"She's here," she whispered to Angela and Polly in passing.
Angela almost shouted with joy, but the Spartan's frown of displeasure at the disturbance at the back of the room made her bury her head in her desk. Just as the clock struck the half hour, Betty came in. She went up to the platform and said, loud enough for everybody to hear:
"Miss Hale, Constance Wentworth is here, and Mrs. Baird wants Angela in her office."
There was a general murmur of "oh, good!" through the room, and Angela was half way to the door before Miss Hale had given her permission. Everybody laughed as they heard her running down the stairs, two steps at a time.
Connie was waiting for her. They fell into each other's arms and kissed heartily. Mrs. Baird was sitting at her desk.
"Take Constance upstairs, will you, Angela," she said, smiling. "I'll excuse you from study hour, for I know you wouldn't be able to do any real studying. Constance will room with you. Betty has arranged it. Isn't it nice to have her back?" she asked with a special smile for Connie.
Tears, the sudden, grateful kind, sprang to Constance's eyes.
"Oh, if you knew how homesick I get for all this," she said falteringly. "I was afraid to come back for fear I'd feel out of it, but I don't," she added happily.
Angela took her bag and hurried her up to their room.
"Now, tell me all about everything," she demanded when Connie had taken off her things. "Don't you like the Conservatory?"