"WHERE is everybody, anyhow?" demanded Lucia, peeping in at a door which stood invitingly ajar. "Here!" was the prompt reply. "Come right in, bridesmaid, and help yourself to a needle and thread." "I've been wandering over the entire dormitory since I arrived, looking at empty rooms and rattling locked doors. What's going on? Party gowns or new curtains?" and Lucia eyed the yards of frills inquisitively. "The very idea! Curtains!" Grace tossed a filmy sleeve at the new-comer. "Gaze upon the quality of that material, then insult it if you dare! Here's a thimble-baste that seam, will you?" "We 're awfully glad to see you back, Lu. Did you get your cousin safely married?" Madge Greyson chimed in. "Quite safely, thank you, and launched on her honeymoon tour. Yes, I did bring some weddingcake. No, I did n't get the bride's bouquet. That's the last question I 'm going to answer till this excitement is explained," and Lucia assumed a determined air as she reached for the thread. "According to history, yes. I never met the gentleman, so I can't speak from experience." "It 's Peace, Lucia. We 're all so proud of her, we are half crazy. There was n't a minute to spare after she knew what Herr Richter wanted her to do, so we all pitched in to help. Grace is modiste-in-chief, and we are all aides-of-the-staff. Is n't it going to be pretty? Only look at that front breadth-could you tell it had n't been designed by Paquin himself, or herself, as the case may be ?" "Peace's gown. Everybody proud. So much I have gathered. A few more items would n't come amiss. Proud of what, for instance?" Lucia sewed industriously as she made her inquiry. "One moment, Mabel! She 'll never understand your harebrained explanation. Hand me the scissors, Sylvia-the smallest ones." Grace snipped an armhole carefully before she went on. "It's the students' recitals, Lu. You know all of Herr Richter's pupils have been preparing for these great events since school opened last fall. The first one is to be given by the Young Ladies' Orchestra, and the way they have fiddled and twanged the past week was enough to drive a mere book-worm demented. The music-room is filled with woeful sounds at all hours of the day and night, and, incidentally, my boudoir is directly over it. You can imagine my sufferings." CENTURY Co. All rights reserved. "You need n't insist. Can't you see we 're dying to tell you? Gather this ruffle, Mabel, and, Sylvia, turn that hem. It's a gown, Lu, for our feminine Paganini. I do mean Paganini, don't I, Lora? He did play the violin, did n't he?" Copyright, 1912, by THE "Glad I've been away. If there 's anything heartrending, it is amateur violin playing!" Lucia spoke with emphasis, and Grace raised a warning finger. "'Sh! Peace is likely to come in any minute, and she must n't hear such treason expressed by this crowd. Truly, Lu, it 's an honor, all right." "Undoubtedly. Of what does it consist?" "Let me tell," said Lora. "Grace is as far from the main issue as Mabel was. Herr Richter has arranged Handel's 'Largo' for this occasion, to be played by six of his best violinists, a professional harpist, and the big, three-cornered piano. Everybody says it's the grandest thing this college has ever perpetrated, and the students are simply daft over it." Lucia laughed. "Most of this I knew, my love. You forget that I have only been away a week. Now proceed to the part of the tale I have n't heard." "Oh, dear!" sighed Lora. "It 's very taxing on one's nerves to shirr frills for a star and relate prosaic details to unappreciative listeners." "I'll finish," volunteered Sylvia. "Some people, being dull of comprehension, require more than one informant to make matters plain. Well, Lucia, we all knew, of course, that Peace would be one of the six, because she 's a born musician, and makes her fiddle talk instead of caterwaul like some of the others. Nothing personal intended, Lu." "No? Thanks! And, anyhow, I knew enough to give up my attempts before the habit became fixed. I have n't opened my violin case for two months. Go on." "So Peace and five seniors have been industriously scraping away on all occasions, letting such trifles as Virgil and trigonometry alone, and concentrating every energy on the 'Largo.' At the rehearsals, Herr Richter performed the solo part, and nobody dreamed he was n't going to keep right on soloing to the end. But Tuesday evening he announced, without a moment's warning, that Peace Payson, our honored classmate, sophomore, and musician, would play that stunning part at the recital, mind you, while Herr Richter would n't do a thing but wave his baton!" "You should have heard the din," Grace chimed in, laughing at the recollection. "I was up-stairs, and I thought something had broken loose. The orchestra clapped like mad, the bass drum boomed, the cymbals clanged, the tambourines rattled, and every girl cheered-all but Peace. When I got down to the music-room-I had to see what everybody 'd gone crazy over-she was standing up there hugging her fiddle, and going pink and white by turns, like a blessed little chameleon. Her head drooped forward as if it could n't hold up so much honor, and was ashamed to try. But she did that solo as if she 'd been raised on it-Herr Richter himself applauded when she got through." "I'll forgive you for taking a week to arrive at a piece of news like that." Lucia's own cheeks were scarlet. "Wait till I get hold of that modest mouse! Where is she now?" "Practising, of course. She eats, drinks, and sleeps recital nowadays. She will let us fit her, and that's about all." "How does it happen that Madam Smythe is n't making this festive gown?" Lucia had n't had time to think of that before. Grace looked sober. "She said she couldn't afford it. I'm afraid there 's something wrong at home. You know Peace never loads her trials onto anybody, but if she were as care-free as she used to be, she never could make that 'Largo' sound the way she does." "We all pounced on her to know about her dress, of course-with our usual delicacy-and she had to own that if there was a new dress at all, she'd have to make it." Lora paused to measure a band. "Now, Lu, you know how much of a success that would have been. She's no more of a dressmaker than a katydid, while Grace exudes style from her finger-tips." Grace acknowledged the compliment with a sweeping bow. "Thanks, awfully! She would n't hear of it at first, but we simply made her give in. We told her it was our share of the honor to clothe the leading lady in a garb suitable to the occasion. So we took her purse (not as fat as it used to be), and Mabel and I bought the things ourselves. The rest of this crazy-patchwork recital you now behold with your own eyes. Here comes the star herself!" The girls made room for Peace, who came in with her beloved instrument under one arm and a music satchel in her hand. "How 's everybody?" she asked cheerfully, stooping to kiss the latest comer. "It's good to see you back, Lu. Did you have a fine time?" "Gorgeous!" was the reply. "Weddings are no end interesting, Peace, especially when you 're a bridesmaid and part of the imposing procession up the church aisle. But the news when I got back eclipsed even the marriage festivities." "Is n't it wonderful, Lucia !" The blue eyes were earnest and grave. "But it's a great responsibility. How good one ought to be to deserve a privilege like this!" "As if Peace Payson could be any 'gooder' than she is!" exclaimed Lora; but Peace shook her head, and found a place in the group. |