CHAPTER XVII
WHAT THE SENIORS THOUGHT OF THE PLAN
"I can't forgive myself for being so disagreeable," was Arline Thayer'sregretful cry. Grace had met Arline half an hour earlier than the timeappointed for the senior class meeting the following afternoon and thetwo girls had hurried to the room in Overton Hall, where the meeting wasto be held, for the express purpose of having a confidential chat beforethe others should arrive.
"Don't think of it again, Daffydowndilly." Grace regarded Arline withaffectionate eyes. She was glad almost to the point of tears that thecloud between her and the dainty little girl had been lifted.
"Oh, but I must think of it this once, Grace," persisted Arline. "Ihaven't told you yet how truly sorry I am for behaving so badly towardyou. But I was so angry with you for troubling yourself about thathorrid Kathleen West. But first let me ask: Did you see that New Yorknewspaper story? Father sent me a copy of the paper. I showed it toRuth, but didn't tell any one else. It is known here, though."
"Yes, I knew of it the day after it was published," answered Gracesoberly. "Mabel sent me a marked copy. I am sorry my name was used. Itwas a surprise to me."
Arline's eyebrows lifted. "A surprise!" she exclaimed with fine sarcasm."I think I can understand just how pleased you felt over that surprise.I am not going to allow a certain person to come between our friendshipagain, but I can't help saying that if ever you speak to her again, youwill be doing yourself a great injustice."
"Would it surprise you to hear me say that I am inclined to endorse whatyou have just said?" questioned Grace. "What I tried to do for her wasdone largely to please Mabel Ashe. Mabel has released me from mypromise. I seldom take violent dislikes to persons I meet, but, to tellthe plain truth, I have never liked Miss West, although I have admiredher ability and perseverance. In fact, I have never met any one Idisliked so much," confessed Grace. "I don't know what has come over me,but I simply can't endure the thought of her, let alone forgiving her."
"I don't blame you. I hope you will continue to take that stand. Youwon't, though. If you knew, to-morrow, of something that would be to heradvantage to know, you wouldn't hesitate to tell her."
Grace looked rather confused. Arline's chance shot had gone home. Shehad not forgiven Kathleen, yet only yesterday she had paved the way forher to possible honor. "What did you do here on Thanksgiving?" she askedabruptly. "Why didn't you go to New York?"
Arline laughed. "I am perfectly willing to change the subject and answerboth your questions. Father was in Chicago, so we thought we'd stay hereand see what we could do for some of the girls whose good times arelimited. We did all sorts of little stunts. Thanksgiving night we gave aparty at Morton House and invited every one we could think of, and thenext night Ruth and I took our checks, we each received an extra one forThanksgiving, and gave a moving picture party. We made the man who ownsthe place reserve the seats, and we saw 'The Merchant of Venice.' It wasbeautifully done, and every one who saw it was delighted. Then weinvited several girls to Morton House for Thanksgiving dinner, too."
"I wanted to ask you and Ruth to go to New York with us, but----"
"Don't say a word," interrupted Arline, with a penitent little gesture."It was my fault. I claim the privilege of changing the subject, too.What is the object of this class meeting?"
Grace was about to explain, when a murmur of voices in the hallannounced that the seniors had begun to gather for the meeting. Withinten minutes every seat in the room was occupied, and Arline Thayer, nowpresident of the senior class, called the meeting to order. "As there isno particular business to be transacted," announced Arline, "what is thepleasure of the class? Will the person or persons responsible for thenotice on the bulletin board please rise and enlighten the class as towhy we are here?"
"Madam President," Emma Dean rose from her seat and addressed the chair,"I wrote the notice. It was the outcome of a session in which a numberof the seniors had been discussing ways and means of making 19-- famousin the annals of Overton." Emma proceeded in her clever, humorousfashion to lay before the class the project of a play to be written by amember of one of the four classes and produced and enacted by theseniors. "If we allow any girl in college who wishes to compete for thehonor pin we shall have a greater variety of plays from which to choose.It will also be a good opportunity to discover any lights that mightotherwise be so securely hidden under bushels of modesty that no onewould ever see them.
"The rules for the contestants will be very simple. The play must beoriginal. It must consist of not less than three acts, and allmanuscripts must be in the hands of the committee appointed by thepresident of the senior class on the Tuesday before the Easter vacation.The play may be comedy, drama, or tragedy, but it must berepresentative. The duties of the committee will be to receive theplays. As soon as they have been submitted they are to be turned over tothree members of the Overton faculty, provided they are willing to actin the capacity of critics. I should now like an opinion from theclass."
Emma sat down amid an energetic clapping of hands. To a member, theclass was in favor of the proposed contest. One after another themembers rose to voice their approval, and when the president called fora rising vote every member was instantly on her feet.
"You understand that we shall require permission from the president ofthe college before we can officially announce the contest," Arlinereminded the class. "I will appoint Miss Dean, Miss Harlowe and MissWade to call upon the president and obtain his permission. Then the playcommittee will see to the advertising of the contest."
Before the meeting closed, Anne Pierson, Miriam Nesbit, Ruth Denton andElfreda Briggs were appointed to serve on the play committee and thedate of the production of the play was set for the Friday of the fifthweek after the Easter vacation. It was also decided that Lecture Hall,which boasted of a stage and several sets of scenery, and would hold agoodly audience, should be used for the occasion.
Within the next three days Miss Duncan and Dr. Hepburn, instructors,respectively, in English and Latin, and Dr. Darrow, professor of Oratoryand Dramatic Expression, had been interviewed and had consented to actas judges. The moment these preliminaries had been attended to, GertrudeWells had begun an elaborate poster to hang above the bulletin board inOverton Hall announcing the contest. At the bottom of the poster wasfastened a card on which the rules had been painstakingly lettered inblack and red. By the end of the week there was scarcely a girl inOverton who had not stopped before the gayly colored poster to read thenews that was being discussed long and earnestly throughout the college.
Those who had acquired a certain amount of reputation in the matter ofthemes boldly announced their intention of competing for the honor pin,while there were others whose themes had never been praised, whoseambition to show the judges what they really could do urged them on toenter the lists.
Neither Grace, Miriam nor Anne intended to try for the prize. RuthDenton had confided to Arline that she had an idea for a play which shemeant to work out, and Emma Dean boldly proclaimed herself to be deep inthe throes of a comedy called "Life at Wayne Hall; or, the Expressman'sSurprise." Elfreda, too, had apparently been inspired, and for a weekwent about chuckling to herself and making mysterious notes in a littleblack note book she now carried constantly.
Grace could not help wondering now and then if Kathleen West would enterthe contest. Since the newspaper girl's return from New York she hadkept strictly to herself. She spoke to Patience only when absolutelynecessary and took not the slightest notice of Miriam, Anne or Elfreda.Patience confided to Grace that Kathleen studied harder than ever, andwrote for at least two hours every night, never forgetting to place herpapers carefully in her desk and to lock it securely before going out orto bed. "I believe she is writing a play, but I don't know positivelyand I wouldn't dream of asking her," had been Patience's comment.
As the long intervening days that lay between the students of Overtonand "going home for Christmas" dragged by, Grace found herself moreimpatient to see her father and
mother than ever before. "It is onaccount of that old newspaper trouble," she assured herself. "Father andMother were so dear and forgiving over it that I can't wait to seethem." All her thoughts were now centered on going home.
"I never wanted to see Father and Mother so much in all my life as I dothis Christmas. Next week seems ages off. I am sure it is seven yearsinstead of seven days until vacation begins." She confided to Anne oneevening, as she sat on the floor beside her open trunk: "I'm going tobegin packing to-night and do a little each day. It will give me acertain amount of satisfaction and make the time pass more quickly. Iwonder why Mother doesn't write? She hasn't sent me my check to go homewith yet. I can't go home until it comes, for I have spent every cent ofmy allowance and my extra check, too, for Christmas presents."
"Don't worry over it," advised Anne. "Your father and mother are themost infallible persons I know. You won't be left stranded in Overtonand have to walk ties to Oakdale."
"If I do, I shall take you with me. As a trouper you ought to beproficient in that exercise," laughed Grace.
"As a successful exponent of the dramatic art," began Anne pompously,"I----"
"Miss Pierson! Miss Pierson!" Mrs. Elwood's voice was heard in the hallat the foot of the stairs.
Anne sprang to the door. "Here I am, Mrs. Elwood," she called, steppingdown the hall to the head of the stairs.
"Here's a telegram for you. Will you please come downstairs and sign forit?"
Anne hurried down the stairs, her heart beating violently. She signedthe messenger boy's book, shoved the pencil into his hand and ran backto Grace as fast as her feet would carry her.
"It's a telegram, Grace. It's for me. I'm afraid to open it," she cried,dashing into the room. "Open it. I dare not. Oh, if anything hashappened to Mother or Mary!"
Grace took the envelope Anne held out to her. Her own hands weretrembling with apprehension, yet she managed to tear open the envelopeand draw out the fateful message. There was the crackling sound ofunfolding paper, then Grace cried out in joyful tones: "Anne, you nevercan guess! It is too good to be true!"
Anne sprang to her feet, and darting to where Grace stood, the opentelegram in her hands, peered over her shoulder. A moment later she andGrace joined hands and performed a joyful dance about the room.
"What on earth is the cause of all this jubilation?" queried Miriam'svoice from the doorway. "I knocked, but no one paid any attention to me.It sounded from the outside as though you might be engaged in deadlyconflict, so I decided to interfere."
The dance ceased and Grace thrust the telegram, which she still held,into Miram's hands. "Read it," she commanded.
"Will arrive in Overton 5:30. Meet me. With love. Rose Gray."
And, reinforced by Miriam, the dance was begun again with renewed vigor.