“Jeremiah!” went up in a merry little shout from the Travelers.
“Yes, Jeremiah.” Jerry smiled complacently on her chums then slid out of the car and opened one of the rear doors of the limousine as Jonas opened the other.
Out of the limousine on one side came the Reverend Compton Greene, of Hamilton Estates, the oldest minister in the county of Hamilton. From the other side emerged Professor Wenderblatt, President Matthews and, last of all, gallantly assisted by the president came Miss Susanna.
Instead of being impressed into silence by sight of distinguished Prexy the Travelers vented a shout which more than energetically expressed their sentiments.
“How do you like my new car, children?” briskly inquired Miss Hamilton, showing frank delight at the prank she had played on her girls. “And how do you like my driver? Well, I had to come to it. I mean about the automobile. Jonas will learn to drive the car. I sha’n’t let him drive much faster than at a crawl. How are you, Peter?” She addressed her old friend with every mark of kindly affection.
“It’s a happy day for me, Susanna,” he said, his bright face faintly flushed and free from worry seemed that of a young man. Only the thick white hair brushed off his forehead proclaimed him to be in the winter of life. “And I have you to thank for it.”
“Thank yourself, Peter; not me. ‘The laborer is worthy of his hire.’ Never forget that. Come, Dr. Greene,” she turned to the old minister; “let me present my young campus friends to you. And here is Signor Baretti who is a loyal supporter of the dormitory cause.”
The last of the Hamiltons introduced the Travelers, one by one to the old minister. She talked animatedly with one of her party, then another. “I felt that I ought not invite Professor Wenderblatt’s daughter today without inviting her distinguished father,” she laughingly told Lillian Wenderblatt. In a pale gray silk gown with a beautiful gray carriage coat lined in white and a gray lace hat trimmed with a cluster of pale silk violets, Miss Susanna appeared to have shed the stiff, repressed air that had formerly hung over her.
This thought sprang to Marjorie’s mind as the old lady walked confidently about among the company and exchanged sociabilities with them. Marjorie looked up to find Jonas’ eyes fixed earnestly upon her. He glanced significantly at Miss Susanna and back to her again. She understood that he wished her to know and share his pleasure at the happiness of “Mr. Brooke’s little girl.”
Presently the company strolled to a place near the corner where the great stone would soon be set in place. There was a brief prayer in behalf of those who had gathered there to view the result of their generous efforts. Then they all sang “Blessed Be the Tie That Binds,” a favorite hymn of Brooke Hamilton’s. Miss Susanna led in her clear old treble. There were speeches from the men, even one from Signor Baretti, who responded as nobly as his limited English would permit. Miss Susanna refused to make a speech, nor could Jonas be induced to make one. Neither did Page and Dean take kindly to speech-making.