EVELYN WARD, FRESHMAN
Grace found herself looking into one of the most perfect faces she had
ever seen. Evelyn Ward was a blonde of the purest type. Her thick golden
hair lay in shining waves under her small, smart blue hat. Her eyes were
deeply, darkly blue with purple depths, while her skin had the sheen and
texture of pale pink rose leaves. Her small, straight nose,
softly-curved red mouth and delicately-arched dark eyebrows added to the
tender beauty of her face. To Grace she came as a revelation, and, so
far as she could remember, she had never seen any other blonde girl who
approached this one in loveliness.
"How do you do, Miss Ward? I am glad to know you," she said, offering
her hand. She noticed that the slender hand that Evelyn put forth to
meet hers was very soft and white. It had evidently done no hard work
and was in sharp contrast to the rough, work-worn hands of her sister.
"I'm sure I am pleased to know you, Miss Harlowe, and very thankful to
you for arranging for my coming to Overton. I would have cried my eyes
out with disappointment if Ida had come home with bad news," returned
the pretty girl in a plaintive tone which impressed Grace with a
curiously uncomfortable feeling that this attractive young woman would
have done nothing of the sort. There was that indefinable something
about her that contradicted, flatly, the idea of tears.
"Your sister was an eloquent pleader, Miss Ward. I would have made an
even greater effort than was necessary to place you, if only to please
her. I was greatly impressed with her unselfishness and nobility of
character," Grace made reply.
An expression of amusement showed itself on Evelyn Ward's face. "Ida is
a perfect old dear," she agreed lightly. "She takes life too seriously,
though. She worries over every little thing. Still her very seriousness
makes a good impression. She has ever so many friends; a great many more
than I." She shrugged her shoulders, as though to convey the fact that
the latter state of affairs did not trouble her.
"As your luggage is not heavy, we might walk to Harlowe House,"
suggested Grace. "This glorious fall weather is ideal for walking. Let
me take your suit case."
"With pleasure. It's altogether too heavy for comfort. Are there no
street cars or busses we can take? I like to walk, but not when I have
luggage to carry."
"We can take a car or an automobile bus if you like," said Grace
courteously, although she experienced a vague sense of annoyance at this
newcomer's calmly expressed preference.
"Oh, let's take the automobile, if it isn't too expensive!" exclaimed
Evelyn eagerly. "I love to ride in an automobile. Are there any girls at
Overton who own cars? If there are I shall certainly cultivate them. I
suppose they won't notice me, though, because I am a freshman and a poor
one at that," she ended with a pout, her fair face taking on almost
sullen lines.
Grace shook her head.
"Being poor doesn't count at Overton," she said, "I know a girl who
lived in a bare, cheerless room in an old house in the suburbs of
Overton and earned her way by doing mending for the students. She worked
in a dressmaker's shop during her summer vacations too, and yet she was
the chum of the richest girl in college."
"Why didn't the rich girl help her if she thought so much of her?"
inquired Evelyn rather sarcastically.
"Because the girl wouldn't allow her to do so. She was too independent
to accept help. She did not wish to become obligated to any one, not
even her dearest friend."
"Foolish girl," was Evelyn's contemptuous comment. "If one can't ask
occasional favors of one's friends one might as well have none. I am
very sure that I would take the goods the gods provide without
murmuring. These extreme standards of ethics and honor are all very
pretty in books, but not at all practical in every-day life."
Grace made no reply. She was lost, for the instant, in a maze of
disagreeable reflection. She was afraid she now understood only too well
why Ida instead of Evelyn Ward had come to see her. In the Ward family
the hard tasks had apparently been thrust upon the patient elder sister,
while the younger reaped where she had not sown, without a conscientious
qualm. And it was for this beautiful, selfish girl that she and Emma had
curtailed their comfort. She almost wished she had been firm in her
first refusal to consider taking another girl into Harlowe House. Then a
vision of Ida Ward's thin face, lighted by two pleading eyes, rose
before her. With an inward rebuke for her own grudging attitude, Grace
squared her shoulders and resolved to look for only the best in this
latest arrival.
It took but a moment to hail an automobile bus which had just run into
the station yard, and they were soon on their way to Harlowe House.
Grace pointed out to Evelyn the various interesting features of Overton.
They impressed the latter but little.
"It must be a sleepy old town," she commented, as they passed through
the quiet streets. She did, however, evince some slight interest in
Vinton's, remarking lightly that she supposed she would never have money
enough to buy a dinner there for herself, let alone ever inviting a
guest.
"Do not look at your college life through such pessimistic spectacles,"
advised Grace. "You will be sure to be unhappy."
Evelyn made a pettish gesture. "You remind me of my sister, Miss
Harlowe. She is forever preaching patience and optimism and all the
other virtues in which I seem to be lacking."
A bright flush rose to Grace's cheeks at this unparalleled rudeness. She
cast a quick, curious glance at Evelyn, whose eyes were for the second
fixed upon the campus which they were now nearing, and who appeared to
be utterly oblivious of her impertinence.
"This is the campus." Grace decided to overlook the pointed remark. "We
are justly proud of Overton College and the campus."
"It is really beautiful," nodded Evelyn, "but I'm going to tell you a
secret. I'm not the least little bit enthusiastic over college. I'd
rather go to a dramatic school and study for the stage. It is Ida who
insists upon my going to college. Thank goodness, I'm not a dunce. It
would be dreadful to be forced into college and then be too stupid to
learn anything, wouldn't it?"
"It would indeed," agreed Grace.
"I suppose my stage aspirations shock you, Miss Harlowe," went on
Evelyn, "but I can't help saying what I think."
"My dearest woman friend is an actress," returned Grace quietly.
"Oh, is she really?" Evelyn's voice rose high with excitement. "What is
her name? Perhaps I've heard of her."
"Anne Pierson."
"I should say I had heard of _her_. She is one of the great stars. She
is with Everett Southard, isn't she? I've seen their pictures in the
magazines."
"She graduated from Overton last year. We were roommates throughout our
four years here. She is from my home town."
"Really and truly?" demanded Evelyn impulsively. "That's the most
interesting piece of news I've heard for a long time. Will you tell me
all about her some time, Miss Harlowe?"
"With pleasure," returned Grace. "It can hardly be to-day, however, for
here we are at Harlowe House."
"What a darling house!" praised Evelyn as they alighted from the
automobile. "I am sure I shall like to live in it."
"I hope that you will be happy here," returned Grace kindly. After all
it might be better not to take this self-willed young woman too
seriously. She had, at least, the virtue of truthfulness. She was
entirely frank in the expression of her opinions. She might have many
other redeeming qualities which would quite overbalance the disagreeably
self-centered side of her character.
Evelyn gazed about in open approval as they ascended the steps of
Harlowe House. As they passed through the hall she peeped into the
living room and exclaimed in admiration of its attractive appointments.
Her voluble appreciation of her own room pleased Grace, who realized
that Evelyn's personality was singularly fascinating and that she could
be exceedingly gracious when she chose.
"I will leave you now," said Grace, after a little further conversation.
"The dinner bell rings at six o'clock. If you need anything, or wish to
ask any questions, you will find me in my office downstairs. It is
rather too late in the day for you to see the registrar. To-morrow
morning will be time enough. You are lucky to be exempt from
examinations."
Grace had hardly established herself in her office when Emma Dean came
breezily in from her work. "Well, Gracie," was her cheery greeting, "has
she materialized, and is she as pathetic and persistent as Sister Ida?"
Grace made a little gesture of resignation. "Prepare for the surprise of
your college career, Emma."
"Didn't she come?" demanded Emma, "That wouldn't surprise me. People are
forever promising to arrive on a certain train and then strolling in
several days later with the barefaced announcement that the time table
had been mysteriously changed."
"She arrived," stated Grace.
"Then wherein lies the surprise?"
"Emma," said Grace solemnly, "Evelyn Ward is the most beautiful girl I
have ever seen, and, if I am not mistaken, one of the most selfish. She
is no more like her sister than I am like Dr. Morton, and she is going
to require more looking after than any other girl in Harlowe House."