“That is well. Book knowledge means little if a woman is untidy and careless,” was the response.
Elizabeth and Mary, far in the rear, acting as body-guard to the Judge, did not hear these remarks on neatness. To Mary it would have mattered little, for her conscience was clear so far as keeping her possessions in order was concerned.
“Oh, father, wait just one second,” she cried. “There is Miss Watson from Muncy. I must speak with her, and ask her to go with us. She was at a German University all last year.” She hurried away, and soon returned with a distinguished-looking young woman whom she introduced as Miss Watson. “She is going up with us,” explained Miss Wilson, “to have a cup of cocoa. Oh, yes,” as Miss Watson was about to demur, “we have eight cups now. Do you remember the time two years ago when I invited the girls in and forgot that I hadn’t dishes enough? Yes; I have the same rooms but they’re much nicer. We have so many new things that I’m sure you will not recognize them. Miss Hobart is my roommate. We have gotten along famously so far—haven’t had the smallest kind of a difficulty. I’m sure we’ll so continue, for I always think the first month is the hardest. We had to learn to adjust ourselves to each other. But there is no danger of a quarrel now. We have passed our rocks.”
“Knock on wood, Mary,” called back her father on hearing the remark, “that will exorcise the evil spirit of assurance. Knock on wood, I say, or you and Elizabeth will quarrel before the week is out.”
Mary tossed her head and laughed. She thoroughly appreciated her father’s witticisms.
“I shall not knock on wood—and we will not quarrel,” she replied. “That is our room, mother. Yes; right there.”
Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Wilson passed into the bedroom. The others of the party followed. Elizabeth and Mary at the end of the line had stepped aside to give precedence to the elders.
They heard Judge Wilson laugh. “It has been nothing less than a cyclone,” he said, then laughed again.
“Why, this is not at all like Mary!” began Mrs. Wilson. Mary noticed the tone of apology in her voice.
She and Elizabeth stepped inside. Elizabeth’s face grew crimson. In the middle of the floor lay her school shoes which, in her haste to dress, she had kicked off and left. Her coat and hat were on one chair. Stretched out on the end of the couch was her gym suit, glaringly conspicuous with its crimson braid. Every toilet article that she had used was in evidence, and in a place never designed for its occupancy.