Grace Harlowes First Year at Overton College | Page 8

heaven of delight whenever I am fortunate
enough to be invited to dine there."

"Then come and dine with us to-night," invited Miriam.
Mabel Ashe shook her head. "It's very nice in you," she said gravely,
"but not to-night. Really, I am awfully stupid. I haven't told you my
name. It is Mabel Ashe. I am a junior and pledged to pilot bewildered
freshmen to havens of rest and safety."
"Do you consider freshmen impossible creatures?" asked Anne Pierson,
her eyes twinkling.
The young woman laughed merrily. "Oh, no," she replied. "You must
remember that they are the raw material that makes good upper
classmen. It takes a whole year to mould them into shape--that is, some
of them. Now, come with me and I'll see that you meet some of the
upper class girls."
As they were about to accompany their new acquaintance down the
platform, a tall, fair-haired girl walked toward them followed by the
others upon whom Miriam had commented. "Wait a minute, Mabel,"
she called. "I've been trying to get hold of you all afternoon."
"You're just in time, Beatrice," returned Mabel Ashe. "I wish you to
meet Miss Harlowe, Miss Nesbit, and Miss Pierson, all of Oakdale.
Girls, this is Miss Alden, also of the junior class."
Beatrice Alden smiled condescendingly, and shook hands in a
somewhat bored fashion with the three girls. "Pleased to meet you," she
drawled. "Hope you'll be good little freshmen this year and make no
trouble for your elders."
"We shall try to mind our own affairs, and trust to other people to do
the same," flashed Miriam, eyeing the other girl steadily.
Grace looked at her friend in surprise. What had caused Miriam to
answer in such fashion? There was an almost imperceptible lull in the
conversation, then Mabel Ashe introduced the other girls. "Now we
will see about your trunks, and then perhaps you would like to walk up
to the college," she said briskly. "It isn't far from here. Some of the girls

prefer to ride in the bus, but I always walk. I can show you some of the
places of interest as we go."
"Come over here, Mabel, dear," commanded Beatrice Alden, who had
moved a little to one side of the group. Mabel excused herself to her
charges, and looking a little annoyed, obeyed the summons. Beatrice
talked rapidly for a moment in coaxing tones, but Mabel shook her
head. Grace, who stood nearest to them, heard her say, "I'd love to go,
Bee, and its awfully nice in you to think of me. I'll go to-morrow, but I
can't leave these poor stranded freshmen to their own homesick
thoughts to-day. You know just how we felt when we landed high and
dry in this town without any one to care whether we survived or
perished."
"If you won't go to-day, then don't trouble about it at all," snapped
Beatrice. "I know plenty of girls who will be only too glad to accept my
invitation, but I asked you first, and I think you ought to remember it.
You know I like you better than any other girl in college."
"You know I appreciate your friendship, Bee," returned Mabel, "but
truly I wish you cared more for other girls, too. There are plenty of girls
here who need friends like you."
"Yes, but I don't like them," snapped Beatrice. "I'm not going to make a
martyr of myself to please any one. My mother is very particular about
my associates at Overton, and I don't intend to waste my time trying to
make things pleasant for the stupid, uninteresting girls of this college. I
did not come to Overton to take a course in doing settlement work. I
came here to have a good time, and incidentally to study a little."
"Now, now, Bee, don't try to make me believe you haven't just as much
college spirit as the rest of us," admonished Mabel in a low tone. "Don't
be cross because I can't go to-day. Come with me, instead, and help
look after these verdant freshmen. There was a positive army of them
who got off the train."
Without replying Beatrice turned and walked sulkily away toward the
other end of the platform. Mabel looked after her with a half frown.

"I am afraid we are causing you considerable inconvenience,"
demurred Grace. "Please do not deprive yourself of any pleasure on our
account."
"Nonsense," smiled Mabel. "I am not depriving myself of any pleasure.
Oh, there goes one of my best friends!" Putting her hands to her mouth
she called, "Frances!" A tall slender girl, with serious brown eyes and
dark hair, who was leisurely crossing the station platform, stopped
short, glanced in the direction of the sound, then espying Mabel hurried
toward her.
"Good old