Dorothy wondered, bewildered at the sudden discovery. Perhaps this was why Jean showed such hatred1 for her. Perhaps—but Major Dale could never do anything to defraud2 one—he could have nothing to do with the possibility of a Faval’s loss, if the family did lose.
Tavia bounded around the room as if in high glee. “Now Doro, we’ve got it,” she declared. “Jean knows about the company, and, my word for it if there is anything wrong it’s among her folks, not with your father. Makes me feel more positive than ever that it will come right for the Major, for they have got to come to light. I am just waiting for Jean to be lighted up here. Wait!” and Tavia gave Dorothy a hug, “wait until her uncle stops sending money. Then we will see where the haughty3 Jean will be!”
But Dorothy was stunned4. “She knows my position,”137 she said dolefully. “Perhaps she has already begun to shun5 me as one too poor to be in her set.”
“Doro!” Tavia was determined6 to turn the matter into hope instead of anxiety. “You know perfectly7 well that she never had a set. Also you know that she—couldn’t even use the single letter ‘D’ that belongs to a Dale.”
Dorothy smiled. “You are improving, Tavia. By essay day you will be able to do something surprising. But I cannot sit moping. There’s study to do.”
Turning to her little table, Dorothy got out her books and note book. Her head was not very clear for her work, but it would work when she wanted it to, and she set about her task willingly. Not so with Tavia. Anything but to do a thing on time. Always that just one minute more, for Tavia.
“I’ll run out for a few minutes,” she said. “I am afraid Ned has gone into joyful8 hysterics over the doggie.”
Closing the door, Tavia noticed a bit of paper in plain sight on the floor outside. She never could resist reading another person’s letters. Picking it up she saw it was a torn envelope addressed to Jean Faval.
“Whew!” she breathed. “More news!” and she crushed it in her hand.
138 In a safe spot she looked at the contents of the torn envelope. What she read caused her to gasp9.
There was no beginning, neither was there an end, for the superscription as well as the signature had been torn off.
But the few sentences were legible!
She read.
“Everything’s gone, but we’ll have Dale——” Then there was a break, and another bit could be read.
“In court within a few days!”
“In court! Major Dale!” gasped10 Tavia. “It’s an outrage11!” and she breathed hard, as if to control the emotion she felt.
“I won’t tell Dorothy,” she concluded. “Talk about school rivals! Ugh! That Jean!”
Dorothy had helped Tavia through many a hard problem in her life. In fact whatever was reasonable in the girl had been developed through Dorothy’s efforts, or Tavia’s love for Dorothy, since it is said nothing new can be put into a character, but the good or bad there simply developed. Now it was Tavia’s turn. She knew exactly what Dorothy would do had she been in the other’s place.
“I’ll look this up,” decided12 Tavia, in true detective fashion. “That Jean might be writing letters to herself.”
139 Then it occurred to her that Dorothy’s mail might bring the same news. Could she intercept13 that?
Quick as a flash she thought of the evening post. She could get Ned to go with her, and reach the office before the carrier started out. Ned would have to go, or Tavia would tell all about the dog. Tavia didn’t care, but Ned did.
Without any explanation, she physically14 dragged the other girl from the porch and started her along the path.
“Come on! You have got to go. Why? Because you must!” was the way she accomplished15 the feat16, all but the dragging. That she did with a strong and determined arm.
“What on earth——” began Edna, as soon as they were out of hearing distance of the others.
“No, it isn’t the dog. He’s gone, and good riddance! But it’s Jean. She is not gone, and bad riddance,” said Tavia. “I’m not afraid to go to the post-office now for I know the woman won’t be there with the sheriff. All the same, Ned,” and she lowered her voice appropriately, “I do think there is some mystery in that miniature hound. Dorothy never jokes that far.”
“No,” said Ned, in her economical way.
“I’d love to tell you, Neddie,” said Tavia excitedly, “but you are such a dunce.”
“Thanks,” said Ned. “I’m a dunce, surely,140 for getting into your scrapes. Now I’m going back. I know it’s another hold-up, or kidnapping, and I refuse——”
“Oh, Ned dear, you know I did not mean that. But one does get so tired of using good language in school, that’s it’s a positive comfort to ‘slang’ once in a while, and nobody appreciates my mental efforts in that direction as you do.” She slipped her hand into that of Edna with a meaning pressure.
“All right Tave, but mind you keep your word! My folks would never go my bail17. That is a family motto. ‘Right for right and——’”
“‘Bad for bad,’” finished the facetious18 one. “What would have happened to me if that had been our coat of arms? But here we are. Just peek19, so as we don’t run into the woman of the doggie!”
In spite of her protests, Edna was sure to do exactly as Tavia asked her to, and she did peek through the dingy20 window of the post-office.
“Clear coast,” she announced, and, lest anything should obstruct21 the coast, Tavia instantly darted22 in. The Glenwood box was private, of course, and Tavia did not have the key. The old post-master looked at her keenly before he handed her one letter for herself, and two for Dorothy.
Neither of Dorothy’s was from home, and as141 Tavia saw this she gave a skip of relief. It may be noticed that when a school girl is happy she gives a little skip—that was Tavia’s way.
“What was so important?” demanded Edna. “I hope you got it, Tavia.”
“I did. This is an invitation, I am sure,” and she opened her mail. “No, it’s a bill. Well, it will have to wait a day or two.”
“Tell me, what did you expect?” asked Edna. “Dragging me off this way, and then keeping all the news to yourself,” and she pouted23 prettily24.
“Hush! There’s Jake. Let’s wait till he is past. I’m afraid of him. Aren’t you?”
“A little,” admitted Edna. “But see. He is coming right for us.”
“Say there,” Jake called, almost forgetting he was addressing two Glenwood young ladies. “Wait a minute! I have something to say to you.”
Tavia wanted to run, and so did Edna, but there was no escape.
“Well, what is it?” asked the latter.
“Did you take that little dog?” he asked.
Neither girl answered.
“If you did, don’t be afraid to own up, for it’s all right now. Look at that.”
The man held out a slip of paper. It was the check he had just received in reward for the return of Ravelings!
142 “One hundred dollars!” exclaimed both girls.
“Yes, and never was it more needed. The woman who owned the dog told me all about his pranks25. It seems he always wants to jump out of the automobile26, and this is his third try at it. She says he jumped when he got on the hill.”
“And that was the secret!” Tavia exclaimed. “Dorothy didn’t tell us!”
“It was she who fetched him back though. I never knew what happened to the creature, but I suspected you two,” and he shook his head. “Then, when I saw her come up to the stable, with him in her arms——”
“And now we have a joke on her,” Edna put in. “We know about the reward, and she doesn’t.”
“She doesn’t? Why she saw the sign in the post-office, and told me about it. This is a great tangle27 anyway,” and Jake laughed heartily28.
“I should say it was,” Tavia remarked. “But since it ended so well, we won’t complain.”
“Not me,” finished Jake, just as they entered the school grounds. “But it seems to me your friend Dorothy does not look as she did. Is she sick?”
“No,” Tavia replied, “just too busy with books, I guess.”
The thought of Jean’s letter, that one found143 at Dorothy’s door, took the smile from Tavia’s face.
“Seems as if all the girls are losing interest in sports just now,” said Edna. “Even our tennis game ended in a frizzle.”
“It’ll all come back to you,” Jake assured them. “Young girls don’t hold to troubles long. Tell Miss Dorothy to run up to see me when she can. I want to show her this check before it gets soiled.”
“Oh, we’ll tell her,” Tavia answered, glad to think that she would really have the good news for her.
“But I don’t think we should,” said Edna. “She wouldn’t tell us.”
Tavia wondered how she could find out the truth about the torn letter. Could it be possible that Major Dale was really in danger of being arrested? If so perhaps she ought to tell Dorothy.
But, somehow, it did seem like a trick—to find the letter directly at their door.
“I’ll wait, at any rate,” she concluded, and then she left Edna to give Dorothy the mail that she hoped would bring her chum cheering news.
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1
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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defraud
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| vt.欺骗，欺诈 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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shun
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| vt.避开，回避，避免 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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8
joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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17
bail
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| v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人 | |
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facetious
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| adj.轻浮的，好开玩笑的 | |
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peek
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| vi.偷看，窥视；n.偷偷的一看，一瞥 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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obstruct
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| v.阻隔，阻塞(道路、通道等)；n.阻碍物，障碍物 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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pouted
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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pranks
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| n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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