The last part of Ellen's dream came true. She did not read the letter at once; it pleased her in her confident happiness to postpone it until she had finished her evening's work. After dinner she and her companion went back across the dark campus to the library. They listened for a moment to the noisy brook over which they crossed on a little bridge, they watched velvety black wind clouds blot out the stars, they smiled at a whistling boy, they heard the sound of a dance tune from a fraternity house.
"People are gayer than we, but they aren't happier," said Miss Grammer.
"Oh, I'm gay, too!" said Ellen.
She wrote themes in English and Latin; then she looked over many pages of history notes and answered mentally a list of questions which she had set down at the conclusion of to-day's lecture. She could answer them all—there were to be no more B's! Occasionally the name of a studious Junior was added to the list of Seniors elected to membership in the Phi Beta Kappa Fraternity—it was a goal at which she aimed.
Then at last she opened her letter.
"My dear Ellen," wrote Stephen, "I find that I shall have to be away at Christmas—I'm going South with Professor Mayne. Fetzer is, I'm sorry to say, to be away also, not as heretofore merely visiting her wretch of a husband, but preparing a home to which he will come permanently next month. Then Miss MacVane will take charge of the house. I think your best plan will be to stay in Ithaca with your friend. Would you like to go to Buffalo again? What would you like to do?"
After a while Miss Grammer looked up. Ellen's head was bent low.
"What's the matter? Have you had bad news?"
Ellen lifted a pale, astonished face.