Robbie forgot her for a time. Some of the seniors hurried
away on hospitable duties bent, for numerous relatives had already
arrived. There were to be informal gatherings in different rooms. A few
went to the Phi Beta Kappa lecture in the chapel. To tell the truth,
however, these were but few indeed, for to the seniors the last evenings
were too precious, to be wasted on mere scholarly discourse. Probably
Jessica had gone there with the rest of the alumnae, reflected Robbie
Belle as she sat beside Berta and the others in the soft sweet darkness.
With arms intertwined they talked low or fell silent, lingering over this
farewell to the dear college days.

"I love everybody in the class," whispered Lila once.

"In the college," amended Bea promptly.

"Oh, in the whole world!" exclaimed Berta.

Robbie nodded assent so solemnly that Bea leaned down to peer at her more
closely. "A regular Chinese mandarin," she teased, "or are you nodding in
your sleep? You approve of Berta's breadth evidently. Why do people
always speak about the value of being broadened? I think it is nobler to
be deep than broad, I do. I'd rather divide my heart in four pieces than
in forty billion."

"There are two hundred in the class," said Robbie, "and there were only
one hundred in my sister's class, but I am quite sure that they did not
love each other any more than we do."

[Illustration: SHE HELD BOTH HANDS, SMILING]

The next morning saw the seniors assemble at the amphitheatre which had
been prepared for the Class Day exercises. Berta was already on the
platform, assisting the committee in the arrangement of seats for the
class. Among later comers who were hurrying across the campus Bea caught
up with Robbie Belle.

"I am hastening across the sward," she announced in cheerfully inane
greeting, "what is a sward anyhow, and why isn't it pronounced the same
as sword?"

"It's grass," said Robbie Belle. Bea felt a speaking silence fall and
glanced up to catch the direction of her gaze. Between them and the
expanse of mingled chairs and girls around the platform against the wall
of the nearest dormitory, a stranger was moving rapidly toward them, her
eager eyes on Robbie.

"Little Robbie Belle! I knew you last night from your picture." She held
both hands, smiling.

Bea considered the two pairs of shoulders on a level. "Little!" she
sniffed to herself, "it must be a very old alum."

Robbie turned to introduce her. "This is my friend, Bea