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CHAPTER XVI – OUT OF THE PAST

The invited guests were in scarcely more of an anticipatory flutter than Miss Susanna herself. She had broken down her prejudice against girls partly out of curiosity to see and know Marjorie’s friends, partly because of her growing fondness for Marjorie. The innocent beauty of the young girl, and her utter lack of conceit and affectation, had made a deep impression on the suspicious, embittered old lady. She had no expectation of liking Marjorie’s friends as she was learning to like the courteous, gracious lieutenant. It was her skeptical opinion, uttered to Jonas, that, if one of the “new ones” turned out to be half as worthy as “that pretty child,” she would not regret the experiment.

“You may take me for an old fool, Jonas,” she declared to her faithful servitor of many years. “Here I am entertaining college misses after I’ve sworn enmity against them for so long. Well, everything once, Jonas; everything once. If I don’t like ’em, they won’t be invited here again.”

“The young lady’s friends will be all right, Miss Susanna,” Jonas had earnestly assured. “She is a fine little lady.”

The “young lady’s friends,” however, were seized with a certain amount of trepidation when, on the designated afternoon, they advanced on Hamilton Arms, looking their prettiest. Each had worn the afternoon frock she liked best in honor of her hostess. Marjorie, Leila and Jerry headed the van, Leila bearing in her arms a huge box of roses. Marjorie had insisted that Leila must present these to Miss Susanna. Leila had sturdily demurred, then accepted the honor thrust upon her. All the way to Hamilton Arms she had kept the party in a gale of laughter with the humorous presentation speeches which she framed en route.

Within a few steps of the house her fund of words deserted her. “Take these yourself, Marjorie,” she implored. “I am in too much of a glee at my own foolishness. I shall laugh and disgrace us all if I undertake to give her the roses.”

“You’ll be all right, you goose. I refuse to help you out.” Marjorie waved aside the proffered box. “Rally your nerve and say the first thing that occurs to you. It will be sure to be the best thing you could possibly say.”

“I doubt it. Well, I can but take firm hold on the box and make the best of a bad matter.” Leila grasped the box with exaggerated force, cleared her throat and burst out laughing. She continued to laugh as they ascended the steps. She had hardly straightened her face when Jonas answered the door and ushered the guests over the threshold they had never expected to cross.

“I have not seen so many girls at close range for a long time,” announced a brisk voice. Miss Susanna had come from the library into the hall to greet her visitors. She was attired in a one-piece dress of dark gray silk with a white fichu at the throat of frost-like lace.

“How are you, my child?” She now took Marjorie’s hand. “And these are your friends.” Her bright brown eyes were inspecting the group of young women with a kind of reflective curiosity. “Introduce them to me and tell me each name slowly. I wish to know each one by name from now on. I used to have a good memory for names.”

Marjorie complied with the instruction, adding some friendly little point descriptive of each chum. This evoked laughter and helped to ease the slight strain attached to the presentation. Leila then proffered the box of roses with a frank, “Here is our good will to you, Miss Hamilton.”

“What’s this?” Miss Susanna viewed the long box in amazement. A swift tide of color rose to her cheeks. She reached for it mechanically as though uncertain what to do next. She held it for an instant, then said: “I thank you, girls. You could have done nothing that would please me more. I love flowers; particularly roses. Come into the library now and let us get acquainted.”

In the library Miss Susanna explored the florist’s box with the pleasure of a child. She exclaimed happily over the masses of gorgeous roses as she lifted them from the box and inhaled their fragrance. She sent Jonas for vases and arranged them to suit her fancy, talking animatedly to her guests as her small hands busied themselves with the pleasant task.

The girls gathered informally about her, looking on with gratified eyes. The flower gift had established a bond of sympathy between them. Already Miss Susanna was beginning to glimpse the reason for Marjorie’s devotion to her special friends. The girls also understood Marjorie’s growing interest in the last of the Hamiltons. Miss Hamilton had an oddly fascinating personality which commanded liking.

“There!” Miss Susanna exclaimed, as the last rose went into a vase to her satisfaction. “I shall leave them in the library while you are here. Afterward I shall take my posies to my room. They will be the last thing I see tonight and the first in the morning. I have selfishly fussed with my lovely roses instead of giving you hungry children your tea. We are going to have it in the tea room today. I will ask you to come now.”

She led the way from the library to an apartment directly behind it. A subdued chorus of admiration ascended from the guests as they stepped into a room which was quite Chinese in character. The walls were hung with rare Chinese embroideries and delicately-tinted prints. A pale green matting rug with intricately-wrought lavender and buff characters covered the floor. The tables and chairs were of polished teak, beautifully inlaid with mother of pearl. In one corner was a tall Chinese cabinet topped by two exquisite peachblow vases. Here and there were other vases of value and beauty. It was an amazing room. With so much to look at, it required time to appreciate fully its worth from an artistic point of view.

While there were several small tables, there was a large oblong one which would seat the party. It was laid for tea and graced by the most wonderful tea set the girls had ever seen. It was of faint, almost translucent, green banded by an odd Chinese scroll border in silver.

“What a perfectly wonderful room!” gasped Vera, her hands coming together in an admiring clasp, so characteristic of her.

Her approval was echoed by the others. The mistress of Hamilton Arms piloted them to the large table, taking her place at the head of it.

“Have your tea first, then you may explore Uncle Brooke’s famous tea room as much as you please.” Miss Susanna glanced about at the circle of eager young faces with a bright smile. She was enjoying this innovation so much more than she had thought she might. “This will really be a meat tea. I know you girls will need something more substantial than tea and cakes, as you won’t be home in time for dinner.”

The invaluable Jonas now appearing, an appetizing collation consisting of creamed chicken, hot muffins, a salad and sweets was served, together with much tea and more talk and laughter. The girls were hungry enough to enjoy every mouthful of the delicious food provided by their hostess, agreeing with Marjorie as to the super-excellence of the tea.

“Please tell us about this tea room, Miss Susanna,” coaxed Marjorie. The repast finished, the party still sat at table. “I suppose it was planned and arranged by Mr. Brooke Hamilton.”

“Yes; it is considered the finest private tea room in America,” was the reply. The odd part of this room is that every article in it was a gift to my great uncle. Shortly after LaFayette’s visit to America, when Uncle Brooke was a young man in his early twenties, he embarked on a business venture to China. He expected to be gone only a year. Instead, he remained in China for twelve years. Unlike many persons, he did not antagonize the Chinese. They learned to appreciate him for his nobility, and became his firm friends. Every now and then, someone would make him a present. A true Chinaman will give the best he has if he wishes to give.

“Uncle Brooke was so much pleased with his growing collection of things Chinese, that he announced his intention of having a Chinese room in his home when he returned to America,” continued the old lady, a gleam of pride in her eyes. “He told his Chinese friends of his idea and they were delighted. Eventually a rich noble, who had been one of Uncle Brooke’s truest friends, died. He bequeathed a priceless collection of Chinese antiquities to my ancestor. Among them was this tea set, those two peachblow vases, and that print on the east wall. When he returned to America it took him six months to arrange this room to his satisfaction. He arranged it and pulled it to pieces dozens of times before he produced the effect he desired.”

“Do you remember him, Miss Susanna?” asked Marjorie eagerly, then blushed for fear her question might be considered too pointed by her hostess.

“Very well, indeed. I was a young woman when he died. He was seventy-nine years old the week before his death. My father was the son of his only brother who was several years older than Uncle Brooke. Father was an invalid during the last years of his life. We came here to live when I was twelve. As a child, Uncle Brooke would often take me for walks about the estate. He taught me the names and habits of trees, shrubs and flowers. He was a true nature man.”

“It seems odd to hear so much, all at once, of Mr. Brooke Hamilton,” observed Helen. “We have not heard anything of him before except what little is known on the campus. He is almost a mystery at Hamilton College.”

“The fault of the college,” retorted Miss Susanna with bitterness. “There was a time when the college board might have had the data for his biography. That time has passed. They shall never have one scrap of information concerning him from me. What I have told you of him today is in strict confidence. I have spoken freely of him because Marjorie has assured me that you are to be trusted. Were you to break this confidence, I would refuse to verify whatever you might tell and forbid any publication of the information.”

Miss Hamilton glanced defiantly about the circle. Her kindly expression had entirely vanished.

“We can but assure you of our discretion.” It was Leila who made an answer, a hint of wounded pride in her blue eyes.

“You can trust us, Miss Susanna,” added Marjorie, smiling bravely. She was experiencing a queer little sinking of the heart at the displeased old lady’s intent to permanently withhold from the college the true history of its founder.

“I daresay I can, child. Let us change the subject. It is unpleasant to me. You girls had better walk about the tea room and enjoy the curios until I recover my good humor.”

Prompt to obey the mandate, the girls spent at least a half hour in the Oriental room, examining and admiring the departed connoisseur’s individual arrangement of a marvelous collection. Miss Susanna sat and watched them, almost moodily. Returned to the library, the sight of her roses mollified her. She decided to do a certain thing which had risen to her mind. The desire to give pleasure to these young girls who had thought of her conquered her sudden gust of spleen against Hamilton College.

“Would you like to see my great uncle’s study?” she asked, turning from the flowers to her guests.

“Oh!” Ronny drew a wondering audible breath. She could hardly believe her ears.

The others laughed at her, but the eager light in their eyes told its own story.

“May we see it, Miss Susanna?” Vera’s tone was almost imploring.

“You may. Another time, when all of you come to see me, I will show you about the house. It is well worth seeing. My great uncle gathered beauty from the four corners of the earth. He loved to travel and brought back with him the treasure of other lands. I should like you to see the study. It holds one thing, in particular, in which I am sure you will be interested.”

“There is no corner of this house without interest,” Leila said warmly. “I am sure of that.”

“So it seems to me,” nodded Miss Hamilton. “I have lived in it many years. I am not over the wonder of it yet. At times I am sorry that others cannot enjoy it with me. Again I am glad to be alone.”

Following the old lady, who mounted the broad staircase as nimbly as any of them, they found on the second landing the same solid magnificence of furnishing that marked the first floor. Down a long hallway, which extended back from the main reception hall, they went. At the end of the hall was a door of heavy walnut, its upper half of stained glass. This their guide opened. They were now seeing the room where the founder of Hamilton College had spent so many hours planning the institution which bore his name.

The murmur of voices died out among them as they stepped into the study. Compared with other rooms in the house which the girls had seen, it was rather small. The floor was bare save for one medium-sized rug in the center of the room, on which stood a heavy-legged mahogany writing table. A tall desk, a book-case, three high-backed chairs and a filing cabinet, all of carved mahogany, completed the furnishings, plus one broad-seated chair, leather cushioned, and with a rounding back. It was drawn up before the library table; Brooke Hamilton’s own chair.

The most notable object in the study was a framed, illuminated oblong about five feet long and perhaps two and a half feet wide. It was hung at a point on the wall directly opposite the founder’s chair.

“This is what you wished us to see, isn’t it?” Marjorie cried out, stopping in front of the oblong. “I think I know what it is.”

“Tell us, then.” Miss Susanna was smiling fondly at the animated face Marjorie turned toward her.

“The maxims of Mr. Brooke Hamilton,” she guessed breathlessly. Her eyes traveled slowly down the oblong. “There are fifteen of them,” she announced. “What a beautiful illumination!”

“Yes; they were his favorite sayings. He originated them all except the first one. More, he lived up to them.” The old lady’s intonation had grown singularly gentle.

A reverent silence visited the study as the knot of girls gathered about the oblong to read the sayings of one long gone from earth. The colors used in the illumination were principally blue and gold with mere touches of green and black. Red had been left out entirely from the color scheme.

“Remember the stranger within thy gates.”

“To the wise nothing is forbidden.”

“Becoming earnestness is never out of place.”

“Let thy gratitude be lasting.”

“Ask Heaven for courtesy; the supply is greater than the demand.”

“Make thy deference to age not too marked.”

“Truth flies a winning pennant.”

“Beware, lest what seems unattainable falls too near thine hand.”

“Let thy learning be seasoned with merriment.”

“O, Justice, how fair art thine heights!”

“Be motivated by the grace of God.”

“Be not secret; be discreet.”

“For the gift of life give thanks.”

“The ways of light reach upward to eternity.”

“To stumble honorably is to learn to walk.”

Such were the informal rules of conduct which Brooke Hamilton had carved for himself with the blade of experience.

“We have five of these at the college, Miss Susanna.” Ronny finally broke the spell which had fallen. “The first, third, fourth, seventh and ninth. ‘Remember the stranger within thy gates,’ is over the doorway of Hamilton Hall. The ninth one is in the library and the third, fourth and seventh are in the chapel.”

“I knew some of them were there. The first he had placed over the door of Hamilton Hall. The others were to be presented to the college as the students earned them.”

“Earned them?” queried Muriel impulsively. “I don’t understand – ” She broke off, coloring at her own temerity. Her companions were also looking slightly mystified.

“His idea was this. He wished to reward any particularly noteworthy act on the part of a student, of which he chanced to hear, by an honor. The recipient was to receive a citation in chapel and one of his favorite maxims, decoratively framed, was to be hung in one of the campus buildings. A record of the citation was to be established in an honor book kept in a special niche in the chapel. This was one of his later ideas. He did not live to carry it out. I don’t know how they managed to get hold of four of his sayings. They have no right to them.”

Acridity again dominated Miss Susanna’s tones. She appeared to resent deeply the fact that the college authorities held any information whatsoever regarding her famous kinsman.

“Maybe a person who knew your great uncle remembered these four maxims of his and they were thus handed down,” suggested Lucy, always interested in a mystery.

“I wish we had them all; everyone of them!” Marjorie gave an audible sigh of regret. “I can’t help saying it, Miss Susanna. It is the way I feel about these true, wonderful sayings of Mr. Brooke Hamilton.”

“You may say it without offending me, my dear. I understand you and your affection for Hamilton College. He would have liked you to say it. He never held a grudge. I have held one many years. I shall continue to hold it.” Miss Susanna crested her stubborn head. “It is a supreme pleasure to me to know that I have thwarted the college board in some respects. I shall continue to thwart them.”

CHAPTER XVII – LUCY’S NEWS

On the heels of their memorable visit to Hamilton Arms came the added joy of going home for Thanksgiving. All the pleasure that the occasion afforded was crowded into those four brief days. The Nine Travelers, as they agreed to call themselves, returned to college more firmly amalgamated than ever.

The Lookouts had long since included their four close friends in the formal association which they had dubbed the Five Travelers. At first they had decided that the name should remain the same, though four members were added. Later, Ronny suggested that Nine Travelers would be more appropriate. At the end of their college course, they would choose nine girls to replace them with a new chapter, as they had done in the case of the Lookout Club. All nine were anxious to leave a sorority behind them of which they could claim to have founded.

Marjorie and Robin Page, who, according to Jerry, “had gone into the show business,” had their hands full the moment they returned to Hamilton. They tackled the enterprise with a will, however, and within a couple of days after resuming the difficult duties of managership they had made considerable headway.

“Have you those posters yet?” greeted Robin, as she joyfully pounced upon Marjorie on the steps of the library. “I have been trying to see you ever since yesterday morning. I was coming over last night, but I simply had to stay at home and study. I struck a horrible snag in calculus and struggled with it half the evening.”

“Ethel said she would have them done tomorrow,” was the comforting news. “She made four. I imagine they must be beauties, too.”

“Uh-h-h!” Robin pretended to crumple with relief. “That’s one torture off my mind. Naturally they will be great stuff. Ethel Laird draws better than any other girl at Hamilton. It was mighty fine in her to take such a job on herself. I asked her for only one you know.”

“Probably she saw a wistful gleam in your eye and was kind,” laughed Marjorie.

“There will be an entirely different gleam in my eye if those printers don’t hurry up with the programmes. Last I heard from them they hadn’t even started the work. We really took a good deal upon ourselves when we started this show. I’m glad I am not a manager for my living. It is too strenuous a life for Robin.”

“We ought to call a rehearsal Saturday evening. There won’t be anyone caring to use the gym, and there won’t be much time for it next week in the evenings, with all the studying we have to do. Just recall, the show is to be next Friday evening,” was Marjorie’s reminder.

“Oh, I know it,” groaned Robin. “I shall be enraged, infuriated and foaming at the mouth if those aggravating printers don’t have our programmes done in time.”

“They will. Don’t worry. When did they promise you the tickets?”

“Tomorrow. They’ve done fairly well with the tickets,” Robin grudgingly conceded. “That is, provided they deliver them tomorrow, as promised. I am just a little tired, I guess. I like the programme part of getting up a show, but I don’t like the tiresome details.”

“Come on over to Baretti’s,” invited Marjorie. “What you need is sustenance. We can talk things over and have dinner at the same time. I can stay out until eight. It’s only five-fifteen now. We shall have oceans of time.”

“All right. Don’t you believe, though, that we’ll have much chance to talk. Some of our gang will be there, sure as fate,” Robin prognosticated.

Surely enough, they were greeted by a hospitable quartette occupying a table near the door. It was composed of Ronny, Jerry, Elaine Hunter and Barbara Severn.

“Aren’t you going home to dinner?” quizzed Jerry accusingly. “And you never said a word to me this noon of your secret intentions.”

“I hadn’t any. May I ask why you are here without having obtained my permission?” Marjorie drew down her face in an imitation of Miss Merton, a Sanford teacher both girls had greatly disliked.

“I have nothing to say,” chuckled Jerry. “You and your friend may sit at our table, if you like.”

“Thank you. My friend and I have weighty matters to discuss. We’re in the show business now, Jeremiah. We are bound for that last table in the row.” Marjorie pointed. “We’ll join you later, and please don’t disturb us. Ahem!”

“I don’t even know either of you by sight. Beat it.” Jerry waved both girls away with a magnificent gesture of disdain which sent them, giggling, toward their table.

“This is my first off-the-campus treat since we talked about getting up the show that day we went to Hamilton,” Marjorie confided to Robin. “I have thirty-eight dollars saved. Captain gave me twenty-five when I came away from home. I told her I did not need it, but you see I had told her about saving my money, too. That’s the reason she gave it to me. I seem not to be able to make any real sacrifices,” Marjorie smiled ruefully.

“I have saved close to thirty. I could have saved more, but I have had three Silvertonites to remember on their birthdays. Not my pals, but girls who appreciate remembrances and who don’t receive many. I haven’t been here but twice since we had that talk. We mustn’t desert Signor Baretti, either. He would feel dreadfully if we stopped patronizing his tea room.”

“We will have to try to please all our friends somehow, and ourselves, too,” Marjorie said gayly.

Their dinner ordered, the two settled down to talk over the progress of their “show” with the business energy of two real theatrical managers. Later, however, Jerry and her trio sidled up to the forbidden table and were graciously allowed to remain. In consequence, it was half-past eight before the party left the tea room.

“Lucy will wonder what has become of me,” Ronny declared, as the three Lookouts entered Wayland Hall. “I told her this noon I was not going anywhere after recitations. Oh, dear! I am a nice person! I promised to help Muriel with her French, before dinner. I forgot all about it until this minute. She will be raving.”

“You seem to be in a bad case all around,” sympathized Marjorie in most unsympathetic tones. “I’m sorry for you.”

“I’m a great deal more sorry for myself,” retorted Jerry.

“I haven’t broken any promise by staying out, but I won’t do much studying tonight. Let me see, what recitations do I have tomorrow that I can slight the least tiny bit?” Marjorie puckered her brows over her problem.

Entering their room, the first sight that met hers and Jerry’s eyes was Lucy Warner, fast asleep in an arm chair. Jerry laid a warning finger against her lips, then she stole softly up to Lucy.

“Wake up and pay for your lodgings,” she growled in a deep, hoarse voice.

“Oh-h! Ah-h!” Lucy sat up with a suddenness which narrowly missed landing her on the floor. “I thought you would never come home,” she mumbled, not yet fully awake. Blinking sleepily at the two laughing girls, she continued: “I had some news for you. I sat down to wait until you came. Ronny was out; so was Muriel. I’ve been here since eight o’clock. Were you out to dinner?”

“That means you were not here.” Jerry pointed an arraigning finger at Lucy. “Where have you been? Lately you have become a regular gad-about. It must be stopped, Luciferous.”

“Gad-about nothing,” disclaimed Lucy. “You, not I, belong to that deplorable class, Jeremiah Macy. I have been working. True, I dined outside the Hall, and in distinguished company. I am President Matthews’ secretary pro tem. I had dinner at his house tonight. I told you I had news for you.”

“Can you beat that?” Jerry sank into the nearest chair as though about to collapse. “You are mounting the college scale by leaps and bounds, aren’t you? Chummy with the registrar, a friend of Professor Wenderblatt’s, and now established in Doctor Matthews’ good graces. The unprecedented rise of Luciferous Warniferous; or, Secretaries who have become famous.”

“How did it happen? Where is Miss Sayres?” Marjorie exhibited lively curiosity at the news.

“Miss Sayres is at home with a cold. Nothing very serious, I imagine. Miss Humphrey recommended me to the doctor. He was away behind in his correspondence. Miss Sayres has been ill for two days. It was nearly six when I finished his letters. He still had an address to dictate. He asked me if I would stay until after dinner and take the dictation. I had a beautiful time. He and his wife are such friendly persons. He is a great biologist, too. His son was there. He is a New York lawyer and is home for a few days’ visit.” Lucy added this last without enthusiasm.

“Well, well, Luciferous!” patronized Jerry. “And were you afraid to talk to the young man?”

“Oh, stop teasing me! No, I was not. He talked to his mother most of the time, anyway. I must go and find Ronny. Was she with you girls?” Lucy rose, gathered her books from the table, and prepared to depart.

“She was with us, Lucy. You’d better stay and talk to us,” coaxed Marjorie. “It’s growing later and later and still I am not studying. I might as well wind up a pleasant but unprofitable evening with gossiping about Doctor Matthews. Come on back and resume your chair, Miss Warner.”

Lucy had now reached the door. “Wait until I go and see Ronny, and I will come back.” She exited, returning five minutes afterward with Ronny.

“You don’t seem to have the study habit tonight, either,” commented Jerry genially to the new arrival. “Well, sit down and have a good time. That’s what college is for.”

“How do you like the doctor, Lucy?” There was a note of sharp interest in the question. Marjorie was anxious to hear Lucy’s opinion of the president. “I know you said he was friendly; but, I mean, what do you think of him in other ways?”

“I understand you. You are thinking of Miss Remson. So was I, whenever I had a chance to study the man. He is one of the kindest, finest men I have ever come in contact with,” Lucy declared impressively. “He is so courteous; he goes to great pains in answering his letters. I know he never wrote that letter to Miss Remson.”

“I felt that way about him, too, the day I played messenger for Miss Humphrey.” Marjorie nodded agreement of Lucy’s emphatic praise.

“I wish I could solve that letter mystery while I am there.” Lucy’s green eyes gleamed. “My one chance would be to have a talk about it with Doctor Matthews. That’s not likely to happen. I could find out a good deal about Miss Sayres by going through the letter files, but I would die rather than touch one of them. I shall only be there for a day or two, I suppose. If I could be his secretary for two or three weeks I might be able to say a good word for Miss Remson. I am sure there has been a great misrepresentation and I believe Miss Sayres is at the bottom of it.”

“What would you do, Luciferous, if, while you were there, you found out something that was plain proof against the Sans?” was Marjorie’s thoughtful query.

“I would take it up with Doctor Matthews at once, wouldn’t you, in the same circumstances?”

“Yes,” came the unhesitating reply. “That is the one thing I have always thought I would not mind telling against the Sans.” Marjorie’s features grew sternly determined. “It was such a cruel thing to do; to estrange two friends of such long standing. For all we know, Doctor Matthews may wonder why Miss Remson has not visited him and his wife for over a year.”

“It is not likely that I shall find any such proof. If I should, I would use it very quickly. Miss Remson was dreadfully hurt over that miserable letter. I would put the proof before Doctor Matthews if I had to fight all the Sans single-handed afterward.”