“I rather suspect that Betty knows how huh mothuh looks,” drawled Helen Paget, who was with Eloise. “I came up just in time to see the effect of mistaken identity and to avoid making the same mistake. I see that I shall have to watch my roommate closely this year if this is her impulsive nature!”
By this time Betty and Cathalina, with Pauline Tracy had appeared, and were listening with amusement to Helen’s lofty comments.
“This is Pauline, Mamma, dear old Polly, you know, and I’ve just heard the wonderful news that Eloise and Helen, with Pauline and Juliet Howe, are going to be together, in the next suite to ours.”
“Shall we ever get any studying done?” whispered Lilian aside to Hilary. Hilary gave her only a bright glance in reply, and nodded an affirmative.
“Now let me get all the names straight, Betty,” said her mother. “This dear child who took me for you is Eloise Winthrop, and Helen is the one you wrote me about,—is from the South.” Betty and Helen both nodded.
“And I’m Pauline, from the big ranch,” assisted Pauline, as Betty’s mother hesitated, looking at her.
“O, yes, and Juliet Howe is your ‘Shadow’!”
“She has not come yet, but I’m looking for her any minute. O, the fun we are going to have!”
“But I thought Helen had a different roommate.”
“She did, Diane Percy,—they were the ‘Imps.’ But Diane can not come, at least this first semester. And Eloise’s roommate is not coming back. Hence, therefore, consequently, Mamma, old Helen and old Eloise are going to try to get along together if they can. They are feeling badly about it, but are trying not to show it before company.”