But now Mrs. Pangborn began to wonder—wonder why the child should make such a fuss over dropping a note in the class room. Wonder why no letter came; wonder why Miette refused her confidence, and wonder still why some of the girls had taken an unmistakable dislike to the French girl.
Slow to act, but keen in her system of managing girls, Mrs. Pangborn decided to wait,—at least for a few days longer.
In the meantime school work and school play continued. The tennis court at Glenwood was one of the proud possessions of that institution, and barely had the pupils of the fashionable boarding school assembled each term, before a game would be arranged to test the effect of the very latest possible advantages, in the way of fresh markings, and expert rolling, as the proprietress of the Glenwood School believed in the right sort of outdoor athletics for her pupils, and was always eager to make such exercise as enjoyable as possible.
Tennis in early fall is surely delightful sport, and when Dorothy, Rose-Mary, Edna and Tavia claimed the privilege of the first game the event took on the importance usually characteristic of an “initial performance.”
It was a perfect afternoon and “every seat was taken” which meant, of course, that the rustic benches about the court were fully occupied by the Glenwood girls, and the prospect of an interesting game had keyed every young lady up to the very height of enthusiasm.
Rose-Mary was chosen server, and as she stood with her racket gripped firmly ready to serve the ball, and incidentally put it out of the reach of Tavia, who was her opponent, Dorothy and Rose-Mary being partners and Tavia playing with Edna, she looked every inch an athlete.
To begin well was ever interpreted to mean “good luck” with the Glenwoods, and when Rose-Mary delivered the ball and Tavia in her anxiety to make a good return, vollied it back a shout for Rose-Mary’s side went up from the lookers-on. But Edna was not to be disheartened. In fact she was “in fine form,” according to popular opinion, and it kept Dorothy and Rose-Mary “sprinting” about to keep up with her “hits.”
This determination and good playing on the part of Edna scored for her side the first two points, but when Dorothy and Rose-Mary realized that it was Edna’s skill and not the strong arm of Tavia they would have to play against, the game immediately became so exciting that all four girls went at it like experts. Dorothy had something of a reputation as a “jumper,” and could “smash” a ball, just when the “smash” would be needed to save the opponent victory.
Tavia’s pride was in her underhand stroke and with this ability she would drive back the balls hard and fast when ever she got the chance.
The game had reached the most exciting point—tied at 40 (deuce) when Dorothy jumped to make her famous “smash” and although she hit the ball in the air she came down on a turned ankle—and dropped in a heap as if her foot were either badly sprained or actually broken.