CHECKMATE.
There was great astonishment among the girls who met at the Lookout the
next day when Janet pronounced in calm, decided tones that a new member
was willing to join the committee, that the new member was the Irish
girl, Bridget O'Hara, who would help her at her stall, and would give
as much money to the cause as was necessary to insure its success.
"Bridget O'Hara is not here," said Janet, "but she has asked me to
speak for her. She has written to her father to ask him to send her
plenty of funds. She will be more or less of a cipher, of course, but
having the wherewithal she will be a useful one. I propose, therefore,"
continued Janet May, "that our committee remains as it is with this one
welcome addition, and that Evelyn Percival is not asked to join."
While Janet was speaking Dorothy's rosy face turned very pale. "Now I
understand," she murmured; "now I can account for poor Biddy's change
of manner. O Janet, why didn't you leave her alone?"
"What do you mean?" said Janet, flashing round angrily. "Bridget's
help is most desirable. She has money, and she won't interfere with
projects already formed. Had Miss Percival been asked to join, she
would, of course, have given us plenty of money, but she would also
have interfered. I may as well plainly say that I don't choose to
be interfered with at this juncture. That is plain English, I hope;
you can make the worst of it, girls, all of you! I prefer that poor
nonentity of a Bridget to Miss Percival, and I have managed to have my
way."
"I suppose we must vote for Biddy," said Ruth and Olive.
"Of course, you must vote for her," retorted Janet.
"I do not object to her joining the committee," said Frances; "but I
think you have managed the whole thing in a very underhand way, Janet.
You are fond of saying that you like frank opinions, so there is mine
for you."
"All right!" said Janet; "I accept it for what it is worth. Now then,
girls, this weighty matter is settled. Dorothy, you must say something
nice to Evelyn. Of course, you have a reasonable excuse to give her. It
would be ridiculous to ask her to join us at the eleventh hour. She is
a sensible girl, and will----"
At this moment, Olive, who was bending over the parapet, turned round,
and said to her companions in a low, almost awestruck voice:
"Mrs. Freeman is coming up the steps of the Lookout!"
The next instant the smiling face of the head mistress appeared.
"Well, my dears," she said, "I won't waste your valuable time a single
moment longer than is necessary. I am very much pleased with all your
zeal in getting up this little bazaar. I, on my part, will take every
possible pains to see that your Fancy Fair is well attended. I have a
suggestion, however, to make; it is this: Evelyn Percival ought to be
asked to take a prominent part in the management of the fair. She has
come back in sufficient time for this; her health is quite restored,
and it is due to her position in the school to pay her this respect. I
dare say, my loves," continued Mrs. Freeman, "that you have all thought
of this already, and are even now preparing to ask her to join you. If
so, you will find her in the summerhouse at the end of the East Walk
with Kitty Thompson. Good-by, my dears! Forgive me if I have interfered
unnecessarily."
Mrs. Freeman went away. The girls had no time to ask her a question.
The head mistress was always quick and decisive in her movements. She
was kind, even indulgent, but she was also firm. From Mrs. Freeman's
decision each girl in the school felt there was no appeal.
As her retreating footsteps sounded on the winding stairs of the little
tower, the girls who formed the committee for the Fancy Fair looked
at one another. In Janet's gaze there were open-eyed consternation
and dismay. Olive and Ruth appeared what they were: the very essence
of uncertainty and nervousness. Frances Murray could not restrain an
expression of triumph appearing in her bright eyes, while Dolly looked
both glad and sorry.
"O Janet!" she said, "I wish I could take your side and my own. I wish
I could obey dear Mrs. Freeman, and have our darling Evelyn to help us,
and be one of us, and I also wish to do the thing that makes you happy."
"Oh, don't worry about me," said Janet. "Of course, the thing is
inevitable. Under existing circumstances, I give in. I have only
one request to make, girls, and that is, that you will not betray
to Evelyn Percival, who, of course, will take the lead now in the
management of the Fancy Fair, the very frank objections I have made to
having her with us. We must welcome her, of course, with a good grace,
and I trust to you all to keep my little remarks to yourselves."
"Of course, of course, Janey," they each eagerly replied.
"As if we could be so mean as to tell," remarked Ruth, going up to her
friend and giving her hand a squeeze.
Janet did not return the pressure of Ruth's hand. She turned abruptly
to Dorothy.
"Evelyn is to be found in the summerhouse. Will you go and fetch her at
once, Dolly?"
Dorothy ran off without another word. While she was absent Janet kept
her back to her friends. She generally carried a little sketchbook in
her pocket; she took it out now, and under the shelter of her parasol
pretended to sketch the lovely summer landscape which surrounded her.
The other girls who were watching saw, however, that her small, dainty
fingers scarcely moved.
When voices and steps were heard in the distance, Janet was the first
to turn round, and when Evelyn appeared on the scene Janet went up and
bade her welcome.
"We have elected you to join our committee," she said, in a low and
careless voice. "As the head girl of the school, you will naturally
take the lead in the matter; but, as you have been obliged to be absent
when our scheme was first started, you would perhaps like me to tell
you how far we have gone."
"I am delighted to join the committee," replied Evelyn, "and
particularly glad that you have asked me, Janet. You may be sure,
girls, I'll do all I can to help, but as the idea of the Fancy Fair was
yours, Janet, I don't think I ought to take the lead."
For a second a pleased expression flitted across Janet May's cold,
self-possessed face. It vanished, however, as quickly as it came.
"No," she said, "I cannot possibly take the lead. The head girl of
the school has certain rights which no one must deprive her of. It is
generous of you to offer me your place, Evelyn, but, even if I allowed
myself to accept the position, Mrs. Freeman would instantly require
me to vacate it in your favor. The thing is settled, then; you are
formally invited by us all to join our committee; is that not so,
girls?"
"Yes, yes," they all exclaimed, delight and relief plainly apparent on
every face.
"You are formally elected, therefore," proceeded Janet. "Won't you sit
down, Evelyn? That is a comfortable seat in the shade over there. Won't
you take it? I can then tell you as briefly as possible what we have
done."
Evelyn sat down in the comfortable seat without a word. Frances Murray
sprang to her side, slipped her hand through her arm, and looked into
her face with adoration; Ruth and Olive were only restrained by Janet's
presence from groveling at her feet. Dolly alone leant in a careless
attitude against the low parapet of the tower. Her affectionate glance
traveled many times to her friend's face, but she had too much tact and
too good taste to show her preference too openly while Janet May was
present.
"Up to the present," said Janet, also leaning against the parapet, and
exactly facing Evelyn, "up to the present I have managed the proposed
bazaar. If it is generally wished, I can still remain treasurer. At the
present moment, I am sorry to say, there is very little money to guard.
If the thing is to be a success, more money must be spent, but that,
of course, is for Evelyn to decide. We are having the bazaar, Evelyn,
hoping to raise money to send little Tim Donovan to a good school. Mrs.
Freeman said something about this bazaar being repeated, if necessary,
in the future; but that, of course, we need not discuss at present. The
bazaar is to be called a Fancy Fair. It will be held in a large tent in
the four-acre field. This part of the entertainment Mrs. Freeman has
herself promised to provide. Our present idea is to have four stalls.
You will, of course, conduct the principal one; I, if permitted, will
take the second; Dorothy or Frances Murray will manage the third;
and there will also be a refreshment stall, for which we have not at
present provided. Each girl of the committee has undertaken to secure
a certain number of fancy materials for sale at the fair. Ruth, Olive,
and I at the present time are doing well; about six little girls of the
lower school are helping us. We meet twice a week in the summerhouse
at the end of the South Walk to work for the bazaar, and the results
will, I believe, be fairly creditable. I cannot say what arrangements
Frances is making, but she will doubtless tell you herself. Dorothy
is also the soul of industry. You'll probably reconstruct everything,
and I shall be ready to come to you for advice whenever you ask me.
There is, I think, only one thing more to say, and that is, that I
have persuaded the new girl, Bridget O'Hara, to join us. She does not
strictly belong either to the upper or the lower school at present.
Her position in the house is, I think, somewhat unique. She is a very
tall, grown-up-looking girl, but she is not yet quite fifteen years of
age. Her mind very much resembles her body, being extremely grown-up
in some ways, and absolutely childish in others. Her acquirements
are also those of a child. I have thought it right, however, in your
absence, of course, Evelyn, to ask her to join us. She has a good
deal of originality; she has also some money, which she is willing to
devote to the cause. I think that is all. I am now going to join my
workers in the summerhouse at the end of the South Walk. You, Ruth, and
you, Olive, can come with me if you like, but if you prefer it, you
are quite at liberty to join Evelyn's stall, for now that I have got
Bridget's help I can do admirably without you."
Ruth and Olive looked more undecided than ever, but Evelyn said in
a firm voice: "Of course, girls, you could not for a moment wish to
desert Janet. I should like to say one thing before you go, Janet; it
is this, that I am very much surprised at your pluck and bravery in
getting up a bazaar of this sort. I am pleased to join it, and to do
all I can to promote it. Under the circumstances, I should much prefer
working as your aide-de-camp to taking the lead; but you are quite
right in saying that the head girl of the school has certain privileges
which, whether she likes it or not, she cannot forego. I must, of
course, take the principal part at the bazaar, but I shall, in every
way in my power, do what is most agreeable to you, and will lose no
opportunity to let my friends know that the idea is yours, not mine."
"You are very good-natured," said Janet, "but I, too, have something
to say. Under the circumstances, I prefer sinking into the background.
After all, the only person to be seriously considered is little Tim
Donovan. If he is substantially helped I don't suppose it matters much
what anyone thinks of us."