CHAPTER XVIII
THE FAIRY GODMOTHER'S VISIT
Three excited young women burst in upon Elfreda, who, seated on thefloor before her trunk, hastily deposited a large flat package in thetray and slammed down the lid. "Why didn't you knock!" she grumbled,looking mild displeasure at the intruders. "If you had come five minutessooner you would have seen your Christmas presents, and I couldn't havestopped you. I'm going to have a 'Busy, Keep Out' sign made to hang onthe door until Christmas."
"Don't be cross, J. Elfreda Briggs," laughed Grace. "We have somethingnice to show you." She handed the telegram to Elfreda with: "We want youto go to the station with us this afternoon. The train is due atfive-thirty."
Elfreda's round face flushed at this mark of thoughtfulness on the partof the girls she adored, and agreed almost shyly to make one of theparty. She had never become quite used to the knowledge that these threeyoung women had long since accepted her as one of their number.Consequently an invitation to participate in their personal good timesor to share their intimate friends was always a matter of wonder to her.
The train was reported to be on time, but the quartette of happy-facedyoung women who waited impatiently for its arrival from the north thatafternoon were agreed that it must be late. It was Anne who, when itrushed into the station, first espied the familiar figure of thesnowy-haired old lady who had brought so much sunshine into her life,and her quick eyes also discovered the identity of the tall,broad-shouldered young man who was helping her down the car steps. "Oh,Tom Gray is with her!" she exclaimed in delight.
"How nice!" cried Grace, with frank, unembarrassed pleasure. "I neverthought that he would come with Mrs. Gray."
Her three friends exchanged significant glances. It was quite evidentthat Grace Harlowe's regard for Tom held nothing of the sentimental.
"Here they are! Here are my dear Christmas children!" Mrs. Gray lookedno older than when she had welcomed them to her house party eightChristmases before. She spoke in the same sprightly manner, and smiledin the same kindly, gentle fashion that had warmed the heart of AnnePierson when, poor and unknown, she had placed her hand in Mrs. Gray'sat that first eventful freshman tea which was the beginning of happinessfor her. Anne's brown eyes filled with tears as she embraced her "fairygodmother" and heard her murmur, "My own dear Anne."
"Please give Aunt Rose a chance to catch her breath and turn yourattention upon me," was Tom's plaintive plea.
"We are terribly, horribly, dreadfully glad to see you!" laughed Grace,shaking Tom's hand in her boyish, energetic fashion.
"'Terribly, horribly, dreadfully!'" repeated Tom. "Did you say this wasyour last year in college?"
"Don't be sarcastic," reproved Miriam. "Circumstances alter English.Grace was only trying to convey to you our deep appreciation of yourarrival."
Tom glanced almost wistfully at Grace, who had turned from him and wasdevoting her whole attention to Mrs. Gray. "I hope you girls are as gladto see me as I am to see you," he said, his eyes still upon Grace.
"Of course we are. How did you happen to think of coming to Overton? Areyou going to stay until next Wednesday? If you do, then we can alljourney to Oakdale together."
"Ask Aunt Rose. I am her faithful bodyguard. I know she intends to stayuntil to-morrow at least. I hope you can persuade her to remain atOverton until you go home. I am a working man now, you know, andWashington is a long way from here." Tom's ambition to make forestry hislife work had been in a measure realized, and with his graduation fromcollege had come the offer of a position in the Department of Forestryat Washington.
"Yes, children, dear, I will remain in Overton until your vacationbegins if the town boasts of a comfortable hotel where I can not onlydemand, but receive, good service."
"The 'Tourraine' is the very hotel for you, Mrs. Gray," said Grace. "Westayed there for a day or two when we first came to Overton. The serviceis excellent."
"Then see to my luggage, Tom, and find me a cab or an automobile. Thesooner I am settled the sooner I can hear what my girls have been doing.I have heard very nice things of you, my dear," she said to Elfreda,who, having shaken hands with Mrs. Gray, stood at the outer edge of thelittle group, looking on with shining eyes.
"She looks like a piece of Dresden china," was Elfreda's remarkablestatement to Miriam as the little company, headed by Grace and Tom, madeits way to the other side of the station in search of an automobile.
"You funny girl," Miriam laughed softly, "what an idea!"
"But she does," persisted Elfreda in a low tone. "She's white and pinkand fine and--and--fragile. She's dainty and exquisite, and there's akind of rare china look about her that----"
"I am going to tell her you said she looked like a piece of Dresdenchina," interposed Miriam. "Mrs. Gray----"
"If you do, Miriam Nesbit, you'll be sorry," warned Elfreda, clutchingMiriam's arm.
"What is it, my dear?" answered the old lady. They had come to a halt atthe end of the platform and were waiting for Tom to secure a car.
Elfreda surveyed Miriam with a threatening glare.
"Elfreda says that you"--she darted a mischievous glance at herfriend--"look just as she imagined you would."
Elfreda's expression was a mixture of surprise and relief.
"Then you are not disappointed in me," smiled the old lady.
"I should say not!" was the quick response. "I only hope you will adoptme some day as one of your children."
"That is very sweet in you, my child," declared Mrs. Gray. "I herebyadopt you on the spot. Ah, here is our car. I think we are more thanready for it."
"Now that you've been adopted," muttered Miriam in Elfreda's ear, "Iwon't betray you."
"Thank you for nothing," flung back Elfreda.
"Tell the chauffeur to drive past Overton College," Grace had requestedTom, and Mrs. Gray had exclaimed in admiration of stately Overton Hall,standing like a sentinel in the midst of the wide campus. The chapel,the library, Greek Hall, Science Hall, in fact, each one of the smaller,but equally ornamental, buildings were duly pointed out and commentedupon.
Mrs. Gray insisted that they should be her guests at dinner at the"Tourraine," and after dinner they repaired to the cozy sitting room inher suite of rooms for a long, confidential chat, which lasted untilafter ten o'clock.
"Hurry, girls," urged Grace, as they set out for Wayne Hall, afterrepeated promises to call the next morning and prolonged good nights,"we may be locked out. That has never happened to me since I came tocollege."
"That is better than being locked in," reminded Elfreda grimly.
"You mean the night of the ghost party, don't you?" asked Miriam,referring to an incident that had occurred in Elfreda's freshman year.
"I do, indeed, mean the ghost party," retorted Elfreda with grimemphasis. "I still have a remarkably clear recollection of it."
"What a lot of things have happened since then," said Anne, halfmusingly.
"Only a little while and our college life will be over," sighed Miriam.
"And our real life begun," was Grace's hopeful reminder. "After all,college is just a preparation for the time when we must stand upon ourown ground and assume the complete responsibility of our own lives."
"You girls give me the blues," grumbled Elfreda. "I don't want to thinkabout my 'real life' or any other solemn old subject. There's a time toreflect, but this isn't the time. I'd rather save all my harrowingreflections until just before commencement. Then we might give a miseryparty and invite our friends to glower and gloom with us."
"That's a good idea!" exclaimed Grace. "We could all be miserabletogether."
"If we all met together for the express purpose of being miserable, youcan make up your mind that the party itself would defeat its object,"laughed Anne.
"But just at present we had better be gay and gleeful. We must plansomething for Mrs. Gray's entertainment," suggested Miriam. "It is ourlawful senior duty to see that she enjoys her visit to Overton."
"She wishes to meet Dr. Morton and Mis
s Wilder and Miss Duncan, too,"said Anne. "She mentioned it twice this evening. We must give a dinnerin honor of her at Vinton's, and a luncheon at Martell's. Then we oughtto drive out to Guest House for supper. Of course, we must give onespread in either our room or Miriam's and do stunts."
"Why not give the Wonderland Circus just for her?" proposed Elfreda."Miss Wilder will let us have the gymnasium for the evening, and bymaking it strictly a senior class affair there will be no hurt feelingson the part of the other classes. Nearly all the performers are seniors,too. We can serve refreshments, have a dance afterward, and Mrs. Graywill have a splendid opportunity to see 19-- together. How is that for astunt?"
Elfreda's plan was received with acclamation, and by the time theyreached Wayne Hall each girl had been assigned her part in the week'sprogramme.
"We mustn't forget our Christmas girls," reminded Anne, as they lingeredfor a brief moment in the upstairs hall.
"I am glad you mentioned them," replied Grace. "I must see Arlineto-morrow."
The first week of December had dragged, but the next two weeks raced byon winged feet, and the two days before college closed for the holidayswere crowded to the brim with last duties and pleasures. Mrs. Gray wonthe united regard of the Semper Fidelis Club, who immediately enlistedthemselves in her service. The genial, light-hearted old lady enteredinto the life of the college with an enthusiasm that caused her at onceto be declared an honorary member of Semper Fidelis. She was the guestof honor at luncheons and dinners, at which she was toasted and sung towith a fervor that left no doubt in her mind as to her standing withGrace's classmates.
The Wonderland Circus had been saved as the crowning event of her visit,and invitations had been sent to Mr. Thomas Redfield, the benefactor ofSemper Fidelis Club, Dr. Morton, Miss Wilder and the various members ofthe faculty to be present at the Circus. Never had the immortal animalsbeen in better form. Round after round of applause greeted theconclusion of their famous Wonderland song. The demonstration continueduntil Alice stepped forward and made a funny little speech, in which sheintroduced the animals, who skipped, waddled or shuffled forwardaccording to each one's conception of what its own peculiar gait shouldbe.
Emma Dean, who had not taken part in the Circus, appeared in herridiculous Sphinx costume, and, after a monologue that elicited constantlaughter, added to her ability as a fun maker by the weirdly funny dancethat she had intended to give at the bazaar, and which she was obligedto repeat before her audience was satisfied.
A reception followed, and delicious buffet refreshments were served bythe seniors in one corner of the big gymnasium, which had been roped offwith the senior colors and made as attractive as senior hands could makeit. Mrs. Gray was in her element and held court like a veritable queen.Before the evening was over the senior class, to a member, had vowedeternal allegiance to her. Dr. Morton, Miss Wilder and Mr. Redfield,too, apparently succumbed to her spell, for toward the close of theevening they formed an interesting group about her, and, at the end of alengthy confab, shook her hand with an earnestness which seemed almostto indicate a promise of loyalty. To Grace, Anne and Miriam Mrs. Gray'slong conversation with the faculty was merely a further proof of herability to make friends, but the watchful Elfreda regarded the matterfrom a different viewpoint.
"I wonder what Mrs. Gray was talking about to Professor Morton, MissWilder and our fairy godfather?" she remarked in a speculative tone toMiriam as they prepared for sleep late that night. "Fairy godfather is agood name for Mr. Redfield, isn't it?" she laughed.
"Certainly it is," returned Miriam. "I always bestow appropriate namesupon people. Isn't he the fairy godfather of Semper Fidelis and didn't Igive him that name after he sent us the first check?"
"He is," admitted Elfreda, "and you did."
"What is on your mind now?" asked Miriam. "What do you find somysterious in the fact that Mrs. Gray held discourse with the powersthat be?"
"You can make fun of me if you like," said Elfreda, smiling a little,"but I know what I saw with my own eyes. There is a conspiracy on footamong those persons. It's a delightful conspiracy, of course, but markmy words, they are planning something, and some day when the whole thingcomes to light you'll say, 'You were right, J. Elfreda,' see if youwon't."
"I will say it now if you wish me to," laughed Miriam, "merely to showyou that I have faith in your marvelous powers of observation."
"Thank you," returned Elfreda. "There is nothing like being appreciated.But under the circumstances I am afraid I can't pursue my usual methodsof investigation. If Mrs. Gray is planning something delightful, you maybe sure it is for her Christmas children, and J. Elfreda Briggs will notbe the one to pry into the surprise."
Grace Harlowe's Fourth Year at Overton College Page 18
