Agnes' brother and his friend arrived, and with the Spartan for chaperon, they went for a drive, but Agnes said she didn't enjoy it as much as she had expected to, she was so dreadfully upset.

CHAPTER XVII

POLLY INTERVENES

Polly had just washed her hair, and she was sitting on her shirt waist box before the open window drying it. It was a gloriously warm, sunshiny day and the twitter of birds, the spring smell of the earth and the lazy h.e.l.los of the girls as they greeted one another on the campus below, gave her a drowsy feeling of contentment. Exams were nearly all over, and every one seemed to be just waiting in happy antic.i.p.ation of Commencement.

Except for a short talk by Mrs. Baird after dinner it was to be a free evening and the girls had been granted permission to stay out of doors until it was really dark. Mrs. Baird had said that now was the time to take a big deep breath before rushing into the coming week of excitement.

Polly, half asleep, felt the top of her head and found it nearly dry-she shifted her position to a half kneeling one, shook her hair over her face so that the sun might shine on the back of it, and cradling her head on her arm resumed her dreaming.

"I wonder where Lo is," she mused-"probably practicing in the gym with Bet. I wish I hadn't washed my hair. It seems awfully silly to waste this beautiful day just breathing. I wonder what we could do. Why doesn't Lo come up; she knows I can't go out. I believe I'm lonesome."

Polly sat up as this thought took shape in her mind. "How absurd," she said aloud. And then she laughed. It was funny to think that after all the years she had spent alone that she could so soon forget how to amuse herself. It was the first time she had realized what a difference Seddon Hall had made to her.

"I'd better get used to it," she said again, but she looked very doleful at the prospect.

A few minutes later, as she was feeling sorry for herself, a rap sounded at the door and Lois' voice called:

"Oh, Poll, are you there?"

"Yes, come in."

"I've been looking all over the place for you."

"I told you I was going to wash my hair."

"Well, if you did I forgot it, and I've been all over the grounds trying to find you." Lois poked her head out of the window. "She's here, Bet, come on up," she called. "We have a plan for tonight," she continued; "it's too nice to waste time just roaming around."

"That's what I've been thinking. What are you going to do?"

Polly, now quite awake, was rubbing her head with the towel in an attempt to hurry the drying.

"Nothing very exciting, it's Bet's suggestion."

"I like that," Betty herself burst in upon them. "Not very exciting, just one of Betty's silly ideas." Lois and Polly laughed heartily.

Nothing was quite so amusing as Betty trying to look offended.

"It's a perfectly good idea, Poll," Betty continued, "and fits in with this nice lazy day."

"What is it?"

"Just a walk to the fort after dinner. Of course when we get there, we can sing and-"

"Thrilling, Bet, thrilling," teased Lois, but Polly made her stop by pushing her down on the bed and stuffing a pillow over her mouth. To Betty she said:

"It's a bully idea. It ought to be wonderful near the river tonight.

Who's going?"

Lois struggled under the pillow. "I'll be good, let me up," she pleaded.

"Ugh! you nearly smothered me. I'll tell you who's going. We are, of course, and Ange and Connie, and the two Dorothys, because one of them can sing, and perhaps Florence and Louise and-oh, anybody else that wants to come along."

"Who'll chaperon?"

"Oh, I never thought of that."

"Let's ask Miss Porter; I know she'd like it." It was Polly's suggestion.

"Fine, she's just the one."

"Not if the two Dorothys come," Betty said decidedly. "Have you forgotten the row in cla.s.s?"

"Then let's drop the two Dorothys," replied Lois.

"Wait, I've an idea," Polly exclaimed; "let's ask only the girls we like awfully well. We don't know when we'll ever be together again and-"

"Oh, Poll!" Lois protested. "Don't talk like that."

"Well, we don't know. Louise and Florence graduate; Connie may go to the conservatory, and Ange-"

"I see what you mean," Betty interrupted. "Make it a sort of farewell reunion and of course we'll take Miss Porter-she's our favorite teacher."

"It'll be worse than a funeral," Lois said dolefully, "but it's rather a pretty idea."

"Lo, stop being sentimental; let's get the girls," suggested Betty.

"Poll, hurry up and fix your hair."

"It's still sopping."

"Never mind, stick it up any way. It's too warm to make any difference."

Later they stopped to consult on the "Bridge of Sighs." They had asked Angela and Connie, and Louise and Florence, and had left them delighted with the plan. Louise and Florence had a cla.s.s meeting on, but they promised to come for a little while.

"Who else?" asked Betty, expectantly.

"I don't know," replied Polly; "I can't think of any one."

"Neither can I," Lois added, "except Miss Porter."

"Why, that's perfectly silly; don't tell me there are only four girls in school we like," protested Betty.

"You're forgetting ourselves," Lois reminded her.

"Yes, but even then."

"Let's each choose one other girl," suggested Polly. "Lo, you first, who do you want?"