Had she really run away from school? She could not turn back now, and what would her father say? He was so severe about school, he never would take any excuse.
The black soot had almost all blown off her dress. If she had not been so proud always, about her looks, perhaps she would not have noticed it much.
"Oh, what will I do to that girl!" she thought. "It was all her fault, and I'll lose my place too."
The sense of bitterness that filled Sarah Ford's heart was an entirely different sentiment from that which animated Tavia Travers when she made up, the "running under" game. The one was the sense of revenge, bitter and cunning; the other was a matter of school girl's fun, pure and simple.
Sitting there on the grass that revengeful spirit took the form of a resolve in Sarah's heart—to "pay back" Tavia Travers.
CHAPTER VII
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE ORCHARD
Within the schoolroom more than one girl was wondering what had happened to Sarah Ford. Dorothy was worried. Hers was a nature that took all things seriously, while Tavia insisted on looking on "the easy side" as she termed Hope. She was hoping with all her heart now, that Sarah Ford would soon enter the room, but the morning wore on and no Sarah appeared.
At last recess came. Such whispering among the girls—so many theories advanced to account for Sarah's disappearance.
"Playin' hookey," was all Tavia said, in the way she had of making light of things.