Nan Sherwood at Lakeview Hall Part 15

"And why should he haunt that boathouse?" was Nan's further demand.

"Oh! we don't know that."

"Ever been a murder committed there?"

"Why! how you talk! A murder at Lakeview Hall? The idea!"

"All the ghosts I ever heard of were supposed to be the disembodied spirits either of persons who met with some catastrophe, or who committed a capital crime. They usually haunt the spot where the tragedy occurred. Now, my dear, what did this poor, black ghost do in life that he has to haunt that boathouse?"

"Oh, you can laugh!" exclaimed May, rather offended. "But if you ever see the ghost you won't be so light-minded about it."

And, oddly enough, May Winslow was a true prophet in this case; but Nan Sherwood, at the time, only laughed.

She and Bess, on the morning following their arrival at the school, went down to the trunk room to get their possessions. Mrs. Cupp abrogated to herself the right of search for, and seizure of, all contraband goods brought to the school by the pupils. The trunks must be unpacked under her eye--and a watchful eye it was!

Many a foolish or unwise mother allowed her daughter to wear garments or articles of adornment that Mrs. Cupp did not approve. And, as has before been said, at Lakeview Hall Mrs. Cupp's will was law.

"No, Miss Annie, I told you last year that those low-cut garments were not fit for winter wear in this climate. You should have told your aunt that I disapproved."

"I _did_," snapped the black-eyed girl who was thus addressed. "But auntie says she has worn them all her life, and there is no reason why I should not."

"Oh, yes there is. I am the reason," returned Mrs. Cupp, grimly. "Leave those things in your trunk, or return them. And tell your aunt that if she does not send you suitable and warm under-garments for the winter, that I will buy them and the cost will appear upon your quarterly bill.

"Now, Lettie Roberts! you know very well that no girl can wear a heel on her shoes like that in this school. What would Miss Gleason say?" Miss Gleason was the physical instructor. "If you wish to retain those shoes I will have the heels lowered."

"Oh, mercy me, Mrs. Cupp!" remonstrated the victim this time. "Those are my brand new dancing pumps!"

"You'll not dance in these pumps here," responded the matron, firmly.

"Make up your mind quickly."

"Heel 'em!" shot in Lettie, who knew of old that Mrs. Cupp was adamant.

"Oh, dear!"

"No use trying to balk Mrs. Cupp," Laura Polk had warned Nan and Bess.

"It would be just as wise to b.u.t.t your heads against a brick wall to make an impression on the wall!"

Mrs. Cupp had a sharp eye for anything the girls desired to take out of their trunks. And that which went back into the trunks remained in her care, for she insisted upon keeping the trunk keys as well as the key of the trunk-room.

"What's this you have buried at the bottom of your trunk, Nancy?" she asked Nan, sharply, when she came to a long, narrow box, made very neatly of cabinet wood by the skilful fingers of Tom Sherwood.

"Mercy, Nan!" whispered Bess, peering over her chum's shoulder, "it looks horribly like a baby's coffin."

"I--I'd rather you didn't take that out, Mrs. Cupp," said Nan, hastily.

"What?" repeated the lady, eyeing Nan suspiciously through her gla.s.ses.

"No, ma'am! please don't take it out," fluttered Nan.

"You wish to let it remain in my care, then, do you?" asked Mrs. Cupp, drily.

"Ye--yes, ma'am," Nan murmured.

Bess' eyes were big with wonder. Her chum had a secret that was not known to her!

Some of the other girls were listeners, too. Linda Riggs was impatiently awaiting her turn to have Mrs. Cupp examine the contents of her trunk.

She tossed her head and said, in scarcely a m.u.f.fled tone, to Cora Courtney:

"That Sherwood girl has probably succeeded in taking something and hiding it in her trunk. I told you, Cora, how she came so near getting away with my new bag when I was not looking."

"Why, her bag is just like yours, Linda," said Cora.

"Nonsense! They're not alike, at all," cried the ill-natured Linda. "She couldn't afford to own such a bag honestly. Mine cost nearly forty dollars."

"Well, maybe the Sherwood girl has more money than we think," whispered Cora. "I saw her give Mrs. Cupp some bank notes to take care of."

"Stolen!" exclaimed Linda.

"Well, she has them, at least," said Cora, who was poor herself but loved money, and was always making friends with richer girls that she might share in their spending money. "You know, we want to have some bang-up banquets this fall, and parties and the like. Somebody's got to furnish the 'sinews of war'--and you can't do it all, Linda. Better make friends with Sherwood."

"I'll do nothing of the kind!" cried Linda.

But Cora was a crafty girl. She herself said nothing and did nothing to offend Nan or Bess. It became common report, however, that Nan Sherwood had something in her trunk of which she would rather go without the use than show to Mrs. Cupp. And, of course, that aroused general curiosity.

Bess, on her part, felt not a little hurt. She was sure there was nothing she would not tell or show Nan. She did not speak of the matter to her chum, for Nan pointedly avoided it. But it troubled Bess, when the other girls tried to pump her about the box in Nan's trunk, that she was unable to look knowing and refuse to tell.

"I don't know anything about it," she snapped. "She doesn't tell me her secrets."

"Ho!" cried Laura. "What's the use of being chums with a girl who locks up the innermost recesses of her heart against you--and her trunk, as well? Why! I and my chum even borrow each other's chewing gum!" she added with her usual exaggeration.

Nan, however, would not be offended at anything Bess said, and was so helpful and kind that her chum could not long retain even a shadow of unfriendliness. During the first days of school the two friends from Tillbury gathered a number of girls about them; some novices like themselves; others, girls of about their own age who had spent from one to three terms at the Hall previous to this fall semester.

Laura Polk, the red-haired joker, was on the same corridor as Nan and Bess, so naturally they saw a good deal of her. And she was always good fun.

Grace Mason and her room-mate, flaxen-haired Lillie Nevin, were two more who soon took shelter under Nan Sherwood's wing. The more boisterous girls hara.s.sed Grace and Lillie at times, and yet they courted them, too, for Grace's parents and brother lived on the outskirts of Freeling and she could communicate through Walter much more easily with the outside world than could many of her schoolmates.

Then there was "Procrastination Boggs," as the queer girl from Wauhegan had been nicknamed. She joined forces with the girls of Number Seven, Corridor Four, right at the start.

Nan and Bess, in fact, found themselves in a very busy world indeed.

Lessons, study, gymnasium work, boating, walking, tennis, basket-ball, and a dozen other activities, occupied their days. And sometimes at night,--even after the solemn tolling of the half-past nine curfew,--slippered feet ran about the dim corridors with as little noise as the mice made behind the wainscoting. Bands of whispering, giggling girls gathered in the various rooms and told stories, played games, held bare-foot dances, and ate goodies, when they were supposed to be deeply engaged in the preparation of the morrow's work, or long after they should have retired.

Nan was careful to break no important rules, nor did she allow careless Bess to fall into the company of girls who broke them. Of innocent amus.e.m.e.nt there was plenty at Lakeview Hall.

Both chums were fond of boating and other aquatic sports. Lake Huron, of course, was entirely different from the millpond at home; but they knew how to row and paddle, and there were plenty of boats and canoes to use here, for the asking.

And it was because of their delight in paddling a canoe that Nan Sherwood and Bess Harley first fell into a real adventure at Lakeview Hall.