Grace Harlowe's Fourth Year at Overton College Part 16

"MY DEAR GRACE:--

"There is no use in scolding you. I know that your intentions were good, above reproach, no doubt, but how many times have I cautioned you to go slowly? I received your letter, but, deciding you deserved a certain amount of punishment for your rashness, purposely delayed answering you. Your fame has traveled the length and breadth of Oakdale, however, as I am not the only man in town who reads the New York papers. In the light of your early police court career I might say that this last bit of sleuthing merely adds to your reputation in Oakdale as an apostle of justice. I forgive you, of course, and do not blame you very severely. You were rather shabbily dealt with, but still you must consider that if you had kept your promise to me this annoying episode would never have taken place.

"Considering your legitimate claim to senior dignity, I am not going to lecture you any further. I am sure you will be more careful another time. We missed our little girl more than I can say on Thanksgiving Day. Your mother and I, who, you will remember, were elected honorary members of the Phi Sigma Tau the summer we went to Europe with that ill.u.s.trious organization, carried out to the best of our ability your old plan of making some one else happy on Thanksgiving Day. With the help of Miss Thompson, who is a frequent visitor at our house, we managed to find several high school girls who needed cheering up. We invited them to Thanksgiving dinner and had a little dance in the evening. Your mother will write in a day or two and give you full particulars.

"I hope you enjoyed your trip to New York. I feel rather guilty, now, because I didn't answer your letter at once. We will have one of our good old talks when you come home for the Christmas holidays. Then you may scold me, if you think I deserve it.

"Your mother and I are well, and are looking forward to your home-coming next month. So is half the town, for that matter. Your friends never forget to ask for you, and every day brings its, 'Is Grace coming home for the holidays?' G.o.d bless you, my dear child, and bring you safe home to us for Christmas. That is the gift we most desire. With our dearest love,

"FATHER."

Grace's eyes were misty as she looked up from her letter. "Isn't he just too splendid for words, Anne?"

Anne nodded, then, slipping her arm about Grace's neck, she leaned over and kissed her friend's cheek. "I am so glad everything is all right."

"You knew better than any one else how dreadful it was for me," returned Grace, looking up affectionately at her friend.

"We all know," answered Anne. "I think Elfreda took it even more deeply to heart than we did. She is the soul of loyalty and resents an injury to one of us as much as though it were her own grievance."

"In one way it seems a long time since J. Elfreda Briggs established herself in my seat on the train, yet in another it seems but yesterday,"

mused Grace. "Can you realize, Anne, that we are almost at the end of our college days?"

"I never allow myself to think of it," confessed Anne. "I've been so happy at Overton I'd like to stay here forever."

"Give up the stage, and apply for a place on the faculty," suggested Grace with apparent earnestness.

"You rascal! You know I couldn't do that even for the sake of being at Overton. I am wedded to my art," proclaimed Anne dramatically.

"Some day you will obtain a divorce from your art and marry a mere man, though," predicted Grace.

The color suffused Anne's white face. Her brown eyes grew troubled. "I don't know whether I shall or not," she murmured.

"Anne, would you leave the stage, give up your work, if--if--" Grace paused.

"If David asked me to marry him?" Anne finished the question calmly. "I don't know, Grace. I've asked myself that question so many times that I am tired of trying to answer it. In fact, I've lately decided to let matters drift and see what happens. Although there has never been a word of sentiment exchanged between us, I am reasonably sure that David loves me, and I am very fond of him," confessed Anne. "In some respects I feel years older than you girls. I believe it is due to my stage experience; I have played so many different parts, some of them emotional roles which have to do with love and renunciation." Anne's musical voice trembled slightly on the last word.

"I am sure David loves you with all his heart," was Grace's honest reply. "Now that he has been graduated from college and has gone into business for himself, I am afraid you will be called upon to decide before long."

"I am afraid so," sighed Anne. "I wish life weren't quite so complicated."

"I hope the rest of our senior year will be free from complications."

Grace spoke with grim emphasis. "Why, I forgot to open this letter!" she exclaimed, s.n.a.t.c.hing the unopened letter from the table and tearing at the end of it.

The letter proved to be a penitent little note from Arline asking Grace to forgive her, and prove her forgiveness by taking dinner with her the following evening at Vinton's. Grace felt a thrill of happiness swell within her as she read the note. Her brief estrangement from Arline had been another of her secret griefs.

"I'm going to take dinner with Arline to-morrow night," she announced to Anne.

"You'd better hurry if you care to take dinner with us," called Elfreda from the doorway, in which she had paused just in time to hear Grace's last remark.

"It isn't dinner," corrected Anne. "It is supper on Sunday, and never very good, either."

"We never have Sunday dinner in the middle of the day at home,"

commented Elfreda.

"When you are at Wayne Hall do as the Wayne Hallites do," quoted Miriam, who had followed Elfreda into the room.

"Where is Patience?" inquired Grace.

"Enjoying the solitude of her room before the disturber arrives,"

volunteered Elfreda. "She'll be along presently."

Despite the fact that they had had dinner on the train, the four girls decided that they were hungry, and on going downstairs to the dining room where Mrs. Elwood had prepared an unusually good supper, proved it, to their own and Mrs. Elwood's satisfaction. There were only three girls in the dining room when they took their places, as the majority of the "Wayne Hallites" were spending the afternoon and evening of their last day's vacation with friends. Patience joined them as they were finis.h.i.+ng their dessert, and it was laughingly decided to entertain her while she ate, and afterward go for a walk.

"What style of entertainment do you prefer?" asked Elfreda, with a deferential air. "Shall I give you an imitation of Kathleen West's return?"

"No, thank you. The reality will be sufficient," was Patience's dry retort. "I prefer a more pleasant variety of entertainment."

The ringing of the door bell caused those in the dining room to glance expectantly through the doorway into the hall. They heard the maid's voice, then a cry of "At last!" and Emma Dean fairly charged into their midst.

"I never was so glad to see any one in all my life," she cried, with a joyful wave of her hand. "How I have missed you while you have been gallivanting about New York without giving the friend of your freshman days a thought. You might have sent me a postcard, you know."

"'Gallivanting' is not the word with which to describe our triumphal march around New York," objected Elfreda.

"It's a very good word," defended Emma. "It means to roam about for pleasure without any definite plan. It says so in the dictionary."

"Every day adds to our store of knowledge," jeered Elfreda.

"As I am at present overjoyed to see you, I'll try hard not to squabble with you." Emma turned her back squarely upon Elfreda and addressed Anne. "I heard something while you were gone that will interest you, Anne. The senior cla.s.s are talking of presenting a play. If we do, you will star in it, of course."

"I can't, Emma," returned Anne regretfully. "My professional experience prevents me from taking part in college plays. If Semper Fidelis, or some of the girls, were to put on a play for our own amus.e.m.e.nt, then I could take part, but in regular college plays professionals are barred here at Overton. It is practically the same rule that applies to college sports."

"Oh, that is too bad! But it wouldn't hinder you from writing one, would it?"

"I couldn't write a play. I used to hope that I might some day become a writer. But I know now that it isn't in me."

"But many actors and actresses have been writers, too," put in Elfreda.

"I know it. Still, the most successful plays have been written by men and women outside the profession," argued Anne. "I wish I could write, but I know my limitations and they stop this side of authors.h.i.+p. But why did you ask me if I could write a play, Emma?"

"Marian c.u.mmings gave a spread the other night to all the seniors on the campus who weren't lucky enough to get away from Overton for Thanksgiving. We were talking about what the senior cla.s.s might do in the way of stunts, and some one proposed that we ought to give a play after midyears. You know our cla.s.s has never done anything of the sort since we entered college. Naturally, we were all in favor of the idea.

We all agreed that we wanted something besides Shakespeare for a change, but no one could suggest anything else. We wanted something really representative, and the majority of these plays for amateurs are rather trivial. Finally, Sara Emerson suggested that the play be written by a member of the senior cla.s.s. There was a general protest, and Elizabeth Wade asked Sara if she would mind writing it. Rather unkind in her, wasn't it?" asked Emma, with a reminiscent chuckle.

Her friends laughed with her. The mere idea of frivolous little Sara Emerson as a playwright was distinctly amusing.

"Sara didn't mind our laughing. She and Julia giggled over it, too. Then Marian c.u.mmings suddenly thought of a splendid plan." Emma paused in order to impress her hearers.

"For goodness' sake, go on, Emma," begged Miriam. "Don't ask us to guess the plan, either."

"I'm not going to ask you to guess it. I stopped talking merely to allow my words to sink deeply into your minds. Marian wants to make it an honor compet.i.tion affair."