Five weeks of school had gone by—five happy weeks, filled with all sorts of new experiences for Ruth and Marjorie. Pledge-day, the day to which every freshman looked forward, was only one week off!
Although the ΦΑΒ girls had singled out certain individuals as their favorites by inviting them for walks and occasional visits to their rooms, they had as yet given no formal party for which invitations had been issued. And, since it was understood that such a party was an event to be expected, almost every girl in the class cherished the hope of finding an attractive envelope in her letter box very soon.
As the time for pledging the freshmen drew near, Ruth became especially uneasy. Ethel had not paid much attention to her lately, and she lived in constant dread lest she should not be included among the guests for the ΦΑΒ party,—an omission which would be a sure indication that she would not be invited to join the sorority.
But Marjorie had taken little interest in such affairs. She became greatly absorbed in athletics; she bent all her energy toward making the hockey team.
To add to her interest in athletics, she became infatuated with Miss Phillips, the gym-teacher, a young woman just out of college, whose clear, bright eyes and pink cheeks radiated health. She seemed, indeed, a living example of the wholesome life she advocated. Besides this, Miss Phillips had a charm all her own; she inspired the girls with a greater love of athletics than they would otherwise have had.
And so Marjorie, after the first two or three days, had not given much thought to the sorority; in fact, she had even neglected her chances of making it in her zeal for hockey practice. Once or twice Ethel Todd had come to her room to ask her to go for a walk; but she had refused because Miss Phillips expected her on the hockey field.
On one of these occasions, after Ethel had left the room, Lily looked at Marjorie as if she could not understand her action.
“I wish I had your chances,” she sighed. “I’d make the sorority in a minute!”
“You’d be better off if you made the hockey team,” remarked Marjorie. “You need some good, stiff exercise, Lily!”
“I know you think I’m too fat, but I can’t help it. And my father says it’s all right—he likes fat girls!”