Six Girls and the Tea Room

by Marion Ames Taggart

  CHAPTER V

  "THE HANDSOME MISS ANGELA KEY-STONE"

  ELSIE BARKER'S party was a source of discomfort all around.

  Gretta found out the reason why none of the Scollards accepted theinvitation which at first had given Happie so much pleasure, and wasdistressed. She would not have gone for anything, she protested, thenwhy should Happie be a martyr to Elsie's refusal to invite the countrygirl?

  Laura was sulky because she was kept from a party. She had opportunityfor too few parties at best. Happie herself was uncomfortable becauseshe had found one of her "three E's" behaving with what she consideredunkind snobbishness, and also because her old friendly relations withElsie were impaired.

  The holiday week dragged. It rained and was warm, for one thing, andthat unkeys people for the Christmas enjoyment. For another, attendanceat the tea room was a daily necessity, but hardly any one visited it,and the days were long for the three on duty. They were not always thesame three, for Margery, Gretta and Happie took turns in going andstaying at home, and sometimes it was Laura and sometimes Polly whoaccompanied the older two whose day in the tea room it was.

  On New Year's afternoon Happie slipped down to the Charlefords' for anhour or so, to hear about Elsie's party of the night before and to talkover her difference with Elsie. Edith Charleford was always a comfort,not to mention her mother, if "Auntie Cam" were available.

  Happie ran up the wide, padded stairs to Edith's room when the maidadmitted her. She found her beginning the New Year with a Christmasbook, yet unread, in her hand, a box of candy open at her side, andher kimono-clad form stretched luxuriously across the foot of the bed,padded around with down pillows of all sizes and cover shades.

  Edith hailed Happie joyously; the three E's had mourned over the rarityof their glimpses of Happie Scollard, and Edith pounced on her at onceas if she were afraid of her escaping now that she had come.

  "Happy New Year!" "Happy New Year," they cried together, and Edithtugged at Happie's coat buttons with one hand as she tried to take offher hat with the other.

  "Now, Edith, wait! I came to stay a while," Happie protested,protecting her hair from being forcibly removed with the hat pins. "Iwant to hear all about the party, and talk to you when you're through."

  "It was a nice party to begin with," said Edith, passing the candy boxto Happie established in the low rocker. "Here, take some; no, take alot, then I can lie down and talk, as I love to."

  "Yes, and have them melt all over my hands while I listen! Put some inthe cover where I can reach them, if you must loaf," returned Happie."Now! Many there?"

  "Fifty, about," said Edith. "But Elsie was short of boys. It was alucky thing it was a frolic, games and those things, not dancing, forthen it would have mattered more. We did all sorts of pleasant tricks,most of them borrowed from Twelfth Night customs. I had a good time. Wewere grouped for a tableau when midnight struck. It was cleverly done.We had been marching to music, and fell into positions at the soundof chords. But there weren't enough boys to set off the girls' prettygowns."

  "Elsie wanted to meet the Gordons, so she could ask them, and therewould have been Bob," observed Happie.

  "Elsie told me about it," said Edith with a quiet smile. "I wasdreadfully disappointed not to have you all there,--it's so long sincewe had anything with the Scollards in it, but you did right. I toldElsie I thought you were right. You couldn't possibly have accepted aninvitation that slighted a guest, and we all understood that you hadtaken this Gretta for your friend, not as a charity girl. And it reallyseemed like that for Elsie to refuse to ask her. There are alwaysplenty of ways of dropping an acquaintance, if you don't want to keepit up, but, as I told Elsie, we could trust you not to like a girl wewouldn't like."

  "Oh, Edith, you duck!" cried Happie. "I haven't been one bit a happyHappie this week. I know I acted right, but I'm not very sure I wasperfectly amiable on Christmas afternoon to Elsie. She has a rightto choose her acquaintances, as mother says, but I do hate, _hate_anything like airs! I knew you'd ask Gretta to your party, but theworst of it is I told Elsie the Charlefords could afford to ask anyone."

  "Oh, Happie!" Edith remonstrated. "But of course you wouldn't have saidthat if you hadn't been irritated. Still, do you know I think it isnice to be sure your finish won't rub off! It is such fun to see youwith Elsie! She's so very rich, and you're so perfectly unconscious ofloss of money, and being poor--it's lovely!" Edith paused to laugh."That comes of having such a fine lady for a mother as Auntie CharlotteScollard."

  "Or Auntie Camilla Charleford!" added Happie. "Listen to me, Edith!Couldn't we get Elsie to meet Gretta without her knowing it is Gretta?She's the handsomest girl you ever saw; dress her in fine clothes andshe'd be such a beauty as you read about--Beatrix Esmond, or some onelike that."

  "I'd love it!" cried Edith with a fervor that betrayed her own pastencounters with Elsie's airiness. "But--forgive me, Happie--wouldn'tGretta talk differently? Being country bred, and not having had achance, as you wrote us----?" Edith paused suggestively.

  "She might, if she had to talk a lot, or got excited," said Happiehonestly. "But Gretta is clever, and she has tried hard to catch ideas.I don't think you'd find her tripping. She can act wonderfully, ifonly she will let herself go. We dressed up ridiculously once in thecountry and visited the school, and even the girl who was teachingdidn't discover Gretta, though she knew her well--perhaps I wrote youabout it. Oh, Edith, do listen to me!" she instantly cried, arrestingherself in the tale of the masquerade at the school. Edith was alreadylistening, so Happie proceeded: "Mother said I might give a party, atheatre party or something to all of you girls some night in the tearoom. We never had room to ask you all to the Patty-Pans. But supposeI do this: suppose I hire a three-seated sleigh, if this snow that isbeginning to fall amounts to anything, and ask you and Eleanor andElsie for a drive in the park. Maybe Auntie Cam would go as chaperon;mamma can't. Do you suppose she would? And suppose we get up Grettain all the fine things we can borrow, beg or steal, and introduce herto Elsie as a friend of yours from--say, well, Baltimore. That soundsanciently settled and F. F. V-ified! And then we'll let Gretta drive!She can drive better than almost any one. And she would look toosplendid for anything handling a pair of horses, with dark plumes anda big hat, and furs, and we wouldn't tell Elsie a word about it until aweek afterwards. I know she'd be fearfully impressed with the swellnessof your friend! You wouldn't be afraid, would you?"

  "Of a pair of horses in long plumes, big hat and furs? Well, I mightbe," laughed Edith sitting up, her eyes sparkling with the fun of thething in prospect. "But you'd better believe I'll do it! It would bemore fun than all the theatres in New York! I'm sure mother will sayyes, and go with us, too; you know she's a few years younger than I am!But, now you listen to me, Happie dear! All this is going to be veryexpensive----"

  "Edith, I won't listen! We are rather rich, for us, and motherums sayswe girls have a right to use a little money for pleasure. This won'tcost more than a theatre party, or a party in the tea room," criedHappie.

  "Yes, but Happie! Take our horses, and hire the three-seated sleighonly," said Edith. "Don't you see it will seem much more like Gretta'sbeing our guest, if we use our horses? And besides, it's safer. Yes,honest! Our horses are young and sprightly, but they're not tricky, andif Gretta were to drive it would be better to feel we knew the horsesthan to risk getting steady ones from a livery stable. It isn't onlyone's own horses that make trouble in the park; it may be some oneelse's quite as likely, and it's everything to know your own horseswill behave if another cuts up. I'm sure mamma will want us to use ourhorses, so make up your mind to giving in on that point, Happie."

  "Well," assented Happie reluctantly. "Is Auntie Cam at home? Could wefind out about it now, Edith?"

  "Yes, if you'll wait till I get into a gown. We have people stayinghere, and I don't want to trail around the hall in my kimono," saidEdith, beginning to divest herself of her wrapper as she spoke.

&
nbsp; Mrs. Charleford threw herself into the plan with all her heart. WhenHappie started for home it was settled that, with Mrs. Scollard'sconsent, and if the sleighing came, and above all if Gretta could bepersuaded to regard the plan as a frolic and to do her best to carry itout, there was to be a sleighing party in the park to introduce Elsieto Edith's friend, "Miss Angela Key-Stone of Baltimore," who was suchan accomplished horsewoman that she drove the party.

  Gretta's to-be assumed name was an inspiration of Happie's: _Angela_from her own sur-name, Engel; _Key-Stone_, after her native state.

  "And the hyphen gives it the last touch of magnificence!" cried Happiegleefully, looking back from the foot of the steps to wave anothergood-night to Edith at the top, and to wish her again: "A Happy NewYear!"

  At first Gretta rebelled against the plan, but gradually, seeing thatHappie's heart was set on it, she yielded, and at last threw herselfinto it with as keen a sense of the fun of the thing as Happie andEdith felt. In the first place it would have been difficult not toenjoy the exceedingly fine feathers in which this young bird--"youngjay-bird," Gretta called it--was to be arrayed.

  Mrs. Charleford had much beautiful clothing and put it all at thegirls' service. A long coat of finest broadcloth, a great hat withsix heavy drooping ostrich plumes, the softest and richest of furs,turned Gretta into the beauty Happie had promised Edith, and not onlyinto the beauty, but into the elegant young creature who is rarer. ForGretta's perfect muscles, free carriage and tall figure gave her anair that needed but the fine garments to emphasize it into positivestyle. Happie was in raptures to find Gretta making friends of theCharlefords, mother and daughter, both of whom liked her as well asHappie wanted them to.

  There lacked but the snow, and this came, came abundantly, and allNew York which could get on any sort of runners, seemed to turn outfor gala-day to enjoy the sleighing which was not too common in theseaboard city.

  When Elsie was invited--by Edith, to preserve the illusion of "MissKey-Stone's" being her guest--she asked if she might ride with theparty, instead of driving in the sleigh. She had a new saddle horse,given her that Christmas, and nothing could tempt her to forego hisglossy back. It rather spoiled the plan to have Elsie ride insteadof sitting up beside the competent "Miss Key-Stone," as Happie andEdith had intended her to do, but on the other hand it allowed Margeryto be of the party, which did away with Happie's one drawback to herpleasure. In any case there was no alternative, for Elsie insisted onriding her new "Trump." And in the end this choice of Elsie's gaveGretta the opportunity to do more than play at being the heroine of theoccasion.

  At half past two the sleigh was driven up to the Charleford door, theCharleford perfectly matched young horses, gayly proud under theirplumes, pawing before it.

  Elsie dismissed the groom who had accompanied her, and took her placebeside the big sleigh. Mrs. Charleford and Margery came down the steps,Edith, Eleanor and Happie, and behind them a tall girl in long coat,splendid furs, her dark, handsome face brilliantly lighted by the richcolor in her cheeks, her dark hair swept and shaded by her many longplumes. She was drawing on her gauntlet gloves. She came slowly, withgreat dignity, and glanced at Elsie with an indifference that, coupledwith her remarkable beauty, made that young lady long to know sowonderful a princess.

  "Angela, dear, pardon the difficulties of a mounted introduction," saidEdith. "This is my friend, Miss Elsie Barker; Miss Angela Key-Stone,Elsie. Now, Angela, if you are still quite sure it won't bore you todrive, we will start."

  "There's no pleasure like driving," said "Miss Key-Stone," steppinginto the front seat and taking the reins from the coachman, whorelinquished them with a touch of his hat. "Yours is a good horse, MissBarker."

  She said it so indifferently that it was scarcely praise of handsomeTrump, and Elsie was deeply impressed by visions of the horses to which"Miss Key-Stone" must be accustomed if Trump did not arouse her togreater enthusiasm.

  Mrs. Charleford and Margery in the back seat, Eleanor Vernon onthe middle seat with Edith, Happie on the front with the handsomegirl-driver, and the party was off, up the avenue to the park, slowly,provokingly pacing in the line of sleighs heading thither.

  At Fifty-ninth Street their pace improved as they entered the gatesand began the upward course of the park on the east side. Elsie rodewell, and she loved horses; she was perfectly well able to appreciatethe manner in which the haughty "Baltimore girl" handled the reins, andthe cool clearness of judgment with which she saw her opportunity toput her horses through a gap in the line, to let them out, or how quickshe was to pull them in, or to soothe them with a word when they grewimpatient of their pace. She was not slow to see the admiring glancesgiven the young driver of the Charleford sleigh by every one, and shefelt quite sure that Mrs. Charleford would be besieged with requestsfor introductions to the girl who looked much older than she was, oldenough to be in social demand. Elsie, who was born with the instinctsof a society woman, resolved to use her advantage in meeting thisdesirable creature before any of the other girls except Eleanor andHappie Scollard. The latter did not count, for her misfortunes had puther out of this world of wire-pulling. While Elsie was thus planningHappie Scollard, quick to see, though she was a simple young girl, knewpretty well what was passing in Elsie's mind, and was chuckling overthe success of her plot, as well as triumphing in Gretta's triumph. Shelaughed out several times, anticipating the fun of revealing to Elsiethe identity of this impressive young lady, and an echoing giggle camefrom Eleanor and Edith behind her--it certainly _was_ a delightfultrick they had played on Elsie!

  Elsie rode up to "Miss Key-Stone's" side as she drove.

  "Miss Key-Stone," she said in her very best manner, "I hope you won'tmind if I speak of your driving! You drive as well as my father, and heis considered a fine horseman. You must have been used to driving fromyour very earliest years."

  Happie glanced over her shoulder at Edith, a glance that had all thevalue of the wink forbidden a properly behaved girl. It was suchunspeakable joy to hear Elsie trying to impress Gretta.

  "Yes, I have always been among horses," replied the distinguishedstranger briefly.

  "I wish you would tell me something about your horses. I imagine theywere fine ones," said Elsie with a winning smile.

  "I never talk when I'm driving in a crowd," said "Miss Key-Stone."

  Elsie was more than ever awed. There are people who are won by acordial manner, and there are others who are won by a snub. Elsiebelonged to the people who feel a person must be well worth knowing whodoes not particularly care to know them.

  But there was nothing for it except to defer closer acquaintance withthis haughty beauty whose whole attention was given to her horses, andElsie fell back a little to ride beside Edith and Eleanor.

  "Mightn't we keep on up-town, mother?" suggested Edith as they reachedthe gate of the park at One Hundred and Tenth Street, and the horsesobediently slackened for a decision.

  "I am in no hurry to get home. It isn't often we get such sleighingas this. Yes, I'd like to keep on. Suppose we drive up to Albany forsupper!" cried Mrs. Charleford.

  The party turned up Seventh Avenue, and drove faster up the widestreet. There were still many sleighs jingling in both directions butthey made better time here than they could in the park.

  A piece of paper fluttered across the road in the wind. The Charlefordhorses saw it, but they justified Edith's commendation of them byignoring it. Not so Trump. It is the exceptional horse who has not hisown particular mental weakness, his own private and pet aversion atwhich he considers himself warranted in shying, and many horses changethis aversion according to the mood, or the weather. Trump objected topaper flying about, though at times he walked decorously over paper,and shied at a stone. A good horse, he was a nervous one, and to nervesnothing is certain always to look normal. To-day the fluttering papertook on some shape of menace, and Trump shied, and bolted.

  Elsie kept a firm seat. She was a good rider, self-confident, welltaught. She was not frightened, and as she did no
t lose control no oneinterfered to stop Trump. Gretta touched the Charleford horses and theyfollowed her, keeping up.

  Suddenly Elsie threw up her hands, and Gretta instantly knew what hadhappened; her saddle was slipping and Elsie, riding in the side saddle,could not free her foot. Already she was sliding down the horse'sside, and Trump was quivering with fright, but his speed slackened,mercifully, as he made ready to bolt.

  It was all so quick that no one noticed the girl's plight, but Gretta,with her eyes on her, pursuing her, saw and recognized the danger.

  "Take the reins," she said to Happie. "Don't be afraid. Whoa!"

  The obedient horses slackened, stopped. Gretta sprang out over thesleigh just ahead of Elsie's frightened horse, caught his bridle fromthe side, and putting out one strong hand wrenched free the girl'sfoot. Elsie fell, but she fell clear, and Trump stopped just as severalmen rushed to Gretta's aid.

  "Are you hurt?" Gretta asked, helping Elsie to the sidewalk where Trumpwas led, and motioning Happie to drive up to them.

  "No, not a bit," Elsie said, her voice shaking. "But it is only becauseyou were so quick. I am shaken up, frightened, I suppose, but I'm allright. You saved my life probably, Miss Key-Stone."

  "Don't! That was just for fun; I'm Gretta Engel," said Gretta. Somehowshe could not keep up the innocent farce after she had been broughtinto such relations with Elsie as the past three minutes had held. "Ofcourse I didn't do anything; no one else saw, that was all."

  "Gretta Engel!" gasped Elsie. Then she realized that the quicker theyall escaped from the gathering crowd the better it would be, and shewalked over to the sleigh, meeting Mrs. Charleford and Edith comingtowards her. Elsie was not a coward, nor was she hysterical. She provedthat she had sense and courage.

  "We must get away from here; don't bother about me, Mrs. Charleford,"she said. "I'm perfectly safe. I'll ride Trump back. They'll tightenthe saddle for me, and there's nothing to make a fuss about. Do jumpinto the sleigh, people, and don't look so scared! They'll have ourpictures in the morning papers if we don't fly! Your Gretta saved mylife, Happie."

  "You're quite sure you can ride, Elsie dear?" Mrs. Charleford anxiouslybegan, but Elsie had turned to Gretta. "Will you see if the saddle issafe now? Thank you. Yes, your hand, please, and help me up," she addedto the policeman who offered his aid. She jumped into the saddle andtook the reins in a band that no longer trembled.

  Gretta got up into her seat and the party started back down the avenue,followed by a cheer from the crowd, which liked pluck, as all crowds do.

  It was a silent party that hastened homeward down the west side of thepark. The little trick had not ended humorously, but Gretta had farexceeded the role of fine lady assigned to her. Elsie rode confidently.No harm was done, but, ah, how differently they might have beenreturning home!

  At Elsie's door the sleighing party left her. Elsie dismounted; hergroom was waiting her. She turned to the sleigh to say good-night toher friends.

  "Good-night. You played me a fine trick, girls, but I played you abetter one," she said. "You showed me a swell girl, but I showed you aheroine. Gretta Engel, I can't thank you for what you did; it was toobig. But I beg your pardon, and we're friends?"

  Gretta was so embarrassed that she relapsed into her early speech."Yes, I guess," she said.