Part 46 (1/2)

”First visit here?” Mr. Williams asked, trying to successfully balance his ice-cream and cake on one knee.

”Yes--that is, it's the first time I've been inside one of the buildings. I came to a ball game last autumn.”

”Then you must have a look round before you go.”

Blue Bonnet a.s.sured him of her willingness if Mrs. White and the others were agreeable.

”You have pleasant quarters here,” she said, turning to Mr. McVickar.

”If you were at Oxford you would call this room the 'sitter' and that the 'bedder,'” nodding toward the room where they had laid aside their coats.

”Yes--those are the Oxford terms. Know anybody there?”

”Just one man. I've only met him. He's a friend of a friend of mine. He told me about some of the customs. They interested me very much.”

Over in her corner, between young Billings and the interloper, Stuart, Sue was having a beautiful time. She had felt free, since it was Billy's party--hence Billy's ice-cream--to permit herself a second helping. Sue was in her element. Billy and her favorite ice-cream--all in one day! It was almost too much.

Annabel, as usual, was the centre of attraction. She was surrounded by a number of ”searchers for lost articles,” and Blue Bonnet, as she glanced in her direction, could imagine how the men were enjoying her pretty Southern drawl, her always witty remarks. Billy, with great self-sacrifice, devoted himself to Mrs. White, but his glance strayed often to Annabel. Mrs. White must have noticed the anxious glances, for she got up after she had finished her tea and insisted upon talking to Mr. McVickar for a while.

The hour sped all too soon. Before the girls realized it, they had seen the interesting sights of the campus; the big dining-room in Memorial Hall, where twelve hundred students a.s.sembled daily; Sanders Theatre and the Fogg Art Museum.

”I'd love to come in here when the men were dining,” Annabel remarked, gazing from the balcony down upon the dining-hall.

A quick glance pa.s.sed between the men. They smiled in unison.

”What's the joke?” Annabel insisted.

”You'd have to come here at mealtime to find out,” Billy informed her.

”You see, we are a little averse to an audience, and the fellows act up considerably.”

”What do they do?”

”Well,” Hammie McVickar explained, ”when any one enters this balcony every man down there begins pounding with his knife and fork, or anything that's handy, and raising such a din, that guests usually depart--quickly.”

”I think that's very rude,” Blue Bonnet said, and the men agreed with her politely.

”Wasn't it just like Billy to pick out the biggest bouquet for Mrs.

White?” Sue whispered to Annabel, as they were finally leaving the campus. ”She adores American beauties, too. Don't you really think he's a dear?”

”He's a diplomat, to say the least,” Annabel replied, laughing. ”And a charming host,” she added, to palliate Sue's evident disappointment.

”Perfectly charming.”

”I'm so glad you think so, Annabel, and--do you know--I've a feeling that he likes you awfully, dear. Not from anything he says--but--well, just the way he looks at you sometimes!”

”How absurd, Sue!” Annabel replied, as she hurried to catch up with the rest of the party; but her eyes sparkled and a beautiful flush crimsoned her lovely face.

After the lights were out that night, Blue Bonnet, with utter disregard of rules, slipped into Annabel's room to talk things over. It was an excellent opportunity, as Ruth had left in the afternoon for a week-end at home.

Sue had already arrived and was comfortably ensconced on the couch in bath-robe and slippers.

”Good!” she cried, drawing Blue Bonnet down beside her while Annabel stirred the fire. ”Now, we'll have a regular old-fas.h.i.+oned gossip.” The fire, after some coaxing, broke into a ruddy glow, and Annabel, dropping before it on the rug, took down her hair and began brus.h.i.+ng it systematically. Annabel never, under any circ.u.mstances, neglected her hair. It was one of her chief attractions, and its soft, glossy texture testified to this regular treatment.