Dorothy Whitehill

“ Miss Carter laughed again.
"But that's exactly why Janet won't," she answered. "She has grown up with all those lovely old things and she is used to them. She has never seen anything like her new room and she will love it, I am sure. Just as you loved the dear old room we had at her house, only of course Janet won't go into such ecstasies as you did," she added with a smile.
She pulled her niece down to the arm of her chair and stroked her soft golden-brown hair. But Phyllis's leaf-brown eyes were still clouded with doubt.
"I want her to love it, Auntie Mogs," she said softly. ”

“ Janet got up and then sat down again very suddenly; there was an awkward pause, and then she managed to say:
"But I don't know how to dance." Gone was the mumble, gone was every thought except the misery of the minute.
But the monk, instead of being disappointed, gave a mighty sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness for that," he said heartily. "I hate to dance, myself, so let's go and see if we can't find some lemonade. This hood is so hot I need something to cool me off."
Janet did not wait to be coaxed. She took the arm he offered her, and they soon disappeared into the crowd. ”

“ Janet looked up at her suddenly.
"It's silly to like dreary things, even days, and it's most awfully silly to be dreary yourself. Not fair, you know, when every body's doing their best to be nice."
"But they're not," Janet said quickly. "They were the first day and then—"
Daphne turned slowly and looked at her. For once her drooping lids fully uncovered the sea green eyes that they were usually at such pains to hide. A strand of her taffy-colored hair blew across her face, and she tucked it carefully under her hat before she answered. ”

“ Even in the ten-minute recess only whispers could be heard, and most of the heads kept on over their books.
"Sally's Aunt Jane's poll parrot," Phyllis whispered. "I haven't a chance in a thousand of passing math. I wouldn't mind so much if I didn't know that Ducky Lucky will be delighted. How do you feel, Jan?"
"Scared to death," Janet admitted. "My hands are frozen, and my tongue is sticking to the roof of my mouth."
"Oh, I wish you'd keep still," Muriel fretted. "I'm trying to study."
"What's the use?" Rosamond asked. "You can't learn things at the last minute, so why try?" ”

“ Daphne replied firmly.
"Now, my Aunt Jane's poll parrot, was ever any one so misunderstood?" Sally turned to Miss Carter for sympathy.
"Never, my dear, I am sure Daphne's suspicions are unjust." Auntie Mogs laughed. "But I must hurry away or I will be late and that's one thing my children can't forgive. Poor darlings, they have so few outings that they hate to waste a minute of their precious time."
"Why don't you take them to the zoo?" Phyllis spoke for the first time, her voice sounded very tired but she smiled. "They'd like it a heap better than the museum." ”

“ Phyllis insisted. "If we were only at Old Chester we could have a picnic."
"But there'd be no one to go to it but Harry Waters and the Blakes," Janet reminded her.
"That's right, I forgot Peter and Jack are at school; but anyhow a picnic would be fun."
"Where could you have one around here?" Janet demanded, practical as ever.
Phyllis looked at her disapprovingly.
"Jan, you're a wet blanket!" she exclaimed.
"I'm not. I'm only trying to be sensible."
"Well, stop; it's too gorgeous a day to be anything but happy, so don't let's bother about that stupid party any more." ”

“ Suppose she is homesick for Old Chester. Perhaps she'll just hate the city. If she does—oh, Auntie Mogs, if she does, I think I shall die."
This time Miss Carter did not smile.
"Phyllis dear," she said kindly, "do you love Janet?"
Phyllis stared in amazement. "Love her? Why, of course I do! I simply adore her. Isn't she my twin, and haven't I wanted her all my life?"
Her aunt nodded. "Then I wouldn't worry," she said kindly. "Poor little Janet has had very little real love in her life, and I think she will be very happy to be with people who do love her. ”

“ Sally looked quickly from Phyllis to Eleanor and Rosamond. All three looked surprised and a little angry. Sally laughed contentedly.
"Hear that poll? we are to be more dignified! Bless us. Muriel, but you are a scream," she teased.
"I don't see why it's funny to want to be more grown up and serious." Muriel's feelings were hurt, and she looked angrily at Sally.
"If we acted any differently we'd be affected," Eleanor announced with conviction, "and I for one don't think that would be much of an improvement." ”

“ Phyllis added.
"Of course, but their insides don't help. We can't see anything but their everyday outside looks," Janet reminded her.
Phyllis was thoughtful for a little, then she said slowly, "I'm sure I don't know why I should feel so terribly about it; worse than the rest of you, I mean, but somehow I do. Don was such a darling that day that I met him in the park, and I've sort of loved him ever since, and now to think that he's shut up somewhere and can't get out, and that perhaps he's being badly treated and starved. ”

“ It was a charming room, and the fire blazing in the grate added to the warmth and coziness.
"No,"—Phyllis returned to the subject under discussion—"I'll never marry, but that doesn't mean I don't like boys. I do. I adore them. They are such fun and much more sensible than most girls, but I wouldn't admit that to any one but you, Auntie Mogs, because, nice as they are, they are fearfully conceited and that would keep me from ever being silly about them."
"I hope that's not the only reason," Auntie Mogs laughed. "Boys are—but there goes the telephone. ”

“ Miss Carter came in at this minute and put an end to her curiosity.
"Oh, Auntie Mogs, Sally just called up to say that she and Daphne would come by for us in Daphne's car, and we could all go to Miss Pringle's and try on our costumes!" she exclaimed.
"Why, how very nice of Daphne,"—Miss Carter smiled. "I was worrying about your having to go out on this miserable day."
Phyllis laughed and put her arm around her aunt.
"You see there are no two ways about it!" she cried. "We should have a car of our own and then you would never have to worry about our feet." ”

“ Phyllis laughed at hearing the familiar exclamation again.
"Oh, Sally, that does sound natural, I really feel that I am back at school and that Old Chester and Janet are all a dream!" she exclaimed.
"Well, thank goodness they're not. Look here, Phyl. Do you know, I think I'm a lot more excited about your twin than you are. In the first place she is just the sort of girl we need at school," Sally spoke seriously. "We have been the same lot of girls for, well three years now, with only an occasional new one to jog us up, and I think Janet will be a blessing. ”

“ Phyllis and Janet had liked him at once, much to Peter's relief and his own secret satisfaction. He always addressed them as, "You, Janet, or you, Phyllis," and then shut his eyes until the right one came, for he could not tell the one from the other.
"Was there ever such a day?" Phyllis demanded as she jumped on to the big sleigh with Peter's help.
"Never in all this world," he replied seriously.
They started off at a smart gait, stopping at the rectory for Alice and Mildred Blake and at the Waters' for Harry. Then away they went along an old back road that wound up into the hills. ”

“ Phyllis sighed and yawned. "Why do we always have to have some little thing to spoil perfect fun, I wonder."
"There is a reason," Janet answered dreamily. "It has something to do with roses and thorns, but I'm too sleepy to remember, only I do wish, Tommy, you wouldn't go."
"To bed with you," Tom laughed, as he kissed them both, "and happy dreams."
They were asleep in a very short time, but curiously enough they did not dream of dancing and music as they had expected, for Phyllis dreamed of Akbar and Janet of Boru. ”

“ Phyllis gave a little shudder.
"Don't use that awful word 'they,'" she said. "It always means the kidnappers to me, and somehow or other every time I hear it I seem to see bandits with gold ear-rings and red handkerchiefs tied round their heads, and they are always doing something horrible to little Don."
"I know," Janet agreed sympathetically, "only I don't think of they as that kind of bandit. I wish I did. It wouldn't be half so hard to find them and have a real old fight, but these creatures that have stolen Don are men and they look just like everybody else." ”

“ Chuck replied. "The police tell him not to go, but I think he will; you see the letter says if he doesn't come that they will hurt Don."
"Oh, how dreadful, how detestable!" Phyllis exclaimed. "How could any one be so wicked, and to Don above all people!" Chuck looked at her quickly. He expected to see tears in her eyes, but instead he saw anger—flashing burning anger. ”

“ Perhaps it was just as well—the sight of the old rows of books, the table and the window-seat where she had spent so many happy hours sent tears to her eyes, and she had to blink hard to keep them from falling.
She sat on the floor, scorning the comfy chairs, and pulled out book after book; each one was in its same place, and she patted them all as though they were alive.
After a long time Peter came in to find her. Mrs. Todd had sent him to tell her that luncheon was ready, but when he found her sitting on the floor, he forgot his message and dropped down beside her. ”

“ Daphne explained. "It's little Don's cousin, Chuck Vincent, that Muriel walks home with every day. I've played tennis with him, and he's really rather fun for a boy," she drawled.
"For a boy?" laughed Janet. "I think boys are a whole lot more fun than girls."
"I don't," Daphne replied airily. "I think they are all very stuck up. Chuck is; you'll see that to-morrow night."
"Wonder if Miss Pringle will really have our things ready for us," Sally said. "She is always so uncertain. If she doesn't, I think I will die of disappointment." ”

“ Janet asked with genuine surprise.
"But of course I did,"—Sally was equally surprised.
"It was rank favoritism," laughed Eleanor. "I thought too, good and hard. Why I even pointed to the forlorn and empty chair beside me and it didn't do a bit of good."
"Introduce us, introduce us," several voices demanded, and Phyllis was kept busy. Even the seniors came and laughed and envied. It was quite a reception.
"What a lucky girl you are," one of them, a tall girl with copper-colored hair named Madge Cannan, exclaimed, "I've wanted a twin all my life and I never found one." ”

“ Todd at the Enchanted Kingdom, and so we'll probably see him."
"And so we will probably see him,"—mimicked Phyllis. "I guess there won't be much doubt about that,"—she yawned, and as if in answer to her thoughts the clock struck nine.
"Let's go to bed; school to-morrow," she said sleepily. "Thank goodness Christmas is not so very far away. I'm going to lie in bed just as late as ever I want to, in Old Chester."
Janet smiled to herself. She pictured Martha's shocked surprise at the very idea of staying in bed just for the fun of it, but she did not disillusionize Phyllis. ”

“ Sally announced emphatically. "Catch me staying in for an hour and listening to a long and weary lecture on my many sins; no thanks. If the worse comes to the worst, I will make Daddy do it for me."
"Where's Rosey-posey?" inquired Phyllis. "You're not going to walk all the way home to your house, are you?" Eleanor lived across the city on Riverside Drive.
"Walk, well, I guess not, but I had to make a start to get Rosey away from the piano. She's playing while Madge teaches some of the other seniors how to dance the latest step. I wish she'd hurry, I hate loosing my special bus." ”

“ Ducky Lucky was the disrespectful nickname for Miss Baxter, the mathematics teacher at Miss Harding's school.
"Sally's coming later," Eleanor said, as they all entered the living room. "She said to tell you not to dare say anything about your twin until she got here. She doesn't want to miss a word. Of course we're all fearfully excited, but to hear Sally talk you would think that she was the one that had made the discovery."
"That's just like Sally,"—Phyllis laughed. "I'm crazy to see her. ”

“ As Phyllis surveyed it all for perhaps the twentieth time that day, a look of disappointment cast a momentary shadow over her usually merry face.
"There isn't one single thing more to do," she complained. "Oh, dear, I do hope she likes it."
The suggestion of doubt made her hurry to her aunt's room on the floor below. She found Miss Carter sitting before an open fire reading.
"Auntie Mogs," she said, standing in the doorway, "suppose Janet doesn't like it? The room, I mean." ”

“ She wanted the girls to accept Janet on her own merit.
The roguish autumn wind was playing tricks with the dead brown leaves, swirling them about regardless of passers-by. One especially gusty little gale made Phyllis duck her head so low that she did not gee where she was going. She bumped into something small unexpectedly, and an angry voice startled her out of her revery.
"Now, I've lost it for good. Why don't you look what you're about? Nurse says it's rude to jostle." ”