"Nearly every day. You know that we are required to take outdoor exercise."

"We must see that no more mischief is done," the Doctor said, with a grave face.

But although the fountain was removed and a new system of drainage introduced, the mischief was already wrought, so far as Dolly was concerned. All of the girls liked her, and were ready to do all in their power to make things easier for her when she returned once more to her cla.s.ses. Her illness was not serious, but it was tedious and wearisome. Constance copied her own literature notes into Dolly's book, and Margery copied the Greek art. The professors did everything in their power to smooth things, but Christmas found Dolly pale and thin, and utterly aghast at the work she must take up; for the half-yearly examinations to which the juniors were treated would come at the end of January and she was far from being prepared.

"I wonder if I hadn't better give up college altogether, Mother? It will break my heart to do it, but, honestly, I do not see how I can ever make up all this work. I lack the energy to attack it. It is not merely the work that I have missed, either, during these three weeks since I have been in the hospital. I could not do good work for several weeks before that. To think of Beth's graduating, and my not even being in college then," and Dolly tried to wink away the tears which would come, for Dolly was not strong yet.

Mrs. Alden had stayed throughout Dolly's sickness, and now she looked at her daughter thoughtfully. "I want to do the best thing for you, Dolly, and, as far as I am concerned, I feel like bundling you up and taking you home for good. I wrote Fred to that effect, but he says that you will not forgive me in after years if I do it. He has a plan of his own, and you shall hear it. Then you can decide for yourself what to do. You are old enough to make the decision unaided. Fred wants to bring home Rob Steele for the holidays. There will be nearly three weeks. He says that Rob has been overworking fearfully, and is in danger of breaking down. Rob refuses to come, because he says that he is already under so many obligations to Fred. He is as obstinate as a mule, your brother declares. So Fred proposes that you take home your note-books and whatever else you need, and let Rob coach you up in the mornings. He can make him come under those circ.u.mstances. He wants me to tell you that Rob is a splendid coach, and that he will fix you up so that you can go back in January with a free mind. You can give your mornings to study, and have plenty of time for fun beside. What shall I tell him, Dolly, dear? I must write at once."

"I believe, I actually believe, that I could do it in that way. Beth wanted to help me, but we do not have the same studies, and I knew how anxious she was to be at home, too. This plan will help Mr. Steele, and Fred will like that."

"Yes, Fred will like that, for he is fond of Rob, but, most of all, he will like helping you, Dolly. Fred is proud of his sister. Can you do this without overtasking yourself? Health must come first."

"I know I can. It was mostly the thought of sitting down to the horrid old books all alone; I merely didn't have the courage to face the prospect. This will improve matters. I would rather do it than not--much rather. I am considerable of a baby since I have been sick, Motherdie, and I dreaded going at the work that will have to be done. At the same time, I couldn't bear to fall behind the cla.s.s. Fred is a jewel."

And so the matter was settled, to the delight of all. Beth's face looked brighter than it had since Dolly's illness. "I just could not stand it to have you drop out, Dolly. Tell Fred that he is the nicest young man I know, to think of this solution of the difficulty. You will get through all right, I know!"

And Dolly did get through, for she worked faithfully during the holidays.

Rob Steele was about the best person she could have had to help her, and, as Fred surmised, he agreed to go willingly enough, when he found that there was work for him to do. When vacation was over, and Mr.

Alden tried to pay him, however, he bluntly refused to take a cent.

He was so positive in his refusal, and so hurt that the offer was even made, that the subject was dropped.

Margaret and Mary had gone home with Constance. Several of the other girls had joined the party later and Margery Ainsworth had been with them for a couple of days. Beth and Dolly had been invited, but Dolly could not spare the time from her studies, and Beth would not go without her. Besides, as she told Mrs. Newby: "I like home better than any other place, so what is the use of running off the moment I get here?"

"We like to have you with us, dearie, but we must not be selfish. If you are really happy here at home, we shall be glad to keep you. Nell and the boys have been looking forward to vacation time very eagerly. You know, though, that you would have a gay round of pleasure if you should go to Constance."

"But I am not going, Mother, and that is positively settled. You need not say another word unless you want to get rid of me."

"That is so likely!"

So Beth and Dolly spent their holidays this time in their own homes, and while they would have enjoyed the good times which Constance gave her friends, they doubtless went back to their studies all the fresher for the quiet rest they had had.

d.i.c.k Martin had run down to see Fred on New Year's Day. He pretended to feel much hurt and slighted when he found that Rob Steele had been coaching Dolly all vacation.

"Why didn't you ask me? I was in need of such a job, and I would have done it for much less than Steele! Next time you want help, don't forget me."

"Have you any references from former pupils?" Dolly asked maliciously.

"Now, I call that a very unkind speech. If you are going to doubt my ability, I have nothing more to say, of course; still, next time you need help I do hope that you will give me a chance. I mean it, Miss Dolly."

"I trust that there will be no 'next time.' A few such setbacks as this, and I should be obliged to leave college."

"I sincerely hope there will not be, either. Now I would like a promise from you, and I hope you will not refuse to grant it. I have been intending to speak about it for some time."

CHAPTER XVIII

"Well?"

"You want to see your brother graduate?"

"Of course I do. We have not made any definite plans as yet, but I have been counting on being at Harvard for all of commencement week, if I can manage to get permission. Fred wants me to bring Mary and Beth, too."

"That will be fine, but don't you see that Fred cannot do justice to three young ladies? Let me do the honors of Harvard as far as you are concerned. Come, now, promise!"

Dolly shook her head. "Fred is a model brother, and I am sure that he would be utterly disgusted if I should make any such promise as that. I think that he will be equal to the three of us, but I shall be glad if you will a.s.sist him in his onerous duties."

"You are not very generous to me, but when you find Fred engrossed with Miss Sutherland, and entirely oblivious to the fact that he has a sister, I will forgive you, and take you under my protecting care."

"Fred will not forget me."

Her companion laughed mischievously. "I would like to make a wager on that point, but I know that you never bet--so all I can do is to wait for the future to prove me a true prophet."

During the busy weeks that followed, Dolly thought of his words more than once. Was it possible that Fred cared particularly for Mary? She did not think so. She hoped not, too, for she knew Mary well enough to be sure that that young lady wasted no thoughts upon Fred, or upon any other young man.

"All Mary cares for," she told herself half-angrily, "is biology, and her own family. She has her future mapped out, and she expects to teach forever and forever. Fred need not waste a single thought on her, and I do not believe that he does, either."

But when commencement time approached, and Fred was so plainly cast down over Mary's refusal to go to Harvard, Dolly began to think that she might be wrong in her conclusions. Fred had the matter so much at heart that he bespoke his mother's influence, and Mary at length gave a reluctant consent.

"But I have nothing to wear that is new and pretty, Dolly, and you will be ashamed of me."

The conversation took place in Professor Newton's room, and she interposed at this point. "You must have a new white dress, Mary, and it shall be my present to you. We will get a very pretty one, and with what you have already, Dolly need not be ashamed of you."

"As if I would be, anyway," Dolly protested reproachfully.

But Professor Newton realized that a new dress may give a girl a certain self-possession and ease, so she was determined that her niece should have at least one gown that would be becoming and suitable. Mary grumbled, over the waste of money, as she termed it, but her aunt quietly silenced her, and sent her off to Harvard, hoping that, for once in her life, Mary would act like a young girl instead of an old woman, and would get as much pleasure out of the week as Beth and Dolly did.

Probably, to the majority of visitors, the Commencement that year was like other Commencements, but Dolly was sure that it was much more brilliant than anything ever before held at old Harvard.

Rob Steele had won substantial honors, and both Fred and d.i.c.k Martin had earned their degrees. The boys saw that the girls had a share in all the fun that was going on.

Westover would not close for another fortnight, but examinations were over, and the girls could enjoy themselves with an easy mind. Dolly found herself depending upon d.i.c.k Martin rather more than she had expected to do.

"Am I not a better prophet than you thought?" he asked one day when Fred and Mary had disappeared.

"I am afraid that you are."

"Afraid! I beg your pardon, but I do not understand you. I imagined that you would be quite pleased to find that Fred appreciated Miss Sutherland."

"But she does not appreciate him!"

"You are sure?"

"Positive."