y more
earnest spirit, as had been abundantly proved by his conversation when
the two had last met, during the long vacation, while the hesitating
manner of his mother and sisters seemed to hint at a hidden anxiety. In
the depths of her heart Darsie was feeling considerably piqued by the
fact that though she had now been over a month in Cambridge Ralph had
shown no anxiety to meet her, or to fulfil his promise of "showing the
ropes." Other girls had been invited to merry tea-parties in the
different colleges, and almost daily she had expected such an invitation
for herself, but neither of her two men friends had paid her this mark
of attention; but for the fact of an occasional meeting in the streets
they might as well have been at the other end of the land. Pride
forbade her commenting on the fact even to Hannah; but inwardly she had
determined to be very proud and haughty when the deferred meeting came
about. Dan was too wrapped up in himself to care for outsiders; Ralph
was a slacker--not worth a thought. Darsie dismissed them both with a
shrug. Margaret France was worth a dozen men put together!

Ten o'clock on Tuesday evening seemed long in coming, but the moment
that the clock pointed to the hour Darsie hastened to her new friend's
study, and to her satisfaction found her still alone. The room looked
delightfully cosy with pink shades over the lights, a clear blaze upon
the grate, and Margaret herself, in a pink rest-gown curled up in a
wicker-chair, was the very embodiment of ease. She did not rise as
Darsie entered, but pointed to a chair close at hand, with an eagerness
which was in itself the best welcome.

"That's right. Come along! I'm glad you're the first. Sit down and
look around. How do you like my den?"

Darsie stared to right and left with curious eyes, and came to the
instant conclusion that Margaret's room was like herself. From floor to
ceiling, from window to door, there was not one single article which did
not give back a cheering impression. If the article were composed of
metal, it shone and glittered until it could shine no farther; if of
oak, every leaf and moulding spoke of elbow-grease, and clean, fresh-
smelling polish; if it were a fabric of wool or cotton, it was
invariably of some shade of rose, shedding, as it were, an aspect of
summer in the midst of November gloom.

Over the fireplace was fastened a long brown-paper scroll, on which some
words were painted in big orn