“Don’t have a name of one who does not mean to keep her pledge,” advised Miss Cresswell. “Fifty people in earnest are worth more than an hundred, half of whom veer with the wind.”
“But as Anna Cresswell said before,” began Mary Wilson excitedly, “there will be some who will cheat. What will we do?”
“Most of the girls will agree to this, and the majority can be depended upon to do as they pledge themselves. If you keep your eyes open in the class-room, you can soon discover who has no sense of honor. These may be taken quietly aside and spoken to. If they transgress a second time, we will make the affair public.” This advice came from Miss Cresswell.
At the close of her speech, Mame Welch arose. “If we don’t scatter soon, the lights will be out, and I do not care to wander down the staircase in the dark. I did it once, and I had a bump on my head for a week. One’s head is not the best ‘lighting’ place. Come, Carrie Hirsch, you go my way. If the lights go out, we will fall together.” Slipping her arm through Carrie’s, and bidding the others good-night, she quitted the room.
Miss Cresswell and Nancy followed, with cheery words to encourage Mary and Elizabeth for to-morrow’s work. Nora O’Day remained. She was quite a striking figure as she stood leaning with her elbow against the mantel, looking down into the grate. As always, she was richly dressed. Her loose robe of crimson silk, her dark hair hanging in a single braid, and her olive-tinted skin presented a glowing picture.
“I waited until the others left,” she said, “to speak to you alone, Elizabeth. I have been wishing to for several days, but you were so busy, I didn’t feel that I could take you from your work.”
“You can talk together here. I am going into the bedroom,” said Mary, making ready to disappear.
“No; I do not wish to disturb you. I intended asking Elizabeth to walk to the end of the hall with me. I love to sit on the window-seat at the landing. The campus is beautiful in the moonlight. No one is disturbed by the talking there. I think Mrs. Schuyler will not mind late hours to-night, since we go home to-morrow. Will you come, Elizabeth?”
“Yes; wait one minute until I get a wrap. That window-seat is full of drafts, I know. I have sat there before.”
Taking down a golf cape, she wrapped it about her. “Come,” she added, drawing Miss O’Day’s arm through her own. “We will be night-hawks until Mrs. Schuyler finds us. Don’t lock the door, Mary. I’ll slip in later.”