Somewhat consoled for his lack of prowess in skiing that afternoon, Donald determined to keep from demerits, as Betty had urged, to buy a new pair of skis, and to practice his more favorite diversion, the skating, that he might not lost first place in that.
CHAPTER XV
DONALD’S DISCOVERIES
On the following Saturday, Donald Hilton called upon Betty at Greycliff. He had both written and telephoned and found that it would be “perfectly convenient” for Betty to receive him. Alma brought his card to Betty, who had just come down stairs, at the appointed hour, to wait in a small reception room. Several girls were there, according to custom at Greycliff, expecting callers. Cards were always first taken to Miss Randolph or whatever teacher was in charge for the afternoon.
Upon receiving Donald’s card, Betty crossed the hall to the double parlors or reception rooms, in one of which Donald was waiting. At her approach he rose and held out a friendly hand. Betty was looking particularly fetching, though simply dressed for the afternoon. There were some other guests in the large room, but Donald led Betty to a comfortable seat in the corner at one end of the room, near one of the windows, and placed his own chair, a big affair with a high back, in such a way that he would face Betty and the world would be shut off, so far as he was concerned.
“Now we can talk,” said Donald. “You haven’t any idea how aggravating it has been not to be able to get over here.”
“What did you have to do while you were ‘on props,’ as we call it?”
“What didn’t I? But being ‘on props’ chiefly cuts you off from privileges, you know. I didn’t see the commandant again—thought I would not bother the old boy, and he had been pretty fine about it, anyhow. I did go to Van Horne and I told him all the details. I think he believed me. But none of the officers can say much if it is a case of breaking rules. And I could not prove anything. Consequently I went ‘on props.’”
“Do they write home about it?”
“No, but I did, of course. I wrote the whole thing, more because I was afraid of what might come of it in the future than because I wanted them to know about it. I told them not to waste any sympathy on me, but they’d better get it straight from the first.”
“It was a perfect shame!”