CHAPTER XII—FULL-FLEDGED PROMOTERS
“The very first thing to do, Robin, is to find out whether those properties used for boarding houses are for sale. There is no use in hoping for one little instant that Miss Susanna will ever relent enough to allow us ground on the campus for any new houses.” Marjorie spoke with finality.
“Queer, isn’t it? Hamilton doesn’t even own itself.” A flickering smile touched Robin’s lips.
“Miss Susanna doesn’t consider that she owns the college,” Marjorie explained in defense of her eccentric friend. “Miss Humphrey said Mr. Brooke Hamilton’s will stipulated that she must sanction all building, improvements or important changes on the campus. The college has free right to choose everything else.”
Not even to Robin Page, her dearest Hamilton friend, outside Wayland Hall, had Marjorie ever divulged the fact of her friendship with the last of the Hamiltons. She would have liked to tell Robin, that, only a week previous, she had taken tea with Miss Susanna and heard again the old lady’s repeated statement that never should Hamilton College receive even the ghost of a favor from her.
“I wish we knew Miss Susanna Hamilton,” sighed Robin. “We could then have it out with her on the subject at least.”
Marjorie, feeling like a criminal, said nothing for a little. The two seniors had just come from a walk past the boarding houses, the site of which they hoped to be able to use for the building of the dormitory of their generous dreams.
“About these boarding houses, Robin,” Marjorie began afresh, desirous of leading her friend away from the subject of Miss Susanna. “Anna Towne’s landlady told her that they were in the hands of a real estate agent in the town of Hamilton. His name is Mr. Charles Cutler and his office is on Keene Street. He is the person we must see.”
“Since the girls off the campus wouldn’t accept our offer, we have six thousand, two hundred and ten dollars in our treasury,” announced Robin. “We must keep some of that for our regular beneficiary fund; say two thousand dollars. That gives us a little more than four thousand to pay down on the property.”
“It is only a drop in the bucket,” Marjorie said doubtfully. “I suppose those properties, all together, are worth thirty or forty thousand to the owner. The question of the money is easily solved. Ronny will finance the undertaking for us. She is determined to do it. She would give us the money, but I won’t accept it. I think the Hamilton girls now and to come should take this debt upon themselves and earn the money to pay it by their own efforts.”