Naughtiest Girl 2: The Naughtiest Girl Again (11 page)

fierce red-hot feeling,

"I'm a dreadful person!" thought Kathleen in despair.

"I'm plain and spotty and pale, I'm dull and slow, and now I'm mean and deceitful and cowardly That's the

worst of beginning to do horrid things-.they make you feel horrid yourself, and then you can't ever be happy any more. I'm not fit to be at a school like Whyteleafe, where the children are happy and joLly -and where even a boy like Robert, who's been hateful to others, can turn over a new leaf and begin again!"

Poor Kathleen! It had seemed such fun, and so clever, at first, to think out nasty little tricks to get Jenny and Elizabeth into trouble-but now that she had found that mean ways make a mean person, she hated herself.

"And it's much worse to hate yourself than it is to hate somebody else," thought Kathleen. "Because you can never get away from yourself. I wish I was a happy honest sort of person like Nora or John."

Kathleen was really unhappy. She went about looking so miserable that the girls felt sorry for her.

"Don't you feel well?" asked Elizabeth,

"I'm all right," said Kathleen, and walked off with her head drooping like a sad little dog.

"What's up, Kathleen? For goodness' sake, smile a bit!" cried Belinda. "You're enough to turn the milk sour! Have you had bad news from home, or something?"

"No," said Kathleen, "I just don't feel like smiling, that's all. Leave me alone."

Her work was so bad that Miss Ranger began to be worried What in the world could be the matter with the girl? She looked as if she was worrying about something. Miss Ranger managed to get Kathleen alone for a few minutes, and spoke to her gently.

"Kathleen, my dear-is there anything wrong? Your work has gone to nieces this week, and you look so miserable. Can't you tell me what's wrong? I may be able to help."

Kathleen felt the tears coming into her eyes when she heard Miss Ranger speaking to her so kindly. She turned her head away.

"Nobody can help." she said in a funny muted voice, "Everything's gone wrong. And nothing and nobody can put It right."

"My dear child, there are very few things that can't be put right, if only you will give somebody a chance to help," said Miss Ranger. "Come now, Kathleen-what's wrong?"

But Kathleen wouldn't tell her. She shook her head obstinately, and Miss Ranger gave it up. She could not like Kathleen, but she fell very sorry for her, 49

Then Kathleen made up her mind to do a very foolish thing . She would run away-right away home-but first she would tell Elizabeth and Jenny all she had done.

She would confess to them, so that Robert would be

cleared of blame. She could at least do that, She wouldn't despise herself quite so much if she owned up.

"Though it will be awfully difficult," thought poor Kathleen. "They will look at me in such a horrid way-they will call me names-and everyone in the school will know how awful I have been. But still, I shall have run away by then, so I shan't mind."

That evening, after tea, Kathleen went up to Jenny. "Jenny," she said, "I want to speak to you and Elizabeth alone. Where's Elizabeth?"

"She's in the gym," said Jenny, surprised. "We'll go and get her. What do you want, Kathleen?"

"I'll tell you when Elizabeth is with us," said Kathleen, "We'll go into one of the music practice-rooms.

We'll be alone there."

Very much puzzled, Jenny went with Kathleen to find Elizabeth. They soon found her and called her. Elizabeth went with them, surprised and rather impatient, because she had been having some fun with Belinda and Richard, Kathleen closed the door and faced the other two. "I've got something to say to you both," she said. "I've been very unhappy, and I can't bear it any more, so I'm going to go home. But before I go I want to own up to something. Don't blame Robert for all those tricks-I did them all!

Elizabeth and Jenny stared at Kathleen as if they

couldn't believe their ears. Kathleen had done all those things-hidden the books, taken Jenny's mice, dirtied the garden tools, muddled the drawers? Oh, the horrid, horrid creature!

"I knew you would look at me like that," said Kathleen, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks, "I expect I deserve ~t. but before I go, I'd like to tell you something else. You are both pretty and jolly and clever, and everyone likes you. I'm plain and pale and spotty and dull, and I can't help it. But you don't know how I'd like to be like you! I envy you, and I can't help disliking you because you're all the things I'm not, You were very unkind once, Jenny, when you imitated Mam'zelle and me having a quarrel, but "I'm sorry about that," said Jenny at once. "I didn't know you'd come into the room, I don't wonder you wanted to pay me out for that, Kathleen. But you shouldn't have got Elizabeth into trouble, too."

"Well, I've paid myself out, too!" said Kathleen. "I don't like myself any more than you like me, I know I'm simply horrid, and that's why I'm going home. My mother loves me, even though I'm not as pretty and nice as other girls are. And she will perhaps understand and forgive me for running away."

There was a silence. Elizabeth and Jenny simply did not know what to say, They were shocked at Kathleen's confession-end Elizabeth especially felt very angry because in a had blamed Robert for things he hadn't done, and that was terrible, "Well, Kathleen, alt I can say is it's a jolly good thing you had the sense to own up,"

said Jenny at last, "I think more of you for that. But, my goodness, you're a spiteful mean person, i must say! Don't you think so, Elizabeth?"

"Yes, I do." said Elizabeth, "And you've made me get 50

Robert into trouble-and I'll have all that to put right.

I wish to goodness you'd never come to Whyteleafe

School, Kathleen!"

"I wish it too," said Kathleen in a low voice. "But I shan't be here much longer!"

She opened the door and slipped away down the passage She went to the stairs and ran up, tears pouring down her face. She had owned up-and it had been even worse than she had expected! Now she would get her things and go.

Elizabeth stared at Jenny, and the two were just going to talk about Kathleen's confession, when Joan came

along. "Hallo!" she said in surprise. "What are you two doing here looking so fierce? What's happened?"

Elizabeth poured everything out to Joan. "Now don't you think Kathleen is a mean, deceitful, spiteful girl?" she cried. "I'd never have thought anyone could be so horrid."

Joan looked thoughtful. She remembered how unhappy

and lonely she herself had been once in the summer term, when everything had gone wrong. She could guess how

Kathleen felt, And how very miserable she must be to

think of running away!

"Look here," said Joan, "don't think of how mean and spiteful Kathleen's been. Think instead of how it must feel to be plain and jealous and dull, as Kathleen is, and to be unhappy and ashamed as well! Elizabeth, you were helped last term, and I was helped too. I'm going to help Kathleen! She hasn't been mean to me, so I don't feel angry about things as you do. I just feel sorry."

She ran out of the room, Jenny looked at Elizabeth.

They both knew at once that Joan was right. They had

been thinking of themselves, and not of a miserable girl who needed comfort and help. "We'd better go along too,"

said Jenny.

"Wait till Joan's had time to say a few words," said Elizabeth. "She's awfully good at that sort of thing, you know. I sometimes think she's almost wise enough to be a monitor!"

"Well, we certainly are not," said Jenny. "I can't imagine how this can be put right, Elizabeth. I really can't."

Meanwhile, Joan ran up the stairs to her dormitory.

Kathleen was there, putting on her hat and coat, and packing a few things into a small case, Joan went straight up to

her.

"Kathleen! I've heard all about it! You were jolly brave to own up. Wait till Jenny and Elizabeth have had time to get over it, and they'll forgive you and be friends.

They are kind and generous really, you know-just give them time."

"I can't stop at Whyteleafe," said Kathleen, putting on her scarf. "It's not only that I've made enemies. I feel that everybody thinks Fm so awful. Look at your hair, alt shiny and nice-mine's like rats' tails! Look at your bright eyes and red cheeks, and then look at me l I'm a sort of Cinderella!"

"Do you remember how Cinderella changed one night?" said Joan, taking Kathleen's hand. "She sat in the cinders and moped, and maybe she looked just as plain and miserable as you do. But it wasn't just beautiful clothes and a coach that made her so different all of a sudden! Don't you think she smiled and looked happy, don't you think she brushed her hair tilt it shone? What a silly girl you are, Kathleen! Do you know that you look sweet when you smile?"

"I don't," said Kathleen obstinately.

"Well, you do," said Joan. "Your eyes light up then, your mouth turns up, and you get a dimple in your left cheek, If you smiled a lot more, you wouldn't be plain long.

Nobody's ugly when they smile. Haven't you noticed that, Kathleen?"

"Perhaps you are right about that," said Kathleen, remembering how sweet her mother always looked when she smiled and was happy. "But I never feet very much like smiling."

Footsteps came up the passage and Elizabeth and Jenny came into the room. They went up to Kathleen, "We weren't very nice to you just now," said Jenny. "We're sorry. Don't run away, Kathleen. We'll forgive you and forget all you did to us."

"But Robert would have to be cleared from blame,"

said Kathleen, "and that means everything going before the School Meeting, I'm sorry-but I'm not brave enough for that!"

The girls looked at one another, Yes-of course the matter would have to be discussed there!

"So I'm going!" said Kathleen. "I'm a coward, I know, But I can't help that. Where's my ease? Good-bye, all of you-don't think too unkindly of me, please!"

KA TNLEEN RUNS AWAY.

KATHLEEN picked up her case and went out of the room.

Joan ran after her and took hold of her arm,

"Kathleen! Don't be an idiot! You just can't run away from school! It's impossible!"

"It's not impossible," said Kathleen. "I'm doing it! Don't try to stop me, Joan. I'm going to walk down to the station to get the train."

She shook off Joan's hand and ran down the passage. It wasn't a bit of good going after her. She had made up her mind, and nothing would stop her The three girls stared after her, "I feel simply awful about this," said Jenny suddenly, in a trembling voice. "I wish I hadn't imitated Mam'zelle and Kathleen that evening. That's what began all the trouble."

"What are we going to do?" said Joan in a troubled voice. "We'll have to report that Kathleen has run away. But I can't help feeling that it's no good trying to stop her in any way, because honestly I wouldn't want to face the School Meeting as she would have to do when everything comes out. She'd probably run away after that, if she didn't now! She's not a brave person at all."

Just then Nora came by She was surprised to see the three girls standing at the door of their dormitory. looking so worried.

"What are you here for?" she asked. "Didn't you know that the concert is beginning in a minute? You'd better hurry, Why are you all looking so solemn? Has anything happened?"

"Well, yes," said Elizabeth. "An awful lot has happened. We don't know what to do about it, It's dreadful, Nora,"

"Good gracious! You'd better tell me about it then, as I'm your monitor," said Nora.

"I think we'd like to," said Jenny. "Don't let's go to the concert, Nora, Let's go to the common-room. It wilt be empty now and we can tell you what's happened."

Once a week a concert was given by those children who learnt the piano, the violin, singing or reciting, and usually most of the forms attended, for it was fun to hear their own forms playing or singing. So the common-room was empty when the four girls walked into it, Jenny told the tale. She told it from the very beginning, and although she went red when she related how she had imitated Mam'zelle and Kathleen, she did not miss out anything. She was a truthful, honest girl. willing to take her fair share of any blame. Nora listened gravely.

"Poor old Kathleen!" she said. "She has made a mess of things. Well, we've got to do something about it, but I daren't say what. We must find Rita and get her to come to Miss Belle and Miss Best with us."

"Oh, goodness1 Will they have to know?" asked Elizabeth in dismay.

"Of course, idiot! You don't suppose a girl can run away from Whyteleafe without the Heads knowing, do you?" said Nora. "Come on-there's no time to be lost."

They found Rita in her study. "Rita! Could you come with us to bliss Belle and Miss Best?" asked Nora. "A girl in Elizabeth's form has run away, and we think we ought to tell the whole story to the Heads."

"Of course!" said Rita, looking startled. "We'd better take William along too. It's a thing he probably ought to know about, and it will save time if he comes now."

So in a few minutes six people were outside the drawing room where the two Headmistresses were sitting writing letters, Rita knocked, "Come in," said a quiet voice, and in they all went, Mr. Johns was there too, and the three Heads looked surprised to see such a crowd of children appearing.

"Is anything the matter?" asked Miss Belle at once.

"There is, rather," said Rita. "Elizabeth, tell the story quickly."

So Elizabeth told it all, and when she came to where Kathleen had packed a small case and gone down to the station, Mr. Johns jumped up at once.

"I must go after her," he said. "I hope I shan't be too late."

"But the train will have gone!" said Nora,

"They have been altered this month," said Mr. Johns. "The one Kathleen went to catch doesn't run now-it's an hour later. If I go quickly, I can just get the child. Come with rue, Rita."