Kit said this rather slowly, as if it were a sort of self-revelation which she had just discovered that minute. And yet it was true. She had enjoyed the class friendships at Hope immensely, but Jeannette had seemed to stand out from the rest of the girls as a distinctly interesting personality.
Jeannette smiled at Kit’s remark.
“I have heard my grandmother say that in her girlhood her people of the northern forests pledged their friendships by saying, ‘While the grass grows and the waters run, so long shall we be friends.’” She turned and smiled at Kit her grave-eyed slow smile. “I will say that to you now, before you go.”
Kit laid one arm around her shoulders. “Me too,” she answered, “sounds like the blood-brother vow they used to take.”
The next evening Kit was to leave Delphi. She found it hard to say goodbye to her aunt and uncle.
“We shall miss you, Kit,” said Della, “but if it gives you any pleasure, my dear, I want to tell you it was your coming which opened my eyes to the folly of sitting with empty hands while there was work to be done. I don’t think I can ever belong to the rocking-chair squad again, without a guilty conscience.”
Kit hugged her fervently. “Oh, but you’re a dear, Aunt Della, to say such things. I only wish I could stay right here and be in two places at once. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned here, organization.” Kit said this very firmly and earnestly. “Back home they say I know just what I want to do, but I don’t know how to do it. Now, I know what I want to do. I want to go back home and organize.”
“The Dean wanted to have a little talk with you before dinner, dear. I think you’d better go in now, because we want to reach the station in plenty of time. Don’t talk too long. You know how he is when he gets absorbed in anything.”
Kit promised and joined the Dean. He had carried back the statue of Annui and stood before it regarding it with perplexity. Kit slipped her arm through his. It seemed as though there had sprung up a new comradeship and understanding between them since their last talk.
“Won’t he tell you his secrets, Uncle Bart?” she asked. “He has such an aggravating smile, just as if he were amused at baffling you.”