CHAPTER XXI
KATHLEEN WEST MAKES A PROMISE
On Grace's return to Overton and Harlowe House from her Easter vacationshe plunged into her work with feverish energy. She wished, if possible,to free herself of this strange, unbidden love for Tom which seemed togrow and deepen with every passing day, and which made her utterlymiserable. Then, too, she did not know when the dreaded summons mightcome from Miss Wharton, and she longed to do as much as she could forher girls while the opportunity was yet hers. It was with this spiritthat she entered into the plans for their revue, which was to be givenin Greek Hall, and from the number of tickets already sold promised tobe a sweeping success.
Arline and Elfreda had accepted their invitations with alacrity,promising to come to Overton several days beforehand for the purpose ofmaking Grace a visit. The girls who were to take part in the revue wereusing every spare moment to perfect themselves in their parts andspecialties, and every night the living room was the scene of muchrehearsing.
According to information received from Emma, Miss Wharton was notfilling Miss Wilder's place with signal success. She had shown herselfto be not only extremely narrow-minded, but quarrelsome as well. She hadantagonized more than one member of the faculty by either tactlesslycriticising their methods of instruction, or seeking to force them intoopen dispute. Being only human, those whom she sought to humbleretaliated by taking advantage of her recent assumption of the duties ofdean to make her college path as thorny as circumstances would admit,and Miss Wharton was obliged to put aside all else, including thejudgment she intended to pass upon Grace, in a powerful contention forsupremacy over those who had worsted her in sundry college matters.
Grace did not flatter herself that this state of affairs could last; shewas certain that, sooner or later, the blow would fall, but she wiselyresolved to put the whole unhappy business from her mind and make haywhile her brief college sun still shone.
The arrival of Elfreda Briggs and Arline Thayer three days before thedate set for the entertainment made things seem like old times.
"It certainly does you a world of good to have Elfreda and Arline here,Gracious," observed Emma Dean as she stopped in the doorway of Grace'slittle office on her way to her room from her morning recitations.
"I can't bear to think of their leaving me," smiled Grace, looking upfrom the account book on her desk. Her face had partially regained itsformer light and sparkle. "They are coming here to luncheon to-day. Didyou know it?"
"Yes, I saw J. Elfreda on my way across the campus this morning. Theyought to be here soon now."
A ring of the bell, answered by the maid, and the sound of Arline'sclear tones, mingled with Elfreda's deeper ones, proclaimed the arrivalof the two Sempers. The luncheon bell rang almost directly afterward, sothe four friends had time only to exchange salutations before going tothe table.
"Do you know, girls, I can't get used to Overton without Miss Wilder,"declared Arline Thayer as they seated themselves at Grace's table, whichhad been set for four. "I keep looking about me, expecting to meet her atany minute. You must miss her dreadfully, Grace."
"I do miss her more than I can say," replied Grace briefly. The hauntingshadow lurked for an instant in her gray eyes, then she began to talkwith forced vivacity of the coming revue.
But one pair of keen eyes had seen that shadow, and that pair of eyesbelonged to J. Elfreda Briggs. "I wonder what ails Grace?" was herthought, "It's something about Miss Wilder's not being here, I'm prettycertain." She resolved to make inquiries concerning the new dean andmade an excuse to accompany Emma across the campus after luncheon,leaving Arline and Grace together.
"What's the matter with Grace?" was her abrupt question the instant theyhad left Harlowe House behind them. "I could see that she wasn't quiteher old self at luncheon to-day."
"I believe you 'could see' in the dark or with your eyes shut or even ifyou had no eyes," teased Emma.
"Then there _is_ something bothering her," said Elfreda triumphantly. "Iknew it."
"Yes, there is. I wish I might tell you," returned Emma slowly, "but Iam in Grace's confidence. It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to ask her,though. If she would tell you, you might be able to suggest somethinghelpful. I'll just say this much. It's very serious."
"All right, I'll ask her. If she tells me, I'll talk things over withyou afterward. If she doesn't, then forget that I asked you about it."
It was not until late that afternoon that she found her opportunity toquestion Grace. Arline had left her to make a call upon Myra Stone, nowa senior, and Elfreda and Grace sat side by side on Grace's favoritebench that stood under the giant elm at one end of the campus.
"Grace," Elfreda's matter-of-fact tones broke a brief silence that hadfallen upon the two young women. "What has happened to hurt you?"
Grace started slightly. Her color receded, leaving her very pale. Thenshe said simply, "I suppose you 'could see,' Elfreda."
"Yes; I've been 'seeing' ever since I came. I wish you would tell meabout it. Perhaps I can help you."
Grace shook her head. "No one can help me. I'll just say this. Don't besurprised at anything you may hear a little later. But please rememberone thing, Elfreda. Whatever I have done since I became the manager ofHarlowe House I have done always with the highest interests of my girlsat heart."
"I guess we all know that," retorted Elfreda. "I'll remember what yousay, though. I'm sorry I can't help you. You didn't mind my asking, didyou?"
"You know I didn't. It was affection that prompted the question." Gracereached out to pat her friend's hand. J. Elfreda caught Grace's hand inhers.
Again silence reigned. They sat gazing across the campus, their handsstill joined. Grace was thinking that she could not endure telling evenElfreda of the cloud that hung over her, while J. Elfreda Briggs wasregistering a vow to find some means of helping Grace in spite ofherself.
"I must go, Elfreda," said Grace at last, rising from the seat. "I amanxious to have dinner over a little earlier to-night on account of thedress rehearsal in Greek Hall. Let me see, who is the person to befavored with your company at dinner?"
"I'm going to take dinner at Wayne Hall with Kathleen. We'll meet at thedress rehearsal." Elfreda rose, and the two sauntered across the campusto the point where their paths diverged.
After stopping for a little chat with Mrs. Elwood, Elfreda climbed thestairs to the room at the end of the hall, where she received a mostvociferous welcome from Kathleen and Patience. But the moment theysettled down to conversation Elfreda said solemnly, "Girls, something isbreaking Grace Harlowe's proud heart. Emma knows, but she is Grace'sonly confidante. I asked Grace point blank, this afternoon, to tell me,but she wouldn't. It has something to do with that Miss Wharton, the newdean. Whatever it is, you know, as well as I, that Grace isn't likely tobe in the wrong. If I were going to stay here at Overton, a littlelonger, I'd find out all about it."
"You could see," murmured Patience.
"Yes, I could," declared Elfreda with a good-natured grin. "But so longas I can't be here to see, I'm going to pass the job along to you,Kathleen. I'm sure that if any one can find out the cause of poorGrace's woes it will be you. Go after it and run it down just as youwould a big story, and if you can find and kill the wicked monster andmake the princess happy again, well, there isn't anything that J.Elfreda Briggs won't do for you."
"I'll do it," vowed Kathleen, setting her sharp little chin at aresolute angle.
"You can't lose much time, either. College closes the second week inJune," reminded Elfreda.
"Trust me to find out before that time."
Having disposed of this important matter, J. Elfreda's gravity vanishedand she became her usual funny self again. The three girls had a merrytime together and set off for the dress rehearsal in high spirits.
When they reached Greek Hall they found that Grace and Arline hadalready arrived and were sitting far back in the hall watching asextette of girls in smart white linen
skirts, blue serge coats andstraw hats, banded with blue ribbon, who were down on the programme fora song entitled "Our Fraternity Friends," the number ending with a gaylittle dance taught them by Hilda Moore.
"Aren't they clever?" asked Grace eagerly, turning to Kathleen. Thethree young women had made their way to where she was seated. "They onlybegan practicing that dance last week. Miss Moore taught them. Shedances beautifully."
The rehearsal proceeded without a hitch. Arline and Elfreda, being sureof themselves, did not take part in it. Kathleen West's clever one-actplay, "In the Days of Shakespeare," was worthy of her genius. Itpresented the scene from the "Taming of the Shrew," where Petruchioridicules Katherine's gown and berates the tailor. This scene wasenacted in accordance with the Elizabethan age, when the nobility werepermitted to take seats on the stage with the actors, the latter beingobliged to step around and over that part of the audience in order tomake their entrances and exits. These favored nobles had also theprivilege of expressing freely their opinions of the merits of thelong-suffering mummers, which they usually did in a loud voice. Kathleenhad made a careful study of the conditions prevailing in the theatre atthat period, and the little play was most mirth provoking from beginningto end.
Mary Reynolds had also scored in the pathetic playlet, "The Freshman onthe Top Floor," depicting a lonely little girl whose poverty anddiffidence kept her out of the carefree college life that went on in thehouse where she lived. Cecil Ferris essayed the role of the freshman.
The last number on the programme was Jean Brent's solo. Afterconsiderable coaxing Louise had persuaded her to sing, and GertrudeEarle accompanied her on the piano. Grace felt her brief resentmentagainst the girl vanish as she listened to her glorious voice which hada suspicion of tragedy in it.
There was a certain amount of lingering on the part of the performers totalk over the success of the dress rehearsal, but at last they alltrooped across the campus to Harlowe House.
By curious chance Evelyn Ward found herself walking directly behind JeanBrent. She had been greatly affected by her singing. Obeying a suddenimpulse, she leaned forward and touched Jean's arm. "Can't we be friendsagain, Jean," she said wistfully. "I--I love your voice, and I care somuch for you. There isn't much of the year left and----"
Jean's blue eyes grew strangely soft. "It was all my fault," she saidhuskily. "Let's begin over again, Evelyn." And under the stars they madea new and truer covenant.