"I can't believe it's true. Pinch my arm, Robin; not very hard, just
enough to make me know I'm awake." It was Marjorie who made this
request.
It was late in the afternoon of Commencement Day and the original Nine
Travelers, Robin and Phyllis Moore, were holding a brief farewell
rendezvous in Marjorie's and Jerry's room. Their elders and relatives
who had come to Hamilton to see their own graduated were scattered about
the campus. The eleven girls had claimed the privilege of one last
little private session as an expression of their overflowing feelings.
Jerry, the zealous, had managed to "round them up" and order them to
report at four o'clock in hers and Marjorie's room.
"It's true." Robin accompanied the assurance with a gentle pinch. "Out
of the darkness has come light. I wish we could do something for Miss
Susanna to prove our gratitude."
"I said that to her this morning," Marjorie returned. "She said 'there
is only one thing any of you could do for me,--come back to Hamilton next
year. Now I know you are not free to do that. It rests with your
parents. I suppose you will not be coming back to college. Well, you can
at least make me a visit; singly, doubly, severally, or all at once.'"
"Would you like to come back, Marjorie?" asked Phyllis. "I ask because I
know how your heart has been set on furthering the dormitory project."
"Yes, I should," Marjorie answered honestly. "Now that this wonderful
thing has happened, I can't bear not to be here next year. I know that
you and Barbara and the new Travelers we've chosen will look after
things as well, if not better, than we have, but it seems hard to be so
far away when the real work is going to begin. I understand why Mr.
Brooke Hamilton wished to be near the campus when the college buildings
were being erected."
The "wonderful thing" to which Marjorie referred was in the nature of an
announcement made at the Commencement exercises that morning. Miss
Susanna Hamilton had, through the offices of President Matthews,
presented to her young friend, Marjorie Dean, a clear title to the lower
block of houses west of the campus, formerly owned by her.
"Miss Dean has devoted her earnest effort to securing a site on
which to erect a dormitory to be devoted to the housing of students
in reduced circumstances. Such students are entitled to their time
for study rather than the performance of extra work in order to pay
their expenses. It is my wish that Miss Dean shall use the
properties with which I now present her as a site for the dormitory
of her dreams.
"Signed,
"Susanna Craig Hamilton."
This last paragraph of a letter, written to Doctor Matthews by Miss
Hamilton, and read out at the exercises, produced a sensation in
collegiate circles. Doctor Matthews had called on Miss Hamilton, shortly
before Commencement Day, asking her to attend the exercises as his
honored guest. The eccentric old lady had refused flatly.
"No, I haven't forgiven the college, altogether. You must let me alone.
I am what I am, and I don't often change. I owed my little friend,
Marjorie Dean, a reparation. I have made it in the way I thought she
would like best. Personally, you are the most sensible and true
gentleman I have known on a college staff since my great-uncle passed
out. If they had all been like you--but they haven't been."
The good doctor had smiled openly at Miss Susanna's avowed
hard-heartedness. He had an idea that time would do its perfect work in
closing the breach between herself and Hamilton, now that Marjorie had
pointed the way.
"While we are on the subject," declared Leila, "I wonder how many of us
here could come back if we wished. Don't all speak at once. As for Irish
Leila,--her time is as good here as anywhere."
"I can come back," Vera immediately said. "I have really nothing in the
way of social aspirations. Father would let me come back for one year;
maybe more. If I come back for five or six years, I'd be a colossus of
learning if not one in stature."
"I'm not sure that I can, but I'll coax hard at home," assured Helen.
"Miss Remson said last night that she would hold our rooms until the
middle of July for any of us who knew by that time we were coming back."
"Kathie's already here. If mother will let me, I'll add another year of
biology and work for the doctor to my collegiate budget." Lucy made this
announcement with a touch of excitement.
"I can come back if I feel like it." Jerry cast an almost gloomy look at
Marjorie as she spoke. She was not relishing the prospect without
Marjorie as a room-mate.
"I'm not sure. It will depend on what my father says. I have been away
from him the greater part of four years." This from Ronny. "Last summer
he talked of spending a winter in the East. If he decides to do that he
will be in New York. In that event I could probably come back to
Hamilton, but,"--Ronny also looked straight at Marjorie.
"I can do as I please about coming back. I thought I might, if----"
Robin's eyes found the same resting place as those of the others. "We
want you to come back, too, Marjorie. We can't get along without you,"
she said with friendly abruptness.
"I don't know." A hint of distress crept into Marjorie's brown eyes. "I
have never mentioned such a thing to Captain. I'd feel selfish in doing
so. She has waited patiently for me to finish college so that I may be
at home with her. She has never said she wanted me to stay at home after
I was graduated. I suppose she never thought I would care to come back
as a P. G. If you girls are free to come back, I wish you would. You
could be of so much help to the others. I'll be able to get here two or
three times during the college year, at least. Robin and I will have to
come here sometime this summer to see how the work of tearing down those
properties is progressing. I'll say this. If the way should happen to
clear for me to come back a P. G., that means if Captain should be
willing and really anxious for me to return to Hamilton, because she
knows how greatly my heart is in our enterprise, then I'll certainly be
here next fall. That is as much of a promise as I can make."
"I feel in my prophetic Celtic bones that you will come back," predicted
Leila. "Your Captain is too wise not to know your secret ambitions. She
will be presently driving you back to college. You may expect me in my
same old room next year, and----" Leila smiled her wide, engaging smile,
"I shall expect to see you, Beauty, ornamenting the campus as of old.
You may tell me then that I am a soothsayer."
THE END
Marjorie Dean College Series
BY PAULINE LESTER.
Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School Series
Those who have read the Marjorie Dean High School Series will be eager
to read this new series as Marjorie Dean continues to be the heroine in
these stories.
All Cloth bound. Copyright Titles.
PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH
POSTAGE 10c EXTRA
MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE FRESHMAN
MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE JUNIOR
MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SENIOR
For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the
Publishers
A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK
Marjorie Dean High School Series
BY PAULINE LESTER
Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean College Series
These are clean, wholesome stories that will be of great interest to all
girls of high school age.
All Cloth Bound. Copyright Titles.
PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH
Postage 10c. Extra.
MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN
MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE
MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR
MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the
Publishers
A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK
End of Project Gutenberg's Marjorie Dean, College Senior, by Pauline Lester