During the previous summer each of Marjorie’s Traveler chums had picked out a gift which was to go in a special carved rosewood chest which Miss Susanna had been hoarding for her favorite. Leila had brought Marjorie a wonderful package of fine Irish table linen. Vera had selected a frock of rose-pattern Irish lace. Ronny’s gift was an amethyst necklace in an old Peruvian setting. Each of the others had searched faithfully to find a gift which she considered worthy of the girl who had long been their leader.
It had been left to Miss Susanna to name the date of the party. She had named the fifth of January as the date, though none of the Travelers knew why.
“It’s a case of hustle off the train, flee for the campus, gobble one’s dinner and be off again merry-making,” Muriel declared animatedly as the hope chest partly stepped out into the starlight after dinner that evening and set buoyantly off across the campus for a jolly hike.
Jerry and Leila had been intrusted with the combined offerings of the surprise party and had preceded the others to the Arms in Leila’s car. They had been instructed by their companions to park the car just inside the gates in the shadow where Miss Susanna had ordered George, the stable man, to be on hand to look after the car and its precious contents. According to a mysterious plan of Leila’s, which she laughingly refused to divulge, the presents were to make an appearance considerably later in the evening.
After dinner at the Arms that evening Jonas had managed to disappear and Miss Susanna had innocently requested, “Go to the door, child. Will you please?” when the clang of the old-time knocker rang out resonantly.
Willingly constituting herself doorkeeper in Jonas’s absence Marjorie opened the door and was immediately swept into the great reception hall on a buoyant tide of youthfully exhilarated chums.
“Why, whatever is the matter?” Miss Susanna appeared in the open door of the library trying hard to look shocked by the noise. Her small face was full of gleeful mischief over having thus taken Marjorie quite off her guard.
“Yes, whatever is the matter?” Marjorie made one of her open-armed rushes at the old lady. “You can see for yourself now. You dear Goldendede.” She hugged Miss Susanna. “How did you know I needed a surprise party more than anything else?”
“Oh, this isn’t your party,” chuckled Miss Hamilton. “I only allowed you to be surprised. This is my party. Today,” she tilted her head sideways at a bird-like angle, “is my birthday. Now don’t smother—”
Her warning was lost in the jolly concerted shout that went up from the surprise guests. They surrounded her, hemmed her in; kissed her until her face was rosy. Jerry even threatened to administer a birthday whipping. It was the one thing which the girls had long been curious to find out. Miss Susanna had steadily refused to divulge her birth date even to Marjorie.