by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER II
BRIARWOOD COLLEGE
Briarwood College was built on a terraced hillside, the buildings risingone above the other, the lowest, or Main Building, on a level with thestreet that ran at right angles with the hillside, while the topmost,known as "Hillview," crowned the summit and commanded a view of near anddistant hills, blue, purple and opal-tinted, melting into the sky.
The Main Building had originally been a handsome old dwelling house,whose spacious rooms were now used as parlors, library, offices andteachers' rooms. There were wide, beautiful porches in front and back,and massive stone steps, ending in great stone urns overflowing withbright flowers at the foot of each flight. These steps led down intowide shady gardens, where the girls walked up and down with armsintertwined, or sat and studied and talked on rustic seats under thetrees on the shady lawns.
The other buildings, Briarley Hall, Elmtree Hall and Hillview, weredevoted to class rooms and dormitories, each hall being presided over bya teacher.
In these pleasant courts of learning Alison Fair arrived on a goldenSeptember afternoon, and was warmly welcomed by Miss Harland, thePrincipal.
"We are so glad to have you back, dear," Miss Harland said, kissing thegirl affectionately. "I was rather afraid from what you wrote some timeago, that you might not return to us this year."
"Oh, so was I, Miss Harland. I was dreadfully afraid of it. I was sodisappointed, I hardly realize yet that it is all right, and I am reallyhere. And may I have my same old room, and Joan for roommate?"
"The same room, dear, but I am so sorry about Joan. You see, she has notcome yet, and there was no one to claim that room, so I had to put a newgirl in with you. We have a very large school this year, and thedormitories are overflowing. I really had no other place for her. Youmay be able to change later, if you don't find her congenial. You won'tmind?"
Alison did mind; but after the first pang of disappointment, she spokecheerfully. "It's all right, Miss Harland. I'm so thankful to be here atall, I shan't grumble at anything. Joan _is_ coming, isn't she?" insudden alarm.
"Oh, yes, I expect her this evening. Her father is driving her throughthe country. Run up, then, and get acquainted with your new roommate.Marcia West, is her name. She looked homesick."
Homesick at Briarwood! Alison marvelled as she ran lightly up thefamiliar staircase and along the corridor to the end room, which hadbeen hers and Joan Wentworth's last year. She was so happy to findherself here again; but then she was not a new girl, and she knew therewere many freshmen lying on their beds at this moment and crying theireyes out for homesickness. Well, it would not last long, one soon grewaccustomed to the pleasant routine of school days.
She reached her door and tapped lightly. It was opened, after aninstant's delay, and the "new girl" stood there in silence, stillholding the door and looking at her with an expression which, if notexactly forbidding, was certainly not encouraging. She was aboutAlison's own age, rather tall and slight, with dark, sombre eyes anddark heavy hair worn low on her forehead. The heavy hair and theunsmiling eyes gave her face a lowering look that was not attractive atfirst sight. She merely stood there without speaking, until Alison saidpleasantly,
"Good evening. I am Alison Fair, and you are my new roommate. MissHarland told me you were here. I'm sorry to be late. I hope you like ourroom."
"Pretty, though it's not very large for two," said the girlnonchalantly. "I came in this morning. I've been unpacking."
It was evident, as Alison entered and looked about her. Marcia hadunpacked her trunk, which stood open in the hall beside their door, andhad strewed her belongings about as freely as though she had expected tooccupy the room alone.
It was a fairly good-sized room, containing two single beds, and adresser, chair and small table for each girl. A roomy closet was wellsupplied with hangers and shoe-racks. A glance showed Alison that Marciahad placed her dresser and table close to the window and strewn themwith photographs and toilet articles in lavish profusion. Also, that shehad taken the best chair.
"I changed things a little. You don't mind, do you?" she asked, watchingAlison.
"Oh, no, it's your room as well as mine," Alison answeredgood-humoredly, and proceeded to open her own trunk, which had beenbrought up and placed in the hall, according to custom, and to arrangeher part of the room. Marcia had encroached on her side of the closet,she noticed, but she said nothing, only hanging up a few dresses andleaving the rest in her trunk. She placed a few favorite books between apair of bronze bookends, her father's parting gift; laid her Biblebeside them, and her pretty new portfolio her mother had given her; andfinally set her cherished lamp on the dresser. She had scarcelyfinished, and stood surveying the effect, when there was a rush oflittle feet in the corridor, the door was flung open, and a small,rosy-faced curly-haired girl rushed in to fling herself into Alison'sarms.
"Oh, Alison, you darling thing! I'm so thrilled to be back, and in oursame old room, too."