THE KNIGHT APPEARS.
Halls and parlors were full of laughing boys and girls. Their years,
perhaps, might entitle them or some of them to be called young men and
women, but this generation does not marry off its girls at sixteen or
seventeen and its boys at scarcely more than twenty. The military school
trained youths from about fifteen to twenty, many of them from families
who liked to have their sons in military training for a few years. The
ages, then, correspond well with those of the Greycliff girls, and it
was not hard to arrange partners for dinner. This had been largely done
beforehand by a committee of girls and teachers, a few changes having
been made as the personnel of the assembled company was noted, or as
personal requests came in. Under or in the midst of palms and other
plants not far from the entrance, was a little table where sat Patricia
West, Dr. Norris, and one or two others of the younger teachers. There
the cadets or officers gave their names or cards and were handed cards
which contained the names of their dinner partners.
“You can’t just go in, pick out the prettiest girl and ask her to go to
dinner with you, then?” asked one young officer who knew Dr. Norris.
“Not this time,” replied Dr. Norris, “but keep your eye on her and get
her to go skating with you this evening; or get with the group at her
table.”
“O, you couldn’t do that, you know,” cried Patty, “because we will have
place cards fixed from these duplicates, as soon as everybody is here.”
“All right, Doc, how do I pick her out?”
Dr. Norris beckoned to one of several girls who stood near, and who were
trying hard not to laugh at this conversation. “Miss Mills will find the
lady for you, Lieutenant Maxwell.”
“‘The lady or the tiger,’” murmured this irrepressible youth to Dr.
Norris, then acknowledged his introduction to Miss Mills and gallantly
escorted her through the throng in the hall. “Do you happen to know
whether the fair lady is one of the girls or—ah—a teacher?” the young
lieutenant asked Jane as she stopped to look and locate the damsel.
“You will think that you are lucky,” said Jane; “I don’t believe that
you could have chosen a more attractive partner yourself,” and she led
him to Cathalina, who stood near one of the windows talking to Betty.
Lieutenant Maxwell received an impression of a lovely face, a filmy
frock and a courteous smile as he was introduced first to Cathalina and
then by her to the other girls, Betty, Helen, Eloise and Pauline, who
happened to be close by. But he offered Cathalina his arm to take her
over to a group of young officers who had promised to “stand by” each
other and gather with their dinner partners in a little group.
Betty was having two requests for her company, at the table in the hall.
Fortunately for her, the most agreeable one came first, indeed had been
arranged for, as well.
“I think it would be nice if we put the two who won the honors together,
don’t you?” Patricia had asked, thinking what a pleasant companion for
Betty it would provide. The others agreeing, she wrote Betty’s name on
the card for Donald Hilton, who happened to come along after Lieutenant
Maxwell.
“May I ask for somebody?” said Donald at once.
“You may, though I think that you will be pleased with what we have
arranged,” replied Patricia.
“I would like very much to meet the young lady who won honors in
skating, Miss Betty—”
“She is the one we have for you,” and Patty handed out the card to the
pleased lad.
“I know her,” said Corporal Hilton. “I mean I know which she is, but I
would be glad to have some one introduce us.”
“We arrange for that,” replied Dr. Norris, introducing one of the
attendant girls again, just as Captain Holley appeared with a request
for “Miss Barnes,” delivered in rather a haughty manner. Donald
overheard him, but did not change countenance as he hurried away with
his pretty escort.
So it happened that Donald’s first remark to Betty, as after the
introduction he led her to a more or less secluded seat in the hall, in
one of the recesses, was rather personal. “I came just in time,” said
he, “for I heard another man asking for you right after I had received
the card with your name.”
Betty smiled and said, “I didn’t know that any of the boys knew me.”
“It wasn’t any of the boys, it was an instructor.”
“O,” said Betty, “how glad I am that you—” then she caught herself
before she could go any farther.
“I take it, then, that he is not any too popular with you?” Donald’s air
was that of earnestly wanting to know about it, which surprised Betty,
but pleased her.
“O, no!” she replied, “not if it is the one I think it is.”
“It was Captain Holley.”
“Yes, I thought it must be, for he is the only one I have met, but I do
not know him well at all, and am surprised that he should ask for me.
Probably he does not know any of the other girls and thought that I
would do.” Betty was laughing.
“That must have been it,” said Donald, with sarcasm in his tone. “Say, I
was watching you skate this afternoon and want to congratulate you on
the well deserved honor you received.”
“I must return the compliment, then. But you are a _real_ skater. I
never saw anybody do the things you did in the contest except a
professional skater.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” and Donald wanted to add, “I was doing it for
you,” but did not at this stage of acquaintance.
“You are Dorothy Appleton’s cousin, aren’t you?”
“Yes, and Jack’s, of course.”
“O, do you call John Appleton Jack?”
“Most of the boys do. Come, I must let some of the rest of them meet
you, but may I have the first skate with you after dinner, and take you
down to the river and bring you back?”
“Certainly. It will be wonderful to skate with such a skater as you
are.”
Dinner, which had been planned for an earlier time than usual was served
later than usual, merely because it was hard to manage the arranging of
couples and seating. But at last the gong rang and the gay company
gathered about the prettily decorated tables. Place cards were in the
form of skates, and a few of the older girls excused themselves
temporarily from their escorts, in order to help all find their seats,
and relieve the confusion or prevent it. Miss Randolph, in her most
elegant gown, led the way to the dining room with the commandant of the
school, who was a fine figure in his uniform. “Probably it would have
been better,” she was saying, “had we planned the afternoon contests a
little earlier. It still grows dark so early. But we can give them a
little more time tonight if it does make it later. The dinner must not
be hurried,” of which statement the commandant thoroughly approved.
Cathalina was at a table where sat the young instructors of the military
school with their companions, but Betty was at the same table with John
Appleton and Hilary, Harry Mills and Lilian, Eloise with a tall,
over-grown, handsome young “top-sergeant,” and Dorothy with a rollicking
soldier boy who kept the table in mirth with his stories of school
affairs.
“How I do adore uniforms!” whispered Eloise to Betty, as she passed her
in finding their places. Betty smiled and nodded, as if to say, “So do
I.”
“There are no old toasts and speeches this time,” said Dorothy to her
brother.
“No time wasted, then,” replied John.
“I imagine that Miss Randolph will make a ‘few brief’ remarks,” said
Hilary, “to give direction about the rest of the evening.”
“Yes, and the dear old boy will have to respond with thanks for the
pleasures enjoyed,” said Harry irreverently.
“Don’t they look fine, though?” said Lilian. “We ought to be proud of
them.”
“We are,” replied Harry. “There aren’t many heads of a military
school—as strict as discipline has to be—that are liked as well. The
boys all respect him.”
“Well, you know, John,” said Dorothy, “what the best girls think of Miss
Randolph.”
By the time the dinner was over, Donald knew where Betty lived, all
about her family, what studies she was taking and what she thought on
various subjects interesting to young people. In turn he gave her bits
of information about his own life and incidentally his character. The
Hiltons lived in Chicago and Donald was the oldest of three children,
the other two girls.
Hilary was right about the announcements. Miss Randolph rose at the
close of the meal, greeted the guests in a few cordial words and
announced that the bell would ring at the time to stop skating upon the
river. “I think that you will have no difficulty in hearing it, but if
we have any doubt a gong will sound at the river.”
Then the officer in charge, as Harry had prophesied, thanked the
principal, teachers and young ladies of Greycliff for their
entertainment and courtesy, and directed his students where and when to
meet for the trip home.
“I’ll be in the hall or parlor waiting for you,” said Donald, as if he
were afraid some one else would carry Betty off.
The girls rushed upstairs to change back to skating outfits, while the
boys ran across to the gymnasium for their extra equipment. The girls
were full of fun and further anticipations, but had little time to talk
about it.
“Wasn’t the dinner good?” asked Lilian. “I was so glad that the boys had
lots to eat! They say that their meals aren’t as good as ours, but then
this was extra even for us. How did you like John Appleton, Hilary?”
“He’s a fine young man,” replied Hilary, “looks so much like Dorothy and
has some of her ways, too. I like him ever so much.”
“Don’t like him better than Campbell, Hilary,” called Cathalina, to
Hilary’s amusement.
“Did you have a good time, Cathalina?” Hilary called back.
“O, yes, though our crowd was older. Lieutenant Maxwell is real joy and
very polite, too. He asked to take me down to the river and skate first
with me.”
“So did Donald,” said Betty. “I guess all of them would do that.”
“How old do you think Donald Hilton is?” asked Cathalina.
“He told me, when he was telling about his sisters and how old they
were, or rather how much older he is than they are. He is not quite
nineteen.”
It did not take as long to get ready for the skating as it had to dress
up in all their glory for dinner. Betty slipped down the stairs, looked
carefully around to be sure to avoid Captain Holley, and brightened when
she saw Donald Hilton waiting not far from the stairway. He, too, was
running no chances! Out they hurried, Betty’s skates over Donald’s arm.
They were among the first to arrive at the river, where a line of great
bonfires lit up the place, and Mickey was in charge. Certain limits were
placed, beyond which the skaters were supposed not to go, but there was
distance enough for a long skate between the banks of the beautiful,
ice-clad river, on into the misty white curves over-hung with pine tree
branches. A guardian moon was coming up now, and looked through a few
drifting clouds.
“Be sure to tell me if you are cold,” said Donald, looking down at
Betty, as they skated forward, “and I’ll take your over to a bonfire in
a jiffy.” Donald was used to looking after his younger sisters, but that
fact did not quite account for a certain tenderness in his attitude,
which Betty felt, but could not understand.
“Before I take you back and anybody takes you away from me, I want to
tell you something,” said Donald, “and I want you to promise not to be
offended till I’ve had a chance to explain,—will you?”
“Why,—no,” replied Betty, wondering, but ready to promise almost
anything within reason, for with sure strokes they were gliding along so
happily and there was such exhilaration in skating with Donald that
Betty felt quite uplifted and as if she were living in a sort of
fairyland.
Donald said nothing for a minute, but then took her around a curve where
the moonlight shone full upon them. “Let’s stop here a minute,” he
suggested. “I’ve something to show you.” Out of his pocket he took a
small object and laid it in her gloved hand. “Is this yours?” he asked.
“Oh!” exclaimed Betty. It was the pansy ornament which had been on her
sleeve. “Yes, it is,—I hate to think—”
“Please don’t think that I took it on purpose,” said Donald hastily. “I
found it hanging to one of the buttons on my sleeve.”
“O, did anybody else see it?”
“No, indeed. Never from that day to this!”
“_Why_ did you do it?” asked Betty, who felt that perhaps her evening
was spoiled.
“Look over your shoulders, you mean? That is what I want to explain. I
was over there with Holley and two or three of the boys. We had some
idea of calling on the girls, but when we found that Dorothy and you
younger girls were having a Hallow-e’en celebration, we gave it up, and
old John and I strolled around the grounds awhile. Finally John went
inside to see if Holley was ready to go, and I noticed the lights around
where Dorothy tells me your society hall is, and strolled around there.
Just as I was almost at the door, but back in the shadow of that tree
close by, the door opened and you came out. You haven’t any idea of what
a picture you made with the candle in you hand, so I just naturally
stopped to look. Then you turned around to look back down the steps and
held up the mirror,—”
“O, don’t!” cried Betty. “I’m so ashamed of it!”
“‘Ashamed of it!’” exclaimed Donald. “Why, girls always try all sorts of
things on Hallow-e’en, don’t they?”
“O, yes, but I didn’t _dream_ that anybody’d be there, and of _course_ I
don’t believe in that silly old superstition!”
“No, I never supposed you did, but I couldn’t resist stepping up any
more than if I’d been hypnotized. I don’t know but I was! But you
haven’t any idea of how much I have been thinking of you, and wanting to
apologize, and wanting to meet you. I was pretty sure that it was you
when I first saw you this afternoon, and after watching you closely
while you were skating so near me, I knew it was the pansy girl.” Donald
almost said “my” pansy girl, but bethought himself in time. “Now do you
think you can forgive me?”
“O, yes,” said the generous Betty. “I, too, have been wondering who it
was, and I was so terribly afraid it was Captain Holley, for I heard
that he was over that night. I’m really thankful that it was you and
that you do not think me too silly.”
“I never thought for a minute that you were ‘silly,’” declared Donald.
“But why did you think it might be Captain Holley?”
“Because I’ve had the oddest experiences. I believe I’ll tell you about
it. Do you boys think that he is all right?”
“We don’t know what to think about him.”
“Well, neither do I, and I can’t imagine what he was doing at the cave.
But if I tell you, you must promise not to tell. It would be too bad to
make trouble for him when perhaps he is all right.”
Donald was all attention, though not inclined to be very easy on Captain
Holley, for did he not have an eye tonight on the little pansy lady whom
Donald already was beginning to consider his “girl.” They were skating
again, and Donald tightened his hold on Betty, as she told him of the
first time she met the brother of Louise and how it happened that she
was there. “You can see why I thought it might be he again,” she said,
“and I didn’t have anything but a blurred image of you in the glass.”
“Well, we boys will look out for you,” declared Donald when Betty had
finished her story of the cave incidents. “When we skate back, I’ll see
that Holley does not skate with you. They are probably fussing at me
now, because I’m keeping the prize skater all to myself. It’s funny
about Holley. Some of the boys are much attracted to him. He is real
popular with a certain set, and makes himself generally agreeable. Then
there are others of us that do not like him.”
Fortunately it did not happen that Captain Holley sought out Betty. She
had a happy evening skating with one and another of Donald’s friends,
closing it with another exhilarating turn with that young man himself.
The other girls were as busily engaged as herself till the bell rang and
the cadets and officers escorted the maids of Greycliff back to the
Hall.