CHAPTER IX JUST DALES
It was three days after Christmas, and what was left of the whitecrystals was fast becoming brown mud, and the puddles and rivulets ofmelted snow, very tempting to the small boy, made walking almostimpossible for the small boy's elders. The air was soft, and as balmy asthe first days of Spring. One almost expected to hear the twittering of abluebird and the chirp of the robins, but nevertheless a grate fireburned brightly in Dorothy's room, with the windows thrown open admittingthe crisp air and sunlight.
"Shall I take my messaline dress, Tavia?" Dorothy asked, holding thegarment in mid-air.
"If we go to the opera you'll want it; I packed my only evening gown,that ancient affair in pink," said Tavia, laughing a bit wistfully.
"You're simply stunning in that dress, Tavia," said Dorothy. "Isn't she,Nat?" she appealed to her cousin.
"That flowery, pinkish one, with the sash?" asked the boy.
"Yes," said Tavia, "the one that I've been wearing so long that if I putit out on the front steps some evening, it would walk off alone to anyparty or dance in Dalton."
"You know," said Nat, looking at Tavia with pride, "when you have thatdress on you look like a--er--a well, like pictures I've seenof--red-haired girls," the color mounted Nat's brow and he lookedconfused. Dorothy smiled as she turned her back and folded the messalinedress, placing it carefully in her trunk. Nat was so clumsy atcompliments! But Tavia did not seem to notice the clumsiness, a lovelylight leaped to her clear brown eyes, and the wistfulness of a momentbefore vanished as she laughed.
"I was warned by everyone in school not to buy pink!" declared Tavia.
"So, of course," said Dorothy laughing, "you straightway decided on apink dress. But, seriously, Tavia, pink is your color, the old idea ofauburn locks and greens and browns is completely smashed to nothingness,when you wear pink! Oh dear," continued Dorothy, perplexed, "where shallI pack this wrap? Not another thing will go into my trunk."
"Are you taking two evening wraps?" asked Tavia.
"Surely, one for you and the other for me. You see this is pink too,"Dorothy held up a soft, silk-lined cape, with a collar of fur. Quicktears sprang to Tavia's eyes, and impulsively she threw her arms aboutDorothy.
"Don't strangle Dorothy," objected Nat.
"You always make me so happy, Doro," said Tavia, releasing her chum, wholooked happier even than Tavia, her fair face flushed. The hugging Taviahad given had loosened Dorothy's stray wisps of golden hair, that fellabout her eyes and ears in a most bewitching way.
"Girls," called Aunt Winnie, from below stairs, "aren't you nearlyfinished?"
"All finished but Nat's part," answered Dorothy. Then to Nat she said:"Now, cousin, sit hard on this trunk, and perhaps we'll be able to closeit."
Nat solemnly perched on the lid of the trunk, but it would not close.
"Something will have to come out," he declared.
"There is nothing, absolutely nothing, in my trunk that I can leavebehind," said Dorothy.
"My trunk closed very easily," said Tavia, "I'll get it up from thestation and we'll pack the surplus gowns in it," she turned triumphantlyto Dorothy. "Too bad I sent it on so early. But we can get it."
"The very thing!" Dorothy laughed. "Run, Nat, and fetch Tavia's trunkfrom the station."
"Dorothy," called Aunt Winnie again, "we only have a few hours beforetrain time. Your trunk should be ready for the expressman now, dear."
"Hurry, Nat," begged Dorothy, "you must get Tavia's trunk here in twominutes. Coming," she called down to Aunt Winnie, as she and Tavia rusheddown the stairs.
"The trunk won't close because the gowns won't fit," dramatically criedTavia.
"So the boys have gone for Tavia's, and we'll pack things in it,"hurriedly explained Dorothy.
"What is all this about gowns?" asked Major Dale, drawing Dorothy to thearm of the great chair in which he was sitting.
"I'm packing, father, we're going to leave you for a while," saidDorothy, nestling close to his broad shoulders.
"But not for very long," Aunt Winnie said. "You and the boys must arrangeso that you can follow in at least one week."
"Well, it all depends on my rheumatism," answered the major. "You won'twant an old limpy soldier trying to keep pace with you in New York City.Mrs. Martin, the tried and true, will take fine care of us while you aregone."
"No, that won't do," declared Dorothy, "we know how well cared for youwill be under Mrs. Martin's wing, but we want you with us. In fact," sheglanced hastily at Aunt Winnie, "we may even need you."
"Perhaps the best way," said Aunt Winnie, thoughtfully, "would be to sendyou a telegram when to come, and by that time, you will no doubt be allover this attack of rheumatism."
"Ned and Nat are as anxious as are you girlies to get there," repliedMajor Dale, "so I'll make a good fight to arrive in New York City."
"Who is going to tell me stories at bed-time, when Dorothy's gone?" askedlittle Roger. "I don't want Doro to go away, 'cause she's the best sisterthat any feller ever had."
Roger was leaning against the Major's knee, and Dorothy drew him close toher.
"Sister will have to send you a story in a letter every day. How willthat do?" she asked, as she pressed her cheek against his soft hair.
"Aw, no," pouted Roger, "tell them all to me now, before you go away."
"I'll tell you one and then father will tell one; father will tell oneabout the soldier boys," murmured Dorothy in Roger's ear.
"Oh, goody," Roger clapped his hands; "and Aunt Winnie and Tavia and Nedand Nat and everybody can tell me one story to-night and that will fillup for all the nights while you are away!"
"Dorothy!" screamed Tavia, bursting into the room in wild excitement,"the boys have gone without my trunk check! They can't get it!"
"And the gowns will have to be left behind!"
"Never!" laughed Tavia, "I'll run all the way to the station and catchthem!"
"They've taken the _Fire Bird_, maybe you'll meet them coming back."
Tavia dashed, hatless, from the house. They watched her as she fairlyflew along the road, in a short walking skirt, heavy sweater pulled higharound her throat, and her red hair gleaming in the sun.
Major Dale had always greatly admired Tavia; he liked her fearlesshonesty and the sincerity of her affections. Aunt Winnie, too, loved heralmost as much as she loved Dorothy.
"I've wondered so much," said Dorothy, "what trouble Miss Mingle is in.She left school so suddenly that last day, and Cologne was so provokingin her letter."
"An illness, probably," said Aunt Winnie, kindly.
"It can't be anything so commonplace as illness," said Dorothy. "Colognewould have gone into details about illness. The telegram, and herdeparture, were almost tragic in their suddenness. I feel so selfish whenI think of our treatment of that meek little woman. No one ever wasinterested in her, that I remember. Her great fault was a too-meekspirit. She literally erased herself and her name from the minds ofeveryone."
Major Dale and Aunt Winnie listened without much enthusiasm. Aunt Winniewas worried about Dorothy, who showed so little inclination to enter thewhirl of society in North Birchland. She had looked forward with muchpleasure to presenting her niece to her social world.
But Dorothy had little love for the society life of North Birchland. Sheloved her cousins and her small brothers, and seemed perfectly happy andcontented in her home life, and attending to the small charitiesconnected with the town. She seemed to prefer a hospital to a houseparty, a romp with the boys to a fashionable dance, and she bubbled withglee in the company of Tavia, ignoring the girls of the first families inher neighborhood.
"Your trip to New York, daughter," began Major Dale, slily smiling atAunt Winnie, "will be your _debut_, so to speak, in the world."
Dorothy answered nothing, but continued to smooth away the hair fromRoger's brow.
"What are you thinking of?" her father asked musingly, not havingreceived an
answer to his first remark.
"Oh, nothing in particular," sighed Dorothy, "except that I don't see whyI should make a _debut_ anywhere. I don't want to meet the world,--thatis, socially. I want to know people for themselves, not for what they'reworth financially or because of the entertaining they do. I just like toknow people--and poorer people best of all. They are interesting andreal."
"As are persons of wealth and social position," answered Aunt Winnie,gently.
"I'm going to be a soldier, like father," said Joe, "and Dorothy cannurse me when I fall in battle."
"Me, too," chirped little Roger, "I want to be a soldier and limp likefather!"
"Oh, boys!" cried Dorothy, in horror, "you'll never, never be trained forwar."
"What's that?" asked Major Dale. "Don't you want the boys to receivehonor and glory in the army?"
"No," said Dorothy decidedly, "I'll never permit it. Of course," shehastened to add, "if Joe must wear a uniform, he might go to a militaryschool, if that will please him."
The major scoffed at the idea. Joe straightened his shoulders, andmarched about the room, little Roger following in his wake, while themajor whistled "Yankee Doodle."
The sound of the _Fire Bird_ was heard coming up the driveway, and inanother second Nat, Ned and Ted rushed into the room.
"We can't have the trunk without the check," explained Nat, breathlessly,"where is it?"
"Tavia discovered the check after you left, and she followed you down tothe station," explained Aunt Winnie.
"We took a short cut back and missed her, of course," said Nat,dejectedly.
"We won't have any time to spare," declared Aunt Winnie, walking to thewindow, "the train leaves at seven-thirty, and it is after six now,"Dorothy followed her to the window. They both stood still inastonishment.
"Boys!" cried Dorothy, "come quick!"
The boys scrambled to the window. There was Tavia, coming up the drive,serenely seated on top of her trunk, in the back part of a small buggy,enjoying immensely the wind that brushed her hair wildly about her face,while the driver, the stoutest man in North Birchland, occupied theentire front seat.
"I found it," she cried lightly jumping to the ground, "and this was theonly available rig!"
"Never mind," said Dorothy, "nothing counts but a place to pack thegowns!"
"And catch the train for New York City," cried Tavia, from the toplanding of the first flight of stairs. "Everybody hurry! We have justtime enough to catch the train!"
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