"I have had one to myself--for eight days--and, now I'm going back to
the old way." Sitting among the cushions of the cozy corner, Hilary
superintended operations, and when the two single white beds were
standing side by side, in their accustomed fashion, the covers turned
back for the night, she nodded in satisfied manner. "Thank you so
much, Miranda; that's as it should be. Go get your things, Paul.
To-morrow, you must move in regularly. Upper drawer between us, and
the rest share and share alike, you know."
Patience, who had hit upon the happy expedient of braiding her
hair--braids, when there were a lot of them, took a long time--got
slowly up from the hearth rug, her head a sight to behold, with its
tiny, hornlike red braids sticking out in every direction. "I suppose
I'd better be going. I wish I had someone to talk to, after I'd gone
to bed." And a deep sigh escaped her.
Pauline kissed the wistful little face. "Never mind, old girl, you
know you'd never stay awake long enough to talk to anyone."
She and Hilary stayed awake talking, however, until Pauline's prudence
got the better of her joy in having her sister back in more senses than
one. It was so long since they had had such a delightful bedtime talk.
"Seeing Winton First Club," Hilary said musingly. "Paul, you're ever
so clever. Shirley insisted those letters stood for 'Suppression of
Woman's Foibles Club'; and Mr. Dayre suggested they meant, 'Sweet Wild
Flowers.'"
"You've simply got to go to sleep now, Hilary, else mother'll come and
take me away."
Hilary sighed blissfully. "I'll never say again--that nothing ever
happens to us."
Tom and Josie came to supper the next night. Shirley was there, too,
she had stopped in on her way to the post-office with her father that
afternoon, to ask how Hilary was, and been captured and kept to supper
and the first club meeting that followed.
Hilary had been sure she would like to join, and Shirley's prompt and
delighted acceptance of their invitation proved her right.
"I've only got five names on my list," Tom said, as the young folks
settled themselves on the porch after supper. "I suppose we'll think
of others later."
"That'll make ten, counting us five, to begin with," Pauline said.
"Bell and Jack Ward," Tom took out his list, "the Dixon boys and Edna
Ray. That's all."
"I'd just like to know where I come in, Tom Brice!" Patience demanded,
her voice vibrant with indignation.
"Upon my word! I didn't suppose--"
"I am to belong! Ain't I, Paul?"
"But Patty--"
"If you're going to say no, you needn't Patty me!"
"We'll see what mother thinks," Hilary suggested. "You wouldn't want
to be the only little girl to belong?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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