Part 45 (2/2)
A pretty compliment it was, elaborated upon in the sitting-room. Vases stood in every available corner and s.p.a.ce, and the same bows ornamented each bouquet. The girls were eloquent in praise of them.
”Why didn't you try a four-in-hand on this one, Billy?” Sue asked, pointing to a carefully arranged effect of the ”string-tie” variety. ”Or a--what you call it--an Ascot! An Ascot would be stunning on those orchids.”
A laugh went round the room in which Billy joined good naturedly.
”See what you fellows escape by not having a sister,” he said, nodding toward McVickar and Billings. His tone was severe, but the loving look that shot from his eyes to the dimpled face close to his own belied the words. Any fellow would have been proud to have had such a sister. Billy appreciated the fact.
”Anyway, I didn't tie the bows,” he added. ”McVickar did it. 'Fess up, old man. He's been at it all day--sluffed his cla.s.ses to tie the bunch.”
It was Sue's turn to become embarra.s.sed.
”Really?” she said. ”Well, they're perfectly lovely--and the idea's so new. I've never seen it used before. I think you should be congratulated, Mr. McVickar. It's a gift to be able to originate!”
Even Billy regarded Sue with admiration, but a knock at the door prevented further discussion.
”Pardon me,” Billy said to Mrs. White on the way to open the door.
”Surprising how many interruptions a fellow has in a place like this.”
On the threshold stood a young man, groomed within an inch of his life; hair faultless; shoes immaculate; tie and scarf pin elaborate.
”Oh, a thousand pardons, Hemphill. Didn't dream you were entertaining.
Just looking for a book--Calculus. Haven't seen it knocking about, have you? Fancied I left it here last night. No--No! Couldn't think of stopping. Oh, if you feel that way, old chap--”
Billy, by this time, had got the intruder inside the room and was presenting him to the guests. Mr. Williams looked about with apparent embarra.s.sment and took a seat by Blue Bonnet.
”Fear I'm intruding. Awful bore--fellows running in like this. Didn't dream Hemphill was entertaining. From Boston, I presume, Miss--beg pardon, didn't quite catch the name.”
”Ashe,” Blue Bonnet said, casting a rather amused glance at the young man's elaborate afternoon toilet.
”Miss Ashe. Not the Ashes of Beacon Street? They're relatives of mine--distant, of course.”
”No. I'm from Texas.”
”Texas! You're rather a long way from home, aren't you? Texas seems farther away to me than Paris. Great country that--Texas. Lots of cattle and Indians and--”
”I don't know about Indians. We have cattle--lots! And cowboys. Maybe you're thinking of cowboys?”
But cowboys were farthest from Mr. Williams' mind. Translated his thoughts ran something like this: ”Mighty pretty girl, blooming as a rose. Wonder how many of us the chaperon's going to stand for. Plague take it, why didn't Stuart give me a show--needn't have tread on my heels this way.”
But Stuart, at the door, stopping only a half moment for a lost overcoat--so he said--was being presented to the ladies. And in Stuart's wake came others. It was amazing how many things had been lost oh the campus; or in Billy Hemphill and Hammie McVickar's rooms.
Mrs. White began to feel nervous. She was in a quandary. She could hardly take her charges away before tea, neither could she ask the young men to leave. She finally decided to settle down comfortably and close her eyes to any irregularities. After all there could be no real harm.
With the utmost cordiality Billy and his room-mate insisted upon their friends remaining to tea, and the men needed but little urging. They made themselves generally agreeable, a.s.sisting in the entertaining; pa.s.sing tea and sandwiches with ease and aplomb.
Mr. Williams kept the seat next to Blue Bonnet and Hammie McVickar dropped down on the other side of her.
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