Tale of the Witch Doll

Excerpt

TRAGEDY FOR NELLIE

“Just one more dive,” pleaded Penny, climbing nimbly up the rungs of the bright brass ladder.

“Then make it snappy,” commanded Louise Sidell, a dark-haired girl in a blue bathing suit. She sighed and sank down on the edge of the tiled swimming pool. “We have to dress and get out of here sometime, you know. I promised Mother I’d stop at the doll shop.”

“Oh, we still have lots of time.” Penny glanced carelessly at the big wall clock as she mounted the ladder to the diving board.

Raising her eyes to the slim figure above her, Louise felt a warm wave of admiration for her chum. Penelope Parker—Penny—to all her friends, had that indefinable thing called personality. Her deep blue eyes, golden ringlets, clear skin, gave one an impression of beauty; and besides, she had sparkle and vivacity. Louise reflected that nearly all the world’s prize packages had been dropped on Penny’s casual little shoulders.

“Well, what will it be this time?” she called. “Better make it good!”

Penny didn’t answer. With an easy grace she moved out on the board and sprang lightly into the air. Tucking into a tight ball, she rolled swiftly forward, opened again into a straight line and entered the water with scarcely a ripple. She pushed up hard from the bottom of the pool. Her head and shoulders shot high above the water. Penny grinned, and too lazy to swim, lunged for the side of the tank.

“Were my toes pointed, nice and neat?”

“Your toes!” Louise exclaimed indignantly. “When you try that somersault dive you’re just plain lucky your neck isn’t broken. Come on, we’re going home.”

She seized her chum by the arms, dragging her bodily from the pool.

“I’ll beat you dressing,” challenged Penny, making a dash for the shower.

Long before Louise was ready, she had donned her white sports dress, red sandals, and busied herself untangling wet ringlets under the hot air drier. But at last both girls considered themselves presentable. They tossed their wet bathing suits into the laundry basket, and went out on the street.

“I promised Mother I’d buy a doll for a poor child,” Louise remarked as they walked along. “I thought I’d get it at Nellie Marble’s shop. But you needn’t go along unless you like.”

“Oh, I have loads of time,” said Penny. “Anyway, I’d rather enjoy talking with Nellie again. I haven’t seen her since she graduated.”

Both Penny and Louise were sophomores at Riverview High. Nellie Marble had attended the school for only two years, and the girls had never known her well.

“Mother says Nellie has had a hard time of it until lately,” Louise commented.

“She had courage, going into business for herself.”

“Yes, her doll shop is paying well now, I guess. But she had a long struggle building up her trade. She deserves to succeed. She makes the cutest dolls in town.”

The Marble Doll Shoppe was located at the very outskirts of Riverview, not far from the Big Bear River. After a long walk, the girls came to a district where the business houses were run down and in need of paint....