CHAPTER XVI A STRANGE MESSAGE

 Uproarious laughter from the girls with the wild flowers aroused Cora.

Rob Roland was gone.

Had she fainted? Was that roaring in her ears just awakened¹ nerves?

 

"Cora! Oh, Cora! We had the most darling time," Bess was bubbling. "You should have been along. Such a dear old farmer. He showed us the queerest tables. And he had the nicest son. Cora— What is the matter?"

 

"Oh," lisped Ray, "another Co-Ed message over the telephone."

 

"Cora, dear," exclaimed Gertrude, "we should not have left you all alone. Are you ill?"

 

"Cora! Cora!" gasped² Adele.

 

"Cora, dear!" sighed Tillie.

 

"Oh, Cora!" moaned Belle³. "What has happened?"

 

"Cora, darling," cried Maud, "who has frightened you?"

 

"Cora Kimball," called Daisy, "have you been drinking too much tea?"

 

"Too little," murmured Cora. "Will some of you girls leave off biting the air, and make a good cup of tea?"

 

There was a wild rush for the alcohol lamp; every one wanted to make the good cup of tea.

 

"I saw a runabout moving away as we came up," said Ray. "I hope, Cora, your caller was not obnoxious⁴."

 

"Oh, just an autoist," replied Cora indifferently. "I did not take the trouble to brew⁵ tea for one solitary⁶ man." The color was coming back into her cheeks now, and with the return of animation⁷ her scattered⁸ senses attempted to seize upon the strange situation.

 

Jack⁹ and Clip to be arrested for abduction!

 

Could that fellow have known what he was saying?

 

If only Jack would call her up on the telephone. She had left word for him to do so, no matter how late the hour might be when he should return home.

 

"Now drink every sip¹⁰ of this," commanded Adele, as she turned on the lights and fetched Cora a steaming cup of the very best Grotto¹¹ Hyson. "There is nothing for shaken nerves better than perfectly¹² fresh tea, and, you see, we make it without soaking the leaves."

 

"It is delightful," said Cora, sipping¹³ the savory¹⁴ draught¹⁵. "I must learn how to make tea this way—it is so different from the home-brewed variety."

 

Gertrude sat close to the reclining girl. "Is there nothing I can do,

Cora?" she asked. "No message I can send?"

"Yes," whispered Cora; "you can manage to get the girls out of here before you and I leave for the night. I want to use the telephone privately¹⁶."

 

Gertrude understood. She had not been a roommate with Cora Kimball for two years without knowing something of her temperament¹⁷. She pressed her friend's hand gently, then said loud enough for the others to hear:

 

"We will soon have to get our machines under cover. Tillie says her grandfather has all sorts of sheds over around his country place. In fact, he has a regular shed-farm. Cora, I am just dying to try running a motor. Would you trust me to get the Whirlwind in the shed safely?"

 

"Of course I would, Gertrude," and Cora jumped up from the wicker divan¹⁸. "I would suggest that some one go along, though—perhaps Ray. She has had some experience, and you know the Whirlwind."

 

"Is not a prize-package machine," interrupted Gertrude. "All right, Cora. I will humbly¹⁹ take instructions. Come along, girls. It will be dark directly, and then we might have to waste time lighting²⁰ the lamps."

 

"And grandfather's man has offered to look over every machine early in the morning," said Tillie. "He is quite expert; we will be sure that every nut and bolt is in perfect order."

 

This was good news to the motor girls, especially to Daisy, who had her own secret doubts about her father's best car—she was accustomed to running the substitute.

 

Presently all except Cora and Adele were attending to the cars. Cora was just about to call up her own house when the tinkle²¹ of the telephone bell startled her. She picked up the receiver and was not surprised to find the party inquired for was herself.

 

"This is Jack," came the welcome voice. "Is that you, sis?"

 

"Oh, yes, Jack, dear!" she replied. Adele had gone out to fetch the chairs in from the porch. "I have been almost frantic²². Where are you? Where is Clip? Where is Wren²³?"

 

"Oh, easy there, now, sis," and Cora thought she had never before appreciated the value of a real brother. "I can't answer everything at once, although I can come pretty near it. First, I am here—at home. Next, Clip is here—at our home, and third, the other party—I won't mention names—is here also."

 

"All at our house?" exclaimed Cora.

 

And the answer came: "Exactly that. But you mustn't say a word to any one. You know, there has been a sort of rumpus. Do you want to speak with C.? She is here."

 

"Hello, Cora," came Cecilia's voice. "How are you? Not getting on with your trip very fast, I guess."

 

"Oh, Clip!" said Cora. "I cannot understand it—"

 

"You are not supposed to," replied the other. "We are all right, you are all right, and what more do you ask?"

 

"How is Paul?"

 

"Well, he did have quite a time, but is improving. Say, Cora," and the voice was subdued²⁴, "don't call us up until you hear from me. I can't explain now. But where shall I write—say in two days' time?"

 

"Two days!" repeated Cora. "Do you expect me to exist that long and not know—"

 

"I am afraid you will have to. We are being watched"—this was barely breathed—"and a break would spoil it all. Surely you can trust me."

 

The girls were coming back-were actually on the porch. Cora was obliged to say a few disconnected words, and then she hung up the receiver.

1 awakened   

v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到

参考例句：

• She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。
• The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 belle   

n.靓女

参考例句：

• She was the belle of her Sunday School class.在主日学校她是她们班的班花。
• She was the belle of the ball.她是那个舞会中的美女。

4 obnoxious   

adj.极恼人的，讨人厌的，可憎的

参考例句：

• These fires produce really obnoxious fumes and smoke.这些火炉冒出来的烟气确实很难闻。
• He is the most obnoxious man I know.他是我认识的最可憎的人。

5 brew   

v.酿造，调制

参考例句：

• Let's brew up some more tea.咱们沏些茶吧。
• The policeman dispelled the crowd lest they should brew trouble.警察驱散人群，因恐他们酿祸。

6 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

7 animation   

n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作

参考例句：

• They are full of animation as they talked about their childhood.当他们谈及童年的往事时都非常兴奋。
• The animation of China made a great progress.中国的卡通片制作取得很大发展。

8 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

9 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

10 sip   

v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量

参考例句：

• She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。
• Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。

11 grotto   

n.洞穴

参考例句：

• We reached a beautiful grotto,whose entrance was almost hiden by the vine.我们到达了一个美丽的洞穴，洞的进口几乎被藤蔓遮掩著。
• Water trickles through an underground grotto.水沿着地下岩洞流淌。

12 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

13 sipping   

v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。
• She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。

14 savory   

adj.风味极佳的，可口的，味香的

参考例句：

• She placed a huge dish before him of savory steaming meat.她将一大盘热气腾腾、美味可口的肉放在他面前。
• He doesn't have a very savory reputation.他的名誉不太好。

15 draught   

n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计

参考例句：

• He emptied his glass at one draught.他将杯中物一饮而尽。
• It's a pity the room has no north window and you don't get a draught.可惜这房间没北窗，没有过堂风。

16 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

17 temperament   

n.气质，性格，性情

参考例句：

• The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
• Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。

18 divan   

n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集

参考例句：

• Lord Henry stretched himself out on the divan and laughed.亨利勋爵伸手摊脚地躺在沙发椅上，笑着。
• She noticed that Muffat was sitting resignedly on a narrow divan-bed.她看见莫法正垂头丧气地坐在一张不宽的坐床上。

19 humbly   

adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地

参考例句：

• We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy. 我们恳请陛下发发慈悲。
• "You must be right, Sir,'said John humbly. “你一定是对的，先生，”约翰恭顺地说道。

20 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

21 tinkle   

vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声

参考例句：

• The wine glass dropped to the floor with a tinkle.酒杯丁零一声掉在地上。
• Give me a tinkle and let me know what time the show starts.给我打个电话，告诉我演出什么时候开始。

22 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

23 wren   

n.鹪鹩；英国皇家海军女子服务队成员

参考例句：

• A wren is a kind of short-winged songbird.鹪鹩是一种短翼的鸣禽。
• My bird guide confirmed that a Carolina wren had discovered the thickets near my house.我掌握的鸟类知识使我确信，一只卡罗莱纳州鹪鹩已经发现了我家的这个灌木丛。

24 subdued   

adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
• I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。