"I'll take my garment of repentance with me," said Janet. "Those roses of yesterday were very sweet, Miss Austin. It certainly was a very lovely way of paying us back."
"Don't thank me entirely for that idea," said Marian. "It was Cousin Van's. And you don't need any garment of repentance, for you really did stand up for me."
"Oh, but I was horrid at first."
"That was when you thought we were freshmen, and there was some excuse for that. Cousin Van said there was."
"What does Cousin Van know about it?" said Rosalie, who had heard the story.
"He knows all about it, of course," said Marian. "I've wanted to know you ever since that day," she said, turning again to Janet, "and when Miss Burdett invited me to this tea, I asked her if there would be a chance of meeting you. She thought there would be, and told me to come early so I would not miss you."
"Did you come alone?" asked Rosalie.
"Yes, for auntie couldn't come, and Cousin Minnie is away, you know. That is why I am staying on."
"Isn't your Cousin Van home for Thanksgiving?"
"No, indeed! He wouldn't miss the big football game for anything, so he has gone on to Philadelphia. We really don't see him very often, though he is so near. Auntie says she used to think when he went to college that he would come home for over Sunday at least twice a month, but if he comes once he does well. However, this is his last year, and then he'll have no excuse."