Part 11 (2/2)

”I never either,” laughed Betty, ”till I came here; but we don't live in a real apartment house. Ours is what they call a 'St. Louis.' And don't you know when one of the girls called it thather own place, I meanI thought she said she lived in St. Louis! I didn't like to ask her to explain how she lived in St. Louis and went to school here, so I kept still and afterwards heard somebody else speak of a St. Louis flat!”

”I'm going to keep still, too,” said Janet, with some firmness. ”You shan't be ashamed of your friends from the 'country.'”

Mr. Lee spoke now, with a kind smile. ”Betty isn't one to be ashamed of two such nice girls, and moreover, girls, I think that you may vote for the country, or at least the lovely little village that is still home to us, when you see how every one except the wealthy must live in the city.

I own to my wife that there are some conveniences and advantages. She rather likes it now. But it's pretty crowded and unless you like that, the small town is better. Fortunately we live away from the street cars, a few squares, so you may be able to sleep at night.”

”Mer_cee_,” exclaimed Janet. ”But I shan't mind not sleepingI'm not sure I could anyway. Just to think of being here with you, Betty!” and Janet squeezed Betty's arm in antic.i.p.ation.

”Here we are,” cried Betty just then, and Mr. Lee, driving in, ordered them facetiously to ”pile out.”

They ”piled,” while d.i.c.k and Doris, still disappointed that they, too, had not been permitted to meet Janet and Sue, came running out, followed by Amy Lou, whose mother was trying to hold her back or at least to throw something around her to protect her from the frosty air. ”O, Janet, it's going to be such a glorious Thanksgiving!” exclaimed Sue in Janet's ear, as she followed her up the steps and into the house. And Betty was crying to the welcoming mother, ”O, Mother, they can stay over Sunday and don't care if they miss school on Monday!”

”Well, isn't that fine,” warmly responded the hostess. ”I'm glad, too, to see the girls from the old home and thankful to have room enough to tuck you away. Take the girls back to your room, Betty, and have them get ready for dinner. Doris, you may set the table if you will, and Betty will help me take up the dinner presently.”

This was the beginning. On Wednesday morning, Betty took her guests to school with her, for Janet, particularly, wanted to visit a few of the cla.s.ses. Sue told Betty that she could ”dump her any place” if she liked. Impressed with the numbers and the apparent complexity of the system, the girls visited one or two cla.s.ses, met Betty's home room teacher and the others, in a hasty way between cla.s.ses, and then waited for Betty in the auditorium or the library, where there was much to interest them.

There was an auditorium session, with a few exercises appropriate to the Thanksgiving season and then a brief organ recital by a visiting organist, whom the princ.i.p.al had secured for a real treat to the entire school.

”Oh, I'm _so_ glad that you heard our big organ,” said Betty as she took them to the library to leave them there while she went to her last cla.s.s before lunch.

”And it was great to see that immense room filled with n.o.body but high school pupils, and their teachers, of course,” added Janet, ”onlyonly, I believe, Betty, that I'd be too confused. Some way, I like the little old high school at home, and we have such a pretty building, even if it is small.”

”Oh, you'd get used to it,” Betty a.s.sured Janet. ”I have, and still, there's something in what you say, of course. Now I'll be right up to take you to lunch; it's on the floor just above the library, you know, and I'm going to bring Carolyn and Peggy along so we'll sit together at lunch and talk. Don't you think they're sweet?”

”Peggy's a perfect dear,” promptly Sue replied, ”and Carolyn is too nice for words, simply adorable.”

After this tribute, the girls followed Betty into the library, where Betty spoke to the librarian in charge and took them to a seat at one of the tables. ”You can look at the books, if you want to,” she whispered.

”I spoke to Miss Hunt, so it will be all right.”

The time did not drag, for boys and girls were coming and going, or sitting at the tables to read or examine books. The girls felt a little timid about investigating any of the shelves, but the pleasant librarian came to speak to them and to suggest where they might find books of some interest. Accordingly, each with a book spent a little while in reading, though, it was hard to put their minds on anything requiring consecutive thought.

And now bright faces peeped in, for Janet and Sue sat not far from the door. Betty was beckoning and leaving the books upon the table, the two guests joined Betty, Carolyn, Peggy and Kathryn Allen, whom they had not met.

”This is Kathryn Allen, girls,” said Betty in the breezy, hurried way made necessary by the rapid movement of events. ”I've told her who you are. Let's hurry in and see if we can get places together. Mary Emma Howl and said she'd try to save places for us at that table by the window that we like. She's in line now. Look at that long line already!

I'm glad we happened to have first lunch, Janet, since you're here.”

”What is 'first lunch,' Betty? Do you have to take turns?”

”Yes. There are several periods. Father says that that is the only thing he doesn't like about this school, that there isn't enough time to eat without swallowing things whole. But it isn't as bad as that, really; and most generally we don't try to eat a big meal. Still, things are so good, and you get so hungry, you know, especially if you can't eat a big breakfast.”

”I don't like all your stairs,” said Sue, ”but I suppose it can't be helped. I guess your mother's rightyou need wings.”

”Oh, you get used to where rooms are and it isn't so bad. Of course, the building does spread out awfully and up the three stories and bas.e.m.e.nt.

And by the way, we can eat all we want to this time, for I saw Miss Heath and told her that I had company, and if I was a little late to the first cla.s.s would she give me a chance to make it upand she was in an awful hurry and said, maybe without thinking, that I could.”

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