“And poultry?”
“Let me see. I don’t know that there is any difference, yet there must be. Oh, yes, we hear of fowls of the air so I suppose any kind of bird may be a fowl while poultry are the kinds we raise to eat. Let us get the dictionaries and see.” Each brought her dictionary and turned over the pages. “Here we have it,” Mary Lee announced, “a fowl is an ave, and poultry means aves caseras, house fowls. I am glad we hunted that up for now I know two more Spanish words, myself.”
“What are you two doing?” asked Nan, coming in upon them.
“Improving our minds,” replied Mary Lee.
“As if there were time for that; you’d better be like the busy bee and improve the shining hour. Mr. Pinckney is prancing about like a lunatic because there is no one to go with him to meet the Roberts. He has just had a telegram. I have simply got to keep an engagement with Charlotte to see about my room or I may miss getting it. Miss Dolores is in the hands of the dressmaker, and so it goes.”
“Oh, I’d love to go with him,” Mary Lee hastened to say. “Are you ready to start right away, Nan? Just stop on your way out and tell him I will be down in two seconds. Come on, Mercedes. We can ride down with him and if there isn’t room coming back we can take a car or a hansom or something.”
So they rushed off and Nan proceeded on her errand. It was the first moment she had had alone since her arrival in New York and it was fortunate, she told herself, that it was so. The past summer was like a dream, now that the rush of the present was upon her. Jo and Charlotte were both in town, the former already hard at the tutoring which she had secured, and the latter on hand for the wedding. She was the niece of Mr. Pinckney’s son-in-law, and therefore was considered a relative. Naturally the wedding was the all-absorbing topic with all the girls, though college came a close second. Nan would be at the Pinckneys’ for a couple of weeks, and take her time about settling in her new quarters. She had decided upon a room to herself and it was about this she was now about to consult Charlotte. As she turned up Morningside drive an automobile whizzed past, but not before she caught a glimpse of Marcus Wells and Miss Romaine. It was all like a flash, and for a moment the old feelings were strong within her. Here they were in the same city. By a simple word she could see him. She had only to send her card and he would call. How strange it was that she might not even do that after their days of comradeship at camp. She had already written from Maine a short note of thanks for his mementoes, but she gave no address, and her note was of the most formally polite character. She had shown it to her mother who had approved of what she wrote. She might run across him here in New York almost any time and for a moment she regretted her choice of a college, but it was only for a moment for she realized that her life would be very full. Already the dreams were bereft of their vividness. With a little wistful smile she pursued her way and was soon lost in the reality of her present plans as she and her friends discussed college and its many interests.
CHAPTER XX
THE WEDDING
Such a houseful as there was at the Pinckneys’. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts had arrived two days before the affair; Nan, Mercedes and Mary Lee were already on hand, a couple of cousins from out of town were received later, and there were others constantly coming and going. Mary Lee was kept busy with the presents, Nan volunteered to help with the packing, while Mercedes made the acquaintance of Mrs. Roberts, Charlotte and Jo. As for Mr. Pinckney, he was everywhere, ordering, suggesting, rushing to the telephone, sending off telegrams, summoning the butler, carrying off his daughter for a consultation, gathering the whole company around him to get opinions on some sudden decision.