Gale scarcely felt the bruises she acquired while being bounced around in the bus en route to Briarhurst. She was in a rosy dream-world where magical wishes and lovely thoughts came true. She descended in the little college town and walked up to the college still in blissful joyland. She found Carol and Janet and Valerie standing before the sorority house arguing.
“We are not going to tell her now and spoil everything!” Carol said conclusively.
“Tell who what?” Gale wanted to know.
“You know we have been saving the news of our equestrienne ability as a secret for Ricky. Being western born and bred she thinks she is the only one here who knows anything about a horse,” explained Carol.
“I want to tell her about our summer in Arizona when we learned to ride like Indians,” Janet put in. “She teased me unmercifully this afternoon. Told me tomorrow in our first riding class I wouldn’t know one side of the horse from the other. I won’t stand for it!”
“But it will only be for a few hours now,” Valerie soothed her. “Imagine her surprise tomorrow when we calmly jump into the saddle and gallop off.”
“Where have you been?” Carol asked Gale. “To see Phyl? How is she? I’m going with you on Thursday.”
“She is on top of the world,” Gale said happily. “All taken up with the discovery of her father.”
“Ricky said——” Janet was continuing with her original theme when the import of Gale’s words was borne in upon her. “Phyl is all taken up with what?” she asked.
“Yes, why don’t you speak distinctly?” Carol added laughingly. “I almost thought you said something about Phyl’s father.”