Six Girls and Bob: A Story of Patty-Pans and Green Fields

by Marion Ames Taggart

  CHAPTER XVII

  AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

  NONE of "the Archaics" saw Gretta during the day that followed thevisit to the school. On the second morning Miss Bradbury dispatchedMahlon--if a word suggesting speed may be used in connection withMahlon's movements--down to the Neumanns' to purchase eggs. He wasgone so long that his active wife, requiring the eggs for her morningbaking, lost all patience waiting for him, threw her sunbonnet on herhead, tied it with a snap of its starched strings that boded ill forMahlon when she should have found him, and started down the road tobring eggs and delinquent husband home together at a quickstep.

  It was so long before Rosie returned that the family really began tofear there was some serious reason for this second delay, when Rosieappeared, striding along at a tremendous pace. Mahlon loped after herat the respectful distance of five feet, with his usual effect of beingabout to go to pieces at all points at once.

  "Thought I wa'n't never comin' back, I guess," said Rosie as sheentered, setting down her basket of eggs with one hand, and jerking offher sunbonnet with the other. "I don't believe I kin git that therepuddin' done fer dinner this day. But I had to stop and listen. There'sgreat doin's down there to Neumanns'. Eunice's madder than I ever seenher. I guess she's makin' herself feel as mad as she kin; tryin' tomake herself believe she's got an excuse fer puttin' Gretta out."

  "Putting her out?" cried Happie. "You don't mean that literally?"

  "Litterly or not," said Rosie, evidently in the dark as to the word, "Imean it fer the plain truth. I guess she's been plottin' some time backhow to make a fuss over something and tell Gretta she won't keep her nolonger. Now she's takin' your visit to the school, and your insult--soshe calls it--to her teacher--her cousin, I mean the teacher--as ahandle, and she says Gretta can't stay in her house after what shedone."

  "Why, Rosie!" cried Mrs. Scollard.

  "It's jest as I say," Rosie asserted, as if her veracity werequestioned. "Gretta feels dreadful, but it don't do no good fer her totell 'em Hattie took it all right, and liked the fun, yet. Eunice saysshe's insulted her cousin and made a bad return fer all she's done ferher, and she won't keep her another day."

  "But Rosie, there wasn't the slightest tinge of malice in it; it wasonly a girl's harmless prank played on--and at last with--anothergirl," protested Mrs. Scollard. Even Miss Bradbury sat erect inconsiderable excitement as she listened, while Margery and Happielooked aghast at this unexpected result of harmless fun.

  "Why, I guess I know that!" cried Rosie. "Hattie's even been up thereherself yet, and told Eunice she wasn't insulted--thought it was fun,but it didn't do no good. I tell you what it is--and Gretta's said thisherself to me this good while back--Eunice Neumann's so mad to thinkthe girl's havin' better times that it makes her crazy to do something,she don't know what. She's made up her mind either you've got to takeGretta and keep her, or let her to the miserable, lonely times she washavin' when Happie took a fancy to her. She's threatened Gretta more'nonce to drop her and leave her fine friends look after her, if theythink so much of her! Gretta's been awful worried fer fear Eunice'd saysomething to you yet. Poor girl, she hain't got much of her cousinsinto her; she's took all her ways from the other side and a sensiblething she did when she done it! But now Eunice's goin' to put her outand leave her set by the roadside till somebody picks her up. I guessshe thinks you'll do it, and Gretta's sick, she's so ashamed, and hurt,and angry, and all sorts of ways to oncet."

  "Poor little girl!" exclaimed Miss Bradbury, as Happie turned to herin mute appeal. "And for such a trifling pretext as that playful visitto the school! We agreed before you went that there was no chance ofoffending any one. Happie came home and reported that the littleteacher thought it as good a joke as they did."

  "Why, good gracious, hain't I said so?" cried Rosie. "And hain't Hattieherself said so, and to Eunice yet? It hain't nothin' in this worldbut an excuse; a poor excuse, says you, and I should say it was, and Iguess Eunice knows it as well as either of us. She says 'twouldn't havebeen done if Hattie hadn't been her cousin--now did you ever hear tellof such nonsense? But nonsense or not, she says Gretta's got to go, andthat's more'n nonsense. But you needn't worry about that, because ithad got to come on some poor excuse or other, and I guess in the endshe'll be better off without them cross women. Reba wouldn't be so bad,but she hain't got the backbone to stand up against Eunice; I guessshe's about flaxed all the time herself, gettin' scolded."

  "I suppose the only question is: What can be done about it?" suggestedMargery timidly. For the first time she and Happie were painfullyconscious that they were not in their own home. It would not do to askMiss Bradbury to shelter another in the Ark; the suggestion must comefrom her.

  At that moment Bob burst into the room. All the time that they had beenlistening to Rosie's tale, they had seen through the window Mahlon outin front talking to Bob with his usual accompaniment of swaying arm andleg, talking with so much earnestness that Mrs. Scollard had found timein the midst of her interest in Rosie's news to wonder what could bethe matter with Mahlon.

  "Mahlon's been telling me what's happened down at the Neumanns',"cried Bob excitedly. "Did you ever hear of such an outrageous piece ofinjustice? Say, shall I harness up, and go right down to fetch Gretta?Of course you're going to have her here, aren't you?"

  Never before had Happie fully realized the inestimable advantage ofbeing a boy who did not stop to consider delicate issues, but blurtedout what he wanted to say, oblivious to consequences. And it wasevidently not a case for hesitation, for Miss Bradbury promptly said:"Indeed I am!"

  She got no further, for Happie hurled herself at her with suchenthusiasm that though she was stoutly built, her Aunt Keren staggeredbackward under the onslaught, fell against Mrs. Scollard, standingclose behind her, and all three, Miss Bradbury, Mrs. Scollard andHappie went down in a heap on the floor, to the consternation of Polly,looking on, and the unbounded joy of Penny, who jumped up and down onthe sofa where she was playing, clapping her hands and shouting tillJeunesse Doree leaped from his pleasant doze, swelling up to four timeshis natural size.

  "Oh, Happie," gasped Miss Bradbury struggling to her feet. "Do becareful. You certainly are growing much bigger."

  "Say, Happie, you want to look out how you let yourself go," protestedBob, helping his adopted aunt to her feet, with a hand for his mother,who was laughing too heartily to rise unaided.

  "Oh, I beg your pardon, dear Auntie Keren!" cried Happie with as muchcontrition as was compatible with amusement. "You're not hurt, are you?Nor motherums?"

  "Only in my dignity," said philosophical Miss Bradbury getting up. "AndI am less flexible than some years ago."

  "I'm injured in the same way; in my dignity only. It is not seemly thatthe mother of six children should be bowled over like a nine-pin," saidMrs. Scollard, settling the hairpins which were starting out on allsides of her tumbled hair.

  "I never saw any one so fitted to be the mother of sixty as you are!"cried Happie with conviction. "You keep us in order--we're the bestchildren in the world, of course!--and yet you are just as young as weare, and you never misunderstand! And Aunt Keren is so dear! I didn'tmean to bowl you over, you two blessed treasures, but Aunt Keren wassuch a darling to say: 'Indeed I am!' so promptly, as if there weren'tthe least possibility of doing anything else but take in Gretta that Icouldn't help flying at her! And I really think, Aunt Keren, you musthave been standing rather shakily!"

  "I am willing to admit resting more weight on one foot than on theother," returned Miss Bradbury. "Do I gather from your words and yourmovements, your calm and deliberate movements, that you are willing toshelter Gretta, now that she is abandoned?"

  "Oh, Aunt Keren!" was all that Happie said, but it seemed asatisfactory reply, for Miss Bradbury warmly returned the kiss thatHappie gave her, and went to her desk.

  "I think the best way to arrange it is to accept Bob's offer to goafter Gretta himself," she said. "If I go I shall subject
myself to allsorts of disagreeable remarks. Margery cannot, and certainly her mothermust not go to be railed at, while Happie might possibly be led to airher opinion of Miss Neumann's behavior, which would never do at all. SoI'll write a note to Gretta, Bob, and you can take it, and if Rosie isright that matters are so bad with the poor child you will bring herhome with you."

  "Well, I guess!" ejaculated Rosie. "I hain't told you half of how badthey are. I hain't told you one word of what Eunice said."

  "Better not. It would be disagreeable and useless hearing," said MissBradbury as she drew her paper towards her, glanced at the calendar,and dipped her pen in the ink to begin a note to Gretta.

  In a few moments she blotted the note and turned to read it to theassembled family; Bob had already departed for the barn to make DonDolor ready.

  "My dear Gretta," Miss Bradbury read, "Rosie has come back with thestory of your wrongs. I am sorry, my dear girl, that you should beunkindly and unjustly treated, for your sake. But for our own I amtempted to be glad of that which gives me the opportunity to say thatyou must come at once to us, to stay with us, either here or in town,until you have found somewhere else where you can be happier. But I amsure that you cannot soon find friends who will love you better thanwe do, nor be more glad of the chance to have you all to themselves,and all the time, than we are. The girls are beside themselves at thethought of your coming, not to go away again for nobody knows how long!Come back with Bob; do not keep us waiting. We have long wished that wemight have you, so come at once to

  Your loving friends (represented by)

  KEREN-HAPPUCH BRADBURY."

  "Just the very sort of note to write Gretta, Aunt Keren!" cried Happieflying to hug her again in a rapture, while Margery said, with morequiet pleasure: "I am sure that will not only bring her, but set atrest any doubt she may have of being welcome."

  "It is so simple and earnest that she can't fail to understand it, andbe comforted," said Mrs. Scollard, as Miss Keren-happuch went out togive the note to Bob, with a few last hints as to how to bear himself,and what to say and to leave unsaid at the seat of war. "I supposewe must get ready that little room, Miss Keren? Shall I see to it?"

  "Yes," Miss Keren called back, answering both questions at once.

  "There never was, there never could be another such mother as ours!"cried Happie, as her mother followed Miss Keren-happuch from the room."Even if that Baltimore creature you met at Bar Harbor"--Happie couldnot bring herself to speak respectfully of the new friend, whoseinterest in Margery she found hard to forgive--"even if he is nice youcouldn't like him better than such a mother, now could you, Margery?"

  "No, indeed!" cried Margery, so heartily that Happie was pacified. Sheknew from stories, as well as Scripture, that when there was danger oflosing beloved sisters through the coming of charming young men, theinterlopers were preferred to all else--evidently Margery was safe, atleast for the present.

  In great excitement the family watched Bob driving out of the gate onhis errand. Although Gretta ran in and out of the house daily, it wasanother matter to expect her coming on an indefinite visit, in the roleof a homeless girl coming to them for shelter and protection. It wasthis thought that sent Margery and Happie from the window and up-stairswith shining eyes and quickened breath to help make ready for Gretta'sreception.

  The Ark was not a large house; it was already severely taxed to shelterits inmates, and it was something of a problem to know where to putGretta.

  Good Rosie postponed her dinner to combine it with her tea, and fell tocleaning a tiny room, which had been roughly finished, over the storageroom back of the kitchen. It had never been plastered, but it wasnot an unpleasant little nook "when the dust of ages and of departedBittenbenders had been cleaned away," Happie said, letting in thesouthern sunshine, which it faced.

  There was an unused iron bedstead among the importations from town;this was brought forth for Gretta's use, and Margery and Happie wentabout gleaning here and there a table, a chair, a dresser, until theyhad rather more than the little room would hold, and no one the poorerto all appearances.

  There was no more than time for Rosie to get the room swept, the floorscrubbed, and the windows cleared of their crust of dusty cobwebsbefore Don Dolor appeared trotting up the road, and Miss Bradbury andMrs. Scollard headed the group of girls who ran down-stairs to be readyto welcome Gretta.

  The poor girl needed a cheering greeting. She stepped out of thecarriage, her face swollen out of all semblance to its pretty self, andbroke into sobbing afresh as Miss Bradbury took her in her arms, with atenderness none who did not know her well would have looked for in thatbrisk lady. Mrs. Scollard kissed the girl with her own motherliness,which was so beautiful to Gretta, who had never known a mother. Happieseized her next in one of the warmest of hugs, her bright bronze hairgetting mixed up with her kisses in a way it had, and which always madeGretta laugh. She smiled now, a watery smile, and received Margery'sloving welcome as cordially as it was given; Gretta looked up to gentleMargery as to a superior being.

  "If you knew how glad we all are to get you here, Gretta, my duck,you'd suspect us of bribing Eunice to treat you as she has. But reallyand truly we're not guilty of setting her up to this meanness, thoughit is such a lucky thing for us," said Happie, folding her arm aroundGretta, and conducting her into the house. Gretta actually leaned onHappie for support; she was so spent with tempestuous crying that therewas little of her own fine vigor left upon which to lean.

  Happie led her into the dining-room, and set her in the rocking-chairby the window. Then she took off Gretta's hat, while Margery went toget the coffee which was waiting, ready and hot, on the stove. Theywere all shocked by the tragic expression of Gretta's face, and themark of suffering which the past forty-eight hours had set upon it.

  "Suppose I hadn't you?" whispered Gretta, leaning back upon Happie asif utterly weary.

  "I can't suppose anything of the sort; you belong to us. I knew youwere mine the moment I saw you painting that fence last spring," saidHappie, stroking the dark hair with a warm, clinging hand.

  Gretta drank her coffee and felt better for it, the first food thatshe had tasted that day. Then Happie took her up to her own andMargery's room and got her to lie down beside her on the bed. There theview of the mountains which she loved would assure the girl so suddenlydeprived of the only home which she had known, that not only her newfriends, but the dearest of her old ones were left to guard her. Forin her short life there had been nothing so dear to Gretta as thebeautiful country in which she was born.

  Wise Happie did not let Gretta talk. She lay beside her, still strokingher hair and crooning low a song that Gretta loved. And Gretta wastoo spent to try to talk, too hurt to have any desire to repeat theunkind things which had been said to her during that cruel day, and itspreceding night. She held Happie's other hand tight in both of hers andlaid her burning cheek upon it. And before long sleep came to begin theblessed work of Gretta's comforting and her establishment in a happierlife.

  The good friends who had taken Gretta into their hearts and homeskilfully let her slip into the changed order of things as easily aspossible. They learned from Bob what sort of an interview he had hadwith Eunice Neumann when he came to carry off Gretta. Bob said that"Rosie's account of things was not a patch on the reality, because nowhite man could imagine a woman cutting up as Gretta's cousin had." SoGretta was not encouraged to give details of her expulsion; instead"the Archaics" cheerfully set their wits to work to devise means tohelp her forget what was, after all, unforgettable. The furnishing ofher little room proved to be the best distraction for Gretta. Bob droveher down, with Margery, Happie and Laura, to buy silkaline for hercurtains, and they came back with "as pretty a pattern as they couldhave found in New York," Margery triumphantly announced on their return.

  The girls made this silkaline into short curtains and ruffled chaircushions for Gretta's room, and flounced a packing-case w
ith it forher dresser, it having been discovered that the dresser which they hadselected for Gretta's use was Miss Bradbury's reserve storehouse, forspecial supplies.

  Bob plastered the walls roughly, in which Gretta rendered so efficienthelp that once more Bob's opinion of her rose a notch. She couldplaster better than he could! "And no wonder," Gretta declared, "afterthe plastering and kalsomining I've had to help with at Eunice's!"

  When the walls were covered with the rough plaster, Bob and Grettatinted them with colored kalsomine, a soft green that was reallyartistic. Against this wall the pretty green silkaline, with its brownchestnut burr pattern, swung so harmoniously that Gretta pranced upand down for joy as she fell back to see the effect, and Happie tooka header into the snowy white little enameled bed to give vent to hersatisfaction.

  "'He took the animals two by two,'" chanted Bob. "We'll have to makenew verses for our Ark, Hapsie; we catch our animals singly."

  "Am I an animal?" asked Gretta, opening her eyes at him in pretendedoffense.

  "All human beings are animals, Miss Gretta," said Bob. "It rests solelywith yourself whether you will be a beast."

  "I think I like some beasts better than human beings," Gretta began,but got no further, for Happie sat up and began saying: "Gretta,better, debtor, getter--get her--letter, met her--oh, yes! Wetter! I'vegot it. Listen, Bob!"

  Bob refused to listen. Instead he said: "For pity's sake, Happie, don'tspring anything on us made of such rhymes as those samples! Only aBoston girl, with all her r's turned into h's, would rhyme better andletter and wetter with Gretta."

  "I think it would be nice to write a real poem on Gretta's flying tothe ark for refuge," said Laura, surveying the improvements in the roomfrom the doorway with lofty approval.

  Gretta turned a beaming face upon Margery, Bob and Happie. "I neverhad such a bright, pretty room before," she cried, "Eunice never didanything except for plain, horrid, sensible use. I sometimes felt as ifI should go crazy if I couldn't have something that was no good but tobe pretty. And now look at this room! Oh, you good, dear people! I'mso thankful, and I'm beginning to be so happy! I never was happy inall my life, except for little minutes, out of doors. Do you supposethe animals were glad that there was a flood that drove them into theark? For this animal is glad enough to be in this Ark!"