-ball matches, but in spite of all
their efforts many of the girls seemed languid and uninterested.
Nancy, who seemed to hear more news than her mates in the "Jolly Susan,"
burst into Judith's room late next afternoon during the dressing hour.
"What do you think? Genevieve Singleton got an anonymous letter in the
evening mail and she is upstairs now crying in her room."
"An anonymous letter," repeated Josephine from the next room. "I'd like
to know what sort?--"
"Yes," said Nancy excitedly, paying no attention to Josephine, "nobody
knows who wrote it, and it was about Catherine." She paused to enjoy the
full effect of this mysterious bit of gossip.
Judith, whose hair was only half-done, put down her brush and demanded
impatiently--
"What about Catherine?"
"Well, you know very well, Judy, that Genevieve has a crush on
Catherine. Why, Cathy had fairly to put her out of her room the other
day, and on Wednesday evening, when we were dancing after evening prep.,
I heard her tell Genevieve that she wouldn't dance with her again until
she stopped being such a goose."
"But the letter?" said Judith.
"I'm coming to that. It was printed and I can't remember it exactly, but
it was something like this:
Don't hang around Catherine Ellison any more,
Genevieve Singleton, she can't bear the sight
of you. A word to the wise is sufficient.
She is crying like anything and Peggy Forrest says it is a perfect
shame."
"What's a perfect shame?" asked Josephine pointedly.
"Why, the meanness of the person who sent that letter," said Nancy;
"whoever did it, is a mean horrid thing, every one says so."
Every one was having one opinion or another, for the news spread like
wildfire throughout the house, and at tea-time poor Catherine knew that
this choice piece of gossip was being discussed at every table. She was
not long left in ignorance as to the fact that some of the girls thought
that she herself had written the note in order to get rid of an
unwelcome visitor, who was very difficult to snub. Other girls, who had
resented the prefect's attitude towards crushes, expressed great
sympathy for Genevieve, and there was much speculation as to the
probable author of the letter.
Catherine took counsel with Eleanor and they decided that it was a
tempest in a teapot and that Genevieve would be quite all right by
to-morrow. However, next day Genevieve's eyes were still red and she
began to assume the attitude of an early Christian martyr.
Catherine, who had been very much vexed by the whole affair, felt
remorseful. "Poor Genevieve," she thought, "she's feeling very badly. I
can't help wondering why she let the others see the note; but there is
no use judging; I'd better go and say good-night to her." This last was
looked upon as an act of special favour and condescension on the part of
a prefect, and Catherine felt that she was being very magnanimous.
In the visiting time before "lights out" bell, she tapped at Genevieve's
door and to her dismay Genevieve flung her arms round her neck.
"Oh, Catherine, say you didn't mean it."
"Mean what, you silly?" replied Catherine, crossly realizing that every
girl within hearing distance was pricking up her ears. "Surely you don't
imagine that I would stoop to write an anonymous letter."
"No-o," stammered Genevieve, "but I am sure you don't like me"--and she
began to sob afresh. "I can't bear you to dislike me. Do say that I may
still come to your room sometimes."
Catherine was only human, if she _was_ eighteen and a prefect, and
although annoyed with Genevieve, she was touched by the genuine distress
on the girl's face.
"Of course you may come, silly," she said. "Dry your eyes and do try to
be sensible and don't talk that way any more," she added, sitting down
on the edge of the bed, where to Genevieve's delight she sat and
gossiped about sundry School matters--to the great edification of the
surrounding cubicles--until the bell rang.
Next day, to the astonishment of the inmates of the "Jolly Susan,"
Genevieve simply haunted Catherine's room, and on the following day they
could hear poor Catherine getting rid of her.
"Really, Genevieve," they heard her say as she opened the door, "you are
too foolish. Do run along; I must finish my essay for Miss Marlowe, and
I dare say you have _something_ to do," with a sarcasm not lost upon her
hearers, who grinned appreciatively, for Genevieve was noted for the
ingenuity with which she escaped anything like work.
Next day when the girls hurried out of afternoon study as the five
o'clock bell rang, they made their usual wild rush for the mail-box. One
would have thought that every girl in the school expected most important
news. Suddenly a little choking cry was heard, and Genevieve, who had
taken out her letter and was standing at one side of the group, turned
white, as she drew out from its envelope another printed letter. Here
was sensation, indeed! Several of her friends pressed closely around her
to read it.
Can't you take a hint, Genevieve Singleton?
Stay in your own part of the house. Catherine
simply hates the sight of you.
Tears ran down Genevieve's face as she re-read this precious epistle and
then crumpling the paper in her hands she ran to her room. Sympathizing
friends followed, and "Poor Genevieve!" was heard on all sides.
Judith had been a distressed spectator of this scene. How sorry
Catherine would be! How sorry she was for Catherine! Whoever could be
writing the letters?
This, indeed, was the sole topic of conversation in the "Jolly Susan"
during the dressing-hour, and before the evening was over the School was
enjoying a thoroughly good gossip. One amateur detective had suggested
that jealousy must be the motive of the unknown writer, for most of the
girls dismissed the suggestion that Catherine was the author. Some one
else contributed the story of Genevieve's unsuccessful attempt to obtain
a room in the "Jolly Susan," and then some one, who had overheard Sally
May's indignation thereat, suggested Sally May as a likely culprit.
As was inevitable these mere suppositions grew by their many tellings
into "facts," and by the next evening many of the girls were convinced
that Sally May, "who is absolutely devoted to Catherine, my dear," was
"wildly jealous of Genevieve," and was actually "seen putting a letter
into the box."
Miss Marlowe, who remains in the background in this story, but whom we
must never forget, sits in the midst of South House like some omniscient
and benevolent providence, decided that something must be done to stop
these mischievous wagging tongues, so she summoned her prefects and said
frankly:
"A little bird has told me something about these anonymous letters. I
know they are very trivial and silly, but when one girl begins to be
accused by the others, it is time to clean up the matter. From what I
know of Sally May, I cannot believe that she has written them. Don't
tell me anything more about it. I leave it to you; please do your best
to get them stopped." And she left them to solve the puzzle.
The prefects held a meeting at once and decided that the matter was not
serious enough to call a special house meeting. Such meetings called and
addressed by the captain were held on very special occasions, and
this--"Well, this is _too_ silly," said Patricia Caldwell, giggling.
"Poor Cathy! its a pity you are so bewitching. I don't know how you will
manage your affairs after you leave school," she added teasingly. "I'm
afraid the morning papers will have to devote front-page space to the
duels fought in Miss Catherine Ellison's honour."
Catherine could stand being chaffed by her peers and equals, but she
really hated the gossip of the younger girls.
It was decided that every prefect was to keep ears and eyes open and
report to Eleanor anything suspicious. A special watch was to be kept on
the mail-box. Two prefects were to make it their business to saunter
past the box whenever they could and keep an eye on pigeon-hole "S."
Perhaps they might catch the criminal at the box.
There was much laughter about it, and with the exception of Catherine
they rather enjoyed the importance and the mystery. They realized,
however, that so much gossiping was bad for the tone of the house. "It
must be stopped."