Lucile moved over to the other side of what was forming itself into a circle and sat down by Dorothy Horton. The Jolly Six was out in force, for here came the other two members, Ann Sterling and Marta Ward. “Ho there, Dots,” laughed Ann, “may I sit down by you?”
“Come right along,” Dorothy invited, and Ann threw a cushion down, then dropped upon it, leaning over to engage in a low conversation with Dorothy. There were many secrets in the air now. Exchange of experiences or of facts was going on around the circle. The senior girls carried the greatest responsibility. The junior girls came next, in dignities and consultation; then, the new sophomores, eager to help with the important activities on hand. It was wonderful not to be a freshman any longer. A whole year of experience made a Forest Hill girl something more than a mere initiate. Her feet were founded upon the rock of residence, familiarity and enthusiasm. It was her school home, beloved, dearest of colleges!
Ann had no thought of any trouble in persuading the girls that Aline would make a desirable member. The only contingency that might arise was one of numbers, in case the older girls had those in the upper classes whom they wanted to add to the sorority.
Sorority meetings and sorority affairs are shrouded in much secrecy. One would scarcely dare describe one of the official meetings, so to speak. And as for those prescribing the duties of faithful members or the rites of initiation, what dire consequences might follow one shudders to consider! But this meeting was an ordinary, informal gathering, designed only to consider ways and means in the important provision for handing the Beta Alpha Taus down to future ages.
There were several preliminary interruptions, due to the difficulty of getting settled. “All ready, Alice?” asked the secretary, who had come without any paper and had just secured an old envelope from the sweater pocket of a friend. From another she borrowed a short pencil.
“You’re a great secretary, Jean,” remarked the one who surrendered the pencil. “I suppose that I’ll never see that again, either.” This was said laughingly, with no intent to wound.
“I hadn’t a minute to get ready. Alice called me and told me to come right over, that we would be late. Yes, perhaps I can remember to hand back your precious pencil. You must have had it last year, I think, and when was it sharpened last?”
“I found it, in the table drawer of my new suite,” laughed the lender.
“Ow,—girls!” A girl on the opposite side of the circle jumped up with what Virgil would have termed a feminine shriek. “Look out! There he goes!”
Half the girls were on their feet by this time, but Ann and Dots, who had seen the dire monster glide in a different direction from their position, sat laughing.