CHAPTER XII-MR. FABIAN PLOTS FOR FACTS

The roses kept for more than two weeks, filling the Studio rooms with fragrance, but keeping their secret as to who had sent them to Polly.

She had gone to everyone she knew and tried to find out who had given them to her. Then she beguiled Mr. Ashby into finding out if Mr. Dalken was the guilty one. And when he was found innocent, she bribed Mr.

Dalken to find out if the Latimers or the Evans sent them-but she could not see why anyone should spend so much money on her, and try to hide the fact.

When Mr. Fabian was satisfied that it was not one of their old friends who had sent the roses, he thought of a way to find out. The box had had the name on its cover, of one of Fifth avenue's most fashionable florists, so he went there and tried to learn what he wanted to know, by asking the proprietor.

But the man smiled and shook his head. "We are never allowed to divulge state secrets, Mr. Fabian."

"Not even when that secret concerns a protegee of mine? I do not wish to use the knowledge, but merely to relieve my mind."

"If I were to tell you, Mr. Fabian, I should have to also tell the six other individuals who begged me to tell them confidentially who ordered the roses."

"Six others! Have others been here to ask this same question?" asked Mr.

Fabian, amazed.

The florist laughed. "Yes, that pretty miss seems to be very popular.

Who is she, anyway?"

"A little girl that attends my art cla.s.s, and I am bound to keep her mind free from nonsense until her education is finished."

"Can you keep a secret-on your oath?" asked the florist.

"Yes, yes!" eagerly agreed Mr. Fabian, thinking he was now going to hear who sent the roses.

"Well, then, this much I may tell you-just to ease your fears: the individual who sent those roses is as anxious as you can be, to keep the girl's heart and mind free from nonsense and to allow her to complete her art education without thoughts of beaux."

"Is that all you've got to say?"

"My goodness, don't you appreciate that much! You only wanted to know something to ease your mind, and now I have told you."

"How do _you_ know what the gentleman thinks or wants?"

"I was told so by the one who ordered the roses. But I did not tell you it was a gentleman."

This was still more disconcerting to Mr. Fabian, but he never told a soul that he had visited the florist. He did wonder, however, if the man had given the others the same confidence he had imparted confidentially to him.

Polly, the cause of all this secret concern of her friends, had forgotten all about the valentine, and was devoting her entire time and attention to the absorbing lessons at art school.

Easter Week came early, and the term beginning immediately after the Easter Holidays, would start a course on mural decorations, and the study of tapestries. So interesting had their night-cla.s.ses become, that Polly and Eleanor neglected their studies at day-school. Anne noticed their daily marks and worried over it. At last she consulted with Mr.

Fabian.

"You must realize, Mr. Fabian, that the girls are still young. Even if they were prepared to enter the profession they are proposing to follow they would be too young in years to make a success of it. People are not apt to turn over contracts for art or decorating, to girls under twenty.

Therefore I advise you to make them drop their night school until after they have caught up in their day cla.s.ses."

Mr. Fabian was secretly pleased at the news that his two pet scholars preferred _his_ teachings to the dry high-school lessons. But he dared not express his satisfaction to Anne.

"All you say is true, but there is no need for my girls to give up their art cla.s.s. The night school closes for a two weeks' holiday at Easter, and then, as warm weather comes on apace, I find my pupils begin to lose zeal in their constant attendance at cla.s.s. You will see that Polly and Eleanor will turn more to their day studies, then. But I would not advise you to cut off their pursuit in art work, now. It will only create deeper zest for it, and turn their thoughts completely from day-studies."

Anne replied that this was logical, and so the girls never knew that they had been standing upon the danger-line of having to suspend their favorite studies.

Mr. Fabian was roused to a more temperate art "diet" for the two girls, thereafter. And Polly and Eleanor found, as Spring advanced, that lessons in night school were simpler and not quite so absorbing to their time, as those of the recent weeks had been.

In the mural decoration study that began with the new Spring term, the pupils found that, beginning with the order of antiquity, Egyptian first, and then Greek, Roman, Medieval, Moresque and Persian styles-much of their work done in the other cla.s.ses now proved useful.

In fact, the historical studies of these races of people and their periods of time, proved valuable in review, for the further perfection of mural art.

So when they were given a design to do in "wave ornament" it was at once recognised as Egyptian art. Or should a wall decoration be required where geometrical forms were the principle, the pupils remembered the religion of the Arabs and Moors which restricted them to the use of natural forms which would not conflict with their worship.

Thus Polly and Eleanor began to understand how important their previous lessons had been, and how necessary it was for every earnest student of art to be present at each cla.s.s, that no connecting link in instruction might be dropped and lost.

As the weeks went by, and the end of the term drew near, the night cla.s.ses thinned out perceptibly, many of the less enthusiastic pupils preferring outdoor sports to close application to art pursuits. But Polly and Eleanor found their pleasure in hearing all Mr. Fabian had to say to them on various subjects.

Perhaps the girls might not have been so keen for school during the warm evenings, had not Mr. Fabian's knowledge and fascinating descriptions of anything pertaining to his profession, been so freely given them at all times. He continued to discover exhibits, lectures, and other educational pastimes, to which he conducted his favorite pupils, so that there was no dearth of material to aid and demonstrate his teachings.

As June came in, Polly found New York not nearly as cool and pleasant an abode as Pebbly Pit with its alt.i.tude upon the crests of the Rockies.

And she longed for a breath of the mountain air that would renew jaded senses. Both Eleanor and Polly began to show the strain of the close application to study that they had had since October, so Anne was thankful that the schools would soon close for the Summer.

Then the last cla.s.s in Cooper Union ended, and Mr. Fabian escorted his girls to their home. Already, they were planning for the coming year of work, but their instructor smiled and interrupted.

"I have refused an offer to continue my cla.s.ses in the school, so I will not be there next year."

"What!" gasped Polly.

"Not teach us!" cried Eleanor.

"Not teach at Cooper-no. I feel that I am not strong enough to keep up such arduous labors; and so many there do not seem to appreciate what I am sacrificing for them. I find there are some people who think that, because a thing is free, it is not as valuable as if they had to pay for it. You can see, for yourselves, how many scholars dropped out of the cla.s.ses when other diversions offered themselves. They join an art cla.s.s and attend it when nothing else can be had. They take my thought and time, and when they weary of the routine, they fail to appear. It is very disheartening. But it is so every year, and I am tired of trying to keep up the interest of such lazy leeches."

Polly and Eleanor heard their dear professor's words in sorry silence.

What would night school be without him?

"But I have planned a far different school beginning with next October.

I have chosen the faithful few who really mean business, and to these I shall offer my services for a small return. I feel sure that this will mean greater benefit to individuals in a small cla.s.s, as I can devote much more time to each student and give better advice wherever it is needed. I have thought of seven scholars for my little school."

"Oh, Mr. Fabian-I do hope Polly and I are among them!" exclaimed Eleanor, anxiously.

Mr. Fabian smiled. "Perhaps it was because of Polly and you that I thought of this idea. You two girls really should have personal instruction, instead of having to waste hours in a general cla.s.s waiting for delinquents to catch up with you.

"That has always been the weak spot in any large cla.s.s; there are those who forge ahead eagerly, and the lazy ones who miss a cla.s.s every few nights, causing the whole body to delay and wait while they work to catch up on what they have missed.

"When the few ambitious workers can be grouped together and not hampered by the leeches, one can readily see how much better it is for all concerned. This is what I propose doing."

"Oh, it will be splendid! and I am glad, for one, to be able to look forward to such teachings. To know that we can ask all the questions freely, and not have to wait to have the easiest lesson explained to the thick-headed, will be a great relief," said Polly, gratefully.

At the door of the Studio, Mr. Fabian said good-by. "I am planning to sail for Europe very soon, my dears, and I am looking forward to a good time with my little family. We intend visiting all the famous places of interest to an artist, and when I return in the Fall, I will be able to tell you about the great cathedrals, the wonderful collections of antiques, and other sights."