Laughingly Eleanor said that she would and went up the stairs with Aline, Ann behind them.
No one had thought of the fact that the girls were not supposed to leave their own halls after the bell for the close of study hours had rung. The Betas would scarcely want to antagonize or deceive the authorities for their meeting, Marta said, when she and Ann thought about it, and this conclusion was confirmed when a rap on the door came just before the bell rang. It was Alice, who stood just inside the door, closing it, to tell them that the meeting was “off”, and to ask what Aline had told Ann. Alice shook her head doubtfully when Ann told her of the conversation. “I hope we get her, but I don’t know,” said she. “We’ll have a short meeting tomorrow noon, before lunch,—at the rustic bridge. If it rains, we’ll meet on the big porch of the senior cottage, or in my suite, if there are too many around. Please tell the other girls, Ann, and I’ll not take the time to go there. Bunny challenged me, to give the countersign, in the hall; but I had permission!”
“What is the countersign, Alice?” laughed Marta, but Alice only flung up her hand in a salute and disappeared down the corridor.
“She’s an awfully nice girl,” said Marta. “I’ll be sorry to have the senior group go out of Forest Hill this year.”
“Yes, won’t you?”
The next day was Ann’s busiest day. She had no opportunity to talk with any of her friends if she had her lessons, except bits of chat on the way to and from class; and then, indeed, Ann’s mind was full of the coming lessons.
The noon meeting was what Marta called short and sweet. It was decided to have a “spread” at Polly’s, whether Aline joined then or not. They would make it a guest affair, inviting Aline and the few other girls, whom they wanted to meet the Beta Alpha Taus en masse, in the hope of interesting them.
“We’ll make it an afternoon tea, girls,” said Jane, “if you approve; and we’ll have darling little invitations, hand painted, with parrots in one corner. Who paints? You do, Lucile, and Alice,——” Jane looked around for more artists, and several hands went up.