Grace Harlowes Return to Overton Campus | Page 4

the beach.

We're at Wildwood for the summer. Maybe I didn't pick up my things
in a hurry. To use slang, which you know I can't resist using
occasionally, I hot-footed it for the station the minute Ma said I could
come."
"Which letter do you mean, Elfreda?" asked Grace in a puzzled tone.
"Why the one from Mrs. Gray, of course," returned Elfreda. "Isn't she
here?"
"Yes, but--"
"Grace! Elfreda!" called Mrs. Gray from the head of the stairs, "come
up here, children."
"Come on." Grace seized Elfreda's heavy suit case and started up the
stairs. Elfreda followed with alacrity. "Now," laughed Grace, as she
stepped into Mrs. Gray's room, "I demand an explanation." She laid her
hands lightly upon the old lady's shoulders, smiling down at her, then
bent and kissed her cheek.
"This is certainly a happy meeting," declared Elfreda, as she embraced
Mrs. Gray, who rose to greet her.
"I'm so glad you could come, my dear. I knew that Grace would miss
her friends dreadfully when she came back here. Anne and Miriam are
both away, and Nora and Jessica are too deep in the mysteries of hope
chests and wedding finery to be dragged off on even the most delightful
of midsummer pilgrimages. But my greatest reason for asking you to
come was because I believed you were the very person Grace needed to
make her happy here. You see it will take at least two weeks to set
things to rights and she must have inspiring company. I hope
everything has arrived safely. Suppose we hurry through with our
breakfast and go over to Harlowe House at once. Mrs. Elwood tells me
that she informed the caretaker yesterday of our coming. We shall be
obliged to stop at his house for the key."
"Oh, Elfreda, I'm so sorry that you weren't with us in New York," was

Grace's regretful cry. "We stayed with the Southards, Mrs. Gray, Anne,
Miriam and I. Anne, Miss Southard and Mr. Southard left New York
City for California last week. Mr. Southard and Anne are to appear as
joint stars in film productions of 'As You Like It,' 'Hamlet,' 'King Lear'
and possibly other Shakespearian plays. It is their first experience in
posing before the camera. Anne sent you her love. She will write you as
soon as she is settled."
"Dear little Anne," smiled Elfreda, her eyes growing tender.
"I hope she'll be back in time for the girls' weddings. Nora and Jessica
say positively that they won't be married without her." Grace looked
anxious.
"When are they to be married?"
"The last of September. The date hasn't been set."
"Grace," Elfreda fixed round solemn eyes on her friend, "do you feel
very old this summer?"
"Not the least little bit. I can't realize that I've come back to Harlowe
House to take charge of it. I feel as young as I felt when I first entered
high school."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it, for, to save me, I can't feel responsible and
dignified. I've run and raced and swum and played golf like an Indian
all summer, and honestly I feel ever so much younger than when I
came to Overton four years ago. See how tanned I am? I haven't gained
an ounce either. I weigh just one hundred and thirty-five pounds and no
more," concluded J. Elfreda in triumph.
"You are in splendid condition, Elfreda," praised Mrs. Gray. Grace
nodded emphatic approval.
"Yes, I'm strong enough to hustle furniture, beat rugs, scrub floors, or
do anything else necessary to the beautifying and eternal improvement
of Harlowe House." Then she added slyly, "Lead me to it."

"You'll be led to it fast enough," promised Grace. "Just wait until we
have some breakfast."
At that moment Mrs. Elwood appeared in the open doorway. "Shall I
bring your breakfast upstairs this morning?" she asked. "I thought Mrs.
Gray might like to have it in her room."
"Thank you, but I'd rather go downstairs this morning," nodded the
energetic old lady. "May we breakfast a la negligee?"
"Yes, come down just as you are. There is no one here besides myself
and the maid."
"Miss Briggs, have you had your breakfast? Jane is making waffles. I
thought you--"
"Waffles!" exclaimed Elfreda, rolling her eyes in ecstacy. "If I'd had
fifty breakfasts I couldn't resist waffles. Thank goodness Vinton's
wasn't open."
"Aren't waffles supposed to be fattening?" inquired Grace judiciously.
"Don't ask me," was Elfreda's fervent protest. "I've set my mind on
eating them, even though I have to walk to Hunter's Rock and back in
the glare of the noonday sun to counteract their deadly effects."
It was a merry trio that gathered around the table which Mrs. Elwood
had set on the roomy, vine-covered back porch, and it was