"For working," added Arline. "Ruth will have work enough and to
spare this year. Can you blame me for trying to make her take life
easy for a few days?"

"Blame you?" repeated Elfreda. "I would have lectured her night and
day, and tied her up to keep her from work, if necessary."

"Now you see just how much sympathy these worthy sophomores have for
you," declared Arline.

"Do you know whether 19-- is all here yet?" asked Anne.

"I don't know a single thing more about it than do you girls,"
returned Arline. "Suppose we go directly to our houses, and then meet
at Vinton's for dinner tonight. I don't yearn for a Morton House
dinner. The meals there won't be strictly up to the mark for another
week yet. When the house is full again, the standard of Morton House
cooking will rise in a day, but until then--let us thank our stars
for Vinton's. Are you going to take the automobile bus? We shall save
time."

"We might as well ride," replied Grace, looking inquiringly at her
friends. "My luggage is heavy and the sooner I arrive at Wayne Hall
the better pleased I shall be."

"Are you to have the same rooms as last year?" asked Ruth Denton.

"I suppose so, unless something unforeseen has happened."

"Will there be any vacancies at your house this year?" inquired