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The Floating Press - Margaret Penrose

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102 pages

English

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In this volume of the popular Dorothy Dale series, Dorothy and her beloved pal Tavia have completed their first term at a new boarding school. But instead of being able to enjoy her break with a carefree attitude, Dorothy's conscience is weighed down with private worry. Will she able to solve her problem and get on with her life before school begins again?

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Children's

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Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 août 2013
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781776528981
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0134€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

DOROTHY DALE'S GREAT SECRET
* * *
MARGARET PENROSE

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Dorothy Dale's Great Secret First published in 1909 ISBN 978-1-77652-898-1 © 2012 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Chapter I - An Automobile Ride Chapter II - Tavia Has Plans Chapter III - A Cup of Tea Chapter IV - The Apparition Chapter V - An Untimely Letter Chapter VI - On the Lawn Chapter VII - At Sunset Lake Chapter VIII - A Lively Afternoon Chapter IX - Dorothy and Tavia Chapter X - Leaving Glenwood Chapter XI - A Jolly Home-Coming Chapter XII - Dorothy is Worried Chapter XIII - Little Urania Chapter XIV - The Runaway Chapter XV - A Spell of the "Glumps" Chapter XVI - Dorothy in Buffalo Chapter XVII - At the Play Chapter XVIII - Behind the Scenes Chapter XIX - The Clue Chapter XX - Dorothy and the Manager Chapter XXI - Adrift in a Strange City Chapter XXII - In Dire Distress Chapter XXIII - The Secret—Conclusion
Chapter I - An Automobile Ride
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"There is one thing perfectly delightful about boarding schools,"declared Tavia, "when the term closes we can go away, and leave it inanother world. Now, at Dalton, we would have to see the old schoolhouseevery time we went to Daly's for a pound of butter, a loaf of bread—andoh, yes! I almost forgot! Mom said we could get some bologna. Whew! Don'tyour mouth water, Dorothy? We always did get good bologna at Daly's!"
"Bologna!" echoed Dorothy. "As if the young ladies of Glenwood Schoolwould disgrace their appetites with such vulgar fare!"
At this she snatched up an empty cracker box, almost devouring itsparifine paper, in hopes of finding a few more crumbs, although Tavia hadpoured the last morsels of the wafers down her own throat the nightbefore this conversation took place. Yes, Tavia had even made a funnel ofthe paper and "took" the powdered biscuits as doctors administer headacheremedies.
"All the same," went on Tavia, "I distinctly remember that you had alonging for the skin of my sausage, along with the end piece, which youalways claimed for your own share."
"Oh, please stop!" besought Dorothy, "or I shall have to purloin my hashfrom the table to-night and stuff it into—"
"The armlet of your new, brown kid gloves," finished Tavia. "They're thevery color of a nice, big, red-brown bologna, and I believe theinspiration is a direct message. 'The Evolution of a Bologna Sausage,'modern edition, bound in full kid. Mine for the other glove. Watch allthe hash within sight to-night, and we'll ask the girls to ourclam-bake."
"Dear old Dalton," went on Dorothy with a sigh. "After all there is noplace like home," and she dropped her blond head on her arms, in thefamiliar pose Tavia described as "thinky."
"But home was never like this," declared the other, following upDorothy's sentiment with her usual interjection of slang. At the samemoment she made a dart for a tiny bottle of Dorothy's perfume, which wasalmost emptied down the front of Tavia's blue dress, before the owner ofthe treasure had time to interfere.
"Oh, that's mean!" exclaimed Dorothy. "Aunt Winnie sent me that by mail.It was a special kind—"
"And you know my weakness for specials—real bargains! There!" and Taviacaught Dorothy up in her arms. "I'll rub it all on your head. Tresses ofsunshine, perfumed with incense!"
"Please stop!" begged Dorothy. "My hair is all fixed!"
"Well, it's 'fixest' now. The superlative you know. I do hate your hairprim. Never knew a girl with heavenly hair who did not want to make amattress of it. I have wonderfully enhanced the beauty of your coiffure,mam'selle, for which I ask to be permitted one kiss!" and at this the twogirls became so entangled in each other's embrace that it would have beenhard to tell whom the blond head belonged to, or who might be the ownerof the bronze ringlets.
But Dorothy Dale was the blond, and Octavia Travers, "sported" the darktresses. "Sported" we say advisedly, for Tavia loved sport better thanshe cared for her dinner, while Dorothy, an entirely different type ofgirl, admired the things of this world that were good and beautiful, trueand reliable; but at the same time she was no prude, and so enjoyed herfriend's sports, whenever the mischief involved no serious consequences.
That "Doro" as her chums called Dorothy, and Tavia could be so unlike,and yet be such friends, was a matter of surprise to all theiracquaintances. But those who have read of the young ladies in theprevious stories of the series, "Dorothy Dale;—A Girl of To-Day," and"Dorothy Dale at Glenwood School," have had sufficient introduction tothese interesting characters to understand how natural it was for a lily(our friend Dorothy) to love and encourage a frolicsome wild flower(Tavia) to cling to the cultured stalk, to keep close to the savinginfluence of the lily's heart—so close that no gardener would dare totear away that wild flower from the lily's clasp, without running therisk of cruelly injuring the more tender plant.
So it was with these two girls. No one could have destroyed their loveand friendship for each other without so displacing their personalitiesas to make the matter one of serious consequences.
Many other girls had coveted Dorothy's love; some had even tried toobtain it by false stories, or greatly exaggerated accounts of Tavia'sfrolics. But Dorothy loved Tavia, and believed in her, so all attempts todestroy her faith were futile. And it was this faith, when the time came,that inspired Dorothy Dale to keep the Great Secret.
Glenwood School was situated amid the mountains of New England, and thetwo girls had completed one term there. On the afternoon when this storyopens they were lounging in their own particular room, nineteen bynumber, waiting for the recreation bell to send its muffled chimes downthe corridor.
They were waiting with unusual impatience, for the "hour of freedom" tocome, for they expected visitors in an automobile.
"Like as not," Tavia broke in suddenly, without offering a single excusefor the surprising interjection, "the Fire Bird will break down, and wewon't get our ride after all."
"Cheerful speculation," interposed Dorothy, "but not exactly probable.The Fire Bird is an auto that never breaks down."
"What, never?" persisted Tavia, laughing.
"No, never," declared Dorothy. "Of course all automobiles are subject toturns, but to really break down—Aunt Winnie would never allow her boysto run a machine not entirely reliable."
"O-o-o-oh!" drawled Tavia, in mock surprise. Then the girls settled downto wait.
The Fire Bird, was a touring car in which the girls had enjoyed somenoted rides about their home town of Dalton. Dorothy's aunt, Mrs.Winthrop White, of North Birchland, owned the car, and her two sons,Edward and Nathaniel (or Ned and Nat, to give them the titles they alwayswent by) good looking young fellows, were usually in charge of it whentheir favorite cousin Dorothy, and her friend Tavia, were the otherpassengers.
It may as well be stated at this time that Nat and Tavia were excellentfriends, and even on a ride that had been termed notorious (on account ofthe strange experiences that befell the party while making a tour), Taviaand Nat had managed to have a good time, and made the best of theirstrange adventures.
It was not surprising then that on this afternoon, while Dorothy andTavia waited for another ride in the Fire Bird, their brains should bebusy with speculative thoughts. Tavia was sure Nat would think she hadgrown to be a real young lady, and Dorothy was so anxious to see both hercousins, that she fell to thinking they might have outgrown the jolly,big-boy relationship, and would come to her stiff and stylish young men.
The peal of the recreation bell in the outer hall suddenly aroused thegirls, and, at the same moment the "honk-honk" of the Fire Bird's hornannounced the arrival of the long expected boys.
"There they are!" exclaimed Tavia, quite unnecessarily, for Dorothy wasalready making her pearl-tinted veil secure over her yellow head; andwhile Tavia was wasting her time, looking out of the window at the auto,which was surrounded by boys and girls who stood on the path, plainlyadmiring the two cousins and the stylish car, Dorothy was quite ready forthe ride.
"Do come, Tavia!" she called. "The afternoon is short enough!"
"Com—ing!" shouted her irrepressible companion in high glee, making alunge for her own veil, and tossing it over her head as she dashed downthe corridor.
Dorothy stopped at the office on her way out to tell the principal, Mrs.Pangborn, that the expected visitors had arrived, and that she and Taviawere starting for the ride, permission to go having been granted inadvance.
Outside, just beyond the arch in the broad driveway, the Fire Bird pantedand puffed, as if anxious to take flight again. Ned was at the steeringwheel and as for Nat, he was helping Tavia into the machine "with bothhands" some jealous onlookers declared afterward. However Dorothy'sfriend Rose-Mary Markin (known to her chums as Cologne because of hereuphonious first names) insisted differently in the argument thatfollowed the puffing away of the car.
It was no small wonder that the coming of the Fire Bird should excitesuch comment among the girls at Glenwood school. An automobile ride wasno common happening there, for while many of the parents of the youngladies owned such machines, Glenwood was far away from home and so werethe autos.
Edna Black, called Ned Ebony, and regarded as Tavia's most intima