The Mandie Collection (27 page)

“It is so near the mine it probably belongs to your Uncle John,” Dimar said, looking back the direction they had come.

“This is a very old, very worn-out house. We must be careful. Something may fall in,” Sallie cautioned the others as she looked about.

Joe stepped up to the front door, which was slightly ajar, and pushed it open. “The inside seems to be all right.” He walked into the long front room of the house. At one end rose the huge fireplace for the chimney they had seen.

The others followed Joe inside. Mandie stepped through the doorway into another room. There was something hanging on the far wall. She walked over to it. “Look what I've found!” she exclaimed. “A lady's dress! And it must be store-bought! Look!”

She took the garment from the nail and held it up for all to see. It was a light blue gingham dress with white frills and buttons. Around the waist was a wide sash.

Sallie held the material up to her nose. “It is new,” she said. “I can smell the starch in the new cloth.”

“It looks just like something in the Sears Roebuck catalogue,” Joe said, watching the girls examine the dress.

Dimar laughed. “Yes, it must be a white lady's dress. No Cherokee could afford a store-bought dress like that.”

Mandie puzzled over the matter. “Who do you suppose would leave a pretty, new dress in this old falling-down house?”

“Maybe whoever lived here last,” Joe suggested.

“I do not think so,” Sallie said. “This house looks like it has been deserted a long time, and that dress is fresh and new.”

Joe climbed the ladder and stuck his head into the attic room. “Nothing up here,” he called down to the others. “When the people moved out of here, whoever they were, they sure didn't leave anything behind.”

The others looked around downstairs.

Dimar walked over to the huge open fireplace. “There are not even any ashes left in the fireplace,” he said.

“What should we do with this dress?” Mandie asked, still holding it in her arms.

“Leave it where you found it,” Joe said, coming back down the ladder. “It's not ours.”

“It seems a shame to leave such a pretty dress in this dirty old house, but I suppose you're right,” Mandie reluctantly agreed. She turned to hang the dress and sash back on the nail.

“Whoever left it here will be sure to return to get it,” Dimar stated.

“I know, and we'll never know whose it is,” Mandie said, regretfully.

Joe walked over and stood in front of Mandie. He drew himself up to his full gangly height and snapped his galluses with his thumbs. “Mandie, this dress is none of our business. Now please don't go off on one of your investigating adventures, because I won't help you,” he told her.

“Joe Woodard, you think l make a mystery out of everything. Well, I don't,” Mandie replied, stomping her foot.

Sallie, always the peacemaker, spoke up quickly. “I think we should go,” she said. “Your uncle will be looking for us if we are gone too long. Besides, they may have the mine open by now.”

“You're right, Sallie. We'd better get back,” Mandie agreed, hurrying toward the door.

Without another word the young people rode back to join Uncle John and Dr. Woodard at the mine.

“Boyd needs the rest of the day to get the new posts in,” Uncle John told them.

The four moaned in protest.

“I know you are all disappointed, but at least we'll know the place is safe once Boyd gets done with it,” Uncle John said. “He should be finished tomorrow.”

“I sure hope so,” Mandie said.

“Yeah, our holidays are going away fast,” Joe added. He paused for a moment, then looked up at Mandie's uncle. “Mr. Shaw, how long has it been since someone lived in that old house over there?”

“Why, I don't remember. It seems like someone lived there when I was a child, but I'm not sure,” John replied.

“Does that house belong to you, Uncle John?” Mandie asked.

“It's on our land. We have several hundred acres through here,” Uncle John answered. “Why? Did you see someone over there?”

“No, sir,” Mandie said. “But we found a brand-new dress hanging on a nail in one of the rooms of that house.”

John Shaw and Dr. Woodard looked at each other in surprise.

“You found a new dress in there?” Uncle John questioned. “That's strange.”

“Maybe someone is using the house, John,” Dr. Woodard suggested.

“No, sir, it's completely empty, not even any ashes in the fireplace,” Joe put in.

“Did you leave the dress where you found it?” Uncle John asked.

“Yes, sir. I put it back on the nail,” Mandie replied.

“Well, it's not hurting anything, so we'll just leave it where it is,” Uncle John told the young people. “Now we'd better get home and see if the rest of our company has arrived.”

The young people raced their ponies ahead of the men and pulled up in front of John Shaw's house. Mandie's heart beat wildly as she recognized her Grandmother Taft's carriage parked at the gate. Mandie and her friends quickly tied up their ponies at the hitching post and rushed up the front steps.

“Celia!” Mandie cried, embracing the auburn-haired girl on the porch as though she hadn't seen her in months. Actually, they had parted only the week before at the Misses Heathwood's School in Asheville. The school closed for the Thanksgiving holidays. Celia had gone home to Richmond. Then her mother had brought her back to Mrs. Taft's house in Asheville so Celia could go on to Mandie's house in Franklin with Mrs. Taft.

Mandie turned to the boys. “Joe, will you and Dimar wait for us in the sunroom? We'll take Celia upstairs so she can get freshened up. Mother and the others are probably in the parlor.”

The boys agreed and the girls rushed up the stairs to Mandie's bedroom where another bed had been moved in so that Mandie, Sallie, and Celia could share a room. There in the middle of Mandie's bed was Snowball, curled up asleep. He opened his blue eyes sleepily and stood up, stretching. He sat there washing his face and watching the girls.

Celia pulled off her bonnet and gloves that matched her brown traveling suit. She danced about the room, looking at everything. “Oh, I love your Uncle John's house,” she said. “It's beautiful. And Sallie, I'm so glad to finally get a chance to know you. Mandie talks about you all the time at that school we go to in Asheville.”

“And I am glad to make your acquaintance, Celia. Mandie talks about you a lot, too. Mandie is my dearest friend, and I hope she will soon be able to visit us for a long stay. Every time she visits they do not have much time. Maybe next summer when school is out, you could come with Mandie for a long visit,” Sallie invited.

“I'd love to, Sallie. Let's plan on it, provided my mother gives me permission,” Celia replied. Looking around, she spied her luggage in a corner. “Let me take off this traveling outfit and put on some more comfortable clothes.” She opened the nearest bag and pulled out a green calico dress.

“I'll help you hang your things in the wardrobe with Sallie's and mine,” Mandie offered, stooping to unpack while Celia changed clothes.

With Sallie's help, they were soon finished, and the three girls hurried downstairs again.

Mandie began to laugh. “I just realized something,” she said. “I got so excited about seeing you, Celia, that I forgot to even say hello to my Grandmother Taft.”

The other girls giggled with her. At the bottom of the steps, they ran into Aunt Lou, the robust Negro housekeeper, who at that moment was wiping her round face on her big white apron.

Mandie started to introduce Celia. “Aunt Lou, this is–

“Slow down, my chile,” the black woman scolded with a twinkle in her eye. “I bet you don't know who be in de parlor.”

“Yes, I do, Aunt Lou,” Mandie replied in a teasing voice. “It's Grandmother Taft.”

Aunt Lou pouted. “Yo' Gramma Taft and who else?” she teased back.

Mandie's eyes grew wide. “I don't know, Aunt Lou. Who is it'?”

The Negro woman looked up at the ceiling. “Some girl whut ain't got a lick o' sense,” she replied.

“Hilda?” Mandie grabbed Celia's and Sallie's hands. “Come on!” She led the way into the parlor and ran to hug her grandmother. There on the settee beside Mrs. Taft sat Hilda Edney, the poor girl Mandie and Celia had found hiding in the attic of their school. But now here she was, dressed like a millionaire's daughter.

Joe and Dimar in the sunroom heard the commotion and came into the room. Everyone started to talk at once.

Hilda, seeing Mandie, jumped up, stood right in front of her, and extended her hand, smiling. “I . . . love . . . you.” She enunciated each word slowly.

“Oh, Hilda, I love you, too,” Mandie said, putting her arms around the girl. “And you are talking more and more.”

Hilda burst into tears and clung to Mandie.

Mrs. Taft stood and patted Hilda on the shoulder. “There, there, now. What is it, dear?”

The dark-haired girl just kept crying and wouldn't let go of Mandie.

“Hilda,” Mandie tried to scold the girl gently. “Let's sit down over there. There's nothing to cry about. Young ladies don't cry in front of other people.”

Hilda allowed herself to be led to the settee, and she sat down beside Mandie.

Mrs. Taft looked concerned. “I think Hilda is afraid she won't ever see you again if the Pattons adopt her. She seems frightened of them.”

“Hilda, the Pattons are real nice people. And they live down in Charleston where you can see the ocean,” Mandie told her.

“No.” Hilda sobbed. “No.” She reached for Mandie's hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Grandmother, how did you happen to bring Hilda here?” Mandie asked.

“Dear, when the Pattons came to get Hilda from the sanitorium, she was gone. They couldn't find her anywhere. Then Aunt Phoebe at your school sent word to me that Hilda was at their home,” Mrs. Taft explained. “I had to go get her, and when I tried to take her back to the sanitorium, she became wild. So I thought I would just bring her here to see you. Since she loves you so much, maybe you can talk some sense into her head.”

“I doubt if I can, Grandmother. Hilda doesn't understand everything we say,” Mandie said.

Dr. Woodard cleared his throat. “She understands more than you think she does. And she is improving all the time. After being shut away in that room by herself most of her life simply because she couldn't talk, I think she is doing well.”

Hilda had hushed and was listening carefully to Dr. Woodard. He visited her often at the sanitorium, and she seemed to like him.

Mandie turned to Hilda, smiling. “Just wait until you see the ruby mine Uncle John owns,” she said, changing the subject abruptly. “He's going to let us dig in it and look for rubies. And you can help if you don't cry anymore.”

Hilda brushed the back of her hand across her wet eyes. Mrs. Taft handed her a handkerchief, and Hilda wiped her eyes with it. Straightening, she smiled at Mandie. “Help. I help,” she said, though not seemingly aware of what the conversation was all about.

Mandie smiled back at her and then fingered Hilda's lovely lavender silk dress. “Where did you get the pretty dress?” she asked.

Hilda looked down, then quickly stood up to shake out her long full skirt. Her brown eyes shone as she tossed her long dark hair. “Gramma,” she said, pointing to Mrs. Taft. “Gramma.”

Mandie looked at her Grandmother Taft.

“Yes, dear, I had to get her some clothes to take with her to the Pattons. I've been her benefactor ever since you and Celia found her,” Mrs. Taft reminded Mandie.

Sallie drew in a deep breath and whispered to Celia, “So this is the girl you and Mandie found hiding in the attic at your school.”

“Yes, isn't she pretty?” Celia replied.

“She is,” Sallie agreed.

“What are you going to do about her, Mrs. Taft?” Dr. Woodard asked. “You know how much the Pattons want to take her into their home.”

“I know, but if she's frightened, maybe she could stay with me in my home for a while,” Mrs. Taft told him. “As you know, I have plenty of room.”

“Hilda? Staying with you, Mother?” Elizabeth spoke up. “Why, yes, what's wrong with that?” Mrs. Taft asked.

“Nothing, except that you like to travel all over, and you're not used to having a young person around,” Elizabeth replied.

“Well, I did have a young person around when you were growing up,” Mrs. Taft said. “If I can teach her some manners, maybe I'll take her with me on some of my other travels.”

Everyone looked at one another and then at Hilda, who was silently examining the material of her dress.

Suddenly Mandie laughed loudly. “Oh, Grandmother! If anyone could teach her some manners, you could! You always end up doing the impossible.”

“We'll see,” Mrs. Taft said. “Besides, when you and Celia go back to school, you can spend a lot of time over at my house helping me teach her.”

“I'll be glad to help, Mrs. Taft,” Celia offered.

“I'm so glad you live in Asheville, Grandmother,” Mandie said. “That's the only good part about going to that school so far from home.”

“And I'm glad you're near me during school, dear,” Mrs. Taft said with a mischievous smile. “Now, what about this ruby mine y'all are going to explore?”

Mandie's eyes lit up. “It's going to be fun,” she said. “It's a big hole in the ground, and I'm sure there are still rubies in it. Uncle John's
going to show us how to look for them, and he says we can keep any rubies we find!”

“That does sound like fun,” Mrs. Taft replied.

“It would be nice of you to take Hilda with y'all when you go to dig in the mine,” Dr. Woodard said. “I know she'll be fascinated by it.”