“Oh, hello, Janie,” called out Dozia Dalton, otherwise Theodosia. “How’s the Wild and Wooly?” “Almost ready to shear,” replied Jane, in as jovial a tone as Dozia had betrayed. “There are whiskers on the moon, and the sun has a pompadour. How’s little Beantown?” “Browning nicely, thank you!” in an invisible pun. “I had a pan just before I left.” Good old Dozia, always ready for a lark. No doubt she did have what might be taken for a “panning” previous to leaving home if she perpetrated any of her famous jokes physically. Dozia was regarded “an awful joker” and she usually preferred the illustrated brand of funnies. “Welcome to our city,” yelled Minette Brocton. “Someone said you had made your debut—saw you in New York.” “Oh, hello, Nettie,” called back Jane. She liked Minette, and wondered if she had seen the “housekeepers” while that squad was on duty in New York. “What are squashes fetching to-day? And have you any very nice La France onions?” asked Minette in a tone full of good humor. “I wonder, Jane, you did not buy a pushcart.” “Oh, Nettie Brocton! Don’t you dare tell me you saw us in New York and never came to see us,” reproached Jane. “Couldn’t find you. All I could ever see distinctly were brown paper bundles.” “Oh, Nettie, really, did you see me in New York?” Jane was coaxing now. “No, but a friend of mine did. There now, not one more scrap of information will I give you. But I love your little friend Nellie.” “I am so glad, Nettie. We need you in our ranks. Spread the call for team play. This will surely be an eventful year.” CHAPTER XIII—STIRRING THE DEPTHS “She won’t run!” “Of course she will. Who asked her?” “I didn’t ask her, but I heard her say emphatically that she would not. And you know Jane Allen.” “But we must have her. And we have to get very busy before the freshmen have a chance to go over our heads. I have been lobbying ever since the four thirty, and I have seen all the old girls, and lots of new ones. This is so important, Gloria. You know what a big year we have planned.” “Yes, Judy, I do know. All the more reason why we should have Jane. But she can’t or won’t forget her freshman experience. She declared it showed a prejudice that would react on the club if we chose her. That is why she refuses.” Gloria Gude and Judith Stearns were in conclave. It was the day before class election and not a single head could be seen anywhere either in or out of college. They ran in pairs, and from that up to tens but no singles. Everyone was scouting and rooting secretly for her candidate, and not a few sashes were inadvertently exchanged in the wild pulls and grabs, desperately made to get votes that might be passing by in chapel or through recitation halls. Dozia Dalton had thus acquired Molly Linott’s black velvet long ding-dong belt, and Nettie Brocton lost her embroidered Chinese ribbon somewhere going from two ten, to three fifteen.