MARJORIE’S SUSPICIONS
When the scouts reached the school, they found a number of the other
girls back from their holidays. But the halls seemed strangely quiet
and deserted; and when Lily reached her room, she was overcome by a
feeling of loneliness.
“I wish Marjorie were here,” she thought. “I’d love to tell her all
about the party, and John’s disappointment at not seeing her.”
And then she began to wonder how it would feel to have a boy really
crazy about her; she had always been too fat and unattractive to make
many friends among the opposite sex; and being an only child, without
any brothers to introduce other boys to her, she always spent much of
her holidays alone. And, for the first time in her life, she realized
what she had missed; she felt that other girls were enjoying privileges
that she had never known. She had scarcely spoken more than six words
to any boy at the party, and yet she noticed Doris and Ruth chatting
and laughing with almost all the boys as if they had known them
all their lives. What was the secret? Marjorie must know; she had a
brother--she would be able to tell her what interested them.
Marjorie did not return to the school until the next morning, just in
time for opening assembly. Lily did not, therefore, have a chance to
talk with her until lunch, and then she suddenly discovered that she
was too shy, or perhaps too proud, to ask such a question.
“I thought you’d be back yesterday,” she said, as she was getting ready
for lunch.
“I would have, only I knew all my friends would be away at the party,”
said Marjorie. “Besides, I wanted to finish Miss Phillips’s camisole.”
“Oh, let me see it,” cried Lily. “When will you give it to her?”
“To-morrow morning, I guess, before breakfast, if I can catch her in
time. I would like to wish her a happy birthday the very first thing!”
The girls linked arms, and went into the dining-room together, glad of
the opportunity to talk with each other again. Ethel Todd, who sat at
the same table with them, leaned towards Marjorie. Lowering her voice,
and glancing in the direction of Miss Phillips’s table, she said:
“The scouts are going to give Miss Phillips a surprise party to-morrow
night, in honor of her birthday; and, Marj, we want you in it, too.
We got permission from Miss Allen. Meet at half-past eight in our
room. You can bring a birthday present if you want, but you don’t have
to. Then we’re all going over and sing a little song Frances wrote in
her honor--a parody on ‘Perfect Day’--and go into her room with our
presents and refreshments. Ruth and Doris are buying everything; the
tax will be about a quarter apiece. You’re both in for it?”
“Yes, indeed!” answered Lily.
Marjorie hesitated. “I’d love to,” she said, “but it doesn’t seem
exactly right. I’m not a Girl Scout!”
“Nonsense!” exclaimed Ethel. “If there is anything that isn’t right
about it, it’s that you aren’t a Girl Scout. I’d like to have seen that
Latin paper! I’ll bet Miss White was all fussed about her mother being
sick, and marked it wrong, or else got it mixed up with some other
girl’s paper!”
“You know I have sometimes wondered about that myself,” said Marjorie.
“And especially since I went over the past lessons during spring
vacation. I can’t remember putting the wrong things down. But it is too
late now, of course, even if there had been a mistake.”
“Why don’t you ask for another test?” asked Ethel.
“Oh, I couldn’t do that! I’ll just have to wait till the end of the
year now.”
“And lose out on the camping trip!” exclaimed Lily resentfully. “It
just doesn’t seem fair!”
“Well, go to the party anyway,” pleaded Ethel; “thank goodness, Latin
can’t keep you away from that!”
The girls had difficulty in keeping their secret from Miss Phillips,
but with a great deal of effort, they managed to do it. It was
fortunate, however, that there was no scout meeting before the event,
or somebody would have been sure to give the plan away. But, as it was,
she was completely surprised.
She was sitting alone at her desk writing a letter, when, as the scouts
had arranged, one of the maids knocked at her door and handed her a
box. Miss Phillips wrinkled her brows. “Who sent it?” she asked.
“Some friends who would like to come in to see you,” she answered.
“What shall I tell them?”
“I’ll be delighted, of course. Are they some of my girls?”
At this moment, the girls jumped out from around the corridor and
rushed up to Miss Phillips, congratulating her and wishing her many
happy returns of the day. While she untied the box, Ethel closed the
door, and Frances led in the parody of the song, which the girls sang
softly, but distinctly.
“Roses!” exclaimed Miss Phillips, lifting them out of the box. “My
favorite flowers!”
After the girls had seated themselves, Miss Phillips was handed her
presents. She received candy, gloves, handkerchiefs, and fancy collars.
Noticing the particular package which Marjorie had given her, she left
it till last to open.
“Just what I wanted!” she said, delighted, as she examined the camisole
closely. “Did you do all that for me?”
Marjorie nodded, and Ruth began to look after the refreshments, in
order to hide her embarrassment.
“That certainly is a pretty pattern,” continued Miss Phillips. “Why, I
believe it is the same one Ruth has been making, isn’t it?”
Ruth flushed, but answered unconcernedly, “Yes, I am making a
night-gown yoke for mother. Marjorie let me copy it.”
“Yes, I remember, that was the piece I examined for your second-class
test.”
Marjorie opened her mouth in speechless amazement. What did all this
mean? Ruth had only begun this pattern while she was at home for the
holidays--and yet she had passed the test several days before she
left! She glanced at Ruth, who was handing around the cake in a most
indifferent manner. There must be some mistake--Miss Phillips must have
forgotten.
After the girls had eaten, they sang once more the song to Miss
Phillips, and went out quietly.
When Marjorie reached her room, she asked as casually as she could, “Do
you remember when I first missed my crocheting, Lily?”
Lily tried to think. “It must have been Saturday before we went home,
Marj; for you were doing it Friday night while we were at scout
meeting. Why?”
“Oh, nothing--I just wondered. And you found it Sunday, didn’t you?”
“Yes, when we came home from church. Aren’t you glad, though? I think
Miss Phillips liked your present best of all, Marj!”
“Thank you, Lily,” said Marjorie absently. But over and over in her
mind she repeated:
“And a Girl Scout’s honor is to be trusted!”