THE MEXICAN GIRL
The schoolwork was in full swing by this time, and almost every
girl seemed to be doing well. "Dr. Beulah," as her pupils lovingly
called the head of the school (though not, of course, to her face),
went about with a smile most of the time; and even Mrs. Cupp was
less grim than usual.
There was an early January thaw that spoiled all outdoor sport for
the Lakeview Hall girls. Skating, bobsledding, skiing, and even
walking, was taboo for a while, for there was more mud in sight
than snow. The girls had to look for entertainment on Saturday in
other directions.
Therefore it was considered a real godsend by the girls of Corridor
Four when Lillie Nevins told them of the new shop at Adminster.
Adminster was about ten miles from Freeling, the little town under
the cliff, where the Lakeview Hall girls usually shopped.
"It must be a delightfully funny store," said the flaxen-haired
Lillie. "It's full of those Indian blankets, and bead-trimmed
things, and Mexican drawn-work, and pottery. Oh! ancient pots and
pitchers--"
"Made last year in New Jersey?" scoffed Laura Polk.
"No, no! These are real Mexican. Doctor Larry's girls told me about
it. They have been over there and bought the loveliest things!"
There was a good deal of talk about this. It was at the supper
table. Nan and Bess were just as much interested as the other
girls, and they determined to go to the Mexican curio shop if they
could obtain permission.
Nan noticed that for once Rhoda seemed interested in what the other
girls were saying. Her brown eyes sparkled and a little color came
and went in her cheeks as the discussion went on.
The girl from Tillbury was tempted to invite Rhoda to go with her
on Saturday. Yet she felt that Rhoda was not in a mood to accept
any overture of peace. The Western girl treated Nan herself well
enough; but Nan could not offend her older friends by showing Rhoda
Hammond many favors.
So many of the girls asked permission to visit Adminster on the
next Saturday afternoon that Mrs. Cupp allowed Miss March, one of
the younger instructors and a favorite of the girls, to accompany
them.
It was quite a party that picked its way down the muddy track into
Freeling's Main Street where the interurban trolley car passed
through toward Adminster. The girls under Miss March's care all but
filled the car when it came along; but they were hardly settled
when they spied Rhoda Hammond already sitting in a corner by
herself.
"Why, Rhoda," said Miss March, rising and going to the Western girl
as the car started, "I did not get your name as one of my party."
"No, Miss March," said Rhoda coolly.
"Did you obtain permission to leave the school premises? That is a
rule, you know."
"Yes, Miss March," said Rhoda, "I obtained permission."
"From whom, Rhoda?" asked the instructor, rather puzzled.
"I telegraphed yesterday to my father. He sent a night letter to
Dr. Prescott, and she got it this morning. She gave it to me. Here
it is," said the Western girl, taking the crumpled message from her
handbag and handing it to the teacher.
Miss March looked amazed when she had read the long message. "Dr.
Prescott, then, granted you this privilege which he asks here?"
"Yes, Miss March," said Rhoda coldly, and Miss March went back to
her seat.
"Did you ever?" gasped Bess to Nan and Laura. "Why, it must have
cost five dollars or more to telegraph back and forth."
"Humph! she certainly doesn't know the value of money," commented
Laura. "She is more recklessly extravagant than Linda."
The rest of the girls paid no further attention to Rhoda. They were
having too good a time among themselves. As there were few other
passengers on that car to Adminster, the Lakeview Hall pupils came
very near to taking charge of it. The conductor was good-natured,
and the girls' fun was kept in bounds by Miss March.
All the time the Western girl sat in her corner and looked out of
the front window at the dreary landscape. It seemed too bad, Nan
Sherwood thought more than once, that Rhoda should have allowed
herself to become so frankly ignored by her schoolmates.
Nan missed her when the crowd got out of the car in Adminster. This
was a larger town than Freeling, and it was on the main railroad
line instead of a branch line, as Freeling was. But at that,
Adminster was not very metropolitan.
However, the stores fronting on the main street were rather
attractive shops. Bess and Grace, with Nan herself, had some things
to buy in the department store which was the town's chief emporium,
and they separated for a while from the rest of the party.
But when the trio entered the Mexican shop, which was on a side
street, there was the whole party of their schoolmates under Miss
March's charge.
Some of the girls had already made purchases, and all were excited
over certain finds they had made in the stock. Like all such stores
that are established for a few months only, and move from town to
town, there was much trash exhibited together with some really
worth while merchandise from the Southwest.
Not all of the girls knew how to select the good from the trashy
merchandise. There were a man, a woman, and a young girl who waited
on the customers, all dressed in Mexican costumes; they were too
wise to interfere much with the selections of the customers in any
department.
The young girl came forward to meet Nan and her companions,
courteously offering her services in showing any goods they might
wish to look at Nan shrewdly suspected the man and woman to be
Jews; but this girl, with her large, black eyes, raven hair, and
flashing white teeth, was undoubtedly a Mexican. She was very
pretty.
"I can show what dhe yoong ladies want--yes?" she inquired with a
most disarming smile.
"Oh, we want to look about, first of all," cried Bess. "Look at all
those blankets, Nan! What bully things to throw over our couch!"
"And that lovely spread!" cried Grace.
They went from one lot of goods to another.
The Mexican girl, smiling and quite enjoying their comments,
strolled after them. Nan turned to ask her a question regarding a
beaded cloth that was evidently meant for a table-scarf. And at the
moment Rhoda Hammond entered the shop.
The saleswoman was nearest and she turned to welcome the Western
girl. But Nan saw that the girl who was waiting on her started as
though to approach the newcomer. Then she stopped, and under her
breath hissed an exclamation that must have been in Spanish.
The girl's eyes blazed, her black brows drew together, and she gave
every indication of an excitement that was originated by anger. It
could be nothing else!
Rhoda Hammond was perfectly unconscious of either the Mexican
girl's attention, or her emotion. With the saleswoman who had come
to wait on her the girl from Rose Ranch was discussing the price of
a piece of pottery which had attracted her notice.
Suddenly the Mexican girl turned to see Nan Sherwood staring at her
in wonder. She flushed darkly and was at first inclined to turn
away. Then her excitement overpowered her natural caution. She
seized Nan by the wrist with a pressure of her fingers that
actually hurt.
"You know all dhese yoong ladies--yes?" she demanded. "Dhey all
coom wit' you? Huh?"
"Why, yes. We all come from the same school," admitted the
astonished Nan.
"You know dhat girl?" asked the Mexican, pointing quickly at Rhoda.
"Yes."
"She do go to school wit' you all--yes? Her name?" demanded the
other.
"Why--"
"Eet ees Ham-mon'--no?" hissed the strangely acting girl. "Senorita
Ham-mon'?"
"Her name is Hammond. Yes. Rhoda Hammond," admitted Nan, scarcely
knowing whether it was right to tell the girl this fact or not.
"Ah, eet ees so! Senorita Ham-mon', of dhe Ranchio Rose. Huh?"
"Why--why--" gasped Nan. "Yes, her home is at Rose Ranch. That is
what she calls it."
"Ah!" hissed the Mexican girl, her eyes still glittering angrily.
"See! See how reech she is dress'. Huh! The treasure of Ranchio
Rose buy dhose dress'. Huh! Ah!"
She flung herself about and walked hastily to the back of the
store. Nan was speechless. She stood utterly amazed by the Mexican
girl's words and actions.