This was unlike Ned, and a positive shock to Dorothy. To be sure, he chose the word "flirt" indifferently, but to Dorothy it had an ugly sound, and that night, after all her worries at the rehearsal5, she went to bed with a pair of very red eyes.
Perhaps it was the rush and excitement that caused every one to be so irritable6 and to so misunderstand things. Certainly Tavia had some worry, and Ned did not act like himself, while Nat looked miserable7. It would be a queer holiday unless things mended promptly8.
It was a pleasant morning, and Dorothy, feeling that a run in the open air would do her nerves good, seized upon some excuse to go to the village.
She wanted to be alone—to think about what Ned had said, to look over everything carefully, and see if he had any excuse for such a remark. Had she acted foolishly? Could her innocent freedom with Tom Jennings be misunderstood? Was it not possible for a girl to act naturally after she had passed the age of fifteen years?
Her head filled with such thoughts as these, in all the power that they may assume when first encountered by a young girl, Dorothy hurried along. She would simply tell Ned all about it, she decided9. He surely would understand that she never dreamed of "flirting10."
From the main highway she was obliged to turn into a branch of the road from Ferndale to reach the post-office, that little building being situated11 at the junction12 of both thoroughfares.
In her excitement she had scarcely glanced before her, but now, as she turned into the Ferndale road, she observed a woman coming along the same path. It was Miss Brooks13.
Somehow Dorothy was glad to meet her. After all, it was not pleasant to think too seriously.
"Good-morning," said Dorothy with all the vivacity14 she could summon. "Looking for Christmas mail too?"
"Yes," replied Miss Brooks, with something of a sigh. "There are many kinds of Christmas mail, I suppose."
The reply confused Dorothy. She did not want to bring sad reflections to the "little woman in black."
"I guess we will have pleasant weather," Dorothy hurried to say vaguely15. "I hope so, at any rate, for we must depend considerably16 upon the weather for the success of our hospital entertainment. You know, we are to have one."
"Yes, I've seen the tickets," said Miss Brooks, walking along with Dorothy. Then both paused. Both had evidently exhausted17 the commonplace.
Miss Brooks looked keenly at Dorothy. The latter could feel her searching gaze, and wondered secretly what it could mean. Presently Miss Brooks said:
"I believe you are a prudent18 girl, Miss Dale, and I wonder if I might trust you with a delicate—matter?"
"If I can help you—yes," answered Dorothy promptly.
"It is not to help me," said the other, "but to help your friend, Miss Travers."
Dorothy felt instantly that she referred to Tavia's troubles—those troubles which Tavia herself had refused to confide19 in her. Should she hear them from another?
"If you are sure I can help my friend I will be glad to do so, but I have no wish to interfere21 in any personal affair of hers."
Miss Brooks did not weaken. Dorothy's honesty in speaking as she did only seemed the more to convince her that Dorothy Dale could and ought to help Tavia Travers.
"I know," she went on, "that Miss Travers is greatly worried over a matter of money. I advised her how she could be relieved of that worry, but in spite of my advice I have reason to think that she has only made matters worse by writing to her folks at home and asking them for more money."
"Yes; I am sorry to seem a meddler23, but I feel that she will greatly complicate24 matters unless you are clever enough to step in and interfere. It is the old story of the tangled25 web; Miss Travers had no idea of doing anything—irregular. She simply did as thousands of others do, though I must say boys are usually the victims. A girl rarely takes such chances."
Dorothy was too surprised to speak. They were near the post-office, and both stood in the road to finish the conversation.
"How can I help her?" asked Dorothy simply.
"Well, I must confess it may be difficult, but I see no other way to get her out of her troubles, for she is surely multiplying them. The latest phase of her difficulty I may tell you of without any risk of betraying professional confidence," and Miss Brooks smiled faintly. "She has lately written to her father and to her mother for money—urging some trifling26 excuse. Letters intended for her have fallen into her father's hands. He is a lawyer, or in some way connected with legal affairs, is he not?"
"Oh, yes, that's it. Well, he has put two and two together, and has sent the last letter she wrote him out to a firm in Chicago, asking them to state clearly, and at once, what their business has been with his daughter, as he has reason to believe that it is because of this business that his daughter is worried about money and is trying to get it for some secret purpose. You see, he has inferred that she is trying to get the money on account of her dealings with this firm. The letters written to her show that."
Dorothy tried to understand, but it was all very strange. What sort of business dealings could be so dishonorable?
"And how can I help her?" she repeated.
"In one of two ways. Either get ten dollars for her in some way that she may return the money to her parents if they have already sent it, or induce her to write at once to her father, telling him frankly28 all about the matter and stating that she does not now require the ten dollars. She evidently wants that amount to pay some one who has lost on her account."
Dorothy was amazed. She could scarcely believe that Tavia would have gotten into any complex affair. And that some one should lose money on her account!
"Could it be Nat?" was the thought flashed through her brain. She had overheard some part of a conversation between Nat and Tavia, and now Tavia showed some ill-feeling toward Nat.
"Well, I must get along," said Miss Brooks finally. "I am glad I met you, and hope I have not given you too great a task. Good-morning."
Dorothy smiled and bowed, but her anxiety had promptly written the lines of care on her fair young face, and even the aged29 postmaster did not fail to ask her if anything was wrong at The Cedars when he handed her the mail.
Among the many letters was one for Tavia, and it bore the Dalton postmark.
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1
cedars
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| 雪松，西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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4
flirt
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| v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者 | |
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rehearsal
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| n.排练，排演；练习 | |
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irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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7
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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8
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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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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10
flirting
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| v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的现在分词 ) | |
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11
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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brooks
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| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
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14
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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15
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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16
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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17
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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18
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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19
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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20
mincing
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| adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎 | |
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21
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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22
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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23
meddler
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| n.爱管闲事的人，干涉者 | |
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24
complicate
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| vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂 | |
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25
tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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26
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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27
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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28
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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29
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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