“Wait, Miss Hobart!” Miss O’Day had arisen. There was a sound of rustling petticoats as she moved. She twisted her hands nervously as though dreading to speak. “I should like nothing better than coming. I haven’t been to a ‘blow-out’ this fall. But I hardly think I can come now.” She hesitated. She spoke slowly as though she could not put her thoughts into the proper words. “I really wish to come, Miss Hobart. It is kind of you to ask me. I don’t want to take advantage of your goodness, so I must tell you why the girls here do not care to know me. I did something wrong last year—something they look upon as dreadful. They all belong to the Christian Association. As an Association they are pledged to discountenance just what I did. I’m not a member. So since last spring I’ve been cut out of every social affair except those the school gives.”
“Well, I call that mean,” cried Elizabeth. “Why don’t you—”
“No, they were right in one way. I tell you so much because I cannot accept your invitation if you do not know. If you wish me to tell you all about it, I will, although I have spoken of the matter to no one. I couldn’t.”
“No, I don’t want to hear. I wish you to come to-night. I’d rather find matters out for myself. You’ll come?”
“Does Miss Wilson know you intend asking me?”
“Yes, of course. I made out the list this morning.” She did not add that Miss Wilson had expressed herself rather strongly on the subject.
“Well, then I shall come.”
“I must go, or I shall be too late to get any dinner at all. This is roast beef night, too; and that’s the night I always pay the cook a compliment by eating two portions—my own and Anna Cresswell’s. She doesn’t like roast beef, and I don’t like rice pudding. So we trade. Good-bye. I’ll see you then to-night.”
“The mail has come,” was Miss Wilson’s greeting, as Elizabeth entered her room. “I have a letter from Mrs. Gleason. She writes to invite me to spend a Sabbath with her at my earliest convenience. I am to bring you along. I did not know you knew her. I’ve mentioned her so often and you never said that you were friends.”
“I don’t know her.” Elizabeth was struggling into a white shirtwaist as she talked. “I never saw her. There must be some mistake about her asking me.”