“Yes, and do you remember how Betty said without smiling a bit that that was why they were in such a hurry to get fixed up!—sitting there in all that muss!” Cathalina stood by the dresser, tucking away the last box of trinkets. She appeared quite a different Cathalina from the one who cheerfully but tearfully had waved farewell to her father earlier that morning. “Let’s go down and see what the grounds look like as soon as you are through.” “All right,” assented Hilary. “I believe I’ll stop now; I’m tired. The worst is over and I can lay the rest of the things out of the trunk on the bed. Then the trunk can be taken down the next time the men come up with a load. Perhaps that’s why the other girls did that way.” “Perhaps.” “Wait till I fix up a little. We have lots to learn, I guess.” “My, I think so! There are loads of things that I ought to have brought to make the room look nice, and then I’m going to find a chest something like yours if I can, or maybe Mother will send me one,” continued Cathalina who remembered that she was not to have or appear to have much money. “Mm-hm,” came Hilary’s muffled assent as she slipped into a fresh cool dress. The girls explored the front hall downstairs, glancing from side to side and peeping into the two large reception rooms which occupied the entire front. At the end of the long corridor, a wide window looked out upon Greycliff Wood, into which a pretty path opened and disappeared, lost to view among the trees and bushes. The lake was dimly seen at the right, and at their left the rising ground and wooded hills which extended back of Greycliff Hall. A door was near this window, and a short flight of steps to the ground. As the girls started down the steps, two attractive girls stood up politely to let them pass. One, looking a second time at Hilary, exclaimed, “Why, isn’t this Hilary Lancaster?” “Indeed it is.” “Don’t you remember me—Grace Barnard? At your aunt’s not long ago.” “O, yes!—at that picnic! How funny! Did you know you were coming here then?” “Yes, this is my third year here, but I did not dream of your coming!” “The funny thing is that I did not mention Greycliff. I was so full of it that I thought I was never with anybody five minutes without speaking of it. But did Aunt Hilary know that you are a Greycliff girl?” “No; I’ve only just met your aunt.” “My, to think what I missed knowing about Greycliff besides looking forward to having somebody I knew here!” Cathalina and the other girl had been exchanging amused glances and now introductions became general. “This is my roommate,” said Hilary, “Cathalina Van Buskirk, from New York.” “And this is my friend, Eloise Winthrop,” returned Grace. “I hope she is going to get into our suite this year, but it isn’t decided yet.” “We are just exploring,” said Hilary. “I was tired of unpacking.”