PICKING UP THE THREADS
Ann Hicks must see the preceptress at once. That came first, and Ruth
would not go into the old dormitory until the introduction of the western
girl was accomplished.
There was a whole bevy of girls on the steps of the main building, in
which Mrs. Grace Tellingham and Dr. Tellingham lived. Nobody ever thought
of putting the queer old doctor first, although all the Briarwoods
respected the historian immensely. He was considered very, very scholarly,
although it would have been hard to find any of his histories in any
library save that of Briarwood itself.
It was understood that just now he was engaged upon a treatise relating to
the possible existence of a race before the Mound Builders in the Middle
West, and he was not to be disturbed, of course, at his work.
But when Ruth and Ann Hicks entered the big office room, there he was,
bent over huge tomes upon the work table, his spectacles awry, and his wig
pushed so far back upon his head that two hands' breadth of glistening
crown was exposed.
The fiction that Dr. Tellingham was not bald might have been kept up very
well indeed, did not the gentleman get so excited while he worked. As soon
as he became interested in his books, he proceeded to bare his high brow
to all beholders, and the wig slid toward the back of his neck.
The truth was, as Heavy Stone said, Dr. Tellingham had to remove his
collar to brush his hair--there really was so little of it.
"Dear, dear!" sputtered the historian, peering at the two girls over his
reading glasses. "You don't want me, of course?"
"Oh, no, Dr. Tellingham. This is a new girl. We wished to see Mrs.
Tellingham," Ruth assured him.
"Quite so," he said, briskly. "She is--Ah! she comes! My dear! Two of the
young ladies to see you," and instantly he was buried in his books
again--that is, buried all but his shining crown.
Mrs. Tellingham was a graceful, gray-haired lady, with a charming smile.
She trailed her black robe across the carpet and stooped to kiss Ruth
warmly, for she not only respected the junior, but had learned to love
her.
"Welcome, Miss Fielding!" she said, kindly. "I am glad to see you back.
And this is the girl I have been getting letters about--Miss Hicks?"
"Ann Hicks," responded Ruth, firmly. "That is the name she wishes to be
known by, dear Mrs. Tellingham."
"I don't know who could be writing you but Uncle Bill," said Ann Hicks,
blunderingly. "And I expect he's told you a-plenty."
"I think 'Uncle Bill' must be the most recklessly generous man in the
world, my dear," observed Mrs. Tellingham, taking and holding one of Ann's
brown hands, and looking closely at the western girl.
For a moment the new girl blushed and her own eyes shone. "You bet he is!
I--I beg pardon," she stammered. "Uncle Bill is all right."
"And Jennie Stone's Aunt Kate has been writing me about you, too. It seems
she was much interested in you when you visited their place at Lighthouse
Point."
"She's very kind," murmured the new girl.
"And Mrs. Murchiston, Helen's governess, has spoken a good word for you,"
added the preceptress.
"Why--why I didn't know so many people _cared_," stammered Ann.
"You see, you have a way of making friends unconsciously. I can see that,"
Mrs. Tellingham said, kindly. "Now, do not be discouraged. You will make
friends among the girls in just the same way. Don't mind their banter for
a while. The rough edges will soon rub off----"
"But there _are_ rough edges," admitted the western girl, hanging her
head.
"Don't mind. There are such in most girls' characters and they show up
when first they come to school. Keep cheerful. Come to me if you are in
real trouble--and stick close to Miss Fielding, here. I can't give you any
better advice than that," added Mrs. Tellingham, with a laugh.
Then she was ready to listen to Ruth's plea that the room next to The Fox
and her chums be given up to Ruth, Helen, Mercy and the new girl.
"We love our little room; but it was crowded with Mercy last half; and we
could all get along splendidly in a quartette room," said Ruth.
"All right," agreed the principal. "I'll telephone to Miss Scrimp and Miss
Picolet. Now, go and see about getting settled, young ladies. I expect
much of you this half, Ruth Fielding. As for Ann, I shall take her in hand
myself on Monday and see what classes she would best enter."
"She's fine," declared Ann Hicks, when they were outside again. "I can get
along with her. But how about the girls?"
"They'll be nice to you, too--after a bit. Of course, everybody new has to
expect some hazing. Thank your stars that you won't have to be put through
the initiation of the marble harp," and she pointed to a marble figure in
the tiny Italian garden in the middle of the campus.
When Ann wanted to know what _that_ meant, Ruth repeated the legend as all
new girls at Briarwood must learn it. But Ruth and her friends had long
since agreed that no other nervous or high-strung girl was to be hazed, as
she and Helen had been, when they first came to the Hall. So the ceremony
of the marble harp was abolished. It has been described in the former
volume of this series, "Ruth Fielding at Briarwood Hall."
The two went back to the dormitory that had become like home to Ruth. Miss
Picolet, the little French teacher, beckoned them into her study. "I must
be the good friend of your good friend, too, Miss Fielding," she said, and
shook hands warmly with Ann.
The matron of the house had already opened and aired the large room next
to that which had been so long occupied by The Fox and her chums. The
eight girls made the corridor ring with laughter and shouts while they
were getting settled. The trunks had arrived from Lumberton and Helen and
Ruth were busy decorating the big room which they were to share in the
future with the lame girl and Ann Hicks.
There were two wide beds in it; but each girl had her own dressing case
and her locker and closet There were four windows and two study tables.
It was a delightful place, they all agreed.
"Hush! tell it not in Gath; whisper it not in Ascalon!" hissed The Fox,
peering into the room. "You girls have the best there is. It's lots bigger
than our quartette----"
"Oh, I don't think so. Only a 'teeny' bit larger," responded Ruth,
quickly.
"Then it's Heavy that takes up so much space in our room. She dwarfs
everything. However," said the red-haired girl, "you can have lots more
fun in here. Shove back everything against one wall, roll up the rugs, and
then we can dance."
"And have Picolet after us in a hurry," observed Helen, laughing.
"Barefoot dancing is still in vogue," retorted The Fox. "Helen can play
her violin."
"After retiring bell? No, thanks!" exclaimed Ruth's chum. "I am to stand
better in my classes this half than last spring or Monsieur Pa-_pa_ will
have something to say to me. He doesn't often preach; but that
black-haired brother of mine did better last term than I did. Can't have
that."
"They're awfully strict with the boys over at Seven Oaks," sighed Heavy,
who was chewing industriously as she talked, sitting cross-legged on the
floor.
"What are you eating, Heavy?" demanded Belle, suddenly.
"Some of those doughnut holes, I bet!" giggled Lluella. "They must be
awful filling, Heavy."
"Nothing _is_ filling," replied the stout girl. "Just think, almost the
whole universe is filled with just atmosphere--and your head, Lluella."
"That's not pretty, dear," remarked The Fox, pinching Heavy. "Don't be
nasty to your playmates."
"Well, I've got to eat," groaned Heavy. "If you knew how long it seemed
from luncheon to supper time----"
Despite all Ruth Fielding could do, the girl from Silver Ranch felt
herself a good deal out of this nonsense and joviality. Ann could not talk
the way these girls did. She felt serious when she contemplated her future
in the school.
"I'd--I'd run away if it wasn't for Uncle Bill," she whispered to herself,
looking out of the window at the hundreds of girls parading the walks
about the campus.
Almost every two girls seemed chums. They walked with their arms about
each other's waists, and chattered like magpies. Ann Hicks wanted to run
and hide somewhere, for she was more lonely now than she had ever been
when wandering about the far-reaching range on the Montana ranch!