CHAPTER VIII
"WHITE WITCHES"
For a moment both Anna and Luretta looked at Melvina a littledoubtfully, for they could but remember and be ashamed of their part inthe foolish game they had tried to play with her so short a time ago.But Melvina was smiling and friendly, and evidently had cherished noill-feeling toward them. By the time she had replied to Mrs. Foster'sfriendly inquiries in regard to her mother, Anna and Luretta were quiteat their ease; and Luretta said to herself that she did not wonder Annawanted to be like Melvina. Luretta even began to wonder if it would notbe well for her to learn to speak as softly as did Melvina Lyon; itcertainly had a pleasant sound, she thought admiringly.
"I must return home," said Mrs. Foster, "but Melvina's father willexpect her to wait here for him; so, Luretta, you and Anna may stay withher until he comes. Here is a clean log where you can sit comfortably,and do not go far from this spot."
The little girls promised, and Mrs. Foster started for home. Hardly hadshe turned her back when Melvina clasped Anna by the hand, andexclaimed: "Now you can tell me more about the woods, and the littleanimals who live in hollow logs or burrow under rocks, and about thedifferent birds and their nests! Oh, begin quickly, for my father maysoon return," and she drew Anna toward the big log that lay near thepath.
"Tell her about our rabbits, Danna," suggested Luretta. "My brother Paulbrought me two little gray rabbits from the forest," she explained; andMelvina listened eagerly to the description of Trit and Trot, and oftheir cunning ways and bright eyes, and was told that they had alreadylost their fear of Luretta and Anna.
"I wish I could see them. I have never seen any little animals exceptkittens," said Melvina. It seemed to Melvina that Anna and Luretta werevery fortunate children. They could run about in old clothes, play onthe shore and among the piles of lumber, and they knew many strange andinteresting things about the creatures of the forest which she hadnever before heard. The long lessons that she had to learn each morning,the stint of neat stitches that she had to set each day, and theceremonious visits now and then, when she always had to take herknitting, and was cautioned by her anxious mother to "remember that shewas a minister's daughter, and behave properly, and set a goodexample"--all these things flitted through Melvina's thoughts astiresome tasks that she would like to escape, and be free as Anna seemedto be.
"Mayn't I bring the rabbits down here for Melvina to see?" asked Anna."The box would not be very heavy."
But Luretta had objections to this plan. Her brother had told her not tomove the box from the sunny corner near the shed; and, beside this, shewas sure it was too heavy for Anna to lift. "If you should let it fallthey might get out and run away," she concluded. Then, noticing Anna'slook of disappointment, she added: "I know what you may do, Danna. Youand Melvina may go up and see the rabbits, and I will wait here forParson Lyon and tell him where Melvina is, and that we will see hersafely home; and then I will hurry after you."
"Oh! Yes, indeed; that is a splendid plan," said Melvina eagerly,jumping up from the log. "Let us go now, Anna. And is not Luretta kindto think of it?"
Anna agreed rather soberly. Mrs. Foster had told them to remain near thelog, she remembered, but if Melvina saw no harm in Luretta's plan shewas sure it must be right; so taking Melvina's hand they started off.
"Let's run, Anna," urged Melvina; for Anna was walking sedately, in themanner in which she had so often seen Melvina come down the path, andshe was a little surprised that her companion had not at once noticedit. But Anna was always ready to run, and replied quickly: "Let's race,and see who can get to the blacksmith shop first."
Away went the two little girls, Melvina's long braids dancing about, andher starched skirts blown back as she raced along; and, greatly toAnna's surprise, Melvina passed her and was first at the shop.
"I beat! I beat!" exclaimed Melvina, her dark eyes shining and her faceflushed with the unwonted exercise.
"You do everything best," Anna declared generously, "but I did not knowthat you could run so fast."
"Neither did I," Melvina acknowledged laughingly. Anna felt a littlepuzzled by this sudden change in Melvina, which was far more noticeablethan Anna's own effort to give up her boyish ways and become a quiet,sedate little girl. For ever since the few hours of freedom on theshore, on the day of the tempest, Melvina had endeavored to be as muchlike Anna as possible. She ran, instead of walking slowly, whenever shewas out of her mother's sight. She had even neglected her lessons to goout-of-doors and watch a family of young robins one morning, and hadbeen immediately called in by her surprised mother. In fact, Melvina hadtried in every way to do things that she imagined Anna liked to do. Shehad even besought her mother to cut off her hair; but, as she dared notgive her reason for such a wish, Mrs. Lyon had reproved her sharply,saying that it was a great misfortune for a little girl not to havesmoothly braided hair, or long curls. So while Anna endeavored to coverher pretty curly hair, to behave sedately, and give up many of heroutdoor games, in order to be like Melvina, Melvina was wishing thatshe could be exactly like Anna; and as they stood looking at each otherat the end of their race each little girl noticed a change in the otherwhich she could not understand, and they started off toward Luretta'shome at a more sober pace.
"Here they are," said Anna, as they came to the corner of the shed andsaw the rabbits looking out at them between the slats of the box.
Melvina kneeled down close to the box and exclaimed admiringly as Tritand Trot scurried away to the farthest corner.
"I do wish I could touch one! Would it not be fun to dress them up likedolls!" she said. "If they were mine I would dress them up in bonnetsand skirts, and teach them to bow. Oh, Anna! Can't we take one out? Oneof them is yours, Luretta said so; let us take out your rabbit, Anna."
"But we haven't anything to dress it up in," said Anna, beginning tothink that Melvina was a good deal like other little girls after all.
"Could we not take your rabbit over to my house, Anna? My mother hasgone to Mrs. Burnham's to spend the day, and we could take Trot up to myroom and dress her up and play games. Do, Anna!" urged Melvina.
"It would be great sport indeed," agreed Anna eagerly; "we could callTrot by some fine name, like Queen Elizabeth, and have your dolls forvisitors."
"Yes, yes, we could! Or play Trot was a lion that we had captured inAfrica. Where is the door to the box, Anna?" and Melvina's dark eyesshone more brightly than ever as Anna slid back the little door thatPaul had so carefully made, and, after several vain efforts, finallysecured one of the rabbits and quickly wrapped it in the skirt of herdress.
"Shut the door, Melvina! Quick! or the other will run out," she said,but although Melvina hastened to obey she was only just in time to catchthe second rabbit in her hands; an instant later and it would havescampered away free.
"Put your skirt around it. Hurry, and let's run. Mrs. Foster is coming,"whispered Anna, and the two little girls ran swiftly behind the shed,holding the trembling frightened rabbits, and then across the fieldstoward Mr. Lyon's house. Not until they reached the back door of theparsonage did either of them remember Luretta, and then it was Anna whoexclaimed:
"But what will Luretta think when she comes home and does not find us,and sees the empty box?"
"She won't go home for a long time; we will be back and the rabbits safein their box by that time," declared Melvina. "We will go up the backstairs, Anna; and we need not be quiet, for London has gone fishing. Wewill have a fine time! Oh, Anna, I am so glad you stopped me that daywhen we went wading, for now we are friends," she continued, leading theway up-stairs.
"But I was horrid, Melvina," Anna said, recalling her efforts to makeMelvina appear silly and ignorant so that Luretta would scorn her.
"No, indeed, you were not," responded Melvina. "When we played on theshore you made me laugh and run. I never played like that before."
"Well, I think you are real good," said Anna humbly, as she followedMelvina into a pleasan
t sunny chamber. "Most girls would have been angrywhen their fine clothes were spoiled; and you were punished too, and Iwas not;" and Anna looked at Melvina admiringly, thinking to herselfthat she would do anything that Melvina could ask to make up to her forthat undeserved punishment.
"You will have to hold both the rabbits while I get my dolls," saidMelvina; and Anna's attention was fully occupied in keeping the twolittle creatures safe and quiet in the folds of her skirt, which sheheld together bag fashion, while Melvina drew a large box from thecloset and took out three fine dolls.
Anna gazed at the dolls admiringly. Each one wore a gown of blue silk,and little shirred bonnets to match. Melvina explained that they, thedolls, all wanted to dress just alike.
"We will put these on Trit and Trot," she said, drawing out two whiteskirts from her collection of doll clothes. "And see these little whitebonnets!" and she held up two tiny round bonnets of white muslin; "thesewill be just the thing."
The rabbits submitted to being dressed. Both the girls were very gentlewith them, and gradually the little creatures grew less frightened.Neither Anna nor Melvina had ever had such delightful playthings before.The rabbits were Queen Elizabeth and Lady Washington, and the dollscame to bow low before them. The time passed very rapidly, and not untilLondon was seen coming toward the house to prepare the noonday meal didthe little girls give another thought to Luretta. Melvina, glancing fromthe window, saw London coming up the path with his basket of fish. Shewas holding Lady Washington, and for a second her clasp was less firm,and that was enough. With a leap the rabbit was through the open window,the white skirt fluttering about it. Anna, starting up in surprise, letgo Queen Elizabeth, who followed Lady Washington through the window soclosely that it was small wonder that London dropped his basket of fishand ran back a few steps with a loud cry. After a few scrambling leapsthe rabbits disappeared, and London, trembling with fright, for hebelieved that the strange leaping creatures dressed in white must besome sort of evil witches, picked up his basket, and shaking his headand muttering to himself, came slowly toward the house.
"And there comes my father, and Luretta is with him," exclaimed Melvina."What shall we do, Anna? And what will Luretta say when we tell herabout the rabbits? Come, we must be at the front door when they gethere, or my father will fear I am lost."
Mr. Lyon smiled as he saw his little girl standing in the doorway, andhis troubled look vanished. But Luretta looked flushed and angry. Allthe morning she had been sitting on the log waiting for Mr. Lyon, andwhen he came at last she had hurried home only to find that her motherhad not seen either of the girls, and Luretta had run after Mr. Lyon totell him this, and accompanied him to the door.
"I will walk home with Luretta," Anna said with unusual meekness.Melvina watched them go, a little frightened at the end of the morning'sfun. She did not know what they could say to Luretta to explain theirmischief. At that moment London came into the front entry.
"I'se seen strange sights this mornin', massa!" he said, rolling hiseyes. "I'se seen white witches flyin' out ob dis house."
"London! Do not talk of such wickedness," said Mr. Lyon sharply. "Evenyour little mistress is amused at such absurd talk," for Melvina,knowing what London had seen, was laughing heartily. But London, shakinghis head solemnly, went back to the kitchen, sure that he had seen astrange and awful sight, and resolved to speak to Mr. Lyon again of thematter.
"Well, Danna Weston! You can't have one of my rabbits now, aftertreating me this way," said Luretta. "And I am not going to walk homewith you, either," and she ran swiftly ahead.
Anna did not hurry after her, as Luretta hoped and expected. She beganto feel very unhappy. Trit and Trot were gone, and who could tell butthe skirts and bonnets might not strangle them? Then, suddenly, sheremembered that Rebecca was at home ill, and that she had entirelyforgotten her, and the young checkerberry leaves she had intendedpicking for her sister. She put the thought that it was all Melvina'sfault out of her mind. Even if it were, had not she, Anna, led Melvinainto a more serious trouble on the day of the tempest? She resolved thatshe would take all the blame of the lost rabbits, that Melvina shouldnot even be questioned about them if she could help it. But it was avery sober little girl who went up the path toward home.
A Little Maid of Old Maine Page 9