CHAPTER XIX
ARLINE'S PLAN
"It was beautiful to be at home, but it is nice to be here, too. If itwasn't for mid year exams, I could be happy," sighed Grace Harlowe, asshe rearranged three new sofa pillows she had brought from home, thegifts of Oakdale friends. Grace and Anne had invited Arline Thayer andRuth Denton to dinner, and Miriam and Elfreda had dropped in for a briefchat before the dinner bell rang.
"We'll all survive even mid year," predicted Miriam confidently.
"We had a perfectly lovely time in New York, didn't we, Arline?" askedRuth Denton, looking at the little curly-haired girl with fond eyes.
Arline nodded. "I wish our vacation had been two weeks longer," sheremarked wistfully. "I just begin to get acquainted with Father, when itis time to go back to college again. Have you seen many of the girls?"
"Only the Morton House girls and you," answered Arline. "This is thefirst call I've made outside the house. Are all the Wayne Hall girlshere?"
"Miss Taylor hasn't come back yet," said Elfreda. "Do you girls happento know where she spent her vacation?"
"No," said Grace. "I didn't see her before I left. When first she cameto Wayne Hall she seemed to like me. At the sophomore reception I hurther feelings, unintentionally you may be sure. I am afraid she has neverforgiven me, for since then she has avoided me."
"She must have very sensitive feelings," remarked Elfreda bluntly. "Whatdid you do to hurt them?"
"I missed asking her to dance," explained Grace. "I didn't see her untillate that evening, and when I apologized and asked to see her card sherefused, saying coldly that my forgetting to ask her to dance was of noconsequence. Since then she has hardly spoken to me."
"Why didn't you tell me that before?" asked Elfreda quickly. "Thataccounts for certain things."
"Don't be mysterious, Elfreda," put in Miriam. "Tell us what you mean by'certain things'?"
"You girls know that on several occasions before Christmas Alberta Wicksand Mary Hampton were invited here to dinner. Who invited them? MissTaylor. So Alberta Wicks retaliated by taking Miss Taylor home with herfor the holidays."
"Really?" asked Miriam, in surprise. "Who told you?"
"They went home on the same train with Emma Dean," returned Elfreda."She sat two seats behind them. Has any one seen the Anarchist?"
No one answered.
"Why don't we change the subject and talk about something pleasant,"complained Arline Thayer.
"Do you remember saying to me the night before we went home that you hadthought of a lovely plan?" reminded Grace.
"Yes," returned Arline. "I am glad you reminded me of it while we areall here. Just before I went home for my vacation the idea popped intomy head that we ought to organize some kind of society for helping thesegirls who come to Overton with little or no money and who depend on thework they find to do here to help them through college."
"Like me," put in Ruth slyly.
"Don't interrupt me," retorted Arline, smiling at Ruth. "When I wenthome I had a talk with Father, and he has promised to give me fivehundred dollars with which to start a fund. Now, what I propose to do isto organize a little society of our own with this same object in view.There is one society of that kind here at Overton, but it is always sobesieged with requests for help that I don't imagine it more than keepsits head above water. There is room for another, at any rate. I don'tsee why we can't be the girls to organize it." Arline lookedquestioningly about the circle of interested faces.
"I think it would be splendid," said Miriam emphatically. "I know mymother would contribute toward it."
"So would Pa and Ma," declared Elfreda. "Suppose we all write hometo-night."
"What do you think of it, Grace and Anne?" asked Arline. "So far neitherof you has said a word."
"Neither has Ruth made any remarks," replied Anne. "Why don't you askher? I think she has something to say on the subject."
All eyes were immediately turned on Ruth, who flushed, looked almostdistressed, then said slowly, "Could the girls who asked for help borrowthe money and return it as soon as they were able?"
"Of course," responded Arline. "Don't be afraid that you are going tohave charity thrust upon you, Ruth."
"That would be the only basis on which we could establish a society ofthat kind," commented Miriam. "An Overton girl would hesitate to makeuse of the money except as a loan."
"What would we call ourselves?" asked Elfreda abruptly.
"We can decide on a name later," said Arline. "The thing to decide nowis, shall we or shall we not form this society? Answer yes or no?"
"Yes," was the chorus.
"Don't you think," said Grace after a slight deliberation, "that itwould be nicer if we could finance this society ourselves, instead ofasking our fathers and mothers for money? It isn't any particular effortfor most of us to write home for money. How much better it would be ifwe could say that we had earned the money ourselves, or saved it fromour allowances."
"But what about my five hundred dollars?" questioned Arline plaintively."As the originator of this scheme I claim the privilege of putting in asmuch capital as I please. I am going to be the exception that proves therule. Besides, Father has already promised me the money. Take the fivehundred dollars for the basis of our fund, then we will pledge ourselveshereafter to earn or contribute whatever money we put into it."
"What do you say to that, girls?" asked Grace.
"I think Arline ought to be allowed to give the five hundred dollars ifshe wishes," said Miriam. "It is her money and her plan. Besides, weneed the money!"
"I think so, too," echoed Elfreda. "We might call the society the'Arline Thayer Club.'"
"If you dare--" began Arline.
"Save your breath, my child, I didn't mean that seriously," drawledElfreda. "However, we had better begin our society here, to-night. Thereare six of us. Shall we add to our number or let well enough alone?"
"I'd like to have Gertrude Wells in it," said Arline. "Shall we make itstrictly a sophomore affair?"
"I think it would be better," replied Grace.
"Then let us ask Emma Dean, Elizabeth Wade, Marian Cummings and ElsieWilton," pursued Arline.
"Seven, eight, nine, ten," counted Anne.
"Let us make it a dozen," suggested Miriam.
"Then who shall the other two members be?"
"Why not ask the Emerson Twins?" suggested Arline. "They would be goodmaterial, and they are both splendid on committees. Julia Emerson nearlyworked her head off for the sophomore reception last fall."
"Very well, we will ask them," agreed Grace. "In case any one of thegirls we have named but haven't yet interviewed should not wish tobelong to our society we can propose some one else to take her place. Inthe meantime you must each be thinking of a name for our little club. Wecan meet in the library after the last class to-morrow afternoon, and gofrom there to Vinton's to talk it over. Arline, you must tell GertrudeWells, Elizabeth Wade and Marian Cummings. We can easily see theothers."
"The dinner bell! Thank goodness!" exclaimed Elfreda fervently. "I amalmost starved. I hope dinner will be better than last night's offering.Everything we had to eat was warranted to fatten one."
"Never mind, Elfreda," consoled Arline. "Think how nice it will be whenyou make the team. That will be a reward worth having."
"Yes, if I make it," grumbled the stout girl.
"We will go on with our new plan after dinner," said Grace. Then as anafterthought she added: "Don't say anything about it at the table.Suppose we keep it a secret until our society is in running order?"
"Hello, children," greeted Emma Dean, as they entered the dining roomthat night. "Has the board of directors been holding a meeting? I seeyou are all here."
Several girls already seated at the table looked up smilingly as the sixgirls slipped into their places. Laura Atkins returned Arline's friendlynod with a cold bow. She did not appear to see the others. During theprogress of the meal she said little, keeping up a pretense ofindifference as to w
hat went on around her. Nevertheless her eyesstrayed more than once toward the end of the table where Elfreda wasentertaining the girls sitting nearest to her with a ludicrous accountof what had happened to her on her way back to Overton. Miriamaccidentally intercepted one of these straying glances. In it shefancied she read reproach. A quick flush rose to Laura Atkins's cheeks.Drawing down her eyebrows she scowled defiantly at Miriam, then turnedher head away, and went on with her dinner.
After dinner the discussion of the proposed club was renewed withenergy. Emma Dean's innocent allusion at dinner to the meeting of theboard of directors had brought smiles to the faces of the six girls.After they had again gathered in Grace's room, Elfreda was despatched toEmma's room with orders to bring her to the council, no matter what herengagements or obligations might be.
"I knew something was going to happen," was Emma's calm announcement asshe followed Elfreda into the room. "To quote my esteemed friend, MissBriggs, 'I could see' it in your eyes at dinner. I have a theme towrite, a dressmaker to see, and four letters to answer, but, still, I amhere."
"We can readily understand how deeply it must have grieved you to shunthe dressmaker, put off writing your theme, and tear yourself away fromyour correspondence," sympathized Miriam Nesbit, her eyes twinkling.
"Then, as long as you understand it, we won't say anything more aboutit," was Emma's hasty reply. "I move that we avoid personalities andproceed to business."