flight only, but was
at the other end of the building, overlooking the campus. It seemed a
long walk down the corridor. Some of the doors stood open, and more
girls looked out at them curiously as they pursued their way.
Mary was talking in a low voice to Helen now, and Ruth could not hear
what she said. But when they stopped at the end of the corridor, and
Helen fitted her key into the lock of the door, she said:
"We'd be delighted, Miss Cox. Oh, yes! Ruth and I will both come."
Mary went away whistling and they heard her laughing and talking with
other girls who had come out into the corridor before the chums were
well in their own room. And what a delightful place it seemed to the
two girls, when they entered! Not so small, either. There were two
single beds, two dressing tables, running water in a bowl, two closets
and two chairs--all this at one end of the room. At the other end was
a good-sized table to work at, chairs, a couch, and two sets of shelves
for their books. There were two broad windows with wide seats under
them, too.
"Isn't it just scrumptious?" cried Helen, hugging Ruth in her delight.
"And just think--it's our very own! Oh, Ruthie! won't we just have
good times here?"
Ruth was quite as delighted, if she was not so volubly enthusiastic as
Helen. It was a much nicer room, of course, than the girl from the Red
Mill had ever had before. Her tiny little chamber at the Red Mill was
nothing like this.
The girls removed such marks of travel as they could and freshened
their dress as well as possible. Their trunks would not arrive at the
school until morning, they knew; but they had brought their toilet
articles in their bags. These made some display--on Helen's dresser,
at least. But when their little possessions came they could make the
room look more "homey."
Barely had they arranged their hair when a gentle rap sounded at the
door.
"Perhaps that's Miss Cox again," said Helen. "Isn't she nice, Ruth?"
Her friend had no time to reply before opening the door to the visitor.
It was not Miss Cox, but Ruth immediately recognized the tall girl whom
Mary Cox had addressed as Madge Steele. She came in with a frank smile
and her hand held out.
"I didn't know you were going to come to my corridor," she said,
frankly. "Which of you is Miss Fielding, and which is Miss Cameron?"
It made the chums feel really grown up to be called "Miss," and they
liked this pretty girl at on
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