Dorothy Dale's Queer Holidays by Margaret Penrose

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"Nurse," she interrupted, her voice carrying through the 'phone, "perhaps
that patient could have our bed. Captain Mayberry is to go to the private
wing."

In a few words the nurse gathered Dorothy's meaning.

Then she told the matron, speaking through the transmitter, to hold the
applicant.

"Would you like to come with me?" she asked Dorothy, as she prepared to
interview the prospective patient. "Miss Pumfret will be here for some
time yet."

Down the broad marble steps, that seemed to exude everything antiseptic
and sterilized, Dorothy hurried along after the head nurse. Into a large
hall, then across this into a small waiting-room they passed.

"The patient is only ill from neglect and nervous exhaustion," explained
the nurse, "or I would not invite you down."

A second white-capped and white-robed attendant opened the door. Dorothy
stepped in first. A woman sat on a leather chair in the far corner of the
room.

"She is very weak," explained the second nurse to the first, "and I really
was afraid to let her go."

The woman raised her head.

"Miss Dearing!" exclaimed Dorothy, too surprised to suppress her
astonishment, "Why, I am so--glad I have found you!"

The woman tried to open her lips, but a sudden movement of her head showed
that she had fainted.

"And you know her?" asked the nurses, quickly restoring the woman to
consciousness with simple restoratives.

"Slightly," replied Dorothy. "I will wait to see how she gets along."

From the scene in the waiting-room Dorothy hurried back to the side of
Captain Mayberry. She wanted to ask Miss Pumfret about the bed.

"Oh, here you are!" exclaimed the little woman pleasantly. "I was just
telling Nick what a girl you are. Perhaps you can tell us how to go about
getting him into the private ward. He liked it first-rate here," she
hurried to explain, "but there's no sense in keeping this bed from some
one who may need it."

Dorothy touched the button at the door to call an attendant. It was the
head nurse who answered.

"We can have this bed," stammered Dorothy, scarcely able to speak through
her excitement. "Miss Pumfret wishes Captain Mayberry removed to the
private wing."

"That will do nicely," answered the nurse, smiling. "Your friend has been
taken into the observation ward. She will remain there until her case is
diagnosed. It was providential that you spoke when you did, or she might
have fainted in the street if we had turned her away, and we are not
allowed to take patients who apply as she did, unless they are vouched
for. You see, it was well you happened to know her."

"Could I speak with her?" asked Dorothy timidly.

"That is precisely what I came up for. She wants very much to speak with
you."

CHAPTER XXVII

ALL IS WELL

"No, I'm not a bit excited," pleaded Miss Dearing when the nurse cautioned
her to keep quiet. "I'm only happy. I was dying long before I came here,
and now I can rest in a bed, and perhaps I will have the courage to get
well again."

"Of course you will," insisted Dorothy, delighted that she had been
instrumental in actually saving a life. "And perhaps Christmas will bring
you peace and courage."

"No, but you have brought it. When I look at your fair face-- Don't you
know, that was why I put the ring in your bag?" she asked suddenly. "I
knew your face would clear you before any accuser in the world."

Dorothy put her finger to her lips. She did not want Miss Dearing to
discuss the painful subject. But the sick woman was persistent.

"And from that moment some evil genius followed me. I did it because other
detectives had been praised for making arrests, and I had made none. I
could not afford to lose my place, for my mother--was dying. She died,
thank God, before she knew her daughter had lied for her, had herself
actually been accused of stealing--stealing to earn a dollar!"

"Now, please," begged Dorothy, "do not talk any more about it. When you
get well I will come in and see you. My aunt will want a great deal of
sewing done. Perhaps you may be able to come to her."

It was actually noon-time, and Dorothy had to hurry back to The Cedars.
Miss Pumfret and the captain were still talking about old family affairs,
and seemed supremely happy as she left them. The captain, explained the
nurse, was suffering more from neglect than any specific ailment, and he
had already responded remarkably to treatment.

"Isn't it a queer holiday?" Dorothy asked herself once more in the train,
getting back to The Cedars. "And now for Tavia's troubles."

Nat met her at the station, all smiles, but otherwise provokingly
uncommunicative.

He simply would not tell her a word of what might have occurred in her
absence, and she finally gave up asking him to do so.

"All right," she assured him. "If Tavia's gone I'll blame you, that's
all."

Roger met her at the door.

"Some one's waiting for you in the parlor, Doro," he said, without waiting
to "digest" his sister's greeting.

Dorothy opened the parlor door. There sat Miss Brooks and little Mary
Mahon.

"We came in to wish you a merry Christmas," said Miss Brooks, with her arm
about Mary. "This is my niece, my sister's only child. And I found her
through your hospital play."

In a few words Miss Brooks made it all clear to Dorothy, and repeated the
story told Tavia some time before.

"She is not very strong, and I am going to take her south at once," went
on Miss Brooks, while Mary fairly beamed with delight. She was so splendid
in her new fur coat; and to think she really had a relative!

"Aunt Stella," she ventured, "you never would have found me if Dorothy had
not given me that piece. It was because I acted--like mamma."

"And there is something else," said Miss Brooks, "The matter--about Miss
Travers. I received a letter this morning from the firm, refunding her
money. Of course, I had urged them to do so. I would not even address
envelopes for a house that would deliberately rob young girls."

Miss Brooks offered the slip of paper to Dorothy.

"Wouldn't you rather give it to Miss Travers?" asked Dorothy.

"Oh, yes," replied the other, remembering that Dorothy had refused to
listen to the explanation of Tavia's difficulties.

Tavia was in the hall, and Dorothy called her. Her eyes showed she had
been weeping. At the sight of Miss Brooks she turned as if to leave the
room. Dorothy put a detaining hand on her arm.

"She has good news for you. I am going to leave you alone to hear it."

"No," insisted Tavia, now conscious that there was good news in the air.
"Stay and listen, Doro. I did not tell you--because I was a--"

"Now stop!" insisted Dorothy. "No calling of names."

"You take too serious a view of it," interrupted Miss Brooks. "She simply
did what hundreds do every day--risked five dollars to make ten--"

"It is nothing in the world but gambling!" declared Tavia almost fiercely.

"I agree with you," answered Miss Brooks, "but you did not go into it with
that understanding. Neither did I offer to address their envelopes with a
thorough understanding of their methods. I simply was trying to find an
address, and I made use of every means I considered legitimate. Here is
your money--and your friend's. The address I was looking for came in
person," and once more she folded her arms about Mary.

"The money!" exclaimed Tavia, looking at the check in a dazed sort of way,
"This is your money, Dorothy," she said, reading the check--"yours and
Nat's. I gambled mother's, and spent yours, then I bought Christmas
presents."

The check called for fifteen dollars and was made out to bearer. Tavia
offered it to Dorothy, who did not take it.

Miss Brooks insisted upon going. She felt she had finished her business at
The Cedars.

Tavia drew Dorothy into the library as the door closed upon the visitors.
Her eyes were blazing, although her hands seemed cold as they touched
Dorothy's arm.

"You know I gambled," she stammered. "I deliberately bought a ticket in a
lottery."

"I know you made a mistake," insisted Dorothy. "I could never call that
gambling."

"Then take the check, if you are not afraid of it," went on Tavia. "Part
of it belongs to Nat--the other five is what I borrowed from you."

"Borrowed from me? Why, I gave you that--outright. It was my Christmas in
advance. Just jump into your things, and come down to send a telegram
home. Send them five dollars by wire--they will get it in the morning.
There is no present like the one that comes on Christmas morning, you
know."

"Dorothy!" exclaimed Tavia, "I can't oppose you this time. I know that
five dollars will make my father and my mother know that I--but it would
be deceiving them," she broke off. "I am not fit to even send the gift."

"Hurry! hurry!" begged Dorothy. "I want to send some Christmas greetings
by wire, and they will be too busy to take our messages if you wait
later."

Tavia threw her arms about Dorothy.

"You dear old nuisance!" she exclaimed. "I wonder you could not leave some
little thing for the angels to do to-morrow."

"Oh, I expect them to give me their undivided attention," declared
Dorothy. "I have had such a queer holiday up to this time that I have
simply asked for a great big lump of 'peace' in my stocking."

"You deserve it, Doro, dear," and Tavia, to hide the tears that would come
into her eyes, placed her arms about Dorothy and hid her face on her
shoulder.

Dorothy did get peace, and great happiness, too. Yet there were many
happenings still in store for her, and what some of them were will be told
in another book, to be called "Dorothy Dale's Camping Days." It was a
never-to-be-forgotten outing and one that produced some astonishing
results.

"And to-morrow is Christmas," said Dorothy softly. "I feel just like the
carol singers, when they used to chant: 'God rest you, merry
gentlemen--'"

"Only you're not a--" began Tavia, looking up.

"No, I'm not a gentleman, but I'm merry--quite happy now, and I certainly
need a rest. I guess you do, too."

"I certainly do," agreed Tavia. "Come on, let's hurry to the telegraph
office."

And here we will say good-by to Dorothy Dale for a while, leaving her and
her friends at The Cedars to enjoy their Christmas in their own delightful
way. For, after all, and in spite of the many queer happenings connected
with them, the holidays were most happy ones.

THE END

The Dorothy Dale Series

By Margaret Penrose

Cloth. 12 mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid

DOROTHY DALE: A GIRL OF TO-DAY

Dorothy is the daughter of an old Civil War veteran who is running a
weekly newspaper in a small Eastern town. When her father falls sick, and
the newspaper property is in danger of going to pieces, the girl shows
what she can do to support the family.

[Illustration]

DOROTHY DALE AT GLENWOOD SCHOOL

More prosperous times have come to the Dale family, and Major Dale
resolves to send Dorothy to a boarding school to complete her education.
At Glenwood School the girl makes a host of friends and has many good
times. But some girls are jealous of Dorothy's popularity, and they seek
to get her into trouble in more ways than one.

DOROTHY DALE'S GREAT SECRET

A splendid story of one girl's devotion to another. Dorothy's chum ran
away to join a theatrical company. What Dorothy did, and how she kept the
secret, makes a tale no girl will care to miss.

DOROTHY DALE AND HER CHUMS

A story of school life, and of strange adventures among the gypsies.
Dorothy befriends a little French girl and also a gypsy waif, in a manner
sure to touch the hearts of all readers.

DOROTHY DALE'S QUEER HOLIDAYS

Relates the details of a mystery that surrounded Tanglewood Park. There is
a great snowstorm, and the young folks become snowbound, much to their
dismay.

Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York

The Motor Girls Series

By Margaret Penrose

Author of the highly successful Dorothy Dale Series

Cloth. 12mo. Handsomely illustrated and beautifully bound in decorated
cover, stamped in several colors. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid

* * * * *

THE MOTOR GIRLS

_Or, A Mystery of the Road_

[Illustration: The Motor Girls]

When Cora Kinball got her touring car she did not imagine so many
adventures were in store for her. During a trip from one city to another a
rich young man lost a pocketbook containing valuable stocks and much cash.
Later, to the surprise of everybody, the empty pocketbook was found in the
tool box of Cora's automobile. A fine tale that all wide-awake girls will
appreciate.

* * * * *

THE MOTOR GIRLS ON A TOUR

_Or, Keeping a Strange Promise_

A great many things happen in this volume, starting with the running over
of a hamper of good things lying in the road. A precious heirloom is
missing, and how it was traced up is told with absorbing interest. Mrs.
Penrose's books are as safe as they are interesting and should be on the
bookshelf of every girl in the land.

* * * * *

Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York

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