Jane Allen, Center Read online

  CHAPTER VIII--NEW YORK AT LAST

  "If there is one thing I like more than all the other things about along railway journey," said Judith, as they alighted at the greatMetropolis terminal, "it is the end. I love to get off."

  "I rather agree with you," Jane almost sighed, for the trip fromMontana, while pleasantly varied with incidents of interest, was reallyall tuned and keyed up to the actual pleasure of reaching New York.

  "How good it is to be back, after all," pursued Judith. "I hope we willhave no trouble in finding Mrs. Weatherbee. She is so eminentlysystematic, as our train was on time, she ought to be in sight now."

  "Oh, I am sure she will be here," Jane added, as they edged along withthe throng, threading their way out into the open space under the greatglass canopy of the New York Central. The magnitude of the buildingseemed to dwarf the lines and group of persons, filing in and out, andcoming and going--as the old man said, like people without any homes.

  "There she is!" exclaimed Jane as she caught sight of the dignifiedMrs. Weatherbee, director of Wellington. "And she has a young girl withher."

  "Our Helka!" exclaimed Judith, jamming into a haughty woman with theperpetual poodle under her arm. "Oh, I am sure that is our littleartist," as the slight young girl, in very dark costume advanced withMrs. Weatherbee.

  There was no time for a reply from Jane, for the smiling Wellingtonlady and her companion now caught sight of the girls, and wereadvancing quickly.

  "Just in time," Mrs. Weatherbee exclaimed with more precision thanoriginality. "How splendidly you both look!"

  Then the usual hand shaking, and exchange of courtesies included theintroduction to Miss Helka Podonsky.

  So the girls at last beheld the object of their long outstandingguesses and conjectures!

  Yes, Helka was pretty--she was different, and she was surely attractive.Her hair tangled around her ears and made the most adorable littlepuffs. Its shade was dark, not black, but more dark than brown. All ofthese details were easily observed, and the girls absorbed them, butthe color of her eyes--Jane thought they blue, Judith thought thembrown, and neither knew how to classify the flashes and "volts" thelittle stranger shot out from under the long curly lashes. But that shewas lovely each silently agreed.

  "This is our friend who is coming with us to Wellington," Mrs.Weatherbee explained, in that formal way "the faculty" always take tosay unnecessary things. "She is delighted with the prospect," anothersuperfluous banality.

  "Oh, yes, it will be very--nice," spoke Helka, and her accent betrayedthe slightest foreign tinge. Her words seemed carefully chosen, but shedid not hiss her "s" nor choke her "e." Jane was glad the voice andaccent would not excite undue prejudice.

  "I am sure it will be perfectly jolly," Judith hurried to add, and inher effort to speak clearly she chose the very word a stranger mightnot understand. "Jolly" was not included in the usual English phrasesgiven in foreign school text books.

  "Yes?" Helka ventured to answer, and her rising inflection might easilyspan a sea of doubt.

  "Oh, it will be--delightful," Jane took great pains to qualify. She hadno intention of confusing Helka, and wished above all things to impressher with a sense of companionship.

  Yet there was a certain strain apparent. Helka did not "fall on herknees, or neck" after the manner of the proteges in children's books,neither did "her eyes fill with tears of silent appreciation."Nevertheless the three girls, with their college director, were goingthrough that process of self consciousness bordering on embarrassment.

  "Can't we go to the rest room for a few moments?" asked Jane. "I thinkwe will have a better chance to get acquainted sitting down," shedeclared.

  Quick to catch the possible humor of this remark Helka smiled broadly,and the set of teeth she exposed caused the girls again to exchangeknowing glances. Now, Judith had wonderful teeth. In fact, she mightclaim championship in the tooth beauty contest, did Wellington carrysuch a sport, but Helka's! They were so small, so even and so white,matched pearls indeed. Thoughts of the pure grain foods of Polandfiltered through Jane's mind, while Judith wondered about Polishdentifrice.

  All this time it never occurred to either of the Wellington girls, thatthe stranger might be having an equally interesting time analyzing andcataloging them, and their characteristics. Egotism has various methodsof taking care of her own.

  In the big, leathered rest room, a comfortable corner was available,and here our quartette soon ensconced themselves. Mrs. Weatherbeereally looked quite human, Judith was deciding, her Oxford tailoredsuit being sufficiently de luxe to be spelled "tailleur." It was nobby,to take up a word from the English allies, and not give all the creditto the French.

  "Now, my dears," spoke the model, "I have a plan to unfold to you.Helka wishes to stay in some private place, that is, she does not wishto get into any very public place."

  She stopped, for Helka was silently inferring so much that her attitudedemanded attention. She was sort of shaking her head and biting her redlips and flashing her unclassified eyes.

  "Not a lovely hotel?" asked Jane in surprise. She had really counted onshowing this little stranger life in a big New York hotel.

  "Oh, no, please not. No hotel. I would not like that. There are somany--men and women." Helka was almost shuddering, and Judith instantlysensed the mystery promised about the Polish girl's antecedents. Jane,acting in the capacity of hostess, immediately agreed to shun allhotels.

  "I wanted to tell you," said Mrs. Weatherbee, "that for the present Ihave arranged with a former member of the staff of Wellington, aretired chaperon, to take you young ladies in her charge in New York.As Miss Allen had informed me she wished to stay in the city for somedays, I thought it my duty to see that you were all safely--chaperoned."She smiled humanly, Judith admitted, but visions of a retired chaperondid not exactly forecast a very jolly good time. Even a working "nursemaid," as the attendants were sometimes facetiously styled, would bebetter than one who was old enough to be retired. Jane was strugglingwith similar fears.

  "She has quite an apartment," went on the matron. "In fact, she hasbeen entertaining some social service students who take care ofthemselves in her apartment, and I thought that would be just the thingfor you three little girls."

  "I am sure it will be!" Jane exclaimed, now seeing light through theclouds. "I have always longed to try housekeeping as the collegesettlement girls do, and it may give us valuable experience."

  "Oh, glorious!" exclaimed Judith. "I vote to be--parlor maid."

  "It would be very nice," ventured Helka, "if we could have a very smallhouse and our own--piano."

  "Oh, of course, Helka, dear," Mrs. Weatherbee hurried to inject. "Youmust have access to a piano. You cannot be deprived of your music."

  The luminous eyes flashed their appreciation at this, and Jane felt asif even a rest room was quite inadequately furnished, with no piano, atthat moment, in sight. This little artist should have some sort ofpocket edition to carry around with her. She was different and artisticand her moods should be humored. Of a certainty they would go at onceto the apartment with the home cured piano, as Judith called anyinstrument not installed in a school room.

  "Miss Jordan expects us," said Mrs. Weatherbee, "I was sure a good cupof real tea would refresh you both after your journey." She picked upthe flat brief case Judith always carried in lieu of a suit case. Janeadjusted her own club bag, preparatory for the start. Helka insisted ontaking the brace of umbrellas. So the little party wended their way tothe surface car, Jane naturally falling in step with Helka and Judithtrotting along with Mrs. Weatherbee.

  "Adorable!" Judith at last had a chance to exclaim.

  "I knew you would like her," smiled Mrs. Weatherbee. "She is awonderful girl. And she has such an interesting history."

  Just as it had all been planned!

  "Jane's luck," commented Judith. "Mrs. Weatherbee, we are going to makeJane Allen, Center, this year. And we are going to make our team knownall over the college circuit. Basketball is an A
merican sport, and weare back from the war now with reconstruction energy."

  "I believe you," assented the matron, and her tone impliedsatisfaction.

  Jane was meanwhile becoming agreeably acquainted with Helka.