"They turn sideways and swallow the air, don't they?" said Amy Lou.

"Just about," laughed Carolyn. "Here comes Betty again, Amy Lou."

Amy Lou joined in the Lyon High yell this time, to the great amus.e.m.e.nt of Carolyn and Betty, but they did not let the child see their smiles and Mrs. Lee did not make any objection. What was Amy Lou's small voice in the general uproar?

No one girl was permitted to take part in any large number of events, thought there had not been this time too great a number of contestants who wanted to enter for the meet.

Betty was not tired and after the first diving event did not feel excited. There were only a few more people looking on, and the cheers were a part of it all. This was noted as "Push off and coast across pool for speed" and to Betty's surprise she was first across the pool. Later there was a "relay" event, in which Betty did well, her best, but was not first. That ended her part in the meet and she was satisfied. She took her shower and dressed without watching the rest, though Carolyn exclaimed afterward when she found that Betty had "missed the rest," and at an inter-school contest.

"Well," said Betty, "why sit around in a wet bathing suit? I knew I could get dressed in time to hear the final results announced. Of course, I was crazy for Lyon High to win the meet, but even with my blanket around me I was a little chilly and I'd promised Mother that I'd not take an unnecessary risks of cold. I did hate to miss one event, but I'd seen such a lot of swimming."

Yet Betty had won some points for her school and she was, indeed, back where she could hear the announcement after the final event and to join in the wild cheering of feminine voices which marked the announcement that Lyon High had won the meet by a narrow margin. It was well that it was so, for there had been some good swimming done by all the schools.

"Going to take the life-saving tests, Betty?" asked Lucia Coletti, who chanced to be by Betty as the crowd left the pool and the building.

"No, not now, Lucia. Next year is time enough. I _might_ get ready for it, but I'm just learning a lot of things and trying the endurance stunts a little. Perhaps I'll swim across to Italy one of these days."

Lucia laughed. "That's what I'd like to do right now, though I prefer going on a steamer. I'm homesick to see my father," she added.

"Will you be going over this summer?" queried Betty, though casually, for Betty was not one to be curious.

"No. Mother says not," replied Lucia, and Betty did not ask whether or not the count would come to America. There was some trouble there, Betty supposed. It did not always work when an American girl married a foreigner. But how dreadful for Lucia who loved both parents, of course, if you were separated! Why didn't people think about their children a little instead of themselves?

"Betty," said Lucia, "Mother is going to entertain for me this spring and you are the first one I want to invite. I haven't had you over at all."

"But I haven't had you either," said Betty. "We just couldn't manage parties some way this year with all that has been going on at school and Mother so busy and Father working so hard, too. You were the stranger to be invited."

Lucia slipped her hand inside of Betty's bent arm and patted it. "But I know perfectly well that it was Mother's place to show some attention to your father and mother. But Mother has been considerably upset--about some of our affairs. She's been in the social columns of the papers all right, but she's not done any of the entertaining herself."

It was rather an odd place for any confidences, Betty thought, but Lucia was likely to say things when she wanted to do it. No one could hear, however, as they went out of the open doors and ran down the steps together. Lucia nodded good night and then went to where the Murchison car waited for her.

Betty waited a few moments for her mother and Amy Lou to join her, but they took the street car home, sleepy as Amy Lou was by this time. For d.i.c.k and Doris, to their great disappointment, were showing signs of sore throat and measles was making a few absences at the junior high school. Mrs. Lee was hopeful that the sore throats were only the results of an early hike that the twins had taken together; and she had been sent off to the meet by her husband with the announcement that he was quite able to act as nurse and see that they took their medicine.

Fortunately the measles did not materialize, but Doris had missed seeing the meet and d.i.c.k had missed something else. Both missed school for a few days, which loss had its compensations.

It was true that neither Betty nor her mother had known just what to do about paying any attention to the countess. The countess had not met her mother and had not said anything to her father about liking to have his wife call. The Countess Coletti had, of course, many friends of former days among the wealthy members of what was called society in the city.

For this group Mrs. Lee had neither means, time nor any real interest, though no one was more likely to have friends. It was easy to make them, in the church, or in the other relations which living naturally brought about.

"We belong to a different 'aristocracy,' Betty," said Mrs. Lee. "We, too, can have a certain influence in the community, a good one, I hope, and a little circle of pleasant friends. One is always running across kindred spirits."

"Carolyn and Kathryn are my chief ones," laughed Betty.

These remarks were made on the way home from the meet, when in a seat together, Amy Lou half asleep on their laps, they discussed what Lucia had said.

"Of course you will not repeat to any of the girls Lucia's reference to the countess and her being 'upset' about some of her affairs. It is important to your father that nothing we do is a mistake in reference to that family. We have made no mistake in waiting for them to take the initiative. It was a little odd for Lucia to be so frank, but she has her worries, too, no doubt, and felt that she could trust you as a confidante."

"She can," replied Betty. "I wonder what sort of a party it will be? All the sorority will be there, of course, and probably ever so many girls that I do not know. Lucia has some friends in the private schools, but she likes Lyon High now and wouldn't leave it for any other school. You should have heard her tell me about how some of the girls tried to get her away. 'No, no, no,' she said, in that rapid Italian way she has, 'I like this big school and everything they do. I've been in a private school. I shall have my high school diploma to show my father!' I imagine the count, then, doesn't object so much to Lucia's going to school over here."

"His troubles are in another line, I presume."

"Well, whatever their troubles are, I'm glad Lucia came. She's _very_ interesting." So declared Betty.

CHAPTER XVIII: THE COUNTESS ENTERTAINS

Spring affairs came on with their hikes, their different activities, their work and their fun, till Betty almost forgot what Lucia had said to her, in the interest of other things. She saw very little of Lucia now, for the sorority seemed to take up Lucia's time, so far as her a.s.sociations were concerned.

Betty was working hard on her studies. She had pa.s.sed her mid-years with credit and now she was keeping up the standard for the second semester.

It was not so hard as the freshman year's work, yet there were more distractions as she increasingly took part in the school's activities.

However, there was no basketball. She made progress in swimming, took a little part in other athletic affairs, earned points and hoped that she would win "something or other" on honor night, that last function and climax of the G. A. A. The girls had wanted her to play baseball, but she "said them nay" as she stated at home. And in her free time she took up serious practice upon her violin, as well as regular lessons again.

Sat.u.r.days she saved for picnics and hikes, except a few hours devoted to study. Mrs. Lee had a little maid come in now to help at home, though Doris and Betty still had very light tasks, chiefly in looking after their own room and keeping things in order. School was exacting and the girls needed their time if they stood well in their studies, Mrs. Lee said.

There was some discussion between the parents as to whether it was not outside affairs that took the girls' time and strength, but inasmuch as more of it was in the line of healthful activity than of late parties, the decision was to let the girls, particularly Betty, just now, "have their chance" and their good times. The little maid needed the work, moreover, and it gave Mrs. Lee the freedom she needed to leave Amy Lou and get away from cares.

Betty was "crazy" to get into the junior orchestra another year. Ted, who had been somewhat of an attraction, to be sure, would not be in the senior orchestra, but Betty liked the idea, with or without any interesting boy. He had not invited Betty to accompany him again to any school or city entertainment, but he had asked her to a picnic with a few chosen friends and she had had a wonderful time, she reported to the girls. However, Ted said that Chet and some of the other boys had said "Hands off" about Betty Lee. So Ted put it, and while he reported it jokingly, Betty had an idea that it would make a difference. Well, it was better than being invited and dropped without a reason, and no boy should think that she wanted his attentions! And of course Ted was very much interested in this other girl. They both would be in the University next year.

Betty felt more grown up when she was with an older boy like Ted and enjoyed the feeling. The junior girls and some of the senior girls knew Betty and were quite inclined to be chummy, at least when thrown with Betty at any gathering.

The soph.o.m.ores had a picnic, to which Chet invited Betty and one of the girls whom Betty did not know so well, remarked: "Well, the Dorrance boys keep you in the family, don't they?"

"Oh, no," lightly answered Betty, who did not like the remark, but did not know how to answer it. Betty did not like to resent what was probably not meant to be annoying. From certain indications she was pretty sure that Chet _had_ resented Ted's taking her out and that Ted had promised Chet not to interfere.

So the time flew, till in the lovely Maytime Mrs. Lee was invited by the Countess Coletti to an afternoon tea at the Murchison home, and Betty was reminded of Lucia's remarks. The countess was "being nice to Mother"

now, and Mrs. Lee reported a large gathering of charming ladies, some of them not so attractive or cultured, but many of them simple and interesting with the results of many opportunities for travel and reading, study and pleasure. "The countess herself is very delightful as a hostess, Betty," said Mrs. Lee. "I feel sure that if she entertains for Lucia it will be a gathering planned in every detail."

The series of teas and other entertainment at the Murchison home was followed "at last" by the arrival of invitations for Lucia's friends, invitations with a "crest!" For the _Countess Coletti_ was entertaining for her daughter.

"Oh, dear, why aren't I Lucia's friend and a little older?" sighed Doris, whimsically, examining the pretty invitation. "I'd always keep this, Betty, but if you don't care for it, let me have it."

"You can borrow it any time you want it, but it has to go among the archives, Dorry. I'm sorry you can't go; but it's very likely, if we stay here and Father is in the same business, that you can go there some time."

"But that isn't now," said Doris, strictly adhering to fact.

Betty wondered whether it was a girls' party or whether the boys would be invited, but as she saw several invitations displayed among the boys at school, her unuttered question was answered. It seemed to be taken for granted that the countess did not expect the young gentlemen to bring the young ladies, though Chet said, "see you at the party, Betty.

I hope I'm your partner at supper." Budd Leroy, also, who had shown recent signs of being interested in Betty Lee, made a similar remark about meeting her at Lucia's, though he did not suggest himself as her partner. "Do you suppose the countess will wear her 'tie-airy?'" Budd added.

"Do countesses have tiaras?" asked Betty. "I hope whatever she has she will wear it. What is the use of being a countess if you can't have some sign of it?"

"Sure Mike," said slangy Budd, who was to be very correct in his speech in the high society atmosphere at the Murchison home a few nights later.

Betty felt very fine indeed, when the Murchison car came for her. Lucia had told her that day at school that it would. "We're taking care of my sorority and your little crowd, Betty, which is my crowd, too, though they don't seem to know it since I joined the sorority. I didn't think it would make that difference."

"Do you really care about the girls, Lucia?"