CHAPTER XVII
CHRISTMAS PLANS
The month of December seemed interminably long to Grace Harlowe. Sinceher visit to the Southards the longing to be at home remained with her.She hung a little calendar at the head of her bed and every night markedoff one day with an air of triumph. During the three weeks that followedtheir trip to New York, Overton had not been the most congenial spot inthe world for Grace or Anne. 19---- was a very large class, andconsidered itself extremely democratic; nevertheless, the story ofAnne's theatrical career was bandied about among the freshmen and passedon to the sophomores, until the truth of it was lost in the haze offiction that surrounded it.
A certain percentage of the class who knew Everett Southard's standingin the theatrical world and understood that Anne must have the highestability to be able to play in his company treated the young girl withthe deference due an artist. Then there were a number of young womenwho, though fond of attending the theatre, looked askance at the clevermen and women whose business it was to amuse them. They approved of thetheatre, but for them the foot-lights divided the two worlds, and theywished no trespassing of the stage folks on their territory. Quite theiropposite were the girls who were desperately stage struck and cherishedsecret designs on the stage. They were extremely friendly for the sakeof plying Anne with questions about her art. At first Anne's positionamong her classmates was rather difficult to define. After the ballwhich Elfreda had set in motion had rolled itself to a standstill forwant of more gossip to keep it going, Grace saw with secret trepidationthat despite the loyalty of a few, Anne had lost caste at Overton.
"History is repeating itself," she remarked gloomily to Miriam, astogether the two left the library one afternoon and set out for a shortwalk before dinner. "Anne told me last night that the girls in herelocution class are very distant since she came back from New York. It'sElfreda's fault, too. How could she deliberately try to make it hard fora girl like Anne?"
A slow flush mounted to Miriam's forehead. She gave Grace a peculiarlook.
Grace, interpreting the look, exclaimed contritely: "Forgive me, Miriam.I wasn't thinking of you when I spoke."
"I know it," replied Miriam. "It seems as though I can never do enoughfor Anne to make up for behaving so contemptibly toward her in highschool."
"Anne had forgotten all that, ages ago," comforted Grace. "Don't thinkabout it again."
"I'd like to find an opportunity for a serious talk with Elfreda,"returned Miriam. "I think I could bring her to her senses. She keepsstrictly away from me. She knows that I wish to talk with her, too. Iwonder how she likes rooming with Virginia, or rather how Virginia likesrooming with her."
"She is furious with both Anne and me," declared Grace. "She won't lookat either of us. It seems a pity, too. She can be awfully nice when shechooses, and I had begun to feel as though she belonged with us. Here weare on the threshold of 'Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men,' and areat odds with at least five different girls. Miss Alden doesn't like usbecause Mabel Ashe does. Miss Gaines disapproves of us on generalprinciples. Miss Wicks and Miss Hampton dislike me for defendingElfreda's rights. Elfreda thinks us disloyal and deceitful. And it isn'tmid-year yet. We are not what you might call social successes, are we?"she concluded most bitterly.
"Still we have made some staunch friends like Ruth and Mabel andFrances. Then there are the girls at Morton House, and ConstanceFuller, and I think the freshmen at Wayne Hall are friendly."
"Perhaps they are," sighed Grace. "I hope I'm not growing pessimistic,but I can't help feeling that the girls in our own class are not asfriendly as the upper class girls have been. I supposed it would be justthe opposite."
Miriam was on the point of saying that she wished she had been wiseenough to refuse to room with Elfreda. Then she bit her lip and remainedsilent.
"I'm glad I've kept up in all my work," Grace said after they had walkedsome distance in silence. "Mother will be glad and so will Father. I'vedone my level best not to disappoint them, at least." She sighed, thensaid abruptly, "Have you bought all your presents yet?"
"I bought some of them in New York. I shopped as long as my money heldout. Almost all the things were for the girls here. I'll have to buy myhome presents in Oakdale."
"That is just about my case," remarked Grace. "I sent Eleanor's almosttwo weeks ago, and Mabel Allison's last week. And I gave Miss Southardhers and her brother's with strict injunctions not to open them untilChristmas."
"So did I," laughed Miriam. "I forgot to mention it to you at the time.I hope I haven't left out any one. I shall have to ask Mother for moremoney, too."
The few intervening days before Christmas seemed all too short to thestudents who were going home for their Christmas vacations. Interest instudy declined rapidly. Those girls who usually made brilliantrecitations distinguished themselves by just scraping through, whilethose who were inclined to totter on the ragged edge unhesitatinglyconfessed themselves to be unprepared. One had, of course, to decidejust what to pack, whether to take the morning or evening train andwhether it would be worth while to take one's books home on the chanceof studying a little during vacation. These were weighty problems tosolve satisfactorily, and coupled with the constant, "Have I forgottenany one's present?" were sufficient to drive all idea of study to thewinds.
In spite of the mischief Elfreda had endeavored to make, Grace foundthat she had calls enough to pay to fill in every unoccupied momentbefore going home.
Late in the afternoon of the day before leaving Overton, she started outalone to pay two calls, going first to Morton House to say good-bye toGertrude Wells and Arline Thayer. Gertrude was in and welcomed her withenthusiasm, but, to her disappointment, Arline was out. She spent apleasant half hour with 19----'s president, then, looking out at therapidly gathering twilight, said with a start: "I didn't know it was solate. I must go down to Ruth Denton's before dinner."
"Perhaps you'll meet Arline there," suggested Gertrude. "She was goingthere, too. She and Ruth are great friends. She was greatly disappointedto learn that Ruth has been invited somewhere else for Christmas. Shehad set her heart on taking her home with her. Considering the fact thatArline's father has so much money, she is an awfully nice little girl.She isn't in the least snobbish or overbearing."
"I like her immensely," agreed Grace. "Do you know whether Ruth acceptedthe invitation, Gertrude?" she asked suddenly.
"Arline said she thought Ruth wanted to go with her, but was too loyalto the other girl to even intimate any such thing," replied Gertrude.
Five minutes later the two students had exchanged good-byes and Gracewas on her way to Ruth's with Gertrude's words ringing in her ears.Several weeks ago she had invited Ruth to go with her to Oakdale for theholidays. At first Ruth had demurred, then accepted with shy gratitude.The three Oakdale girls had become greatly attached to Ruth, and Anne,in particular, had looked forward to taking her home with them. Gracehad purposely forestalled Anne in inviting Ruth, because she had decidedin her mind that her facilities for entertaining were greater thanAnne's. She had managed so adroitly, however, that Anne had never evendreamed of her real motive in inviting the lonely little girl. Now,there was Arline Thayer's invitation to be considered. Grace suspectedthat Ruth secretly worshipped dainty little Arline. She would have diedrather than admit to the girls who had been so good to her that shecould find it in her heart to care more for another Overton girl thanfor them. "I'm sorry, of course," Grace murmured to herself as shehurried along through the shadows, "but I'm going to make her acceptArline's invitation. She can go home with us at some other time."
She rang the bell at the dingy old house where Ruth lived, was admittedby the tired-faced landlady and ran upstairs two at a time. Ruth's doorstood partly open. Grace heard Arline Thayer say regretfully, "You aresure you can't go, Ruth?"
Then she heard Ruth say, very quietly: "I am quite sure I can't. Ipromised Grace first."
Without waiting to hear more, Grace walked briskly into the room,saying decisively, "Of cour
se she can go, Arline."
"Why, Grace Harlowe, where did you come from?" exclaimed Arline, herblue eyes opening wide with surprise.
"From downstairs," laughed Grace. "Just in time, too, to make Ruthchange her mind. Now, Ruth, tell us the truth, the whole truth, andnothing but the truth. Wouldn't you rather go to New York City withArline than to Oakdale with us?"
Ruth flushed. "That isn't a fair question," she protested. "It isn'tbecause I care more about going to New York than Oakdale. It is----" shehesitated.
"Because you care more for Arline than for us," finished Grace calmly."I understand the situation, I think. Your friendship for Arline isgrowing to be the same as mine for Anne. Naturally, you'd rather be withher than with any one else. Now, Arline, I'll leave her in your hands.We wouldn't have her go to Oakdale with us if she begged on her knees todo so," concluded Grace.
"Grace Harlowe, you're a dear!" exclaimed Arline, catching Grace's handin both of her warm little palms. "I just love you. Next to Ruth, Ithink you are the nicest girl at Overton. Thank you a thousand times forbeing so nice over Ruth. Now, you simply must go," she announced,turning to Ruth.
"I will," answered Ruth happily. "You don't blame me for saying so?" sheasked, looking pleadingly at Grace.
"Not after having just given my official consent," retorted Grace. "Yourpenalty for deserting us is that you must come to see us at Wayne Hallto-morrow. We have rich gifts for you. Now I must go. Are you going myway home?"
"No," answered Arline. "I'm sorry, but Ruth and I are going to cook ourown supper. I've been asked to help. We are going to have a regularfeast. Won't you stay and help eat it? Ruth doesn't care who I invite,"she added saucily.
"Please stay, Grace," begged Ruth.
Grace shook her head. "Not to-night. Invite me some evening after theholidays. Good-bye, Arline." She extended her hand, but Arline put botharms around Grace's neck, kissing her warmly. "I hope I can do somethingfor you some day," she whispered. After the usual good wishes for aMerry Christmas had been exchanged, Grace emerged from the house, filledwith that sense of warmth and elation that comes from having made othershappy. She smiled to herself as her mother's face rose before her. Itwas only a matter of hours now until she would see her. She could almosthear her father's voice and feel his hand on her shoulder in the oldcaressing way. Smiling to herself Grace walked rapidly on toward WayneHall, so rapidly, in fact, that she ran squarely against a tall girl,who, coming from the opposite direction, had apparently been travelingat the same rate of speed. The collision occurred directly under the arclight. The tall girl gave a smothered exclamation and would have rushedon, but Grace put forth a detaining hand, saying: "Stop a moment,Elfreda. I wish to say something to you."
"I don't wish to hear anything you have to say," sneered Elfreda. "Takeyour hand off my arm. You can't fool me twice. I know What a hypocriteyou are."
Grace's hand dropped to her side. "I beg pardon," she said formally. "Iam sorry you have such a bad opinion of me. I was about to say thatAnne, Miriam and I join in wishing you a Merry Christmas."
"You can keep your good wishes," snapped Elfreda. "I don't want them."With that she turned on her heel and walked angrily away from Grace andreconciliation.