New Horizons by Lois Gladys Leppard Page B

amused.
    â€œWe met an artist who was painting a picture of her own cat, but it looked identical to Snowball, so Mandie’s grandmother got her to paint another one for Mandie,” Celia explained.
    â€œIt does look like Snowball, but I can’t show you because boys are not allowed past the parlor in the boardinghouse,” Mandie said.
    â€œWell, I’m glad the holidays are turning out this way,” Celia said. “We’ll get to see everyone, and I sure feel like some friends after all this time in this friendless college.” Then she frowned as she looked at Joe and asked, “My aunt Rebecca will be coming in on the early train tomorrow morning. Does that mean we will be getting on the train with you and Mandie to go to Franklin instead of getting on the train to Virginia?”
    â€œThat’s right,” Joe replied. “You girls need to get your carriage driver to bring your trunks tomorrow to be put on the proper train.”
    â€œOf course,” Mandie replied, and turning to Celia she said, “I’m so glad everyone is coming to my house. It will be great for everyone to catch up on things.”
    Later, when Joe went back to his hotel room for the night, Mandie and Celia went to their room to talk about the forthcoming holidays.
    â€œI’m so glad to get a break from this school,” Mandie said as she sat down in one of the big chairs.
    â€œYes, a break is good for everyone, but did you know that girl, Grace Wilson, is staying here for the holidays?” Celia asked.
    Mandie sat up straighter. “You mean she is staying here at thecollege during the holidays? Why?”
    â€œIt seems she has no home to go to, or else she doesn’t have the money to travel,” Celia explained.
    â€œDoes she not have any family?” Mandie asked.
    â€œNo one seems to know, but everyone thinks she is too poor. She is here on a scholarship, remember?” Celia reminded her.
    â€œThat’s too bad,” Mandie said. “What will she do all during the holidays here alone?”
    â€œShe won’t be alone. I understand there are two or three other girls who will be staying here because of various reasons. But you know she doesn’t seem to make friends with anyone and is always by herself,” Celia explained.
    â€œI wonder why,” Mandie said thoughtfully. “She probably has some kind of problem that she’s keeping private.”
    â€œThat’s what I was thinking, too,” Celia agreed. “But what could it be?”
    â€œSince we don’t live in the dormitory, I don’t know much about any of the girls anymore,” Mandie commented.
    â€œMaybe she’s friends with one of the girls who is staying here for Thanksgiving,” Celia said.
    â€œIt’s too late now to do anything about it since we are leaving in the morning, but when we come back I intend to do a little investigative work and find out a few things about her. Maybe we could help her, whatever it is.”
    â€œI’ve heard that she is involved in a group that makes clothes for poor children,” Celia told her. “Maybe we could find out something through them.”
    â€œA group that make clothes for poor children? Not a group from this college, surely. The girls here are too high and mighty for that,” Mandie said.
    â€œNo, I believe it meets somewhere in town,” Celia said.
    Mandie looked at Celia, laughed, and said, “Celia, you are getting to be a real busybody. How do you find out all these things?”
    â€œListening,” Celia said, grinning. “Since we’re not in all the same classes tgether, I hear a lot of talk that you don’t. My music class is especially where I hear a lot of things. The girls in there seem to be friendlier than in other classes.”
    â€œAnd they also seem to know everyone’s business, right?” Mandie added with a laugh.
    â€œI suppose you could say