United States or Turks and Caicos Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
To the three girls waiting at the B-Hive came a letter. They read it, three heads in a bunch: "Eldorado, June 26. "Come whenever you want to. Directions enclosed." There was a postscript. It was like T.O. to put the most of the letter into the postscript. I've decided to stay here until you come please tell my substitute so. I know she'll be so glad she'll throw up her hat.
Laura Ann made an illuminated copy of it, framed it in a border of hurriedly-painted forget-me-nots and hung it on the screen door, where they could not help seeing it and "remembering their vows," Laura Ann said. It was a matter of gay conjecture with them who would be the first to break the Compact. "And be driven out of the B-Hive not I!" Billy said decisively.
Little by little the story of the B-Hive and the quest for an Eldorado came out. Emmeline Camp sat and nodded, and clandestinely wiped her eyes. "I see I see, deary! Now, don't you talk any more and get faint again. I'll talk. You no need to worry about anything in the world not yet! When it's time to commence, I'll tell you. How does your foot feel now? Dear, dear!
Then, remembering the girls left behind in the B-Hive and their confidence in her, she threw up her small head and hurried away valiantly. "Good-by!" she called back, from the bit of platform outside. "Good-by! Give my love to Emmeline!" nodded and beamed the little, old face in the car window. It was a tiny place.
They were all laughers, but the picture of Billy toiling on monotonously in her sleep failed to appeal to them as humorous. T.O. went back silently to her seat. What the initials T.O. stood for in the way of a name had been the subject of much guessing in the B-Hive, for the owner of the initials refused whimsically to explain them.
If it had broken the rules of the Wicked Compact, and she went back to the B-Hive without letting the girls know of it oh, hum! of course that would be another "wicked compact"! She would have to let them know and she didn't want to let them know oh, dear! Suddenly Laura Ann dropped her paints and gave herself up to laughter.
Perhaps they were thinking that it might have been appropriate for her to take it home with her and hang it on the wall to keep her company in the lonely little B-Hive. But they only laughed and tramped on cheerfully to the station. They were a little late, and had to run the last of the way. The train was already in, and they scrambled aboard.
She had remembered that only T.O. Thomasia O. would be left now in the B-Hive! For all the rest had broken the Compact. Thomasia O., living all alone in the dear, shabby little rooms, presented a funny picture, for of them all she was least fitted to live alone. Even Billy could do better. "The rest of us will live together," laughed Laura Ann.
"Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited. Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a queeny one. Nobody else in the little colony the "B-Hive" had a queeny name. "Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann. "Think what a little step from Loraine to Laur' Ann! I always just miss things." T.O. was apt to be late.
So you'll turn me out of the B-Hive and I shall " "Oh, don't do anything else don't!" T.O. groaned. "That will be doing enough." "We shall have to find a very cheap place," Loraine said, thoughtfully, too intent on the fate of the Grand Plan to listen to pleasantries. "Somewhere where it won't cost much of anything." "Such an easy place to find!" murmured Laura Ann.
Word Of The Day