The week that followed was devoted to studying, for the terrible exams must be passed before the party could be enjoyed.
“Bring your books up to my room this evening at seven,” Adele sang out as the girls from Sunnyside were trooping in after a merry game on the tennis courts. “I’ll play teacher and give you a review.”
“We’ll be there!” Carol replied, then turning to the tall, quiet girl at her side, she added, “Evelyn, suppose we practise for the next half-hour since we are to perform at the closing exercises.”
Gertrude and Adele, arm linked in arm, entered the school and ascended the stairs to their room.
“Trudie,” Adele exclaimed as she sank down on a low stool to remove her tennis shoes, “what nice new friends we have made this year, Carol, Evelyn Dartmoor, and the lassie from the Dakota prairie. What a wonderful girl she is, that Starr! I am so glad that she came to our school. She makes me think of Eva Dearman a little. Not that they look alike. Maybe just because they both live in that glorious West. It seems as if I haven’t heard from Eva in ages.” Then folding her hands over her knees, she added thoughtfully, “Trudie, please don’t think me sentimental or anything like that, but, when I grow up, if I should happen to get married, I do wish that it might be to an Arizona cattleman.”
Gertrude laughed merrily as she began to brush her dark, wavy hair, then she exclaimed, “Donald Burnley is planning to live on his ranch, isn’t he? Of course I mean when he finishes college and is ready to settle down.”
“I believe that he is,” Adele said, springing up, then she added with a smile, “Trudie, are you trying to tease me about Donald the way Peggy delights in teasing Rose about Bob?”
“I feel sorry for Rosamond!” Gertrude replied. “Her mother is such a social butterfly and she seems to have no time for her pretty daughter, in fact she almost never writes to her. I sincerely hope that Rose and Bob will care for each other when they are grown.”
“I wonder who Trudie’s prince is going to be?” Adele said mischievously as she slipped on the simple muslin that she wore in the evening. “I’m going to guess that his initials will be A. E.”
“Della, what a romancer you are to-day,” Gertrude exclaimed.