Tabitha's Vacation
over the heaped-up mending basket one hot afternoon, and tried to m
lied cheerily. "But really, Puss, time hasn't dragged as slowly a
ically declared. "I thought it never would end, and I'd have qui
word," laughed her companion. "I thought you'd nev
lessly that I knew you were still awake, and fin
t I did, too!" g
ing everything loo
your lovely pie and the seeds in my gingerbread;
nd I don't think I'll ever see a chocolate pie or a ginge
loriana reminded her. "The children have tried to be angels
ass as smoothly as last week did, it's all I'll- What in the world is the matter with the children? So
just in time to hear Inez's voice say cuttingly, "Of cour
of two strange boys, lolling on s
re your names,
en you were here before, so we can't
longer. We are Billiard and Toady these days. Mind you do
m telling you not to come?"
e we
idn't you s
ean and there wasn't anyone else to send us to. Grandma's aw
and mamma's there nursing
alled Toady spoke
think I'
ep us from coming out here," Billiard explained
ather and mother being away to Los Angeles, there'd have to be someone
n she's paying
nd her teeth in helpless rage, while Gloriana ga
ay board," Susie declared in heat. "You
and an ugly sneer on his face. But Susie was no coward, and when he shook his knuckles close to her little pug
d himself in the grasp of a tall, irate young lady, who wore her shining black hair pinned up on top of h
dering depths of those big, black eyes was enough to cow the bully
, jigging excitedly from one foot to the othe
ne
ave come! We telegr
ne
uck terror to his cowardly heart before, she announced, "It is too late now to think of that side of the question. We'll have to make the most of a bad situation; but I w
eans of escape, but Tabitha had delivered her ultimatum, and now swept grandly into
when her sharp ears caught Billiard's hoarsely whi
g care of us," answere
ir
did you ta
things that's trying to vote an
ck girls in unison. "Why,
Angeles, the boarding schoo
st In
s my
uh
ad for her. "Isn't this the worst luck you ever heard of?
ain," declared the red-haired girl angrily. "The very idea of their m
nt away to school most of the year; and during vacations she manages to shift them onto some of
h them? Shall we tell Mrs. Mc
to distraction now. No, we must make the best of it this week, and by that time Miss Dav
d Gloriana. "I suppose we can get along somehow for
ess." She stepped to the door to call them, but not a soul was in sight anywhere. Two open suitcases lay
the sound of their voices at play fell on her listening ear. "Strange," she
umbling down the steep incline behind the house, bruised, scratched, torn, and covered from head to foot with what looked like blood Glorian
ndished a tomahawk in one hand and an evil-looking knife in the other. At sight of the girl on the narrow piazza, he hastily retreated behind the rocks again; but Tabitha was there almost as soon as he. Snatching the gorgeous headdress from the culprit's head, she trampled it ruthlessly in the sharp g
eration. "I didn't mean to scare him
pointed at the circle of sisters,-Mercedes, weak and trembling, bent over the limp form of little Janie, blowing frantically in the still, white face; a thoroughly subdue
ard, as Tabitha resumed her shaking. "
such horrible savages as
ump of relief and thanksgiving, and abruptly dropping the headdress of fe
l have him plumb addled! Really, we were just in for some fun. We never dreamed the kids would scare so easy
as unaware, for with one swoop she gathered up the now hysterical baby, and stalked off toward the house, saying grimly, "You boys stay right where you are until you are willing to apologize and promise to behave
ing the supper hour and he was hungry, but Tabitha had said he must apologize and promise good be
d motionless where he had dropped when Tabitha had left t
winding silver ribbon of railroad track, and the
is brother's thoughts had evidently been running i
neck around a boulder, surveyed the quiet mountainside
they're doing. Maybe th
," returned
ad at you, and besides, you're littl
dy remain
off this stuff before she'll let us i
going to
'lar cyclone. Smashed up half our things already, and like enough she
brother's discomfiture, arose and slowly descended by a roundabout trail to the cottage. He was gone a long time and Billiard was growing d
" cried Billi
heard them say. Mercedes
ss Mercedes," Billiard
with your apology," advised the more easily persuaded brother, "
hy
, they are going to ask the-the-some man, sort of a polic
hink they'd writ
me mountain he wanted to climb 'cause they didn't know who he was. She had a gun and shot at them; but wh
ologize, will they
me woman who's going to take care of the kids most of the summer gets here. Th
ry much," he complained bitterly, feeling that To
edged the other. "I'd rather do that
enjoying his brother's humiliation, for, though comrades in mischief, the older boy loved to bully the younger, and Toady had a long list of scores to settle
ard made straight for the kitchen door, through which
come
let you in
n, where's
toilet. Then, after a moment's further hesitation, he entered the kitchen with hanging head, an
abject that she could scarcely keep from smiling openly.
he gulped, flushing angr
es be bygones; but we'll have no more such actions while you stay. Your suitcase is in the back bedroo
ng in wood at home!
ome now," Tabitha
re payin
ard money yet. And any
from his trousers pocket and slam
," she counted.
sum
is cheap at a dollar a day. You can write your mother to that eff
pay more," Billiard hastily explained, for
is the regular rate. And now you will have just a
to the clear, olive face above him,
paying no attention to the amazement in his fa
, closed them again, and inwardly raging, but outw