The Mandie Collection (2 page)

Celia smiled. “You? Stop them?”

“Sure. Joe, and Sallie, and Dimar will all help me. When we work on a mystery we always solve it one way or another.” Mandie laughed, walking around the room. “Of course it usually takes some grown-ups to help. But we'll have to hurry and solve this mystery so we can go on to Charleston before we use up all the holidays.”

“I do hope you're able to visit Charleston,” Celia said. “I know how much you want to go.”

There was another knock at the door. Aunt Phoebe once again brought a message.

“Message fo' you dis time, Missy Celia,” said the old woman. “Dat ahnt of yours be waitin' downstairs wid Miz Hope. She say fo' you to git right down.”

“Thanks, Aunt Phoebe,” Celia said, following her into the hallway. “I'll be right back, Mandie.”

Mandie continued packing. In a few minutes Celia was back, bringing a tiny dark-haired lady with her.

“Aunt Rebecca, this is Amanda Shaw—Mandie I call her. She's my best friend,” Celia introduced them. “Mandie, this is my Aunt Rebecca.”

“How do you do, Miss . . . ah . . . Miss . . .” Mandie stopped and smiled at the woman. Turning to Celia, she asked, “Well, what is her name? I can't call her Aunt Rebecca, you know.”

The woman reached out and took Mandie's small hand in hers. “Of course you can, dear,” the lady said. “My name is Rebecca Hamilton. I'm Celia's father's sister. I've heard so much about you from letters Celia has written to her mother. I feel I know you. Now, what can I do to help you girls get finished?”

“Nothing, Aunt Rebecca. Just sit over there in that chair and talk to us while we get done.” Celia motioned toward the only empty chair in the littered room. “How is Mother? I was hoping she could come with you so she could meet Mandie and see the school.”

“I know, dear, but she wasn't feeling up to the trip. I doubt that the school has changed much since she was a student here,” Aunt Rebecca said, relaxing in the chair. She turned to Mandie. “I know she would like to meet Elizabeth's daughter, however. She told me that your mother went to school here with her.”

“My mother is not coming either,” Mandie said. “Dr. Woodard is in town, and I'll be going home to Franklin as he goes tomorrow.” She told Aunt Rebecca what was happening at the hospital.

“I think it's wonderful for you to do such a thing, building a hospital for those poor Indians,” the woman replied.

“Well, after all, they are my kinpeople. My grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee,” Mandie explained, continuing to fill her trunk.

“Yes, I believe I remember hearing about that. Your father died and then your mother married his brother, John Shaw, didn't she?” Aunt Rebecca asked.

“Yes, ma'am,” Mandie said sadly as she pushed back her long blonde hair. “My father was a wonderful man. I loved him so much. Of course I love Uncle John, too, but no one can replace my father.”

“I know that from experience, Amanda,” Aunt Rebecca replied. “My father died when I was small. My mother never remarried.”

“I can just barely remember Grandmother Hamilton,” Celia said. “Mandie, you're lucky your Grandmother Taft is still living. My mother and Aunt Rebecca are all the close relatives I have left.”

“I have lots of Cherokee relatives. There must be dozens and dozens of them. But then the Indians claim kinship with each other whether they're really blood related or not,” Mandie explained.

Aunt Rebecca smiled. “In a sense that's true, isn't it? God made us all. We're really all brothers and sisters,” she said.

Mandie and Celia nodded thoughtfully.

“So, now you're going home and then on to see your Cherokee relatives before you make this trip to Charleston. I wish you a lot of luck with the hospital. I hope they catch whoever is responsible for such vandalism.”

The bell in the backyard rang loudly for supper, and the girls stopped working.

“Aunt Rebecca, let me show you to the guest room downstairs,” Celia said. “We have only about ten minutes before we have to be in the dining room, and I know you want to freshen up. Be right back, Mandie.”

“I'll see you downstairs, Miss—Aunt Rebecca.” Mandie smiled.

“Yes, dear,” the lady replied, hurrying out the door with Celia.

In a couple of minutes Celia was back, and the girls rushed to the bathroom down the hall to wash their hands. As they came back out into the hallway, they almost ran into April Snow.

Mandie looked up into the tall girl's face. “April, I'm sorry you won't be able to go home for the holidays,” she said kindly.

“Whether I go home or not is my own business,” April snapped. “Just be sure and remember that.”

Mandie and Celia looked at each other as April rushed on down the hallway.

“She just won't let anyone be nice to her,” Mandie said.

Celia frowned. “April's not very nice to be nice to,” she said. “That girl is always making trouble. You know that as well as I do.”

“I sure do,” Mandie agreed. “But don't forget. The Bible says to return good for evil.”

“It'd sure take a whole lot of good to even things out with her evil,” Celia said.

“We should keep on trying though,” Mandie reminded her.

After the evening meal, the girls hurriedly left the dining room.

Just outside the door, April Snow stepped in front of them. “Enjoy your holidays because you might not enjoy coming back,” she sneered. Turning quickly, she disappeared down the hallway.

“Now, what on earth can she be talking about?” Mandie asked in surprise.

“She's talking about making trouble, and we are her target,” Celia replied.

“Well, we'll see about that,” said Mandie.

Back in their room the two girls thought the night would never end. Excited about their forthcoming trips, they talked most of the night away. Then before daylight they got up, dressed, and waited for the bell to ring for breakfast.

The morning meal with Miss Prudence, the head schoolmistress, watching over them seemed to take longer than usual. Neither Mandie nor Celia could eat much.

When it was time to leave, Uncle Cal, Aunt Phoebe's husband, brought the girls' trunks downstairs and loaded them into the school rig. While they waited on the veranda, Dr. Woodard arrived, and Mandie introduced him to Aunt Rebecca.

The two adults stood chatting while Mandie and Celia went back inside to bid Miss Hope good-bye.

“We are leaving now, Miss Hope,” Mandie said as they stood before the schoolmistress's desk.

“You're both leaving?” Miss Hope looked surprised. “But you are going in opposite directions, Amanda.”

“Dr. Woodard said we'd just all go to the depot together,” Mandie explained. “Celia's train will come through about thirty minutes ahead of ours. So we can save Uncle Cal another trip to the station.”

Miss Hope stood up, walked around the desk, and put an arm around each girl. “I know it's just for a few days, but I'm going to miss you both,” she said. “Be good girls and tell me about your trips when you get back.”

“We will, Miss Hope,” they promised.

April Snow caught up with the two girls in the hallway. She stepped in front of them, blocking their way to the front door.

“Just remember what I said,” April threatened. “Enjoy your trips because you might not enjoy coming back.”

“Just what do you mean?” Mandie asked.

“Just what I said,” April replied. “You'll see when you get back.” Stepping around them, April headed down the hallway in the other direction.

Mandie and Celia looked at each other in exasperation.

“I wish she wouldn't act like that,” Mandie complained. “It sort of puts a damper on things. Now I'll be wondering the whole time I'm gone what she's talking about.”

“Me, too,” Celia agreed.

When Mandie and Celia rejoined Dr. Woodard and Aunt Rebecca on the veranda, Uncle Cal was waiting for them in the rig. Climbing aboard, the girls began talking excitedly about being free for a whole week.

Not long after they arrived at the depot, a big, noisy train came whistling up the track. The girls looked at each other.

“I'm going to miss you, Celia, but I hope you have a nice time at home with your mother,” Mandie said, giving her friend a hug.

“I'll be thinking about you, Mandie, and wondering how your trip is turning out,” Celia replied. “I hope you catch those culprits real fast so you can go to Charleston.”

The train came to a halt and sat there puffing.

“Come, Celia. Good-bye, Amanda,” Aunt Rebecca called to them. She turned to board the train, letting Celia go ahead of her. “Good day, Dr. Woodard. It was nice meeting you.”

“My pleasure, ma'am,” said Dr. Woodard, removing his hat. “Give my regards to Celia's mother.”

Celia quickly found a seat near an open window and waved to Mandie. As the train hustled on its way, the wind blew Celia's auburn curls around her bonnet.

Mandie waved until the train disappeared down the track. Then she turned to Dr. Woodard. “I hope our train isn't late. I'm in a hurry to get home and catch those crooks,” she said. “If it takes too long, I won't be able to go to Charleston. And I've just got to see the ocean.”

“Don't worry, Amanda. I think you'll make it,” Dr. Woodard told her. “We'll all help.”

The train was on time. Mandie and Dr. Woodard were soon on their way to Franklin.

CHAPTER TWO

HOME AGAIN!

The train slowly chugged into Franklin, and stopped with a big sigh. Instantly, Mandie was already out of her seat. She looked out the window for her mother or Uncle John. There was no one on the platform that she knew.

“Doctor Woodard, I don't see Mother or Uncle John,” she said anxiously.

Dr. Woodard rose to join her. “No, I'm supposed to take you home. I told them it wasn't necessary to meet the train,” the doctor said. “Come on. I'll get my horse and buggy from the livery stable. Then we'll come back and get the luggage. Joe is at your mother's house, and I'll be staying there tonight, too. They're all getting ready for the journey tomorrow to the Cherokee hospital.”

“Now, don't tell me Joe's school is having another holiday. They've already had their harvest break,” Mandie said, hurrying down the steps onto the platform.

“Yes, a whole week, just like you,” Dr. Woodard replied, leading the way down the street to the livery stable.

“He must not go to school as much as I do then. We didn't have a break for harvest when he did,” Mandie protested.

“No, but he goes longer into the summer. Don't you remember? You went to school with him when you lived with your father at Charley Gap,” the old man reminded her.

“But he's in a higher school this year. It's not the same school we went to together,” she explained.

“Come to think of it, you're right,” Dr. Woodard agreed. “Well, here we are.”

As they entered the wide doorway of the livery stable, the owner came to meet them. He had already harnessed Dr. Woodard's horse to the buggy and brought it out.

“Heard the train come in. Knew you'd be in a hurry,” the man told Dr. Woodard.

“That's a mighty thoughtful thing for you to do, Charles. Thank you,” said the doctor, taking the reins. “Climb in, Amanda.”

On the short trip home, Mandie eagerly looked all around her. Having been away at school, she had missed everyone in Franklin. She waved to people she knew as they passed on the street. It was exciting to be home.

Dr. Woodard reined in the horses at the hitching post in front of the Shaws' big house.

Joe came running down the walkway to meet them. “Mandie, welcome home!” he cried, reaching out to help her down from the buggy.

Holding his hand tightly, Mandie thought for a moment, Should I slowly descend from the buggy like a lady, the way the school teaches, or should I be myself?

Joe looked up at her to see why she was hesitating.

Mandie smiled and jumped down from the buggy. It was nice to be able to be Mandie Shaw again, not the stiff lady the school was trying to make her into.

“Oh, Joe, I'm so glad you're here,” she said, “even though I think you get more holidays than I do,” she added slyly.

“But I really work hard at school and learn something worthwhile,” Joe defended himself. “We don't have all that extra baloney they're teaching you.”

“I'd much rather go to school with you. You know that,” Mandie said. “But Mother insists I go to the school where she went.” Mandie started toward the house.

There, on the veranda, everyone was waiting for her: Aunt Lou, the housekeeper, her enormous black face beaming, Liza, the young Negro maid who was also Mandie's friend, Jennie, the cook, Jason Bond, the caretaker, and of course her mother and Uncle John.

Snowball, her white kitten, bounded toward her, meowing loudly. Mandie grabbed him and broke into a run to the porch, pulling off her bonnet as she ran.

She embraced each one amid their welcoming remarks.

“My child, I'se so glad to see you back,” said Aunt Lou, smoothing Mandie's long blonde hair.

“Aunt Lou, I've missed you so much,” Mandie told her. She turned to Jennie. “I sure hope you've got something good cooked. That school food is not half as good as yours, Jennie.”

“I got a lil' bit o' ev'ything all hot and waitin,' ” Jennie replied. “Mr. Jason, I hope you haven't let anyone into our secret tunnel,” said Mandie to the caretaker.

“It's locked up and I'm the one that's got the key,” said Jason Bond, his gray eyes twinkling.

Mandie grabbed Liza's hand. “Liza, just wait till you hear about that school!” she exclaimed.

“Is it dat bad, Missy?” the Negro girl asked.

Mandie glanced at her mother, then bent forward and whispered in the girl's ear. “I'll tell you how bad later.”