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diff --git a/old/53637-0.txt b/old/53637-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 90f83a9..0000000 --- a/old/53637-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7118 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Marjorie Dean Macy, by Pauline Lester - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Marjorie Dean Macy - -Author: Pauline Lester - -Release Date: November 30, 2016 [EBook #53637] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARJORIE DEAN MACY *** - - - - -Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from images made available by the HathiTrust -Digital Library.) - - - - - - -[Illustration: Surrounded by a love knot of friends, Marjorie opened -package after package.] - - _(Page 161)_ _(Marjorie Dean Macy)_ - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - MARJORIE DEAN - MACY - - BY PAULINE LESTER - - AUTHOR OF - - “The Marjorie Dean High School Series,” “The - Marjorie Dean College Series,” “The Marjorie - Dean Post-Graduate Series,” etc. - - [Illustration] - - A. L. BURT COMPANY - Publishers New York - Printed in U. S. A. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - MARJORIE DEAN - POST-GRADUATE SERIES - - A SERIES FOR GIRLS 12 TO 18 YEARS OF AGE - - BY PAULINE LESTER - - MARJORIE DEAN, POST-GRADUATE - MARJORIE DEAN, MARVELOUS MANAGER - MARJORIE DEAN AT HAMILTON ARMS - MARJORIE DEAN’S ROMANCE - MARJORIE DEAN MACY - - Copyright, 1926 - By A. L. BURT COMPANY - - MARJORIE DEAN MACY - - Made in “U. S. A.” - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - MARJORIE DEAN MACY - - - CHAPTER I. - - MANAÑA - - -“Here I am—all booted and spurred and ready to ride,” Marjorie Dean -called out gaily to Veronica Lynne as Ronny entered the cool spacious -patio of Lucero de la Manaña, the Lynnes’ beautiful ranch home in -southern California. - -Marjorie was a feast for beauty-loving eyes as she sat on the wide stone -edge of the silver-spraying fountain with its musical murmur of water -splashing into a white marble basin. The mannish cut of her gray -knickered riding clothes merely made her look more than ever like a -little girl. From under her little round gray hat with its bit of -irridescent color her bright brown curls showed in a soft fluff. She sat -smiling at Ronny, a sleeve of her riding coat pushed back from one -rounded arm, one hand trailing idly in the clear water of the basin. - -“You _sound_ like Paul Revere. At least, that is what he said, -supposedly, on the night of his famous ride. You _look_ like Leila -Harper’s friend, Beauty, even in riding togs.” Ronny came over to -Marjorie, smiling. - -“I only remember Leila Harper.” Marjorie glanced up teasingly. - -“You are altogether too forgetful,” Ronny lightly reproved. - -She paused, looking amusedly down at her pretty chum. She was wearing a -white linen, knickered riding suit which was vastly becoming. Her wide -gray eyes gave out a happy light that her heart switched on every time -her gaze came to rest upon Marjorie. - -Since first she had known Marjorie Dean, back in their senior high -school days at Sanford, she had cherished a pet dream. That dream had -come true six weeks previous when Marjorie, her father and mother had -arrived from the East to make Ronny a long deferred visit. To range the -great ranch, pony-back, with Marjorie riding beside her, ever a -gracious, inspiriting comrade, was Ronny’s highest desire toward -happiness. - -“How long have you been waiting for me, Miss Paul Revere?” she playfully -questioned. “Why didn’t you come to Ronny’s room and hang around? Why so -unsociable?” Ronny drew down her face into an aggrieved expression which -her dancing eyes contradicted. “I’ve known you to be much more cordial -at old Wayland Hall.” - -“Oh, I’ve only been here about three minutes. I’m miles more sociable -than I was at Wayland Hall,” laughed Marjorie. “I thought you’d be ready -and ahead of me. When I found you weren’t, I couldn’t resist stopping to -dabble my hand in the water. I love the patio, Ronny, and adore the -fountain. If I lived here three months longer I should be so steeped in -the beauty of Manaña that I’d forget the East—maybe.” Her “maybe” was -stronger than her light prediction. - -“The magic spell of Manaña is upon you,” Ronny confidently asserted. -“There is a mystical, romantic beauty about Manaña. I have searched for -it over and over again in the East, but have never found it. It seems to -me our Manaña is Nature’s own ideal of grandeur and beauty. I think the -Spanish influence in the house and about the ranch heightens its claim -to the romantic. Hamilton Arms has a certain stateliness of beauty, all -its own. But has it anything more romantically beautiful than this -patio?” - -“It’s true as you live, Ronny Lynne,” agreed Marjorie gaily. - -“You couldn’t love the patio better than I do.” Ronny cast a fond glance -about the great square-covered court with its central crystal-spraying -fountain and its ancient stone floor, gay with rugs and colorful Navajo -blankets. The few inviting lounging chairs, the reading stand piled with -current magazines, the quaint leather-covered Spanish couch, long and -narrow, and heaped with gorgeous-hued silken cushions seemed only to -accentuate the primitive charm of the old-time inclosure. Above it a -railed-in Spanish balcony extended around the four sides. It was bright -with flowering plants and further beautified by the masses of trailing -vines which clambered over the old-time mahogany railing. - -“I know it.” Marjorie gave a quick nod. “I’d not wish to love it as much -as Hamilton Arms. I never thought I could care more for the Arms than -dear Castle Dean. But I do. My whole heart is bound up in it, and -Hamilton. I hope that I—that—we—will—” Marjorie stopped, her color -deepening. “I hope Hal and I will live at Hamilton some day.” She -continued in shy haste to finish what she had begun to say when girlish -embarrassment had overtaken her. - -“I believe Hamilton to be the one place for you and Hal to live,” Ronny -made hearty response. “It would be splendid if General and Captain -should decide to live in Hamilton Estates, too. ‘Where the treasure is, -there shall the heart be also,’ you know. You are General’s and -Captain’s treasure, and Hamilton is your treasure, so why shouldn’t you -all get together and be happy? None of you have really anything special -to bind you to Sanford. That is, not as you have at Hamilton.” Ronny -smiled very tenderly at Marjorie’s glowing face. - -“It’s different with me,” Ronny continued. “My treasure is Father. So -Manaña means most of any place on earth to me. I love Hamilton -devotedly. Remember, there are plenty of Travelers to help complete the -dormitory, but only one Traveler to comfort a lonely man. Father has -considered me above himself always. Now I must begin to consider him.” - -Marjorie sprang up from her seat upon the fountain’s stone edge. “It’s -odd to me still, Ronny—being engaged to be married to Hal,” she -confessed as she shyly busied herself with the drying of her wet hand -with her handkerchief. - -Ronny nodded sympathetically. “I always believed it would happen some -day,” she said. “You can’t help but feel strange about it, though. -You’ve hardly seen him since college closed.” - -“But I’m going to see him soon.” The note of unmistakable happiness in -Marjorie’s reply was in itself convincing of the true state of the -little Lieutenant’s heart. - -The two friends had now passed through the arched stone doorway of the -patio and stepped out upon the lawn. They crossed it to the ancient -brick drive and followed the drive toward a point near the heavy iron -entrance gates, where a young Mexican boy stood holding the bridles of -two horses. The girls were going for a ride before sunset. - -“_Bueno; muy bueno, Ramon. Muchas gracias_ (Good; very good, Ramon. -Thank you very much),” Ronny brightly smiled her further thanks at the -pleased groom. - -Ramon showed white teeth, acknowledging her thanks in Spanish. Due to -her love of action Marjorie had learned to ride with a readiness which -delighted and amazed Ronny. She had picked for Marjorie a handsome white -pony which she had fancifully named Dawn. Pony and rider had quickly -become fast friends. Ronny’s own pet mount, Lightning, a soft black -thoroughbred that deserved his name, was the admiration and the despair -of the majority of the cowboys on the ranch. Few besides Ronny and Mr. -Lynne had been able to stay long upon his back. He obeyed Ronny because -he loved her. - -“Your going home will leave a horrible blank space at my hearthstone,” -Ronny regretfully told Marjorie as they rode their ponies slowly through -the opened gates and out onto a broad trail which descended gradually in -an easterly direction. - -“I wish you could be in two places at once,” Marjorie returned with a -soft little sigh. “I hate to leave you, Ronny. What are we going to do -without you on the campus? What are Page and Dean without their greatest -show feature? Think of all you’ve done as a Traveler for the good of -Hamilton. I haven’t dared write Miss Susanna and the girls that you -weren’t coming back. Does your father know yet what good fortune’s in -store for him?” - -“No; I’ve not broached the subject to him yet. Before long he will -probably ask me when I think of going East. Then I shall say ‘Not at -all,’ and stick to it.” - -“You’ll simply _have_ to come East to—to—” She paused, her eyes meeting -Ronny’s with a significantly happy light. - -“Oh, of course, _then_,” Ronny smilingly emphasized. - -“You are to be one of my bridesmaids, Ronny,” Marjorie decreed. “I’ve -been thinking quite a lot about my wedding. I have an idea that it will -be different from most weddings, I’d like to have gathered around me -that day the girls I’ve known and loved best. I’m going to try to find a -place for them all in my bridal procession. I’ve not settled upon a -single thing yet, but I have just one inspiration that I hope I can -carry out.” - -“When is it to be, Marjorie?” Ronny questioned with the lighting of her -fair face which Marjorie loved to see. - -“I don’t quite know yet. It will all depend on when the dormitory is -finished. I—I haven’t made any plans for it except I’ve thought to -myself about the kind of wedding I’d like to have. I’ve said more to you -than I have even to Captain,” Marjorie declared with a shy laugh. - -“I am highly honored, Marvelous Manager.” Ronny leaned to the right in -her saddle with a respectful bow. “Having marvelously managed everything -and everybody for a period of years on the campus, may we not expect you -to manage your own wedding with _eclat_?” - -“Don’t expect too much,” Marjorie warned laughingly. - -As they talked the ponies had been impatiently enduring the slow walk to -which their riders, absorbed in confidences, had put them. The trail was -broad and smooth; wide enough for two ponies to run on, side by side. It -dipped gradually down into a green valley of oak, larch and aspen trees. -There the trail narrowed to a bridle path, winding in and out among -wooded growths, and overhanging steep ravines. After half a mile it -emerged from shadowed woods into the sunshine of the open country, -growing wider again. - -“There he is!” Ronny had been keeping up a bright look-out ahead. Her -white-clad arm began a vigorous signaling to a horseman who had reined -in near a large rock some distance ahead of them. He was sitting on a -big bay horse, waiting for the riders to come up. - -Every day, since Marjorie had learned to ride the two girls had gone -pony-back at sunset to meet Mr. Lynne on his return from the daily -supervision of the planting of a peach orchard of choice variety. - -“I’ll race you,” Ronny challenged. She started her horse, Lightning, -with a quick pat of her hand on his silky neck. He shot forward like a -veritable streak of lightning, glad of a chance to run. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - FOND REALITY - - -Dawn was only a second or two behind him. The pair of mettlesome ponies -fled along the trail toward the waiting horseman, their riders uttering -buoyant little cries of encouragement and laughter. It was the usual -race, and Ronny always won. Dawn could not quite keep up with Lightning. - -“_Buenos dias, señor_ (how are you, sir)?” Ronny greeted cheerily as she -reined in near her father’s horse. “Stand and deliver. What’s in that -fat, interesting package at your saddle bow? I can guess. You’ve been to -Teresa’s.” - -“Who is Teresa?” Mr. Lynne inquired with guileless interest. - -“Teresa is a most amiable Spanish donna who is famed for the -deliciousness of her candied fruits, such as you have in two tin boxes -wrapped in one package,” Ronny triumphantly informed. “Get down from -your horse, Señor Lynne, and hand over the spoils to us. If you’re good, -we may ask you to sit beside us on that nice flat rock over there and -attend a picnic.” - -“You win. Come and get it.” Mr. Lynne had sprung from his horse and was -waving the large package temptingly at Ronny. Marjorie sat on her pony, -watching the devoted pair with an affectionate smile. She was thinking -that Mr. Lynne was almost as dear and full of fun as General. But not -quite, she made loyal reservation. - -Ronny had left Lightning’s back in a twinkling and was making energetic -grabs at the package her father was swaying back and forth just out of -her reach. - -“You’re in this, Lightning. Candy, old dear. Think of that.” The pony -sent up an approving whinny. Dawn also began to neigh vigorously. “Can’t -fool you two beauties. You know what’s in those boxes as well as I.” - -Ronny managed to secure the package. She had the wrapper off of it in a -flash, revealing two square tin boxes such as she was famed for having -provided at the Travelers’ campus spreads. She handed one of the tin -boxes to Marjorie and sat down on the flat rock with the other on her -lap to explore its contents. - -“Um-m. Cherries, apricots and plums!” she exclaimed. “Two hours yet till -dinner. Sit down, Señor Lynne and Señorita Dean. You’re invited to a -feast.” - -“Teresa sends you her best wishes and says she will have plenty of -candied fruit packed for you by the time you are ready to go East to -Hamilton.” Teresa was the wife of Mr. Lynne’s oldest foreman and was -noted for her skill in candying fruit. - -“Teresa doesn’t know yet that I’m not going East again this fall.” Ronny -turned calm gray eyes upon her father as she bit into a luscious cherry. - -“I’m afraid you will have to go,” Mr. Lynne said with apparent regretful -seriousness. He was a big fair giant of a man with penetrating blue -eyes, a strong square chin and thick fair hair brushed high off his -broad forehead. His facial expression was kindly, yet suggested great -will-power. - -“I am going to Mexico on a prospecting trip for silver. I promised some -friends of mine long ago that I would join their expedition. I shall be -gone all winter. I can’t take you with me, and I don’t wish you to be -alone at Manaña. It’s lucky I can pack you off to Hamilton again. Such a -strain off my mind,” he ended teasingly. - -“You are a sham,” Ronny set the box of cherries on the ground. Her arms -went round her father’s neck. She placed a playful hand to his lips. -“Not another word. You know you only think I want to go East again. So -you have joined——” - -“Well, don’t you?” her father tenderly demanded. - -“Not more than to stay here with you,” she answered honestly. - -“But how can you stay here with me when I shan’t be here? You aren’t -going to say I can’t go to Mexico, are you?” he put on an expression of -blank disappointment. - -“Can you say on your word of honor that you aren’t going away on my -account?” Ronny countered severely. - -“You haven’t answered my questions yet,” came the laughing evasion. -“Besides you took me so by surprise that I forgot I had two letters for -Marjorie.” - -Mr. Lynne reached into a pocket of his tweed riding coat and drew forth -two envelopes. One was square and pale gray. The other was square and -white. Sight of it sent two happy color signals flying to Marjorie’s -cheeks. Hal’s familiar hand on the white square made her heart beat -faster. Quickly she laid the gray envelope over it, striving to keep her -lovely face from indexing her love for Hal. She bent purposely wrinkled -brows over the gray envelope. It bore a San Francisco postmark. The -writing on it seemed oddly familiar, yet she could not place it. So far -as she knew she had neither acquaintances nor friends in San Francisco. -She courteously tucked both letters into a coat pocket and again turned -her attention to the merry little tilt still going on between Ronny and -her father. - -“I’ll confess, if you will,” Mr. Lynne was saying. “But you first.” - -“Confess what?” Ronny put on a non-comprehending air. - -“Can you truthfully say that you’d rather stay at home this year than go -back to Hamilton and finish your part of the work of building the -dormitory?” There was an undercurrent of seriousness in the light tone -of the question. - -“When you put matters that way, no. You’re awfully mean.” Ronny laughed -half vexedly. “Now it’s my turn. Hadn’t your friends forgotten all about -that silver expedition until you reminded them of it? Why need you go -prospecting when you are not a prospector?” - -“I really don’t know much about my friends’ memories. I am obliged to -become a prospector in order to make you go back to Hamilton. It’s the -only way. Now, isn’t it?” - -“I can’t think of any other,” Ronny admitted. “It’s dear in you.” There -was a tiny quaver in her clear enunciation. - -“Not a bit of it. It’s necessary for you to return to Hamilton to finish -your part of the dormitory enterprise,” came her father’s crisp -decision. “Never undertake a thing unless you are prepared to finish it, -Little Comrade.” It was her father’s pet name for Ronny. “What do you -say, Marjorie?” he turned to the radiant-faced Lieutenant. - -“I ought to be sympathizing with you because you won’t see Ronny this -winter. But if you only knew how we need her on the campus. She is Page -and Dean’s greatest show feature, not to mention what she is to the -Travelers and the dormitory enterprise. It’s the best news I could -possibly hear,” Marjorie said with happy enthusiasm. - -Seated on the flat rock and enjoying Teresa’s delicious candied fruit an -hour winged away before the trio ended their absorbed confab and rose to -take the trail to Manaña. The sun was fast dropping in the West, a huge -flaming ball against the pale tints of the evening sky. - -Mounted again upon Dawn’s back Marjorie gazed dreamily across the broad -acres of Manaña. The great ranch lay in waves of undulating green forest -and meadow, rising in the east to distant purple-tipped heights. She was -experiencing an odd sense of unreality in the scene. Was it really, she, -Marjorie Dean, who looked down from a height upon a magnificent verdant -summer world so far removed from the one she had ever known. To her, -Lucero de la Manaña was indeed the star of the morning—but of a magic -realm. - -Reality? Her hand sought the pocket of her riding coat in which reposed -Hal’s letter. She had told Ronny that it seemed strange to her to be -betrothed to Hal. Her fingers closed around the envelope that held his -letter with the conviction that, after all, Hal was the beloved reality; -Manaña was a beautiful illusion. - -She knew in her glad heart that she had not dreamed of a spring night of -magic and moonshine when she had walked with Hal in the sweet fragrance -of Spring, aflower, and felt the tender clasp of his arms and the touch -of his lips on her own. She had not dreamed that she had promised him -her future when her work should have been done. It was all true. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE ROAD TO THE HEART’S DESIRE - - -Marjorie rode back to the ranch house in a kind of tender daze. She -heard Ronny’s and Mr. Lynne’s voices addressing her, and her own voice -answering them as far-off sounds. For one who had formerly never -understood love she could not but marvel at the great change within -herself. She was now experiencing the stillness of happiness of which -Constance had tried to tell her when she had confided to Marjorie the -news of her engagement to Lawrence Armitage. Constance had said then she -hoped Marjorie would some day fall in love with Hal. Marjorie smiled as -she recalled the half displeased reply she had made. How hard-hearted -she had been. She was remorseful now. Loving Hal with all the strength -of her fine nature she could not forgive herself for having caused him -so much of lover’s pain. - -Alone in her high-ceilinged, luxurious sleeping room at the ranch house -she dropped hastily into a wicker arm chair and drew the cherished -letter from her pocket. Her smile was a thing of tender beauty as she -opened the envelope and extracted two closely written sheets of thick -gray paper. Hal’s letters to Marjorie had usually been brief affairs -until after the eventful spring evening when she had turned life from -drab to rose for him. Love had given his pen new impetus. With starry -eyes and heightened color Marjorie read his fond salutation: - - “Dearest: - - “Your latest letter told me the news I have been waiting - anxiously for. You are coming home soon. So glad you and General - and Captain expect to be at Severn Beach by the twelfth of - September. Connie and Laurie arrived here from New York last - week. You must have heard from Connie by now. I am planning a - moonlight stroll on the beach and a sail in the Oriole for the - same old six of us who went strolling and sailing on a certain - white moonlight night last summer; the unhappiest I have ever - known. So I am sure that our next stroll together in the - moonlight will be the happiest. - - “It is such a long way to Manaña. I have to remind myself often - that the violet girl who made me a wonderful promise one night - at Hamilton Arms was real, and not a dream. I shall not be sure - of my good fortune until we meet again. You went away from me to - Ronny’s so soon after that enchanted night. I had not had time - to realize my great happiness. How came you to love me, I am - always wondering, when there seemed no hope? You will tell me - how it came to pass. Won’t you, sweetheart? - - “There is so much I should like to say to you. I cannot write - it. Whenever I try to write you my whole thought is that I love - you and hope soon to see you.” - -Marjorie read on, the starriness on her brown eyes softening to wistful -tenderness. The depth of Hal’s love for her filled her with a strange -tender humility. She could hardly believe herself worthy of such -devotion. - -She sat immersed in her love dream until the tinkling chime of the -French clock on the mantel shattered it. - -“_Seven_,” she counted in consternation, sentiment fading to dismay. -“And I’ve not started to change my riding togs yet. I’ll surely have to -hurry.” - -Half past seven was the dinner hour at Manaña. Marjorie dropped a light -kiss upon Hal’s letter and hurriedly deposited it in a drawer of the -dressing table. She plumped down on a cushioned stool and began a quick -removing of her riding boots. By twenty minutes after seven she was -deftly hooking her slim form into a sleeveless white faille frock, -charmingly embroidered with little clusters of rosy double daisies. It -had been a present to her from Leila who was abroad with Vera, and had -come from “L’harmonie” the most exclusive shop in Paris. Marjorie, full -of devotion toward Hal, had picked out the gown to wear down to dinner -as somehow expressing her best in her happiness. - -“Five minutes to spare.” She closed the last snap with satisfaction. “I -could do my hair a little smoother, but it’s pretty fair, Bean, pretty -fair.” She said this last aloud, laughing a little. It brought pleasant -memories of Jerry Macy. - -She reopened the drawer, holding Hal’s letter with intent to read it -again. Then she remembered the other letter in the pocket of her riding -coat and went smiling into the small adjoining dressing room for it. She -was chipping open an end of its envelope when Ronny knocked on the door. - -“Come,” Marjorie called. - -Ronny opened the door and entered, her individually charming self in a -crystal-beaded white frock of chiffon. - -“I forgot all about this letter.” Marjorie held up the square envelope. -“I—you see—the other was from Hal, and——” - -“I understand perfectly.” Mischief gleamed in Ronny’s gray eyes. The two -girls laughed. “Go ahead and read the one Hal didn’t write. I give you -permission. Three minutes yet until the dinner ring.” - -“Thank you, kind Ronny.” Marjorie made Ronny a gay little obeisance. “I -haven’t the least idea who it’s from.” Marjorie now had the letter out -of the envelope and was searching it for the signature. She found it, -stared at it in surprise, then cried: “This letter is from Leslie -Cairns. Pardon me while I read it.” A moment or two and she dropped into -a chair, glancing up at Ronny rather helplessly. - -“Why, she has written the _last_ thing I’d expect her to write!” she -exclaimed wonderingly. - -“Leslie Cairns always was a surprising person,” Ronny remarked with -good-humored satire. “Only her surprises were generally more startling -than agreeable.” - -“I am sure she wouldn’t mind if I read you her letter. Wen Lo hasn’t -rung the bell yet. We still have a minute.” Marjorie commenced in a -brisk tone: - - “DEAR MISS DEAN: - - “My father and I lunched at the Arms with Miss Hamilton several - weeks ago and from her learned that you were visiting Miss Lynne - in California, at Lucero de la Manaña. - - “We came West over a week ago on a flying business trip. My - father is trying to initiate me into the mysteries of - financiering. I find them decidedly intricate. We are now in San - Francisco, and staying at the Albemarle. Our telephone number is - Oakland 842. If you should come to San Francisco in the near - future will you not look me up? - - “My real reason for writing, however, is this. We shall go East - before long in my father’s private car, the Speedwell. Can your - father and mother and you not arrange to be our guests on the - eastern journey? We shall be glad to suit our time for going - East to your own. It would be a great pleasure for my father and - me to meet your father and mother, and entertain them and you. - We are both ambitious to serve the interests of Hamilton. We - feel, that, aside from the pleasure of yours and your parents’ - company, you will be able to teach us the way to be of use to - Hamilton College. We shall be in the neighborhood of the Lynne - ranch next Tuesday and will stop for a few moments to see you. - Think the matter over and be prepared to say ‘yes.’ - - “Cordially yours, - “LESLIE A. CAIRNS.” - -“And Leslie Cairns wrote that letter!” Ronny made a gesture of -incredulity. “It seems hard to believe she isn’t Jeremiah’s Hob-goblin -any longer.” - -“It seemed queer to me for a little while last June to think of her as a -friend,” Marjorie confessed. “That feeling soon died out of my mind. -After she took the stand she did about the Leila Harper Playhouse I had -a great deal of admiration for her. I knew she was truly sincere in her -resolve to be different.” - -Marjorie referred to a certain decision at which Leslie had arrived -after she had visited Hamilton Arms in company with her father one day -during the previous spring. It was then Leslie had outlined to Marjorie -her generous proposal to erect a theatre on the site of her garage -“flivver” which she wished to name “The Leila Harper Playhouse.” The -theatre was to be owned and controlled by Leila with only the one -stipulation that whatever performances might be given in it should be -for the benefit of the Brooke Hamilton Dormitory. - -Marjorie had then urged Leslie to permit her name to be given as the -donor of the theatre when it should be completed the following spring. -Leslie had confided to Marjorie her great desire that her father should -be named as the giver of the theatre. Her own unworthy record at -Hamilton College forbade her that pleasure. She had somberly argued that -mention of either her name or her father’s as the giver of the theatre -would serve only to recall her misdeeds and expulsion from Hamilton to -faculty and students alike. She had already disappointed her father too -greatly, she told Marjorie, without placing either him or herself in -line for further criticism. - -“I’m going to tell you something, Ronny. Leslie gave me permission last -spring to use my own discretion in regard to keeping it a secret. Miss -Susanna and Jerry know. So does Robin. I’d rather the other girls -shouldn’t for awhile. You see it’s something wonderful for Leila. We -wish it to be a great surprise. She’s so quick to divine things. I’m -awfully afraid she may find it out unless I am very careful.” Marjorie -put Ronny in possession of Leslie’s pet plan. - -“There ought to be some way, Ronny, to manage things so that Leslie or -her father—she’d rather it would be he—might be named as the giver of -the Leila Harper Playhouse at the dedication and presentation.” Marjorie -laid Leslie’s letter on the willow magazine stand with a little sigh. - -“There will be.” Ronny made the assertion with positiveness. “What a -splendid thing for Leslie Cairns to wish to do! The way will open for -her. You’ll see. She is trying earnestly to think of everyone but -herself. And that is truly the only sure road to the heart’s desire.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - A TWILIGHT SERENADE - - -After dinner that night in the beautiful summer dining room which opened -upon a broad side veranda, tropically picturesque with palms and -oleanders, Marjorie and Ronny repaired to their favorite haunt. It was a -second-story balcony which overlooked a rose garden. There Wen Lo, the -enigmatic-faced Chinese butler, long in the service of the Lynnes, -brought them their dessert of ices and sweets and coffee. Mr. Lynne had -declined dessert and gone into the library to enjoy an after-dinner -cigar and a new book on fruit culture which had been written by his -Chinese friend and ranch neighbor, Sieguf Tah. - -“You must be feeling both glad and sorry about going back to Hamilton, -Ronny,” Marjorie said presently drawing in a deep breath of the -fragrant, rose-scented air. “Glad to be at Hamilton, and with us; sorry -to leave Manaña. It’s so beautiful at all times. One day I think I love -the early mornings best. Next day, it’s the sunset that seems most -beautiful. Now the twilight’s coming on, and the roses are so sweet. -Oh-h-h!” - -A sturdy trellised vine, odorous with scented clusters of pinkish-yellow -roses clambered up and over the balcony. Marjorie bent and buried her -face in the clustered riot of bloom. - -“You’ve learned, even in this short time, to love Manaña in the way I -love it,” Ronny said softly. - -A pleasant silence ensued between the two friends, Ronny, gazing -absently into the approaching twilight, seemed lost in reverie. Her -finely-chiseled profile turned toward Marjorie gave her the look of a -young Greek goddess, dispassionately viewing a world of her own ruling. - -As the twilight merged into dusk and the first stars of evening lit -their twinkling lamps, from underneath the balcony the musical beat of a -guitar rose in rhythmic measure. Came a characteristic Spanish prelude, -then an old Mexican love song floated out upon the rose-scented dusk, -sung by a trio of golden-voiced Mexican boys. - -“_La serenata_ (the serenade),” Ronny murmured, “How dear in Father. He -has asked Teresa’s sons to serenade us. They are singing a very old -Mexican song called, ‘_Mi novia_.’ That means ‘my sweetheart.’” - -Ronny became silent again with this brief explanation. The dulcet, -mellow voices of the Mexican boys swelled enchantingly upon the -stillness of the evening. Marjorie was sure she had never before -listened to anything more tenderly romantic than the plaintive rise and -fall of the old song. More than once she had heard from Ronny of the -fine singing voices which were the natural heritage of the Spanish -Mexicans. - -The singers followed their tuneful offering with another old Spanish -ballad which Ronny told Marjorie was called “The Love Tears.” - - _“Cuando de tu lado ausente, - Triste muy triste es mi vida!”_ - -rose the high sweet tenor of Ricardo, Teresa’s oldest son. - - “When thou art absent from my side, - Sad, how sad, is my life!” - -Ricardo was eighteen and still heart-whole yet the Latin inheritance of -heartbreak was in his voice. All the sadness of an unrequited love, -which he had certainly never yet experienced, rang in his impassioned -singing. Nor were the voices of his younger brothers scarcely less -emotional. The wistful yearning golden notes were no more than the -heritage of romance and sentiment so peculiarly Spanish. - -When the song was done Ronny leaned over the balcony and called softly -down to them in Spanish: “_Hermosa_ (beautiful). _Que se repetia_ -(please sing again). _Muy bien venido, amigos. Nos alegramos mucho de -que nos honre con su compania._ (Welcome, friends. We are glad of the -honor of your company.)” - -The serenaders had been standing well under the overhanging balcony. Now -they stepped out from its shadow a little, three dark outlines in the -paler dusk. - -“_Muchas gracias, Señorita Veronica_ (thank you, Miss Veronica).” came -the full-toned voice of Ricardo in pleased return. He went on to say in -English. “Señor Lynne, your father, has asked us to give you the -serenade on our way to the _fiesta_ this evening which is to be at -Pedro’s house in honor of his birthday. We are pleased to sing for you -and the señorita from the East. Now we will sing for you your favorite -song, ‘_Pregunte las estrelles_.’ Then we must hurry or be late to sing -the birthday song for Pedro.” - -“_Muchas gracias_, Ricardo. Señorita Dean and I love your songs. -Presently we shall walk over to Pedro’s _casa_ (house) to look in upon -the _fiesta_. We have been invited by Annunciata, his wife. Tomorrow -evening I wish you to bring Donna Teresa with your brothers to a -_fiesta_ here. The mother and father of Señorita Dean will then be -there. They will wish to hear you sing.” - -Followed a quick flow of appreciative Spanish, then a pair of musicianly -hands picked out a ravishing little prelude on the guitar. Again the -three in the soft darkness below took up the heart-stirring, painful -sweetness of one of the old-time Spanish _cantares_ (songs). - - “Perhaps the stars in Heaven - Know this night how much I love:” - -Marjorie had learned a few Spanish words since she had come to Manaña. -She could not understand those of the song. Nevertheless she understood -its import. Ronny had translated the title for her. She was now lost in -happy wonderment as to whether the stars in Heaven could possibly know -how truly she loved Hal. - -With the ending of the song she called down pleasantly to the three -young men. “Thank you for your beautiful singing. I think ‘The Stars’ is -the sweetest song you sang.” - -“We are happy to have pleased you, _hermosa_ (beautiful) señorita. It is -the song we also like best.” Ricardo added something daringly respectful -to Ronny in Spanish. She laughingly translated his speech as the three -dark figures strode away across the lawn. “Ricardo says that you are the -most beautiful young lady he has ever seen.” - -_“Oh, bother.”_ Marjorie’s tone was half vexed. “I wish I had a pug nose -and freckles. No. I’m glad I haven’t them.” She turned the subject -abruptly with: “I should not have understood the beauty of those songs -last year as I do now. Love has opened a new, wonderful world to me.” - -“And this is hard-hearted Marjorie Dean to whom I’m listening,” Ronny -said in a tone of light incredulity. Candidly she added: “I know how you -feel about love. I feel so about it now. I see nothing deeper in -Ricardo’s songs than beauty of voice and unconscious expression. Teresa -says Ricardo has never been in love. His brothers are young boys of only -twelve and fourteen. But the Spanish Mexicans have emotion in their -voices when they are mere babies.” - -“Have you ever known a young man you thought you cared a little for?” -Marjorie asked half curiously. She could not recall in her several years -of friendship with Ronny that her brilliant talented friend had ever -accorded more than careless attention to a young man of her -acquaintance. - -“No, I have not, and I don’t wish to,” Ronny replied with considerable -emphasis. “I never expect to meet any such person. I couldn’t fall in -love if I tried.” - -“That’s what I used to think.” Marjorie held up a warning hand. “Be -careful,” she continued, laughing softly. “The moment when you are the -most certain that you can _never_ fall in love may be the signal for a -change in your destiny. You may never _fall_ in love. You may just -_tumble_ into it someday without a sign or word of warning.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - ON THE SPEEDWELL - - -“I’ve always tried my hardest to get whatever I wanted for myself no -matter how much trouble I made for other people in the getting. Now here -I am, caught in a snare. What’s hardest of all to bear, Marjorie, is -having hurt Peter the Great. Because I behaved like a vandal at Hamilton -he’s ashamed in his heart to come back to Carden Hedge to live the year -round.” - -Seated opposite Marjorie on the comfortable observation platform of -Peter Cairns’ luxurious private car “Speedwell,” Leslie cast a gloomy -glance at her pretty companion out of remorseful eyes. - -“That’s why I realized what a mistake it would be to have that Leila -Harper Playhouse business announced in chapel with my father’s and my -name attached,” Leslie continued. “Again if it were announced in chapel -with us left out it might start a whole lot of wondering about whom I -had sold the garage site to, et cetera. Every move Peter and I made -afterward would be watched. Of course we’d be found out. Then someone -might start a rumor that we were ashamed to come forward because of my -misdeeds. It would be true, but not very pleasant. If we wait till the -theatre is built and ready for Leila we’ll have a good chance of getting -away with it, sub rosa.” - -“I like the idea of waiting until the theatre is finished before -honoring Leila in chapel,” Marjorie returned frankly. “But, Leslie, by -then you may feel differently about not wishing your name or your -father’s given.” - -“No; I shan’t. I’m very sure I shan’t.” Leslie moodily shook her head. -“It can never be that way, Marjorie. I wish it could.” - -It was the last afternoon of the journey across continent which Mr. and -Mrs. Dean and Marjorie were completing in Peter Cairns’ private car. The -next morning would see the travelers in New York City. From New York the -Deans were going for two weeks to their favorite summer resort, Severn -Beach. - -Marjorie had not altogether relished the idea of the journey East in so -much exclusive luxury. She had looked forward to the merry more -democratic canopy of the Pullman car where from San Francisco to Chicago -they might count upon finding plenty of pleasant traveling acquaintances -in the same car with themselves. They had had great fun going West. - -Yet it had seemed to her that an acceptance of Leslie’s invitation was -the only true way of showing Peter Cairns’ daughter that she held -nothing of the past against her. Leslie and her father motored to Manaña -there to extend their invitation to the Deans in person. Marjorie’s -General and Captain had left the decision to her. - -During the enjoyable trip East Leslie and Marjorie had had time to grow -gradually acquainted with each other in a pleasant, half reserved -fashion which promised someday to merge into a real friendship. Thrown -in each other’s company the two girls had discussed little else except -the subject of Hamilton College. Leslie was never tired of hearing of -the funny sayings and doings of Leila, Jerry and Muriel Harding. She -discussed her own troubles with the San Soucians as their ring-leader in -a humorous fashion which Marjorie found vastly amusing. It had revealed -in Leslie a keen sense of humor which Marjorie had often suspected her -of possessing even in her lawless days. - -While she talked freely of Hamilton College as she had known it when a -student there Leslie had thus far pointedly avoided mention of the one -thing she wished most to tell Marjorie. She and Marjorie had more than -once discussed her determination to present Leila with the directorship -of the theatre anonymously when the playhouse should be completed. Under -the able management of Peter Graham work on the new theatre had been -going forward steadily since the previous June. - -On this last afternoon of the journey Mr. and Mrs. Dean, Peter Cairns -and his confidential secretary, Wilkins, were deep in a game of whist in -the small salon of the Speedwell. Marjorie and Leslie had the -observation platform to themselves. Soberly glancing at Leslie’s clouded -features Marjorie felt nothing but the deepest sympathy for the girl she -had once been tempted to rank as an enemy. She was understanding only -too clearly the difficulties which now beset Leslie’s proposed path of -benevolence. - -“Never is such a long time, Leslie,” Marjorie’s tone was brightly -comforting. “It’s two years, you know, since you left college. Most of -the students you knew then, or who knew of you, have been graduated. -There is a much better spirit abroad on the campus, too, than in the old -days.” Marjorie stopped, flushing. “I didn’t mean to remind you—” she -began contritely. - -“No harm done, Bean.” A faint lighting of Leslie’s dark features -accompanied the ridiculous nickname she had once derisively given -Marjorie. “Of course there’s a better spirit now on the campus. You won -what you fought for. But there are a certain number of students there -still who would love to pick me to pieces, given an opportunity. It -would be said of me that I was trying to make money cover my flivvers.” - -“But your motive is sincere,” Marjorie cried. “Besides the theatre is -not to be built on the campus. I think you ought to brave matters out, -Leslie. The Travelers will stand by you through thick and thin. We -understand how generous you are, and in time we shall make others see -it. That is, if there should be others. Sometimes one sweeping act of -nobility such as you propose to do changes everything for the best.” - -“It won’t for me,” was Leslie’s pessimistic prediction. “It’s not really -about myself I care. To honor Leila, and help the dorms along. What more -can one ask?” Leslie made an earnest gesture. “It’s like this, Marjorie. -As an unknown donor I’ll be covered with glory. As a known one I’ll be -buried under opprobrium.” - -“‘Alas for him who never sees the stars shine through his cypress -trees,’” Marjorie quoted lightly with an effort toward bringing Leslie -out of her somber mood. “I still advise you to go ahead and not hide -your light under a bushel.” - -“No, I can’t,” Leslie replied with a trace of her old-time gruffness. -“I’m going to tell you a secret. I went to Prexy Matthews last spring -and asked him if he would give me a chance to come back to Hamilton and -do over my senior year. When I went there I intended to tell him how -much it would mean to me on my father’s account and of how hard I would -try to redeem my past flivvers. He was frosty as a January morning with -the mercury way below zero. I had hardly mentioned what I came for when -he set his jaws and said that under the circumstances of my expulsion -from college he could not for a moment entertain such a request.” - -“Leslie Cairns!” Marjorie could not repress a sympathetic exclamation. - -“It’s a fact.” The blood rose to Leslie’s dark cheeks in a crimson wave. -She went on with shamed reluctance. “I thought he might say ‘no,’ but he -made me feel as though he hated even to speak to me. I know I deserved -it. I wasn’t in his office five minutes hardly. My nerve went back on -me. I had to hurry away, or else cry. I didn’t have time to tell him -anything but that I’d like to try my senior year over again.” - -“Oh, that was too bad!” Marjorie reached over and laid a consoling hand -on one of Leslie’s. “Did you go to Hamilton Hall to see him, or to his -house?” - -“To Hamilton Hall,” Leslie returned briefly. - -“I am sorry you didn’t go to his house instead. It might have made a -difference. I can’t be sure that it would have,” she added honestly. - -She was remembering President Matthews’ anger at the time of Leslie’s -expulsion from Hamilton; not only because of the hazing affair in which -she and Leslie had figured. There was also the recollection of the -misunderstanding which Leslie had made between the president and his old -friend, Miss Remson, the manager of Wayland Hall. Again there was the -ugly fact of secret collusion between Leslie and Miss Sayres, the -president’s secretary to be considered. - -“Oh, it was too much to expect. I knew Prexy would frown me down without -a hearing. But I’d promised myself, that, for my father’s sake, there’d -be nothing I’d leave undone to make up for the disappointment I caused -him,” Leslie said with regretful vehemence. - -“You were very brave to do it, Leslie.” Marjorie’s hand tightened its -clasp on Leslie’s. - -“I was glad to try to make amends.” Leslie was silent for a moment. -“You’ve never done anything to harm another person, Marjorie,” she burst -forth. “You can’t possibly understand how my heart went down when my -father said to me last spring that he had hoped some day to live at -Carden Hedge, but that—he’d changed his mind. He never said once: ‘It’s -all your fault.’ I wish he had. And I am the one who cheated him of -happiness. He’d love to live at the Hedge—if I hadn’t made such a mess -of things at Hamilton. That’s what I did to my father, the person I love -best in the world. And all the time I thought I was doing smart things, -and getting even with you.” - -Leslie looked drearily away across the green fleeing landscape, her face -bleak and somber. - -“Don’t feel so crushed, Leslie. You are anxious to please your father. -After a while you will find a way. To be willing is half the battle. -First thing you know some good will come of it.” - -“I wish I could make myself believe it.” Leslie still kept her head -turned away. “The one thing I’d like most to do, I can’t do. That’s to -try over again my senior year at Hamilton. If only Prexy had softened -and said I might! After I had been graduated from Hamilton, the way -would have been smooth for my father and me to live at the Hedge and be -happy. After Prexy turned me down so frigidly I knew he’d never permit -my name to be announced at chapel as the giver of the theatre. I’ll -never put foot on the campus again, not even to see Doris Monroe. Would -you?” - -“No; not in the present circumstances,” Marjorie made frank reply. -“There is no reason why you shouldn’t come to the Arms to see Miss -Susanna and Jerry and me. We’ll welcome you.” - -“I’ll come.” Leslie brightened. “Mrs. Gaylord and I will have our old -apartment at the Hamilton House. There’s really no place else for us in -Hamilton. I want to stay on there to watch the building of the theatre. -My father will be off and away. There is nothing to keep him in a small -place like Hamilton. If we lived at the Hedge, he’d be keen on -gardening, and beautifying the estate. He’d enjoy the Hamilton links, -and probably get up a polo team. He’s a wonder at polo.” - -Leslie clasped her hands behind her head in a quick, nervous motion. She -closed her eyes, forcing back the tears which were gathering behind her -tightly-shut eyelids. - -Marjorie stole a sympathetic, furtive glance at her. She thought the -touches of vivid cherry color on Leslie’s sleeveless gray wash satin -frock charmingly lightened her companion’s dark skin and irregular -features. She guessed Leslie to be perilously near tears and noted that -her subdued pensive expression had softened her face to a peculiar -attractiveness. - -While Leslie had given up all hope of a return to Hamilton campus as a -student, Marjorie was just beginning to consider how such a miracle -might be brought to pass. She wondered if an appeal on her part to -President Matthews would help Leslie’s case. At least she could put -forward to the president a generous side of Leslie of which he was not -yet aware. She resolved to tell him of Leslie’s love for her father, of -her deep regret at being unable to make the restitution she so greatly -desired to make, of her anxiety to promote his happiness. - -Recollection of Doctor Matthews’ stern face, on the fateful day when the -San Soucians had been arraigned before him and the College Board, -returned vividly to Marjorie. For an instant her impulsive determination -to seek such an interview with him in behalf of Leslie wavered. - -What argument could she present to the learned man of affairs which -should be strong enough to justify her request for another trial for -Leslie at Hamilton College? She could not but believe that no such -request had ever been made to him before. Then, again, Leslie was rated -by the Hamilton executive board as the most lawless student who had ever -enrolled at that college. - -Leslie watched the fleeting scenery as the train rushed eastward, her -eyes misted and unseeing. She was not even aware of the shifting -panorama of woods, meadows, streams and houses as the train steamed on -its way. Instead she was seeing herself as she had been when she -flaunted through college, unscrupulous, bullying and untruthful. - -She was amazed to think that she had lasted until her senior year. Her -one redeeming trait had been her ability to keep up in her classes. She -had always been able to make fair recitations on a small amount of -study. She wished with desperate fervor now that she had been a “dig” -instead of a thorn to the faculty. No; she had been foolish in imagining -that she could live down her past unenviable reputation were she to -return to the campus. - -“Oh!” Marjorie straightened in her chair with a suddenness that made -Leslie open her eyes. - -“Is that all?” Leslie smiled faintly as she saw Marjorie carefully brush -a large cinder from the skirt of her white frock. She folded her hands -again behind her head and resumed her dark musing. - -Marjorie smiled, too, but said nothing. She might have told Leslie that -it was not the appearance of the cinder which had brought forth the -“Oh!” She had inadvertently stumbled upon a truth relative to a possible -return to the campus of Leslie which she believed could not fail to -impress President Matthews. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - LOVE’S YOUNG DREAM - - -“We are lucky. This is the very kind of night we most wish for our -stroll and sail.” Marjorie was rejoicing in the beauty of the night as -she and Hal walked slowly along over the white sands. - -“How could the night be anything but perfect with you home again, -Marjorie?” Hal Macy glanced down at the white-clad girl walking beside -him as though he contemplated stopping and gathering her in his arms. - -“It might be raining torrents, and still I’d have just come home,” -Marjorie answered in the matter-of-fact tone which had once been Hal’s -despair. She cast a swift roguish upward glance at her adoring fiancé -from under her long curling lashes. - -“But it isn’t. It couldn’t be,” Hal tenderly asserted “Say it again, -dear. That you are glad to see me; to be walking this old beach again -with me. That——” - -“I do love to walk this old beach with you—but not too far behind the -others. That’s the way Connie and Laurie used to do, and then we used to -laugh at them,” Marjorie gaily assured. “Come on, let’s hurry.” She ran -playfully ahead of Hal, a radiantly pretty figure in the white -moonlight. - -Hal overtook her in a few long, purposeful strides, saying: “You can’t -escape me, beautiful moonbeam girl. You are all in white just as you -were on that other night last year when you wouldn’t let me tell you -that I loved you. You’ve the same kind of soft white scarf over your -shoulders, and two stars for eyes. It’s you instead of the moonlight who -lures my poor heartstrings out of me.” - -“You have never forgotten that moonlight verse, have you?” Marjorie said -lightly. She refused to say that she was pleased to know he had not -forgotten it. - -“How could I forget it? You quoted it to me on the unhappiest night of -my life. Afterward I quoted it you on the happiest night. Is it a -wonder—” - -“You’d better hurry up if you expect to go sailing this evening,” -admonished a cheerful, interrupting voice. Unnoticed by the lovers Danny -Seabrooke had come up behind them, bent on teasing the absorbed couple. - -“You’d better run ahead, Dan-yell, and untie the boat,” Hal advised in -an anything but sentimental tone. - -“You are miles behind the times. Our gallant ship floats free. Only -Armitage is getting peeved because he has to hang on to the straining -galleon’s rope,” Danny added with grinning significance. - -“Run along and tell him that patience is a virtue,” retorted Hal with -pleasant irony. - -“Tell him yourself when you see him. That will be some time during the -evening—we hope. I’ve run till I’m out of breath. I’m going to poke -along with you two. It will be restful—and interesting.” - -“You may find cause to change your mind,” Hal warned darkly. - -“Never. Marjorie will protect me.” Danny beamed trusting faith at -Marjorie. He prudently ranged himself upon her other side, peering -timidly forward at Hal, his freckled features alive with ludicrous -anxiety. - -In the midst of a merry argument between him and Hal the trio arrived at -the little pier to which the Oriole, Hal’s motor launch, was tied. On -the dock three smiling-faced young people awaited Hal and Marjorie. The -happiness which Jerry Macy, Constance and Lawrence Armitage felt over -the beautiful culmination of Marjorie’s and Hal’s comradeship was as -deep and abiding in its own way as was the love between the newly -betrothed pair. - -“Such a lovely evening.” Jerry greeted them with effusive politeness. -“So glad you managed to get here after all.” - -“You may give _me_ credit for rushing ’em to the pier,” put in Danny -modestly. - -“There’s plenty of room for an argument, but who wants to argue on a -night like this?” Hal returned equably, fixing laughing blue eyes upon -Danny. - -“You are right, Mr. Macy.” Danny made Hal a derisively respectful bow. -“I hope others here besides us cherish the same opinion. _You_ do, I am -sure. _Don’t_ you, Geraldine?” He turned hopefully to Jerry. - -“I don’t cherish anything,” Jerry returned crushingly. - -“Ha-a-a! How sad!” Danny heaved a loud sigh. “What a dreary life you -must lead!” - -“It suits me,” Jerry asserted, with a cheerful smile. “Who’s going to -take the wheel on the run seaward?” she inquired generally. “Don’t all -speak at once. Don’t speak at all, if you’re not crazy for the pilot -job. I’d like it, if no one else wants it.” - -“Oh, if you insist.” Laurie Armitage willingly accorded Jerry the wheel. -He stood steadying the boat at the little pier while Hal helped the -three girls over the side and into the launch. - -Constance and Laurie Armitage had lately returned from another year’s -study of music in Europe. They had not reached Sanford in time to see -Marjorie before she had gone West with her father and mother to visit -Ronny. In consequence they had looked forward to her sunny presence at -Severn Beach with an affectionate impatience second only to Hal’s. - -“So glad you brought the guitar, Laurie,” Marjorie said as Laurie picked -it up from the pier floor, where he had laid it briefly, and passed it -over the side of the launch to Constance. “Do you know any Spanish -songs? I heard such beautiful ones at Manaña.” - -“Only two or three. We are going to Spain next winter to study the -Spanish music and find a very old Spanish opera for Connie, if we can. -We found an old music folio in Paris in a queer little odds and ends -shop that had three numbers in it from an old Spanish opera called ‘_la -Encantadora_’; the enchantress. Next time we go abroad it will be on the -trail of _la Encantadora_,” Laurie declared lightly as he stepped into -the launch behind the trio of girls. - -“Sometime you and Connie must go to Mexico and hunt up some Spanish -Mexican music,” Marjorie said with enthusiasm. She went on to tell them -of how she and Ronny had been serenaded by Teresa’s sons and of the -tender beauty of the old Spanish song “_Las Estrellas_.” - -Presently the Oriole was darting seaward in the white moonlight with -Jerry at the wheel and Danny beside her entertaining her with his ever -ready flow of nonsense. Laurie was lightly strumming the guitar as he -waited for Constance to decide upon a song. Marjorie and Hal sat side by -side on a long cushioned bench looking like two contented children. - -Hal would have been far better content, however, to hold one of -Marjorie’s hands in his own. He allowed them to lie loosely in her lap -because he knew she preferred them to be thus. His Violet Girl did not -wear her heart on her sleeve. She treated him with her old-time friendly -gaiety, showing only occasional flashes of deeper feeling for him. Hal -was confident that Marjorie loved him. Unless she had been very sure of -her own heart she would never have given him her promise. Yet the -reserve which he had for so long schooled himself to maintain when with -her still clung to him. - -Constance began the impromptu concert with an old French harvest song -which was one of the vocal gems the Armitages had brought to light -during the past winter. Laurie accompanied her softly on the guitar, the -rhythmic beat of the music blending with the faint wash of the water -against the boat’s sides. From that she drifted to “Hark, the gentle -lark!” and from it to one and another of Brahms’ songs, already -favorites of the little company. - -“The next number of our program will be a touching sentimental song by -Dan-yell Seabrooke,” Laurie banteringly announced. After singing their -old Brahms’ favorite, “The Sapphio Ode,” Constance had laughingly gone -on a strike, declaring that it was time for someone else to sing. - -“What reason have you to suspect that it will be?” Danny fixed a severe -gaze upon Laurie. “Do I _look_ sentimental? Do I _act_ sentimental? Do I -_seem_ sentimental?” - -“Nothing like trying.” Laurie ignored the forceful interrogations. “If -you try, and don’t succeed—” He made a motion as of pitching something -over the boat’s side into the water. - -“Nev-vur! I shall succeed; if not in singing, then in dodging,” Danny -averred with great resolution. “Hand me the guitar. I wouldn’t trust you -with it in such an emergency. You might play off the key and spoil my -song.” - -“Is that so? What about my risk in handing you the guitar and having it -spoiled?” - -“About fifty-fifty, I should say.” Danny grinned amiably and reached for -the guitar. He pretended to tune it, grumbling. Presently in the midst -of his pretense of disfavor he surprised his smiling companions with the -charming prelude of “What does your heart say?” a popular baritone solo -from “The Orchid,” a New York musical success. - -It was the first time that any of the five listeners to Danny had ever -heard him seriously attempt a sentimental song. Possessed of a tuneful -baritone voice Danny had earned a reputation among his friends as a -singer of comic songs. Hal and Laurie regarded the departure merely as a -decidedly successful attempt upon Danny’s part to make good. Into -Marjorie’s and Constance’s minds, however, the thought sprang instantly -that Danny was deeply in love—with Jerry, of course. - -As for Jerry! She was hoping no one could see the added color in her -cheeks by the bright moonlight. During Danny’s rendition of the song she -had occupied herself industriously with the wheel, her round, babyish -face as nearly a blank as she could make it. Danny hardly ended the solo -when she began clapping her hands in light applause. - -“Bravo! You win!” she called out. “You certainly gave a fine imitation -of a sentimental warbler, Dan-yell. Laurie didn’t think you could do -it.” - -“Oh, I have nerve enough for anything,” Danny retorted. “What does Mr. -Lawrence Armitage know of my talents and capabilities?” - -“Not a thing, thank fortune,” asserted Laurie with stress. - -“You may have your guitar. I wouldn’t sing you another song if you -begged me to. I am going to devote myself to Geraldine. She never treats -me kindly, but she’s an improvement upon you.” Danny wisely produced -this plea as an excuse to seat himself close to the wheel and Jerry. - -She received him without comment, pretending to be listening to the buzz -of conversation going on among the others. Laurie was running a series -of chords up and down the guitar strings which had an oddly familiar -sound both to her ears and Marjorie’s. He continued sounding them a -moment or two, then glanced at Hal, nodding. - -Suddenly Hal’s sweet echoing tenor voice lifted itself on the moonlit -air in a lilting melody that Marjorie had good cause to remember. - - “Down the center, little one, - Life for us has just begun!” - -Hal was singing the quaint words of the Irish Minuet. To Marjorie it -would ever be the song of songs. Like the prince’s kiss which had -wakened the sleeping beauty from her enchanted sleep, sound of it had -awakened her dreaming heart and opened her ears to the voice of love. - -Involuntarily she stretched forth a hand until it rested lightly upon -one of the singer’s. Instantly Hal had caught it, holding it in his own. -He bent an adoring glance upon her, and sang on. - -“This was what I was wishing for,” he declared fondly the moment he had -finished the song. He gathered her slim hand more closely in his own. “I -hardly dared take it with everybody looking on, for fear you’d not wish -it.” - -“It was dear in you to sing that, Hal.” The eyes of the pair met in a -long fond glance of affection. “You know I shall always love it best of -all songs. You understand why.” - -“Yes, dear.” There was quiet rapture in the response. “I forgot to send -back the music to it to Leila last spring. So I brought it to the Beach -for Laurie to play. I thought you’d like to hear it again.” - -“I love it. Think how much of happiness we owe Leila Greatheart. If it -had not been for her Irish play you would never have come to Hamilton. -You’d probably have gone to Alaska, as you had planned to do.” - -“I had begun to feel that I couldn’t bear to see you for a while, -knowing you didn’t love me,” Hal confessed. “I knew I’d never stop -caring for you. I was sure it was the only thing for me to do.” - -“I’m so glad you didn’t go. You see, Hal, I should have known later—that -I cared—perhaps too late.” Marjorie’s lovely features shadowed. “I had -begun to know that I missed you, and I’d read Brooke Hamilton’s journal -and had felt a kind of terrible despair over it. He hadn’t understood -Angela’s love for him until after her serious illness. Just when he was -beginning to be happy he lost her. I couldn’t help wondering if it would -be so with me. Brooke Hamilton helped us to our happiness. On that -account there is something I’d like to do—I know it would please Miss -Susanna. It’s about—about our wedding.” - -“Our wedding.” Hal repeated the two magic words in a kind of beatified -daze. “What about our wedding, dearest. Are you going to tell me that -you’ve changed your mind and are going to marry me in the fall instead -of next June?” There was a suppressed, hopeful note in the question. - -“Not in the fall, or next June, either.” Marjorie’s up-flashing smile -did not match her negative answer. “I can’t desert Hamilton until the -dormitory is finished and dedicated and the biography completed. And -there’s the Leila Harper Playhouse, too. So it couldn’t possibly be in -the fall. But”—Marjorie made a tiny pause—“I think my work at Hamilton -will have been completed by the last of next April.” She made another -brief pause, then said with direct simplicity: “I’d like our wedding to -take place on the evening of May Day, at Hamilton Arms. May Day was -Brooke Hamilton’s birthday.” - -“Marjorie!” Hal exclaimed very softly. He caught Marjorie’s free hand, -then prisoned both her hands between his own. “My heart went down when -you said ‘not next June.’ But the first of May! That is sooner than I -had hoped for. You can depend upon Miss Susanna to back that plan. -She’ll be delighted. How about General and Captain? Have you told them -yet?” - -“No.” Marjorie shook her curly head. “Not yet. There is to be a grand -Dean confab tomorrow morning right after breakfast. Oh, I know they will -be willing to give up having the wedding at Castle Dean. In some ways -I’d love to be married from my dear pretty home in Sanford where our old -crowd had such good times. But the Arms has an even stronger claim upon -me. I want to make Miss Susanna happy. She has been so wonderful to -Hamilton College, and to me,” Marjorie ended eloquently. - -Hal’s approval of her idea was not expressed in words. It came in the -tightening of his hands on Marjorie’s and the glance of unutterable -devotion which he bent upon her. - -“You see, Hal,” Marjorie said after a short interval of rapt silence -between them, “Hamilton Arms has become like a second home to me. I’m -not afraid Miss Susanna would object to the fuss and decorating that -must naturally go with a house wedding. She’d love it, because she loves -us. I thought it all out when I was at Manaña. That is, the main points. -Violets were Brooke Hamilton’s favorite flowers, and you call me your -Violet girl. So I am going to have a violet wedding in the spring when -there are loads of double, sweet-scented violets in bloom at the Arms.” - -Completely absorbed in each other, Hal and Marjorie had drifted far away -from the amused quartette of friends who were considerately ignoring -their presence. While their friends kept up a lively murmur of -conversation the lovers floated far and free upon the boundless sea of -romance with love for their pilot. - -“If they should come back this evening I’ll see that Macy takes his -trick at the wheel,” Danny said to Jerry in a purposeful undertone. - -“Oh, they won’t be back until someone leads them off the Oriole onto the -pier.” Jerry’s reply was full of deep satisfaction. Marjorie’s final -awakening to love for Hal would ever be a blessed marvel to Jerry. -“What’s the matter with my steering? Don’t you like it?” she demanded of -Danny. - -“I have a high opinion of it,” Danny hastily assured. “Only I hate to -see you so overworked. I should enjoy having you sit beside me on that -bench over there, and holding your hand. I should enjoy——” - -“I shouldn’t enjoy having you,” Jerry interrupted cruelly. - -“Say not so. You have never trusted me with your nice plump little hand. -I would be very careful of it,” he added ingratiatingly. - -“No thank you. I’d rather be excused.” - -“Why would you?” Danny persisted with an interested inquiring grin. - -Jerry had to laugh. “How can I tell?” she countered. She felt the color -rise to her cheeks, and was glad Danny couldn’t detect it by moonlight. - -“You can’t—not until you’ve tried holding hands with me,” Danny asserted -with a wise air. - -“Some other time,” Jerry made indefinite, careless promise. - -“No time like the present.” One of Danny’s hands suddenly covered one of -Jerry’s as it rested on the wheel. “You wouldn’t be so mean as to leave -me out of this hand-holding party, would you?” he asked, an undercurrent -of seriousness in his bantering tones. - -“No,” replied Jerry with sudden shy brevity. And for the remainder of -the ride the Oriole had the advantage of double handpower at the wheel. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - A BIT OF NEWS - - -“And Fifteen is vacant, you say? How queer.” Marjorie commented, her -eyes on Leila Harper, who was arranging a row of glasses on her study -table preparatory to filling them with imported ginger ale. - -“As queer as the pea green hat that Mother Molly O’Toole found hanging -on a gooseberry bush the day before the fair at Dongerry,” agreed Leila -Harper with her broadest smile. She kept on smiling as she recited in -her inimitable Celtic accent: - - “Acushla, ’twas near to the day of the fair - And poor Mother Molly’d no bonnet to wear, - Except a frilled cap she had worn day by day, - And year after year in the same humble way. - She went out of doors, and she heaved such a sigh - She blew up a gale in the garden near-by, - It whisked a wee leprechaun out of a tree - He lost his green hat as away he did flee: - It hung on the bush where the gooseberries grew; - Next morn Molly found it all covered with dew. - She dried it, ’twas grandly becoming to wear, - And she took a fine prize at the Dongerry fair.” - -“Certainly some remarkable things have happened in Ireland,” Muriel -Harding declared mischievously. “Please, Irish witch woman, may I pass -the glasses?” - -“You may; but spill not a drop out of one of them,” Leila cautioned. She -picked up a cake knife from the table and flourished it over a huge -black chocolate cake with thick white icing. - -“You haven’t told me yet how it happens that Fifteen is vacant, Leila -Greatheart,” Marjorie reminded. - -“In a minute. Let me start Midget going with the cake and I will tell -you anything,” was Leila’s rash promise. - -“Whether you know it or not,” slyly added Ronny Lynne. - -“Whether I know it or not,” Leila repeated firmly. - -A burst of laughter rose from her six companions. The little group of -seven girls who had been the first Travelers at Hamilton College five -years before were gathered once more in the room occupied by Leila -Harper and Vera Mason at Wayland Hall during that long happy period. It -lacked only a few days of the formal opening of Hamilton College and the -seven post-graduates were already back on the campus eager to begin what -would undoubtedly be to them their most momentous year at Hamilton -College. - -Readers of the “MARJORIE DEAN HIGH SCHOOL SERIES,” “THE MARJORIE DEAN -COLLEGE SERIES” and “THE MARJORIE DEAN POST GRADUATE SERIES,” each -comprising four volumes, have followed Marjorie through many of her -girlhood adventures as a student, first at Sanford High School, later at -Hamilton College, where she found her work and brought happiness to Miss -Susanna Hamilton, the embittered great-niece of Brooke Hamilton, who was -the distinguished founder of Hamilton College. - -Marjorie, having been chosen by Miss Susanna as best fitted, in her -estimation, to write the biography of Brooke Hamilton, had returned to -Hamilton Arms once more there to bring to completion the delightful -literary task she had begun the previous March. - -As yet, her General and her Captain alone were in possession of her plan -for a violet wedding at the Arms on the evening of May Day. Miss Susanna -had not yet been made acquainted with what would seem to her a -visitation of good fortune. Marjorie was saving the request she purposed -to make of her devoted friend until a particularly propitious occasion. - -“Hurry and pass the cake, Vera. This tyrannical Celtic person says you -must before she will tell us a thing,” Marjorie urged, laughing. - -“Here, help yourselves.” Vera hastily set the plate of cake Leila had -handed her upon the table with a hospitable gesture. “You can’t even -have paper plates to put it on. We forgot to buy them. We used to boast -of four china plates, but our guests are so rough.” - -“Too bad. Never mind. Luciferous has a notebook. Delighted, Luciferous.” -Muriel laid calm hold upon the notebook in Lucy’s hand. “Yes, you must,” -she said with reproving stress as Lucy clung to the book. She captured -it, tore sheets of paper from it and handed them round to the tune of -Lucy’s grumbling at such a waste of good paper. “Just as good as -plates,” Muriel declared jovially. She hastily transferred a slice of -cake to her make-shift plate and beamed encouragingly upon Leila. - -Leila returned the smile in kind. “The reason Fifteen is still vacant,” -she began, “is because no one has applied for it. Now what could be -queerer?” - -“_Not anyone?_” Jerry Macy’s eyes grew round. - -“Not anyone. All Miss Remson’s other vacancies have been filled. She -thinks it is odd, but she doesn’t mind. She will probably have an -application for it soon. It is a very desirable room, you know.” - -“We surely do,” Marjorie and Jerry answered in merry chorus. - -“Perhaps two girls from one of the other campus houses may hear it is -vacant and take it. Undoubtedly they will. It will never go begging,” -was Jerry’s opinion. - -“Fifteen is one of the best rooms at the Hall. We can speak from -experience, can’t we, estimable Bean?” Jerry remarked, turning humorous -eyes upon Marjorie. - -“_Can we?_” Marjorie returned the glance of affection. “When will Miss -Remson be home, Leila? It seems odd to come back to the Hall and not see -her first thing.” - -The five Sanford chums had arrived at Hamilton late on the previous -afternoon. They had been met at the Hamilton station by Leila and Vera -and triumphantly whisked to Hamilton Arms in Vera’s car. There Miss -Susanna Hamilton had been awaiting their arrival with fond impatience. -Exuberant celebration had followed their arrival at the Arms. There had -been a delightful dinner in the famous Chinese room and the buoyant -guests had remained at the Arms overnight. - -It was now early afternoon of the next day. Marjorie and Jerry had come -over to Wayland Hall for one of their old-time social sessions in -Leila’s and Vera’s rooms. The latter had returned from a summer spent in -Ireland over a week previous to the Sanford girls’ arrival on the -campus. They had come direct from the big ocean steamer to Hamilton -campus and Wayland Hall. - -“She’ll be here tomorrow.” Miss Remson, the brisk little manager of the -Hall, was away on a brief vacation of a week at the seashore. “She was -going to refuse an old friend’s invitation on account of expecting you -girls. Midget and I made her change her mind, and go.” - -“I’m so glad that you did,” Marjorie returned. “I’m anxious to see her. -I hope two dandy girls will take Fifteen.” - -“We shall need them,” Leila said with a suspicion of dryness. - -“Why do you say that, Leila Greatheart?” A little pucker of anxiety -showed itself upon Marjorie’s smooth forehead. “You must have some very -good reason for such an opinion.” - -“I have,” Leila made prompt reply. “There is still danger at the Hall of -the calamity of the house divided against itself.” - -“Isn’t there less now than when Muriel was on the outs with the Ice -Queen and the Ice Queen was on the outs with Gentleman Gus and the -Bertramites?” Ronny humorously referred to the Travelers’ vernacular in -the way of names. “This year, remember, they will all stand shoulder to -shoulder with us.” - -“You forget the Screech Owl, who was born a gossip and a disturber,” -Leila reminded with a frown. “She was on her good behavior last spring -when she had a part in my Irish play. Did not I write the part of the -village gossip for her, on purpose, that she might see herself? She saw -nothing but her own glory as an actress. But she was so pleased that she -talked of herself and not of anyone else for a while. This much good I -did. But I happen to know she went back to gossiping again.” - -“Whom did she gossip about? Doris? She naturally would, since Doris had -cut her acquaintance,” Muriel showed considerable interest. “That was -directly after the Rustic Romp, you know. They disagreed over Leslie -Cairns.” - -“That was precisely where the shoe pinched,” Leila asserted. “It was -Leslie Cairns who Miss Peyton chose to blame for her falling out with -Doris. Then she could not resist the temptation to be spiteful.” - -“What did Miss Peyton say about Leslie?” Marjorie asked with a suspicion -of troubled annoyance in her question. - -“What you might expect. That she had attended the Rustic Romp. That fine -bit of news came to me through Miss Crawford, on the day before college -closed,” Leila said sarcastically. “She came to me and asked me in -horrified tones if it were true that Miss Dean had smuggled Miss Cairns, -an expelled student, into the gym on the night of the Romp.” - -“Who could have told Miss Crawford that except Miss Peyton?” Vera cried -indignantly. “And why should she start such a tale about Marjorie?” - -“Because she is still angry with me,” Marjorie returned composedly. “She -wanted Jane to blow the whistle for unmasking. I asked Jane to wait a -little. Miss Peyton does not know positively that Leslie was at the -Romp.” - -“That’s exactly the point. She has no real ground for circulating that -story. It’s unjust to Marjorie. There has been too much of such -unfairness in the past.” Leila’s lips set in a forbidding line. - -“Don’t worry about it for a minute, Leila Greatheart,” said Marjorie -soothingly. “I mean about anything Miss Peyton may choose to say of me. -We’ll have to try to conquer her by winning over the Hall to our code of -ethics. When she discovers that no one likes to hear gossip, perhaps she -will stop gossiping.” - -“That’s a fine, rosy Bean view of things. But will it ever come true?” -Jerry propounded, tilting her head to one side and rolling doubtful -eyes. - -“It won’t if you scoff at it, and treat it lightly,” Marjorie retorted. - -“Depend on the Screech Owl to start something. Screech Owl!” Muriel -repeated the name with mock admiration. “What could be more appropriate? -My nobility doesn’t extend to refraining from that fond title.” - -“_You_ are gossiping.” Lucy Warner pointed an accusing finger at Muriel. - -“_Never._ Truth is truth, no matter where ’tis uttered. I’m merely -saying to you girls what I should take great pleasure in saying to the -Screech Owl herself. I long to tell her her right name.” Muriel -accompanied her fervent declaration with a sweeping gesture. - -“Perhaps vacation joys will make her forget the Rustic Romp and what she -thinks she knows about Leslie,” Ronny made light prediction. - -“Very optimistic, but not at all likely,” was Vera’s opinion. - -“How did you answer Miss Crawford, Leila.” Marjorie had missed most of -the gay exchange of raillery among her companions. Her brain was busy -with the same problem that had invaded her thoughts on the last -afternoon she and Leslie Cairns had been together on the Speedwell. - -“I asked her a question in return for hers. I said: ‘Who told you that -such a thing had happened?’ She tossed her head and said: ‘I prefer not -to answer that question.’ Then I smiled at her with fine Celtic good -humor, and said: ‘And I prefer not to answer yours.’ It was on the -campus near the Bean holder that we met. She walked away in a miff. And -I have not seen her since,” Leila ended genially. - -“It’s too bad.” Marjorie stared at Leila with a troubled air. - -“Now why should it be?” Leila demanded, smiling. “I have no admiration -for Miss Crawford, nor never did have. She is too ready to believe -unpleasant gossip.” - -“I’m not thinking of Miss Crawford. I’m thinking of Leslie.” Marjorie’s -winsome smile broke out. - -“I suspected that you had sympathy for someone besides me. I kept quiet -out of Irish politeness.” Despite her light retort Leila was surveying -Marjorie with true Celtic shrewdness. She knew Marjorie to be at the -point of announcing something of especial import. - -The other girls were hardly less keen at reading the signs and arriving -at the same conclusion. Thus far none of her chums knew of the intimate -conversation she and Leslie Cairns had held on that last memorable -afternoon the two girls had spent on the observation platform of Peter -Cairns’ private car. Marjorie had regarded it in the light of a secret -confidence. Now, however, she had decided to impart it to the little -group of Travelers as a matter of interest to Leslie. The six Travelers -present already knew of the part Leslie Cairns had played the previous -spring in the Rustic Romp. Leslie had requested Marjorie to tell her -intimates of the affair. “I’d like your Beanstalks to know the rights of -that performance,” she had said to Marjorie with a tinge of humor. - -“Girls;” Marjorie’s clear decided intonation brought all eyes to bear -upon her; “Leslie Cairns wants just one thing above all others that I -wish we could help her to gain. She wants to come back to the campus and -do her senior year over again.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - PLEDGED TO STAND BY - - -“What?” Jerry allowed the cake knife in her hand to drop squarely upon -the cake. She had been poising it over the big square delicacy -preparatory to replenishing the cake plate. In her surprise she vented -Leslie Cairns’ own pet ejaculation. - -“Good night!” Muriel Harding pretended collapse in her chair. - -“I am afraid she is courting the impossible.” Vera Mason shook her head. - -“There’s something in your tone, Beauty, that makes me think it might -not be impossible.” Leila was regarding Marjorie with a quizzical smile. -“Yet for the life of me I cannot see how it might happen.” - -“I’m not in the least sure that it could,” was Marjorie’s candid reply. -“I had thought that as soon as Prexy came back to the campus I would go -to him and put in a plea for Leslie. I have in mind certain arguments -that might appeal to him. In thinking about her I have realized, that, -if he gave her permission to enroll again she would have to go through a -good deal of unpleasantness on the campus. I realized it more when Leila -was telling us about what Miss Crawford had said.” - -“It might not be so terribly hard for her, Marjorie. She wouldn’t try, -of course, to live on the campus. Her father would undoubtedly open -Carden Hedge.” Ronny took this cheerful view of the matter. - -“No; Leslie says if she could try her senior year over she would not -risk living at the Hedge for fear a lot of things about her old lawless -days on the campus might come up and be talked over. Then her father -would probably be criticized for her bad behavior. She says she couldn’t -bear that.” - -“She could live at the Hamilton House and get away with it,” Muriel said -confidently. “She could arrange her program so as to go from one class -to another without having to stay on the campus a moment longer than -recitation hours.” - -“She made satisfactory recitations in the old days,” Leila remarked -musingly. “I used to wonder how she did it. She was always out in her -car or entertaining at Baretti’s, or the Colonial.” - -“She was within two months of being graduated from Hamilton when the -sword fell,” Vera reminded. - -“The trouble is,” Marjorie drew a regretful breath, “she has already -been to Prexy about it.” - -“She has?” rose a concerted cry. - -Marjorie nodded soberly. “He wouldn’t listen to her,” she continued. -“She was so hurt and confused at his brusqueness that she didn’t try to -explain at all why she wanted to come back to the campus. That was the -very thing that might have influenced President Matthews to give her -another trial.” - -“This _is_ news,” Leila emphasized. “How can one help but admire Leslie -Cairns for her courage in facing Prexy. I believe now she may turn out -well.” - -Marjorie smiled. She wondered what Leila would say could she have even -an inkling of the wonderful plan Leslie had in view for her. “She is -brave as can be,” she agreed. “I feel as though she hadn’t had a fair -opportunity to soften the hard heart of Prexy. That is the reason I am -going to brave Prexy in his den all by myself. Miss Susanna offered to -go with me. Then we talked it over and decided I had best go alone. What -do you think, Lucy? Is there any possibility that Prexy might change his -mind about Leslie? You know him better than we.” - -“Yes, Luciferous Warniferous, high and exalted scribe of the Prexy -realm, speak, and tell us the worst,” Muriel made a commanding gesture -at which Lucy merely giggled. - -“I don’t know what to say.” Her small face suddenly sobered. “Prexy is -the kindest man I know until he has been really shocked by something -that someone has done. Then he grows terribly stern. He was angrier -about the trouble Leslie Cairns made between him and Miss Remson than -the hazing. Yet he will do more for you, Marjorie, than he would for -almost anyone else. You may be able to persuade him to give Leslie -another trial. But—” She came to an abrupt pause, her green eyes -fastened peculiarly upon Marjorie’s face with eloquent significance. - -“I understand you, Lucy. You are right. I shouldn’t care to have Prexy -offer Leslie another trial just to please me. The only way for him to -offer it to her is because he has become convinced that it is the best -thing to do.” - -“And that will be your job, Bean—to convince Prexy that second thoughts -are best. Such an easy little task,” Jerry declared satirically. “You -certainly have had some splendid jobs since you came to Hamilton. I feel -the inspiration stealing over me to jingle. Ahem! Aha! Bzzz-zz! -Whir-r-r! Br-rr-p!” - - “No easy task, it is to ask, - Our Prexy to relent, - Smile on, serene, undaunted Bean, - Until he has unbent.” - -“That is good advice, Jeremiah. I shall proceed to follow it,” laughed -Marjorie. - -“And I shall proceed to copy the jingle.” Leila confiscated another -sheet of paper from Lucy’s notebook and jotted down the jingle. She -smiled widely to herself as she wrote. Leila had a plan of her own -regarding Jerry’s jingles which she intended to carry out presently. - -“I shall go to see President Matthews as soon as he returns from the -shore. That will be the last of the week. I’ll wait until Monday to make -my call,” Marjorie announced decisively. - -“If I were you I should go to his house, Marjorie,” Lucy advised in her -serious fashion. “It’s more quiet at his home office. At Hamilton Hall -he has so many interruptions. Persons are continually passing in and out -of his office.” - -“That was what I thought. And if I should succeed—” Marjorie broke off. -Her brown eyes traveled from one face to another in the group. “I was -thinking of what Muriel said about Leslie hurrying away from the campus -as soon as her classes were over. As good Travelers we couldn’t let her -do that. If she comes back to the senior class we must stand by her on -all occasions. I know a way in which we could help her a great deal. We -could ask her to belong to the Travelers.” - -“Whu-u-u!” Muriel emitted a prolonged sigh of surprise. A united murmur -went up from the others. - -“Is that a murmur of objection?” Marjorie asked with a little laugh. - -“No,” was the ascending hearty protest. - -“You simply stunned us for a second, Beauty,” Leila said reassuringly. -“Stop and think if it is not an amazing idea that Leslie Cairns should -become a member of the Travelers. Consider all the past troubles she has -caused that worthy organization.” She showed her white teeth in an -amused smile. - -“Do you mean _our_ Nineteen?” Muriel could not keep a faint note of -amazement, bordering on disapproval out of her question. - -“She couldn’t very well belong to either of the other chapters,” Jerry -pointed out. “The only members of last year’s Travelers at Hamilton to -be here this year will be Phil Moore and Barbara Severn. Oh, yes. Anna -Towne is coming back to teach English Literature. The new Travelers were -all chosen before college closed last June, weren’t they?” She turned -inquiringly to Marjorie. - -“Yes. The only Travelers’ chapter Leslie could very well belong to would -be ours. Of course all this is only tentative. If Prexy declines to do -anything for Leslie it would be of no use to ask her to join the -Travelers.” - -“The Board would have to give consent as well as Prexy to her coming -back,” Vera interposed. - -“Yes, but I dare say the Board members would if President Matthews -recommended another trial for her,” Marjorie answered. - -“Did you ever hear of an ex-Hamilton student being permitted to return -to Hamilton again?” Ronny asked dubiously. - -“No, I never have. Perhaps this will be the first case of the kind on -the Hamilton records,” Marjorie replied brightly. “I wish you girls -would tell me exactly the way you feel about helping Leslie Cairns if -she should come back to college.” - -“Just the way you do, I hope,” Vera made loyal return. - -“It is a fine diversion you are providing for my old age,” was Leila’s -mock-enthusiastic response. “But I can stand it, if you can, Beauty.” - -“Yours truly.” Muriel thus pledged her devotion. “Doris would be glad of -it. She really cares a good deal for Leslie Cairns.” - -“You should have more faith in your pals,” Ronny rebuked with simulated -severity. “When have we ever gone back on you?” - -“I wish there was something I could say to President Matthews that would -help,” was Lucy’s regretful cry. - -“Is it necessary for me to say, Bean, dear Bean, that I will never -desert you?” Jerry contributed reproachfully. - -“You are darling old dears.” Marjorie beamed warmest affection on the -group of white-clad girls who had just sworn fealty afresh to her -standard. - -“And you are the same beautiful Beauty that you were five years ago when -you walked into Baretti’s one fine September evening and began the -conquest of Leslie Cairns which has ended in her unconditional -surrender.” Leila was looking a world of affectionate admiration at -Marjorie. “Did I not say to you then, Midget, that Beauty had arrived on -the campus, and that great doings would come to pass?” - -“You surely did say it, and that is at least one of your prophesies -which has come true,” Vera made ready response. - -“Nonsense. It was not I. It was my faithful Beanstalks. What could I -have done for democracy without them? You are the same splendid Leila -Harper, who worked like mad to make things come right on the campus and -then wouldn’t believe she’d done anything worth while. You see I can say -as much about you as you said about me,” Marjorie triumphantly -retaliated. “Who was it—.” - -“Never mind who it was,” Leila cut in hastily. “Let us talk of the -campus. It is a beautiful piece of ground. Is it not?” She inquired of -Marjorie with polite affability. “Have I not heard you say you admire -it?” - -“I wish I could see it from my windows at Hamilton Arms,” Marjorie said -half wistfully, though she smiled at Leila’s ridiculous air and -questions. “I do miss you girls and the Hall and the campus dreadfully, -much as I love the Arms. It was fine, you know, to be right in the -middle of the campus, as it were. I shan’t settle down again at the -biography much before the first of November. As soon as Robin comes -back, Page and Dean will have to get busy in the show business again.” - -“Robin ought to be here by this time. We received a letter from her just -before we sailed for home in which she wrote that she was coming back to -Hamilton as early as the first of September.” Vera gave out this news as -she hospitably replenished the glasses from the case of ginger ale on -the floor. - -“She has probably waited for Phil, and Phil may have been delayed by an -influx of visiting relatives,” was Marjorie’s guess. “The Moores are the -most hospitable of southerners Robin says.” - -“It will be a week before the campus begins to be inhabited,” Ronny -predicted. “Then the campus dwellers will arrive in numbers. Did you and -Vera see Doris Monroe while you were abroad, Leila? Of course you had -her Paris address.” - -“We spent three days with her in Paris. She was with an aunt in a -cunning little apartment in the Rue de Rivoli. Her father and his party -of explorers have unearthed a buried city in Peru. He will not return to -France for another year.” Vera went on to relate the details of their -visit to Doris Monroe. She ended with: “Doris must be on the way across -the Atlantic now. She was intending to sail for the United States the -first of September.” - -“What news from the Bertramites?” asked Muriel. - -“None,” replied Leila. “That means you may expect them to come breezing -back to Hamilton any day. Kathie and Lillian will be here on next Friday -evening, according to Kathie’s letter. And now are you not glad that I -would tell you nothing about the campus news last night?” Leila viewed -her friends with indulgently twinkling eyes. - -On the previous evening she had laughingly refused to give out a word of -information concerning campus matters. “If Midget and I were to tell you -all the news tonight we should have nothing to entertain you with at the -Hall tomorrow,” she had argued. - -Leila’s good-humored inquiry evoked a buzz of laughing rejoinders. “I am -so kind,” she continued, “I will keep on giving you the news. Besides -you girls and ourselves there are only four other students back at the -Hall; Miss Peters and Miss Finch, those two nice freshies who had 14 -last year, and Miss Keller and Miss Ryan, the two sophs who roomed next -to Miss Peyton and Miss Carter. They are sophs and juniors now, but -their hats will continue to fit their heads, I believe. Let me see. -Midget and I have only half unpacked our trunks. We have done a great -deal of visiting at the Arms, and no work.” - -“Tomorrow we are going to clean house and unpack and buy some plates at -the ten cent store. Lead really useful lives, you know,” Vera announced -with joking energy. - -“Midget is that ambitious!” Leila became colloquially Celtic. - -Vera’s light announcement brought forth plenty of similar jesting -resolves from the others. With conversation flowing in a purely personal -channel Leslie Cairns’ name was not mentioned again. Having pledged -their word to do all they could to help her six of the reunited -Travelers were only too well content to allow the subject to drop. They -had not yet come to the stage of regarding Leslie from Marjorie’s -great-spirited viewpoint. - -Of them all Vera was the nearest to Marjorie in tolerance. She was -willing to help Leslie for Leslie’s sake; not because of her regard for -Marjorie. With the others it was solely on Marjorie’s account that they -had agreed to stand by Leslie, should future need of their support -arise. Jerry and Ronny, the only ones besides Marjorie who knew of -Leslie’s plan for Leila, had at heart not yet entirely forgiven Leslie -for past offenses against Marjorie. Muriel Harding would probably never -cherish any degree of liking for Leslie, no matter how well she might do -in future. Muriel had a peculiarly obdurate side of character in spite -of her natural sunnyness of disposition. - -As for Leila, only Leila herself knew how greatly she still detested -Leslie Cairns. Though she had been first to credit Leslie for her -courage in seeking President Matthews, even this incident had not -altered in the slightest degree her basic dislike for the financier’s -once lawless daughter. Her secret aversion for Leslie had not died with -the knowledge of the other girl’s change of heart. - -Once before Leila had found occasion to admire Leslie’s moral courage, -tardily as it had shown itself. This was on the day in spring when she -and Marjorie had encountered Leslie Cairns on the road to Orchard Inn -and the latter had halted their car to make brave confession to -Marjorie. In spite of it Leila had not warmed toward the penitent then. -Nor had this latest report of Leslie’s courage stirred in Leila any real -sympathy. Leila would not have admitted such an attitude of mind, even -to Vera. For Marjorie’s sake she was resolved to hide her dislike for -Leslie so securely that no one should even suspect her of it. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - A MOMENTOUS ERRAND - - -“How do I look, Jeremiah? Very grave and serious, I hope.” Marjorie -walked sedately to the center of the spacious sitting room which was a -part of hers and Jerry’s luxurious quarters at Hamilton Arms. She -paused, casting an interrogative glance at Jerry, who was sitting on the -edge of a chair interestingly following Marjorie’s every movement. - -“You don’t look half as solemn as you think you feel,” was Jerry’s -opinion delivered with a faint chuckle. - -“How discouraging.” Marjorie stopped before the long plate glass wall -mirror for a last critical inspection. She thought she made a really -unobtrusive appearance in her plain dark blue faille gown and small blue -faille hat. - -“You might better wear your new jade afternoon frock with the black fur -bands,” Jerry grumbled critically. “The world is yours in that rig.” - -“You’re a fond goose, Jeremiah. It has to be a case of ‘I won’t speak of -myself’ today. I wish to eliminate Marjorie Dean from the situation as -thoroughly as I can. I wish Prexy’s interest to be all for Leslie. The -color of my new dress might interfere with his thought processes. This -is strictly a matter of psychology, you know,” she declared gaily. - -“All right, Bean. You win. You look almost as beautiful as ever, if not -more so. True beauty cannot be hidden.” Jerry rose in a declamatory -attitude, one arm raised stiffly. “It peereth forth from even the -humblest of blue faille—” - -“Stop it this instant.” Marjorie forgot sedateness and rushed upon -Jerry, open-armed. Jerry threw up both arms and accidentally knocked -Marjorie’s hat off. “Now see what you’ve done.” Laughing, Marjorie -straightened a dent in her little blue hat and went over to the mirror -to readjust it. “You’ve completely chased away my seriousness, Jeremiah -Macy.” - -“A good thing. Don’t worry about the way you ought to approach Prexy. -Whatever you say to him will be the best thing that could possibly be -said for Leslie.” This time it was Jerry who turned momentarily serious. - -“I hope so.” Marjorie gave a quick, longing sigh. “Now I must be on my -way. Lucy said Prexy would surely be at the house after four today. It’s -a quarter to four now. I’ll meet you at Wayland Hall at five o’clock. -Coming down stairs with me?” - -“No. I’ve a letter to write. I must start it this minute. It’s to Hal. -Any messages,” she called slyly. Marjorie was at the door. - -“Not any.” Marjorie laughed and blushed charmingly. “Good-bye, Jeremiah. -See you later.” She tripped down the broad staircase and into the -library where Miss Susanna Hamilton sat at the long mahogany table -busily occupied with sorting the loose yellow leaves of an old book. - -“So you are off on the momentous errand, are you, child?” she greeted, -her eyes still on her dilettante task. She laid down the leaf in her -hand and turned her keen dark eyes smilingly upon Marjorie. “What a -plain little dress! But I like it. It’s suitable to the errand on which -you are going. Marvelous Manager with no frills or furbelows.” - -“If I succeed with Prexy this afternoon I shall feel that I can lay -claim to that ridiculous title for just once.” Marjorie came over to -Miss Hamilton. She bent and kissed the old lady’s pink cheek. “Please -don’t be lonely without us at dinner tonight, Goldendede,” she said. -“Remember we’ll all be here tomorrow night for a regular Travelers’ -reunion.” - -“Run along, my dear. I’ll be glad to be rid of both you and Jerry this -evening,” chuckled Miss Susanna. “Think what an opportunity I shall have -to collate this book, uninterrupted.” - -“Good-bye.” Marjorie started for the door in pretended offense. Half way -across the library she paused, looking back and laughing. - -“Wait a minute, Marjorie. Try not to feel downcast if President Matthews -should be brusque with you in regard to Leslie,” was the older woman’s -advice. “He is broader-minded than most presidents of colleges that I -have known. And I have known a good many of them. They are all alike in -their deep disapproval of particularly lawless students. Leslie’s case -seems very doubtful to me. I don’t mean to be discouraging. I know how -strongly prejudiced such men are against flagrant student offenders.” - -“I understand.” Marjorie gave a little comprehending nod. She came back -and kissed Miss Susanna again, saying: “Wish me good fortune, -Goldendede. I’m going on a quick hike to a trying engagement.” - -“Good luck attend you, Lieutenant Dean.” Miss Susanna watched the trim -little figure across the room and through the open door. - -Marjorie left the Arms and sped lightly down the wide stone walk to the -gates. She was soon swinging along with her free buoyant stride through -picturesque Hamilton Estates and toward the campus. For a little the -tender beauty of the early September day caused her to forget her errand -in fervent Nature worship. Overhead the sun’s golden gleams filtered -down from skies of palest blue between snatches of drifting, snowy -clouds. The sweeping lawns and gardens of the Estates were bright with -scarlet sage, dahlias and early autumn flowers. Along the sides of the -pike and in the fields grew goldenrod, daisies and purple asters in -Nature’s own profusion. Here and there the foliage of a tree had been -touched by magic fingers and turned from green to red and gold. - -Marjorie greeted the emerald-hued campus with a fond smile and a soft: -“You’re as splendid as ever, old friend.” She entered the east gates and -followed the drive for a little way, then left it to travel straight -across the broad green sweep toward President Matthews’ house which was -situated at the extreme west side of the campus. - -It was now almost a week since the initial band of Travelers had -gathered at the Hall and Marjorie had then announced her determination -to go to President Matthews in behalf of Leslie Cairns. She had been -obliged to delay her call upon the President for the very good reason -that he had not returned to Hamilton campus from the sea shore until -Tuesday of that week. It was now Thursday. The next day, Friday, would -see the return of Katherine Langly and Lillian Wenderblatt to the -campus. There was to be a jolly celebration at the Arms on Friday -evening in honor of them. In view of happiness so near at hand Marjorie -was desirous of immediately putting Leslie’s case before the President -and having the self-appointed interview with “Prexy” off her mind. - -As she crossed the broad green, endeared by long familiarity to her -feet, her gaze wandered from one to another of the campus houses. Her -eyes brightened to see three girls seated on the steps of Craig Hall. At -Acasia House a slim girl shape stood on the top step of the front -veranda, waving an arm at an expressman coming up the walk with a -heavy-looking trunk. In front of Silverton Hall three girls were -emerging from a taxicab. Marjorie stopped to stare at them. No; they -were not Phyllis Moore, Barbara Severn and Robin Page. She was not sure -of their identity. She experienced a glad sense of happiness at the -thought that the campus dwellers were gathering home again. The end of -another week and Hamilton Campus would have again become its old -delightful center of activity. - -As she turned in at the gateway of the ornamental hedge which surrounded -the president’s home, Marjorie’s buoyant interest in the campus receded -and was replaced by the graver import of her errand. She hoped she would -find the president alone. Perhaps Lucy would be there. Lucy had been -working for him for the past two days. - -“I shan’t mind if Lucy is there,” Marjorie was thinking as she neared -the steps. Her heart was beating uncomfortably fast. She had a strong -inclination to turn and run away. She did not dread the coming -interview. What she did dread was the probable event of defeat. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - FOR LESLIE - - -Ringing the bell with a brave little air Marjorie waited. She recalled -the first visit she had ever made to the president’s house. On that -occasion she had been a messenger for Miss Humphrey the registrar. That -had been long ago, in her sophomore year. Since that day, her first -personal meeting with President Matthews, Marjorie had become a welcome -visitor and guest at Prexy’s home. The maid, a stolid Swedish girl with -pale gold hair and round blue eyes broke into smiles at sight of her. - -“Gude afternoon, Miss Dean. How you ben all sommer?” she greeted -Marjorie with pleased effusion. - -“Good afternoon, Hilda. How have you been? I have been very well, and -very happy.” - -“Tha’s gude. I am pritty gude, too. We go sea shore, you know. Nize -place. I go tak the bathe in the oshin. I gat awful much sunburn. Ha, -ha!” Hilda showed her white teeth enjoyingly over her calamity. “You -come see Mrs. Matthews? She is gone away this afternoon. The president -is here. May-bee you come see him?” - -“I hope your sunburn is all well now.” Marjorie smiled at the jolly pink -and white maid. “Yes, I came to see President Matthews. Is he busy?” - -“He see you.” Hilda nodded confidently. “You come in, pleese, Miss Dean. -I tell him.” She ushered Marjorie into the colonial reception hall and -disappeared into the room at the right, the president’s office. She was -back in an instant with: “The president pleese to see you, Miss Dean.” - -“Good afternoon, Miss Marjorie. This is a most unexpected pleasure.” -President Matthews met Marjorie at the door of his office and warmly -shook her by the hand. She saw that he was alone in the office. - -“Good afternoon, President Matthews. I am very glad to see you. Miss -Susanna and I are coming to make a social call upon Mrs. Matthews and -you as soon as you are fairly settled again after your summer away from -the campus. I came today on business of my own. I hoped to find you here -and not too busy to see me.” Marjorie’s color heightened a trifle as she -made the frank statement. - -“I am at your service, Miss Marjorie.” The president bowed her into a -chair in his courtly fashion and sat down opposite her in his own. “What -can I do for you?” - -“I will give you a direct answer, and explain things afterward.” -Marjorie raised candid eyes to those of the president. “I wish you would -give Leslie Cairns an opportunity to return to Hamilton College, and -earn the degree she forfeited when she was expelled from Hamilton.” - -A dead silence followed her straight-forward request. President Matthews -regarded her with contemplative gravity. - -When he spoke it was to say: “You astonish me. Still I am confident you -realize the peculiarity of the request you have just made.” He continued -to regard Marjorie as though half curious to learn what strong motive -had prompted her amazing plea for reinstatement of the girl who had -despitefully used her. - -“Yes, I understand fully how much I am asking of you. Can it be done for -Miss Cairns?” Again she came directly to the point. - -“You mean from the standpoint of my permission and that of the Board?” -he interrogated with equal directness. - -“Yes.” Marjorie inclined her head in affirmation. - -“Well,” President Matthews paused briefly; “such a thing has never been -done at Hamilton. I do not say that it could not be arranged. Let me ask -you, Miss Marjorie, what I regard as a most pertinent question: Why -should such a sweeping favor be granted Miss Cairns? She furnished in my -opinion, the most glaring example of bad conduct of any Hamilton culprit -with whom I have ever had occasion to deal. However, I know you would -not be here today with such a request except under strong conviction of -right.” He paused again, looking at her as though inviting an -explanation. - -“Miss Cairns has undergone a great change of mind and heart, President -Matthews. I should like to tell you as much as I know of it,” Marjorie -returned. She was resolved to be frank, yet to choose her words so -carefully as to spare Leslie so far as she could. - -“I never knew Miss Cairns personally when she was a student at -Hamilton,” she began, “but last spring we became acquainted by chance.” -Marjorie thus magnanimously bridged over her years at Hamilton which -Leslie Cairns had made so troublous for her. - -Followed the interesting story of Peter Carden who had run away from -Carden Hedge and made a name in finance for himself as Peter Cairns. She -felt the intensity of President Matthews’ interest as she continued to -tell of Leslie’s humiliating business mistake of having paid sixty -thousand dollars for a garage site, the ground of which had already -belonged to her father. Again Marjorie omitted all reference to the -intended spitefulness of Leslie’s business venture as in relation to the -Travelers’ dormitory enterprise. Nor was she to learn until long -afterward that President Matthews had been in possession of the true -state of Page and Dean’s dormitory set-backs at the time when she made -her earnest plea for Leslie. - -Generously ignoring the past Marjorie chose to dwell instead upon -Leslie’s great affection for her father and of her desire for -re-instatement at Hamilton solely on his account. - -“I came to you upon my own responsibility, and unbeknown to Miss Cairns. -Miss Susanna Hamilton and six of my best friends know this. Last night -we met informally at Wayland Hall and discussed the matter. We are ready -to help Miss Cairns in any way that we can should she be permitted to -return to Hamilton. When she told me, on the way home from California, -about her call upon you, I felt that she had not done herself justice. -You were not in possession of the real facts of why she wished to come -back to Hamilton. She could not put them before you as I could. So I am -here.” Her smile of kindly resolution was very beautiful. - -“I am regarding Miss Cairns in a more favorable light; far more -favorable than I had ever expected to regard her,” the president -admitted slowly. - -“Oh, I forgot to mention one very important point,” Marjorie added. “I -have talked with Miss Remson about Miss Cairns. I know her to be -great-spirited. She wishes to help Leslie.” - -“My own belief,” came the hearty reply. “After all, Miss Marjorie, the -burden of Miss Cairns’ offenses were against yourself, Miss Remson and -myself.” The president smiled rather wryly. “You have chosen to -eliminate yourself in the problem. I can do no better than to emulate -your fine example of true Christian spirit. It remains for Miss Remson -to speak her mind. In confidence I will say that the personal side of -Miss Remson’s and my grievances against Miss Cairns were never brought -before the Board. Miss Cairns was expelled from Hamilton College -together with her student confederates for hazing—and nothing other than -hazing.” - -“Oh!” Marjorie could not repress the quick anxious ejaculation. She was -suddenly seeing a dim light of hope, very faint, but a light, -nevertheless. - -The man saw the flash of hopeful eagerness spring into her face. His -next speech was even more reassuring. - -“You know how bitterly I am opposed to hazing,” he said. “My attitude -toward the students who were expelled from Hamilton for hazing you was -implacable. It was perhaps more severe than that of my colleagues. A -plea to the Board on my part for re-instatement for Miss Cairns may meet -with success. I will call a meeting of the members soon. Considerable -time has elapsed since the affair. Your wish in the matter——” - -“Pardon me. Must my name be mentioned?” Marjorie questioned in a tone of -dismay. - -“Yes, since you wish to help Miss Cairns. It will be one of my strongest -arguments in favor of re-instatement. While her desire to return to -college because of regard for her father is commendable, this, in -itself, may not impress the Board members. They may maintain that she -should have thought of her duty to her father before she defied the -rules of the college.” - -“If they could only know what such a re-instatement would mean to her!” -was Marjorie’s involuntary exclamation. “There is her side of it too. It -is the side I intended to present to you in case you had not been in -sympathy with me,” she added naively. - -“Indeed?” President Matthews regarded her with interested, half-amused -eyes. He was thoroughly admiring her invincible spirit. “Will you tell -me Miss Cairns’ side of it?” he requested gently. - -“Can you imagine anything harder than for Miss Cairns to re-enter -Hamilton College under a cloud?” Marjorie’s voice rang with appealing -earnestness. “Her story is well known on the campus even though many of -the students who were at Hamilton when she was there have been -graduated. The Travelers will stand by her and try to make other -students understand and respect her motive, should she be permitted to -return. But she will undoubtedly be subjected to many humiliations. It -will be a question of ethics, and there are so many different codes.” -Marjorie made a gesture expressive of futility. “Could she choose a -thornier path of restitution?” - -“True enough.” The doctor bowed agreement. “It is you, rather than I, -who should put Miss Cairns’ case before the Board,” he said, half -smiling. “You have the courage of your convictions.” - -“Oh, no!” Marjorie looked her alarm. “I beg your pardon,” she apologized -in the same breath. “I didn’t mean—I meant—” She stopped, rosy with -confusion. “I am sure no one else could explain Leslie’s case to the -Board as you could, Dr. Matthews,” she rallied with confidence. “It was -easy for me to come to you because you are my friend. I would go before -the Board, in order to help Leslie, if there were no other way open for -me to do. But I should not like to do so.” Her sunny smile flashed out -with the confession. - -“I understand your attitude in the matter, better, perhaps, than you may -guess. I shall respect it, and try to present Miss Cairns’ case to the -Board members as sympathetically as you have presented it to me.” The -president answered her smile, his grave features lighting. - -Marjorie breathed again at the reassurance. She was recalling the one -occasion on which she has appeared before the Board. It had had strictly -to do with expelling Leslie Cairns from Hamilton College. She was glad -to remember now that her testimony then had added no weight to the -evidence against Leslie. - -“You underestimate your own powers, Miss Marjorie.” She came back from -remembrance of that dark day to hear the president saying. “Of all -persons whom I know you have the best right to ask of and receive from -the executives of Hamilton College the concession which you ask. You -have accomplished for Hamilton that which I believe no one else could -have done.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - COMING BACK - - -“Well, Bean, beneficent, belated Bean, I thought you were never coming.” -Jerry Macy cheerfully addressed Marjorie from the top step of the -veranda of Wayland Hall on which she was sitting viewing her chums’ -progress up the walk with an encouraging grin. - -“It’s only ten minutes past five,” Marjorie defended, her eyes seeking -the clock tower of Hamilton Hall. - -“You said five o’clock,” Jerry rebukingly reminded. “Learn to be -dependable, my dear young lady. Then everyone will like you. I like you, -anyway.” Jerry favored Marjorie with an effulgent smile. - -“Thank you so much,” Marjorie bowed mock gratitude of Jerry’s -graciousness. “What are you doing out here all by yourself? Where is -everyone?” - -“I might say that I left the ‘madding crowd’ to watch for you. Alas, it -would not be true!” Jerry sighed. “Nobody’s home,” she added in a -practical tone. “Can you beat that?” - -“Where is everybody?” Marjorie mounted the steps and dropped gracefully -down beside Jerry. - -“Scattered to the four winds. Miss Remson went to town and Ronny and -Muriel went with her. Leila and Vera are off and away, whereabouts -unknown. The two freshies who are to have Number 12 arrived in a taxi -about an hour ago. I assisted them with their luggage in my grandest -post-graduate manner. They’re still roosting in 12, and getting -accustomed to the scenery. Where’s Luciferous? I thought she’d be with -you.” - -“She wasn’t at Prexy’s house. He was splendid, Jeremiah. He will do all -he can for Leslie.” Marjorie began an account of her interview with -President Matthews. - -“What do you know about that? What do you suppose she will say when she -hears the good word?” Jerry looked pleased in spite of her none too warm -regard for Leslie Cairns. “How do you suppose it will come to her? I -wonder if Prexy will send for her to come to his office or if the Board -will send her a notice, or what will happen?” - -“I don’t know. I’m wondering most of all when it will be. Prexy said he -should call a Board meeting soon. Do you think I ought to tell Leslie -what I’ve done?” Marjorie eyed Jerry with thoughtful anxiety. “It’s -almost certain.” Her color deepened as she thought of the president’s -words of earnest commendation. - -“No, I don’t.” Jerry’s answer was decided. “A surprise is one thing but -a disappointment is quite another. I suppose she will live at the -Hamilton House with Mrs. Gaylord. It seems queer to me—that our precious -Hob-goblin, should be coming back to Hamilton as our bosom friend. It’s -high time we wound up our campus affairs, Marvelous Manager, and kept -time to the wedding march.” - -“_We?_ What _do_ you mean, Jeremiah Macy?” Marjorie turned with merry -suspicion upon Jerry. - -“Nothing at all. I merely used ‘we’ as a figure of speech.” Jerry’s -expression of innocence was perfect. The rush of tell-tale color to her -cheeks betrayed her. - -“You are an old fraud. You’re going to marry Danny Seabrooke. You can’t -deny it.” Marjorie shook a playful finger at Jerry. - -“Bean, I cannot tell a lie. I am; someday. But not for a whole year. The -engagement won’t be announced till after your wedding. No one but Danny -and the Macys and you know it. Swear, Marjorie Dean, that you won’t——” - -Jerry broke off abruptly. She sprang up and ran down the steps calling -“Come along” over one plump shoulder. Approaching across the campus and -within a few hundred yards of Wayland Hall she had spied three -white-clad figures. Jerry made for the trio at a run, twirling a -welcoming arm high above her head. - -Marjorie rose hurriedly and followed Jerry in her jubilant dash, her -radiant face showing her delight in beholding the newcomers. - -“Robin Page! Dear precious Pagey!” she cried, holding out both arms to -her tried and trusted partner of campus enterprise. “I nearly looked my -eyes out coming across the campus this afternoon, hoping that three -girls I saw getting out of a taxi at Silverton Hall were you and Phil -and Barbara. They weren’t. I was so disappointed.” - -“We arrived in the usual taxi not more than half an hour ago. Silverton -Hall is filling up fast with aspiring freshmen. We didn’t wait to make -their acquaintance. Instead we started for Wayland Hall. We ’phoned the -Arms first. Miss Susanna said you would be here at five.” - -Robin delivered this information between the enthusiastic embraces of -her pretty partner. Page and Dean beamed at each other with utter good -will. Then Jerry claimed Robin with a vigorous hug and kiss. Marjorie, -Phyllis Moore and Barbara Severn entwined arms in a triangular -demonstration of buoyant affection. - -“You should have seen us leave our luggage in one grand pyramid in the -middle of Robin’s room,” laughed Phil Moore. - -“Bags, suit cases, golf sticks, musical instruments, bundles, magazines -and bandboxes all in reckless confusion,” declared Barbara with a wave -of the hand. - -“We were crazy to see you. Where are the other girls? How about dinner -at Baretti’s?” Robin cried all in a breath. - -“We’ve promised Miss Remson to stay here and spend the evening with her. -You’re respectfully invited to stick,” Jerry told the welcome arrivals. - -“All right. Guiseppe’s tomorrow evening then,” Robin returned radiantly. - -“No; Hamilton Arms tomorrow evening. There’s to be a Travelers’ -reunion,” Marjorie interposed. “Kathie and Lillian will be home this -evening. All the old Travelers except Helen Trent will be here then. And -Phil and Barbara of the new ones. Helen is coming to visit us at the -Arms in November. She’ll stay till after Thanksgiving; maybe longer.” - -“Oh, lovely. It’s simply glorious to be back.” Robin drew a long -rapturous breath. “The dormitory is progressing wonderfully. We made the -taxi driver stop a moment today so that we could take a look at it.” - -“Mr. Graham says it will be ready for occupancy by the middle of March. -Everything has gone as smoothly as could be this past summer, Robin. Mr. -Graham says hardly an hour has been lost. He is making up daily for the -time that was lost last winter. Things have gone ahead with such a rush -since that set-back. The dormitory will be finished, he believes, not -more than a month later than the date he first named for its -completion.” - -“Isn’t that glorious news?” Robin exclaimed animatedly. “Do you hear -that, girls?” she called out to Phyllis and Barbara. - -The reunited comrades were walking slowly toward the steps of the Hall -now, arm in arm, their gay voices rising buoyantly on the stillness of -the September afternoon. They had just reached the steps of the broad -veranda when the throbbing of a taxicab engine brought all eyes to bear -upon a station machine that was rolling up the drive. - -“I hope it’s the Bertramites,” declared Marjorie. - -“I choose to have it Doris Monroe,” Jerry laughingly differed. - -The Travelers had paused by common consent at the foot of the steps -eagerly watching the nearing automobile. - -“Good night!” broke from Jerry in a subdued, disgusted voice as she -glimpsed the occupants of the taxicab through the now opened doorway of -the machine. It had stopped on the graveled square before the house and -the driver had sprung from his seat to open the rear door of the machine -for his fares. - -The expressions on both Marjorie’s and Jerry’s faces were unconscious -indexes of their disappointment. Marjorie had been fondly hoping to see -Augusta Forbes’ tall graceful figure and handsome features emerge from -the taxicab. Jerry knew that Muriel was most anxious for the return to -the Hall of her roommate, Doris Monroe. To see moon-eyed Julia Peyton -poke her head suspiciously out of the door of the machine had inspired -Jerry with deep disgust. - -The tall squarely-built figure of the sophomore who had stirred up so -much trouble during the previous year followed the peering, pasty-white -face and large round black eyes with their owl-like stare. Julia Peyton -straightened, at the same time casting a darting glance at the group of -girls near the steps. She drew her black brows together frowningly at -sight of the quintette. With no sign of recognition she turned her back -belligerently upon them and devoted herself to paying the driver. - -Her companion of the taxicab, a short plump girl with a disagreeable -face and bright red hair, emulated Julia’s example, her nose elevated to -a haughty angle. - -With the air of a grenadier, Julia picked up a leather bag which she had -set down on the graveled space while she paid the driver. She stalked -toward the steps across the small graveled interval, her black eyes -fastened upon the front doorway of the Hall. - -“Good afternoon Miss Peyton,” Marjorie greeted composedly as the haughty -arrival passed the group. “Good afternoon, Miss Carter.” - -A combined murmur of greeting arose from the other four Travelers who -were quick to follow Marjorie’s lead. - -Neither by word nor sign did Julia Peyton indicate that she was aware of -the courteous salutation. Her chum and roommate, Clara Carter, imitated -Julia in the discourtesy. The pair went grandly up the steps and to the -door where Julia pressed a finger to the electric bell. Without waiting -for a maid she flung open the screen door and stepped into the reception -hall with Clara at her heels. - -“A bad beginning makes a good ending. So ’tis said,” Phil Moore -commented with cheerful satire as the unsociable pair of arrivals -disappeared into the house. - -“A decidedly bad beginning I should say,” Barbara Severn’s shoulders -lifted with a disapproving shrug. “How extremely silly to carry one’s -prejudices and resentments to such an extent.” - -“It certainly is. Just the same if Marjorie hadn’t spoken to those two -girls first, I shouldn’t have,” Robin confessed. “Not because of past -displeasure toward them. It is one’s first impulse to return such a -discourtesy in kind.” - -“Did you imagine they would speak to you, Marjorie?” was Barbara’s -interested question. - -Marjorie smilingly shook her head. “No,” she said, “Miss Peyton hasn’t -spoken to me since the evening of the Rustic Romp last spring. She has -been nice to Leila, though. And generally to you, Robin, hasn’t she?” - -“Um-m; so, so.” Robin answered lightly. “She certainly didn’t speak to -me today.” - -“That was only because you were with me,” Marjorie declared. - -“And me,” echoed Jerry. “Don’t leave me out of things. There has been a -Peyton-Macy feud ever since the night last year when Miss Peyton -reported the social gathering in Fifteen as noisy, and she and I -exchanged pleasantries. You three innocent, trusting Silvertonites were -snubbed because of the company you keep.” - -“May we always be found in the same company,” Robin said gaily. - -“I wish we could all go up to Fifteen,” Marjorie remarked half wistful. -“Annie says she thinks it has been taken. She heard Miss Remson tell -Leila yesterday that she was saving it for someone. It hadn’t been -taken, though, day before yesterday when I last saw Miss Remson.” - -“Oh, let’s go into the living room then,” Robin proposed. “I have stacks -of business to transact with you, dear partner.” She reached out and -drew Marjorie into the circle of a loving arm. “Phil and Barby and Jerry -can entertain one another.” - -“What sort of entertainment do you prefer?” Phil asked Jerry with polite -solemnity. - -“I don’t know. I am not used to being entertained,” giggled Jerry. - -The quintette were animatedly mounting the steps, their merry voices and -fresh, light-hearted laughter enlivening the vacation quiet which had -hung over the hall during the long summer days in the absence of the -Hamilton girls to whom it yearly gave canopy. - -Barbara’s keen ears were quick to catch the hum of an approaching motor. -“Oh, there’s another taxicab coming!” she called out. “This time let’s -hope it is Miss Remson and the girls.” - -A battery of expectant glances was turned upon the station taxicab as it -sped up the drive toward the house. A concerted little shout of -jubilation went up from the watchers as it stopped and Veronica stepped -lightly from the machine followed by Miss Remson, whom she gallantly -assisted to alight, and Muriel. - -“Oh, frabjous day!” Muriel made a rush for the three returned -Silvertonites. A joyful tumult ensued, during which the driver of the -taxicab circled the laughing, chattering knot of women in an uneasy -prance, anxious to collect his fares and be gone. - -Through an open window of the long second-story hall the merry sounds of -rejoicing floated to the ears of Julia Peyton, who had been conducting a -tour of investigation up and down the hall for her own satisfaction. She -went to the window which overlooked the front yard and drive. Standing -well back from it she sourly watched the animated, laughing group gather -on the gravelled space below. The instant she saw it begin to move -toward the steps she darted away from the window and into her room. - -“What’s the matter?” Clara Carter had already removed her hat and -traveling coat and was lounging in a cushioned wicker chair. She turned -pale blue curious eyes upon Julia as the latter fairly dashed into the -room, closing the door. - -“Nothing is the matter, except that I don’t choose to be out in the hall -when that crowd of P. G.’s comes upstairs,” she said crossly. “I’ve made -up my mind to one thing. This year I am not going to have any more silly -crushes like the one I had on Doris Monroe. I’m going to make the -dramatic club and be of importance on the campus.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - A MYSTERY ABOUT 15 - - -“It’s all right! It’s all right! Oh, splendid, great, celostrous!” - -Marjorie slipped from her chair at the breakfast table in the sun-lit -morning room of Hamilton Arms and began a vigorously joyful dance around -the room, waving a letter over her head, her lovely face aglow. - -“Thank you for using my new adjective,” Jerry commented politely, “but -why such enthusiasm? Why such joyful gyrations?” - -“Can’t you guess? Take a look at that envelope by my plate and you’ll -know.” Marjorie came back to the table and resumed her place. - -“I know. But then, I am a better guesser than Jerry,” Miss Susanna -declared jokingly. “Your letter is from Doctor Matthews.” - -“How could I know? Prexy Matthews never writes letters to me,” Jerry -defended. “I’m neither a benefactor nor a biographer.” - -“Yes, it is from Prexy. Listen to what he writes.” Marjorie read in an -utterly happy tone: - - “DEAR MISS MARJORIE: - - “It becomes my great pleasure to inform you that I have - successfully presented Miss Cairns’ case to the Hamilton College - Board. I took up the matter with the members at a special - meeting which I called on the day after our conversation - relative to the matter. They asked for three days’ time in which - to consider Miss Cairns’ case. - - “Yesterday afternoon at a special meeting called by the chairman - of the Board at Hamilton Hall the Board members came to the - decision that, in the circumstances, Miss Cairns was to be - commended in her desire toward moral restitution. Your plea in - her behalf was incorporated into a regular motion which was - voted upon. A unanimous vote in her favor was cast. It was also - voted that I should notify Miss Cairns of her eligibility to - return to Hamilton College as a student. - - “Relative to notifying Miss Cairns of the Board’s favorable - decision I should prefer to consult you in the matter before - taking action. You may have some special preference in this - respect which I should be glad to honor. Will you call at my - office in Hamilton Hall at your convenience, on any afternoon of - the week before Saturday, and before four o’clock? - - “Yours cordially, - “ROBERT EAMES MATTHEWS.” - -Miss Susanna rose, trotted from the head of the oblong table to the foot -and put both arms about Marjorie’s neck. “You good little thing,” she -said with half quavering tenderness. “You deserve all the happiness life -can give you. You’ve given Leslie her surest chance of becoming what she -hopes now to be.” - -“You would have done the same. I only happened to think of it first -because she told me about having gone to Prexy herself,” Marjorie -sturdily refused to credit herself with having done anything worthy of -laudation. - -“That’s the way all the big things for humanity have been done, child,” -Miss Susanna returned soberly. “Some wholly unselfish person has -happened to think of the other fellow first. Happened to think because -his or her mind was centered on doing good.” - -“You’re so dear, Goldendede.” Marjorie rubbed a soft cheek against Miss -Susanna’s encircling arm. She chose this method of wriggling gracefully -away from praise. “I’m going to send Leslie a telegram this morning -asking her to come to Hamilton at once. I’ll go to see Prexy this very -afternoon,” she decided with her usual promptness. - -“That’s the right idea,” Jerry commended. “How I wish I could do noble -deeds like you, Bean. I haven’t a single celostrous act to my credit -that I know of. At least Miss Susanna hasn’t praised me for any,” she -added. Her mischievous grin bespoke her lack of regret at her confessed -defection. - -“Nonsense.” Miss Susanna’s merry little chuckle was heard. “I’m -surprised at your lack of conceit, Jeremiah. I know right now of three -very celostrous acts to your credit.” - -“Name them,” challenged Jerry. “Listen closely, Bean. Jeremiah is going -to be praised. Ahem. All ready.” She straightened in her chair, lifted -her dimpled chin, and put on a fixed stare of expectant modesty. - -“You helped Jonas take up and put away the dahlia tubers. He hates that -job. Second. You planned every bit of the Santa Claus fun last Christmas -on purpose for a crotchety old woman who had never known much about -Santa when she was a lonely kiddie. Third. You are a never ending source -of diversion to your friends and a joy to have in the house. If you -don’t believe that you are, go and ask Jonas,” the old lady finished -humorously. - -“I wouldn’t think of being so conceited.” Jerry put one hand before her -face and peered bashfully around it at Miss Susanna. - -“I can add something to what Miss Susanna says.” Marjorie’s gaze rested -fondly upon Jerry. “You are the best pal in the world, Jeremiah. You -have——” - -“No, I haven’t. Excuse me. Good-bye. I’m going to help Jonas rake leaves -this morning to put around the rose bushes. Want me to run you over to -the campus in the car after luncheon?” she asked Marjorie as she reached -the door. - -“No, thank you. I’m going to walk. You’d better go with me, though. I am -going to the Hall to see Miss Remson and the girls. I have an idea -buzzing madly.” Marjorie smilingly tapped one side of her curly head. -“You can rally the Travelers in Ronny’s room while I go to the Hall to -see Prexy.” - -Jerry came back. She paused beside Marjorie, head bent toward Marjorie’s -curly one in an attitude of strained listening. “I can’t hear it,” she -said. - -“You’re going to, since you’ve taken the trouble to come back to listen -for it. I was going to tell you, anyway. We ought to initiate Leslie -Cairns into the Travelers on the same day she hears the good news from -Prexy.” Marjorie glanced inquiringly from Jerry to Miss Hamilton. “We’d -have a funny initiation for her; like the one we conducted for Phil and -Barbara. It would put her at ease with us.” - -“A good idea,” Miss Susanna instantly approved. - -“You bet it is,” Jerry echoed with slangy emphasis. “But for goodness’ -sake let us have it in Muriel’s room. It’s farthest away from the -retreat of the Screech Owl and the Phonograph. Let’s give them no chance -this time to complain of noise on our part.” - -“We’ll invite the Lady of the Arms and the Empress of Wayland Hall to -the initiation, then they won’t dare complain,” Marjorie laughed. “Too -bad we can’t have it in good old 15. It’s larger than either Ronny’s or -Muriel’s room.” - -“Has someone taken 15?” Jerry asked quickly. “I forgot to ask you about -it when you came from the Hall last time.” - -“Miss Remson said the other day that she was considering a student who -might take it. She seemed rather indefinite about it, so I didn’t ask -her any further questions. Will you come to Leslie’s initiation, Miss -Susanna?” - -In spite of Marjorie’s merry assertion that the Lady of the Arms would -be present on the gala occasion she now turned to the mistress of the -Arms with the pretty deference which she had ever accorded Miss Susanna -since their first meeting. - -“Thank you, Marvelous Manager. I shall be delighted to attend such a -splendid demonstration of your marvelous managing,” was the old lady’s -indulgent reply. - -“And we shall be even more delighted to have you.” Marjorie rose from -her chair and offered a gay arm to her hostess. “Let me escort you into -the sitting room, dear Goldendede.” - -“No; let me.” Jerry offered the other arm. - -The three paraded out of the morning room and down the wide, -old-fashioned center hall to the sitting room. - -“You’d better hurry up if you expect to rake any leaves today,” was -Jonas’s succinct advice to Jerry as he appeared in the hall in overalls -to consult Miss Susanna about certain of her rose bushes. “I’ll have ’em -all raked up myself before you get near ’em.” - -This warning, which was Jonas’s favorite method of joking sent Jerry’s -gallantry to the winds. She dropped Miss Susanna’s arm and fled for the -tool house and a rake. - -After spending an hour with Miss Hamilton in the sitting room Marjorie -went up stairs to the study. There, with Brooke Hamilton’s deep-blue -eyes upon her, she wrote her semi-weekly letter to Hal. She loved best -to write to him in the quietness and peace of the room where she had -learned the truth of her love for him because of Brooke Hamilton’s -disappointment and sorrow. - -“I am going to work on your story again before long,” she whimsically -promised the portrait of the founder of Hamilton College as she settled -herself at the antique library table to write to Hal. “I haven’t -forgotten you, but for a while I must leave you and work for your -college.” - -It was with a feeling of glad exultation which brought a starry -brightness to her eyes and a deeper tide of rose to her cheeks that she -left Jerry at Wayland Hall after luncheon and went on with a springy, -happy step to stately Hamilton Hall. She had already telephoned a -telegram to the telegraph office in the town of Hamilton. The telegram -was to Leslie, at her apartment in Central Park West, New York City. She -had confidently worded it: “Come to Hamilton at once. Important. Wire -day and train. Marjorie.” - -Her interview with President Matthews was brief but eminently -satisfactory. It resulted in the arrangement that on whatever day Leslie -Cairns should arrive in Hamilton she should be escorted to President -Matthews’ office by Marjorie, there to hear the good news from the head -of the college himself. - -As she went down the steps of Hamilton Hall she had hard work to keep -from setting off across the campus at a frisky run. She decided with a -smile dimpling the corners of her red lips that the dignity of the -occasion forbade it. When within a few yards of the Hall, however, -dignity ceased to count. She sped high-heartedly across the short thick -campus grass to the steps, intent only upon seeing her chums and laying -her kindly plan before them. - -“You had better make up your mind to stay here to dinner this evening, -children,” Miss Remson offered this advice to Marjorie and Jerry shortly -after Marjorie’s arrival. To the great disappointment of both girls not -one of the Wayland Hall Travelers was at home. “Call up the other -Travelers and tell them to come, too. Then you can go into your old -room, 15, and discuss the initiation of Leslie Cairns. I must say it is -the very last thing I should suppose might happen.” The little manager’s -tone was one of accepted wonder at such a state of affairs. - -“Hasn’t 15 been taken yet?” Jerry cannily fished for information. - -“Not yet.” Jerry surprised an odd, wise, bird-like gleam in the little -manager’s kindly eyes which she knew of old to mean that Miss Remson had -a secret she was shrewdly guarding. “A senior I know has the refusal of -it. She has not decided upon it yet. I had two applications yesterday -for it. I wish you and Marjorie were to have it this year. Now girls, go -and do your telephoning. I must see the cook about the dinner.” Miss -Remson bustled off in her alert, brisk manner. - -“There’s some kind of mystery afoot about old 15,” Jerry surmised -shrewdly. “You can’t fool Jeremiah. She has what Leila calls ‘the seeing -eye.’ I can see all right enough that Miss Remson has something on _her_ -mind about our old fond, familiar hanging-out place that she isn’t ready -to tell us. When she does get ready to talk about it, it will be some -surprise, Bean; some surprise.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - UNDER THE BIG ELM - - -“Am I awake, or dreaming? Did I come out of Hamilton Hall just now? If I -did, what was it I heard Prexy say? Prexy.” Leslie Cairns repeated the -name with tremulous satisfaction. “I’ve a right to say it now. Thanks to -_you_, Marjorie Dean, I am back on the campus again. I’m going to cry, -Marjorie. I was determined I wouldn’t before Prexy. I tried to take my -pardon like a good soldier. But now I am thinking of my father. What -will Peter the Great say?” - -“I think Peter the Great will say, ‘Go to it, Cairns II., and be the -happiest person I know.’” Marjorie assured, smiling her amusement of -Leslie’s reference to her father as Peter the Great. “Come on over to -the Bean holder, Leslie. We can sit there for awhile, and, if you must -cry, no one will notice your weeps.” - -Her arm tucked into one of Leslie Cairns’, Marjorie began steering her -companion gently toward a great-trunked, towering elm tree some distance -east of Hamilton Hall under which were two rustic benches. - -“This is my favorite tree on the campus, Leslie,” Marjorie introduced -her companion to the giant campus sentinel with a cheery wave of the -hand. “You named me Bean, and the girls named this seat the Bean holder -because I’ve always loved to come here.” All this with a view toward -dispelling Leslie’s desire to cry. - -That which Leslie had believed could never come to pass had happened. -She and Marjorie Dean had just emerged from Hamilton Hall where she had -gone with Marjorie a brief twenty minutes before to hear from President -Matthews the amazing news of her re-instatement as a student at Hamilton -College. - -“That wretched name, Bean. It makes me laugh.” Leslie was half laughing, -half crying. “It always made me laugh, even when I thought I hated you.” - -“It’s a fine name. I’m awfully fond of it,” Marjorie assured with sunny -good humor. - -They made the rest of the short journey to the seat under the big elm in -silence. Leslie continued to fight desperately against shedding tears. -Marjorie was sympathetically leaving her to herself until she should -recover her usual amount of poise. - -“The view of the campus is beautiful from here,” Marjorie said as they -seated themselves on one of the two benches drawn up near the tree. She -looked off across the expanse of living green, worship of her old -friend, the campus, in her wide brown eyes. - -Leslie assented. Her gaze was directed to Marjorie rather than the -campus. She thought she had never seen anyone quite so lovely. Today -Marjorie had blossomed out in the pale jade frock of softest silk and -black fur trimmings which Jerry had advocated on the occasion of her -first call upon President Matthews. From the crown of the small hat -which matched her frock to the dainty narrowness of her black satin -slippers Marjorie was a delight to the eyes. - -Attired in a two-piece traveling frock of distinctive English weave and -make, Leslie herself was looking far more attractive than in the old -days when she had been a student at Hamilton. Happiness and a clear -conscience had done much to change her former lowering, disagreeable -facial expression to one of pleasant alertness and good humor. She had -come to Hamilton the day following the receipt of Marjorie’s telegram on -an early afternoon train, Marjorie had met her at the station and after -a luncheon at the Ivy the two girls had gone direct to Hamilton Hall. - -Now that Leslie was in possession of the glad knowledge that her dearest -wish had been granted Marjorie had other plans for her of which she was -totally unaware as she sat staring half absently at the campus, her mind -busy with wondering what her father would say when he heard the blessed -news she had to tell him. - -“I’ll go back to New York tomorrow, Marjorie, and tell Peter the Great -the good news. Then I’ll give Mrs. Gaylord three times a year’s salary -and have my father book passage for her to Europe on the Monarch. She’s -crazy to go to England and France. I shan’t need her. I’m going to -engage board in one of the off-campus boarding houses.” Leslie broke the -silence with this decided announcement. “I could live at the Hamilton -House with Mrs. Gaylord as a chaperon, but I’d rather not. I’d be too -conspicuous. Of course, I’d love to live in one of the campus houses. -But that’s out of the question.” - -“I wish you could live on the campus, Leslie. I think it would be best -for you, if you could find a vacancy. It’s almost too late now to hope -to find one. I’ll inquire tomorrow for you, and see what I can learn.” -Marjorie spoke with the utmost friendly concern. - -“No; don’t.” Leslie shook a vigorous head. “There’s not a manager of a -campus house who doesn’t know my record when I was here before. Not one -of them would consent to take me. Besides”—Leslie hesitated—“there’s -only one house on the campus where I’d care to live—Wayland Hall. That’s -out of the question. You can understand why.” A flush of shame mounted -to Leslie’s cheeks. - -“It wouldn’t be if there were a vacancy at the Hall,” Marjorie declared. -“Miss Remson is glad you are to come back to Hamilton. She knows about -it. I told her the other day after receiving Prexy’s letter. Our old -room, Fifteen, was vacant when I first came back. If I had been sure of -succeeding with Prexy and the Board for you, I would have asked Miss -Remson to save Fifteen for you. But I wasn’t sure. Besides, I couldn’t -know what your plans might be, in case I should succeed.” - -“I’d never go back to the Hall after the way I made trouble for Miss -Remson,” Leslie replied with gloomy positiveness. “No; I’ll find as good -a boarding house as I can off the campus. Understand, Marjorie, I’d -rather live on the campus for one big reason. I’d have to fight to live -down my past record as a snob and a trouble-maker. That would be good -for me, though. I’d be gossiped about; maybe ostracized by a large -proportion of the students. But I’d work as hard for democracy as I’d -once worked against it. And the Travelers would stand by me. Perhaps -before next Commencement I’d have come into a better light in the eyes -of the Hamilton crowd, students and faculty.” - -She paused, then shrugged her shapely shoulders and continued with a -short laugh: “Forget it. That’s only a day dream I’ve been indulging -myself in. You see I keep thinking of trying to square myself on the -campus because of Peter the Great. I want him to come and live at Carden -Hedge, and be happy. I’d love to have the Leila Harper Playhouse -presented to Leila by him. So I soar off into splendid schemes of how I -can make good at Hamilton and bring everything out lovely like the end -of a fairy tale. It can’t be done, Bean.” Leslie used the nickname with -absent affection. - -“There is one thing I can do,” she went on in a tone of purposeful -energy. “I can complete my college course and win my sheepskin. You’ve -made that opportunity possible for me. I hope I can some day do -something for you to show my appreciation, Marjorie.” - -“You can. This very afternoon.” Marjorie had been wondering how she -might find means to persuade Leslie to go to Wayland Hall with her. She -was confident that Leslie would refuse the invitation which she was -awaiting a favorable moment to extend. She seized upon her companion’s -grateful declaration with dancing eyes. “You can come over to Wayland -Hall with me. I’m going to meet Jerry there. Come on.” Marjorie had -risen from the seat and was holding out an inviting hand to Leslie. - -“Oh, I—” Leslie checked herself and stood up. “All right,” she agreed -cheerfully. In the face of her recent serious assertion she was -determined not to flinch. - -Marjorie cast a furtive glance at her wrist watch as she drew one of -Leslie’s arms within her own. It was exactly 4 o’clock. The two girls -headed across the campus for the Hall. Leslie scanned the veranda of the -house where she had once courted and met disaster with anxious eyes. She -was relieved to see not a girl in sight. Marjorie was also watching the -veranda for a very different reason. - -They were within a short distance of the Hall when a girl in a -sleeveless apricot frock came out on the veranda. She spied the pair and -twirled a plump bare arm above her head, disappearing inside in a hurry. - -“There’s Jerry.” The dancing lights strengthened in Marjorie’s brown -eyes. “She’s watching for us.” Tightening her light hold upon her -companion’s arm she hastily escorted her up the steps and to the door. -It opened suddenly. Three pairs of arms reached forth from across the -threshold, seized Leslie and hustled her into the house. Next instant -she stood bewildered, but smiling, in the hall surrounded by a merry -group of girls. Her initiation in the Travelers had begun. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - AN AMBITIOUS PLAN - - -Two hours later Leslie Cairns had been initiated into the Travelers’ -jolly sorority and had acquitted herself with credit. She had done -herself proud in the cream-puff eating test, which consisted of -blindfolding the victim and giving her a cream puff to eat from her -hands. She had nobly pushed the required penny over the floor with her -nose, she had drunk a cup of deadly poison urged upon her by her -initiators which had turned out to be very strong sage tea, and she had -performed other ridiculously difficult stunts with giggling zest and -finish. - -By the time the dinner bell rang Leslie was feeling more at home with -the bevy of girls she had once scorned than she had ever dreamed she -might. With the exception of Helen Trent the original eleven Travelers -were present. Since their particular initial sorority had been enlarged -to nineteen members Leslie had been received into it as the twentieth -member. This meant the second chapter to which Phil and Barbara belonged -might also have the privilege of electing a twentieth member to their -chapter. The new chapter chosen the previous June were also in line for -a twentieth member. - -Neither by word nor sign had the merry party of girls shown themselves -to be aware of the fact that Leslie was returning to Hamilton under -unusual circumstances. Everything was ignored save that she was an -honored candidate for admission into the Travelers’ sorority. - -Despite the fact that Room 15 was to pass into the possession of a -mysterious senior who might appear at any time to claim it, Miss Remson -had urged the Travelers to make it their initiation headquarters. This -time there had been no hanging of heavy curtains over the doors of the -room. The preponderance of the students to reside at Wayland Hall had -not yet arrived on the campus. There was therefore small possibility of -anyone being disturbed by the merry-making in Fifteen. - -In honor of the occasion the Wayland Hall Travelers had converted one of -the couch beds into a throne such as had been erected on a previous -occasion when Miss Susanna Hamilton had first visited Marjorie in her -room at the Hall and been introduced to Miss Remson. - -The middle place upon the throne had been reserved for Leslie. She had -been impressively informed that, when she should have courageously -passed through the terrible ordeal ahead of her, she would then be -eligible to the middle place on the throne. Miss Susanna Hamilton and -Miss Remson occupied the seats on the right and left of the glorified -dais, looking like a pair of small bright-eyed birds in full plumage. - -Marjorie had fondly ordered the party to be a dress affair. In -consequence Miss Remson was resplendent in a ravishing gray satin gown -which Leila had brought from Europe as a present to her old friend. Miss -Susanna had on the wisteria satin gown which she had worn at Castle Dean -on the previous Christmas day. The Travelers had decked themselves in -their prettiest afternoon frocks. They resembled a flock of bright-hued -butterflies which had suddenly made pause in Marjorie’s and Jerry’s -old-time haunt before resuming their flight. - -When the gay revelers trooped down to dinner, which was to be served to -them at a special long table, the attention of the few students in the -dining-room immediately became riveted upon the merry little company. -Besides themselves there were eight other girls in the dining-room. Of -these eight only two pairs of eyes were directed in good-natured -amusement at the vivacious table full of girls. The other six pairs held -a variety of expressions running from curiosity to dark envy. - -“Catch Miss Remson allowing us to have any such noisy party,” Julia -Peyton muttered jealously to Clara Carter as the two girls left the -dining room. A rippling burst of laughter from the guest table further -fanned the displeasure that flamed in Julia’s breast against the merry -diners. She was particularly incensed at seeing Leslie Cairns among -them. - -“Miss Dean and Miss Macy must have come back to the Hall again. That’s -the reason for the pow-wow they’ve been having in 15,” Clara Carter -surmised as they started up the stairs. “That little old woman in -lavender must be Miss Remson’s sister. One is about as homely as the -other. It’s queer, though, about that Miss Cairns being with them.” - -“Very queer; _altogether too queer_,” was Julia’s bitter retort. “She -has no right to be here at the Hall. If she comes here again I shall -make an objection to Miss Remson. She’s an expelled student. Besides the -way she sneaked into the gym under cover of a mask at the Romp was -simply outrageous. I can’t understand how Miss Remson can overlook such -things.” - -“I heard that she lived at Wayland Hall until she was expelled and that -her father was a multi-millionaire. Probably Miss Remson has a healthy -respect for her father’s money. Maybe she is visiting Miss Remson. If -she is, you can’t say a word.” Clara pointed out sagely. - -A baffled expression crossed Julia’s frowning features. “It won’t take -me long to find out what she is doing here,” she sullenly boasted. “She -is entirely to blame for my falling-out with Doris. It was over her -Doris and I disagreed. I hope Doris will someday understand that I only -tried to be her friend in warning her against Miss Cairns.” - -“Doris Monroe is a very selfish girl. I don’t intend to bother being -nice to her at all this year,” Clara declared, pursing her lips in -disapproval. - -“Don’t be alarmed. She won’t bother herself about you, or me, either,” -Julia threw open the door of their room and stalked into it. She flung -herself sulkily into a chair, her pale, moon-eyed face full of vengeful -spleen. “I detest that hateful crowd of P.G.’s!” she exclaimed. “They do -precisely as they please, here. We other students have no rights. What -good does it do to assert oneself to Miss Remson? She is hand in glove -with them.” - -“I think it would be a good idea for us to change houses,” was Clara’s -meditative suggestion. She had seated herself in a chair opposite Julia -with an air of great wisdom. “It’s not too late to engage board -somewhere else on the campus.” - -“What are you talking about?” Julia turned a contemptuous gaze upon her -chum. “I’ll say there is not a vacancy on the campus by now.” - -“Well, we could find a couple of girls who would be glad to exchange -houses with us. Wayland Hall is considered the best house on the -campus.” There was crafty method in Clara’s suggestion. Secretly she had -no desire to leave the Hall. Knowing Julia’s stubborn contrariness she -had but to propose making a change in order to clinch her roommate’s -determination not to do so. - -“You are correct in saying it’s the best house on the campus. When you -see me leaving it because of a crowd of girls like the one down stairs, -you will see something startling. Last year I endured a great deal of -unfairness rather than be continually making complaints. This year I -shall do differently. I intend to begin this very evening,” Julia -announced with belligerent decision. - -“What are you going to do?” Clara focussed eager attention upon her -companion. In spite of hers and Julia’s frequent disagreements she could -be relied upon to do battle under Julia’s banner. - -“I’m going to unpack my traveling bag, first of all.” Julia rose with a -sudden burst of combative energy. “If those girls begin to be noisy when -they come up stairs I shall go straight down stairs to Miss Remson and -demand that she does something about it.” - -“Suppose she should be upstairs with them? You know yourself that she -was up there a long time before dinner. And her sister was with her.” -Clara had kept a vigilant watch upon the movements of the company in 15 -through a discreetly narrow opening in their own door. - -“Then I shall reprimand her before the whole crowd in 15 for not keeping -better order in the house.” - -“You wouldn’t dare do that?” Clara challenged in a half admiring tone. - -“Oh, yes, I should. Who is Miss Remson? A manager. Well, what is a -manager but an upper servant? I’d certainly not be afraid to speak my -mind to our housekeeper at home. That’s all Miss Remson is. What she -needs is to be told her place, and be made to keep it.” - -“I’ve often thought the same thing,” Clara refused to be subservient to -Julia in opinion. “Did you notice the other students in the dining room -tonight?” she asked with a knowing glance toward Julia. - -“No. What about them?” Julia paused in the midst of her unpacking to -look sharply at her Titian-haired roommate. - -“Every single one of them acted as though they didn’t think much of that -P. G. crowd. I kept watch of them. It seems to me,” Clara tilted her -flame-colored head to one side, a sure indication that she was planning -mischief, “that it would be a pretty good plan for us to start a crowd -of our own this year at the Hall. If we could count on as many as half -of the students at the Hall to stand by us, we could make Miss Remson -play fairly with us. She’d not dare favor that one crowd above us.” - -“That’s a good idea.” Julia looked impressed. She turned from laying out -her belongings on the study table and leaned against it, eyeing Clara -speculatively. She began counting on her fingers: “One, two, three, -four, five of those Bertram students. Then there are Miss Harper and -Miss Mason; seven. Five of the Sanford P. G. crowd; twelve. Doris Monroe -makes thirteen. Of course a few other students in the house will stick -to them. Not more than six or seven at most. Gussie Forbes isn’t popular -in this house except with the Sanford and Bertram crowds. You know the -sophs at the Hall voted against her at the election of class officers -last fall.” - -“But they voted for Doris Monroe,” Clara reminded with a frown, “and now -Doris has gone over to the P. G. crowd.” - -“Yes, and she is not going to gain a thing by it, either,” was Julia’s -satisfied prophesy. “Most of the sophs who voted for Doris don’t like -Miss Dean and her pals. They can’t stand the calm way those girls have -of trying to be the whole thing, and run everything. Annie told me today -that there were to be nine new students at the Hall, all freshies but -one. Those girls we saw tonight in the dining room must be freshies. -Tomorrow we’ll make it a point to get acquainted with the freshies. It’s -really our duty as upper classmen.” - -“Yes, indeed,” echoed Clara. “By the time Doris Monroe comes back we may -have our own crowd well started. We might form a sorority.” Her -mechanical tones, which Muriel and Jerry had naughtily compared to a -phonograph, rose exultantly. “You could be the president of it,” she -accorded magnanimously, “and I would be the vice-president. We could get -up a really exclusive, social club and entertain a lot—and be popular.” -Her pal’s eyes gleamed at the prospect of popularity. It was the dream -of both girls to enjoy a popularity on the campus equal to if not -greater than that of Doris Monroe, though neither possessed any of the -necessary requisites. - -“We’ll do it. We can get up a better sorority than that old Travelers’ -club, and not half try,” Julia predicted with supreme egotism. “This is -the way we’ll do. We’ll wait until the Hall is full, then we’ll select -the girls here that we want for the club and send them an invitation to -a luncheon at the Ivy. We’ll have very handsome engraved invitations, -and I’ll preside at the luncheon. After we have the sorority -well-started we can give plays and shows just for amusement. We shan’t -try to make money. Leave that to those beggarly Travelers. We’ll make -our entertainments strictly invitation affairs. Miss Dean and her crowd -have simply ruined the social atmosphere of Hamilton by welfare -experiments. The object of our club shall be to restore it. Let me tell -you we’ll have plenty of sympathizers. Just wait. Doris Monroe will be -very sorry yet that she didn’t stick to us.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - - THE MYSTERIOUS SENIOR - - -Blissfully unaware of Julia Peyton’s ambitious schemes against them and -democracy at Hamilton the Travelers finished their dessert amidst plenty -of fun and laughter and flocked upstairs and into 15 again, there to -spend one of their old-time merry “stunt” evenings. - -Ronny danced to Phil’s violin music. Robin sang, accompanied by the same -talented, infallible musician. Phil’s violin playing had become -institutional with the Travelers. She was always equal to musical -emergency. Leila and Vera convulsed their buoyant audience with a -quaintly humorous Irish dialogue which they had found in an old book -while in Ireland and had gleefully learned. Jerry partly sang a popular -song off the key until she was drowned out by laughter. - -Muriel recited a monologue which she had composed and named: “Back on -the campus.” Barbara sang a French song. Kathie and Lillian endeavored -to sing together an old German song precisely as Professor Wenderblatt -was wont to sing it in his full bass voice. They broke down in the midst -of deep-uttered bass growls and gutterals and lost track of the tune so -completely they never found it again, but subsided with laughter. - -Marjorie and Lucy pleaded having no stunt to offer and were each ordered -to recite their favorite short poem. Marjorie thereupon recited “To a -Grecian Urn,” and Lucy gave Poe’s weird, “Ulalume.” Leslie won quick -approval by her prompt response to the demand by giving a funny series -of imitations. - -The feature of the stunt party was contributed, however, by Miss Remson -and Miss Susanna. They had conducted a chuckling confab together at one -end of the room into which they had invited Phil. She had listened to -them, then laughingly nodded, played a few bars of an odd little tune on -her violin and returned to her place in the center of the room. - -When Phil presently tapped on her violin with her bow, the two little -old ladies stepped gaily out, hand in hand, in a lively jigging dance. -They pranced forward and back, clasped right hands above their heads and -jigged around each other, clasped left hands and jigged again, joined -right and left hands and spun in a circle then polkaed up and down the -room with spirit. There were other variations to the dance which they -performed with equal sprightliness. Their delighted audience gurgled and -squealed with laughter, breaking forth into riotous applause as the -jigging pair reached their throne and sank upon their cushions, -breathless and laughing. - -Marjorie thought she had never seen a prettier sight than the pair of -dainty little old ladies in their charming satin dresses stepping out so -blithely to the old-fashioned polka. - -“That is the Glendon Polka if you care to know it,” Miss Susanna -informed the girls. “I used to dance it as a girl, and I found that the -Empress of Wayland Hall knew how to dance it, too. I learned to dance it -before going to my first party. Uncle Brooke engaged a dancing master to -come and teach me the latest dances.” - -“The latest dances.” Jerry said with an enjoying chuckle. “Not much like -a fox trot, is it?” - -“I believe I must have learned that polka from the same dancing master,” -Miss Remson said. “I lived in West Hamilton as a girl and went to -dancing school. It was a Professor Griggs who taught me the Glendon -polka.” - -“The same man,” Miss Susanna declared brightly. The two old ladies -beamed at each other. This little coincidence relative to their youth -served to strengthen the bond of friendship between them. - -“This is the queer part of the Glendon polka,” Phil said. “When Miss -Susanna said she and Miss Remson were going to do an old-time dance -called the Glendon polka, I remembered I’d seen that title in an old -music book at home. I had tried it and learned to play it when I first -began to take violin lessons as a kiddie. I had liked it because it was -such a frisky little tune.” - -“You never dreamed then that someday you would play it for two old -ladies to frisk to, did you?” Miss Remson gently pinched Phil’s cheek as -she sat balanced on the edge of the throne, her violin in hand. - -“I never did,” Phil laughed. “I’ll never forget the Glendon polka.” - -“It seems we hadn’t forgotten how to dance it in spite of our years,” -Miss Susanna said with a little nod of satisfaction. - -“Did you know there were prizes to be given for the best stunts?” -Katherine Langly joined the group around the throne. Kathie was looking -her radiant best in a coral beaded afternoon frock of Georgette. Her -blue eyes were sparkling with light and life and her red lips broke -readily into smiles. She bore small likeness to the sad, self-effacing -sophomore the Travelers had taken under their protective wing at the -beginning of their freshman year at Hamilton. Kathie was now commencing -her second year as a member of the faculty. She was famed on the campus -as a playwright and her triumphantly literary future was assured. She -had already sold several short stories to important magazines and had -begun her first novel. - -“Ronny is going to be magnificently generous, so she says, and give out -the prizes. She’s gone to her room after them,” Lillian added to the -information Kathie had just given. - -“‘Magnificently generous’” Kathie repeated suspiciously. “That doesn’t -sound promising to me. I know she means us.” - -“Could any persons be more worthy of a prize,” giggled Lillian. -“Remember how hard we worked.” - -Ronny soon returned wearing a mischievous expression. She carried a -good-sized paper-wrapped package on one arm. In one hand she held two -small packages which suggested jewelry. The girls guessed the large -bundle to contain one or more boxes of the delicious candied fruit from -her ranch home of which she always had a stock on hand. - -“Hear, hear!” Ronny placed her bundles on the table and waved both arms -above her head for attention. “Who had the best stunt?” she called out. -“Altogether; answer!” - -“The Lady of the Arms and the Empress of Wayland Hall,” came back an -instant concerted murmur of response. - -“Contrary-minded?” - -“No,” piped up these two distinguished but extremely modest dancers. - -“Two against eleven. Prepare to receive the prize.” Ronny importantly -opened the paper wrapper of the large package and took from it two -sweet-grass square baskets of candied fruit. She presented them in turn -with many bows and flourishes to the two elderly women. - -“Who won the booby stunt?” she next demanded of the company. - -Concerted opinion differed as to whether Jerry, or Kathie and Lillian -were more eligible to the booby prize. Further inquiry and Jerry was -eliminated in favor of Lillian and Kathie. The prizes turned out to be -two small willow whistles such as the cow-boys at Manaña were adept at -making. - -“Next time whistle. Don’t attempt to sing,” was Ronny’s succinct advice -as she presented the would-be bass singers with the whistles. - -“We can be noisy tonight and still be protected.” Marjorie made gay -declaration. She was realizing with the burst of light laughter which -greeted Ronny’s presentation of the booby prizes that the Travelers had -been enjoying a most hilarious session. “Miss Remson is right here to -know precisely how boisterous we are. Thank fortune, hardly anyone is -back.” - -“I can’t imagine why we haven’t been notified of our noise by Miss -Peyton,” Jerry commented to Marjorie under cover of conversation. - -As it happened Julia had become so greatly interested in her -inspirational plan for a new sorority which was to tear down democracy -at Hamilton and re-establish snobbery that she and Clara had forgotten -to be annoyed at the sounds of mirth, which, in reality, could hardly be -heard with her door closed. - -“I took pains to find out today if any of the freshmen had studying to -do this evening,” the little manager said. “None had. I haven’t -considered Miss Peyton and Miss Carter in the matter. They have not yet -spoken to me since they arrived. I am sure they have no studying to do -this evening.” Her tone grew dry at mention of the two discourteous -juniors. - -Immediately she went on to a change of subject. “Girls,” she said in her -brisk, pleasant fashion, “will you please make yourselves comfy, and -listen to me? I am going to tell you something of the student whom I -hope will take 15.” - -“At last.” Marjorie breathed a purposely audible sigh. “I think you have -been very mysterious about her, Empress of Wayland Hall.” - -A buzzing murmur rose from the others as they took seats around the -make-shift throne or comfortably established themselves upon cushions on -the floor. - -Leslie Cairns showed considerable embarrassment when Miss Susanna -imperiously waved her into the middle seat of the throne. She had -laughed unrestrainedly at the fun that evening, but she had said very -little. She was hardly beginning to get over the strangeness of being a -member of the very sorority she had once scorned. - -“This girl,” Miss Remson said, “is a young woman for whom I have a -growing regard. She wrote me in the summer and I was deeply impressed by -her letter. She did not then expect to enter Hamilton nor did I have 15 -in view for her. As it happened no one applied for 15. There was a -difference in price between it and the other rooms I had vacant which no -one who applied seemed to wish to pay. - -“As soon as I knew that she was coming to Hamilton I reserved 15 for -her, though by that time I had several applications for it. I am waiting -now to welcome her to Wayland Hall.” Miss Remson made an odd little -pause. - -“We shall all be ready to do the same.” Leila spoke in a peculiarly -significant tone; as though she was understanding something which the -others did not. Her bright blue eyes were fastened squarely upon -Marjorie. They seemed to be trying to communicate a message to her. - -In a sudden illuminating flash Marjorie understood the import of Miss -Remson’s remarks concerning the mysterious student who was to have Room -15. - -“Oh, Miss Remson!” she breathed, her face breaking into a radiance of -sunshine. Involuntarily her eyes strayed from Leila to Leslie. The -latter was paying polite attention to Miss Remson though Marjorie -divined instantly that Leslie had not comprehended a special meaning in -the manager’s speech. - -“Will you come to the Hall, Leslie?” The little manager had turned now -to Leslie, her thin pleasant face brimming with kindliness. “I should -like you to have 15. I have been saving it for you since Marjorie told -me you were to come back to Hamilton for your senior year.” - -“Why—I—” Leslie stammered. “Oh, I never thought of such a thing!” she -exclaimed with bewildered gratitude. “It’s wonderful in you to wish me -to come back after the way I treated you. I’d love to, but I can’t -accept. It wouldn’t be right.” Tears crowded to her eyes. She clenched -her hands and made a desperate effort at self-control. - -“Now, now, now!” Up went one of Miss Remson’s hands, arrestingly. “Never -mind anything but the present, child. I wish you to have 15. That -settles the matter. I must tell the girls a little more about your -letter. Leslie wrote me last June, children, such a splendid letter.” - -“Hurrah, hurrah!” Vera had raised a subdued cheer. “Hurrah for our new -Traveler in 15.” She started the hurrahing with the kindly object of -giving Leslie an opportunity to control a threatened burst of tears. The -others took up the cheering with moderated vigor. - -“Please don’t credit me with anything splendid, Miss Remson.” Leslie -forced tremulousness from her enunciation. “You girls understand me when -I say that I couldn’t have done differently, and feel right.” She made a -slight gesture of appeal toward the circle of faces approvingly turned -upon her. “I might have known Miss Remson would tell you in the nicest -way toward me. I meant to tell you all myself someday.” She bent a half -rueful glance of affection upon the little woman beside her. - -“Ah, but you have not told us something else which we think you should.” -Leila had risen from the cushion on which she had been sitting. She came -up to Leslie, hand extended. “Will you not accept the hand of fellowship -and say: ‘Thank you kindly, Irish Leila, it is myself that will be -moving my trunks to Wayland Hall and be settling down in 15.’” - -Leila’s inimitable touch of brogue was irresistible to Leslie. She began -to laugh. The two who had once been implacable enemies gripped hands -with a friendly strength and fervor. It was a silent acknowledgment -that, for them, there could be nothing in future less than devoted -friendship. The deep-rooted disapproval of Leslie which Leila had not -been able to conquer until within that very hour vanished never to -return. - -It was the signal for the others to press about Leslie, shaking her -hand, each one adding some pleasant plea for her return to the Hall. -Marjorie was last of the group to clasp hands with Leslie. She merely -said, as she regarded the other girl with a bright, winsome smile: -“Won’t you please take 15, Leslie?” - -“Yes.” Leslie’s tone was steady now. “How can I do otherwise? Not only -because all of you wish me to do it. It’s best for me, though it may be -the hard way for a while. You understand what I mean.” - -“Yes. We all understand. We know what you wish most. You can make a -stronger fight for it at the Hall than if you were to live off the -campus. We’ll all stand by you.” Marjorie had taken Leslie’s other hand. -The two girls faced each other, staunch comradeship in the pose. - -“I’ll stand by myself.” Leslie’s characteristic independent spirit, -obscured by emotion, flashed forth. “Not that I shan’t like to remember -that I’ve true pals ready to fight for me. But it’s this way. Once I did -a great deal of lawless damage on the campus. Now it’s up to me to -repair it, and stand all criticisms while I’m at the repairing job.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - PLANNING MISCHIEF - - -The appearance of Leslie Cairns the next week at Wayland Hall, followed -by her trunk, temporarily drove Julia Peyton’s club ambitions far -afield. To discover that Leslie, to whom Julia liked to refer in shocked -tones to others as “that terrible Miss Cairns,” was to become a resident -once more of Wayland Hall filled her with spiteful amazement and -speculation. - -“How do you suppose she ever got in here?” was the question she most -frequently addressed to Clara Carter during the first two days following -Leslie’s return to the Hall. Neither she nor Clara had been able to -glean any information in the matter from other students at the Hall. -Wayland Hall was filling up rapidly. The upper classmen were busy -arranging their programs and looking up their friends. The entering -freshmen at the Hall were busy either with entrance examinations or -unpacking and straightening their belongings. - -To add to Julia’s disgruntlement, Doris Monroe had been back at the Hall -almost a week, yet not once had she noticed either Julia or Clara except -by the distant courtesy of a bow or salutation whenever she chanced to -encounter her two treacherous classmates. - -Doris was far too greatly delighted with the way matters had shaped -themselves for Leslie to think much of anything else. Of all the girls -Leslie had known in her lawless days Doris had been the only one who had -liked her for herself. From the day of Leslie’s reconciliation with her -father Doris and Leslie had continued their growing friendship on an -even better basis than before. At last, each of the two girls knew the -joy of claiming a real “pal.” - -Muriel had generously offered to release Doris from rooming with her, -thus leaving her free to room in 15 with Leslie. Not only did Doris -refuse to take advantage of the offer, Leslie herself would not hear to -it. “Stay where you are,” she had laughingly ordered Doris. “I’ll hang -around with both of you.” Secretly she courted the prospect of Muriel’s -enlivening company as a third in the chumship. More than once in the old -days she had reluctantly admired “Harding’s nerve.” - -When, in the course of a week, Julia learned that Leslie Cairns had -re-entered Hamilton College as a member of the senior class her surprise -at the news was soon superceded by a resentful desire to oust Leslie -from Wayland Hall. Her jealous, vengeful disposition was an inheritance -from her father, who bore the title of “Wolf Peyton” among Wall Street -brokers where his offices were situated. Added to this grave flaw of -character was her paramount will to gossip which had developed in her as -a result of being the youngest child among three grown-up married -sisters who were prone to gossip freely in her presence about friends -and acquaintances. - -For two weeks succeeding Leslie’s advent at Wayland Hall, Julia racked -her brain for a plan of malicious procedure which she might turn against -Leslie. She consulted long and darkly with Clara Carter, whose ideas -were not more feasible than her own. - -“There’s only one way to force Miss Remson to take action against Miss -Cairns,” she declared moodily to Clara one evening after dinner as the -two sat down opposite each other at their study table. - -“What’s that?” Clara closed the Horace she had just opened and fixed -expectant eyes upon Julia. - -“Start a petition against having Miss Cairns in the house and then get -the majority of students here to sign it. There’s only one trouble. We -need something specially definite to charge her with.” - -“Well, what about the Rustic Romp?” Clara instantly suggested. - -“That doesn’t amount to much.” Julia shrugged scornfully. “Besides Miss -Dean and Doris would fight for her if I started that story again. I -don’t care to have them interfering in this business. I’ll have to be -careful. I shall expect you to nominate me for president of our new -club. I’ll nominate you in return for vice-president. Caroline Phelps -has promised to propose my name for class president. I’m letting her use -my new car, you know. She ought to do something for me. However, that’s -not to the point about Miss Cairns. What I’d like to find out is just -why she was expelled from Hamilton College.” - -“I thought you _knew_!” Clara opened innocent eyes. Here was an -opportunity to nettle Julia. She seized it with avidity. “Why, it was -for hazing. How strange that you——” - -“You may think you are telling me something, but you are not.” Julia -grew emphatically rude. “I knew before ever you knew that it was for -hazing. They say she and a crowd of girls, called the Sans Soucians -Club, hazed Miss Dean. Did you know that?” she inquired, loftily -incredulous. - -“Of course I knew it. You told me that yourself, long ago.” - -“Oh.” Julia showed a slightly crestfallen air. “It doesn’t interest me,” -she continued after a moment. “I’ve heard that she would have been -expelled long before that hazing affair if it hadn’t been for her -father’s millions. What are some of the other things she did that might -warrant expulsion here? That’s what I should like to know. It’s what I’m -going to find out. She made trouble between Doris and me. Doris only -speaks to me when she can’t avoid speaking. I’ll never forgive Leslie -Cairns for that.” Julia’s voice rose angrily. - -“Sh-h-h. You are talking loudly.” Clara held up a warning hand. “Someone -passing through the hall might hear you.” - -Julia frowned, but discreetly lowered her voice. “If I can learn just -one very dishonorable thing she did before she was expelled I can start -the petition and carry it out. Most of the girls here are juniors, and -will be on our side. You see last year Doris and Augusta Forbes were at -swords’ points at class election. Doris made a great mistake when she -buried the hatchet after class election and was nice to Miss Forbes. The -girls who rooted for her, and against Miss Forbes, are not going to -forget in a hurry the way Doris went back on them. Now she is crazy -about Miss Harper and Miss Dean and that provoking Miss Harding. _She_ -always looks as though she’d like to laugh in my face every time I -happen to meet her on the campus, or in the house.” - -“I can’t endure her.” Clara was willing to agree with Julia regarding -Muriel. More than once she had vaguely detected a furtive, laughing -gleam in Muriel’s velvety brown eyes when they had chanced to meet. “I’d -love to be vice-president of our club. I’d not care to be president. You -would make a better president than I—probably.” She could not resist -delivering this one tiny thrust. - -“Naturally. I have more initiative than you.” Julia retorted -complacently. “I am more competent to manage a club than you would be. -But you generally work very nicely with me,” she allowed with -condescension. - -“I always try to, unless you are too provoking,” Clara flung back. “How -many girls at the Hall do you believe we can count upon already? I’ll -write down their names in the back of my note book.” She was determined -to show herself as extremely useful to Julia’s scheme. - -“Very well.” Julia raised dignified brows. “First put down the name of -Miss Ferguson and Miss Waters, those two freshies in 17. They are dandy -girls. I’m rather glad now that I didn’t make a fuss about the noise in -15 that night before college opened. Miss Ferguson has told me since I -met her that she heard it but was too good a sport to make a fuss. She -said she detested a fusser, a dig, a prig or a wet blanket. When she was -at Davidson Prep she said she used to cut classes and stay out after -ten-thirty. Once she and another girl went to a dinner dance in New York -without permission.” Julia forgot dignity and grew animated. “Davidson -is only a few miles from New York. They had asked permission of the -registrar and she had refused them. They went just the same, came back -at noon the next day and not a soul except the girls in the next room to -them knew they were away. Wasn’t that cunning?” - -“Rash, I should say. I imagine I might like Miss Waters better than Miss -Ferguson. She’s not so swanky and flapperish.” - -“Go ahead then, and be nice to her. It will help our cause along,” Julia -advised with simulated heartiness. She craftily avoided arguing with -Clara. Her disagreement with Doris of the previous spring had taught her -at least one virtue. She could accomplish more by craftiness than by -belligerency. She was doggedly determined upon one point—the utter -humiliation of Leslie Cairns. - -As maliciously as Leslie Cairns had once planned to humiliate Marjorie -Dean, just as strongly Julia Peyton was now arrayed against Leslie -Cairns. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - THE ONLY WAY - - -The junior class election taught Julia Peyton one unflattering truth. -She was far from popular enough to win a nomination to the class -presidency. Augusta Forbes directed her efforts, heart and soul toward -the nomination of Doris Monroe. Doris as zealously rooted for Calista -Wilmot, who had come to be greatly liked among the Hamilton students. -Calista won the nomination by a majority of five votes and was -subsequently elected president. - -Notwithstanding the fact that Julia Peyton had not “a look in” at the -presidency she was not without sympathetic support so far as a number of -the juniors at Wayland Hall were concerned. These had been the sophs of -the previous year of whom Leila Harper had signally disapproved. Then -she had rated the Hall as a house divided against itself. With the -opening again of the college she had not changed her opinion. - -Counting Leslie Cairns she could number only fourteen staunch democrats -at the Hall. There were now eight freshmen at the Hall whose politics -were yet unannounced. Of the twenty-three other residents there was but -one on whom she could rely as a neutral. This was Miss Duncan, a tall -girl with a ministerial air who had succeeded in passing the set of -“Brooke Hamilton Perfect Examination Papers” and had been awarded the -special room at Wayland Hall set aside for this purpose. It had been -vacant since Katherine Langly had attained that honor. - -Hardly had the stir attending the junior election died away when Julia -Peyton began agitating the subject of the select social sorority which -she had been impatiently waiting to organize. She and Clara had -privately decided that it should be called the “Orchid” Club—the name -typifying, in her opinion, the select and exclusive. - -Mildred Ferguson, the freshman in 17 of whom Julia had glowingly spoken -to Clara, had hailed the idea of the club with flattering enthusiasm. -She was a small, slim girl with a pair of laughing blue eyes, a bright -brown bob and a bold boyish face. She drove her own car, wore clothes of -distinctive smartness and regarded everything in the way of luxury as -having been produced for her benefit. She had had everything she fancied -from babyhood. In consequence she never paused to consider anyone except -herself. She was not interested in college except as a necessary bridge -which had to be crossed into Society. - -She soon found the poise of the post graduates at Wayland Hall not to -her taste. The Bertram girls bored her, and she stood in secret awe of -Doris Monroe and Leslie Cairns. Miss Duncan she dubbed the Eternal Dig. -She found the more artificial standards of Julia Peyton, Clara Carter -and their junior supporters more to her liking. She enjoyed having a -“stand-in” with the juniors at the Hall and professed animated interest -in the organizing of the Orchid Club. At heart she was so thoroughly -snobbish as to agree with Julia’s sentiments in regard to it. - -Due to one delay or another, it was the early part of November before -the Orchid Club, consisting of twenty-six members, held its first -meeting in the living room of the Hall, Julia having haughtily requested -the use of it from Miss Remson beforehand. To her deep satisfaction -Julia was elected president of the club. Mildred Ferguson, however, won -the vice-presidency, and with it Clara Carter’s undying resentment. - -There were no other offices to be filled. The Orchid Club was to be of a -purely social nature, with no need of a secretary or treasurer. There -was to be a dinner or luncheon twice each week at the expense of one or -another of the club members, and a monthly meeting in the living room of -the Hall. - -“The Screech Owl has gone into local politics and is now a president,” -Muriel breezily informed Leslie Cairns and Doris Monroe as she entered -Doris’s and her room late one November afternoon to find the two deep in -a discussion of psycho-analysis. - -Leslie had taken up psychology and political science, the two subjects -she had had on her senior program at the time of her expulsion from -Hamilton. Thus far, since her return to Hamilton, she had wondered at -the lack of unpleasant stir which had marked her reappearance on the -campus as a student. It seemed that she might, after all, be fated to -escape the harsh criticism which she felt would be justly her due. She -had been agreeably disappointed in that Julia Peyton had not, to her -knowledge, brought up against her as a matter of gossip the eventful -night of the Rustic Romp. - -“Julia Peyton a president?” Doris Monroe turned her blue-green eyes -amusedly upon Muriel. “Of what, may I ask?” - -“Of the Orchid Club. Isn’t that a select name. It suggests luxury, -doesn’t it? Something like the Sans—I beg your pardon, Leslie.” Muriel -checked herself, looking comically contrite. “I never think of you now -as a San,” she went on in further apology. - -“Don’t mind me,” Leslie waved off the apology. “You are exactly right in -what you just said,” she continued half grimly. “I have been keeping a -wary eye upon Miss Peyton and Miss Carter since I came to the Hall. I -fully expected they might start trouble for me. I am amazed to think -they haven’t. Leila is right, too, in saying the Hall is a house divided -against itself. It’s not our side of it, though, that has put down a -dividing line. By ‘our side’ I mean the Travelers, the Bertram girls and -Doris. This Miss Peyton isn’t the sort of menace to the Hall that I used -to be.” She smiled her slow smile. “She is like Lillian Walbert.” - -“Right-o,” Muriel agreed with emphasis. “I’d forgotten all about her. -Julia Peyton is more aggressive, though. Miss Walbert’s favorite -amusement was gossiping, just the same. Only she thought it was -automobiling.” - -Muriel broke into a merry little run of laughter, an accompaniment to -her mischievous statement regarding Lillian Walbert as a motorist. - -“She was the worst flivver at driving a car that I ever recall having -seen,” Leslie said, her black eyes twinkling reminiscently. She was not -likely to forget the many ridiculous situations in which Lillian figured -at various times and points on Hamilton Highway as a result of her -fatuous belief in herself as a driver. - -“A gossip is never anything either clever, or useful,” Doris Monroe -observed with disdainful wisdom. “Julia Peyton is really quite stupid. -She isn’t consistent, even in her villainy. She never sticks to one -story. This isn’t intended as back-biting. I told her as much last -spring. It is too bad she happened to be the one you tripped up with -your umbrella, Leslie, at the Romp last spring. But I wouldn’t let it -worry me. Julia Peyton always over-reaches herself. If I should chance -to hear any spiteful remarks from her of you—” Doris paused, smiling -with dangerous sweetness. - -“Goldie to the rescue. Thank you, good pal.” Leslie flashed her a -grateful glance. “I can fight my own fights. I’m not exactly crazy to -get into the limelight here at the Hall, on my father’s account. Still, -I am not an ex-student who came back a doormat,” she declared with dry -significance. - -She rose, smiled her slow smile at her companions and walked to the -door. “See you later,” she nodded. She opened the door and was gone. - -“Oh, goodness.” Muriel collapsed into a chair, self-vexation plainly -evident on her pretty features. “I shouldn’t have made that slip about -the Sans. I am afraid I’ve hurt Leslie’s feelings.” - -“No, you haven’t.” Doris shook a positive head. “I know Leslie better -than you. She’s worried about something; probably about Miss Remson. She -is afraid, that, if Miss Peyton should begin gossiping about her, Miss -Remson might be blamed for admitting her again to the Hall to board. -That’s why I just said to her that I’d fight for her.” - -“So will Miss Remson. She can fight her own battles, and Leslie’s too,” -was Muriel’s quick assurance. - -In Room 15 Leslie was at that moment dejectedly considering the very -contingency Doris had mentioned to Muriel. Out of her long leadership of -the Sans Soucians she had derived at least one benefit. She had learned -to read character with surprising accuracy. A few days residence at -Wayland Hall had put her in possession of the knowledge that Mildred -Ferguson, rather than Julia Peyton, was the real promoter of the Orchid -Club. Leslie had taken reflective stock of the self-assured -smartly-attired freshman. Julia would be the club president in name -only. Mildred would be the real power behind the throne. Mildred -reminded her of Lola Elster, an ingrate whom she had boosted to campus -popularity in the old days. Lola had had one commendable trait, however. -She had ever tended strictly to her own affairs. Nor could any one -persuade her to join any kind of campus conspiracy. She had “played -safe” invariably to a disloyal degree. Mildred resembled her only in -point of selfishness. - -Leslie shrewdly rated Mildred as quarrel-seeking and gossiping, provided -she might gain by adopting such a course. She was more formidable than -Julia because she had a deceiving, attractive air of good-fellowship -which she kept well over her hard, self-seeking nature. - -What Leslie longed now to do was to make friendly overtures to Mildred -before she should succeed in egging shallow, spiteful Julia Peyton on to -“stir up a big fuss at the Hall.” Leslie was satirically confident that -she could, if she should try, quickly and effectually grow chummy with -Mildred because of Peter Cairns’ millions. She could soon influence -Mildred to desert Julia’s banner and enlist under hers. Mildred had -already exhibited calculating signs of friendliness toward her. - -Leslie somberly considered the idea from all sides, and shook a stern -head. That was the easy way; the way made possible by money. It was the -way she had always taken in the past. It had invariably brought her -chagrin and failure. Now the rocky road of democracy must be her choice. -Already she foresaw a condition of snobbery sprouting at the Hall which -was similar to the one which Marjorie Dean had once fought to uproot. - -“You are in for trouble, Cairns II,” she said aloud. “You can’t go -placidly along about what you think is your business. Your business is -to stand up for democracy—the way Marjorie Dean has always stood up for -it. This Orchid crowd is going to give an imitation of the Sans at the -Hall. I can see that. They need a change of policy. I’ll have to try to -supply it—in the right way.” She laughed mirthlessly. “The right way” -promised to be a rocky road indeed. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - THE GREAT AND ONLY BIRTHDAY GIFT - - -Thanksgiving that year proved memorable enough to the Sanford girls. -They had cheerfully decided against going home for the holidays and -devoting themselves to the entertainment of the dormitory girls. Pending -the completion of the dormitory the Hamilton College Bulletin had -already announced the glad tidings of its advantages. As a result twice -as many young women had applied for admission to the college that year -and had arrived at Hamilton campus to be numbered with the colony of -off-campus students who were living in the town of Hamilton at dormitory -rates until the Brooke Hamilton Dormitory should be ready for occupancy. - -On the day before Thanksgiving the Sanford girls had been ordered by -Miss Susanna Hamilton to be ready to go to the station with her when she -should stop for them at the western gates of the campus in her car at -precisely one o’clock in the afternoon. - -They had obeyed her mandate and gone with her to the station there to -behold Mr. and Mrs. Dean, Mr. and Mrs. Macy, and Hal, Mr. and Mrs. -Harding, Mrs. Warner, and the two Misses Archer, Ronny’s aunts, step -beaming off the one-five train from the north. Leila, Vera, Kathie, -Doris Monroe, Robin, Phil and Barbara and Leslie Cairns had also been -invited to the largest house party that Hamilton Arms had ever seen -invade its stately doors. Leslie’s joy had soared to dizzy heights when -the first person she had spied at the Arms was her father, standing -bare-headed on the veranda, waiting for her. - -Following Thanksgiving and the delightful season of merry-making at the -Arms the Travelers found December flying and Christmas approaching with -astonishing rapidity. This time the Sanford girls went to Sanford for -Christmas, taking Miss Susanna and their six Traveler chums with them. -Leslie and Doris spent Christmas in New York with Peter Cairns, a vastly -merrier and happier Christmas than they had spent in the metropolis the -previous year. - -There had been no need for any of the original chapter of Travelers to -remain on the campus, there to oversee the making of a merry Christmas -for the dormitory students. The senior “dorms” had become thoroughly -competent in the matter of providing Christmas amusement for the -off-campus dormitory colony. During the month of December, Leila, -Kathie, Robin and Phillys Moore had applied themselves zealously to the -pleasant task of arranging a couple of one-act plays and various other -interesting entertainments. They had, as a consequence, embarked on -their trip to Sanford with a pleasant sense of work well done. - -Leslie Cairns, of all the Travelers, had perhaps felt most sincerely the -true spirit of Christmas. Never before in her life had she quite -understood the meaning of “Peace on earth, good will toward men.” Even -as a child she had not enjoyed the ineffably beautiful comradeship that -now existed between herself and her father. He in turn was fondly proud -of her fine spirit of resolution. She confided to him her determination -to try to do her part toward keeping up the spirit of democracy which -the original Travelers had fought so gallantly to establish and -maintain. - -“There’s only one drawback to it all, Peter the Great,” she had said to -her father during one of their firelight confabs. “If this crowd of -snobs at the Hall should start on me for anything I may feel it right to -do, contrary to their ideas, it would be bound to reflect upon you. That -is, if these girls should drag up that hazing business against me. You’d -be criticized, maybe, for not bringing me up with a stern hand, and all -that sort of talk. But I’ve struck a certain gait, Peter, and I’m going -to keep it. Maybe I’m borrowing trouble. Maybe the blow I’m always -dreading may never fall.” - -It was in such spirit that Leslie returned to the campus after the -holidays. On the afternoon of her return to Wayland Hall she was -notified by Leila that a hope chest party which the Travelers had -planned as a surprise for Marjorie was to take place that night at -Hamilton Arms. Since early in the fall the hope chest party had been in -the offing. - -During the previous summer each of Marjorie’s Traveler chums had picked -out a gift which was to go in a special carved rosewood chest which Miss -Susanna had been hoarding for her favorite. Leila had brought Marjorie a -wonderful package of fine Irish table linen. Vera had selected a frock -of rose-pattern Irish lace. Ronny’s gift was an amethyst necklace in an -old Peruvian setting. Each of the others had searched faithfully to find -a gift which she considered worthy of the girl who had long been their -leader. - -It had been left to Miss Susanna to name the date of the party. She had -named the fifth of January as the date, though none of the Travelers -knew why. - -“It’s a case of hustle off the train, flee for the campus, gobble one’s -dinner and be off again merry-making,” Muriel declared animatedly as the -hope chest partly stepped out into the starlight after dinner that -evening and set buoyantly off across the campus for a jolly hike. - -Jerry and Leila had been intrusted with the combined offerings of the -surprise party and had preceded the others to the Arms in Leila’s car. -They had been instructed by their companions to park the car just inside -the gates in the shadow where Miss Susanna had ordered George, the -stable man, to be on hand to look after the car and its precious -contents. According to a mysterious plan of Leila’s, which she -laughingly refused to divulge, the presents were to make an appearance -considerably later in the evening. - -After dinner at the Arms that evening Jonas had managed to disappear and -Miss Susanna had innocently requested, “Go to the door, child. Will you -please?” when the clang of the old-time knocker rang out resonantly. - -Willingly constituting herself doorkeeper in Jonas’s absence Marjorie -opened the door and was immediately swept into the great reception hall -on a buoyant tide of youthfully exhilarated chums. - -“Why, whatever is the matter?” Miss Susanna appeared in the open door of -the library trying hard to look shocked by the noise. Her small face was -full of gleeful mischief over having thus taken Marjorie quite off her -guard. - -“Yes, whatever is the matter?” Marjorie made one of her open-armed -rushes at the old lady. “You can see for yourself now. You dear -Goldendede.” She hugged Miss Susanna. “How did you know I needed a -surprise party more than anything else?” - -“Oh, this isn’t your party,” chuckled Miss Hamilton. “I only allowed you -to be surprised. This is my party. Today,” she tilted her head sideways -at a bird-like angle, “is my birthday. Now don’t smother—” - -Her warning was lost in the jolly concerted shout that went up from the -surprise guests. They surrounded her, hemmed her in; kissed her until -her face was rosy. Jerry even threatened to administer a birthday -whipping. It was the one thing which the girls had long been curious to -find out. Miss Susanna had steadily refused to divulge her birth date -even to Marjorie. - -“And we haven’t a single present for you,” wailed Vera regretfully. - -“So much the better. There’s nothing I need except more love. I’m rich -in that, by the Grace of God.” Miss Susanna had emerged from the -affectionate wooling she had received, radiantly smiling. - -Then began one of the delightful evenings, which, instead of being few -and far between, were now frequent occurrences in the contented life of -the once pessimistic mistress of the Arms. As it neared nine o’clock -Leila announced that she had a fine stirring song to sing and invited -Robin to vacate the piano stool. - -“Miss Susanna may have heard this gem. I am sure the rest of you have -not,” she declared with beaming smiles. “It is called ‘Wait for the -Wagon.’ It is a deeply significant song.” She turned to the piano and -began a jerky little prelude which Phil said sounded exactly like the -jolting of a wagon. Leila then lifted up her voice in a creaky -old-fashioned tune which convulsed her listeners. - -She sang two verses amid ripples of laughter. Nothing dismayed by the -laughing derision accorded her vocal efforts she vigorously began a -third. Then something happened. Down the hall outside came the -approaching squeak of wheels. The laughter rose to a mild shout as Jonas -appeared in the doorway, pulling after him a good-sized toy express -wagon piled high with fancy-wrapped, be-ribboned bundles. Strangely -enough each package was tied with pale violet satin ribbon. He trundled -the wagon into the room and to where Marjorie sat, winsome and laughing, -saying: “Miss Susanna says that she has the birthday, but you may have -the presents.” - -“Oh! Why! I don’t need any!” Marjorie exclaimed, looking abashed. “It’s -not my birthday.” - -“No, but you’ve a wedding day coming,” Miss Susanna said, matter-of-fact -and smiling, “and a hope chest, too. Go and bring it, Jonas. Open your -hope gifts, child, and be glad your friends aren’t stingy.” In spite of -her prosaic tone there was a tender gleam in her bright brown eyes. - -She lost it immediately and began to laugh at Jonas who turned solemnly -and trundled the wagon into the hall and out of sight. He came creaking -back again soon with the beautiful rosewood chest. - -Surrounded by a love knot of friends, Marjorie opened package after -package, smiling at first, but tenderly tearful toward the last. She was -especially touched by Jonas’s gift to her of a gorgeous Chinese vase -which Brooke Hamilton had given him and which had been one of his few -treasures. She also dropped two or three tears on an exquisite jade -figure which Leslie Cairns had given her. She understood it to be a -reminder of the momentous afternoon when she had worn the jade frock and -they had gone together to President Matthews’ office. - -When she had opened, loved and exclaimed over the last gift, a -hand-embroidered lunch cloth from Kathie, every stitch of which had been -taken by her patient fingers, she turned from the library table, now -gaily blossoming with her riches, and opened both arms in a gesture of -endearment. - -“I haven’t any words dear enough to tell you in how much I love you, and -thank you,” she said. “I only know I do. It seems to me my life has been -nothing but a succession of glorious surprises. I think I’ve been given -so much more than my share of love and happiness.” - -A chorus of fond dissent greeted her earnestly humble words. - -“Sh-h. That’s only half of my speech.” She held up a playfully -admonishing finger. “The other half is about Miss Susanna. It’s -something I’ve been wishing to ask her a long time. Because she has -loved me in the same way Captain and General have loved me I have the -courage to ask this great favor. Captain and General know I am going to -ask it. So does Hal. Please, Goldendede, dear Goldendede, may Hal and I -be married at the Arms on Mr. Brooke’s birthday?” - -“_May you?_” Miss Susanna got up from her chair and came straight to -Marjorie. On her small, keen face shone the light of a great devotion. -“May you?” she repeated. “How could you know, child, that this was what -I wished for most. I never dared mention it to you. It seemed so selfish -in me. You’ve given me the great and only birthday present.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE - - -“At last I’ve discovered what I’ve been dying to find out!” Julia Peyton -burst into the room occupied by herself and Clara Carter, her black, -moon-like eyes full of excitement. - -“Have you?” Clara made an elaborate pretense of indifference. She kept -her eyes fastened on the book before her on the study table. She was -thoroughly peeved with Julia for having gone across the hall to see -Mildred Ferguson at least an hour before. - -Julia had returned to Hamilton on the previous afternoon. Clara had not -returned, however, until that afternoon. She thought Julia might have -shown more interest in seeing her. Instead, she had hurried to Mildred -Ferguson’s room directly after dinner on the plea of consulting with -Mildred about the Orchid Club’s next luncheon. - -“Oh, drop your book, and listen to me.” Julia sat down on the edge of -her couch bed with an impatient bounce. - -“Why should I? You haven’t stopped to consider me?” Clara retorted, -frost in her tones. “But it doesn’t matter. Please say what you wish. I -am interested in this story. I began it on the train and I’m anxious to -finish it tonight. I shan’t have time to-morrow.” - -“Oh, bother your old story!” Julia exclaimed. “You are simply peeved. -The story I have to tell you is a good deal more interesting than the -one you’re reading. I have just heard the true story of Leslie Cairns. -What do you think of that?” Julia was full of malicious elation. - -“True story?” Clara returned interrogatively. She refused to let -curiosity interfere with her miffed assumption of dignity. - -“Yes, the true story of how she led the girls she chummed with into a -hazing party and then tried to lay the whole thing to them so as to save -herself from being expelled. That’s the sort of person _she_ is.” - -“I suppose Mildred Ferguson told you all this,” Clara said coolly. -“Where did she find out so much? How do you know what she says is true?” - -“She found out about Miss Cairns from a cousin. The cousin was one of -the girls who chummed with Miss Cairns, and who was with the hazing -party. I believe every word of what she told me.” Julia crested her head -in displeased defiance of Clara. - -“Mm-m.” Clara unbent a trifle. “Who is her cousin? When did she hear -about Miss Cairns? Off the campus, I believe. I’ve never found anyone on -the campus who knew the rights of that hazing business. They say Miss -Dean knows. She ought to, since she was the student those girls hazed. -She’d never tell anyone a word about it, though.” - -“She may keep her information,” shrugged Julia scornfully. “I know more -about it now, perhaps, than she does. I mean, I know the Cairns side of -it. You see Mildred’s cousin is a very rich girl named Dulcie Vale. She -is a society favorite, but she was a senior at Hamilton when it all -happened.” - -“Then she must have been expelled from Hamilton, too.” Clara put in half -contemptuously. “All those San Soucians were expelled.” - -“She was not,” Julia emphasized, frowning. “She left Hamilton before it -happened because she knew that Leslie Cairns had betrayed the whole -crowd of girls by being too confidential with another student named Miss -Walbert, who was noted on the campus as a tale-bearer and gossip.” - -“I thought they were _all_ expelled,” Clara persisted obstinately. - -“Miss Vale was _not_.” Julia showed signs of becoming exasperated. -“Please listen to me, Clara. This is very important for you to know. -That is, if you care to do your part toward making Wayland Hall a house -free from such derogatory influences as Miss Cairns is bound sooner or -later to exert.” - -“That’s one way of putting it.” Clara laid aside her book. Her pale blue -eyes shot sparks of resentment at Julia. “I happen to know you a little -better than anyone else here knows you.” - -“Of course you do.” Julia controlled her temper with an effort. She was -more anxious to tell Clara what she had heard about Leslie than she was -to squabble with Clara. “That’s precisely why I am trying to give you my -confidence,” she explained, with pretended warmth. - -“Hm-m. Go ahead, then.” Somewhat mollified, Clara gave in. She had -defeated her curiosity several times. Now she decided to gratify it. - -“Mildred’s mother is Dulcie Vale’s aunt,” Julia began with impressive -alacrity. “The Vale family held a re-union in New York this year over -New Year’s. Dulcie’s father is the president of the L., T. and M. -Railroad, and is worth a lot of money. But not as much as Miss Cairns’ -father is worth. Dulcie and Mildred met at the re-union. They hadn’t -seen each other for almost four years. Mildred thought Dulcie was a -Vassar graduate. She was surprised to hear that Dulcie had attended -Hamilton. Dulcie was surprised to know that Mildred was a Hamilton -freshman. She began asking Mildred all sorts of questions about the -campus and Wayland Hall.” - -Julia paused to take breath, then continued with relish: “Mildred said -Dulcie positively went up in the air when she heard that Leslie Cairns -was back at Hamilton. Then she started in and told Mildred the whole -story of the whole time she and Miss Cairns were at Hamilton together. -Mildred said she couldn’t begin to remember all Dulcie told her against -Miss Cairns. For one thing Miss Cairns hired a coach to teach her team a -lot of dishonest basket ball tricks. Then she tried to make the other -girls on the team, who were all Sans, learn them. Dulcie was on the -team. She absolutely refused to do a thing that was unfair in the game. -That made Leslie Cairns angry with her. After that they were never -friendly again, but Dulcie stood a good many things because she wanted -to be loyal to the Sans. - -“Then Miss Cairns ran Miss Langly down, speeding on Hamilton Pike. She -tried to pretend it was another motorist who had done it. She had to own -up to it, though. She had to go before Prexy, and was nearly expelled -that time.” - -“How did they haze Miss Dean? Did Miss Vale say?” Clara was in hopes of -hearing what she longed to discover. - -“Oh, they dressed up in dominos and masks and walked Miss Dean around -the campus two or three times. It was on Valentine’s night. That’s the -junior masquerade night, you know. Then they were going to let her go, -but Leslie Cairns said they shouldn’t. She and three or four of the Sans -took Miss Dean to an empty house and locked her in it. Dulcie and most -of the others went straight back to the gym to the dance.” - -“Then they shouldn’t have been expelled,” Clara declared stolidly. “They -should have been able to clear themselves.” - -“None of the Sans would have been expelled if Miss Cairns had been loyal -to them. She told this Miss Walbert about it, and that Dulcie was to -blame for the whole thing. Miss Walbert told every girl she knew on the -campus. The story went on till the faculty got hold of it. Somehow it -was reported to Prexy. Dulcie found out from his secretary, who was her -friend, that Prexy was going to bring the Sans on the carpet for hazing. -She went to Leslie and warned her to be on her guard. Leslie said she -had been telling tales. She set the other Sans against Dulcie, and they -treated her so outrageously she had a nervous collapse, and had to leave -college. She wrote President Matthews a lovely letter before she left, -saying how sorry she was to have to leave Hamilton. It must have -impressed him greatly.” Julia rolled her moon-like eyes. “He sent for -Leslie Cairns soon afterward. Then she turned against her chums and the -upshot was that they were all expelled. Only she didn’t expect that she -would be. Do you consider such a girl a good influence at the Hall? I -don’t.” She replied to her own question with vindictive stress. - -“But suppose this Dulcie Vale hadn’t told the truth?” Clara did not like -Mildred. She was therefore ready to doubt the integrity of Mildred’s -cousin. - -“She’s told it nearly enough so that we know what happened,” Julia -maintained in a slightly sullen tone. “Besides we aren’t going to put -everything I’ve just told you in the petition. We shall simply base the -petition upon what we know.” - -“Hm-m.” Clara vented her favorite satiric ejaculation. “You’ll have to -show the girls in the club, or else they will refuse to sign it. You -can’t simply state in it that Leslie Cairns is an undesirable person to -have at the Hall. You’ll have to substantiate your accusations.” - -“You must think we are infants. What makes you so snippy, Clara Carter? -We have arranged for everything. The girls in the Orchid Club will sign -the petition after Mildred goes before them at a special meeting. Dulcie -Vale is going to send Mildred a tabulated account of Leslie Cairns’ -doings here. She will read it out to the club. Then I think they will be -ready to sign the petition. After that—” Julia curled a confident lip. -“The majority rules, you know. We are twenty-six against twenty. At -least half a dozen of that twenty will not take sides. That makes it a -matter of only fourteen against twenty-six.” - -“Miss Remson will fight against making Miss Cairns leave the Hall. She -seems to like her. It seems queer to me that Miss Remson would take her -back again, and be so sweet to her. And Miss Dean and her crowd! Miss -Cairns is awfully chummy with them.” Deep within Clara a stubborn doubt -had risen as to the feasibility of Julia’s vengeful scheme. - -It had begun to form before Christmas as a result of Julia’s crush on -Mildred. Clara had sulked matters out alone. As a result she had freed -herself to a certain extent from Julia’s spiteful influence. And the -beneficial result of frequent hours spent alone was a general pulling-up -in her classes and a lack of impulse to gossip, since she had not Julia -to gossip with. She was beginning to lean toward a more charitable state -of mind though she had not yet discovered it. - -“Miss Remson may fuss all she pleases about the petition. We shall -appeal to Prexy and demand justice.” - -“How do you suppose Miss Cairns got back on the campus?” Clara laughed a -trifle scornfully. “By Prexy’s permission, of course. Of what use then -to appeal to him? You’d best let well enough alone. You’ll never win. I -am saying it to you for your own good, Julia.” - -“Much obliged, I’m sure.” Julia was now thoroughly incensed. “I don’t in -the least understand you, Clara. I do know this. We shall win. We are -prepared to take it even above Prexy’s head, and to the College Board. -We shall have our parents take up the matter, if necessary. You were in -sympathy with us at first. Now—” She sprang up from the couch and walked -to the door, her black eyes smouldering with anger. “All I’ll ask of you -is not to repeat what I’ve just said. You must do as you think wise -about signing the petition.” She went out the door, closing it after her -with a sharp little bang. - -“Julia had best let well enough alone,” Clara repeated aloud as she -resumed her book. “She’ll never win.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - - A BRAVE RESOLVE - - -“The Orchid Club is most certainly in an enthusiastic state,” Vera Mason -remarked tranquilly as she raised her eyes from a bit of difficult Greek -prose and listened to the faint, concerted sounds of applause that -ascended in waves from behind the closed doors of the living room. - -“A regular gale of glee,” Leila spoke with a faint touch of good-humored -satire. “What is it that calls for such applause, I wonder?” - -“We shall never know.” Vera made a gesture of resigned futility. “Their -worthy president has forgotten how much she objected to our -demonstrations of joy in 15 last year. They are making a great deal more -noise than ever we made.” - -“They are welcome to make it. Shut up in the living room, they are at -least out of mischief.” Leila promptly forgot the demonstrative -assemblage below stairs in the writing of a stirring scene in the -“melodramer” she had long promised Robin and Marjorie she should one day -write. She had named it “The Fatal Message,” and it abounded in scenes, -villains and thrilling situations to a ludicrous extent. The hero’s name -was Rupert and the heroine’s Madelene. The greater part of the stage -scenery belonging to Leila’s theatrical paraphernalia divided the lovers -throughout the play until they met in the palatial drawing room of -Madelene’s long-lost millionaire father in the last scene of the fifth -act. - -As usual Augusta Forbes had been selected for the heroic part of Rupert. -Gentleman Gus had acquired great glory as a portrayer of male roles. -Because the Hamilton girls loved to see her grace the stage in her -golden beauty, Doris Monroe had been selected to play the part of -Madelene. In ministerial-appearing Miss Duncan, Leila had also -discovered a treasure. Miss Duncan had proved upon acquaintance to be as -humorous and jolly as she seemed staid and severe. She had confessed a -longing to swank about the stage in male attire and had covered herself -with glory as Henry the Fifth in three scenes from the splendid play -which had been given at a “Shakesperian Show” managed by Page and Dean. - -“Shut up in the living room,” however, the Orchid Club were hardly -verifying Leila’s light supposition. A week had passed since Julia -Peyton had triumphantly boasted to Clara Carter that she had found the -means she had been seeking to drive Leslie Cairns from Wayland Hall. All -she and Mildred Ferguson lacked toward starting the ball of injustice -rolling was the promised tabulated list from Dulcie Vale. - -Dulcie had not seen Leslie since the two girls had been students at -Hamilton. She had known herself to be so thoroughly despised by Leslie -and the other Sans for her treachery toward them that she had preferred -to keep at a distance from them. She had once met and greeted Joan Myers -and had received a snubbing which she never forgot. In her heart she had -the same old envious dislike for Leslie as in the days on Hamilton -campus when she had resented Leslie’s undeniable sway over the Sans. - -During the interval of more than two years which had elapsed since the -downfall of the San Soucians at Hamilton College, Dulcie Vale had not -improved either in wisdom or truth. She had the same lack of regard for -the truth as ever. When she had discovered at the Vale’s New Year’s -re-union that Mildred Ferguson was a student at Hamilton, and had also -learned to her nettled amazement that Leslie Cairns had by some means or -other managed to return to Hamilton, she immediately planned mischief. -She was as ready to drag Leslie down into the dust of humiliation as -ever. - -It was with malicious pleasure that she set to work on the tabulated -list of Leslie’s misdeeds the day following the re-union. She spent the -greater part of three days composing and arranging the list, then mailed -it to Mildred with satisfaction. It had arrived in the afternoon mail of -the previous day and the Orchid Club had been notified to a member to be -on hand at eight o’clock in the living room of the Hall on the next -evening. - -Julia and Mildred had spent the entire evening previous to that of the -meeting in drawing up the fateful petition. Due to Mildred’s selfish -ability to steer conveniently clear of snags, the petition was worded so -cleverly as to carry the effect of a protest against deep injury -reluctantly stated. It began: - -“We, the undersigned do hereby make plea for a condition of affairs at -Wayland Hall which shall be in entire harmony with the ideals and -traditions of Hamilton College.” - -Followed in “the interests of truth and honor” a dignified protest -against Leslie Cairns’ presence at the Hall. The petition ended with the -crafty assurance that three representatives from among the objectors -were prepared to state in private conference with Miss Remson their -objections to Leslie Cairns as a resident of Wayland Hall. - -While Julia Peyton had a known grievance against Leslie, Mildred also -had one, though it was less tangible. She had shrewdly estimated Leslie -at sight as a person of some consequence. She had accordingly decided to -cultivate Leslie’s acquaintance. She had met with a peculiar kind of -defeat. She had all of a sudden understood that Leslie understood her. -She sensed as clearly as though it had been said to her that Leslie had -quickly plumbed her soul and discovered her ignoble motive for making -friendly advances. On this very account she felt aggressive toward -Leslie, as is the way with persons of small nature. She was quite -content with Julia’s determination to shame Leslie. - -Mildred had chosen to read out Dulcie Vale’s list to the members of the -club. This to Julia’s only half concealed disappointment. She had -allotted the reading of the petition to Julia, who had accepted the -minor honor somewhat distantly. The reading of the petition evoked far -more applause than did Dulcie’s letter, which was gratifying to Julia. -She took the credit for its composition though Mildred had dictated its -policy. - -As a matter of fact the members of the Orchid Club were rather horrified -at the list of offenses Dulcie had tabulated against Leslie. The -psychological effect produced upon the company by the reading of the -list was decidedly unpleasant. They were a thoughtless, pleasure-loving -group of girls with undoubted snobbish tendencies. They were not in any -sense embued with the spirit of lawlessness which had brought the Sans -to grief. Nevertheless the list served its purpose to the extent that -the majority of the club were in instant favor of presenting the -petition to Miss Remson. - -There were a few faint-hearted objections to the proposal from four or -five girls who presented the arguments that Miss Cairns had powerful -friends at the Hall in the post graduates, that Miss Remson would fight -for Leslie and that Prexy might be a good friend of Miss Cairns’ father. -These arguments were energetically swept aside by Julia and Mildred, who -made mysterious promises to take the matter “higher” with the surety of -receiving justice from the College Board should both Miss Remson and -Prexy prove partial. - -“In the face of all Miss Cairns has done against the traditions and -rules of Hamilton it would be _nothing but partiality_ for President -Matthews to refuse to honor our petition.” Julia had risen to argue as -eloquently against Leslie as a district attorney might have against a -murderer. “If he should do this then we must come out boldly and accuse -him of partiality. We shall have our parents write letters of protest to -him, and to the Board.” - -While her hearers were not altogether satisfied with her arguments -neither were they pleased to have Leslie at the Hall. They had the -innate tendency of well-bred girls toward the keeping of honorable -company which in other circumstances might have been commendable. - -It was Mildred, however, who put the final touch to Julia’s harangue. -“Oh, what is the use of being afraid to sign that petition?” she -demanded, her blue eyes laughing scorn at her clubmates. It was the one -thing needed to decide them against Leslie. “What harm can it do you? -Haven’t you a right to the courage of your convictions? You can’t be -executed, you know, for signing. Incidentally we may win. Think it over, -then start at the left and come up to the table and sign. But take your -chairs again. We have other business to transact before the close of the -meeting.” - -Leslie, coming in later from a little expedition of her own, encountered -the chattering throng of girls as it poured into the hall from the -living room. In crossing the hall to the stairs she was curiously aware -of a stir among the chatterers which she could not but lay to her -appearance among them. She bade the students nearest to her a reserved -good evening and hurried on up the stairs feeling vexed with herself for -the odd premonition which had flashed through her mind of the approach -of something disagreeable. She shook off the feeling, impatiently -attributing it to the constant expectation of being harshly criticised -which she unwillingly harbored. - -Since the beginning of her senior year Leslie had quietly interested -herself in the poor of the town of Hamilton. Her program of only two -subjects gave her ample time to look about her. She had more money than -she could possibly spend. She no longer cared about spending it like -water for fancied costly luxuries. Her idea of charity consisted in -buying a car full of groceries and necessities, then driving around -among the needy families in the lower part of the town and making them -happy. She never stopped to inquire whether they were worthy. She simply -gave as her sympathies directed. Already she had planned, that, when she -and Peter the Great should come to live at Carden Hedge, she would ask -him to establish some sort of industry in South Hamilton which should -provide work for the poor there at a living wage. - -The day following the meeting Leslie came to a grim conclusion that -“something must be stirring” against her among her housemates. It was -the first time since her advent at the Hall that she had noticed -anything so general as the peculiarly disapproving aloofness which -showed itself among the tables full of girls as she went into the dining -room to breakfast. By night she had become convinced of her suspicion. -She set her jaws and brought an intrepid spirit to bear upon the -threatening situation. Whatever it might be she would not go whining -with it to Miss Remson. She would not run out to meet calamity, either. -But, if calamity came, she would walk bravely out to meet it, alone. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - A SURPRISE FOR THE ORCHID CLUB - - -“Please, Miss Leslie, Miss Remson says will you come to her room and -bring Miss Monroe with you? She’d like to see you right away.” Annie -beamed her whole-hearted regard upon Leslie, to whom she was indebted -for various pleasant gratuities. - -“I’ll be with her in ten minutes. Miss Monroe has gone out to mail a -letter. She’ll be back directly.” Leslie closed the door upon Annie’s -retreating back with slow reflectiveness. “I wonder,” she murmured: “I -wonder.” - -“Miss Remson just sent Annie for us,” she said to Doris as the latter -entered, her perfect face in charming relief against the dark bear’s fur -collar of her coat. Her head was bare and her hair was massed gold in -the lamplight. - -“For us?” Doris lifted her dark brows. “Why?” - -“Don’t know. I think I’m due to hear something unpleasant,” Leslie -returned with frowning conviction. “I saw it coming this morning.” - -“Saw what coming?” Doris looked concerned. “I mean, what did you see?” - -Leslie explained as well as she could. “I can’t kick, you know. Here it -is, January, and I’ve had smooth sailing. But I’m going to hit the -rocks, I guess. The question is: Who supplied the rocks, and how big are -they?” Leslie finished with mocking humor. - -“If you really are correct in your suspicion, Leslie, you can blame -Julia Peyton for the whole thing,” Doris spoke with anxious warmth. “She -supplied the rocks, if there are any. But she is so untruthful, no one -will take her word long for anything. She has probably woven a weird -tale about the Rustic Romp. I’ll soon put a stop to it if I can find out -what she has said.” - -“It may not be that at all.” Leslie shook her head. “It’s more apt to be -something I did when I was on the campus before. I did so many things I -shouldn’t have done. She may have happened to unearth one of them. -Well,” unconsciously Leslie squared her shoulders, “let’s go and see.” - -“Come in, girls.” To their surprise Doris and Leslie found Miss Remson -standing in the door of her upstairs sitting room, evidently on watch -for them. She beckoned the girls into the room and closed the door -quickly. - -“There,” she declared, “I am as well pleased to have no one see you. I -am so angry. Gr—r—r!” The little woman accompanied the growl with a -violent shake of the head. “I know you’d prefer me to be direct, Leslie. -Read this.” She handed Leslie a folded paper. “Then we’ll talk.” - -Leslie unfolded the sheet, scanned it eagerly, then passed it on to -Doris with a bitter little laugh. “Here’s the rock,” she said. “It’s a -big one.” - -“Outrageous!” Doris cried out indignantly, letting the fateful petition -flutter to the floor. - -Leslie picked it up and re-read it. “No one is to blame but myself,” she -asserted doughtily. “I’ll not have you annoyed, Miss Remson, by anything -I’m responsible for. I’ll leave the Hall tomorrow and go back to the -Hamilton House. At least I’ve Prexy’s permission to finish my course -here.” - -“You’ll _not_ leave the Hall, Leslie. Such a contemptible thing for a -crowd of girls to do,” Miss Remson’s eyes showed an angry sparkle. - -“Not half so bad as the things I——” - -“Now, now, Leslie. This is the present, you know.” Miss Remson said -soothingly. “That petition is only the beginning. Read this. But, first, -glance at the signature.” She tendered Leslie a thicker fold of paper. - -“Dulcie Vale!” Leslie’s voice rose in astonishment as she scanned the -well-remembered signature: “Dulciana Maud Vale.” “Now I begin to -understand what it’s all about. Please, pardon me, both of you, while I -give Dulcie’s latest outbreak the once-over. ‘The Leslie Cairns’ List,’” -she read out. “That’s exactly like Dulcie Vale, the little stupid.” - -Miss Remson waited silently for Leslie to read the several sheets of -typed paper. At last she glanced up with a laugh of satirical amusement. -“Dulcie must have hired a stenographer to type this. She never typed it -herself,” was her characteristically unexpected comment. “Here is a full -account of the crimes of Cairns, Doris. Only Dulcie has tied the truth -up in an awful snarl. Read about me in this monograph. If you are still -my friend after you read it, you deserve a friendship medal.” - -“That petition was handed to me last night after the meeting in the -living room,” Miss Remson said. “I read it, and went to Miss Peyton -before the ten-thirty bell rang. Her name heads the list, you see. I -suspected her as being at the bottom of the trouble. I told her very -sternly that I should expect to meet her committee of three next day at -noon in my office. Today at noon Miss Ferguson came to my office with a -great pretence of dignity. She brought with her this outrageous piece of -spite work,” she indicated the list Doris was perusing, her beautiful -face utterly impassive. - -“She said she would prefer me to read the list she handed me, then she, -Miss Peyton and Miss Waters would meet me in conference. At first I -thought of handing the list and petition back to her with a lecture. -Instead, I accepted the list and said that I would take up the matter -with them in three days. As yet I had nothing to say. They went away. -There was nothing else for them to do.” Miss Remson’s lips tightened. - -“Once upon a time, Leslie,” she continued, “Ronny Lynne and I held a -meeting in the living room. You remember why.” - -“Yes, I remember.” Leslie flushed. “I wish I had been wise enough to -profit by the experience of that evening.” - -Miss Remson referred to the eventful evening during Leslie’s sophomore -year at Hamilton when she had called a meeting in the living room of -Wayland Hall in order to see justice done to Marjorie Dean. Leslie had -then been the prime mover in an unworthy attempt to traduce Marjorie -which had ended in deserved defeat for Leslie. - -“Forgive me for mentioning it.” The little manager flashed Leslie a -smile of stanch friendship. “History may repeat itself. I wish you would -leave this matter entirely to me, Leslie. Think nothing further of it. -Don’t consider leaving the Hall. This report of you compiled by Dulcie -Vale is grossly untrue.” - -“It is, of course, garbled. It’s an entirely different story of the -hazing than the one she wrote in the letter to President Matthews. That -was our finish at Hamilton. Dulcie ought to do well writing fiction.” In -the midst of her dejection Leslie could not refrain from this humorous -thrust at Dulcie. - -“It’s too bad, Leslie.” Doris looked up from the papers in her hand, her -tone one of affection. “You are doing your best to make up for what you -once did that wasn’t honorable. We all make plenty of mistakes. Only it -takes a brave person to go back and try to retrieve them. I’ll stand by -you. So will the Travelers.” She came over to where Leslie sat, elbow on -chair, chin in hand, her dark face immobile as an Indian’s. She put a -reassuring arm across Leslie’s shoulders. - -“You are a good pal, Goldie.” Leslie raised her head from her hand in an -upward appreciative glance. “I’ve always said that, even when we -squabbled.” - -“I shall continue to be a good pal,” Doris assured, smiling. Secretly -she intended to find a means, if she could, to make the signers of the -petition feel ashamed and foolish. - -When the two friends left Miss Remson’s sitting room a few moments later -Doris went to her own room instead of stopping in Leslie’s. There she -found Muriel industriously writing to her fiancé, Harry Lenox. - -“Tell me about a meeting that once took place in the living room -downstairs because of something Leslie said about Marjorie,” she began -abruptly. - -“Um-m. Wait a minute until I have wound up my weekly love letter to my -intended,” giggled Muriel. “That’s what Annie calls the plumber she is -going to marry. My intended!” Muriel repeated the phrase admiringly. -“Isn’t that sweet?” - -“How romantic you are!” Doris duplicated the giggle. - -“Ain’t I jist?” Muriel came back buoyantly. “You ought to read my -letters to Harry. They are almost business-like enough to be signed -‘Yours very truly.’ Would you like me to read you this one?” - -“Mercy, no. I should not care to hear it.” Doris said with amused -stress. - -“And I shouldn’t care to read it to you,” Muriel replied with great -affability. - -“Nor to tell me about that meeting, either,” reminded Doris slyly. - -“Oh, yes, the meeting.” Muriel appeared to remember vaguely Doris’s -question. “Why don’t you ask—. No, you wouldn’t care to do that.” Muriel -stopped, surveying Doris quizzically. - -“You mean ask either Leslie or Marjorie,” Doris said quickly. “Not if I -can help it.” - -“What has happened?” Muriel continued to eye Doris shrewdly. - -“That’s what I should like to tell you.” - -“Don’t be afraid to confide in me,” Muriel assured flippantly. Sobering -her merry features, she added: “I’ll tell you about the meeting.” She -snapped her fountain pen shut, leaned back in her chair and recounted a -trifle sketchily the happenings of the eventful meeting in the living -room in which Marjorie had figured so prominently. - -“Poor Leslie.” Doris shook her head pityingly after Muriel had finished -the little story. “What a lot of trouble she has made for herself in the -past. I’m so glad everything is different with her now. I’m glad I found -myself in time. We girls who’ve been left without our mothers when we -are children to grow up in the care of servants are bound to be selfish, -even unprincipled. What ought I to do, Muriel? You are so clever at -suggestion. I have an idea that the way to deal with these girls is to -show them themselves from the standpoint of foolishness. Such attempts -from a group of students at injuring another student are so terribly -underbred, I think.” - -A sudden mischievous smile overspread Muriel’s face. “I know a good way -to do,” she said. She began outlining a plan which seemed to amuse her -more and more as she continued. Before she had finished speaking both -she and Doris were laughing. - -“Let’s go and tell it to Miss Remson now,” Doris proposed eagerly. She -held out her hand to Muriel. - -“The present is ours.” Muriel blithely accepted the hand and away the -two went. When they returned to their room almost an hour later they -left Miss Remson smiling over the surprise she had in store for the -Orchid Club. - -For the next three days Julia and Mildred held long, concerned confabs -regarding what Miss Remson intended to do about the petition. Her -manner, when they had talked with her, had been impersonal. They argued -it as a good sign, however, that she should have asked for three days in -which to consider the matter. - -“If she had been down on us for getting up the petition she would -probably have exploded like a firecracker,” Mildred declared to Julia on -the afternoon of the second day as they came from Science Hall. “We may -be doing her a favor by objecting to Miss Cairns. It may be that she -disapproves of Miss Cairns, too, but has to walk softly because Prexy -has shown such marked partiality in her case.” - -“Miss Remson likes Miss Cairns,” differed Julia. “She makes quite a good -deal of fuss over her. Of course, there is just a chance that she only -pretends to like her on account of her father’s money.” - -“The P. G.’s don’t act as though they knew a thing about the petition,” -Mildred observed triumphantly. “They are too busy with plays and college -welfare work to trouble themselves to watch us.” - -“It’s a good thing. I’m glad Miss Dean isn’t at the Hall now. Miss -Remson would surely tell her about our petition. She is Miss Remson’s -pet. She used always to be stirring up things here and interfering in -the girls’ private affairs. Doris Monroe is the only one I am uncertain -of. She is really Miss Cairns’ friend. Let her hear a word of this -business!” Julia paused impressively. - -“Oh, she isn’t so formidable. She dearly loves to swank. She is -altogether too top-lofty to suit me.” Mildred’s face clouded. Doris’s -superior air was a great cross to her. “She poses with that white fur -motor coat, and white car on purpose to keep herself before the campus.” - -“She knows better than to be top-lofty with me,” Julia said in an -independent tone. “I am the only girl on the campus who made her -understand that I’d not fall down and worship her.” - -“Hm-m,” was Mildred’s sole response. It reminded Julia forcibly of -Clara. Clara had signed the petition, but had secretly regretted the -act. She was hourly growing more disgusted with Julia and frequently -wondered how she had ever even believed she liked her quarrelsome -roommate. She was no longer jealous of Mildred. She detested the bold -freshman more than ever, and derived a resentful pleasure from the -thought that Julia and Mildred could not possibly stay friends for any -length of time. - -On the morning of the third day Miss Remson called Julia and Mildred -into her office from the breakfast table to inform them that she would -meet the Orchid Club as a body in the living room that evening at eight -o’clock to discuss with them the matter of the petition. - -At half past seven Annie ushered Marjorie, winsome and smiling into the -kitchen by way of the back door. “Miss Remson’s in her sitting room -watching for you, Miss Marjorie,” she gigglingly announced. Annie was -under the impression that a huge joke was to be played upon someone. She -had no idea as to what it might be, or who was the victim. She merely -giggled in sympathy. - -Up in Miss Remson’s room Marjorie found Leslie Cairns, Doris Monroe, -Muriel Harding and the manager awaiting her arrival at the Hall. As she -had spent the previous evening with them in the same sitting room she -responded to her friends’ laughingly significant greetings in the same -spirit. - -“Now girls,” Miss Remson addressed the quartette in her bright fond -fashion. “I leave the carrying out of the program to you. Keep in line -behind me when the door is opened and I step into the living room. If -objection to your presence at the meeting is made, let me talk to the -objectors.” - -“We’ll be silent as specters till it comes our turn to talk,” Muriel -assured, her velvety brown eyes twinkling her enjoyment of the occasion. - -At precisely eight o’clock Miss Remson’s doubled fist beat an imperative -little tattoo on the living room door. A small blue-eyed freshman with a -worried expression opened the door. She sent up an abashed “Oh!” and -watched the line of five file into the room in amazed fascination. The -manager led her companions straight up the aisle formed by the -arrangement of rows of chairs, oblivious to the growing murmur of voices -which attended her progress up the room. She paused near the two chairs -set in an open space at the end of the room which were occupied by the -president and vice-president of the Orchid Club. The four girls grouped -themselves behind her. A dead stillness descended upon the room. It was -an ominous stillness such as precedes a storm. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - THE WAY THE MEETING TURNED OUT - - -Suddenly the storm broke. A babel of protesting exclamations arose, -growing louder. A tall sophomore with glasses sprang to her feet crying -out: “This is not fair, Miss Remson. Our club is strictly private. No -one except the members and yourself was invited to be here tonight. I -object, Madame President.” She whirled, appealing to Julia. - -“Miss Saylor, your objection is sustained.” Julia’s expression was one -of empty dignity. She looked ludicrously owl-like. “We are glad of Miss -Remson’s presence here tonight. However, we prefer not to have outsiders -at our business meetings.” She regarded the four “outsiders” with a cold -stare. “Please take this chair, Miss Remson.” She nodded to a vacant -chair near her own. - -“Thank you.” Miss Remson seated herself without further remark. - -The noise attending the entrance of Miss Remson and her four aides had -partially subsided while Julia was speaking. It now began again. Half a -dozen girls simultaneously found their feet to make displeased protest. - -Suddenly Muriel stepped in front of her companions and raised a hand for -silence. Her gesture was thoroughly good-humored. Her sparkling face was -full of condescending geniality. “My, but you are an inhospitable -crowd!” she declared. “You don’t know what you are trying to do. You are -trying to put me out of the show business. These are my three performers -and this is our next stand. Have a heart!” - -No one could be more irresistibly funny than Muriel when she chose. -Laughter greeted her mock reproachful speech, rather half-hearted, but -laughter, nevertheless. The ominous babel of displeased voices died -down. - -“Miss Harding!” Julia adopted a tone of deep affront. “Won’t you please -consider the privacy of this club and——” - -“How can you?” Muriel looked grieved, then laughter chased away her -pretended grief. “Have pity on a poor showman, and his exhibits. -‘Remember the stranger within thy gates,’” she quoted affably, well -aware of the sighing breath that rose from the company at the reminder -of Hamilton’s first tradition. “There’s money in this business for me -this evening. I always take up a collection after each performance. Why -be haughty? Stay and see the show.” - -“Show! Show!” The sunny side of girl nature could not but respond to -Muriel’s nonsensical blandishments. Here and there among the group a -frowning face was to be seen. The majority were longing for fun, -however. And the majority ruled. Then, too, Muriel was extremely well -liked. - -The laughing cry of “Show” continued. Julia Peyton raised an imperious -hand in an effort to fix attention upon herself. She addressed the -crowd, but the crowd refused to listen to her. Muriel had won her point. -She had also delivered a pertinent rebuke under cover of her gaiety. - -“Assert yourself as president,” Mildred Ferguson urged Julia in low -stormy tones. She was furious at the unexpected intrusion. “What does -Miss Remson think she is going to do, I wonder? She’ll not honor the -petition. That’s certain. To bring Miss Cairns in here! She means to -fight for her and make us a whole lot of trouble—if she can.” - -“Oh, those provoking girls!” Julia was ready to cry with chagrin. -“They’re letting Miss Harding make perfect geese of them. And all -because she is funny, or thinks she is.” - -“She’s funny enough,” Mildred admitted sulkily. She turned to listen -against her will to Muriel’s flow of inimitable nonsense. - -Muriel had ranged Marjorie, Leslie and Doris in a row and was now -engaged in busily showing them off to the roomful of girls. She treated -them as she might have a collection of bisque dolls. She moved their -arms and hands about at will, took them by the shoulders, one after -another, spun them round then posed them in a series of ridiculously -stiff attitudes. She finally pretended to wind up a mechanism between -Marjorie’s shoulders and Marjorie came to life and sang Stevenson’s “In -Winter,” in a thin childish voice. She met with a cordial reception. - -Doris, when wound up, executed a graceful little dance which was -heartily applauded. Leslie came last. She sang a verse of a French song -with an artistry of expression and gesture that was a revelation to the -audience who had gathered to condemn her. After she had finished and -given a funny little exhibition of running down and becoming immobile -again an odd silence reigned. It was shattered by a girl’s voice from -the back of the room. “Clever, bravo!” she cried. “Encore, encore!” - -Next instant the room rang with cries of “Encore!” Muriel favored her -audience with a Cheshire puss smile and laboriously wound up Leslie -again. She sang the second verse with more clever gestures. - -When Muriel could make herself heard she went on to announce that the -performance would close with one verse of “Lightly row,” sung by the -“Great Little Three.” Then she promised to press speech buttons in the -backs of the trio’s necks. The Great Little Three would then thank their -audience for their attention. - -Rather to her surprise this announcement also elicited approval. She had -been afraid the girls would scent a lecture in her words and shy off -from it. Instead cries of “Speech! Speech!” ascended. - -“Thank you for your appreciation,” Marjorie began in her own sweet tones -as Muriel stepped back from pressing the speech button at the nape of -her white neck. “We should feel so hurt if we thought you hadn’t liked -us. Though we seem only mechanical we have very sensitive feelings. We -are glad if we have amused you and we hope you will always think as -kindly of us as we think of you.” Thus Marjorie’s little speech ended. - -Doris came next. She said with her soft, fascinating drawl: “As I am a -dancing doll it is very hard for me to speak. So I will say only that I -wish the Orchid Club may flourish long as one of Hamilton’s most -representative sororities, with truth, honor and justice for its motto.” - -“Rah, rah, rah, for the college beauty!” proposed someone. The cheers -were given with a will. Doris smiled and bowed her thanks, looking as -lovely as a veritable fairy-tale princess. The audience could no more -help liking her for her beauty than they could help succumbing to -Marjorie’s charm. - -Leslie’s speech began in French. She made two or three droll remarks in -the language, accompanying them by truly Gallic gestures of her hands -and shrugs of her shoulders. She was a French scholar, having spoken it -from early childhood. Ripples of laughter from her listeners testified -as to their admiration for her cleverness. - -Suddenly she dropped into English with a change of tone that brought -forth a kind of united gasp from the rows of girls. “And now the show is -over, and the play is played out,” she said in a steady, resolute tone -that somehow carried with it an unspoken determination toward courage of -the true sort. “I have read your petition. I have read the list written -by Dulcie Vale. Both are a waste of paper. You can neither make nor mar -me. I am the only one to do either. I know this now. I learned it by -failing to accomplish such injustices against others as those you have -lately framed against me. Whatever you may have heard of me belongs to -the past; not the present. I am here to do a certain thing which I have -promised myself shall be done. I shall continue to live at the Hall -because Miss Remson wishes me to do so. But for all I did when I was at -Hamilton nearly three years ago which was against tradition and honor I -am reaping in this one respect. To live at Wayland Hall is the greatest -punishment for me that could be devised. So my advice to you tonight is -to leave me to work out my own salvation. I promise not to trouble you.” -With a grave inclination of the head Leslie stepped back beside -Marjorie. Marjorie put out an arm and dropped it affectionately about -Leslie’s waist. - -“I think it’s too bad; shameful in us!” A pretty brown-eyed young woman -had sprung to her feet with the contrite cry. “How could we have been -so—so spitefully foolish? I shall cross my name off that petition. Miss -Remson won’t you please destroy both it and that list? How many are with -me in this?” She waved a rallying hand to the buzzing company. - -“I am. And I.” A babel of “I’s” was heard. - -Julia Peyton jumped up to defend the losing fight. Her voice was drowned -in the noise. Mildred Ferguson tried to make herself heard and met with -defeat. - -Muriel had forsaken her duties as showman and was animatedly talking to -two or three girls nearest to where she stood. Doris had come up on -Leslie’s other side and had also put an arm around Leslie. Miss Remson -sat watching the noisy company, a bright smile on her thin, kind face. - -Muriel stepped up to her and asked an eager question. Miss Remson handed -her a thin packet of folded papers. Muriel took them, then faced the -company. She waved them energetically in air until she had attracted -general attention to herself. - -“This is my license to go into the show business,” she cried laughingly. -“I find I shall be too busy from now on to need it. Is there anyone here -who would like to have it?” - -“No, no, no!” came the emphatic protest. “Burn it up. Tear it up. Lose -it in the furnace!” and plenty of other suggestions answered her -mischievous inquiry. - -“All right.” Muriel cast a laughing glance at Julia Peyton who was -looking the picture of impotent wrath. She caught the glance and turned -her head haughtily away. “I have no matches,” Muriel continued -apologetically, “and the furnace isn’t handy. Shall I?” She made a move -as though to tear the papers in half. - -“_Yes._” The welcome affirmation came with a shout. - -“And we are all friends?” Muriel asked with sly geniality. - -“_Yes._” Again the shout echoed through the big room. - -“Very well.” Muriel showed candid delight in tearing the papers intended -to cause unhappiness into bits. “Please pardon us for having interrupted -your meeting,” she went on. “We are going now. Good night. If any of you -are thinking of starting in the show business I can give you pointers. I -might even decide to lend you my dolls. Good night.” - -She made a smiling move toward leaving the room. The three other girls -and Miss Remson followed her. None of them had stepped half way down the -aisle before they were hemmed in by a jubilant, chattering crowd. An -impromptu reception started in the middle of the aisle. Leslie found -half a dozen hands extended to clasp hers. - -“Tell the girls if you can make them hear you that there are three big -ginger cakes in the cake box, and that free lemonade is a feature of -your show,” Miss Remson told Muriel. - -In the midst of the cheer that hailed this good news Julia and Mildred -skirted one side of the room, keeping as far from the jolly crowd as -they could. They reached the door and hurried away from the meeting they -had planned with such unkind zest. It had turned out very differently -from their expectation. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - OUT OF THE PAST - - -As a result of Muriel’s show Leslie Cairns found herself in better -standing among her housemates than she had dreamed ever of attaining. It -often takes some very small thing to turn the tide of approval or -disapproval. The tide had turned in Leslie’s favor when Muriel had -quoted Hamilton’s highest tradition. Hardly a girl present but that had -experienced a secret twinge of conscience for the petition they had -signed against Leslie Cairns. - -Nor had it been particularly reassuring to see Marjorie Dean, Doris -Monroe, Muriel Harding and Miss Remson firmly entrenched against them. -While they counted as the majority at the Hall the Bertram girls and the -post graduates were powers on the campus. At first Julia’s and Mildred’s -strenuous objections to Leslie had made an impression upon their -housemates. Dulcie Vale’s despicable communication had bolstered their -disapproval only at the time of hearing. Later, in thinking it over and -talking together about it, the more serious element of the girls had -cherished doubts as to its entire veracity. It was Julia’s stanchest -supporters who had started the objection when the four girls and Miss -Remson had walked in upon their meeting. In the end even they had come -shame-faced to a more charitable view of matters. - -Doris had been touched to learn from Miss Remson that on the day of the -meeting Clara Carter had come to her and asked to be permitted to strike -her name from the petition. Meeting Clara face to face on the campus the -day following the meeting Doris had shaken hands with the red-haired -girl and invited her to dinner at Baretti’s. Clara had accepted with -surprised joy and had agreeably surprised Doris by her avoidance of -personal gossip. Of Julia she said nothing. Nor did Doris mention -Julia’s name. - -At Hamilton Arms Marjorie was beginning to look forward to the fruits of -her planting. February was a triumphal month to her because toward the -latter part of it she completed the biography of Brooke Hamilton. On the -third Sunday in February she had completed her work except for a last -paragraph which she had purposely left to be written on a special -occasion. That Sunday having been chosen as the special occasion the -original Travelers came to Hamilton Arms to spend the afternoon and -evening. At five o’clock, the hour when Brooke Hamilton had welcomed tea -in his workshop, a reverent little company gathered in the study. There, -Marjorie, surrounded by her friends composed the final paragraph and -triumphantly wrote “The End” at the bottom of the last page of -manuscript. Then in turn the girls recited the Brooke Hamilton maxims -and Miss Susanna read a prayer, a translation from the German, of which -Brooke Hamilton had been fond. As a last tribute to him they had lifted -up their fresh young voices in the Hymn to Hamilton, filling the -departed founder’s workshop with melody while he appeared to smile -contentedly down from the wall at the sweet-voiced singers. - -The manuscript for the biography was to be placed in the hands of a New -York publisher. Marjorie’s color deepened every time she happened to -recall the fact that when the biography should have been published she -would then be Marjorie Dean Macy. - -“It is a relief to know the biography is done,” she said to Miss Susanna -on the morning after she had completed it in the presence of her -intimates. “There are so many other things to think of. Next week the -dormitory will be ready for the furniture. Then will come the dedication -of it. After that will be the library dedication. Then we must have a -house warming. It will take two weeks to place the furniture, and one -week to celebrate. There are three whole weeks of March gone and from -that on you know how it will be. Captain will be here, and I’ll have to -resign myself to innumerable fittings. Oh, dear!” Marjorie’s sunny smile -accompanied the half rueful exclamation. - -“You are a much harrassed person.” Miss Susanna’s sympathy was too dry -to be genuine. She smiled her crinkly smile at Marjorie and said: “Are -you going to be very busy this morning. Marvelous Manager?” - -“Very. I have an engagement with Miss Susanna Hamilton to do whatever -she would like to have me do.” Marjorie rose from where she had been -sitting at the study table writing to her Captain and crossed to the -small, bright-eyed figure in the doorway. She offered Miss Susanna both -hands with the pretty impulsiveness that was one of her charms. - -“Come then.” Miss Susanna took Marjorie by the arm and began walking her -gently down the long hall and toward her own spacious, airy bed room. It -was a beautiful room with a big sunny bow window and handsome -old-fashioned furnishings. There was a canopied four poster bed, -high-backed mahogany chairs, with a highboy and immense dresser to -match. A gate-legged table, high desk and several other notable antiques -made up a collection which a dealer in antiques would have regarded with -envious eyes. - -From girlhood it had been Miss Susanna’s room, and she had never allowed -any change to be made in it from the way in which she had found it when -she came to Hamilton Arms to live with her distinguished kinsman. - -As she stepped over the threshold of her girlhood sanctum, clinging to -Marjorie’s arm, she steered the young girl across the room and brought -her to a forced, playful halt before a very large black teakwood chest. -It was purely Chinese in character, the lid being decorated with an -intricate gold pattern, the spiral complicated curves of which emanated -from the wide-open jaws of a gold dragon. - -Marjorie had always greatly admired the chest. Once she had asked Miss -Susanna if it had not been brought from China by Brooke Hamilton. The -old lady had replied “Yes, my dear,” with a peculiar brevity which -Marjorie had early learned to recognize as a sign that Miss Hamilton -preferred to close the subject before it had hardly been broached. - -“I brought you here with me this morning, dear child, to show you -something that belongs to the long ago. It’s something I’ve often -debated letting you see. I have decided as many times against it as for -it. But after I knew that you were going to put a cranky old person -named Hamilton in the seventh heaven of delight by getting married at -the Arms, I knew I should show you this chest, and what’s in it, and -tell you the history of it. This is only for you, Marjorie. But you may -tell your Captain, and Hal, for you must never have secrets from either -your mother, or your husband.” - -“Then Mystified Manager said to Goldendede, the keeper of the castle, ‘I -will obey you in all things, Goldendede, for I know you to be a wise -woman.’” Marjorie laughingly improvised. “That’s the way I feel. The -enchantment of the castle hangs over me, and I am on the way to -marvelous revelations.” - -“Marvelous? I don’t know.” The old lady’s head tilted to its bird-like -angle. “I believe the only marvelous part is that I did not get married. -Now perhaps you can guess what’s in that chest.” She eyed Marjorie -shrewdly. - -“Miss Susanna!” Light had suddenly dawned upon Marjorie. “You mean—” She -stopped, then cried: “Was that chest your hope—” - -“It was,” came the crisp response. “In it is my wedding dress.” She -threw back the lid as she spoke, then removed a white linen cover -arranged over the contents of the chest as a protection. - -Marjorie gasped in girl admiration as she caught sight of fold upon fold -of heavy pearl-seeded white satin. “Oh!” she exhaled rapturously. “How -beautiful!” - -Miss Susanna lifted the billows of satin from the box. “I’ll lay out the -dress on my bed.” She gathered the creamy folds in her arms and trotted -over to her bed. Looking in the box, Marjorie saw a teakwood tray that -extended across the box. In it were a pair of long white gloves, a pair -of the most exquisitely embroidered white silk stockings she had ever -seen and an underslip of thin white Chinese silk embroidered in a -pattern of orange blossoms. The stockings also bore the same pattern -embroidered in a straight strip up and down the fronts. - -“Bring over the accessories which I didn’t need, child,” Miss Susanna -directed, matter-of-fact in the midst of reminders of her own romance. - -Marjorie gathered up the lovely things and carried them over to the bed. -As Miss Susanna had already walked toward the chest Marjorie laid the -dainty articles of the bridal outfit reverently upon the snowy expanse -of linen spread. - -While she was engaged in the pleasant yet half sad task, Miss Susanna -returned to her side. Her eyes directed toward the wedding gown, which -was a dream of loveliness, she suddenly felt something falling down over -her head and face in misty, transparent folds. She cried out and looked -through the delicate transparency to see Miss Susanna smiling at her -with untold tenderness. - -“It was to have been my wedding veil, Marjorie. I wish it to be yours. -Come over to the mirror and let me drape it on you. You are not much -taller than I. Thank fortune this veil is yards and yards in length and -width. The present-day veils are so very voluminous.” - -“This veil is a poem, Goldendede,” Marjorie declared fervently; “a poem -in pearls, mist and orange blossoms. Surely, there was never its equal -on land or sea!” - -She had obediently moved to the great oval mirror of the dresser, -standing slim and lovely in her white lawn morning gown. Over her head -and flowing down to her feet and far beyond them was the exquisite veil -of finest Brussels net, outlined with pearls and caught up here and -there with sprays of creamy satin orange blossoms which closely -resembled the natural blossoms. The dainty bridal cap formed by the -gathering together of the veil was banded with pearls and orange -blossoms. Squarely in front and slightly below the pearl band was a star -of matched pearls. - -“Can this be I?” Marjorie cried jokingly, yet half embarrassed. The -mirror told her the story of her own beauty so clearly she felt an -unbidden desire to cry over the fact that she was beautiful in the -marvelous veil. “Where did it come from, Goldendede?” she asked -wonderingly. “It’s not that I am beautiful. It’s the veil. It could -transform the plainest person from positive homeliness to beauty.” - -“It would go a long way toward it,” Miss Susanna smiled indulgently at -the enchanting vision before the mirror. “Still, I must say that I never -looked as you do in it, child. And I was a fairly pretty girl, too. -Uncle Brooke and I made a voyage to Europe on purpose to order my -trousseau. He bought the most expensive piece of net for sale in -Brussels. We took it to Paris and had the veil made there with the rest -of the trousseau. That is the history of it.” - -The old lady stood back to view the effect of the veil upon Marjorie, an -absent, meditative look in her bright eyes. - -“The days that followed the breaking of my engagement with Gray were -hard; hard indeed,” she continued. “His name was Grayson Landor. He was -very good-looking. But he did not love me; nor I him. He knew it when he -proposed marriage to me. I did not know until after I had steeled myself -against seeing him. He was unworthy, child; utterly unworthy. He was in -love with a poor young girl, really in love with her, yet he was content -to forsake her and marry me for my money, and because I was a Hamilton. -I am glad I found him out in time. I realize more and more that I was -chosen to carry on Uncle Brooke’s plans, and alone. I regret the years I -lost through Alec Carden’s interference.” - -The mistress of the Arms sat down on the edge of a chair and folded her -hands together. “Yes; I lost so much time,” she said musingly, almost as -though she had forgotten Marjorie’s presence. - -“Why did I name you Goldendede?” Marjorie demanded with severity. “What -about the dormitory site, and the Brooke Hamilton Library and the -biography, and your general generousness to Hamilton? Even when you felt -resentment against Hamilton you tried to carry out his wishes so far as -the business part of the college was concerned. Many persons placed in -the same circumstances would have refused to continue the endowment -which Mr. Brooke made Hamilton, but subject to your approval after his -death. You were truly chosen to carry out his plans. I always feel that -somewhere in eternity Mr. Brooke knows and is glad.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - LOVE YOUR ENEMIES - - -True to Marjorie’s prediction one momentous event after another, -relative to her many campus interests, caused March to skim away on -wings. On the fifth day of March, which fell upon Saturday, Hamilton -College turned out in full force to attend the dedication of the -dormitory. Due to the large crowd that must inevitably be present the -exercises had been scheduled to take place in the open air in the large -open space in front of the building. In the event of bad weather they -would be conducted in the assembly hall of the building. It was hoped by -the Travelers that the day for which they had toiled so faithfully would -be mild and sunny. - -When the day came it proved to be a marvel of balmy breezes and warm -sunshine. It was one of those rare early spring days which promise so -smilingly of the return of Spring in her glory. - -The dedication exercises began at one o’clock before the largest student -body ever enrolled at Hamilton College and in charge of the Reverend -Compton Greene, the oldest minister in the county of Hamilton, and also -the Episcopal minister at Hamilton Estates. A platform had been erected -as a speakers’ stand. On the platform sat President Matthews, the -members of the Hamilton College Board, Miss Susanna, Peter Graham, -Professor Venderblatt, Miss Remson, Signor Baretti, Marjorie, Robin and -the other eight members of the original Travelers’ Chapter. The two new -chapters of Travelers attended the dedication in a body, occupying a -special place on the lawn roped off for them. - -The faculty also attended in a body, grouped well to the right of the -speakers’ stand. To the left stood row upon row of dark-faced men -dressed in their best, their faces bright with smiles. Their leader, -Peter Graham had Signor Baretti on one side of him and on the other a -tall, broad-shouldered man with keen dark eyes and a firm mouth. Peter -Cairns had demurred at accepting the honor of standing with Peter Graham -on such an occasion. “Oh, I’ll stay at the edge of the crowd,” he had -declared, but had been overruled by his two friends. - -“You don’t come and make the strike break up, and my countrymen go work -like these should, we don’t have any dorm now. So you help, too, and you -should go with us. Why you are ashamed to be seen with us? I am once -poor Italiano, but very respec’bl,” had been the argument Baretti had -used to Mr. Cairns. He had finally won his point. - -Among the company of Travelers in the roped-in space was Leslie Cairns. -She had also yielded to persuasion, though she had still the humiliated -inner conviction that she did not deserve such kindness on the part of -the Travelers. - -Marjorie, Robin and Miss Susanna had all vowed firmly before hand that -under no circumstances would they be drawn into speech making. “Let the -men make the speeches,” Miss Susanna had said with an emphatic nod. The -uneasy partners had agreed with her and informed her that they should -depend upon her to stick to her guns. - -When the time came, however, Miss Susanna found herself the center of a -student body, ready to bow down to her. She received an ovation that -amazed her to the point of all but reducing her to tears. Sturdy soul -that she was she set her jaws and refused to break down. She had to make -a speech, however, and the few terse sentences she spoke came straight -from her heart. - -Neither were Page and Dean permitted “to get by” without a speech. Robin -came first and spoke with the charming sincerity which was the keynote -of her disposition. Marjorie listened to her in active discomfort, all -too sure that she would be called upon next. She tried to think of -something to say, but her mind suddenly seemed to become blank. - -Worried over her own lack of inspiration she scarcely heard what Robin -said. She merely caught the tones of her partner’s earnest voice. -Presently Robin had finished speaking and applause broke out in -deafening waves. After a little it subsided. Then—Marjorie heard -President Matthews announce her to the acclaiming throng. As she rose it -came to her that there was one subject on which she could speak—the -greatness of Brooke Hamilton. There were so many wonderful things to be -said of him. - -She began her speech with: “Dear friends of Hamilton College.... Because -Mr. Brooke Hamilton adored and venerated his mother, because he wished -the highest for womankind, we are here today to do him honor by adding -our bit to the splendid educational plans he made and carried out so -nobly in the building of Hamilton College.” Her voice, clear and -ringing, carried to the farthest limits of the enthusiastic throng. - -Brooke Hamilton could have had no stauncher advocate than Marjorie. In -the short speech she made she brought before the assembled company the -man as she had come to know him through her work on his biography. She -ended eloquently with: - -“When his biography is given to the world he will take his rightful -place among the great men who have devoted their lives to aiding the -cause of education. He planned unselfishly, and gave royally. He must be -to us who love our Alma Mater the great example. Because we have -believed in his maxims we shall try to live by them.” - -She was surprised when she resumed her chair next to Jerry to find her -eyes full of tears. She had been carried away by the very earnestness of -her praise for the founder of Hamilton. - -“Pretty fair, Bean; pretty fair,” was the welcome whisper from Jerry, -which threatened to upset her gravity. “You done noble.” - -“_Taisez vous_, Jeremiah. I almost cried. Now please don’t make me -laugh. I’m glad it’s all over. I never was intended as a speechifier.” - -“You only think you weren’t, Bean, dear Bean. ‘Speechifier’s’ a fine -word; I shall adopt it. I’m sure it isn’t in the ‘dic.’ That’s what I’m -looking for, original words; like ‘celostrous,’ for instance.” - -Satisfied to have made Marjorie laugh Jerry subsided. Presently a final -prayer was said by the Reverend Greene, and the large company joined in -the singing of the Doxology. Following the exercises the enthusiastic -throng moved forward to inspect the new dormitory, the massive entrance -doors of which stood open as though inviting visitors. - -Among the few students who did not follow the crowd were Julia Peyton -and Mildred Ferguson. Mildred was frankly contemptuous over the whole -affair. She was not interested in a dormitory for the use of needy -students, nor did she care anything about Brooke Hamilton as the founder -of the college. - -“Shucks,” she commented disdainfully to Julia as the two turned away -from the animated scene. “Let’s go back to the campus. Somebody had to -found Hamilton. Why should there be so much fuss made over it?” - -“That small woman on the platform!” Julia exclaimed in consternation. -“That was Miss Susanna Hamilton! I saw her at the Hall and thought she -was Miss Remson’s sister.” - -“Well, she doesn’t know it,” shrugged Mildred. - -Julia, however, was anything but at ease in mind. Ever since the dismal -failure of the attempt to force Leslie Cairns from Wayland Hall she had -been more or less gloomy and morose. She had haughtily declared on the -day after Muriel’s “show” that she would not any longer keep the -presidency of the club. She would not even attend any future meetings. -She wrote a resignation as president and intrusted it to Mildred to read -to the club. - -Mildred read it out to the members at the next meeting of the Orchid -Club. It was accepted with such alacrity, and a new president so -promptly elected, that she decided she would not be so foolish as risk -her membership in the club by offering to resign. She was inwardly -peeved in that she had not been appointed president and another girl -elected as vice-president. Only her ability to brazen things out kept -her in a club in which the attitude of its other members toward her was -one of polite endurance. - -Julia’s club troubles were less to her, however, than Clara Carter’s -defection. Clara still roomed with her, but paid very little attention -to her. The red-haired girl was trying to model her acts on a higher -basis. She was completely out of sympathy with her former intimate. - -Julia also had another worry which had at first seemed too remote for -anxiety. Her mother had written her that her father had met with severe -losses in his manipulations of stocks. She had paid little attention to -this news from home. Her father frequently engaged in the daring raids -on the market which had earned him the name of “Wolf Peyton.” Later, her -mother had written her again of her father’s critical financial -situation. This time Julia had heeded the alarm of her mother’s -sounding. She knew it to be serious from the very fact that her mother -had written her twice on the subject. - -The day after the dedication of the dormitory she received a third -letter from home that sent her into a panic. She let it overcome her to -the extent of cutting her classes for the day and staying in her room to -weep dismally over the Peytons’ changed prospects. - -“What is the matter?” Clara Carter asked Julia not unsympathetically as -she came in from her Greek recitation to find Julia seated lachrymosely -in the very chair she had been occupying when Clara had left their room. - -“Nothing,” Julia gulped, and sighed. - -“There certainly must be. You hardly ever cry.” - -“You wouldn’t be interested to know if I tell you,” Julia quavered. “You -are not my friend any more.” - -“I would be if you would try to do as you should,” Clara returned with -stolid dignity. “I don’t care much about you lately, Julia, but I used -to like you. Only both of us were wrong in the way we gossiped about the -girls. We used to wonder sometimes why Doris was so queer and haughty -with us at times. I know now that it was because she disapproved of our -gossiping. Now when I am with her I never say an unkind word about -anyone. And she is sweet to me on that very account.” - -“I wish I had never got up that miserable petition, or listened to a -word Mildred Ferguson told to me about that Dulcie Vale, her cousin,” -Julia’s voice rose to a disconsolate wail. - -“I am very glad I came to my senses in time and had my name taken off -the list,” Clara returned grimly. “I feel sorry for you, somehow, Julia, -though you’ve only yourself to blame for what’s happened.” Clara had not -yet reached a point of forbearance wherein she could honestly sympathize -with her roommate. She had not yet arrived at the charitable spirit of -which she now gave signs of someday achieving. - -“I know it.” Julia held her handkerchief to her eyes, continuing to cry -softly. - -“I’d truly like to know what troubles you, Julia,” Clara presently said -in a softer tone than she had at first used. - -“I can’t come back to Hamilton next year,” Julia sobbed out. “We’ve lost -our money; everything we own, too. My father has been having bad luck in -the market for the past year. My mother knew he was losing, but didn’t -think things were so bad as they’ve just turned out to be. We are poor, -terribly poor. I am going to stay here the rest of this year, but I -can’t come back next year. My father says I’ll have to become his -secretary, and he’ll have only a small office. It will take him quite a -while to get over this failure and we’ll have to live in a common three -story house, and maybe not have even one car. Mother says we will try to -keep my car for her use. It’s all so terrible. I was never poor. I can’t -bear to think about it. And I want to come back to Hamilton for my -senior year more than anything.” - -“Why don’t you come back and live at the dormitory? Your father could -afford to pay your fees, couldn’t he?” Clara suggested. This time she -showed real sympathy. - -“No. That is I’m not sure. It’s his idea—for me to be his secretary. He -says I’ve always been so wasteful and extravagant that it is time I had -to shoulder a little responsibility. He’d have to pay a confidential -secretary capable of doing his work not less than from fifty to a -hundred dollars a month. He says he must cut expenses to a minimum in -order to pull himself up again financially. It may take him a year to do -it. He made my mother write me all this. She is dreadfully upset by the -whole thing. Anyway I wouldn’t come back to the campus as a dormitory -girl. I simply _couldn’t_!” Julia exclaimed vehemently. - -“My father would lend your father some money, Julia, if I were to ask -him,” Clara said after a short silence, broken only by the sound of -Julia’s muffled sobs. - -“No, no.” Julia made a dissenting gesture. “My father is awfully proud. -He wouldn’t accept help from even his oldest friends. He’s an out and -out crank about such things. Thank you just the same, Clara. It’s sweet -in you to wish to help me. I—I—appreciate—it. Never mind me. You’d -better hurry along, or you’ll be late for French.” - -Clara cast a hasty glance at the wall clock, gathered up her books and -hurried away. On her way to her recitation she racked her brain for some -way in which she might help Julia. Of the Wall Street realm of -financiering she knew very little. Her father was a manufacturer and had -inherited wealth from his father. Julia had occasionally told her tales -of “Wolf” Peyton’s exploits as a financier. She had never been much -interested in hearing them. She now wished she had listened to them more -attentively. - -Her mind fixed on the subject of Julia’s misfortunes, she paid little -attention to her French lesson. On the way back to Wayland Hall she -chanced to encounter Doris Monroe. - -“What are you looking so solemn about, Clara?” Doris greeted in friendly -fashion. - -“Oh, I was just thinking. Somebody just told me some bad news. Not about -myself,” she added quickly. “I was just trying to think of a way I could -help the person.” - -“Is there anything I can do?” Doris’ alert brain instantly reverted to -Julia Peyton. She had caught a glimpse of Julia hurrying through the -hall to her room that morning and had noticed her woebegone expression. - -“No. Why, I don’t know.” Clara paused uncertainly. “I’d be breaking a -confidence to tell you, but you might know of a way to help.” - -“I’d rather you wouldn’t break a confidence,” Doris returned candidly. - -“I know. But—” Clara hesitated again, “—I think I could tell you of the -difficulty without naming the person. It would do no harm, Doris, I can -assure you of that.” - -“I’ll take your word for it,” Doris made quick response. - -Clara colored with pleasure. Doris’s confidence in her was gratifying. -“The father of a certain student here has lost all his money. He is a -Wall Street financier. He is going to be awfully poor for a while. This -student I speak of will not be able to come back to Hamilton next year. -Her father says she will have to be his secretary. She feels very badly -about it. She’d like to complete her college course. I wish I knew a way -to help her father financially. I told her that my father would lend her -father some money, but she said he would not accept a loan from even a -friend. I can’t think of any other way to help. Can you?” - -“No; not this minute. But I will think it over. Perhaps I may hit upon a -brilliant idea. I’ll see you tonight about it. Come to my room. We’ll -have more time to talk things over. I must run along.” With a little -farewell gesture Doris turned and ran toward Hamilton Hall, where she -would make her next recitation. - -While Clara continued to ponder the matter without success it haunted -Doris, also. She was now positive that the student in question was Julia -Peyton. She had heard that Julia’s father was a Wall Street “raider.” -Leslie Cairns had gone to some pains to explain the term to her. -Leslie—of course! The very one to know what should be done. Thought of -Julia’s despicable part in the recent plot against Leslie’s welfare -recurred to Doris. Leslie could hardly be blamed if she refused to -consider helping Julia. Leslie, however, understood a great deal about -the world in which her father had piled up millions. Doris decided with -her usual calm judgment that Leslie should be in her room that evening -when Clara came to it. Muriel would be away at the rehearsal of a play -which Leila was directing. She would ask Clara in Leslie’s presence to -tell Leslie what the red-haired girl had just told her. - -When Clara stepped into Doris’s room that evening she cast an -unconsciously disappointed look at Doris. She had not expected to see -Leslie Cairns. Doris caught the glance, understood it and said -instantly: - -“Please don’t mind Leslie’s being here, Clara. I asked her to come. I -wish you to tell her what you told me this morning. Her father is one of -the greatest financiers in the United States, or in Europe, perhaps. -Leslie knows a great deal about finance. She will surely find a way to -help you.” - -“I—I—you couldn’t help in this affair, Miss Cairns,” Clara burst forth -in embarrassment. “It wouldn’t be possible for you to.” - -“Why not?” Leslie turned a direct kindly glance upon the red-haired -girl. “Please tell me. I know nothing of what it may be. I do know that -I’d like to be of service. I have several years of pleasing no one but -myself to make up for.” She smiled her grimly humorous smile. - -It took a little more coaxing, however, before Clara would yield. -Finally she did so, telling Leslie what she had previously told Doris. -Leslie listened without comment, until Clara had wound up her doleful -little tale. She sat with one elbow on an arm of her chair, one hand -cupping her chin. - -“I think my father can find the way to help this man,” she said -reassuringly. “Pardon me when I say I believe I know who this man is. I -have heard of him often from my father.” She paused, viewing Clara with -mute inquiry. - -Clara understood. “I—I—it’s Julia’s father,” she stammered. “Perhaps I -should not have told you his name. Julia did not ask me not to. But she -gave me her confidence. It—” - -“It was necessary for me to know,” Leslie cut in with a trace of her -old-time brusqueness. “How can my father help a man regain his financial -ground unless he knows that man’s identity?” she asked half humorously. - -“Well, of course not.” Clara brightened, laughing a little. - -“Will you trust the matter to me for a few days, perhaps weeks, Miss -Carter?” Leslie asked kindly. “I will write to my father at once. -Meanwhile the matter shall be one of strict confidence among us three. I -should prefer Miss Peyton never to know the source from which help came -to her father through any of us. I believe my father may wish not to be -known in the matter, either.” - -“You speak with great confidence, Miss Cairns. You are sure something -can be done by your father for Mr. Peyton?” Clara asked half doubtfully. - -“Very sure,” Leslie repeated encouragingly. - -Clara did not remain in Doris’s room long. She went back to her own room -to find Julia making a conscientious effort to study. - -“I mustn’t neglect what last few opportunities I have,” she said -soberly. “I shall try to do well in all my subjects for the rest of the -year.” - -“That’s a brave view to take.” Clara longed to tell Julia what she had -just done. She smiled to herself. The more she considered Leslie’s quiet -confidence in her father’s success the more she was inclined herself to -believe in it. - -In her room Leslie had just finished a brief but forceful letter to her -father. It read: - - “DEAR PETER THE GREAT: - - “Here is a further chance for you to prove your greatness. Do - you know a raider on the Street named Wolf Peyton? Of course you - do. You know them all. He has lost his fortune. Dead broke. His - daughter expects nothing but to leave college this June. She - must come back for her senior year. It seems he needs her as his - secretary, or thinks he does. I think the secretary business - would flivver after he had tried it. Anyhow please put him on - his feet so it won’t be necessary for her to sacrifice her - senior year. He may be your bitterest enemy, his daughter - thought she was mine, but, never mind. We should tremble. Fix it - up without him knowing you did anything. - - “I am going to be in one of Page and Dean’s shows. It is to be a - revue, and will be given on the evening of the eighth of April. - You had better come to it. I am going to sing a French song and - give some of those funny imitations of Parisians which you like - to see me do. I am happy, Peter. The Hedge begins to look like a - near future proposition. With oceans of love. I’ll write again - soon. - - “Faithfully, - “LESLIE.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - THE REWARD OF COURAGE - - -Ten days later Julia Peyton gloomily opened a letter from home and read -in it news as surprisingly joyful as the news she had formerly received -from home had been full of trouble. Her mother wrote that her father had -managed somehow to tide over his losses and was on his financial feet -again. - -Clara shared the good news with Julia and privately Doris and Leslie -shared it with Clara. As a result of Leslie’s little “flier” in human -happiness Doris made a special luncheon engagement with Marjorie Dean on -purpose to confide to Marjorie what Leslie had done. Marjorie in turn -confided the story of the girl who had obeyed the command of Christ, -“Love your enemies,” to the letter. - -“She deserves a citation,” was Miss Susanna’s hearty opinion. “I will -have a maxim hung for her at the college. Peter Carden and I will go -over to chapel together that morning. She is a dear courageous child and -deserves to be honored. That will put her on a splendid basis on the -campus and she will have won the right to have her father named as the -giver of the Leila Harper Playhouse.” - -“And we can have the presentation of the theatre to Leila made in the -chapel during Commencement week,” Marjorie planned joyously. “The -theatre will be completed then. Mr. Graham said yesterday that he hoped -to have it ready not later than the twentieth of June. You see, -Goldendede, Hal has promised that we shall come down from our camp in -the Adirondacks for Commencement at Hamilton.” - -“It is a good thing he has promised that you shall.” Miss Susanna put on -a mildly threatening air which vanished in a smile. - -“Which motto are you going to give Leslie, Goldendede?” Marjorie -inquired interestedly. The two fond comrades were strolling about the -grounds of the Arms in the early spring sunshine. - -“I’ll let you choose.” - -“Then I know exactly the one I’d like for Leslie. It suits her so well. -I mean the way she has tried this year on the campus to be a credit in -all ways to her Alma Mater. The motto I’d like for her is the single one -that hangs over near the portrait of him: ‘A truly great soul is never -dismayed.’” - -“I wondered if you would choose that. It is in my mind, too, for her, -Marvelous Manager. We had better have the citation this week so that -Leslie may have that much longer to enjoy her glory on the campus. -Saturday afternoon I think we’d better give a luncheon for her at the -Arms and invite the three chapters of Travelers.” - -“You are always planning happiness for someone, dearest Lady of the -Arms. Let’s have Leslie here to tea this afternoon and make a fuss over -her. We’re not supposed to know about what she did for Julia Peyton. -Wait until after the citation. Then I am going to tell her quietly that -she has been found out,” Marjorie declared, her eyes dancing. - -“You are always planning happiness for someone, Marvelous Manager.” Miss -Susanna gave a fond imitation of Marjorie’s tone. - -“Oh, you!” Marjorie made one of her usual merry rushes at the old lady -and the pair hugged each other with a will. Both were supremely happy -over the way Leslie Cairns had turned out. - -“All this means that I’ll soon have Peter as my next-door neighbor,” the -mistress of the Arms exhibited the utmost satisfaction at the prospect. -“Peter has turned out to be a man worth while; a man in a hundred -thousand. Perhaps I shall have him teach me the finance game,” she -added, jokingly. “At least he and Leslie will be good company.” - -Undreaming of the honor in store for her, Leslie walked into chapel on -the following Friday morning after Marjorie’s talk with Miss Susanna and -met with a surprise which made her gasp. Up in front with President -Matthews, who it seemed was to conduct the services that morning, sat -her father and Miss Susanna. Why Peter the Great should be there she -could not guess. She could only surmise that he and Miss Hamilton had -been invited to the morning exercises by Prexy. - -She saw her father’s keen dark eyes search the rows of young women until -he had found her. Their eyes met and the smile of comradeship which -passed between them was a beautiful thing to see. It thrilled Leslie -with a pride in herself which before that morning she had hardly dared -recognize. Peter the Great need no longer be ashamed of her. She had -tried to redeem her past offenses and she had not failed entirely. She -had discovered in the methodical living over of her senior year at -Hamilton that she was, after all, a person of small consequence. She had -long since discarded her belief in money as power. She knew from her own -earnest efforts in the right direction that work alone counted. It was -not she personally who mattered. It was the earnest spirit within that -was to be considered. - -When, presently, Doctor Matthews announced that three citations were on -the program of the morning exercises Leslie immediately jumped to the -conclusion that Barbara Severn and Phyllis Moore were to be honored. She -generously hoped that Doris Monroe might be the third student for the -honor. Doris was so charming to her fellow students. She had changed -from indifferently proud to calmly sympathetic in the past year, and was -rapidly coming to be liked as much for her graciousness as she had -formerly been admired for her beauty. - -“The maxims which Miss Susanna Hamilton has chosen to hang in various -parts of Hamilton College in honor of the three young women she has -chosen as deserving of a citation are maxims by Brooke Hamilton, framed -and hung separately about his historic home, Hamilton Arms.” President -Matthews gave out the information to a breathlessly interested chapel -full of girls. - -Then Phyllis Moore was asked by him to rise. After he had accorded her a -friendly commendation which made her cheeks burn he quoted the maxim to -be hung in her honor, at the same time stating the place at Hamilton -which it would occupy. It was: “Harmony followed in her footsteps.” As a -last touch he added: “This maxim was hung by Brooke Hamilton in his -study as a tribute to Miss Angela Vernon, his fiancee, who died shortly -before the date set for her marriage to Mr. Hamilton.” - -Barbara’s maxim was “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine,” and she -was particularly complimented upon her sunny outlook on life. - -As the applause attending Barbara’s citation died out, Leslie listened -eagerly for the name of the third student. She could not believe the -evidence of her own ears when she heard Doctor Matthews requesting her -to rise, then continuing: - -“It is with great pleasure that I name Miss Leslie Cairns as the third -student to have earned a citation. In our opinion Miss Hamilton has made -a singularly happy choice of maxim.” Then he quoted the motto Miss -Susanna and Marjorie had chosen: “A truly great soul is never dismayed.” - -As she stood listening in stupefaction to the announcement she could see -in all the chapel nothing but her father’s face. He was smiling at her -with a light in his dark eyes that repaid her a thousand times over for -the effort she had made toward restitution. She was ready to break down -and weep unrestrainedly. Nevertheless she did not. She controlled -herself with an effort and received the honor as a true daughter of -Peter Cairns might be counted upon to do. What amazed her, even more -than the citation, was the tumultuous applause which broke out as she -resumed her seat. - -After the chapel the students held an impromptu reception outside the -chapel in which she and Phil and Barbara were the center of an admiring -and congratulatory crowd. Leslie had already clasped hands with her -father and had heard his hearty: “Good work, Cairns II.” It was the only -commendation she craved. - -“You are to be at Wayland Hall this afternoon at four o’clock,” Muriel -informed her as she shook hands vigorously with Leslie. “I am going to -conduct a citation there for the benefit of Jeremiah Macy. She is in -line for honors, too. She doesn’t know it yet. It is up to Marjorie to -drag her to the scene on time.” - -That Marjorie succeeded in dragging Jerry to Muriel’s room was apparent -that afternoon. At precisely four o’clock she marched her into the midst -of a giggling throng of girls who were awaiting her arrival in exuberant -spirits. - -“What is the matter with you girls?” she demanded as she glanced -comically from one to another of the laughing company. “What sort of -joke do you think you are going to play on me?” - -“It isn’t a joke, Jeremiah, that we have in store for you,” Ronny -assured in a soothing tone. “You are in line for a citation; a very -great honor, you know.” - -“No. I don’t know. I can guess just about how great an honor it will -be,” Jerry retorted suspiciously. - -“You are going to know this instant, Jeremiah. Vera is ready and waiting -to laud and praise you. Now, Vera.” Ronny made an impressive signal to -Vera. - -Vera came forward, bearing in her hands a medium-sized square book, thin -as to pages and bound in soft dark blue leather. On the outside of the -cover was printed in gold lettering the pertinent title: “Jingles to -Bean. By Jeremiah Macy.” - -Vera thereupon began a speech which was drowned by laughter most of the -time during the utterance. She concluded the presentation speech by -opening the book and proudly disclosing to Jerry a kodak photograph of -Jerry in the act of reciting a jingle. She was even shown with her mouth -open and one hand out in a flamboyant gesture. - -“How did you ever manage to catch me?” was Jerry’s wondering query after -she had laughed over the little book, which contained as many of the -Bean jingles as the girls had been able to gather at the time when Jerry -had improvised them. - -“It was that afternoon on the campus when Leila had her camera and was -taking pictures of the campus. She went out with it and you, on purpose. -She planned with Marjorie to come over to the campus unexpectedly.” - -“Do not you remember I said to you, ‘Since you are so glad to see Beauty -then why do you not spout a jingle’!” Leila broke in, laughing. “While -you were spouting it Vera walked off a little way with the camera and -snapped the picture of our Jeremiah at the height of inspiration.” - -“Yes, I remember now. You crafty things!” Jerry pretended disapproval -for a brief second. “It’s celostrous,” she said. “I’d rather have it -than even a citation in chapel. But I’ve had that. I’m really -embarrassed with riches. I shall keep my Bean Jingle Book as my most -precious possession. I shall—” - -“Put it on your parlor table when you become Mrs. Daniel Seabrooke,” -Muriel slyly supplemented. - -“Who told you? Oh-h!” Jerry clapped a hand to her lips. - -It was too late. She was surrounded by a buzzing, laughing, -congratulatory mob. - -Ronny stood back a little from the group watching the tumultuous -reception of Jeremiah’s news with an odd little smile. She was wondering -what her friends would say if they knew a certain dear secret of which -she had been in wondering possession only a few days. Ronny had -fulfilled Marjorie’s prediction. She had tumbled into love and with the -last person she had dreamed she might come to care for. - -Due to her love of dancing she had willingly consented to help Professor -Leonard with his work as physical instructor at Hamilton by taking a -class in folk dancing. Through her association with him she had learned -to know and care for him. She had not believed, however, that he cared -for her. Naturally secretive, she had never by a shade of tone or -expression betrayed her secret to anyone. She had been deeply incensed -with herself for having yielded to love in the least. - -Then had come an afternoon when they two had been deep in planning the -usual May Day procession on the campus. She had never known just how it -all happened, except that he had told her the story of his early life. -His mother, who had died in his boyhood, had been a Spanish Mexican. His -father, a professor in a Mexican university, had been an American. From -them he had inherited a desire to help the poor of the country of his -birth. His one dream was to place himself financially in position where -he might some day go about the welfare work of his heart. It would take -years of self-denial and economy, but he was willing to work and wait. - -Then he had told Ronny he loved her, but would not ask her to live a -life of privation with him. Ronny had said that nothing in the world -except love mattered. So they had sworn faith to each other. Privately -Ronny was possessed of a certain knowledge which would make the way -clear. It had long been her father’s dream to establish a welfare -station in Mexico by the planting of a great fruit ranch upon which the -unfortunate, poverty-stricken Mexican peons might find work the year -round at living wages. What Mr. Lynne wished most was the right man to -put in charge of the proposed vast charitable enterprise. Ronny had -regarded the idea as one which might become her life work. Now she knew -that it would be, but that she would not go to it alone. - -Thus the Sanford five who had so gayly entered into the land of college -had all found love and betrothal except Lucy Warner. It was hanging over -sedate Lucy, however. And in the time of June and roses she was to hear -the old, old story from the only young man with whom she had ever -managed to feel on easy terms. Lucy was destined some day to acknowledge -dignified President Matthews as father-in-law. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - MARJORIE DEAN MACY - - -“Have you any orders for me, Captain?” Marjorie Dean turned from the -full-length wall mirror, both hands held out to her mother. - -“None, Lieutenant, except the instruction, be happy.” Mrs. Dean caught -the slim, outstretched hands in hers and drew the beautiful vision in -white brocade into her arms. - -“Dearest child. I am so happy that this day has come for you.” she -murmured. “We are favored by God, darling, in that General and I are not -going to be called to give you up. We shall still be with you, only we -shall have gained a dear son.” - -“That is the most beautiful part of it all, Captain. I can never love -Hal enough for wishing and arranging things so gloriously for us all.” - -“I mustn’t embrace you to the extent of wrinkling your wedding gown,” -her mother said half tremulously, as she held Marjorie off from her and -rejoiced in her loveliness. - -“That doesn’t make the least bit of difference.” Marjorie wrapped her -arms about her mother afresh and hugged her hard. - -Her wedding gown was a marvel in a silvery white brocade satin. It was -sleeveless and its simple artistic lines clung lovingly to her girlish -slenderness. Around her neck was the string of pearls which her Sanford -friends had given her at the party held in her honor at Gray Gables on -the evening before she had started for Hamilton College as a freshman. - -Pinned to the front of her pearl-trimmed corsage was a diamond star, -Hal’s wedding gift to her. It held in place a tiny knot of purple -sweet-scented violets, from Brooke Hamilton’s garden. The misty fall of -her veil about her lovely face brought out its beauty anew. Never, even -as the violet girl, would Marjorie Dean appear more beautiful. - -As she stood affectionately clasping her mother in the last few moments -left her as Marjorie Dean she was feeling that life had been almost too -perfect to her. The crowning happiness had come to her within the past -few days. Unbeknown to her Hal had purchased the Clements’ estate across -the pike from Hamilton Arms. There he and she would settle after their -short honeymoon at his camp in the Adirondacks, and with them were to -live General and Captain. Danny Seabrooke had purchased Castle Dean, and -he and Jerry were to live in it when they should be married the -following September. - -For a week prior to the wedding Hamilton Arms had been in a state of -dignified upheaval. The marriage ceremony of Hal and Marjorie was to be -performed by the Reverend Compton Greene at sunset. The great drawing -room doors leading into a long back parlor had been removed, leaving a -space almost as large as that of a church. No place could have been more -ideally suited to the violet wedding which Marjorie had wished for. At -the end of the long back parlor was a small balcony. On it were to be -Constance Stevens, Harriet Delaney, Robin Page, Blanche Scott, Phyllis -Moore and Charlie Stevens. These last two were to play the obligatos for -the singers. All her dear friends far and near had been invited to the -ceremony, and the entire student body of Hamilton to the reception to -follow. - -Vera Mason and Barbara Severn had been chosen by Marjorie as flower -girls on account of their diminutive stature. It was Marjorie’s idea to -have as many of her chums as possible figure in the wedding ceremony. -Ronny was to be the ring bearer. Jerry her maid of honor. The -bridesmaids were to be Leila Harper, Leslie Cairns, Helen Trent, Muriel -Harding, Lucy Warner and Doris Monroe. - -She had studied long and patiently for a way to include the remaining -Travelers of her chapter and those of the other two chapters, as well as -the Bertram group of girls. Finally inspiration had hit upon a plan -beautifully in keeping with her desire for a violet wedding. In -pursuance of it she had gathered her chums, as well as the girls who -were to take part in her plan, at Hamilton Arms, the day before the -wedding. There a merry afternoon had been spent picking the long-stemmed -purple single violets that grew in profusion in the meadow behind the -Arms. - -Each girl had gathered her own immense bouquet of violets, which she -would carry at the wedding. Dressed in white they would form an aisle -between which the bridal party would walk down the room to the altar. -Each girl holding her violets, fastened with graceful streamers of pale -violet ribbon. - -Now the last plan had been carried out. Downstairs an eager company was -seated on each side of the broad ribbon-enclosed aisle, awaiting the -arrival of the bride. - -Came a gentle knock on the door. In response to Marjorie’s “Come,” Miss -Susanna entered, a distinguished little figure in her dull silver lace -frock. - -“I only came up for a last minute with Marjorie Dean,” she said. She -took Marjorie very gently in her arms. “I wish you and Captain to come -with me,” was her crisp request, after she and Marjorie had indulged in -one of their hearty embraces. - -She led them down the hall to her room. As they entered both Marjorie’s -and her mother’s eyes were attracted to a new object in the room. It was -a chest of some sort of creamy white rare wood polished to a high -degree. On the lid and sides were painted exquisite clusters of double -purple violets. - -“This is Brooke Hamilton’s wedding present to you, child.” Miss -Susanna’s brisk tones faltered a trifle. “It was Angela Vernon’s hope -chest which he brought her from the far East. I could not find it in my -heart to place it downstairs with your other gifts. It is only for us. -And now I will say, too, that when I shall have passed on to the -brightness of beyond, Hamilton Arms and all it entails will be yours. I -shall always feel that Uncle Brooke knew and sent you to me, so that you -may carry on the work of loving and preserving Hamilton College unto the -perfect end after I shall have finished my part of it.” - -Five minutes later Marjorie was smiling again after a sudden little tear -shower that she had not tried to control. Then Miss Susanna and her -captain left her, and her throng of pretty wedding attendants gathered -in the upstairs hall for the formation to the altar. Jerry was looking -her prettiest in her gown of pale violet chiffon and a huge bouquet of -violets and orchids. It was to be a hatless wedding. The bridesmaids -were in orchid colored chiffon growns, each carrying a sheaf of white -and purple lilacs. Ronny, as ring-bearer wore a marvelous gown of white -gold-embroidered tissue. Robin and Barbara, as flower girls, wore -crystal-beaded chiffon gowns of palest lavender and carried artistic -long-handled baskets filled with white and purple sweet-scented violets. - -The procession formed in anything but a stately manner. There was a -great deal of fond laughing and talking, as the girls fluttered into -place. First went the advance guard of white. They descended the stairs -two by two, separating at the wide entrance doorway leading into the -drawing room and taking their places inside the two stretches of broad -violet satin ribbon. - -Waiting only until the advance guard had formed below stairs, the -bridesmaids led the way on Marjorie Dean’s most momentous journey. -Behind them come Jerry, with a heart overflowing with happiness because -she was Marjorie’s maid of honor. - -Marjorie followed Jerry, her lovely face wearing the mildly serious -expression which came to her naturally in moments of deep reverence. She -was so utterly beautiful in her brave white array that Hal, watching her -with his heart in his eyes as she came drifting toward him, was -convinced that he could never hope to be truly worthy of her. Ronny -followed with the ring on a white velvet pillow, and the flower girls -came last. - -From the balcony came the tenderest of all love songs, “Oh, Promise Me.” -The singers had begun the singing of it before the appearance of the -bridal party. As the little procession began to move down the long aisle -toward the white violet smothered altar, the exquisite third verse of -the song which is seldom sung floated out upon the roomful of rapt -spectators. - - Oh, promise me that when with bated breath - I wait the presence of the angel Death, - You will be near me, guide my faltering feet, - And softly breathe these words in accents sweet. - Come sometime to me from that distant shore - Caress and comfort as in days of yore; - Triumphant over death our life shall be: - Oh, promise me; oh, promise me. - -Back on the wall behind the altar a blue-eyed man looked down from a -portrait with the same kindly, questioning expression Marjorie had -always read in his fine eyes. She had asked that the study portrait -might be brought down and hung on the wall behind the altar. “I should -like him to be there,” she had said simply to Miss Susanna. The old lady -had replied rather huskily: “I am sure he will be.” - -When within a few feet of the flower-decked spot where Hal and his best -man, Danny Seabrooke, waited for her, she cast a calm friendly glance -upward at Brooke Hamilton’s portrait. She thought she could almost catch -a gleam of approval in his eyes. Then her eyes wandered to Hal, and she -smiled and blushed in a kind of tender confusion. - -The wedding party took their places before the altar. At Marjorie’s -request Mrs. Dean joined her husband and daughter there. Marjorie had -declared that she could not be content not to have both her superior -officers beside her at the great moment. - -Came the solemn, beautiful words of the Episcopal ring service. Marjorie -loved the deep tones of Hal’s voice as he made his vows to her of life -and death. Her own replies came clear and steady. She had found love and -was happily confident for the future. Then their vows were plighted and -Hal had placed the ring of their covenant upon her finger. - -“Sweetheart,” he said, as he kissed the little ringed hand and then -sought her lips. Then he whispered with the fondness of proud -possession: “Marjorie Dean Macy.” - - - THE END. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - _SAVE THE WRAPPER!_ - -_If_ you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends -you have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome -stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket—on -the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt’s fine series of -carefully selected books for young people has been placed for your -convenience. - -_Orders for these books, placed with your bookstore or sent to the -Publishers, will receive prompt attention._ - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -[Illustration] - - THE - Ann Sterling Series - By HARRIET PYNE GROVE - - Stories of Ranch and College Life - For Girls 12 to 16 Years - - _Handsome Cloth Binding with - Attractive Jackets in Color_ - - - - -ANN STERLING - - The strange gift of Old Never-Run, an Indian whom she has - befriended, brings exciting events into Ann’s life. - -THE COURAGE OF ANN - - Ann makes many new, worthwhile friends during her first year at - Forest Hill College. - -ANN AND THE JOLLY SIX - - At the close of their Freshman year Ann and the Jolly Six enjoy a - house party at the Sterling’s mountain ranch. - -ANN CROSSES A SECRET TRAIL - - The Sterling family, with a group of friends, spend a thrilling - vacation under the southern Pines of Florida. - -ANN’S SEARCH REWARDED - - In solving the disappearance of her father, Ann finds exciting - adventures, Indians and bandits in the West. - -ANN’S AMBITIONS - - The end of her Senior year at Forest Hill brings a whirl of new - events into the career of “Ann of the Singing Fingers.” - -ANN’S STERLING HEART - - Ann returns home, after completing a busy year of musical study - abroad. - - A. L. BURT COMPANY, Publishers, - 114-120 EAST 23rd STREET NEW YORK - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -[Illustration] - - Books for Girls - - By GRACE MAY NORTH - - Author of - THE VIRGINIA DAVIS SERIES - - All Clothbound. Copyright Titles. - - _With Individual Jackets in Colors_ - - -MEG OF MYSTERY MOUNTAIN - - This story tells of the summer vacation some young people spent in - the mountains and how they cleared up the mystery of the lost cabin - at Crazy Creek Mine. - -RILLA OF THE LIGHTHOUSE - - “Rilla” had lived all her life with only her grandfather and “Uncle - Barney” as companions, but finally, at High Cliff Seminary, her - great test came and the lovable girl from Windy Island Lighthouse - met it brilliantly. - -NAN OF THE GYPSIES - - In this tale of a wandering gypsy band, Nan, who has spent her - childhood with the gypsies, is adopted by a woman of wealth, and by - her love and loyalty to her, she proves her fine character and true - worth. - -SISTERS - - The personal characteristics and incidents in the lives of two - girls—one thoughtless and proud, the other devoted and - self-sacrificing—are vividly described in this story, told as it is - with sympathy and understanding for both. - - A. L. BURT COMPANY, Publishers, - 114-120 EAST 23rd STREET NEW YORK - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -[Illustration] - - The Camp Fire - Girls Series - - By HILDEGARD G. FREY - -A Series of Outdoor Stories for Girls 12 to 16 Years. - - All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles - - PRICE 50 CENTS EACH - Postage 10c. Extra. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS IN THE MAINE WOODS; or, The Winnebagos go Camping. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AT SCHOOL; or, The Wohelo Weavers. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AT ONOWAY HOUSE; or, The Magic Garden. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS GO MOTORING; or, Along the Road That Leads the Way. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS’ LARKS AND PRANKS; or, The House of the Open Door. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS ON ELLEN’S ISLE; or, The Trail of the Seven Cedars. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS ON THE OPEN ROAD; or, Glorify Work. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS DO THEIR BIT; or, Over the Top with the Winnebagos. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS SOLVE A MYSTERY; or, The Christmas Adventure at - Carver House. - -THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AT CAMP KEEWAYDIN; or, Down Paddles. - - For sale by all booksellers, or sent - on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -[Illustration] - - The - Girl Scouts - Series - - BY EDITH LAVELL - -A new copyright series of Girl Scouts stories by an author of wide -experience in Scouts’ craft, as Director of Girl Scouts of Philadelphia. - - Clothbound, with Attractive Color Designs. - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - THE GIRL SCOUTS AT MISS ALLEN’S SCHOOL - THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP - THE GIRL SCOUTS’ GOOD TURN - THE GIRL SCOUTS’ CANOE TRIP - THE GIRL SCOUTS’ RIVALS - THE GIRL SCOUTS ON THE RANCH - THE GIRL SCOUTS’ VACATION ADVENTURES - THE GIRL SCOUTS’ MOTOR TRIP - THE GIRL SCOUTS’ CAPTAIN - THE GIRL SCOUTS’ DIRECTOR - - For sale by all booksellers, or sent - on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -[Illustration] - - The - Greycliff Girls - Series - - By HARRIET PYNE GROVE - -Stories of Adventure, Fun, Study and Personalities of girls attending -Greycliff School. - - For Girls 10 to 15 Years - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - Cloth bound, with Individual Jackets in Color. - - CATHALINA AT GREYCLIFF - THE GIRLS OF GREYCLIFF - GREYCLIFF WINGS - GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN CAMP - GREYCLIFF HEROINES - GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN GEORGIA - GREYCLIFF GIRLS’ RANCHING - GREYCLIFF GIRLS’ GREAT ADVENTURE - - For sale by all booksellers, or sent - on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE MERRY LYNN - SERIES - - By HARRIET PYNE GROVE - - Cloth Bound. Jackets in Colors. - -The charm of school and camp life, out-door sports and European travel -is found in these winning tales of Merilyn and her friends at boarding -school and college. These realistic stories of the everyday life, the -fun, frolic and special adventures of the Beechwood girls will be -enjoyed by all girls of high school age. - - MERILYN ENTERS BEECHWOLD - MERILYN AT CAMP MEENAHGA - MERILYN TESTS LOYALTY - MERILYN’S NEW ADVENTURE - MERILYN FORRESTER, CO-ED. - THE “MERRY LYNN” MINE - - A. L. BURT COMPANY, _Publishers_ - 114-120 EAST 23rd STREET NEW YORK - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -[Illustration] - - The - Virginia Davis - Series - - By GRACE MAY NORTH - - Clean, Wholesome Stories of Ranch Life. - - For Girls 12 to 16 Years. - - All Clothbound. - - _With Individual Jackets in Colors._ - - PRICE, 75 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - VIRGINIA OF V. M. RANCH - VIRGINIA AT VINE HAVEN - VIRGINIA’S ADVENTURE CLUB - VIRGINIA’S RANCH NEIGHBORS - VIRGINIA’S ROMANCE - - For sale by all booksellers, or sent - on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Transcriber’s note: - -Variations in hyphenation have been retained. - -Chapter headings have been regularized. - -Page 13, ‘Travelers-campus’ changed to ‘Travelers’ campus,’ “at the -Travelers-campus spreads” - -Page 14, double quote struck after ‘Well,’ “Well, don’t you?” - -Page 17, ‘is’ changed to ‘in,’ “rising in the east” - -Page 22, ‘chrystal’ changed to ‘crystal,’ “crystal-beaded white frock” - -Page 28, ‘rythmic’ changed to ‘rhythmic,’ “rose in rhythmic measure” - -Page 28, comma changed to full stop after ‘evening,’ “the evening. -Marjorie was sure” - -Page 32, double quote inserted before ‘The,’ ““The moment when you” - -Page 37, ‘approbrium’ changed to ‘opprobrium,’ “be buried under -opprobrium” - -Page 37, ‘explusion’ changed to ‘expulsion,’ “circumstances of my -expulsion” - -Page 52, ‘a’ struck after ‘had,’ “and had felt a kind of” - -Page 57, ‘flourish’ changed to ‘flourished,’ “and flourished it over” - -Page 57, full stop inserted after ‘College,’ “year at Hamilton College.” - -Page 59, ‘estimiable’ changed to ‘estimable,’ “can’t we, estimable” - -Page 60, ‘session’ changed to ‘sessions,’ “social sessions in Leila’s” - -Page 62, double quote inserted before ‘She,’ ““She came to me and” - -Page 64, single quote inserted after ‘question,’ “that question.’ Then -I” - -Page 66, ‘Cairn’s’ changed to ‘Cairns’,’ “Leslie Cairns’ own pet” - -Page 68, question mark changed to full stop after ‘we,’ “him better than -we.” - -Page 70, ‘emited’ changed to ‘emitted,’ “emitted a prolonged sigh” - -Page 71, ‘years’’ changed to ‘year’s,’ “of last year’s Travelers” - -Page 73, double quote struck before ‘It,’ “It is a beautiful” - -Page 73, question mark changed to comma after ‘Arms,’ “windows at -Hamilton Arms,” - -Page 75, double quote struck before ‘Besides,’ “Besides you girls and” - -Page 79, double quote struck before ‘Lucy,’ “Lucy said Prexy would” - -Page 80, ‘mahoghany’ changed to ‘mahogany,’ “long mahogany table busily” - -Page 80, ‘dilletante’ changed to ‘dilettante,’ “on her dilettante task” - -Page 81, ‘bouyant’ changed to ‘buoyant,’ “her free buoyant stride” - -Page 85, double quote inserted before ‘Yes,’ “Yes, I came to see” - -Page 85, ‘pleesse’ changed to ‘pleese,’ “come in, pleese, Miss” - -Page 85, ‘Majorie’ changed to ‘Marjorie,’ “ushered Marjorie into the” - -Page 85, ‘afternon’ changed to ‘afternoon,’ “Good afternoon, President” - -Page 86, ‘reinstantement’ changed to ‘reinstatement,’ “for reinstatement -of the” - -Page 88, ‘Cairnss’’ changed to ‘Cairns’,’ “of Miss Cairns’ offenses” - -Page 89, comma inserted after ‘commendable,’ “her father is -commendable,” - -Page 90, ‘famused’ changed to ‘amused,’ “interested, half-amused eyes” - -Page 90, double quote inserted after ‘codes,’ “so many different -codes.”” - -Page 91, apostrophe struck after ‘Cairns,’ “expelling Leslie Cairns -from” - -Page 92, ‘understimate’ changed to ‘underestimate,’ “You underestimate -your” - -Page 93, double quote inserted before ‘Can,’ ““Can you beat that?”” - -Page 94, ‘post graduate’ changed to ‘post-graduate,’ “grandest -post-graduate manner” - -Page 101, ‘say’ changed to ‘saw,’ “I last saw Miss” - -Page 102, ‘Remsen’ changed to ‘Remson,’ “followed by Miss Remson” - -Page 104, double quote inserted after ‘writes,’ “to what he writes.”” - -Page 106, ‘head’ changed to ‘foot,’ “to the foot and put” - -Page 107, commas inserted after ‘chair’ and ‘chin,’ “chair, lifted her -dimpled chin,” - -Page 108, single quote inserted after ‘goodness,’ “But for goodness’ -sake” - -Page 108, ‘intitation’ changed to ‘initiation,’ “to the initiation, -then” - -Page 109, ‘Its’ changed to ‘It’s,’ “It’s larger than either” - -Page 110, ‘whimisically’ changed to ‘whimsically,’ “she whimsically -promised” - -Page 113, double quote inserted before ‘I,’ ““I think Peter the Great” - -Page 113, double quote changed to single before ‘Go,’ “‘Go to it, -Cairns” - -Page 113, single quote inserted after ‘know,’ “happiest person I know.’” - -Page 114, ‘sheeding’ changed to ‘shedding,’ “against shedding tears” - -Page 116, ‘conspicious’ changed to ‘conspicuous,’ “be too conspicuous” - -Page 116, double quote struck before ‘Not,’ “Not one of them” - -Page 121, ‘preponderence’ changed to ‘preponderance,’ “The preponderance -of the students” - -Page 122, ‘daiz’ changed to ‘dais,’ “left of the glorified dais” - -Page 122, ‘revited’ changed to ‘riveted,’ “became riveted upon the” - -Page 124, ‘contemptous’ changed to ‘contemptuous,’ “turned a -contemptuous gaze” - -Page 124, ‘roommate’ changed to ‘roommate’s,’ “clinch her roommate’s -determination” - -Page 125, ‘focussd’ changed to ‘focussed,’ “Clara focussed eager -attention” - -Page 134, ‘elegible’ changed to ‘eligible,’ “Lillian were more eligible” - -Page 135, double quote inserted before ‘will,’ ““will you please make” - -Page 136, ‘significient’ changed to ‘significant,’ “peculiarly -significant tone” - -Page 138, single quote inserted after ‘15,’ “be settling down in 15.’” - -Page 140, full stop changed to comma after ‘disgruntlement,’ -“disgruntlement, Doris Monroe” - -Page 141, full stop changed to comma after ‘offer,’ “the offer, Leslie -herself” - -Page 142, ‘precedure’ changed to ‘procedure,’ “malicious procedure -which” - -Page 144, ‘swords’ changed to ‘swords’,’ “were at swords’ points” - -Page 148, ‘Betram’ changed to ‘Bertram,’ “taste. The Bertram girls” - -Page 151, ‘would’ changed to ‘wouldn’t,’ “But I would let it” - -Page 152, double quote inserted before ‘See,’ “door. “See you later” - -Page 158, ‘proceeded’ changed to ‘preceded,’ “and had preceded the -others” - -Page 163, comma inserted after ‘child,’ “you know, child, that” - -Page 164, ‘thorougly’ changed to ‘thoroughly,’ “She was thoroughly -peeved” - -Page 167, full stop inserted after ‘Year’s,’ “over New Year’s. Dulcie’s” - -Page 170, ‘culb’ changed to ‘club,’ “the girls in the club” - -Page 170, question mark inserted after ‘Carter,’ “so snippy, Clara -Carter?” - -Page 170, ‘Remsen’ changed to ‘Remson,’ “Miss Remson will fight” - -Page 175, full stop changed to comma after ‘College,’ “at Hamilton -College, Dulcie” - -Page 176, ‘Cairns’s’ changed to ‘Cairns’,’ “against Leslie Cairns’ -presence” - -Page 177, ‘embued’ changed to ‘imbued,’ “any sense imbued with” - -Page 178, ‘Cairns’s’ changed to ‘Cairns’,’ “of Miss Cairns’ father” - -Page 178, ‘harrangue’ changed to ‘harangue,’ “to Julia’s harangue” - -Page 179, ‘avare’ changed to ‘aware,’ “curiously aware of a stir” - -Page 182, comma changed to full stop after ‘see,’ “let’s go and see.” - -Page 185, ‘Dulce’ changed to ‘Dulcie,’ “at Hamilton. Dulcie ought” - -Page 186, question mark changed to exclamation point after ‘are,’ “How -romantic you are!” - -Page 188, question mark changed to comma after ‘now,’ “to Miss Remson -now,” - -Page 190, double quote inserted before ‘They,’ ““They are too busy” - -Page 193, ‘irresistably’ changed to ‘irresistibly,’ “be more -irresistibly funny” - -Page 195, ‘Marjorie’ changed to ‘Marjorie’s,’ “between Marjorie’s -shoulders” - -Page 196, ‘Gaelic’ changed to ‘Gallic,’ “by truly Gallic gestures” - -Page 198, ‘buzing’ changed to ‘buzzing,’ “to the buzzing company” - -Page 198, full stop and double quote reversed after ‘I,’ “I am. And I.”” - -Page 199, ‘furance’ changed to ‘furnace,’ “and the furnace isn’t” - -Page 202, ‘gosip’ changed to ‘gossip,’ “personal gossip. Of Julia” - -Page 207, ‘lovliness’ changed to ‘loveliness,’ “a dream of loveliness” - -Page 209, double quote inserted before ‘His,’ ““His name was Grayson” - -Page 209, ‘cary’ changed to ‘carry,’ “you tried to carry out” - -Page 212, ‘eigth’ changed to ‘eight,’ “the other eight members” - -Page 213, ‘reducng’ changed to ‘reducing,’ “all but reducing her to” - -Page 219, ‘terrribly’ changed to ‘terribly,’ “We are poor, terribly -poor” - -Page 220, ‘litened’ changed to ‘listened,’ “wished she had listened” - -Page 224, ‘necesary’ changed to ‘necessary,’ “It was necessary for me” - -Page 227, full stop inserted after ‘sunshine,’ “the early spring -sunshine.” - -Page 227, double quote inserted after ‘choose,’ “let you choose.”” - -Page 227, quotes regularized around “‘A truly great soul is never -dismayed.’” - -Page 227, ‘chose’ changed to ‘choose,’ “if you would choose” - -Page 228, ‘satisfcation’ changed to ‘satisfaction,’ “the utmost -satisfaction at” - -Page 228, double quote inserted before ‘Peter,’ ““Peter has turned out” - -Page 230, double quote inserted after ‘maxim,’ “happy choice of maxim.”” - -Page 231, ‘Yiu’ changed to ‘You,’ “You are to be at” - -Page 238, ‘remaning’ changed to ‘remaining,’ “include the remaining -Travelers” - -Page 240, ‘grown’ changed to ‘gown,’ “gown of pale violet” - -Page 240, ‘growns’ changed to ‘gowns,’ “orchid colored chiffon gowns” - -Page 241, ‘come’ changed to ‘came,’ “Behind them came Jerry” - -Ad Page 4, ‘ALLENS’ changed to ‘ALLEN’S,’ “THE GIRL SCOUTS AT MISS -ALLEN’S SCHOOL” - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Marjorie Dean Macy, by Pauline Lester - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARJORIE DEAN MACY *** - -***** This file should be named 53637-0.txt or 53637-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/6/3/53637/ - -Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from images made available by the HathiTrust -Digital Library.) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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