“Lots better to leave this way than to be dropped,” joined in the other, although her voice lacked sincerity.
“I never expected to stick it out past the first term,” continued the first speaker, “but having been at boarding school——”
“Yes, the home folks were keen on that. But, Miriam, I’m afraid I’ll just have to go back to prep. You see, I really did lose an awful lot of time.”
Gloria felt like a thief of their confidence, so she got up noisily and walked to the window.
The signal dropped, the train whistled and her heart jumped.
If only Mrs. Corday would not come, and if only Jane would be sure to come!
“What’s an essay alongside of my Jane?” she asked herself, just as the train rumbled in.
CHAPTER XV
STEPPY AND THE CLUE
Jane came! Smartly she stepped down from the car steps only smiling at the conductors proffered hand. Then, she had Gloria in her arms in spite of the baggage man’s push cart heading straight for her, and although Gloria couldn’t see past Jane’s bonnet she could hear very distinctly. Mr. Thorpe, who had pushed that cart to and from trains for years and years, was an intolerant, irascible old man. But this time he was forced to turn out. The embracing pair cared nothing for his unreasonable orders.