Excerpt
CHAPTER I OFF TO GLENMORE
The Stone House looked as fine, and its gardens as gay with flowers, as when the members of the household were to be at home for a season, for it always seemed at those times as if the blossoming plants did their best, because sure of loving admiration.
But something entirely new was about to happen; something that made Dorothy Dainty catch her breath, while her dearest friend, Nancy Ferris, declared that she was wildly happy, except that the whole thing seemed so like a dream that she could hardly believe it.
"That's just it, Nancy," said Dorothy. "It surely does seem like a dream."
Yet it was true, and not a dream that Mr. Dainty was to be away from home for some months, that Mrs. Dainty was to accompany him, and that Aunt Charlotte would be with them, and that Dorothy and Nancy were to spend those months at a fine school for girls, and Vera Vane, merry, mischief-loving Vera, would be eagerly looking for them on the day of their arrival. One would almost wonder that the thought of being away at school should appeal to Dorothy and Nancy, but it was the novelty that charmed them.
It was always delightful at the Stone House, and there had been summer seasons at shore and country that they had greatly enjoyed, but here was a new experience, and the "newness" was delightful.
A letter from Vera had just arrived, and Dorothy, out in the garden when the postman had handed it to her, stood reading it.
"Her letters are just like herself," she whispered.
She looked up. Nancy was calling to her.
"A letter from Vera!" answered Dorothy.
"We shall have to hurry a bit," Nancy said, "James is strapping the two trunks, the suit-cases are out in the hall, and we must be ready in twenty minutes."
"All right!" cried Dorothy. "Give me your hand and we'll run to the house."
She tucked the letter into the front of her blouse, and then promptly forgot all about it.
The "twenty minutes" sped on wings, and when at last Dorothy and Nancy sat side by side in the car, their trunks checked, their suit-cases, and umbrellas on the seat that had been turned over for them, they turned, each to look into the other's eyes.
Dorothy's lip quivered, but she spoke bravely.
"It is hard, this first trip away from home without mother or Aunt Charlotte with us," she said. Then quickly she added:
"But it will be fine when we get used to being away from home."
"Oh, yes, it will be fine!" Nancy said in a firm voice, but she looked down, lest her eyes show a suspicious moisture.
As the journey progressed, their spirits rose. After all, it was not really "good-by," yet.
Mrs. Dainty had postponed the actual "good-by" until a week after Dorothy and Nancy should have begun the school year at Glenmore.
She knew that Vera Vane was a host in herself, her friend and chum, Elfreda was nearly her equal in active wit, and high spirits, and at least a few of the other pupils would have already formed a speaking acquaintance with the two new girls.
The girls would have been assigned places in the classes for which they were fitted, and thus the school work would be planned, and their time closely occupied....