Grace Harlowes Third Year at Overton College | Page 4

the big porch
swing. "You needn't be afraid, though. I don't feel in the least
sentimental over any one, not even Tom Gray, and I like him better
than any other young man I know. I am far more concerned over what
to do once I have finished college. I simply must work, but I haven't yet
found my vocation. Neither has Miriam. Jessica thinks she has found
hers, but she found Reddy first, and he does not intend that she shall
lose sight of him. Hippy and Nora are a great deal fonder of each other
than appears on the surface, too. Their disagreements are never private.
Nora said the other day that she and Hippy had had only one quarrel,
and--this is the funniest bit of news you ever heard, Mother--it was
because Hippy became jealous of a violinist Nora knows at the
conservatory. Imagine Hippy as being jealous!"
Grace talked on to her mother of her friends and of herself while Mrs.
Harlowe listened, thinking happily that she was doubly blessed in not
only her daughter, but in having that daughter's confidence as well.
CHAPTER II
THE ARRIVAL OF KATHLEEN
"There is a whole lot in getting accustomed to things," remarked J.
Elfreda Briggs sagely, as she stood with a hammer and nail in one hand,
a Japanese print in the other, her round eyes scanning the wall for an
appropriate place to hang her treasure.
"It's a beauty, isn't it?" declared Miriam, passing over her roommate's
remark and looking admiringly at the print, which her roommate had
just taken from her trunk.
"What, this?" asked Elfreda. "You'd better believe it is. Goodness
knows I paid enough for it. But I wasn't talking about this print. I was
talking about our present junior estate. What I wonder is, whether being
a junior will go to my head and make me vainglorious or whether I
shall wear the honor as a graceful crown," ended the stout girl with an
affected smile, which changed immediately to a derisive grin.

"I should say, neither," responded Miriam slyly. "I don't believe
anything would ever go to your head. You're too matter-of-fact, and as
for your graceful crown, it would be over one ear within half an hour."
Both girls laughed, then Elfreda, having found a spot on the wall that
met with her approval, set the nail and began hammering. "There!" she
exclaimed with satisfaction. "That is exactly where I want it. Now I can
begin to think about something else."
"I wonder why Grace and Anne haven't paid us a call this morning?"
mused Miriam, who sat listlessly before her trunk, apparently
undecided whether to begin the tedious labor of unpacking or to put it
off until some more convenient day.
"I'll go and find them," volunteered Elfreda, dropping her hammer and
turning toward the door. "They must be at home." Five minutes later
she raced back with the news that their door was locked and the "out
indefinitely" sign was displayed.
"That is very strange," pondered Miriam, aloud. "I wonder where they
have gone?"
"Why on earth didn't they tell us they were going? That's what I'd like
to know," declared Elfreda.
"Perhaps Mrs. Elwood knows something about it," suggested Miriam.
The mere mention of Mrs. Elwood's name caused Elfreda to dart
through the hall and downstairs to the living-room in search of the
good-natured matron. Failing to find her, she walked through the
kitchen to the shady back porch, where Mrs. Elwood sat rocking and
reading the newspaper which the newsboy had just brought.
"Oh, Mrs. Elwood," she cried, "have you seen Grace and Anne? We
can't find them."
"Didn't Miss Dean tell you?" asked Mrs. Elwood in a surprised tone.

"Miss Dean," repeated Elfreda disgustedly. "No wonder we didn't know
what had become of them. With all Emma's estimable qualities, she is
the one person I know whom I would not trust to deliver a message. I
beg your pardon, Mrs. Elwood, I didn't mean that you were in any
sense to blame. We ought to have warned you, only Emma is such a
splendid girl that one hates to mention a silly little thing like that. Just
forget that I said it, will you?"
Mrs. Elwood smiled. "I quite understand, Miss Briggs," she said
gravely. "The message Miss Harlowe left with me was this: 'If the girls
ask where we have gone, tell them that we received a telegram and had
to go to the station. All explanations when we come back.'"
"That settles it," groaned Elfreda. "We know only enough to whet our
curiosity. And we can't find out more unless we follow them to the
station. We can't do that, either. It would not look well. Besides, we are
not invited." Elfreda had been rapidly reflecting