CHAPTER XII--FULL-FLEDGED PROMOTERS

"The very first thing to do, Robin, is to find out whether those properties used for boarding houses are for sale. There is no use in hoping for one little instant that Miss Susanna will ever relent enough to allow us ground on the campus for any new houses." Marjorie spoke with finality.

"Queer, isn't it? Hamilton doesn't even own itself." A flickering smile touched Robin's lips.

"Miss Susanna doesn't consider that she owns the college," Marjorie explained in defense of her eccentric friend. "Miss Humphrey said Mr. Brooke Hamilton's will stipulated that she must sanction all building, improvements or important changes on the campus. The college has free right to choose everything else."

Not even to Robin Page, her dearest Hamilton friend, outside Wayland Hall, had Marjorie ever divulged the fact of her friendship with the last of the Hamiltons. She would have liked to tell Robin, that, only a week previous, she had taken tea with Miss Susanna and heard again the old lady's repeated statement that never should Hamilton College receive even the ghost of a favor from her.

"I wish we knew Miss Susanna Hamilton," sighed Robin. "We could then have it out with her on the subject at least."

Marjorie, feeling like a criminal, said nothing for a little. The two seniors had just come from a walk past the boarding houses, the site of which they hoped to be able to use for the building of the dormitory of their generous dreams.

"About these boarding houses, Robin," Marjorie began afresh, desirous of leading her friend away from the subject of Miss Susanna. "Anna Towne's landlady told her that they were in the hands of a real estate agent in the town of Hamilton. His name is Mr. Charles Cutler and his office is on Keene Street. He is the person we must see."

"Since the girls off the campus wouldn't accept our offer, we have six thousand, two hundred and ten dollars in our treasury," announced Robin. "We must keep some of that for our regular beneficiary fund; say two thousand dollars. That gives us a little more than four thousand to pay down on the property."

"It is only a drop in the bucket," Marjorie said doubtfully. "I suppose those properties, all together, are worth thirty or forty thousand to the owner. The question of the money is easily solved. Ronny will finance the undertaking for us. She is determined to do it. She would give us the money, but I won't accept it. I think the Hamilton girls now and to come should take this debt upon themselves and earn the money to pay it by their own efforts."

"So do I," nodded Robin. "Think what a good time we had getting up the revue. It was splendid practice for us in many ways. Let the girls who come after us have something to plan and work for. It will be the best thing that can happen to them. Besides, giving plays and entertainments helps to create the right kind of social atmosphere and also brings to light the talents of the students. I am for being independent and earning every cent of this money."

"It will keep the Nineteen Travelers busy this year and we'll choose nineteen more to replace us," Marjorie declared with quiet satisfaction.

The Nineteen Travelers were now a surety. Marjorie had carried out her spoken resolve to Jerry to call together those students outside Wayland Hall who had been closest to the Nine Travelers. The original Nine Travelers had all expressed a desire to enlarge the informal society. It had therefore been regularly organized as a sorority one evening in Leila's and Vera's room. The new sorority was now planning to do great things during their senior year at Hamilton.

"Self-denial last year didn't hurt any of us," Robin gaily pointed out. "I saved three hundred and two dollars. The other girls saved anywhere from two to three hundred apiece. Think what it means to our treasury now!"

"I saved three hundred and seven dollars. I didn't miss it. I haven't a new suit this fall, and I don't want one. I brought back only two new frocks. Both of them were presents to me from my father. I won't give up going to Baretti's. That is my one luxury. I shall save as much as I can this year, too."

"Wouldn't it be fine if we could make and save enough money this year to clear the purchase price of these properties?" Robin's eyes sparkled at the thought.

"We couldn't unless something positively miraculous came our way." Marjorie shook her head. "It would take all our spare time and more too. True, we don't have basket ball to think of now, but on the other hand our subjects are harder. I wish I were as brilliant as Lucy. She had enough credits to be graduated last June, but she needed another year in biology and physics. This year she will have those two subjects and Political Science. That will leave her quite a good deal of time for her own. What do you suppose she intends to do with it?"

"Tell me, for I am a no-good guesser."

"She is going to be President Matthews' regular secretary. She talked it over with him one day last week. He made arrangements so that his work would not interfere with her classes. That was really a concession, but he told her he had hoped from the first day she worked for him finally to have her for his secretary. She is so pleased. Her salary is thirty-five dollars a week. We were all glad for her sake," Marjorie ended with generous enthusiasm.

Robin expressed equal pleasure in Lucy's rise in fortune. "It is just one more example of how beautifully everything seems to be working out for us all at Hamilton," she said happily. "During our freshman year our lot was full of snags. One by one they have dropped away. Long before the Sans left college snobbishness was on the wane."

"Phil and Barbara deserve credit for much of that. I never saw a girl fight harder for democracy than Phil did during her freshie year. She really turned her class inside out and made them over." Marjorie's admiration for staunch, independent Phyllis Moore had steadily grown with time.

"I hear Miss Walbert is at Wayland Hall." Mention of Phil's energetic stand during her freshman year brought her unworthy opponent to Robin's thoughts. "Is she as hateful as ever? I never could endure her, and you know, Marvelous Manager, I am fairly good-natured. Phil had an awful time over the way she tried to run the freshies."

"Your disposition couldn't be improved upon," laughed Marjorie. "Yes, she is at the Hall. I seldom see her except at a distance. She isn't there much to meals."

"She has a new car; a limousine. It is black, this time. I have seen her driving it or rather driving 'at it.' Someone, I forgot who, said Leslie Cairns was visiting an aunt in Hamilton."

Marjorie showed no surprise. She had already heard of Leslie's re-appearance. Robin did not continue on the subject of Leslie. Her observation had been impersonal. Shortly afterward she left Robin, the two having agreed to call at the real estate agent's office on Wednesday of the coming week.

Recounting to Jerry the talk between Robin and herself, Jerry asked abruptly: "Have you girls told anyone you were going to try to get hold of those properties? That is, anyone outside our own crowd?"

"I can't say it has been kept a secret," Marjorie returned. "At the time of the show we gave last winter, some of the girls who helped a good deal, like Ethel Laird and Grace Dearborn, may have mentioned it. For instance, Grace sold tickets all over the campus. We were talking at that time about how fine it would be to be able to found a dormitory. Nothing has been said of late outside our crowd, that I recall. Robin and I have only started the ball rolling again. Why did you ask, Jeremiah?"

"I was thinking. If the real estate agent happened to hear you wanted the properties he might raise the price of them to more than they were worth. You don't care to be stung, do you?"

"Certainly _not_. The less we have to pay for the site the more money we shall have to put into the building. Besides, we don't care to be saddled with any larger debt than we can help. We are going to see him next Wednesday. The chances are he won't have heard anything about it in that short space of time--unless he heard last spring." Marjorie frowned brief anxiety. Then her face cleared. "Oh, it isn't at all likely," she said. "Robin and I are going to put every minute we can spare into the work. Thank goodness, we studied hard enough our first three years! We are sure of getting through this year without having to dig."

"We've had loads of good times, but still we have kept up in all our subjects," commented Jerry with pardonable pride. "Now, in my sage and profound seniorship I propose to turn philanthropist and promoter with you, Marvelous Manager. By the way, I brought up your mail. It's over there." Jerry indicated a small pile of letters on the top of a two-shelved wall book-case.

"Thank you." Marjorie made a dive for them. "Six; I am lucky today!" She hastily sat down in the nearest chair to enjoy them. Reading each as she opened it, she was slow in coming to the last one of the pile.

"Here's a note from Professor Leonard!" she exclaimed, mystification written on her pretty features. "He asks me to come to the gymnasium at four-thirty tomorrow afternoon. He doesn't say anything in the note but that."

"Basket ball, of course," guessed Jerry.

"But I didn't play on the team last year and he knows it. Oh, I think I know. Maybe he would like me to umpire or referee a game. No, it can't be that, for he dropped basket ball after the Sans made so much trouble. I am sure I can't guess why he wants to see me."

"You'll know after you've seen him," returned Jerry, snickering.

"I have an idea I shall," retorted Marjorie. "That was a brilliant remark, Jeremiah."

When at four-thirty on the following afternoon Marjorie sought the physical culture director in the gymnasium, she was somewhat taken aback by the concise request: "I would like to make you chairman of the senior sports committee, Miss Dean. I have been urged to resume charge of college sports by President Matthews. You may recall _why_ I refused to act as the director of them two years ago. Well, things have changed here since then. A certain pernicious element has been removed. I am going to try again, simply to please the doctor. Will you help me? I have in mind for that committee, you as chairman, Miss Page, Miss Harding and Miss Hunter. The four of you can arrange a series of basket ball games. In the spring we will have tennis. Miss Hunter is an expert player. I want her chiefly on account of her tennis prowess. It will not take up much of your time. You would probably attend the games held here, at any rate. Think it over and let me know by tomorrow. I wish to make a start as soon as possible."

Marjorie listened to the director in silent consternation. She did not wish to serve on any such committee. It would interfere, to some extent, in her new plans. On the other hand, she wished very much to help Professor Leonard. He had made a concession in again resuming directorship of college sports. Could she do less than aid him? She aspired to serve her Alma Mater in the best way. Perhaps this work was as important as building a dormitory. Professor Leonard had said, "Think it over." Marjorie had already decided.

"I won't wait until tomorrow, Professor Leonard, to decide. I will accept the honor now. If you wish, I will see the other girls. I think you can count on them."

"Thank you, Miss Dean. I was sure you wouldn't fail me." The professor's hand went out impulsively.

Marjorie reflected with a twinge of remorse as she returned the handshake that she had come very near to failing him.

"You will help me greatly by seeing your friends. I wish you four would meet me here day after tomorrow at this time. We will then discuss our plans for the season."

"I'll simply have to make room for committee duties on my programme somehow," she thought, as she left the gymnasium and cut across the campus, headed for Silverton Hall. "Robin is in as deeply as I. Still, I know she wouldn't have refused, under the same circumstances. If I had dreamed, ever since my freshman year, of such an honor, I'd never have attained it. Just because I have about twice as much on hand as I can look after, along comes something else. It's what I should call an embarrassment of riches."