CHAPTER XIX--The Tennis Games
Christmas came, and with it the joys of long holidays and home. TheTwins had a particularly good time, for Auntie Mogs, Mrs. Ladd, and Mrs.Hillis all entertained for them, and Mr. Keith, Donald's father, gavethem a marvelous party.
They found Chuck very much changed and inclined to be superior, but itwas not long before he was back on his old footing with the Twins,showing a marked preference as always for Phyllis.
The last four days of the vacation were spent at Major Harrison's, Ann'suncle, who had surpassed all expectations by inviting Gladys and Prue,the Twins, and Daphne and Sally to stay with his niece for the entirethree weeks.
They had all accepted for the last four days, and glorious days they hadbeen. There were horses to ride, dogs to play with, and for Janet thelibrary of her dreams.
Major Harrison, a taciturn old gentleman, had been very gruff at first,but towards the end of their visit he had sought out theircompanionship, and seemed to enjoy their good times as much as they did.
Janet was his especial pet. He rode with her, and together they visitedthe kennels each morning; and when Janet showed her skill in caring fora sick puppy, he had been so pleased that he had given the littlebrown-and-white ball to her. She had accepted the gift delightedly, butit was understood that the dog should stay at Glenside, for her own Boruwould not welcome a rival in New York, and she could not keep him atHilltop.
They had great fun at the christening, when the puppy was duly namedJanet and recorded in the club annals.
After Christmas came the long term at school. But Easter was early, andthanks to the beautiful weather that came soon after the first of theyear, the girls did not feel the usual mid-year strain.
When this chapter opens, Spring was in full sway at Hilltop. The greatbushes of lilac that fringed the lawn were ready to blossom, andeverywhere spring flowers added their brilliance to the deep blue andwhite of the sky.
Sports Week was in progress. Basket Ball Day had come and gone, leavinga victory to the new wing. The relay races had been run the day before,another victory for them.
Only Archery and Tennis remained, and unless the old wing won both theywould be beaten at sports.
"I don't care as much about tennis as I do about archery," called Sallyas they dressed that morning. All the doors were open and the remarksfloated from room to room.
"Oh, I do, as a point, if nothing else," Ann called back from the end ofthe hall.
"Do me up, somebody," she added, as she struggled with a refractorybutton at the back of her white linen dress.
"If the new wing wins points in sports this year, I am not coming back,"Gladys announced. "Here, Ann, turn 'round and stand still, I'll do youup. Think how awful it would be to have the Red Twins gloating all nextterm," she added. "I simply couldn't stand it."
"Who plays them in the finals in doubles?" Prue asked.
"We do," Phyllis answered. "We played off yesterday, and, and of coursethey had to beat Poppy and Helen."
"Cheeky of them, I call it," Gladys commented.
"Oh, well, if you are up against them, we don't need to worry. How'syour game?" Prue had never held a racket in her hand, but she alwaysspoke in tennis terms.
"Very bad, thank you, Prue," Janet informed her. "I twisted my wristyesterday, playing against Kitty and Louise, and Phyl hurt her foot."
"I suppose the Red Twins are in high feather then. How they love anadvantage!" Sally said crossly.
"Well, they don't happen to know about this one?" Janet replied. "I havekept mighty still about it. My hand goes behind my back when I see anyof the faculty, so they won't notice the adhesive plaster on my wrist."
"Is it as bad a sprain as that?" Daphne inquired.
"Yes, it's terrifically painful," Janet replied. "I can't see how I amgoing to manage," she added in a much louder voice than was necessary tocarry across the hall.
"Who was that?" Gladys exclaimed suddenly. She was dressing in thecorridor as well as in her own room.
Janet went to her door, and stood smiling after a retreating figure thatwas hurrying softly down the stairs.
"Hush, Glad, don't spoil my party," she said laughing. "That was EthelRivers, over scouting for the Red Twins. I saw her reflection in mymirror, so I gave her what news I could."
"But why tell her how sore your arm is? The Red Twins will gloat," Prueprotested.
"Wait and see," Janet replied.
And the Red Twins did gloat. They even asked the Twins if they wouldlike a handicap. Janet did the refusing in such a way, that it left themperfectly sure that she would have gladly taken it, had it beenpossible.
"What are you up to, Janet dear?" demanded Daphne, who had heard theconversation.
"A rather mean trick, Taffy," Janet admitted, "but I can't help it. Theyare so funny when they are sure of themselves. Do look at Maycondescending to Phyl. On my word I do believe she is giving herpoints."
Daphne took her by the shoulders and shook her. "Jan, tell me the truth.How much of a chance have the Red Twins?" she demanded.
"Not a chance in the world," Janet replied calmly.
And Daphne went back to the eager group of girls who were crowding forplaces near the court, and smiled her sweet dreamy smile in response toall the new wing girls' boasts.
The match began. Gwen and Stella Richardson played off the finals insingles, and after a hard fought fight, Gwen won.
"She has a back hand stroke that is a perfect whiz," Phyllis exclaimedadmiringly. "Wish I could get it!"
"Oh, well played, Gwen, well played!" Janet called as flushed buttriumphant Gwen left the court.
"Well fought!" Sally called as Stella followed her. She was smilingbroadly.
"I'd hate to be beaten by any other girl, but it's a positive honor tobe beaten by Gwen," she said good-naturedly.
"All right, you girls, already for the finals in doubles." Gwen blew hersilver whistle. She was once more captain of sports.
The two sets of twins took their places.
"Awfully sorry about your arm!" Bess said with patronizing kindness asshe passed Janet.
Janet nodded her thanks. Her arm did hurt, in spite of the way she hadjoked about it, and she could not help thinking of the Archery contestnext day. She looked ruefully at her bandaged wrist as she took herplace.
The Red Twins served first. Bess sent a tricky drop to Phyllis but herracket was waiting for it and she sent it back, just dribbling it overthe net.
The old wing shouted with delight, and Bess stormed.
"Why don't you stand into the net? You know that's one of her tricks,"she said angrily.
"Oh, keep still," May muttered.
"Love--15," Gwen called.
With more feeling of assurance, Bess served again. This time to Janet.She chanced the first ball and tried a new cut. It fell the wrong sideof the net, but she tossed up the second undaunted.
Janet ran forward to meet it, and sent it back easily, to the extremeright hand corner of the court.
"Oh, pretty place!" Sally applauded from the side lines.
The Red Twins lost the first game of their serve and the second fellbefore Phyllis' smashing delivery. They won the third and fourth.
The twins had an easy time with the fifth and sixth. Bess and May werequarreling so that they were easy victims before Phyllis and Janet'sperfect team-work.
After the first set, the result of the match was a certainty. Theystopped after the fourth game and were received with salvos of applause.
Janet swayed a little as she walked off the court. Her wrist was sendingblinding pains up her arm and she could not wait to tear off the stripof adhesive plaster that bound it so cruelly.
Sally and Daphne noticed her pallor and went to her.
"Get me a drink, will you, Taffy?" Janet said, weakly sitting down onthe bench in a sudden fit of awful weakness.
She pulled off the bandage and disclosed an angry red swelling.
"Oh, Jane, and we thought your wrist was all a
joke!" Sally exclaimed."How awful, and archery--"
"Don't," Janet said swiftly. "If you remind me of it, I'll weep."
Phyllis meanwhile was talking to the Red Twins.
"I can't see why we lost," Bess said stubbornly. "We are better playersthan you are, and you know it."
_She pulled off the bandage and disclosed an angry redswelling_]
"Of course you are," Phyllis agreed, "much better, but you have nonotion of team-work. You both want to do it all, and get all the credit.I can't see why you are twins. The way Jan and I feel, it amounts to thesame thing, as long as _we_ do it. That's because we are twins, Isuppose."
"Well, it's because _we_ are twins that we can't get along together,"May explained. "We don't want the other one to get ahead, and it'snatural that we shouldn't," she added in justification.
"It's not natural," Phyllis contradicted; "and let me tell you this,until you learn to work together, you will never be any earthly good toeach other or to Hilltop."
Having given them this little thought to think over during the summer,Phyllis turned her back on them and went over to Janet.
CHAPTER XX--The Dramatic Club
Archery Day was a dismal one for Janet. She had to give up her place toGladys, for her arm was so swollen that she could not even string herbow.
The old wing won, however, and it was Sally who had her name engraved onthe cup as the winner of the highest score.
It was an exciting day, but the most thrilling thing happened in theevening. All preparations had been made for the play to be given on thenight before Commencement. The Dramatic Club had decided on _Romeo andJuliet_. Daphne was to play Juliet, and Poppy Romeo.
Phyllis had a small part as one of Romeo's friends. Rehearsals had beengoing on for the past month, and the cast felt that they were wordperfect in their parts at least.
Then the night before the performance Poppy fell down stairs. She cuther face and bruised her shoulders and was carried unconscious to theinfirmary.
The Twins and Sally and Daphne heard the news in horrified silence.
"Who will play Romeo?" Daphne demanded.
The question was settled for them by Helen Jenkins. She knocked on thedoor and strode in in her usual business-like way.
She saw by their faces that they knew the news, so she went straight tothe point.
"It's the worst possible thing that could have happened," she saiddecidedly; and then without a word of warning, added, "Phyllis, _you_will have to play Romeo."
"I play Romeo--"
"Phyl!"
"How wonderful!"
"But it's tomorrow," were some of the exclamations that greeted Helen'snews.
"Well, can you, or can't you?" Helen demanded. "I must hurry back to theInfirmary, and put Poppy's mind at rest. She is making herself sicker byworrying."
"Of course I'll do it," Phyllis answered promptly though her kneestrembled beneath her.
"Good girl!"
"Tell Poppy that I will do my best, and now everybody please get out,I've got to study lines."
"Don't worry about lines," Janet said quietly.
"But why not?"
"Because I know the whole play backwards and frontwards, and I will sitin the wings and follow you with every letter," Janet promised.
Phyllis's face relaxed. "Then that's all right," she said. "I'll brushup on them, for I know them myself, of course, only I'm not sure of thecues."
"I'll give you those."
Sally and Daphne paused at the door.
"Call me when you want to go over it with me," Daphne said. "And oh,Phyl! I didn't like to say it before Helen, but I am so thrilled that Idon't know what to do."
"Taffy, you're a darling," Phyllis replied. "I'll probably spoil allyour nice scenes, too."
"Oh, no you won't," Sally returned decidedly.
"How do you know?" Phyllis asked laughing.
"Aunt Jane's Poll-parrot told me," Sally replied as the door closed onthem.
It was a busy twenty-four hours that followed. Janet stayed with Phyllisevery minute and gave her of her own courage.
The dress rehearsal was a decided failure, but the old girls were not atall alarmed.
"I'm hopeless," Phyllis protested.
"You are not," Janet denied hotly.
"How do you feel, honey?" Poppy inquired. She was downstairs, but a sadsight indeed, with her face covered with little pieces of gauze slappedon with bits of adhesive plaster.
"Terrified, Poppy," Phyllis admitted.
"That's just right. I wouldn't have you sure of yourself for a second,"Poppy comforted.
"Oh, dear, I must go and study some more," Phyllis sighed.
"You are to do nothing of the kind. You are to go out and take a walk,and then come in and have a nice nap."
Phyllis laughed at the idea, but Poppy, with the aid of Sally and Janetwon her point, and with Daphne, nearly as frightened as Phyllis, theywent for a long walk.
When they got back they were glad enough for a little nap.
At last the evening came, and with it all the attendant excitement of aperformance. The old girls were as calm as they could be. They were usedto it, but poor Daphne and Phyllis!
They felt the difference in their ages and class, and were conscious ofa tiny feeling of resentment, not in the girls of the Dramatic Club, butin some of the Juniors who had not been elected.
The curtain rose on time, at exactly eight o'clock. The setting wascharming and Phyllis, sure of Janet's support, accredited herself well.
The ballroom was filled with strange faces, for there were lots ofguests, and after the first terrified glance at them, Phyllis kept hereyes on the stage.
By the time the balcony scene came, she was almost calm, and her voicefloated clear and mellow as she began--
"He jests at scars who never felt a wound--"
Daphne was a beautiful Juliet, with her soft hair bound down by a filletof pearls. When she leaned from her balcony to ask--
"What man art thou, who thus bescreened in night so stumbleth on my council?"
The guests caught their breaths from sheer wonder.
Phyllis, perhaps under the witchery of Daphne's smile, forgot herself-consciousness, and threw herself into the part with the result thatshe wooed her Juliet with all the ardor of old Verona.
It was a triumph for the Dramatic Club, but for Daphne and Phyllis inparticular. They went to their rooms that night with their pretty headsbuzzing with all the flattery they had received. But, like the sensiblechildren that they were, they soon dismissed it as unimportant.
"Aren't you the happiest person in the whole world?" Janet demanded."You ought to be."
Phyllis shook her head. "No, I can't be perfectly happy, for every oncein a while I remember that this is our last night, and then I couldweep."
"I know, Taffy said the same thing," Janet agreed. "But, Phyl, think ofnext year. We'll be old girls then."
Phyllis gave a happy little sigh and snuggled into her pillow.
"Phyl," Janet whispered after a minute, "I--I'm awfully proud of you."
Phyllis leaned over and kissed her.
"There!" she said, "that's the only compliment I have wanted allevening, and I didn't think I was going to get it."
They fell asleep almost simultaneously, and the spirit of Hilltopwatched their slumbers, equally proud of them both.
CHAPTER XXI--And Last
The twins stood in the Hall waiting for their carriage to come for them.Sally and Daphne were with them.
"Aunt Jane's Poll-parrot, how I hate to go!" Sally exclaimed.
"Hasn't it been a simply perfect year?" Phyllis agreed.
The rest nodded.
"But next year will be even perfecter," Daphne said happily.
"We didn't make such a bad record," Sally remarked contentedly, knowingfull well that no Sophomore class had ever done as much.
Their eyes traveled to the mantel. The big tennis cup bore Gwen's name,and under it "The Page Twins." Sall
y's name glittered from the smoothsurface of the Archery cup, and on the Dramatic Club's, Phyllis andDaphne's names stood out.
"How about this summer?" Janet inquired. "You are both surely coming toOld Chester for July aren't you?"
"We are," Sally and Daphne replied together.
The carriages arrived at that moment, and singing and cheering Hilltop,all the school drove off down the long hill, leaving the white housethat crowned it a little forlorn in the drowsy sunshine.
THE END
The Twins in the South Page 19