“Certainly Mary Carmichael Washington Brown is a modest soul,” thought Judy, who happened to know that her friend had had some five or six tempting offers to move into better quarters the next year at no greater expense to herself. One was from Mary Stewart, who was to return next winter for a post-graduate course. Another was from Judith Blount, who had proposed Molly for membership in the Beta Phi Society next year, and had furthermore invited the surprised young freshman to take the study of her apartment for a bedroom and offered her the constant use of her sumptuous sitting room.
Certainly, if ever there was an expression of true remorse and repentance, that was one, Molly thought, and the allusion to roommates reminded her that she must say good-bye to Judith, for there would be no time in the morning for last farewells.
“I am going over to the Beta Phi house for a minute,” she announced. “Any one want to come along?”
Margaret and Jessie, who had friends in that “abode of fashion,” as it was called, joined her, and presently the three white figures were lost in the shadows on the campus.
“She is going to say farewell to black-eyed Judith,” observed Judy in a low voice to Nance, “and all I would say is what the colored preacher said: ‘Can the le-o-pard change his spots?’”
Nance smiled gravely. She did not possess Judy’s prejudiced nature, but her convictions were strong.
“Do you think she’s a ‘le-o-pard,’ Judy?” she asked.
“She may be a domesticated one,” said Judy, “of the genus known as ‘cat.’”
“Aren’t you ashamed, Judy?” exclaimed Nance, reprovingly.
But it must be confessed that a few doubts still lurked in her own heart concerning the sincerity of proud Judith’s repentance.