“You only think you won’t,” beamed Frances. “But never mind. No matter what relentless fate Time may bring you, Plain Jane, I shall be on hand to aid and sustain your tottering steps. I refuse to be deprived of my chief pillar of argument.”
“Oh, dear, they’ve begun,” moaned Sarah. “Won’t somebody please stop them?”
“I don’t understand you, Sarah.” Frances fixed a reproving eye on the protestant. “Always try to say clearly what you mean, then we may perhaps believe that you mean what you say.”
“I mean what I say when I say that I don’t intend to argue with you, Frances Bliss. It’s a waste of breath and I—”
“Be calm, children,” laughingly admonished Emmeline Cerrito. Her gaze fixed intently on Ruth, Emmy had thus far remained silent. The very expression of her dark eyes was more eloquent than speech. In reality her light expostulation had cloaked a depth of emotion which she jealously sought to conceal even from her chums. Their second year together as roommates had served greatly to strengthen the bond between herself and Ruth. A well-nigh perfect comradeship now existed between them. Emmy’s happiness in the fulfillment of Ruth’s desire was second only to that of the latter herself.
“I am calm,” declared Frances. “’Tis the calm of inspiration. If you don’t believe it, wait a little. I am on the verge of composing a great epic poem in which Sarah, Plain Jane and little Frances are all sweetly mingled. It begins, ‘Words, idle words, I know not what they mean!’ That’s as far as I’ve progressed. The rest of it will come to me later.”
“I hope it will be after you’ve gone to bed to-night. Then you can’t inflict it upon me,” was Jane’s unappreciative comment.
“What a cruel, unfeeling person you are, Janie.” Frances’ wide smile indicated small injury. “Never mind. Sarah can’t escape me. I’ll wait until she is nicely asleep, then I’ll wake her up and recite it to her.”
“You’re quite capable of it,” giggled Sarah, “but ‘forewarned,’ you know. You’ll wish you’d kept your great epic poem to yourself.”
“More idle words,” murmured Frances. “It’s not wise to take such vague threats too seriously. I—”