For Mimi, the next few days rolled slowly into a week. There was constant fear that Madge would yet develop flu or pneumonia. Frail appearing people were not always delicate, Mimi concluded when a week passed and Madge had not so much as sneezed. Mimi, in her concern, had hovered near for days. Just like an old hen with one chicken, Mimi told herself. She could better understand how Mother Dear fussed and fumed over her when she had “been exposed.” All week, too, she had her eyes peeled for a letter postmarked in Germany. It was too soon to hear from Daddy but she couldn’t keep from watching and hoping. The second semester was well under way and the routine of a new schedule was becoming habit.
“Betsy,” Mimi exclaimed the third Saturday after the skating party, “I have to do something exciting or bust!”
“I feel a fit coming on, too,” Betsy agreed sprawling on the bed in a grotesque pose.
“Let’s do something about it,” Mimi laughed.
“Name it. ‘Barkus is willing.’”
“Yes. Name it. What is there to do within these four walls that we have not tried? We have raided the kitchen at all hours, cooked after light bell, invaded College Hall, used the telephone without permission, cut assembly—all of it.”
“None of that is very devilish. I want to do something wild and woolly.”
“Like slip away from the campus!”
Once the words were out Mimi clapped her hand over her mouth. It was too late. She had said the very thing both of them were thinking.
“Would we dare?” Betsy breathed. Her blue eye was glittering, her brown eye clouded with fear.